History has demonstrated that people tend to have short memories.  Even through the most challenging and tragic experiences, when the lessons are quite vivid – we quickly push aside the need to change in favor of a return to what is considered “normal”.  Transitioning through this pandemic is one of those experiences, a life-changing time that offers a number of important lessons – but which of these lessons will result in real learning?

The restaurant industry continues to be devastated – not just as a result of the pandemic but because the pandemic brought underlying issues to the surface.  The glory days of the restaurant industry have been laid to rest and they may never return to any semblance of normalcy.  If the stakeholders in this important industry do not take the opportunity to learn from the lessons encountered, then a return to those exciting decades of growth and media glory will be difficult to envision.

So, what are the lessons offered and what should we learn:

FROM THE EMPLOYER’S PERSPECTIVE:

• We are not prepared: Other businesses, as part of their operational strategy, build in scenario planning that helps to develop action plans for the expected and unsuspected.  “What if……happens?  How will we react?”  As good as restaurant people are at reacting to situations – they are not typically astute at planning for things to go wrong and designing actions that will get them through difficult times.  The “new” strategy must be to plan more effectively.

• Our labor pool is very fragile: For decades – labor issues moved in waves.  When the economy was weak then restaurants were in the driver’s seat – more applicants than jobs available led to a competent workforce that was underpaid and overworked.  When the economy was strong and unemployment low – then restaurants struggled to find enough staff and the result was a less than perfect workforce that was paid more while expecting less.

The current labor shortage is different – restaurants have an opportunity to begin scaling up as the pandemic starts to come under control, but workers are less excited about returning to the same work environment.  The lesson learned must be that our employees are the most important component of a successful restaurant.  To attract and retain quality staff you must train well, treat them with respect, pay them a respectable wage, offer reasonable benefits, and provide them with the tools to be successful. 

• Our business model requires too much labor:  At the same time as we step back it becomes vividly apparent that our method of operation and the menus that we provide require too many hands.  This creates a domino of challenges – labor dependance, the inability to pay reasonable wages, selling price ceilings that do not yield sufficient profit, etc.   The lesson learned must be to re-build the model to reflect efficiency and less dependence on excessive labor requirements.

• Our menus are too large:  The days when the way to customer satisfaction was through extensive variety are probably gone.  Four-page menus do not reflect business common sense – inventories become unmanageable, waste is much more difficult to manage, the level of expertise required of employees grows exponentially, consistency and quality are challenging, and profit is hard to predict and realize.  The lesson learned is that it’s not about quantity – it’s all about quality and execution.  When menus are well researched and managed then a restaurant stands a chance of success.

• Our profit model doesn’t work:  Every chef and restaurateur is well aware of the tight profit margins (5-6% if you do everything right) is problematic.  These margins make it impossible for restaurants to build a nest egg, pay fair wages, and reach their financial goals.  Without cash reserves the pandemic cause thousands of restaurant casualties.  The lesson learned is that menu items must be more profitable – this may mean re-assessing the ingredients used, how they are managed for waste, and the selling price formula used.  It also means that more significant time must be spent training service staff how to upsell and create enhanced customer value.  The top line drives the bottom line and restaurant management must provide employees with the tools to drive sales upward.

• Brick and Mortar weighs us down: Requiring customers to travel to you puts the weight of participation on their shoulders and the responsibility for push and pull marketing in the hands of the operator.  When a restaurant space is leased then further control over the burden of cost is determined by the lease arrangement and the landlord.  In recent years landlords have leveraged their lease power to eventually drive restaurants out of business.  The lesson here is that restaurants will need to evaluate how they approach physical space.  Does your model work better as a mobile restaurant or strictly on-line through a ghost kitchen?  When a brick-and-mortar operation is deemed essential then how can you build a mutually beneficial, long-term financial arrangement with a landlord?

• People can do without us (although they don’t want to):  Previously loyal customers found ways to adapt when restaurants were shut down due to the pandemic.  Americans quickly moved from spending 50% of their food budget in restaurants to spending none or a fraction through curbside pick-up and delivery.  The lesson learned is that restaurant business is very fragile and not the necessity we were beginning to believe.  What can restaurants do to diversify their revenue stream that allows adaptation when the environment of need changes?

• We need to create a take-out experience, not just a source of food:  So, we shifted from in-restaurant dining to take out and delivery.  Restaurants actually did adjust, but the real experience of dining is missing.  The quality factors of temperature, texture, aroma, and visual plate presentation were quickly lost as restaurants moved to selling food rather than experiences.  Expectations and real experiences were dramatically altered for customers changing the perception of even the most established operations.  The lesson is that take out is a market that has previously been underestimated, one that has loads of room for improvement.  Restaurants should invest heavily in finding ways to adopt significantly improved packaging, and associated components that attempt to match the experience of dining in.  Technology can provide ways to fill in the gaps.

FROM THE EMPLOYEE’S PERSPECTIVE:

• Our jobs are even less secure than we thought: In order to stop the financial bleeding – restaurant owners were forced to furlough employees or risk ruin.  Government subsidies helped to bridge the gap for some, but it was a band aid approach that created longer term issues.  The lesson is to diversify revenue streams in restaurants and provide alternative job opportunities for employees if such a disaster strikes again.  When there is a lack of trust in job security then employees will look elsewhere.

Another opportunity for employees is to build a skill set that is transferrable to other types of jobs that may be less impacted by an unforeseen disaster.

• Why do we put up with low wages:  Wages have notoriously been below standard in the restaurant business and gratuity based sub-minimum wage for service staff has always been viewed as questionable?  There have always been slower seasons or weeks when staff hours were reduced, or a few weeks of unemployment were dealt with by staff members.  When positions were shut down indefinitely, then the weight of the problem became far more pronounced.  If restaurants are intent on reopening and building a team then they must understand that employees will no longer tolerate the inequities.  The challenge is that unless some of the other aforementioned issues are corrected then the ability to pay those wages will be impossible.  Review, research, discuss, correct, and realign – now is the time.

• Why do we put up with horrible work/life balance:  A fresh approach towards a new business model must include determining how to create a better environment for employees?  Employees are leaving the business in droves – we have no choice but to address issues of more dependable schedules, stress reduction, reasonable work weeks, delegation of responsibilities, etc.  Necessity is the mother of invention.

• The sizzle is almost gone: We rode the crest of the wave for 30 years as working in restaurants and becoming a chef or a restaurateur were viewed as exciting and fun.  The sizzle is wearing off as those engaged in restaurants know how hard the work is physically, mentally, and emotionally.  It’s time to tell the truth, highlight the positive, and correct much of the negative.  Ask the question: “Why would anyone want to do this work?”

• Gratuities shouldn’t take the place of a fair wage:  There are plusses and minuses to the tip-based environment of the front of the house.  Gratuity (merit based) provides incentive linked to exceptional performance.  Tip-based environments set the stage for enhanced customer service experiences which is beneficial to the server and the restaurant.  On the other hand, tip-based employees are oftentimes more interested in individual performance than in teamwork – so it can create friction among staff.  It’s time to have the big discussions- should gratuities go away?  Is there any real justification for paying the lowest possible wage to the employee that has the greatest impact on the customer experience?

The challenges that we face in restaurants are not new, but the extenuating circumstances brought on by the pandemic has pushed everything to the forefront.  There is too much to ignore and no time to hesitate.  If we fail to act, we may find it impossible to bring this incredibly important industry back to where it was and should be.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC
Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

Now, I have your attention.  I hear this statement every day and receive countless calls from restaurant operators pleading for help finding employees to fill their vacant roles.  I don’t believe this statement for one minute.  Is there a labor shortage?  You bet and it is crushing the restaurant industry just as much as the pandemic has.  But is America filled with a generation of lazy people, sitting at home playing video games and waiting for a government bailout?  I don’t think so.

Are there some people who are lazy and waiting for a handout – of course there are some, there always have been, and there always will be, but is it generational, is it somehow genetic?  Has society created a generation of discontent, disengaged, lazy, good for nothing parasites without an ounce of energy or pride?  Empathically NO!  Here is the reality – a person is taught to have great work ethic, just as he or she is taught to be lazy.  This occurs through both example and expectation.  When parents, employers, friends, and coworkers exhibit an admirable work ethic then a young person is more likely to emulate that effort.  If those same individuals expect quality work and effort, then young people will also respond accordingly.  If the example is not there and if the expectation is not promoted, then the opposite results will be evident.

The situation we are in (in my opinion) is complex and it requires that we all try to move past the effects (no one wants to work anymore) and focus on the causes.  First, think about the environment where Millennial and Gen Z youth have come of age and how it differs from previous generations.  For decades there was an expectation that when a person reached the age of 16 (or sometimes even younger with working papers) – he or she would start applying for part time jobs (at least in the summer months when school was out).  Whether a family could afford to support children without requiring they work or not was not the issue – the expectation was that learning that work is an essential part of life.  If a 16 year had a job, he or she could afford to purchase things that they wanted, experiences that were presented to them, and even save some money for a rainy day.  We have, in many cases, taught current generations that asking for something can take the place of working to earn it.  That $600 smart phone has no real value to a person who received it as a rite of passage rather than saving to buy it.  When any person is never taught how to grow, select, and prepare meals, but is simply given the opportunity to buy prepared foods or slide a plate into the microwave, then he or she will never learn to appreciate the process, the control, the joy, and the nutritional value derived from the process of cooking.  When no one builds expectations of excellence in school, or set standards that are to be met before the reward of a grade is administered, then when will that person ever learn to push forward and strive to be great at a task? 

We teach young people to exercise, to maintain a healthy lifestyle, to align with honorable friends, to respect others, to work hard and earn what they have, and to experience the joy of a good day’s work.  We can also teach them to strive for the opposite if the example is not set and if the expectations are not in place and enforced.  No one is born with a lazy gene, no one is born to avoid reaching for excellence – we all have a responsibility to create the environment to push individuals in the right direction.   I am convinced that when the environment is properly set and when expectations of excellence are in place – then people will respond positively.  Look at the pride on a five–year old’s face when he or she produces a picture that is refrigerator worthy?  Look at the student who enters a science fair and earns the praise of judges.  Watch the determination on that same student’s face when he or she is told that the project could have been improved and is then shown how to do so.  Watch a young person beam with pride when the little league baseball team that he or she is a part of wins that critical game because they worked hard to build a level of teamwork that set the stage for success.  These results create the environment for that same person to want to work hard and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.

“Education is a shared commitment between dedicated teachers, motivated students, focused employers, and enthusiastic parents with high expectations.”  -Bob Beauprez

This is part of the complex issue – the other sits on the shoulders of employers and industries that seek to hire employees.  It was Abraham Maslow who decades ago theorized that there was a hierarchy of needs that lead to self-motivation.  This hierarchy was progressive in nature – the first requirement is SURVIVAL.  In other words, the individual must be able to provide for those essentials of food, shelter, and clothing before he or she can feel the joy of effort as an employee.  Industries need to be aware of what that level of compensation is for different individuals if the expectation is that a person will be energized to perform – a living wage.  The second requirement is SECURITY.  Individuals must trust that if they work at a level that is deemed acceptable and are dependable in this regard that their job and paycheck will be reasonably secure.  The top three requirements of BELONGINGNESS, SELF ESTEEM, and ACTUALIZATION are all within the power of the individual to control (at least partially), but without environmental SURVIVAL and SECURITY – they will fail to surface. 

The current labor issues in America are systemic and will not be easily fixed without wholesale reflection on how we operate as a society.  In the meantime, everyone struggles to find a quick fix.  Is throwing government money at every individual in the country the answer?  Probably not.  Is over-compensating restaurant employees just to get them to show up the right answer? Probably not.  Is stereotyping a generation as lazy the answer?  Probably not.

The restaurant industry needs to change and find ways to adjust the environmental package for employees (compensation, benefits, work conditions, trust, etc.) and the American family needs to evaluate the stage that is being set for young people as they formulate their life habits.  Work is a wonderful thing – it inspires, builds character, helps our physical, mental, and emotional health, and opens our eyes to the possibility of excellence.  This is something that every person has the ability to perceive and benefit from.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER
Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

I have been asked to provide potential solutions for a generations long dilemma in the hospitality industry, a dilemma that has resulted in physical, mental, and emotional burnout and even a dependence on drugs and alcohol to serve as a band-aid for the wounds that are formed. 

“My question to you is, how will management of Restaurants, Clubs and Hotels try to provide a sense of balance and wellbeing for the chefs who have the history of working from dawn until well into the night, six and sometimes seven days a week.
There has been much talk during the pandemic of all the hours chefs work, the drug and alcohol issues but I have not seen much if any solutions for helping to provide the balance necessary for staff to have a better mental attitude towards work and to not become dependent on the substances surrounding them.  I thought you would be a great colleague to ask.”

*The reality is that there is no quick fix for a challenging situation that points fingers back to a variety of culprits.  Certainly, one could say that the nature of the industry is such that excessive hours and stress are the nature of the beast.  Some point to the industry itself as the primary culprit – an industry of service that rarely rests and job descriptions for a number of positions that are close to impossible to adequately fulfill – thus, chefs and managers have no real choice but to invest an obscene amount of time on the job in an attempt to meet the demands.  Is there truth to this?  Of course, this is true so what is the solution?

TRAINING AND DELEGATION:

Yes, the hospitality industry has plenty of responsibility for this situation that can only be resolved through teaching and training managers and chefs to be more efficient with their time, able to discover how to prioritize their tasks and learn when and how some of this work can trickle down to other staff members.  Truly understanding what each position should focus on is essential rather than simply assuming that managers and chefs are responsible for everything and rely on their ability to determine how to approach the job.  The best managers, and the most effective chefs are the ones who hire competent people, train them, encourage them, and delegate what is best suited to their position.  The manager or the chef should, wherever possible, be the conductor of the orchestra, not a person trying to play every instrument.

*Others may point to overly demanding owners and operators who expect that a salary paid infers that managers and chefs must be present whenever the restaurant or hotel is open for business.  “The buck stops here” is, in some people’s minds – carte blanche to use and abuse employees in certain positions.  Is this true?  Of course, there are examples of owners and operators who expect blood, sweat, and tears for the salary offered.  Even though there are parameters, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, and a number of State Labor Departments that limit this type of thinking – there is no denying that it does exist.  So, what’s the solution?

REALIZATION, TRAINING, DELEGATION, AND RESULTS:

Ultimately, owners and operators care about results.  Whether it is product quality, brand image, smooth operation of a department, or profit to budget realities – this is what drives the train.  Those operators who simply hire for key positions and allow that person to determine how to proceed without clearly defining objectives and training these managers how best to approach them will always be pushing the ball up a hill and will simply rely on chefs and managers to be present as a way to assess their effectiveness.  “The quality of your food wasn’t there last night – where were you?”  “You missed your budgeted profit again and your food cost was too high – why weren’t you here for every shift last week?”  “Occupancy rates are way down – what have you been doing?”  Effective managers need to understand the: what, why and how outcomes are determined – hire and train the right people, delegate responsibility and measure results against owner expectations. 

*Some may point a finger at customers who seem to have unfulfilled expectations of excellence that require the presence of the manager or chef.  If the restaurant or hotel is open, then this level of management must be present to ensure adherence to standards and solve problems when they arise.  Is there truth to this?  Yes, of course there is truth to this expectation – unrealistic as it may be – the customer does feel that the manager or chef must be there for the business to operate.  So, what is the solution?

SYSTEMS, TRAINING, DELEGATION, AND MEASUREMENT:

Customers don’t understand how their food or how a hotel room is prepared for their enjoyment – they really only care about the results: clean room, everything in working order, key works, meal is well prepared, service is courteous and efficient, and value is evident.  When this does not occur, then they are looking for resolution – this is when the presence of a chef or manager seems to be front and center in their minds. 

A well-run hotel or restaurant meets or exceeds standards regardless of a manager’s presence.  This is the result when there are well-designed systems in place, when everyone knows their job and how it relates to outcomes, when staff members are trained how to problem solve, and recognition of properly executed work is a standard operating procedure.  Finally, measuring customer satisfaction/dis-satisfaction and building effective recovery strategies is paramount to helping managers and chefs feel comfortable when they are present or absent.  When employees are allowed to own a problem, are trained to effectively deal with the problem, and are encouraged to make decisions then the need for excessive, super-human efforts from any one employee is diminished.

*Finally, there are some who point the finger directly at the people in question (chefs and managers).  I have found that in numerous professions there are individuals who view what they do as being synonymous with their own self-worth.  They are chefs, managers, doctors and nurses, lawyers, owner/operators, scientists, artists, financial planners and investment bankers, writers and reporters, carpenters, and administrators who do what they do because they love the work or feel the need to constantly prove themselves.  These individuals rarely work the hours they do because someone schedules them to do so, they work excessive hours and take on the stress of meeting objectives because that’s who they are.  These individuals do not understand how to say “no” to any request, have a difficult time accepting anything produced by another person because it doesn’t meet their personal standards. These are obsessive people who tend to gravitate to the positions that provide ample opportunity for self-abuse.  As an example – I have never met a chef who works a schedule that someone else has created.  They work, what they feel they need to work to be able to look themselves in the mirror and say: “I did all that I could”.  Furthermore, since the answer to this mirror question is inevitably: “No, I could do more”, the cycle continues.  So, what is the answer?

TRAINING, DELEGATION, TRUST, DIVERSION TACTICS:

Type A individuals (most chefs and managers) are oftentimes less confident than one might assume.  They have a difficult time backing away from a request even if they know how difficult it might be to get the expected results.  The way that some will deal with this situation is to simply invest more time, assuming that less will go wrong if they are there.  Insecurity is rarely resolved by working harder – resolution comes from working smarter.  This requires, again, lots of training, mentoring, coaching, encouragement to delegate and train others to take on many tasks and showing managers and chefs how to trust good employees to do the right thing.  Even with all of these tools in place- Type A individuals will need help in breaking bad habits and learning how to step away.  Helping them create other diversions in their lives will help to some degree: providing them with a gym membership, enrolling them in a class, insisting that they attend conferences and workshops, encouraging them to coach a little league team, insisting that they take days off and vacations, or scheduling them to provide some type of community service will help to take their mind away from the everyday nature of their positions.

I don’t have the solutions to these challenges that restaurants and their employees face.  It is the responsibility of everyone involved to recognize it and collectively work to save good employees from the dangers of single-minded workaholism.  When individuals are pushed past their threshold of tolerance then they may look for unhealthy ways of dealing with their physical, mental, or emotional stress. 

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

We are so close to the turning point, so close that we can almost taste it.  If we can just get past the vaccine hesitancy then the country, and the restaurant industry might be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Well, this is what we hope.  As states wrestle with decisions to open everything back up and whether the timing is right or premature – the real demon remains those who deny their role in turning things around whether it is preventative measures or standing in line for their vaccination.  No one is certain whether or not that last 25 or 30% of the population will do what needs to be done.  If they continue to refuse then a fresh start is unlikely.  

The other elephant in the room however is how will the restaurant industry approach business if we reach herd immunity through vaccination?  With all of the pain and suffering that independent restaurants and their employees have gone through it appears that many are simply hoping to return to where they were pre-pandemic.  This difficult time in our history has revealed significant flaws in how restaurants operate – flaws that will not only remain if we seek to return to “normal” – they will be even more pronounced.  This time away from the way we operated for decades has given employees and customers a chance to re-evaluate.  What they discovered is that these flaws are too significant to ignore any longer.  This is why restaurants across the country -all restaurants – are finding it very difficult to pull employees back to their old positions.  This quest for normal will not work anymore – we cannot ignore the flaws and expect that everyone will simply stet back in line as if nothing ever happened.

Trust has eroded and without trust restaurants will have a very difficult time regaining the ground that they lost.  It is time for wholesale change – the kind of change that people know is needed, but the pain that will accompany it seems too severe to welcome.  Our employees need to trust that the restaurant will have their back moving forward, they need to trust that as the restaurant succeeds – so will they.  Our customers need to trust that the restaurant they patronize will be safe and that the operation will take all of the necessary steps to ensure their health and wellbeing.  Until this is the standard of operation – the restaurant business will suffer.

Right now it is important that “a return to normal” be replaced with “a fresh start built on trust”.  This is the chance that is offered to restaurants as we ease out of shutdown and re-open businesses.  Each restaurant should approach this time as an opportunity to start over, and do it right this time.

“The entrepreneurial life is one of challenge, hard work, dedication, perseverance, exhilaration, agony, accomplishment, failure, sacrifice, control, and powerlessness – but ultimately, extraordinary satisfaction.”

-David S. Rose (angel investor)

This is the time to set the stage for ultimate extraordinary satisfaction.  A time when employees are treated appropriately, paid fairly, provided with reasonable benefits, secure in their positions when they perform as they should, listened to and engaged, and treated with respect.  This is a time when customers are listened to and restaurants acknowledge that service, convenience, consistency, experiences, and value equate to the formula for success regardless of the type of restaurant, product, or price range.  This is a time to start fresh.

We remain addicted to normal, but with the right treatment and support – any addiction can be broken, or at least held at bay.  Restaurants must replace ordinary with extraordinary; average with superior; normal with fresh; and common with unique.  

There will be many who ignore the signs and hang on to normal as long as they can, but a few that will heed the call and embrace the opportunity that change can provide.  It will mean that restaurants address location, the need for brick and mortar businesses, the type of service provided in the dining room, menu concepts and menu variety, efficiency, pricing and cost controls, training and skill level, the number of employees needed and how a smaller number can be expected to accomplish more but be paid accordingly, and it will mean that the old “normal” when it comes to work/life balance for restaurant employees be seriously addressed.  Those few that “get it” will win.

“Bad things do happen in the world – like war, natural disasters, and disease.  Out of those situations always arise stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”

-Daryn Kagan (broadcast journalist)

Let’s not lose sight of the opportunity.   Let’s look past the absolute need to bring restaurants back to operating capacity and let’s work to set the stage for a better restaurant industry – one that employees relish the chance to be a part of and customers stand in line to support with trust and confidence.  This is not a time to despair or a time to rely on decision by reaction – this is a time to act.  The ball is in our court.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com. BLOG

CAFE Talks Podcast

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

I find it very interesting how diverse the food experience is.  In all cases, the process of eating is important and accomplishes similar goals.  Just as all cars can move a person from one geographic point to another yet the experience that takes place in between can be totally different – so too is this true with food.  Food is fuel and will help to keep the body sound, muscles developed, bones strong, digestion working properly, and brain cells multiplying exponentially – but the way that food takes a person to those goals and the quality of the end result can be monumentally different.

If we compare the food experience to a full gamut of sound and music – some food experiences are nothing more than noise, while others can approach all of the senses just as a symphonic orchestra can invigorate every one of our senses and engage a person in state of fulfillment.  Food that is noise may fill our stomachs and even stimulate the sense of taste, but the total sensual experience will be lost in the process of eating.  At the other extreme – an extraordinarily prepared, multi-course meal, touched by accomplished cooks, presented on a plate of fine china, in a pristine environment, with attentive service and complemented by exceptional wines will reveal all that food might attempt to be.

Those of us who are currently or had previously spent many years in front of a kitchen range also made choices regarding which type of culinary music we wanted to play.  Would it be noise, folk music, country, rock and roll, or classical; would we focus on quick service, organic vegetarian, burgers and pizza, bar-b-que, full-service, or fine dining.  Each has its place and each provides a different level of experience for the cook and for the guest.  So, I thought it might be fun to address each comparison of food experience to musical taste so that you might see where you fit.

QUICK SERVICE:  This is the food noise experience for both the customer and the employee.  The over-riding objectives are fast, consistent and affordable.  The nutritional objective is to fill your stomach, and to provide fuel to make it through the day.  Little attention is paid to the “experience” of eating which is made perfectly clear by the incredible growth of drive thru delivery and systems designed to move people and turn tables (or cars).  This, of course services a great need in our stressed out, fast paced society – a need that is met with ever-increasing efficiency.  Nearly 55% of all the restaurants in the United States fit into this category – a category that to many people under the age of 21 provided their first paycheck.  For the cook starting out – this can be an introduction to the field of foodservice, but the skills necessary to meet the standards of production and service are minimal. Noise, but important.

PUB FOOD:  The two most significant entrees in the American diet are pizza and hamburgers.  This is how the pub food segment grew to be such a significant player in the foodservice market.  Those who grew up with “noise” (the quick service experience) as their primary restaurant encounter found a place of comfort in operations that simply prepared similar items at a different level.  The fast food hamburger became the half-pound burger from brisket and short ribs, on a brioche or pretzel roll, with organic tomato and spicy slaw, and a variety of added toppings.  The simple pizza became a wood-fired, thin crust vehicle for toppings like smoked duck, goat’s cheese, arugula, nicoise olives, and loads of fresh herbs.  Add your favorite alcoholic beverage and you have the concept that accounts for the lion’s share of food experiences for those in the 21-40 age bracket.

For the cook – a certain level of skill is required, including:  the ability to determine degrees of doneness, a bit of showmanship to spin pizzas, speed and efficiency, knife skills and a palate that allows the cook to adjust seasoning when needed.  This is the rock and roll experience of foodservice.  Loud, exciting, flashy, a great beat, fast paced, unconventional, and pure fun.

BISTRO OR CAFÉ:  For those with a bit of travel under their belts and the desire to re-create those experiences – the café or bistro provides a moment to step back and connect with the food stylings of Europe.  Along with the foods of French cafes, British and Irish pubs, Italian trattorias, the bistros of Belgium, or the Haufbrauhaus’ of Germany and Austria these restaurants are inspired by the authentic music of the culture or time in history.  It is the whole package for those who consume or prepare these foods from Confit and Cassoulet to a plate of Buccatini, or Bangers and Mash to Pigs Knuckle and Sauerkraut, or even Etouffee to Boiled Crayfish.  This is the International music crowd who listens to the Neville Brothers, a Zydeco band, the Chieftains with Van Morrison, The Gipsy Kings, or maybe an Oompah band leftover from Octoberfest – people who seek authenticity above all else whether raising a glass of ale, stemware filled with wine, or a few shots of tequila.  Cooks who look to make their mark in these operations must invest the time to understand the culture and the indigenous ingredients that fill the coolers and storerooms of these kitchens.

BAR-B-QUE: Bar-b-que may be universally loved, but it is somewhat safe to say that acoustic guitars and fiddles, snake skin boots and ten gallon hats are as common in these restaurants as rich, sticky racks of ribs, fall apart brisket sandwiches, pulled pork and corn on the cob.  Chances are, if you indulge in this cuisine or fancy yourself as a cook standing over a pit with a sauce mop and smoldering cherry wood smoke in your eyes – you are also listening to the Allman Brothers, Marshal Tucker, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Allison Kraus, or Keith Urban.  This is the country rock crowd that would love to enjoy their food while attending a local rodeo.  Now, for the Bar-b-que cook there is always time spent in the trenches to learn how to control the fire, the smoke, the timing, and the way that all work together to create the lip smacking goodness that results from time in the pit.

FAMILY STYLE: Whether a customer looking for that occasional break from cooking at home or a cook seeking the comfort of an operation that is consistently good, but never intent on pushing the envelope, the family style restaurant is a haven.  Lots of food, consistent and recognizable flavors, and the informality that comes from service that is designed to be comfortable, but never too reliant on technique.  These restaurants will always have a line outside waiting for the next open table.  They are typically cost effective and designed to be profitable as a result of volume.  Those who grace a table with parents, grandparents, cousins, and children from just barely born to disgruntled teenagers are less concerned with what is playing over the sound system than they are hearing their reservation called: “Table of 8 for Jones is ready”.  The music is likely to be Top 40 pop tunes that run the gamut and have little if anything to do with the food or the experience – it is just there to fill the dead air and attempt to hide the crying of babies.  Cooks that work here are happy to be part of the cadence of an unrelenting number of tickets burning off the printer.  They have some chops, but are rarely known to move outside the lines – their profile is built for speed and to them the most important assessment at the end of the night is how many covers they served. 

FULL-SERVICE MOM and POP:  If ever there were restaurants known as an extension of the owner/operator it would be the mom and pop, full service operation.  The food can be anything one might imagine, but always a reflection of the food that the owner enjoys.  The restaurant is even connected to the owner through associations like: “Jim’s restaurant, Marty’s diner, or Carlos joint.”  Everything about the place maintains that connection:  what the menu promotes, how the place looks and feels, the style of service, and yes – even the music.  Sometimes the restaurant tries to connect with a theme, but more than likely it is a reflection of the owners “play list”.  The music connection falls under the heading of: “What I like to listen to”, and is probably a hodge-podge of music defined by the era when the owner grew up.  Cooks who work in these operations have a connection to the owner, and might even be related at some level.  Their skills were built by paying attention to how the owner likes to cook, how he or she was taught, and exactly how he or she envisions everything tasting and looking.

FINE DINING/WHITE TABLECLOTH:  Now we come to the symphony – these are the restaurants where cooking is a lifetime commitment to technique, finesse, commitment to details, and the unquenchable thirst for perfection.  Kitchens are serious places where only excellence is tolerated – mediocrity or a slip from standards is a mortal sin.  The food is a work of art and the prices to consumers reflect the artist’s determination to seek the highest bidder.  Everything about the restaurant exudes this intent to never deviate from the exceptional and never allow anyone to step out of line.  While tensions below the surface run very high – the ambience is designed to reflect a level of calm that comes from a pursuit of perfection.  It is very likely that the music will be classical or maybe serious jazz – the desire is to use music to reflect an aura of class and sophistication – not something that the guest will tap their foot to or raise a glass with laughter and song.

So, if my analogies are correct, if what you eat or cook and what you listen to are connected – then where do you fit?  What type of restaurant best describes who you are and what type of music best determines the type of experience that you are attracted to?

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

You are what you eat – you are what you listen to.

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

Every day I read articles predicting the demise of the restaurant business – in particular the inability of restaurants to attract employees.  There are a number of reasons why this is true and most do point to an industry that avoided change for so long.  But, this is not the intent of this article.  I am directing this post to current, former, and future employees – specifically cooks.  I will certainly not deny the seemingly overwhelming reasons to change careers or push aside the desire to pursue one in the kitchen, but please – hear me out. 

We are only on this planet for a short period of time, so wasting that time is never a great idea.  We should search for fulfillment, invest in ourselves and others, find a way to make a difference, and above all not waste a moment working without the pleasure of knowing that you are doing something that is gratifying.  If you choose wisely, you might even find something that you were destined to do, something that is part of your DNA, your heart and soul, and something that charges with great energy through your entire being. 

Many, if not most people find themselves searching for this destiny, but on occasion it just comes our way.  I firmly believe that when this occurs it is a calling that finds you and not the reverse.  This calling is very similar to that feeling when you find a mate or a great friend – when you know, you know.  It is that spark of excitement; that desire to give into it, to embrace the good, the bad, and even the ugly – because it is the right relationship.  If you have not experienced this yet – know that at some point in time you will – we all do if we leave ourselves open to the possibility.

There are millions of Americans who have been, or currently are engage in kitchen work.  It is not for everyone, and in some cases it is simply a means to an end – a chance to earn a paycheck.  But, to others this work is “it”.  This is what makes you whole, what makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning, inspires you to find ways to learn more each and every day, to fire up your human engine and paint your art on a plate.  To deny this is to resist part of your purpose and that would be a shame.

“It is your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.”

-Tony Robbins

This is a moment of decision for you.  Cooking – real cooking that involves a commitment to learning, an investment in building a portfolio of skills, an appreciation for the ingredients you work with and the history of the craft is a gift that some of us are destined to share.  Putting aside for just a moment the absolute need to make a living – it is important that how we make that living be through this gift.  Whether you are a cook, a chef, a doctor, an engineer, a musician, carpenter, teacher, or a painter – the gift should not be set aside.

Restaurants do need to change – no doubt, but this will not happen unless we stay engaged with that gift that needs to find a vehicle for expression.  To move away from this or to avoid quenching your thirst for a future career in food will always leave you wanting for that something that you gave up or pushed aside. 

That something that you can possess, that you have the power to control, that you have a need to discover and nurture is the determination to grab hold of your destiny and find a way to give it the fuel it needs.  Maybe it isn’t the restaurant where you have worked prior to the pandemic, maybe it’s not even the type of restaurant where you built your initial skill set, or maybe it’s not even the restaurant segment at all, but food and a career connected to it is something that touches many different directions in life.  Don’t give up on it! 

“Destiny is no matter of chance.  It is a matter of choice.  It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”

– William Jennings Bryan

You have a choice to make if you are a cook or chef, or someone who aspires to those crafts – if working in a kitchen is your destiny then make a choice to find a way for that career to work for you.  One of the worst feelings is to find yourself saying: “If only I had….. I could have been……It’s too late now.”  Don’t let regret creep into your destiny as a cook.

This is not a time to walk away – this is a time to work even harder to be what you were meant to be.  When you know, you know.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER – CONNECT WITH YOUR DESTINY

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

This appears to be one of those times of reflection – a time when those hard working people in kitchens around the country are asking a simple question: “Why am I doing this?”  The pandemic is not the cause of this period of questioning – it simply brought it to the forefront.  Everyone that I know in this business has asked that question a few times in their life, and rightfully so.  To not question is to ignore the possibility that maybe, just maybe there is something that you are better suited to do.  That’s OK – we should all strive to find our niche – a place where we are happy and where we can make a difference.  Of course we need to earn a living and support ourselves, and possibly a family, but beyond that we all have an innate desire to find our place.

I for one have been and will continue to be very happy with my career choice and the opportunities that continue to arise as a result of my decision to focus on food.  I feel fortunate to call many of my friends – equal advocates for a great decision in this regard.  There have been moments when that decision wasn’t clear, and there have been moments when I considered looking in a different direction, but those moments were fleeting and I jumped right back in.  I have always found that being methodical about career decisions served me well, so why not share my approach with others?  So, here is a good exercise that will allow you to assess where you are and where you might turn.

1. Do you spend more days looking forward to kitchen work or do you constantly dread another day?
2. Do you look forward to the chance to work with other talented people who have the ability to create on the plate?
3. Do you find working with people of different nationalities, races, cultures, and beliefs to be inspirational?
4. Do you feel privileged to work with the ingredients that come from farmers, fishermen, ranchers, and artisans?
5. Do you find satisfaction in creating something tangible each day that reflects on the skills that you have acquired over time?
6. Do you enjoy cooking for the benefit of others?
7. Do you find physical work to be gratifying? 
8. Are you a person who relishes organization and planning?
9. Are you proud to wear a uniform that represents a history of cooks and chefs who came before you?
10. Do you relish an environment where there is a need for structured discipline?
11. Do you consider yourself to be artistic and a person looking for a medium to express yourself?
12. Do you enjoy accomplishing goals as part of a team?

If you answer yes to all or most of these questions then it is very likely that working with food is something that will always satisfy you.  If you feel forced to step away because of the negatives that certainly do exist:  long hours, unpredictable schedules, far too modest pay scales, a lack of benefits, etc., then know that any other choice of career will leave you a bit empty.  My advice is to look around and seek out the numerous opportunities to work with food in different operations or in related fields that can satisfy your innate, intangible needs as well as those tangible ones that help with the physical requirements of life.  Don’t give up on what you are destined to do.

We can, and maybe should unite in finding ways to help the restaurant industry finds its groove and finally address what drives good people away.  It is a challenge that we all must share.  We can all help to find ways for operations to become more efficient and profitable so that some of the challenges listed can be addressed.  Let’s think about making 2021 and beyond a time when we collectively own the problems and commit to finding solutions.  Let’s not give up on what we are meant to do with a career.  Hang in there!

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

My first real job at the age of 15 (unless you count being a paperboy) was washing dishes and helping out the breakfast cook at a local diner.  By the time I graduated from high school I had worked at a few restaurants and found myself holding down a line position dropping fries and fish fillets into 375-degree oil.  At this point working in a kitchen was all that I knew.  I somewhat reluctantly applied to colleges to appease my parents, but really had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.  I finally settled on attending school for hotel management – why not – right?  Little did I know, at that point, that working in kitchens was what I would do for the rest of my career.

Had I built a long-term plan at that point – what would I have done differently?  For years now I have preached how important it is to establish your goals and then create a roadmap to get to your eventual destination.  I had no such plan at the age of 16, so like many who will read this article I was stepping out day after day without any direction.  Even while in college there was no real desire to figure it all out – I just took life as it came my way.  Looking back I wish that someone had given me the advice that I so freely now give to others.  So, what if that “someone” had been around to point me in the right direction –what would he or she have advised me to do?  Here are my thoughts (in hindsight):

[]         STUDY THE POSSIBILITIES

What lay beyond the dishpit and breakfast griddle?  At the age of 16 I had no idea what the possibilities might be.  Searching for a career and a life at this age was not front and center in my thinking– yet had I known then maybe, just maybe I could have developed a plan.  What is a chef, what restaurant experiences are there beyond grilled hard rolls and eggs over easy, and what does a really great meal look and taste like? 

[]         FIND YOUR BENCHMARKS

Cooking for a living would certainly be different than becoming a doctor, lawyer, or rock and roll star, but I had no idea about any of these ways to make a living – nor did any other 16 year old.  My idea of a great meal was fried chicken at KFC.   Cooking methods were not even on my radar and thinking about plating a beautiful dish was foolish because I didn’t know that this was a “thing”.  There were no life-changing meals, no a’ ha moments, and no reason to think that food was anything more than fuel.  Maybe if I had the opportunity to “experience” something more then I would have charged my batteries earlier and built a portfolio of moments filled with: “I want to learn how to cook like that!”

[]         IDENTIFY A MENTOR(S)

Sure, Millie the short order breakfast cook took me under her wing and because of that I had a chance to flip pancakes, grill hard rolls, make a few omelets and try my hand at eggs over easy, but I never felt the need to ask her more, nor did she offer.  If I had worked with someone who pushed me harder at that age, a person who would challenge me, critique my work, and set my standards at that age – who knows where my career would have gone.

[]         PICK YOUR EMPLOYERS WISELY

At that early age everyone is impressionable.  We establish our standards and set our sights on a level of excellence based on the environments and the people we work with.  Instead of looking for a job it would have been wise to look for the right job, a place where I could learn, a place that I would respect and a place that would help to form the cook and chef that I would become.

[]         PICK YOUR FRIENDS WISELY

Fact: 16-24 – now that is a dangerous age.  Boys, in particular are not terribly discriminating about the company they keep as long as “fun” is part of the formula.  These early relationships build your character and help to determine the type of person you will become.  It is also the time when your early brand starts to develop.  Thank goodness the internet was not yet a thing back then – so there is little record of the bad decisions that I made and that all of my friends made as well.  A mentor would have helped me to be a bit pickier at times.  At that age you are whom you hang out with.

[]         KNOW WHAT COUNTS

A career is built on a few core attributes that are developed in a person early on.  Individuals who work on these are destined to be successful at whatever they pursue.  I learned the importance of these a bit later on in my life and they have served me well, but I can only imagine how much more could have been if I had been guided in this direction.  These attributes are dependability, being prepared, remaining organized, completing tasks, and a commitment to excellence no matter how small or large the task.

[]         YOU WILL NEVER KNOW ENOUGH

As much as you think you know – you will never know enough.  Realizing early on that a total commitment to learning your craft is essential to success can be humbling and energizing at the same time.  Successful people are always seeking to find the answers to how, why, and when.  Your education is always in need of a boost – it will never end.  This is what keeps people reaching higher.

[]         LOOK AND ACT PROFESSIONAL

Try telling this to a 16 year old.  Look sharp, act like you care, treat others appropriately, use language properly, write in complete sentences, check your spelling and sentence structure, and respect the chain of command.  Yes – these things are important and they work together to build perceptions of who you are and what you might become.

[]         LISTEN

Talk less, listen more – these are great rules of thumb.  This is how we learn, this is how people learn to trust you, and this is how you set the stage to eventually lead others.

[]         PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

As hard as it may be to swallow – you will never become exceptional at anything unless you repeat an act or process many, many, many times.  Do you want to become an exceptional free-throw shooter in basketball?  If the answer is yes – then practice 100 free throws everyday – FOREVER!  Do you want to become noteworthy with your culinary knife skills?  If the answer is yes – then practice those skills and measure them against a standard many, many, many times – FOREVER!  Do you want to become a well-rounded chef?  If the answer is yes –then make sure that you work every possible position in the kitchen many, many, many times –and never allow yourself to stray away from those skills – FOREVER!

[]         BE YOUR OWN WORST CRITIC

There will be many people who will critique your work: employers, peers, employees, and customers.  In the end, the most important critique should come from you.  Am I living up to my own set of standards?  Could I improve on this process?  Is there room for improvement?  These are the questions you need to ask every day.

[]         TAKE IT SERIOUSLY

Take the work that you do seriously.  Cooking is a very important profession that services the physical, emotional, and even spiritual needs of the people for whom you cook.  Don’t ever lose sight of how high everyone’s expectations are of your commitment to doing things correctly, of always striving for excellence.  While you should never take yourself too seriously – your work and its impact is another story.

[]         IDENTIFY YOUR STAKES IN THE GROUND

During your early years in the kitchen be observant and collect those ideas, processes, and beliefs that establish who you are as a person and a food professional.  These will become your stakes in the ground – the things that you are never willing to sacrifice, never willing to put aside.  At some point in your career this is how people inside and outside your circle will identify you.  Know how you want to be identified and stick to your guns.

[]         RESPECT, RESPECT, RESPECT

You have heard it many times before – treat others, as you would want them to treat you.  We are part of a fantastic industry that is filled with diversity – this is one of the most important aspects of working in the business of food.  Honor this opportunity by respecting others for who they are and what they believe.  You may not agree with them, but you can respect them for their own beliefs just like you would expect them to respect you. 

Respect the ingredients that you work with and know how hard a farmer, fisherman, rancher, cheesemaker, bread baker, or salt miner works to bring those ingredients to your table.  If possible – walk a day in their shoes to feel the passion that exists in their work.

Respect the equipment that you work with and treat it as if it were your own.  Respect the business that pays your wages and how fragile their profit margins are.  Do this by controlling waste, being frugal with energy and water, and staying efficient with the tasks that you perform.

[]         PRACTICE SAYING YES

Another tough one for a 16-year old, but if you want to chart a course for a career in food know that you are entering the service business.  This means that you should always begin your thinking with the word yes.  “I need you to step aside from your line position for a few hours and wash dishes.  We are getting backed up in that area.”  Your response:  “Yes chef”.  “The guest at table 23 says that this steak is over cooked – we need to fire a new one.”  Your response: “Yes chef”. 

[]         DON’T LET MEDIOCRITY SLIP IN

As much as excellence should be your goal in everything that you do, it is just as important to never succumb to the temptation of mediocrity brought about by time, lack of assistance, or changes in environment.  Stay strong.

[]         MAKE MISTAKES AND LEARN FROM THEM

Don’t dismay – you will make mistakes, you should make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes.  It’s OK, just learn from them and don’t make the same mistakes again.  This is where real learning takes place.

[]         ALWAYS WORK ON YOUR BRAND

Finally, young grasshopper, remember that everything you do contributes to your positive or negative brand.  How you look, how you act, who you associate with, how you talk, what you say, how you set-up your station, how sharp your knives are, how well you follow established cooking methods, the beauty of your finished plates, how dependable you are, and your commitment to constant improvement are the components of your brand.  Your brand is what opens doors to your success.  Be the brand you want to become.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

Sometimes I get a bit lofty in my reflections of kitchen life and the cooks who spend time behind the range.  This is probably one of those times – yet oftentimes I can’t help myself.  Take the analogies for what they are worth to you.

Being a professional cook or chef is such a contradiction of the human condition.  When you walk through a typical kitchen you will see individuals intent on their work, dressed in clean, crisp white uniforms that attempt to hide the tattoos, burns, stitches, crustiness, sometimes vulgar personality who can in one moment lift an 80- pound stock pot from the stove or carry a 100-pound sack of flour the length of the kitchen and in the next moment – carefully and strategically place a delicate cluster of herbs atop a carefully caramelized slice of foie gras mounted on a perfectly cooked filet of beef, complemented by a white china plate painted with a meticulously reduced demi glace.  Who is this person?

I was listening the other day to the lyrics of Ann Wilson from the group Heart when she referred to the contradiction and quest of the dog and butterfly.  She described the song in this manner:

“When you’re an earthbound creature you’re always jumping and reaching for things we can never really catch, but you try anyway.  And that’s the point of the song, you’re always trying to grab at something higher.”

Could it be that the hard work of the dog is all an effort to try and become the butterfly.  Is it possible that the hard work of the cook is all in quest of reaching for the perfection of the plates’ art?  The dog will be exhausted at the end of the day as it reaches for the butterfly just as the cook will end the day with cuts, burns, sweat, sore muscles and physical exhaustion all in search of that plate perfection.

There are so many contradictions of this type in the kitchen when cooks are viewed from that 10,000 – foot vantage point.  Anger and finesse are evident in the intensity that takes place as a cook attacks a relentless list of preparations for service.  There is the pressure of time, the need to meet standards, the variables that inevitably come from working with nature’s ingredients that are consistently inconsistent, and the need to depend on others for your own success.  At the same time there is that finesse that must come into play when finish cooking demands a level of organization and calm that must be separated from the anger derived from all of those pressures.  If a cook is unable to separate the two then the result will be chaos and a finished product that does not reflect what is intended.  Angry food will taste angry, yet finesse without the intensity of physical and mental preparation fueled by a touch of anger will often times fall flat.

Anxiety is part of the cook’s chemistry.  Stress is a fragile beast that at some level is an important driver sparked by adrenaline, but too much will cause the body to decay and plans to fall apart.  When a kitchen is void of anxiety it will appear to be unprepared for the intensity of service and the peace that comes from a well-executed meal service and beautiful plates of food.  The contradiction of anxiety and peace seems to be present in every kitchen that reaches for the butterfly.

Despair is present in the eyes of cooks who are within striking distance of those allusive first orders clicking off the POS printer.  It is that feeling of impending doom, that mental checklist that reviews all the details of preparation leading to this point, that flood a cooks consciousness. “Did I peel enough shrimp, cut enough steaks, blanch enough vegetables, chop enough parsley or clarify the right amount of butter?  Will I run out of anything at the peak rush and if so how will I find the time to prep more when tickets are lining up on the board?”  Every cook, at some point, has felt this despair – the sense of everything falling apart. Yet, hope springs eternal, because that mental checklist will, more often than not, lead to a level of confidence: “I’ve got this!”  The contradiction of despair and hope is an everyday reality in professional kitchens and although cooks may feel this, they rarely express it – it is internalized.

The visible toughness of a professional cook, the effort that it takes to never show weakness and to tough things out is the sign of the hammer – when things get really difficult cooks just swing the hammer harder and faster.  Work through the heat, the back pain, the burns, and the sweat because we are tough – we are the hammer.  Sometimes those who do not live the life of the cook become the nail and thus view the cook as irrational, insolent, or simply angry.  But then, there are the moments when those same cooks take an extra second to paint on the plate, to express themselves with beautiful and delicious presentations of food that reflect their artistic and caring side.  Any respectable cook ultimately cares deeply that the guest who purchased that meal is satisfied and even impressed.  It is the contradiction of the hammer and the artistic brush that confuses others and inspires career cooks and chefs.

Work hard, push yourself, attack that prep list, use a hammer if necessary to be ready when the printer starts to talk and then take a deep breath, make sure you are organized, and play your instrument in such a manner as to portray calm, confidence, and true art.  The dog will leave the day tired and somewhat dissatisfied in his or her inability to fly, but tomorrow that same dog will try just as hard once again.  It is the pursuit of the butterfly that makes the dog complete.  The cook will work until he or she is exhausted from the physical, mental, and emotional demands of the job and the ongoing pursuit of excellence.  But knowing that excellence is hard to achieve the cook will arrive the next day to try once again for perfection on the plate.  He or she will work just as hard again – leaving everything they have on the playing field.  It is the nature of the person who chooses to be both that tattooed crusty individual underneath with the finesse of the butterfly in crisp, clean white uniform that signs every plate leaving the kitchen.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Reach for the butterfly

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

The first question is always: “Do you want to be great?”, followed by: “Are you willing to put forth the effort to be great?”

Let’s assume that the desire to be great is innate – a desire that we are born with – a desire that can either be nourished or squashed.  This desire is a spark of enthusiasm to accomplish goals, exceed expectations, know no barriers to entry, and reach for the stars.  We possess this desire universally but experience has shown us that it can be pushed aside by parents, friends, supervisors, peers, and even by our own lack of confidence in potential outcomes.

“There is no greatness without a passion to be great – whether it’s the aspiration of an athlete or an artist, a scientist, a parent, business owner (or chef).”

-Author unknown

I have spoken oftentimes about the disease of mediocrity and the joy of an attitude of excellence.  It is this attitude that sets a course toward greatness.  Greatness can be achieved in the simplest of tasks or the overwhelming impact of a project, process, discovery, or “win” that might elude those who choose not to reach for the stars and adopt excellence as their standard.

As cooks and chefs we spend our days in a business that allows ample room for greatness or mediocrity and in some cases both are rewarded with financial success, but only one will make you whole.   Greatness is realized both in the moment and through strategic planning, but greatness is still greatness no matter how small or how lofty the task.   You must have an unrelenting passion to be great and a total unwillingness to put it aside and accept mediocrity.

So what is the path to greatness for a chef?  What can we all do today, right now, to move in this direction?  Where do we begin?

[]         KNOWLEDGE:

Greatness has its roots in knowledge.  Chefs should not only know process and methods, but also the why, where, and who behind everything that is done in the kitchen.  Understanding the culture behind a cuisine, the people and the ingredients they worked with, why those ingredients were used, and how they work together to create a dish is essential if a chef is to truly represent a cuisine or a dish.  This knowledge must be constantly fed – so great chefs are reading and researching, inquiring and visiting, and absorbing all that they can so that everything can be shared with the team.

[]         VISION:

Greatness stems from a chef’s vision and goals – what sets a path for the restaurant today and into the future?  Copycat operations can certainly thrive, but greatness comes from uniqueness and excellence in executing that uniqueness.

[]         COMMITMENT:

Greatness tends to surround those who dedicate themselves and much of their lives to the pursuit of excellence.   Think of the analogy of breakfast:  “The chicken is involved – the pig is committed.”

[]         FLEXIBILITY:

Great chefs and great operations know that there will be times when they need to change or at least bend.  The willingness to change is as important as the ability to do so.

[]         SKILL:

Certainly the foundations of cooking will always rise to the top of any cook’s skill set, but to assume that cooking will always remain as it has been is foolish.  Equipment and technology change and our understanding of the process of cooking will forever evolve.  Great chefs are constantly working on adding to and enhancing their skills.

[]         VARIED EXPERIENCE:

Chefs who are at the top of their game are individuals who have committed themselves to building a portfolio of unique experiences in all aspects of cooking from a’ la carte fine dining to street food, from large scale catered events to formal seven course dinners for groups of 20, and from a’ la carte breakfast to classic formal buffets – everything adds up to a basis for greatness.

[]         THE ABILITY TO LISTEN:

If a chef believes that he or she is the only person in the room with a useful thought, then learning will never take place, teams will never truly form, and excellence will rarely be achieved.  Listen to others.

[]         DECISION MAKING:

When a cook reaches the level of chef it is expected that this person will be confident and competent enough to make the tough decisions and delegate those that others are able to make.

[]         PROBLEM SOLVING:

The experiences that a chef brings to the table create a repository of solutions and the preventative medicine that will help an operation avoid many problems in the first place.  The chef in an operation is the ultimate problem-solver.

[]         COMMUNICATION:

Great ideas, helpful experiences, and important decisions will fail to meet objectives unless the chef is able to effectively communicate verbally and in writing.  This communication must represent a professional approach and be structured under the heading of: “The Proper Use of the English Language”.  Communication is core to greatness.

[]         A NETWORK OF INFLUENCE:

Greatness is rarely an individual effort.  The best chefs have built a network of associates over years of working in kitchens.  This network is there to help, advise, critique, support, and sometimes stop a chef from making a decision.  It takes a village to raise a great chef.

[]         TEAM BUILDING:

First and foremost – great chefs are incredible team builders.  Chefs must know how to identify, hire, train, mentor, coach, evaluate, and sometimes cut a team member loose if his or her presence has a negative impact on the team.  Teams need leaders and leaders need followers – the chef must build a cohesive group with common vision, a comfort level in speaking their mind, but a desire to contribute to the team effort.

[]         AMBASSADORSHIP:

Gone are the days when a chef can hide behind the swinging doors.  Greatness is also measured in a chef’s ability to interact with the community of guests, leaders, and influencers. 

[]         PROFESSIONALISM:

Above all else – greatness is measured in a chef’s ability to look, act, interact, and consistently model professional behavior.  Treating everyone with respect is the price of admission.  Acting the part of a leader is expected.  Being a role model is the basis for followership attitudes from others.  This is what great chefs do.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

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