March 11, 2025 • 18 mins
Are you caught in the daily grind of managing your kitchen, constantly putting out fires and wondering if you're truly making an impact? It's time to shift gears and embrace the power of leadership.
"Kitchens run on systems, but thrive on leadership." - Adam Lamb
From Manager to Leader: Transforming Your Kitchen Culture
- Create a compelling vision that inspires your team
- Foster a proactive environment that anticipates challenges
- Build trust and autonomy among your staff
- Cultivate long-term growth and development in your kitchen
The Hidden Costs of Pure Management
- Increased stress and burnout
- High staff turnover and its financial impact
- Stifled creativity and lack of ownership
- The trap of reactive versus proactive culture
Practical Strategies for Culinary Leadership
- Clarifying your vision and communicating it effectively
- Shifting from controlling to empowering your team
- Leading with emotional intelligence
- Providing growth opportunities and modeling accountability
Your Leadership Journey Starts Now
This episode offers a blueprint for becoming a leader worth following. You'll gain insights on:
- Identifying areas to implement leadership in your daily operations
- Scheduling regular check-ins for individual growth and feedback
- Adjusting your leadership style to team dynamics
Remember, leadership is not a title—it's a practice. It's about showing up consistently, intentionally, and being present for your team.
Are you ready to transform your kitchen from a place of chaos to a thriving, inspired environment?
Tune in to discover how you can lead from the heart and create a culinary team that doesn't just survive, but truly excels.
Stay Tall & Frosty
Adam
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:03):
Hey, chef, welcome back to the show.
Ever wonder why your kitchen feels stuckin chaos despite your best efforts?
Do you constantly question ifyou're truly making an impact
or just putting out daily fires?
Are you struggling to getyour team inspired and engaged
beyond just following orders?
In today's episode, we're gonnadive deep into the difference
between leading and managing.
You'll discover actionableinsights on how to step up as
(00:25):
a true leader in your kitchen.
Inspiring your team, boosting morale,and creating a thriving kitchen culture.
We'll get to that and a whole lotmore right after this message.
Welcome to Chef Life Radio, the podcastdedicated to helping chefs and culinary
leaders take control of their kitchens,build resilient teams, and create
(00:46):
a thriving career in hospitality.
I'm Chef Adam Lamb, your host,leadership coach, and industry veteran.
If you're tired of high turnover.
Burnout and the dailygrind, you're not alone.
This podcast is here to give you thereal strategies, insights, and tools you
need to lead with confidence, build aculture of excellence and craft a kitchen
that works for you, not against you.
(01:07):
Because the best kitchens don'tjust survive, they thrive.
Hit that subscribe buttonand let's get started.
Welcome back.
I just wanna start out by sayingthat leadership and management
are both crucial elements.
Of your kitchen.
Problem is, is that a lot of greatchefs just manage their environment
(01:28):
without leading their environment.
One without the other is failure.
Leadership and management, whileoften used interchangeably in the
kitchen, serve distinct purposes.
Understanding that difference is crucialfor fostering a kitchen that operates
with efficiency and inspires growth.
Leadership is visionary leaders setthe tone for the kitchen by creating a
(01:51):
vision that extends beyond daily service.
They establish core values,nurture culture, and inspire their
teams to strive for excellence.
If you're still unclear, letme break it down this way.
A manager writes the schedule.
A leader spends an hour creatinga succession plan for his
kitchen over the next six months.
Now you're probably wondering to yourself,how the hell am I supposed to do that
(02:13):
when every day I am putting out fires?
Well.
Let's get to it.
Management is, operational managersfocus on immediate execution,
ensuring food orders are completed.
Service run smoothly andschedules are adhered to.
That's a function of process.
Leadership is proactive.
Leaders anticipatechallenges before they arise.
(02:36):
Fostering an environment wheregrowth and learning are continuous.
Management is reactive.
Managers respond to problems asthey occur, addressing issues
rather than preventing them.
Leaders inspire, managers instruct.
A leader builds trust andautonomy among their team.
While a manager ensures efficiencyby giving clear structured
(02:58):
direction, leaders cultivate growth.
Effective leadership involves mentoringand developing team members for long-term
success, whereas management ensuresthat each shift runs smoothly, all the
stations are covered, everybody's intheir place, and now it's time to jam.
Understanding this distinctionallows culinary professionals to
(03:19):
strike a balance, a blending strongoperational management with visionary
leadership to create a thriving,empowered kitchen environment, as
my buddy Greg Barnhill would say.
Yeah, that's just a lot of words.
So let me break it down.
Leadership, visionary, inspiring,proactive, focused on long-term
growth and team development.
(03:39):
Management is task oriented, reactive,focused on short-term operations
and immediate problem solving.
Now you probably already see in yourday-to-day how those two points converge
and when those moments are that you'retruly leading, and when you're actually
managing and when you're in the shit,it's very, very difficult to lead.
(03:59):
All we're doing is tryingto manage the environment.
All we're trying to do is managingdeclining resources, labor product.
Many chefs think that managingmeans being control of all times,
but true leadership requirestrust, delegation, and empowerment.
And it's the only thing that is actuallygonna set your kitchen up for success.
(04:20):
Building leaders within.
So you don't have to do everygoddamn thing yourself, regardless
if you think you're the onlyone that ever does it correctly.
You'll always be in that trap untilyou learn to trust your people, coach
and mentor them such that you don'thave to do that every single time.
And I get it.
It feels good to get shit done,especially when the environment is so
(04:40):
hectic and all you're trying to do issee away from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM or
10:00 PM or whatever that looks like.
But if you're not carving outtime to do leadership functions,
you'll always be putting out fires.
I was once asked to do operationalassessment on a retirement community,
so I spent seven days, talked to allthe cooks, talked to all the management,
(05:02):
talked to the residents in order soI could get a clear vision of what
was happening from a 10,000 footview, and then a very granular view.
I. What I came to understand after Igathered all the data, all the interviews,
and sat quietly to digest all of this,is that the kitchen was being run
like a Chinese fire drill every day.
(05:23):
Every day they were understaffed.
Every day they wererunning from task to task.
There was just barely enough time to getthe food out and maintained that food
until such time as service broke down.
While I could understand that some ofthe staff thought that was exciting and
made every day something to experience,I understood that it was incredibly
unsustainable to continue to operatethat way because there were needs of
(05:45):
the associates that were going unmet.
And when I talked to the associates,what became apparent was even
though the staff was unhappy.
They had been coached not to go to hr.Listen, we do all our laundry in-house,
so therefore they would go to the chef,they would go to the dining director,
and they would promise that thingswould get better and they would fix it,
although they would never be empoweredenough to change what was going on.
(06:08):
So consequently what happenedis the associates felt like they
were unable to change anything.
They couldn't speak to anybody, andthey felt trapped in their jobs.
Again, incredibly unsustainable,and it pointed to the leadership
in the kitchen for the fact thatnobody was actually leading.
All they were doing wasmanaging the day to day.
And as I said before, it'sincredibly unsustainable and
(06:29):
these people were getting fried.
As a matter of fact, talkingto them, very few of them would
actually look me in the eye.
They just looked down at the groundas if they had already been beaten.
It was a tough assessment to write,but the only way that I knew how to
get it through to leadership was that.
This particular leadership team in thekitchen were squandering their human
(06:50):
capital based on short term financialgoals, day-to-day, week to week,
month to month, quarter to quarter.
And after a while this stuff builds upand it creates quite a toxic environment.
Turns out after I turned in theassessment, the chef texted me, he
said, ha ha, just quit after 13 years.
(07:10):
The next day I got a text fromthe chef saying, Hey, by the
way, uh, I just put my notice in.
See you later.
And a couple hours later I got a call fromthe operations manager and they asked me
to kind of bridge their search from chefto chef, but it was a reclamation project.
I mean, building these people backup so they had a sense of self, so
they had a sense of mission, theyhad a sense of vision because if
it's just coming in every day justto be a machine and and crap through
(07:32):
the day, that'll burn anybody out.
Can you relate to this?
Does it sound like an experiencethat you've had in your career?
Yeah, I'll bet it does.
Here's a question that canhelp you get back on track.
Think about your day to day.
Are you directing traffic orare you guiding the journey?
Because one, you'rejust managing the other.
(07:53):
You're truly leading thecost of just managing.
When leadership is absent andmanagement is purely reactive,
kitchens become environments ofstress, inefficiency, and instability.
Instead of fostering a teamthat grows and thrives.
If this lands with you at all and allof a sudden you're feeling kind of
shitty inside because you're tryingto figure out how you bridge the gap
(08:16):
between managing and leading, I gottalet you know it's not your fault.
Nobody teaches leadershipin culinary school.
That's why I do what I do.
That's why this podcast exists, so thatI can impart you the things that I've
had to learn the hard way, such thatyou can actually use that of leverage
in becoming a truly successful chef.
(08:38):
Alright.
Increase stress and burnout.
Without strong leadership guiding theteam, stress levels rise for everybody.
A reactive kitchen culture meansconstantly problem solving on
the fly without clear direction.
This wears down both chefs and staffleading to emotional and physical burnout.
The inevitable consequenceis high staff turnover.
(08:58):
Employees wanna feel valued,challenged, and part of something
bigger than just executing orders.
Remember what that felt like in the grind.
Feeling like a machine.
I wanna feel like an interchangeable part.
I wanna feel like an essentialcontributor to the kitchen.
Success without that leads tohigh turnover, which disrupts the
kitchen operations and increasesrecruitment and training costs.
(09:20):
How many more times are we gonnahave to train on the pantry?
There's a crazy statistic about90 days they've figured out that.
70% of employees will leavefor the first 90 days.
If you can make it to 90 days, it's likean 80% chance that that, uh, staff member
is gonna be there at the end of the year.
So my question is, what the hell ishappening within those first 90 days
(09:42):
that people feel completely disconnected,depressed, and not supported?
What's going on in those first 90 daysthat we can't give them the support
they need to make it to the 90?
Is it on them or is it on us?
And the unfortunate thing is that thereare very few organizations that will
actually plan from a p and l perspectiveand set money aside for turnover
(10:05):
ratio and training for associates.
It costs about $4,000 per personright now in the United States
to replace an hourly $4,000.
I don't know how many places are notfactoring that in to the turnover
rate of their operation such thatthey can actually afford to do that.
And let's face it, if you'retraining well and you're inspiring
(10:27):
people, that money goes right tothe bottom line, saved bonus, bam.
But that's the differencebetween just managing and leading
another cost.
All of a sudden, everybody'sgot a case of the fuck it.
Now, it starts creating a lackof creativity and ownership.
(10:48):
A kitchen that relies solely on reactivemanagement often stifles innovation.
Everybody gets a case of the fuck it.
Team members become hesitant to takeinitiative or propose new ideas because
they don't feel supported or empowered.
The result is a stagnant kitchen culturethat struggles to evolve and approve.
A reactive versus proactive culturemanages reactive problems as they
(11:08):
occur constantly in crisis mode,while leaders take proactive steps
to prevent issues before they arise.
Five minute one-on-ones, making surethat you're sitting down with your staff.
Morning standups.
Those are all small acts thatshow your team that you care.
A lack of foresight leads to inefficientworkflows, repeated mistakes in a
kitchen environment where stress is thedefault state of a controlled challenge.
(11:32):
Kitchens don't thrive on reaction alone.
They thrive on leadership thatsets the course, empowers its
team, and builds for the long term.
Kitchens run on systems,but thrive on leadership.
I was a chef of a high volumeseafood restaurant in Fort
Lauderdale down on the Intercoastal.
And there were a lot of managementprinciples, especially when you're
(11:55):
dealing with say, 23 different types offresh fish that come in four days a week.
First four hours of your day are spent inthe cooler with a jacket on cut and fish.
And we measured everything down to thescrap so that we could make sure that,
uh, managing our products was efficient.
'cause the margins on thatstuff are really thin and.
Labor was managed in a similar way,south Florida, your busy time is, uh,
(12:19):
typically wintertime in any other states.
Summertime down there is whenthings get slow, so because the.
The way the staffing guide wasset up, it was based on covers.
So we had this core group of guysand ladies who would be there through
thick and thin, and we'd have toaugment staff it during season.
But we were just kind of like floatingalong from day to day to day just
(12:39):
trying to make the numbers work until Irealized, listen, I gotta get everybody
together so that they understand what'sgonna happen in the next six months.
And once I started becomingmore vocal about what are.
About what our forecast and what ourvision was for the next six months.
All of a sudden I could see thesepeople relax because they got out of
wondering whether or not they weregonna be let go or, or laid off as
(13:01):
well, and to understand that theyhad a part to play and the bigger
mission when we started bringing in.
Uh, seasonal staff, these folkswere gonna hold it down and make
sure that everything was right.
So they had a sense of missionbeyond just the day to day.
And once I started doing that on a regularbasis, that kitchen started really hum.
Especially when you're doing 700, athousand covers a night, 350 early birds.
(13:23):
If that team's not tight, forget it.
It falls apart really quickly.
How to become a leader worth following.
Alright, I'm gonna give yousome practical strategies for
transitioning from management.
To leadership.
First thing is you wannaclarify your vision.
Leadership begins with anunderstanding of what kind of
kitchen culture you wanna build.
Clearly, define your values, set yourexpectations, and communicate your
(13:46):
vision consistently to your team.
Shift from controlling to empoweringManagers oversee every detail,
but leaders cultivate autonomy.
Delegation isn't about offloading work.
It's about giving team members asense of responsibility and ownership.
They will fly with that.
They will actually blossom and becomemore than what you thought they would be.
(14:07):
Lead with emotional intelligence.
The best leaders recognizethat relationships are key
to effective leadership.
This means activelylistening to your team.
Managing your emotions underpressure and adapting your approach
to fit different personalities,provide growth opportunities.
Leaders create opportunities fortheir team to develop in advance.
(14:29):
This could be teaching a new skill,encouraging cross training, or
simply having open conversationsabout people's career aspirations.
My favorite question to askis, okay, you got this job.
I want to know what job youwant to get, and let's start
working on those skills now.
Model accountability.
If you want a culture of accountability,you have to lead by example.
(14:50):
You gotta hold yourself to high standards.
Admit when you make mistakes and show yourteam that growth is a continuous process.
It's about being transparent andvulnerable in front of them so they
see you as a human being so thatthey can start understanding that
you're viewing them as a human being.
Develop a feedback culture.
Instead of only providing instructions,encourage open feedback loops.
(15:12):
When team members feel heard, they'remore engaged and motivated to contribute
to a thriving kitchen environment.
That's why those standup meetings areso crucial, not only as an opportunity,
10 minutes, five minutes for you todisseminate information of what those
folks can anticipate or look forward toin the shift, but also what's going on
in the week, the weekend, what they canlook forward to in the next 90 days.
(15:34):
Give an opportunity for folks toactually open up and talk about
what's working for them and what'snot working for them in the group.
And let's face it, the only reasonwhy you wouldn't ask a question is
because you were afraid of the answer.
And as long as you're afraid ofthe answer, there's no opportunity
for growth for you or the team.
Great leadership is aboutmore than managing tasks.
(15:56):
It's about inspiring peopleto rise to their potential.
Okay, I wanna give you some action steps.
Clarify your vision.
Empower through trust and delegation.
Model the right behavior,develop your people.
Okay.
Identify one area in your daily operationswhere you could move from managing
to truly leading schedule, regularone-on-one check-ins to discuss individual
(16:21):
growth, feedback, and team culture.
Clearly communicate your expectationsand vision for the team this week.
Observe your team dynamics and adjustyour leadership style accordingly.
Leadership is not atitle, it's a practice.
It's about showing up daily,consistently, intentionally, and
(16:43):
being present to your team members.
If there's an issue.
If they've got a problem, you gottaact like there's nothing else going on
in your world and be there with them.
Over with them, not with you.
With them, be with them.
Give them your full attention, andyou'll be surprised at what kind of
emotional payback is available for you.
(17:05):
If today's episode resonatedwith you, I challenge you to ask
yourself, honestly, am I managingthe kitchen or am I leading my team?
Remember, change starts with awareness.
Take a moment today to reflect and takeone small step towards becoming a leader.
Worth following.
You can.
(17:25):
You got this, and if you fail, it'san opportunity to try something new.
It's all about iteration,iteration, iteration.
Don't give up because youcan become a successful chef.
Until next time, stay tall and frostyand keep leading from the heart.
(17:48):
That's a wrap for today'sepisode of Chef Life Radio.
If this resonated with you, do me a favor,subscribe, share, and leave a review.
Your feedback helps us reach moreculinary leaders like you who are ready
to take their kitchens to the next level.
Want more connect with me onLinkedIn, Instagram, or join our Chef
Life Radio community for exclusiveinsights and leadership tools.
(18:09):
Remember, leadershipisn't about perfection.
It's about progress.
So take what you've learned todayand apply it in your kitchen,
your team, and your life.
Chef Life Radio is more thanjust a podcast, it's a movement.
The focus is no longer just on careersurvival, but on transforming leadership,
creating sustainability, and ensuringchefs can build kitchens that thrive.
Remember, the secret ingredientto culinary success isn't just in
(18:31):
the food, it's in the leadership.
Keep learning, keepgrowing, and as always.
Lead with the heart.
See you next time.
Hey, chef, welcome back to the show.
Ever wonder why your kitchen feels stuckin chaos despite your best efforts?
Do you constantly question ifyou're truly making an impact
or just putting out daily fires?
Are you struggling to getyour team inspired and engaged
beyond just following orders?
In today's episode, we're gonnadive deep into the difference
between leading and managing.
You'll discover actionableinsights on how to step up as
(00:25):
a true leader in your kitchen.
Inspiring your team, boosting morale,and creating a thriving kitchen culture.
We'll get to that and a whole lotmore right after this message.
Welcome to Chef Life Radio, the podcastdedicated to helping chefs and culinary
leaders take control of their kitchens,build resilient teams, and create
(00:46):
a thriving career in hospitality.
I'm Chef Adam Lamb, your host,leadership coach, and industry veteran.
If you're tired of high turnover.
Burnout and the dailygrind, you're not alone.
This podcast is here to give you thereal strategies, insights, and tools you
need to lead with confidence, build aculture of excellence and craft a kitchen
that works for you, not against you.
(01:07):
Because the best kitchens don'tjust survive, they thrive.
Hit that subscribe buttonand let's get started.
Welcome back.
I just wanna start out by sayingthat leadership and management
are both crucial elements.
Of your kitchen.
Problem is, is that a lot of greatchefs just manage their environment
(01:28):
without leading their environment.
One without the other is failure.
Leadership and management, whileoften used interchangeably in the
kitchen, serve distinct purposes.
Understanding that difference is crucialfor fostering a kitchen that operates
with efficiency and inspires growth.
Leadership is visionary leaders setthe tone for the kitchen by creating a
(01:51):
vision that extends beyond daily service.
They establish core values,nurture culture, and inspire their
teams to strive for excellence.
If you're still unclear, letme break it down this way.
A manager writes the schedule.
A leader spends an hour creatinga succession plan for his
kitchen over the next six months.
Now you're probably wondering to yourself,how the hell am I supposed to do that
(02:13):
when every day I am putting out fires?
Well.
Let's get to it.
Management is, operational managersfocus on immediate execution,
ensuring food orders are completed.
Service run smoothly andschedules are adhered to.
That's a function of process.
Leadership is proactive.
Leaders anticipatechallenges before they arise.
(02:36):
Fostering an environment wheregrowth and learning are continuous.
Management is reactive.
Managers respond to problems asthey occur, addressing issues
rather than preventing them.
Leaders inspire, managers instruct.
A leader builds trust andautonomy among their team.
While a manager ensures efficiencyby giving clear structured
(02:58):
direction, leaders cultivate growth.
Effective leadership involves mentoringand developing team members for long-term
success, whereas management ensuresthat each shift runs smoothly, all the
stations are covered, everybody's intheir place, and now it's time to jam.
Understanding this distinctionallows culinary professionals to
(03:19):
strike a balance, a blending strongoperational management with visionary
leadership to create a thriving,empowered kitchen environment, as
my buddy Greg Barnhill would say.
Yeah, that's just a lot of words.
So let me break it down.
Leadership, visionary, inspiring,proactive, focused on long-term
growth and team development.
(03:39):
Management is task oriented, reactive,focused on short-term operations
and immediate problem solving.
Now you probably already see in yourday-to-day how those two points converge
and when those moments are that you'retruly leading, and when you're actually
managing and when you're in the shit,it's very, very difficult to lead.
(03:59):
All we're doing is tryingto manage the environment.
All we're trying to do is managingdeclining resources, labor product.
Many chefs think that managingmeans being control of all times,
but true leadership requirestrust, delegation, and empowerment.
And it's the only thing that is actuallygonna set your kitchen up for success.
(04:20):
Building leaders within.
So you don't have to do everygoddamn thing yourself, regardless
if you think you're the onlyone that ever does it correctly.
You'll always be in that trap untilyou learn to trust your people, coach
and mentor them such that you don'thave to do that every single time.
And I get it.
It feels good to get shit done,especially when the environment is so
(04:40):
hectic and all you're trying to do issee away from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM or
10:00 PM or whatever that looks like.
But if you're not carving outtime to do leadership functions,
you'll always be putting out fires.
I was once asked to do operationalassessment on a retirement community,
so I spent seven days, talked to allthe cooks, talked to all the management,
(05:02):
talked to the residents in order soI could get a clear vision of what
was happening from a 10,000 footview, and then a very granular view.
I. What I came to understand after Igathered all the data, all the interviews,
and sat quietly to digest all of this,is that the kitchen was being run
like a Chinese fire drill every day.
(05:23):
Every day they were understaffed.
Every day they wererunning from task to task.
There was just barely enough time to getthe food out and maintained that food
until such time as service broke down.
While I could understand that some ofthe staff thought that was exciting and
made every day something to experience,I understood that it was incredibly
unsustainable to continue to operatethat way because there were needs of
(05:45):
the associates that were going unmet.
And when I talked to the associates,what became apparent was even
though the staff was unhappy.
They had been coached not to go to hr.Listen, we do all our laundry in-house,
so therefore they would go to the chef,they would go to the dining director,
and they would promise that thingswould get better and they would fix it,
although they would never be empoweredenough to change what was going on.
(06:08):
So consequently what happenedis the associates felt like they
were unable to change anything.
They couldn't speak to anybody, andthey felt trapped in their jobs.
Again, incredibly unsustainable,and it pointed to the leadership
in the kitchen for the fact thatnobody was actually leading.
All they were doing wasmanaging the day to day.
And as I said before, it'sincredibly unsustainable and
(06:29):
these people were getting fried.
As a matter of fact, talkingto them, very few of them would
actually look me in the eye.
They just looked down at the groundas if they had already been beaten.
It was a tough assessment to write,but the only way that I knew how to
get it through to leadership was that.
This particular leadership team in thekitchen were squandering their human
(06:50):
capital based on short term financialgoals, day-to-day, week to week,
month to month, quarter to quarter.
And after a while this stuff builds upand it creates quite a toxic environment.
Turns out after I turned in theassessment, the chef texted me, he
said, ha ha, just quit after 13 years.
(07:10):
The next day I got a text fromthe chef saying, Hey, by the
way, uh, I just put my notice in.
See you later.
And a couple hours later I got a call fromthe operations manager and they asked me
to kind of bridge their search from chefto chef, but it was a reclamation project.
I mean, building these people backup so they had a sense of self, so
they had a sense of mission, theyhad a sense of vision because if
it's just coming in every day justto be a machine and and crap through
(07:32):
the day, that'll burn anybody out.
Can you relate to this?
Does it sound like an experiencethat you've had in your career?
Yeah, I'll bet it does.
Here's a question that canhelp you get back on track.
Think about your day to day.
Are you directing traffic orare you guiding the journey?
Because one, you'rejust managing the other.
(07:53):
You're truly leading thecost of just managing.
When leadership is absent andmanagement is purely reactive,
kitchens become environments ofstress, inefficiency, and instability.
Instead of fostering a teamthat grows and thrives.
If this lands with you at all and allof a sudden you're feeling kind of
shitty inside because you're tryingto figure out how you bridge the gap
(08:16):
between managing and leading, I gottalet you know it's not your fault.
Nobody teaches leadershipin culinary school.
That's why I do what I do.
That's why this podcast exists, so thatI can impart you the things that I've
had to learn the hard way, such thatyou can actually use that of leverage
in becoming a truly successful chef.
(08:38):
Alright.
Increase stress and burnout.
Without strong leadership guiding theteam, stress levels rise for everybody.
A reactive kitchen culture meansconstantly problem solving on
the fly without clear direction.
This wears down both chefs and staffleading to emotional and physical burnout.
The inevitable consequenceis high staff turnover.
(08:58):
Employees wanna feel valued,challenged, and part of something
bigger than just executing orders.
Remember what that felt like in the grind.
Feeling like a machine.
I wanna feel like an interchangeable part.
I wanna feel like an essentialcontributor to the kitchen.
Success without that leads tohigh turnover, which disrupts the
kitchen operations and increasesrecruitment and training costs.
(09:20):
How many more times are we gonnahave to train on the pantry?
There's a crazy statistic about90 days they've figured out that.
70% of employees will leavefor the first 90 days.
If you can make it to 90 days, it's likean 80% chance that that, uh, staff member
is gonna be there at the end of the year.
So my question is, what the hell ishappening within those first 90 days
(09:42):
that people feel completely disconnected,depressed, and not supported?
What's going on in those first 90 daysthat we can't give them the support
they need to make it to the 90?
Is it on them or is it on us?
And the unfortunate thing is that thereare very few organizations that will
actually plan from a p and l perspectiveand set money aside for turnover
(10:05):
ratio and training for associates.
It costs about $4,000 per personright now in the United States
to replace an hourly $4,000.
I don't know how many places are notfactoring that in to the turnover
rate of their operation such thatthey can actually afford to do that.
And let's face it, if you'retraining well and you're inspiring
(10:27):
people, that money goes right tothe bottom line, saved bonus, bam.
But that's the differencebetween just managing and leading
another cost.
All of a sudden, everybody'sgot a case of the fuck it.
Now, it starts creating a lackof creativity and ownership.
(10:48):
A kitchen that relies solely on reactivemanagement often stifles innovation.
Everybody gets a case of the fuck it.
Team members become hesitant to takeinitiative or propose new ideas because
they don't feel supported or empowered.
The result is a stagnant kitchen culturethat struggles to evolve and approve.
A reactive versus proactive culturemanages reactive problems as they
(11:08):
occur constantly in crisis mode,while leaders take proactive steps
to prevent issues before they arise.
Five minute one-on-ones, making surethat you're sitting down with your staff.
Morning standups.
Those are all small acts thatshow your team that you care.
A lack of foresight leads to inefficientworkflows, repeated mistakes in a
kitchen environment where stress is thedefault state of a controlled challenge.
(11:32):
Kitchens don't thrive on reaction alone.
They thrive on leadership thatsets the course, empowers its
team, and builds for the long term.
Kitchens run on systems,but thrive on leadership.
I was a chef of a high volumeseafood restaurant in Fort
Lauderdale down on the Intercoastal.
And there were a lot of managementprinciples, especially when you're
(11:55):
dealing with say, 23 different types offresh fish that come in four days a week.
First four hours of your day are spent inthe cooler with a jacket on cut and fish.
And we measured everything down to thescrap so that we could make sure that,
uh, managing our products was efficient.
'cause the margins on thatstuff are really thin and.
Labor was managed in a similar way,south Florida, your busy time is, uh,
(12:19):
typically wintertime in any other states.
Summertime down there is whenthings get slow, so because the.
The way the staffing guide wasset up, it was based on covers.
So we had this core group of guysand ladies who would be there through
thick and thin, and we'd have toaugment staff it during season.
But we were just kind of like floatingalong from day to day to day just
(12:39):
trying to make the numbers work until Irealized, listen, I gotta get everybody
together so that they understand what'sgonna happen in the next six months.
And once I started becomingmore vocal about what are.
About what our forecast and what ourvision was for the next six months.
All of a sudden I could see thesepeople relax because they got out of
wondering whether or not they weregonna be let go or, or laid off as
(13:01):
well, and to understand that theyhad a part to play and the bigger
mission when we started bringing in.
Uh, seasonal staff, these folkswere gonna hold it down and make
sure that everything was right.
So they had a sense of missionbeyond just the day to day.
And once I started doing that on a regularbasis, that kitchen started really hum.
Especially when you're doing 700, athousand covers a night, 350 early birds.
(13:23):
If that team's not tight, forget it.
It falls apart really quickly.
How to become a leader worth following.
Alright, I'm gonna give yousome practical strategies for
transitioning from management.
To leadership.
First thing is you wannaclarify your vision.
Leadership begins with anunderstanding of what kind of
kitchen culture you wanna build.
Clearly, define your values, set yourexpectations, and communicate your
(13:46):
vision consistently to your team.
Shift from controlling to empoweringManagers oversee every detail,
but leaders cultivate autonomy.
Delegation isn't about offloading work.
It's about giving team members asense of responsibility and ownership.
They will fly with that.
They will actually blossom and becomemore than what you thought they would be.
(14:07):
Lead with emotional intelligence.
The best leaders recognizethat relationships are key
to effective leadership.
This means activelylistening to your team.
Managing your emotions underpressure and adapting your approach
to fit different personalities,provide growth opportunities.
Leaders create opportunities fortheir team to develop in advance.
(14:29):
This could be teaching a new skill,encouraging cross training, or
simply having open conversationsabout people's career aspirations.
My favorite question to askis, okay, you got this job.
I want to know what job youwant to get, and let's start
working on those skills now.
Model accountability.
If you want a culture of accountability,you have to lead by example.
(14:50):
You gotta hold yourself to high standards.
Admit when you make mistakes and show yourteam that growth is a continuous process.
It's about being transparent andvulnerable in front of them so they
see you as a human being so thatthey can start understanding that
you're viewing them as a human being.
Develop a feedback culture.
Instead of only providing instructions,encourage open feedback loops.
(15:12):
When team members feel heard, they'remore engaged and motivated to contribute
to a thriving kitchen environment.
That's why those standup meetings areso crucial, not only as an opportunity,
10 minutes, five minutes for you todisseminate information of what those
folks can anticipate or look forward toin the shift, but also what's going on
in the week, the weekend, what they canlook forward to in the next 90 days.
(15:34):
Give an opportunity for folks toactually open up and talk about
what's working for them and what'snot working for them in the group.
And let's face it, the only reasonwhy you wouldn't ask a question is
because you were afraid of the answer.
And as long as you're afraid ofthe answer, there's no opportunity
for growth for you or the team.
Great leadership is aboutmore than managing tasks.
(15:56):
It's about inspiring peopleto rise to their potential.
Okay, I wanna give you some action steps.
Clarify your vision.
Empower through trust and delegation.
Model the right behavior,develop your people.
Okay.
Identify one area in your daily operationswhere you could move from managing
to truly leading schedule, regularone-on-one check-ins to discuss individual
(16:21):
growth, feedback, and team culture.
Clearly communicate your expectationsand vision for the team this week.
Observe your team dynamics and adjustyour leadership style accordingly.
Leadership is not atitle, it's a practice.
It's about showing up daily,consistently, intentionally, and
(16:43):
being present to your team members.
If there's an issue.
If they've got a problem, you gottaact like there's nothing else going on
in your world and be there with them.
Over with them, not with you.
With them, be with them.
Give them your full attention, andyou'll be surprised at what kind of
emotional payback is available for you.
(17:05):
If today's episode resonatedwith you, I challenge you to ask
yourself, honestly, am I managingthe kitchen or am I leading my team?
Remember, change starts with awareness.
Take a moment today to reflect and takeone small step towards becoming a leader.
Worth following.
You can.
(17:25):
You got this, and if you fail, it'san opportunity to try something new.
It's all about iteration,iteration, iteration.
Don't give up because youcan become a successful chef.
Until next time, stay tall and frostyand keep leading from the heart.
(17:48):
That's a wrap for today'sepisode of Chef Life Radio.
If this resonated with you, do me a favor,subscribe, share, and leave a review.
Your feedback helps us reach moreculinary leaders like you who are ready
to take their kitchens to the next level.
Want more connect with me onLinkedIn, Instagram, or join our Chef
Life Radio community for exclusiveinsights and leadership tools.
(18:09):
Remember, leadershipisn't about perfection.
It's about progress.
So take what you've learned todayand apply it in your kitchen,
your team, and your life.
Chef Life Radio is more thanjust a podcast, it's a movement.
The focus is no longer just on careersurvival, but on transforming leadership,
creating sustainability, and ensuringchefs can build kitchens that thrive.
Remember, the secret ingredientto culinary success isn't just in
(18:31):
the food, it's in the leadership.
Keep learning, keepgrowing, and as always.
Lead with the heart.
See you next time.
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