TV pro

Underestimated mistakes

A camera crew in your restaurant – and suddenly everything goes wrong? Many restaurateurs dream of making a big appearance on television. But if you're unprepared, you risk more than just a bad edit. These three mistakes will ruin your TV moment before it even begins.

Television can be magical: reach, attention, new guests. A successful TV appearance creates visibility that money can hardly buy. But as tempting as the spotlight may be, it knows no mercy.

Because in front of the camera, every mistake becomes bigger, every insecurity more visible. If you don't prepare properly – or start at the wrong point – you'll squander your chance of real success. These three underestimated mistakes cost restaurateurs sympathy, credibility – and, in the worst case, the trust of their guests.

Mistake 1: You underestimate your own team

Many restaurateurs prepare themselves meticulously: they practice their message, polish the restaurant, memorize phrases—but forget the most important thing: their team. Because your performance stands or falls with the people who work behind the scenes. If the service staff gets nervous, the chefs shut down, or the trainee suddenly disappears, you have a problem that no camera can fix.

TV doesn't just show you—it shows the people who make you strong. If you don't get your team on board, you risk scenes that couldn't be more embarrassing: frantic whispering, annoyed looks, chaotic processes. Viewers love real team spirit—but they hate visible chaos. If you want your appearance to be convincing, prepare your people—for the pressure, the curiosity of the editorial team, and the unfamiliar stage.

Mistake 2: You don't show your rough edges

You want to come across as professional – of course! But being “smooth” is death on TV. Many restaurateurs try to please everyone: a little regionality, a little organic, a little fancy decoration. Just don't upset anyone! But arbitrariness kills your story.

TV only works if you show some edge. That doesn't mean you have to polarize at all costs. It means: show attitude. What do you stand for? What do you do differently from others? What would you never go along with? It's precisely these edges that make you distinctive. Viewers can sense whether someone is just spouting platitudes – or really passionate about something.

Want some examples? Wolfgang Grupp has been polarizing people for decades with his clarity—and that's precisely why he remains relevant. Marcel Remus presents himself as a tough luxury real estate agent—and that's precisely what makes him a brand. You're not a celebrity? No problem. Even a small restaurant with a clear stance is more memorable than the hundredth yes-man.

Mistake 3: You ignore your guests' perspective

The third mistake is so simple—and yet most people overlook it: You're filming the TV segment for yourself, not for the people you want to reach. Many restaurateurs only think about how they come across. How they look, how they sound, whether they come across as likable. All valid concerns – but who is thinking about the viewers?

Ask yourself: What do your guests really want to see? Is it the elegant decor that you spend hours explaining? Or a look behind the scenes, where people are at their most human? Do they want to be recited soulless menus – or honest stories of mishaps, successes, and what drives you?

Successful restaurateurs don't talk about their sales or the awards on the wall – they talk about what drives them, why guests are welcome, and what their philosophy is. If you see TV as nothing more than a chance to promote yourself, you'll quickly come across as a walking commercial. It only becomes authentic when you take your guests with you: into your world, your values, your everyday life.

Looking at the big picture

You may be asking yourself: What's in it for me? TV professional and experienced “television whisperer” Axel Link knows the answer: "A successful TV appearance can make your restaurant famous overnight – but only if you are more than just a polished stage set. People want to see authenticity. And that's exactly why television still works today – despite social media and streaming. My clients often tell me that their guests say with shining eyes: ‘I saw you on TV.’"

Restaurateurs who think ahead, who don't just stage their own image but understand the perspective of guests, staff, and the camera, have a huge advantage. And this doesn't just apply to restaurants: real estate agents, retailers, and producers also benefit when they show their rough edges, involve their team, and tell the story from the audience's point of view.

Conclusion

Television can open doors you never dreamed of—or brutally disenchant you if you make the wrong mistakes. The biggest pitfalls are not a lack of technology or bad food, but errors in thinking: forgetting your team, smoothing out your rough edges, losing sight of your guests. If you avoid these, you have the chance not only to shine on TV, but also to remain in the minds of the people who really matter in the end: your guests.

About the author

Axel Link has been at home in the media world for over 30 years. As a “television whisperer,” he accompanies companies and personalities on their way to television—strategically, editorially, and with a keen sense of impact. With his experience as a reporter, producer, and owner of the small but excellent TV station SYLT1, he knows exactly how content works—and how restaurateurs can benefit from it. Today, he specifically advises businesses that want to become visible and successfully tell their story.

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