No, this is not a list of New Year’s Resolutions since we all know how effective they are. This is a self-assessment of the job of chef, what we have learned in 2024, and how we can apply that “knowledge by experience” in 2025. There is a difference! You can preach how important it is to respect a sharp knife but sometimes it doesn’t sink in until you cut yourself once or twice. You won’t appreciate the reason to never pick up a hot pan with a wet towel until you receive a nasty steam burn as a result. So, experience can sometimes be painful, but it will set the stage for real learning. We have cut and burned ourselves in 2024, now what?

As chefs, what have we learned from 2024? More importantly, what are we going to do with that knowledge in 2025? Granted, these are my experiences, so feel free to customize your own.

[]       THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO LEFT DURING COVID ARE NOT COMING BACK:

So, no sense in lamenting the “good old days” (not sure how good they really were) when the employees you trained and felt were part of your team made life quite manageable. They had time to reflect while on government support and chose to move in a different direction. They are settled into their new life and won’t return to the uncertainty and sometimes insanity of the restaurant business. Time to move on to a new reality and find ways to adjust. The question you need to ask is “why didn’t they return and what do I need to change?”

[]       THE COST OF INGREDIENTS IS NOT GOING DOWN ANYTIME SOON:

Time to stop complaining about the crazy prices of beef tenderloins, 109 ribs, fresh halibut, those plump sea scallops, and a litany of other top shelf ingredients (oh…and even chicken wings). Supply and demand rule the day, and the excuse is still supply chain issues. Prices are not going down anytime soon so the answer is to re-engineer menus to use less expensive ingredients while building recipes and presentations that still inspire not simply buying lesser quality. You might want to take a hard look at your passion for excessive portion sizes while you are at it.

[]       TRAINING IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOW

Sure, it seems like the revolving door of employment makes it difficult to justify investment in training, but then again, maybe a lack of training is one of the reasons they come and go so quickly. Find good people with loads of energy, a smile on their face, and a desire to please and then train them. Invest in ongoing teach and train efforts and show them that you are interested in their growth. Worth a try, isn’t it?

[]       THE YES CHEF GENERATION DOESN’T EXIST ANYMORE

Hey, I grew up in kitchens where the chef wasn’t always right, but he was never wrong. That’s the “yes, Chef” environment that was prevalent for decades. It can’t be like that anymore. “Yes, Chef refers to respect for the moment and a sense of order, not subservience to any one person. We need to adjust the message and take on the role of guide and mentor rather than absolute dictator. Just because we bought into the old model doesn’t mean this generation should continue to do so.

[]       CULINARY DEGREES DO NOT GUARANTEE COMPETENCE

For a few decades we passed on the responsibility for training and cook development to schools of culinary arts. The problem is a degree does not guarantee that a graduate will be able to perform tasks with reasonable speed and dexterity and with minimal supervision. We still have a responsibility to build on that skill set and turn interest and exposure into competence and confidence.

[]       VALUE IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Stop for a moment, assess your menu and what you offer, and ask a basic question: “Is this worth the price we charge?” Value need not refer to “cheap” as a key to success but rather how the experience is perceived with relation to what you charge. A $100 meal can be well worth it if unique, exceptionally well prepared, and presented beautifully. A $10 meal can be a rip off if the opposite is true.

[]       IT’S ALL ABOUT CREATING EXPERIENCES

We are in the memory business as much as the food business. What memories are you creating through your dining experience that begin with the expectation of the meal and ends with the presentation of the check? How can you not simply meet expectations but exceed them? What will people remember about the meal you just served? How will they describe it a month from now to their friends? Creating memories through experiences is what it’s all about.

[]       FOR STAFF, IT’S ALL ABOUT HELPING TO BUILD BALANCE

Your staff will invest a considerable portion of their day, week, and year in your operation. They do so for a variety of reasons: the paycheck, the chance to interact with fellow workers, the passion they have for food or service, and because they may very well be proud of what they do. However, they have lives outside of the restaurant. What can you do to help them create balance? Have you considered creating ways to help them address their physical, mental, emotional, and social health? Balance leads to a sense of team and a commitment to creating that value experience for guests – one of your most important jobs is to help employees build balance in their lives.

How you execute these understandings in 2025 will determine your level of professional and personal success. Happy New Year!

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

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