Tag Archives: motivation

THE SELF-MOTIVATED COOK – A TIMELESS MODEL

11 Thursday Feb 2016

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In 1943 – Abraham Maslow published his theory of self-motivation in the form of a hierarchy of needs. Self-motivation is always the goal since no one else can do the job for you. Maslow’s theory focused on five sequential steps – the key being the sequential nature of each.

Considering the fact that the most significant issue facing the restaurant industry today is finding, hiring, training, and retaining great employees, it would seem important that we (the industry) spend the time to build a long-term plan to that end. Every few years I wind up reflecting back to what Maslow defined as “essential” steps and realize that what he found in 1943 is still true today. These steps, once studied, are perfectly aligned with the challenges that chefs and restaurant operators face. Careful study and application of these steps may very well be the basis for a solution.

Let’s take a look at each component of the hierarchy and reflect on how they apply to restaurants, and in this case – cooks:

  1. SURVIVAL OR PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS:

The most basic needs of any individual refer to his or her ability to provide the essentials for him/herself and their family. These essentials include a roof over their heads, food on the table, sufficient clothing, a means of transportation, and the ability to care for themselves and others when they are sick. Now, the level of survival may vary from individual to individual, but the premise remains identical.

Our cooks must then be able to identify a position that will provide enough funds and benefits to address these primary needs. This, of course, is not a simple task of mandating higher employee wages; it must be a holistic process that identifies what and how to accomplish this.

I don’t profess to have that answer, but know that it will include a hard look at how we produce food, what we produce, and what guests are willing and able to pay. Restaurants and chefs must determine how their operation is going to become and remain profitable BEFORE consideration can be given to raising wages. Then, an equitable system for determining pay scales must consider skills, longevity, the essential nature of a position, and other, sometimes intangible benefits derived from keeping an individual on a kitchen team. This study MUST be done – the industry can no longer afford to simply balk at it and claim that we are unable to afford changes to pay scales and essential benefits. To avoid this is a fruitless process of delaying larger problems down the road – or government mandated changes that should have been addressed by business.

The important point to note is that until SURVIVAL needs is addressed, it is very difficult, if not impossible, for an employee to self-motivate. Employees will suffer from the stress of an inability to provide and will always be on the hunt for a better position, somewhere else.

  1. SECURITY:

Once an employee (cook) feels that his or her essential survival needs are met, the next step will be to find a position and employer that provides a sense of JOB SECURITY.

“As long as I continue to perform at a higher than acceptable level will this job be here down the road?”

Cooks need to feel confident that they are working for a winner – a restaurant that is financially successful and is positioned to stay successful through the years ahead. Worry over job stability causes tremendous stress in a work environment and is a leading reason why cooks, in particular, are always open to another position that can provide this security.

This means that if a restaurant is to provide a secure environment for their employees they must have the business acumen to stay afloat and grow. Far too many talented chefs and restaurateurs fail not because of product quality or dedication to service, but more significantly because they do not have the business sense to ride the wave. Failure is, more often than not, a result of an operator’s lack of experience in this area.

Chefs who desire to become entrepreneurs would benefit greatly from either partnering with another individual with savvy business skills, or at least participating in business courses that will provide them with the necessary knowledge and ability.

  1. BELONGINGNESS:

What the restaurant business is very good at is building an environment of BELONGINGNESS for cooks. The team dynamic is what activates that adrenaline in cooks, that level of excitement that drives kitchen workers to love what they do. The problem is that if an operator fails to provide for those SURVIVAL and SECURITY needs, the factor of belongingness will be short-lived. When a cook can say: “I am making a fair wage, I have the ability to care for my family when they are healthy or ill, and I am confident that the restaurant is able to protect my job”, then that esprit des corps that exists in restaurants can be the icing on the cake.

  1. ESTEEM:

ESTEEM is a leadership opportunity. There is little doubt that people enjoy doing a good job. This is ingrained in our psyche from our earliest days of life – we want to be proud of what we do and more importantly, we want others to be proud of what we do. Chefs and restaurateurs have a responsibility to train, coach, critique, demonstrate, and reward employees when they do what is expected or exceed those expectations. This is one of the least expensive parts of doing business. Taking the time to build confidence and pride is a surefire way to create an environment where good cooks never want to leave.

  1. SELF-ACTUALIZATION:

Finally, Maslow listed SELF-ACTUALIZATION as the ultimate self-motivation tool. The ability to reach individual goals and, in essence, be all that you can or want to be, is a professionals dream. Not every cook wants to eventually become a chef, manager, or restaurateur, but many do. What are you doing to provide opportunities for cooks to reach for their dreams? When a chef identifies an individual with a definitive career checklist it only makes sense to serve as a mentor who will help, in some way, make this happen.

The cook that wants to become a chef will need to understand the business side of running a kitchen, appreciate the dynamics of human resource management, become a first-class communicator, and understand how to relate to others who work with or for them. Take the time to coach those employees even if the end result is their need to move on to another property. Your reputation as a mentor will set the stage for others to want a chance to become part of your team.

Take the time to know your cooks. Know who they are as people and what their dreams and challenges are. The best chefs, in the best restaurants, are great listeners and stellar coaches.

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After all of these years, it seems to me, that Maslow got it right. Now the challenge is how can we (the industry) take this to heart and apply his timeless theory to how our restaurants operate. We are at a challenging point in time in restaurant evolution. Restaurants continue to grow in popularity and our population continues to rely on what we do for sustenance, entertainment, and reward. We can only continue on this road of sustainable growth if we can build teams of dedicated, passionate, and self-motivated employees. It is time for the larger discussion around HOW.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

 

“COOK FOR ME” – GIVE LINE COOKS A CHANCE TO SIGN THEIR WORK

06 Friday Nov 2015

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There is a tremendous amount of pride that is churning in professional kitchens. Every cook who is serious about their job is committed to making that picture perfect, properly prepared, and delicious food that is represented on a restaurant menu. Although it may not always seem evident, cooks are happy when their food brings enjoyment to others.

Early in a cook’s career he or she is focused on building strong foundational skills, learning as much as possible, and executing the chef’s vision and style through the food prepared every night. Receiving approval for a job well done, even though it may only be a nod from the chef, carries significant importance. Each cook is evaluated every day based on the last item he or she prepared. This is part of trial by fire, a probationary period that can last a few weeks for some and many months for others.

Underneath this desire to get it right and receive that nod of approval lays a frustrated artist. All cooks want the opportunity to put their signature on a dish or a menu. This is how each cook will begin the process of moving from prep to line work, to sous chef, and eventually the helm of their own kitchen some day. Every chef needs to build up to his or her signature; it is what defines their personal brand.

“Creativity is a great motivator because it makes people interested in what they are doing. Creativity gives hope that there can be a worthwhile idea. Creativity gives the possibility of some sort of achievement to everyone. Creativity makes life more fun and more interesting.”

Edward de Bono

Restaurant chefs who do not see this, or simply refuse to relinquish any responsibility for planning what a restaurant’s food flavors or presentation might be are simply denying those frustrated artists an opportunity to grow.

Now, I do need to clarify that giving cooks a chance to define a portion of the restaurant’s menu and execute their own creative dishes must still require a high level of competence, trust, and trial and error, but if the chef is to mentor great cooks and keep them as part of the team, then this process of building up to a signature must take place.

Let’s take a moment and look at the reasons for and the requirements necessary for this artistic expression to take place:

[]         TRUST:

Allowing and encouraging a cook to be creative must be based first on a level of earned trust. The cooks peers must trust that the individual will enhance the team’s image and not drag it down with poorly executed ideas. The chef must trust that his or her brand will not be tarnished by an ill-prepared cooks performance. The service staff must trust that the cook can deliver on the promise of well prepared and exciting food (the server’s gratuity depends on it), and the customer must trust that the item they select will provide the same level of satisfaction that they are use to.

[]         BECOMING A MENTOR:

Every chef, if he or she is to build a team and develop a positive reputation for the restaurant, must invest a significant portion of time to mentoring, teaching, training, and guidance. Creativity always follows this commitment on the part of the chef. All competent chefs are teachers and mentors.

[]         COMMUNICATE:

If a chef is to develop an environment of creativity and trust, he or she must learn the distinction between critique and criticism. It is very easy, and quite destructive, to simply point out mistakes (CRITICISM), it is another thing all together to build a cook up, point out areas where there are issues and then work with him or her to improve (CRITIQUE).

[]         EMPOWER AND ENCOURGE:

Once trust is earned, training is second nature, and communication is provided and well received, then it is time for the chef to allow the cook to take responsibility for creativity. Give cooks the chance and cheerlead their effort.

[]         PUSH AND CREATE BENCHMARKS OF EXCELLENCE:

Know excellence, demonstrate what excellence looks like, practice excellence, and expect excellence from every cook. When excellence is the benchmark then it becomes the only way to proceed.

[]         CELEBRATE:

When a cook takes a stab at creativity, make sure that everyone knows that this is his or her work. If the menu item works well then applaud the effort, if it doesn’t work well then offer critique and encourage them to try again, and again.

Restaurants have done an excellent job of creating predictable menus that are designed to be comfortable for guests and staff. Predictability leads to control and control leads to a better chance of success, or maybe less of a chance for failure. Predictability is however somewhat boring. Predictability creates routines and routines lead to habits that are difficult to break. Unpredictability makes many people uneasy, uncomfortable, and concerned about failure. On the other hand, unpredictability can be interesting, exciting, challenging, and fulfilling once the task is complete.

People do inherently resist change, especially when they have been programmed to act or work a certain way for so long. This is why some cooks and chefs have a very difficult time when a guest asks for an exception or modification to a menu item. Those who are use to unpredictability tend to relish the opportunity to waiver from the norm and even view special requests as a positive challenge to their skill set.

Once a person truly understands cooking and how it works, successfully builds a palate that is based on a full library of flavor memory, and has a repertoire built from life experiences filled with food benchmarks, the creative process is no longer daunting – it is challenging and fun at the same time. Great chefs see this potential in their cooks and work to nurture, push, and challenge them to exceed everyone’s expectations. Great chefs encourage cooks to build their brand and put their signature on a restaurant menu.

salad

There are many ways that this can be done, but whichever way chosen, I implore every chef to integrate creative opportunities for your cooks, opportunities that push them out of their comfort zone and can, as a result, launch your restaurants reputation.

[]         LET YOUR LINE COOKS DEVELOP THE NIGHTLY FEATURES AND AMUSE BOUCHE. Ask them to map out the item(s) on paper first and have them explain their approach to a dish before testing it. If the item makes sense, have them prepare a sample for tasting and involve all of your cooks in this phase. Give everyone an opportunity to offer suggestions and them let them fly.

[]         LET YOUR LINE COOKS PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN BUILDING SPECIFIC MENU ITEMS BASED ON THE CHEF’S OVERALL VISION. Have a menu taskforce that brainstorms, tests, and presents suggested items. This way every cook will own the menu as if it were his or hers.

[]         PROVIDE AMPLE RESOURCES FOR COOKS TO USE AS BENCHMARKS. Build your kitchen library of books from other outstanding restaurants and chefs. Encourage line cooks and prep cooks to study them and ask questions about how a particular dish is made. Challenge them to implement another chefs item or method as a feature item on the menu.

[]         COOK FOR ME AS AN INTERESTING OPTION IN THE RESTAURANT. One of the more interesting approaches that I took in an operation where I was the chef was to offer a menu choice entitled: “Cook for Me”. This was a choice for adventurous diners who would opt to turn over the entire menu decision-making process to the sous chef or me. This was a five-course dinner for one price without any parameters (unless the guest had food allergies). The server would explain the option and the guest would simply say: “Tell the chef to cook for me.” Either the sous chef or I would then turn to each station cook and ask him or her to create a dish that fit into a general flavor theme.

It was, at times, very challenging – especially on a busy night to slip out of the zone and be creative, but it certainly did push cooks to think differently. I would equate this to being given a market basket of ingredients and a timeline to quickly design a menu and execute it to a cook’s highest standards.

I know that you can come up with countless other ways to prepare and push cooks to be creative. This is an exciting and incredibly rewarding part of a chef’s job. Give cooks a chance to sign their work, build their brand, and light the fire under each and every member of a kitchen team.

“Every job is a self portrait of a person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence.”

Source Unknown

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

http://www.harvestamericaventures.com

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SORRY – THE CHEF CAN’T MOTIVATE YOU

18 Tuesday Mar 2014

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SORRY – THE CHEF CAN’T MOTIVATE YOU

“The chef really needs to motivate me today”. How often have you heard this type of interplay in the kitchen? People have a tendency to relegate their performance, attitude, and outlook on their job to someone else. A restaurant employee is off of their game, riddled with doom and gloom, prone to make dumb mistakes, or simply miserable to be around and thus looks to those “in charge” for a reason to change.

No person can motivate another. This is the reality that so many choose not to understand. Managers, chefs and coworkers cannot dictate that an employee or peer approach their job and their coworkers with a positive attitude, only the individual suffering from this downward approach can choose to self-motivate. All that management, the chef or that person’s peers can do is to set the stage for self-motivation.

Now, this being said there is much that the chef or manager can do to create an environment for self-motivation. If you subscribe to the age-old theory of Abraham Maslow then you understand that the first three steps associated with his Hierarchy of Needs relates to tangible areas that management and the chef can control to some degree.
https://www.google.com/#q=Maslow’s%20hierarchy%20of%20needs

Survival needs relate directly and indirectly to a livable wage. The challenge with a livable wage is that it means something different to every individual. Survival goes beyond the basics of food, shelter and clothing – it relates to the level of food, shelter and clothing that the person has become accustomed to and most importantly relates to the skill level required to perform certain tasks. What chefs and managers can certainly do is provide an environment where individuals can improve their skills and prepare for the next level position that does offer increases in compensation. Training, mentoring and coaching all play well into this formula. The second step in the Hierarchy of Needs focuses on Security. The chef has an obligation to the business to operate in a manner that enhances the opportunity for financial success. This same fiduciary responsibility will create a business climate that protects the jobs of those who actively participate in this process. If the business succeeds the employee can feel more comfortable about their job security and if these same employees contribute as expected then they can rest easy when it comes to longevity. The third level deals with a Sense of Belongingness. Building comprehensive orientation programs, using the in-house buddy system for initial job acclimation, offering on-going training and assessment and developing opportunities for staff members to interact on and off the job will help individuals feel at home with their position and allow the other members of a kitchen team to feel at ease and part of the acclimation process.

The final two steps in Maslow’s Theory are Self-Esteem and Self Actualization: both can certainly be impacted by the chef in a property, but they rely heavily on the individual’s desire to excel, work ethic and willingness to take full advantage of the positive environment that has been created by management. Self Esteem- how a person feels about themselves, their work, the product or service they provide, the perception of others and the value of their existence is one of the deepest topics associated with human psychology. Self-Actualization is in essence the ability to “be all that you can be”. The interesting point about this is that we can never really be all that we can be, so if the environment for this opportunity exists then individuals will be constantly looking at how to improve, reaching eternally for that carrot – the Japanese refer to it as Kaizen, a core principle that they live by as a culture. Not all people are equal in terms of their desire to perform, their willingness to take on challenges or to even seeing the opportunities before them. Self-motivation is exactly what it sounds like. Dictionary.com defines self-motivation as follows:

“Self-motivation. Initiative to undertake or continue a task or activity without another’s prodding or supervision. They learn a sense of self-confidence and self-motivation, and it stays with them into their adult lives.”

When self-motivation kicks in there is very little that can get in the way of a person’s progress and eventual success. It is this important trait that separates those who know they can and do from those who think they can’t and don’t. No one has control over this except the individual. Those who try to place the blame on others for their inability to self-motivate will likely never find success.

Sorry, the chef cannot motivate you is something that should be realized by the individual seeking an outside push and must be realized by the chef or the manager as well. Create the environment, hire those who will view this environment as an opportunity and recognize the efforts of those who choose to take the bull by the horns.

As a footnote it should be acknowledged that if the chef or manager fails to create the environment for this to work then the result would be stifling to those who have potential. When the environment for self-motivation does not exist then individuals with potential will seek opportunities elsewhere. To this point, Maslow fails to address some additional components of the self-motivation process. Those properties that provide the physical plant that allows cooks (in this example) to execute their craft effectively and feel pride in the product that they produce will help to set the stage for great things to happen. Additionally, those operations that have a philosophy of operation that aligns with those in their staff who have the raw materials for self-motivation – will have an added bonus of building not just successful employees but loyal ambassadors as well.

Motivation is not a simple concept, certainly not one that can be addressed in a short article, however there is typically agreement on the part of the hundreds of authors who have studied and preached their beliefs on the topic that more weight needs to be placed on the individual than the organization or its management.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER
Harvest America Ventures, LLC
Restaurant and Culinary School Consulting, Training and Coaching
http://www.harvestamericaventures.com

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Chefs and Servers with Different Motivations

06 Tuesday Aug 2013

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When chefs and service staff are not on the same page the guest experience is confused and disjointed. When I have referenced the importance of team in the kitchen I am concerned that some might think that if that “culinary island” is in sync then the guest experience will be great. Team refers to a cohesive effort on the part of all staff members to create that exceptional dining event.

What motivates your staff on a daily basis (keeping in mind that you, as a manager or chef, cannot motivate another employee. This is something that they must do for themselves)? What can you do to help insure the right customer event?

Your official job is to create the environment for positive self-motivation. This, of course, begins with selecting the individuals with the “right stuff”, orienting them to the operation and its philosophy, training with gusto, investing in providing the right tools, creating forums for open communication between all team members, empowering people to make decisions, recognizing people for their role and thanking them for going the extra mile, setting the example for others to follow, providing honest critique and when necessary demonstrating how to correct areas that need attention. The most important piece is creating ample opportunities for open communication.

Chefs are typically motivated by the creative process. Their motivation is the tactile process of work that brings an idea to fruition on the plate. The hard facade that often accompanies the image of a chef is really just a protective crust that hides the fragile artist underneath who takes real pride in bringing out flavors, presenting their art on a canvas (plate) and seeing clean plates return from the dining room. That mis-step that brings excellent food to ordinary, incredible ingredients to ruin, fresh food to something that is dry and inappropriate or a smiling guest to the unhappy recipient of a plate of food that is below their expectations is devastating to a serious cook or chef. Self-loathing happens on a daily basis among cooks and chefs who are serious about their craft. As “up” as they may be when things go right, the lows are pretty severe when they don’t. They eat, drink and sleep “food”, their closest professional companion. They relish incredible ingredients and bow to those who are able to make magic food out of what they are given to work with.

Servers are certainly pleased when guests are happy with their experience, however, the compensation system that restaurants have adopted for waiters drives them to work for the reward of a great tip. In the end, it is the gratuity that demonstrates to the server that they have performed at an acceptable or greater than acceptable level. It is rare to find a server today who is just as pumped about food as the chef. You rarely see a service staff member blurry-eyed from reading cookbooks until 2 a.m. or spending their day off hanging out at other restaurants to help refine their craft. We (restaurants) have not created the community of food lovers who know as much about the ingredients, cooking and flavor profiles as the chef. This is not the fault of the server, it is the fault of leadership not paying attention to how critical it is for chefs and servers to share a similar passion. Without this passion and commitment, the guest experience is disjointed.

On those rare occasions when I have experienced a restaurant in complete sync, it is incredible to sit back and watch what transpires. Cooks and service staff carry on conversations about food, other restaurants, as well as wine and food/wine pairings they have experienced. The staff meal is a collaborative event with front and back of the house laughing, sharing stories, quizzing each other on tonight’s preparations and truly enjoying each other’s company.

The end result is always a better customer experience because service staff and cooks are truly interested in how the food is perceived, how the flavors marry with that wine that the sommelier suggested, and how many times the guest pulls out their smart phone, not to talk, but to take pictures of the food.

When chefs and servers share the same inspiration, the guest can feel it. These rare restaurants are always first on everyone’s list when it comes time to make a reservation.

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