From Busser to General Manager
A journey of dedication, growth, and high standards within one of Buffalo's most enduring fine dining spots Oliver's Restaurant
It’s no secret that opening a restaurant and continuing to keep it open is no easy task. A constant uphill battle with the economy, changing trends, concepts, and most importantly, getting the right people to run it. So, with Oliver’s just a couple of years away from celebrating its 90th anniversary, I wanted to chat with their current GM, Mike Ciancio, to see how a restaurant from 1936 has survived and adapted to be able to hit such a milestone.
After chatting with Mike, it was clear that his journey throughout the restaurant industry mirrors a lot of what Oliver’s has done to continue its long-running success: a deep focus on dedication to their craft, high standards, and ultimately ensuring and catering an excellent customer experience.
How long have you been at Oliver’s?
“I got hired at Oliver's as a back server/busser in 2013 while still working at Panera. I would work 40 hours in the morning at Panera and nights at Oliver's. Eventually, I left Panera and went full-time at Oliver's. I worked my way through the ranks, from back server to food runner, to lunch server, to nighttime server, to bartender.”
“Finally, the day came when I went full management and became the Assistant Manager at the restaurant. Four months later, our GM left, and I was the next man up. It had only been four years since I got hired off Craigslist as a busser. Now, I had the responsibility of being the GM at one of the best restaurants in Buffalo. I was 27 years old. Seven years later, here I am! I would have never expected to be in this position if you asked me 11 years ago. But keep your head down and work hard!”
“How do we get better at everything? Service, food, beverage, decorations, the mental health of our staff, and cohesiveness within the company. It is a very unique place to be.”
Oliver's is approaching 90 years of operation. How important is it to update and keep things new and exciting while retaining that tradition and classic feel?
“Something is to be said about a restaurant being open for 90 years. There is even more to be said about a restaurant of this caliber, staying ahead of the game and progressing the scene in Buffalo. Every major Chef who owns their own restaurant in the area has been in this kitchen in their younger years. This place saw its glory days with the old money of Buffalo, and there were times when the restaurant almost didn't make it. Countless families in this city kept our doors open for us—generations of families that have been coming here. But with being almost a century old comes a stigma of being "old school," "too expensive," and "where my grandparents used to go when they started dating." While all of this is true, and again, we wouldn't be here without Grandma... we can not just sit around and remember the past.”
“We always have to be looking forward to it. How do we get better at everything? Service, food, beverage, decorations, the mental health of our staff, and cohesiveness within the company. It is a very unique place to be. We must remember our past, give the same amazing service, and make our long-time regulars happy. At the same time, we must think about what's next: how do we get the new generation in here? How do we do something no one else is doing without being too niche and progressive? It is a tightrope walk we like to balance on at any given time!”
“Diners are very informed these days. Our job is to show off what we can do every chance we can.”
Is there a cocktail you have made that you feel best represents you? Or even just a favorite drink to make?
“I always get asked - what's your favorite cocktail? It is one of the hardest questions to answer! I struggle to even order when I go to a wedding. My go-to at the end of a long service is a Negroni. It's easy, it's quick, it's classic. I'm a huge beer guy, too, so sometimes an ice-cold pilsner. If I am feeling special, maybe a margarita in the summer. A Naked & Famous is another favorite (mezcal, Aperol, lime, yellow chartreuse). The kitchen always has a cold Molson for me if I need to go that route.”
“I love making mojitos, a drink most people hate making. A good old fashioned is fun as well; I always like seeing people's faces after taking the first tip of a well-made drink. I enjoy surprising people and seeing them fall in love with something new.”
Have you seen an increase in younger crowds looking for a fine dining experience?
“Post-COVID has been a massive push for new clientele at the restaurant. Doing some more budget-friendly and fun-to-go options during the shutdown helped us open ourselves to a new market of guests. There are a lot of new young jobs in the market around Buffalo, and we are seeing some of that reflected in our diner as well. People my age like to spend money somewhere they know will be good and worthwhile. Diners are very informed these days. Our job is to show off what we can do every chance we can.”
Oliver's recently took home first place at The Buffalo Open, which focused on nonalcoholic beverages. How important are N/A options for restaurants and bars?
“I always joke around (not really, I’ve gotten mad) that no one pays attention to what we are doing. I started rolling N/A cocktails on our menu around 2017/2018. The hospitality mindset in me thought that if a guest has a restriction or has decided not to drink alcohol, why can't we offer them something thought out? No more pineapple juice with grenadine and a radioactive cherry on top.”
“The N/A offerings industry has skyrocketed in the last few years. I rode the wave with them. I started bringing in N/A beer and spirit options. By this time, two years ago, I think I had roughly ten different N/A spirit offerings. We have almost every N/A spirit alternative you can think of, down to absinthe. N/A bitters, prosecco, you name it. So, what I started doing was evolving our cocktail list into a design that we can plug and play our normal cocktail list into N/A offerings as well. Drinks look and taste almost identical.”
“While all this is happening, we get snubbed article after article. No one pays attention outside of our four walls: no Instagram posts, no top 10 best N/A places, nothing. I saw bars that had just opened make it on a list before us. So I did what I always do: put my head down and keep grinding! Then, one day, Tony from Waxlight texted us and asked if we wanted to be a part of their N/A competition. We immediately jumped at the opportunity to do that! Finally, we could show the public what we can do.”
“I looked at Aaron (one of our bartenders who did the competition with me) and said, "We are not fucking losing this." I was confident we would crush it, which we did. We won the judges' votes and the popular guests' votes. I’m super proud of my team and myself for finally being able to show up and flex a little for once. But yes, the demand has always been there. And we see it more than ever. People absolutely love the offering we can give them. The "trend," if you will, isn't going anywhere. Shit, I even crush N/A IPAs at the Bills tailgate. I'm too old for 20 Blue Lights now!”
What would be your advice for someone wanting to get into the industry?
“My advice would be to think about it and make sure you're willing to work hard. It is not for everyone. It is not always fun and games. The ultimate high is the joy it brings to crush a service and make people happy. But it comes with sacrifice. Long days, holidays, missing birthday parties, family gatherings, friend dinners. You name it, I've been there on the shit end of things.”
“But I think it is worth anyone who wants to try it out to give it a shot—no better place to start from than the bottom. You can really appreciate how hard people work, no matter their position. You can learn so much by giving people hospitality, and I think it truly makes you a better person.”
“If you have not been to Oliver's in the past year, you need to come back or try us for the first time. What Chris Keller is doing in that kitchen with his team, and what I am doing with my team in the FOH, is one of the best versions of Oliver's I have seen in my time here.”
When not at Oliver's, do you have a go-to restaurant or bar you like to frequent? If so, what is your favorite item to get there?
“I will be real... I have a lot of shit to get done on my days off [laughs]—house maintenance, laundry, seeing my amazing fiance. A lot of times, there isn't time. I love to cook, so I enjoy a home-cooked meal. If we are doing something for dinner, a lot of the time, it might be takeout so we can hang in our awesome backyard we have worked so hard on.”
“La Davina in Kenmore for some tacos is a quick night out for us. That is the option if we don't know what to do for dinner. But for a real answer, some of my favorite spots in the city are Prescott Provisions, Dapper Goose, Billy Club, Marble & Rye, Southern Junction, Extra Extra, Pizzeria Florian, and Hydraulic.
“I also don't have a "go-to" dish anywhere. Tell me what is new and what you're excited about making, and that is what I want to eat. I like to share plates and hang with as many friends as possible.”
Is there anything else you would like to mention about Oliver's? Are there any upcoming events or specials?
“We always have something going on at Oliver's. In July, we will have a Mezcal dinner, and we have a couple of wine dinners coming up as well. In September, we will collaborate with Southern Junction on a bourbon dinner. We have a Bourbon Club and a Wine Club that are exciting and a way to find new guests in the area while doing something fun and unique.”
“If you have not been to Oliver's in the past year, you need to come back or try us for the first time. What Chris Keller is doing in that kitchen with his team, and what I am doing with my team in the FOH, is one of the best versions of Oliver's I have seen in my time here. The beverage program, from wine to beer to cocktails to spirit selection, will rival anybody in the city.”
“We are very proud of these things and think way more about them than we should. But we do it all for our guests, and we want everyone who walks into our home to feel like they've been transported into a familiar and comfortable environment while enjoying the best dining experience we can give!”
Oliver’s Restaurant is located at 2095 Delaware Ave and is open Tuesday - Thursday 5 PM - 9 PM and Friday & Saturday 5 PM - 9:30 PM
For more information, you can visit their website at www.oliverscuisine.com or check out their Instagram page @olivers_cuisine