Mackenzie Chiu, The Fuel House (@FuelHouseTO) - Interview by Robert Lavigne

As mentioned in a previous entry, I enjoyed a great Valentine's Day meal at the Fuel House in Toronto. The evening was part of a larger trip to Toronto from Brantford to see the premiere of Potted Potter at the Panasonic Theatre.

A Three Course Meal on Valentine's Day

I enjoyed the meal so much, I interviewed Mackenzie Chiu, the owner of the Fuel House, for this installment of The Other Side of Forty-Two. In the interview below, Mackenzie talks about his niche restaurant located in a Victorian House in the Little Italy district of Toronto.

What impressed me the most about Mackenzie Chiu and the Fuel House, apart from the food and ambience, was their keen integration with Social Media. While many restaurants have registered themselves on foursquare, very few have fully populated their entry with their address, phone number, twitter account, and web site. All aspects of these contact details are easily visible via the Fuel House foursquare page.

Make sure you check in to the Fuel House while in Toronto

Taking it one step further, the Fuel House makes use of foursquare check-in specials. By creating a "Newbie Special", the Fuel House is inviting their customers to engage on foursquare. This results in not only an increase in check-ins, but an increase in photos being shared, tips being posted, lists being curated and overall visibility across the social graph.

Take advantage of the Newbie Special upon your 1st check-in

All this is standard fare for a well developed foursquare presence. However, none of this matters if the company does not engage with those who check-in. This is where the Fuel House impressed me greatly.

Prior to my arrival, I tweeted that I was heading into Toronto and making a point of eating at the Fuel House. Upon my arrival, I checked-in to their location on foursquare and acquired the Newbie Special. As Mackenzie Chiu came out from the kitchen to take my order, he commented on my twitter mention and how someone from Brantford had requested him to drop by and say hello to a customer clearly willing to promote his restaurant.

The morale of this story?

You can have the best food, the best location, the best buzz, but nothing will impress a customer as much as that contextual touch when you cater to them as a human being. Those that understand that, warrant a mention on this blog and my return engagement.

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