Opening Doors: Call in the eggsperts

The first ever instalment of our Opening Doors series sees Gabriel Larraz, co-founder of Broken Eggs in Fitzrovia, explore his restaurant’s growing relationship with POS provider, Square

Welcome to the first edition of our brand-new series, Opening Doors. Come on in, pull up a seat and get ready to delve into the powerful relationships that help hospitality tick.

Amid the seemingly constant curveballs and challenging trading conditions, it’s certainly not an easy time to run a successful restaurant, let alone think about growth. And yet, the grit, determination and meaningful connections forged throughout the workforce help keep the sector afloat.

Right now, operators need all the help they can get, so this series is designed to shine a light on the innovative suppliers that streamline, simplify and supercharge processes from the bottom line up. These are the businesses ready and willing to take care of the admin so your team can focus on what really matters: providing a top-quality dining experience complete with unparalleled service.

So, join us at authentic Spanish restaurant Broken Eggs in Fitzrovia, where co-founder Gabriel Larraz talks about the value and convenience of POS provider, Square.

Image: Square

Dine Out (DO): We’re here at Broken Eggs in central London. Gabriel, for those who don’t know your business, please tell us all about it.
Gabriel Larraz (GL): Broken Eggs is an authentic Spanish restaurant and we specialise in Spanish tortillas. The whole idea behind Broken Eggs is creating a space where people feel welcome.

DO: As you said, the Spanish tortilla is an authentic dish from your country. Did you see a gap in the London market? Was no one doing it quite as well as you can, so that’s why you decided to go for it?
GL: I think the Spanish tortilla is a true representation of what Spanish cooking is about. It has three ingredients – eggs, potatoes and onions. It’s all about treating those ingredients honestly, not taking any shortcuts and doing things properly, just as our Grandma would do at home.

DO: So, let’s go back to the menu very briefly. The tortilla is the hero dish, but is there anything else people come to you for?
GL: The Spanish tortilla is the dish we’re known for and what we specialise in, but Broken Eggs in Spanish is ‘huevos rotos’, which is also a Spanish dish we serve at weekends. People love it – it’s basically chips with fried eggs, then either jamón or chorizo, manchego and pisto. People also love our cheesecake and croquetas as well.

Gabriel Larraz

DO: We’re here today to talk about the hospitality industry and how it can be supported and grow. A key part of that of course is the suppliers you work with as an operator. So, let’s talk about Square – can you tell us a bit about how you started working with them?
GL: When I started Broken Eggs, I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I was using another POS system at that time and it was just terrible; it made our lives very difficult. So, a year in, we got in touch with Square because of how simple the system is to use. It’s all in one, so it’s a system that’s fully integrated. It’s made our lives easy. It’s super quick – payments go through immediately and all of your data is in one place. You can also use it for staffing and rotas. It’s amazing.

DO: You’d think that maybe that sort of technology had reached its limit in terms of how far it can advance, but there’s a new product just launched, right? The hand-held – is that correct?
GL: Yes, it seems like they keep launching new products to help hospitality operators. We actually got the hand-helds just yesterday – they’re super slick, they fit in your pocket and they’re really quick to get orders through and sent to the kitchen. It’s a great product to have.

You may also be interested in…