Robert Klemm has worked with food since a young age. While working as a sous chef at Sebastian’s in Racine, Klemm recently decided he needed to utilize the many years of experience he has in the industry through restaurant consulting. His company X.E.Qtion Dun-Rite, LLC provides restaurants large and small with the adjustments needed to function at the maximum level of efficiency. After years in the kitchen, Klemm has discovered that helping restaurant flourish provides a whole new level of satisfaction.

Suburban Bully: Who are you and what is X.E.Qtion Dun-Rite?

Robert Klemm: I am a chef by trade. I have worked with both corporate and independent restaurants throughout Wisconsin. X.E.Qtion Dun-Rite is a way to subsidize my income - it’s a consulting company. I found that working with different restaurants over the years I have picked up techniques and skills for both the front and back of the house. I figured I could start a business by helping others that do not have as much experience as I do within the restaurant world. I do everything from promotions and marketing to decreasing costs and increasing sales. I have helped with menu development – writing a menu from scratch or going into a place where the menu is not working and reorganizing what is happening at a particular establishment. I can pretty much do anything restaurant related.

SB: How did you first start with food?

RK: I started working with food at the age of fourteen at Taco Bell and Hardees. Eventually I had the opportunity to work at Smith Brothers out in Port Washington and it was high-end seafood place. I fell in love with the industry there. For the next five years I worked at mom and pop joints and hole-in-the-wall type places and ended up at Shelly’s Catering in Mequon – again a high-end establishment. That experience really brought out my passion for food. I decided to go to school for marketing at UWM and at the same time I worked at Bartollota’s.

SB: You never went to culinary school?

RK: Nope, for food I went to the school of hard knocks. I think culinary schools in general have a lot to offer. I know a lot people that have gained a lot from that experience and I know a lot of people that have wasted their money. Just because you went to culinary school doesn’t make you a chef. If you are already a cook or chef and you want to go back to school to get a degree or fill in some areas you never had the chance to experiment in, then it’s cool. But realistically to only to go culinary school and to come out and think you’re ready to go, it’s not true. One of the perks about culinary school is you go in and you try your hand at everything. You get to try all different kinds of items and foods. Whereas in the restaurant, you make the same dish 80 times a day for a month and you get really at making that dish. Both allow you to hone your skills in different ways.

SB: So if X. E. Qtion Dun-Rite isn’t you day-job, what is?

RK: Well it is my day-job, in that it happens during the day, but it is not my steady income. I work at Sebastian’s in Racine which is a high-end steak and seafood restaurant. It is hands down the best restaurant in Racine County. They have excellent food. It’s a beautiful dining room; it’s very cozy and romantic. The cuisine is French and Asian influenced. Scott Sebastian, the owner and executive chef is very talented.

SB: What was it about Sebastian’s that made you want to work as the sous chef there?

RK: I was very impressed with Scott because he does his own butchering. I remember walking in there one of the first days after I started and he had this enormous chunk of meat on the counter. He explained that he cuts his own t-bones and porterhouses. Downstairs he has his very own band saw. Because he cuts his own meat he is able to sell it for half the price they do in Milwaukee and still make more money on it.

SB: How have you found the reception of the services offered by X.E.Qtion Dun-Rite here in Milwaukee?

RK: It’s been going great! I primarily get my foot in the door through marketing and promotions. I am very good at networking and social media and that is usually the first thing I focus on. I have been with some of my clients since the very beginning, since they first open their doors. The combination of my marketing and culinary experience has made this company very successful.

SB: Why are you here in Milwaukee and not somewhere else?

RK: I think because of my connections. I am from here. I have had the opportunity to work at many different places in and around Milwaukee. This is where I really feel comfortable. Could I transfer it and move to Chicago? Sure, but it would be much more challenging. My connections are all in Milwaukee. In Chicago, I would be out of the loop.  

SB: How often is the kitchen of a restaurant actually like those cooking shows with the screaming chef tearing the staff down?

RK: Well, it kind of depends. To be honest, I think that every really good kitchen that I have worked in has your stereotypical alpha dog, bad ass as well as the less dominate, really nice-guy. I think that balance is really important.

SB: Which role do you play?

RK: It kind of depends on the situation. I’ve been both. I’ve been the yeller and screamer, which I don’t really like. But there is a time and place for that. If you respect your employees enough, they will respect you and they will understand that if you mess up, you will get yelled at. If you don’t make mistakes, you won’t get reamed out.

SB: Being that the promotional aspect is so integral to your company; do you ever tire of being on Facebook and other social media as much as you have to?

RK: I try to find new ways to keep it interesting. For instance, Scott Sebastian owns one of the Midwest largest collect of Japanese knife collections. Through that I started an online collectors club on Facebook to generate more conversations about not only the knives, but obviously the restaurant as well. You can be creative with the social networking.

SB: How often do you cook at home?

RK: Never. I’ll make a sandwich at home. I really only cook when I want to impress a girl on a date. My fridge is empty. I have beer, two bottles of wine and ketchup. Maybe a gallon of milk, but it’s probably expired.

SB: Do you have any final words you would like to share?

RK: I really enjoy helping people to find new and creative ways of increasing business and generally increasing public awareness of their services offered.  Through X.E.Qtion Dun-Rite I have had the pleasure of working with Zaffiro’s Pizzeria & Bar (Owned by the Marcus Corporation) as we explore different ways to create a memorable evening for our guests.  We have done everything from packaging specially dinners with new movie releases to hosting LIVE music performances every weekend.  We are constantly evolving and striving to meet the demand of our guests.

Also I offer opportunities for business owners to pair up with professional associates of mine.  If there is an area in a restaurant that needs special attention, I’m able to bring in the right person to iron out all the wrinkles.  On my team of experts, I have current restaurateurs, executive chefs, interior architect/restaurant design expert, point of sales/I.T. expert, wine expert, event planner, etc.  Anything you might need… I’m sure to know the right person for the job.

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