I love to watch sports, especially football. I am a true-blue fan of my team and know that their performance sets the tone for my week. I reluctantly accept that sometimes, a loss occurs and although it stings, after a day of mourning I wave the flag of support for the next game. Even though fans hate it, most understand that sometimes a win is not in the cards – move on. Well, it’s not that simple when it comes to the restaurant where you work and the kitchen that you invest so much time in. Chefs and cooks can’t afford a loss. Customers, unlike sports fans, are quite unforgiving. Especially in the era of social media. Even one terrible night of service can be a fatal blow for a restaurant. For a chef, it’s a heavy load to carry.

         We don’t have the luxury of practice without it counting towards our stats. Restaurants have systems but not plays, experiences but not typical strategies, customers but not predictable foes. Every service is orchestrated but still quite unpredictable. Everyone knows their position and their role in the process of cooking and plating but without the advantage of a play clock or referees calling fouls and instituting penalties or the other side. It’s all on us (cooks and service staff) to rise to the moment and exceed standards.

         Like professional sports, we are subject to many of the same dilemmas. We have injuries, locker room friction, despondent players (cooks) who feel they are underpaid or under-appreciated and we worry about empty seats and nasty press. The difference is that we don’t benefit from the same level of generational loyalty that leads to forgiveness after disappointment. We can’t afford a loss.

         Sporting fans will express their sideline opinions about coaches, players, and owners; they will second guess every play and scrutinize decisions made and poor officiating; they will hang their heads and blast the team when they lose but then don their jerseys and hats and claim their seat or couch for the next battle on the gridiron. Restaurant guests will take to social media, tell their friends of a restaurant’s bad performance, and talk with their feet. They can easily find another restaurant to support if things go sideways. We can’t afford a loss.

         Unforgiving is the universal understanding when it comes to restaurant guests. Maybe, just maybe if they have been happy with your performance for some time and you have a bad night, they will give you another chance. Then again, maybe they won’t. One reality rings true for every restaurant, restaurateur, and chef – we can’t afford a loss. We must be on our game – every night, every plate of food. Talk about heavy lifting!

         So, what’s the answer? Is perfection possible? Is there a way to guarantee wins and avoid loss? The answer is complex – no, there isn’t a foolproof way to ensure success 365 service days a year but there is a way to maximize the opportunity for success and minimize the chance of failure. It comes down to training, supporting, mentoring, and celebrating.

         Most consultants would recommend that a restaurant invest 3-5% of their labor budget on employee training. The results can be measured in employee satisfaction, efficient performance, and bottom-line profitability. Yet, most restaurants would agree that training is one of the first line items to be cut when belts need to be tightened. The short-term pain of investment in this area will always yield long-term advantage.

         Sending your chef on a stage’ to see how other successful operations work is an important investment in systems correction. Bringing in outside talent to work with cooks on plate presentations is an investment in creative spark. Involving all staff members in wine training and pairing shows that you relish their learning opportunities, and bi-monthly staff meetings to brainstorm on ways to become more efficient as a team will inspire everyone to see their connection to success. This is how we practice for every night’s big game. The closer your employees feel to the win, the more likely they are to step up and perform at the highest level.

         Winning is a group effort and an attitude that must be fed. Losing is a sign of unpreparedness or lack of caring. Don’t be the reason for a lack of winning. We can’t afford to lose – create a winning environment where everyone knows that losing is not an option.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Set the Stage for Winning

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