Where Would You Rather Be? Advice for Both Young and Experienced Chefs
‘Where would you rather be?’ – this is a phrase used commonly in sport when trying to motivate a team. For sports coaches, they try to show their passion with this simple phrase by showing, out of being anywhere in the world, there’s nowhere they would rather be. As sports players, they see passion and they see the opportunities that lie ahead.
However, we don’t believe this beautiful phrase should be restricted to the sporting world. Couldn’t this question also be posed to all young cooks in the industry? Where would you rather be than in this moment right now? Before you, there’s an opportunity to make a difference and have a real impact on the industry.
We find it all too easy to complain about the problems within the food industry. But, for us, we don’t see the value in complaining about problems when it’s better to find solutions. Of course, news channels and social media will tell us all about the problems that plague young cooks; this includes schedules that vary each week, long and unpredictable hours, few benefits, low pay, and even the physical working conditions. In addition to this, questions have also been raised regarding the profitability of restaurants, training, challenges of food supply, and even the level of so-called ‘banter’ which can be construed in some circumstances as harassment.
We could sit and complain about these issues…or we could ask what you’re going to do about them. As a talented chef, you have the power to influence and use your skills to help the industry grow. For example, why not use your problem-solving skills to shape the industry in the coming years? Why not dare to move away from the mold and really leave behind a legacy? Don’t think of yourself as a victim of the industry, be the solution.
If you’re an experienced chef, you have to realize that the generation of new cooks are completely different. Regardless of how they reached their role, they won’t see work as the main priority of their lives. We know this is opposite to how many chefs climbed the ladder, but it’s just the way it is. You may have made extreme sacrifices in your personal life to reach the top, but they like to view their career as just one aspect of who they are. Of course, this doesn’t mean they lack passion, focus, or creativity.
How do we create a positive change for the industry? We believe collaboration will be key in the years ahead. Why not seize the day, improve the scene for all young cooks, and allow the next generation to inherit a positive industry rather than a bitter one? Below, we’ve listed just some of our thoughts on the matter!
Always Work on Confidence
One of the biggest issues in the food industry right now is confidence. Why? Because many aren’t aware of the difference between criticism and critique. Rather than constantly telling cooks what they’re doing wrong, chefs need to accompany this with advice on how to improve and why they went wrong. When cooks have this, they can improve their skill set and become more confident; confidence will allow cooks to thrive later in life.
Always Communicate
Why work as a group of individuals when you can work as a group and share ideas, set challenges, discuss failure, and celebrate success? Chefs must always allow for communication, and cooks need to utilize this time for problem solving.
Always Get Involved
If you sit back in the shadows and don’t get involved, you’ll never have the impact you desire. If you really want to have a positive impact not only on the industry but on other individuals, be active in your kitchen and with organizations such as Women Chefs & Restauranteurs, American Culinary Federation, Chefs Collaborative, and Slow Food USA. Don’t sit back, get involved.
Always Train and Learn
Those who are willing to learn and continue learning even after they make it as a chef will always be more likely to succeed. As well as learning in the kitchen, we also recommend continuing the journey outside whether this is by visiting restaurants, reading books, visiting farms, or communicating with other cooks. Researching and learning is never wasted, it becomes an investment for your future self.
In addition to learning, we also advise setting up training for all employees; both individual and group training can be valuable. With internal and external training opportunities, your staff can improve their knowledge about ingredients, history of dishes, cooking processes, using equipment, and more. As a chef, you should be doing all you can to prepare all cooks for their future careers as chefs.
Always Be a Business Person
How do you deal with the common issue of wages? Well, the problem is due to the small profit margins that currently exist within the industry so your job will be to get your business hat on and deal with this. Although it might sound easier said than done, your cooks will never earn a higher wage if there’s not enough money in the pot.
Remember, there are two ways to increase profit; reduce costs or increase revenue. With a proactive approach, you may just be able to deal with both of these. For example, a special offer to increase customer numbers on those quiet days.
Always Fight the Norm
Today, staff are looking to be treated well more than ever before. Employees have always wanted to be treated well by their employers, but now it’s more important to be happy in the workplace. For many years, it has been the norm for the kitchen to be full of banter and innuendo. Now, we’re working to change the way our industry is perceived because otherwise the best talent will go elsewhere. As well as chefs, the norm must also be challenged by owners, cooks, managers, and all staff; it needs to be a real team effort.
Always Be Empathetic
‘Leave your personal troubles at the door’ – can we really expect staff to just forget about all their financial worries, family concerns, illnesses, and other personal problems? While we do recommend a firm stance in some areas, it can also be important to be empathetic and understanding when employees come to you with problems. If you want to keep the most talented staff members, compassion will ALWAYS be important.
Summary
We aren’t advocating being awkward for the sake of being awkward, we would love to see those who are serious about the industry making positive steps. With positive changes, we can all focus on the solutions rather than the problems. In the future, this opens the industry to more and more talented employees and we can advertise this niche as a career once more!