March 25, 2025 • 23 mins
Have you ever noticed how your mood can instantly shift the atmosphere in your kitchen?
"Your vibe creates your tribe." - Adam Lamb
As a chef and leader, your energy has a profound impact on your team's performance, morale, and the overall culture of your culinary workspace.
In this episode of Chef Life Radio, we explore the powerful influence of a leader's energy and how it shapes the kitchen environment. We'll dive into practical strategies for maintaining a positive vibe, even during the most intense service rushes.
The Ripple Effect of Leadership Energy
Your attitude as a chef sets the tone for the entire kitchen. We'll discuss:
- How your energy affects team morale and efficiency
- The contagious nature of both positive and negative attitudes
- Techniques for maintaining composure during high-pressure situations
Transforming Kitchen Culture Through Mindful Leadership
Discover how to:
- Consciously choose your energy before entering the kitchen
- Create a calm, focused atmosphere during chaotic service periods
- Foster a supportive environment that encourages growth and collaboration
Practical Steps for Positive Kitchen Leadership
Learn actionable strategies to elevate your leadership energy:
- Develop emotional awareness through regular self-check-ins
- Set daily intentions for the energy you bring to your team
- Create open communication channels to address and redirect negative energy
The Long-Term Impact of Positive Leadership
We'll explore how consistent positive energy can lead to:
- Increased team engagement and job satisfaction
- Reduced turnover and improved performance
- A thriving kitchen culture that attracts and retains top talent
Remember, your vibe creates your tribe. By consciously managing your energy, you have the power to transform your kitchen from a place of stress and burnout to a collaborative, inspired environment where both your team and your cuisine can flourish.
Are you ready to harness the power of positive leadership energy?
Tune in to discover how you can create a kitchen atmosphere that not only survives but truly thrives.
Stay Tall & Frosty
Adam
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Hey, chef, welcome back.
Have you ever noticed how yourmood instantly affects the
atmosphere in your kitchen?
Ever walked in, stressed and seenyour team quickly follow suit?
Do you question how your dailyvibe might be shaping your team's
performance and overall culture?
Today we're diving into howyour energy impacts your kitchen
more deeply than you realize.
(00:24):
I'll reveal how managing your ownvibe can boost productivity, morale,
and create a culture of positivity.
We'll get to that in 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 Lamp, 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.
(01:08):
Because the best kitchens don'tjust survive, they thrive.
Hit that subscribe buttonand let's get started.
The power of your energy.
Believe it or not, your energy setsthe emotional and operational tone
of the kitchen directly influencingmorale, efficiency and team cohesion.
(01:28):
Whether positive or negative, a leader'sattitude and demeanor spread quickly.
If you ever enter the kitchen stressed,andm, patient, or frustrated, your
team will absorb that tension.
Conversely, walking in with confidence,focus, and a solution-oriented
mindset encourages a productiveand positive atmosphere.
(01:49):
Team members subconsciouslyreflect their leader's energy.
A composed, upbeat leader fosters akitchen environment where staff feel
more at ease, motivated and engaged.
On the other hand, a constantly agitatedleader can create an environment of
anxiety, making mistakes more frequentand communication less effective.
Listen, service can be unpredictable.
(02:10):
Stress levels can spike unexpectedly,but a leader who maintains composure
and sets the expectation for calm,collected problem solving helps the
team stay focused under pressure ratherthan spiraling into chaos over time.
Over time, the cumulativeenergy a leader brings shapes
the overall work environment.
(02:31):
Kitchens that operate underconstant negativity, experience
high turnover, lower creativity,and decrease trust among staff.
Meanwhile, kitchens led with consistentpositivity and support, see stronger
collaboration, better retention,and overall higher performance.
Are you consciously choosing your energyor are you just reacting to the stress?
(02:53):
Have you ever been in a room, like maybewaiting for a meeting to start and you're
looking around and you can see thateverybody's kind of down and the overall
energy of the room is just off somehow.
Right?
It's almost like a physical pawhanging in the room, a cloud over
everybody's head, and yet a positiveperson can walk into that environment
and within a few moments have peoplestart sitting up paying attention.
(03:17):
All of a sudden people are smiling.
There's a great video I'm gonna link to inthe, uh, in the show notes where this guy
walks on a bus and he starts laughing, andpretty soon the entire bus is laughing.
It's hysterical, man.
But that's how one person'senergy can shift the entire room.
That's the power that your energy has.
(03:38):
And while negative energycan be infectious, good.
Positive energy can also be infectious.
Sometimes just gonna have to work a littlebit harder to bust through those walls.
But eventually your positivity willstart to affect everybody, even though
they might not necessarily admit it.
(03:58):
Listen, there's no horror story thatI can tell you that will convince
you any more than you already knowof how intense things can get in a
kitchen, and yet that is the precisemoment when the intensity ratches up.
Calm is most needed.
Don't believe me.
Tell me what your blood pressuredoes after listening to this.
(04:28):
If you're anything like me, evenif you're dead tired, when the
machine starts hitting you, perk up.
Listen, I happen to consider myselfan expo master, and I spent plenty
of nights on the line, and it seemedlike when the tickets started coming
in fast and furious, my energywould ramp up to match the speed at
which the tickets were coming in.
Yet, the quicker I called, themore mistakes were being made.
(04:51):
So even though my energy's way high,no one else can keep up with me.
And so that's the moment when Ineeded to take a pause, slow down,
get grounded, check everybody, look'em in the eyes, call out their name
before calling out tickets and leadthem through this particular rush.
With calm, certain grounded energybecause it's not just about me,
(05:14):
it's about me leading the team.
And the only way I can do that and besuccessful is by staying calm, trying
to be the center of the hurricane,the eye of the storm when everything
else is going around and my cooksare looking at me for some type of
emotional cue, and I can be grounded,all of a sudden they get grounded too.
(05:37):
Mistakes lesson, the stress lessons.
They know that they're in goodhands and that I am not gonna
lead them off the cliff in a rush.
I was recently on the Culinary Mechanicpodcast with host Simon Chuka, and
we were talking about this exact samething, and I related a story when I
used to work at this movie theater thathad a full service restaurant, the very
(06:00):
first time it actually happened in theUnited States in Boca Raton, Florida.
Movie Code Premier.
And the thing about that was, isthat everybody had somewhere to go.
People would sit down, they'dstart pressing the server, Hey,
listen, I gotta get to my movie.
And that would cause agreat deal of stress.
And also this thingabout time compression.
So 7 7 15, 7 30.
(06:20):
Because there's an eight o'clockshow, everything starts going crazy
and then it would drop down 8 25, 830 because now it's between shows.
And then the room would open backup again and it got to the point
where at the height of the rush whenthings are peaking, listen, I've
got two expo, six food runners, andI've got 10 cooks on five stations.
And I would sit there and I would waitfor the machine to just spit out onto the
(06:44):
floor because everybody needed a moment.
Jeff Simon was so great because he relateda similar story in which he concocted
this particular strategy where he wouldget a busboy to go get glasses of water
and come back and he would hand glassesof water to everybody and just wait.
Everybody take a drink.
(07:05):
Just be calm, take a breath.
And the thing that amazedme is that he, he told me in
that moment what he was doing.
Actually, I. Peel back the covers as hewas returning humanity back to his cooks.
So they went from being amachine, being a cog like, shit,
(07:28):
man, I can't keep doing this.
I'm not a goddamn machine.
To take a breath, have a glass of water,understand that you're human being
and you can only go so far, so fast.
And I thought that that was brilliant.
Acknowledging the humanity.
Viewing your associates as more thana pair of hands, as more than you
(07:52):
know, just a body on a station, likeacknowledging the fact that they're
human beings and you can only go so far.
You can only push themto a certain extent.
And Simon made another point when he wastalking about the fact that like you get
up to this particular point of energyand you can only sustain it for about.
(08:13):
40 minutes, an hour maybe, whereit's peak production, peak execution.
And if you don't take a break, ifyou don't offer somebody to return
back to themselves as a human being,then everything goes sideways.
Does that land with you?
You remember the days when you werejust a cog in the machine and everybody
(08:34):
was on you just to keep producing?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Why should we expect that from others whenwe couldn't even fucking stand that shit?
Now we're at the portion of our show.
When I say something that all of us knowto be true, but very few of us are willing
to say out loud, here are the consequencesof your fucking negative vibes.
(08:59):
I. Listen, negative leadership energycan create a toxic work environment,
diminishing morale, performance,and overall kitchen culture.
Yeah, we know that.
And yet sometimes when we're in the midstof our shit, we can't pull ourselves
out far enough to actually see ourselvesthe way that we're presenting ourselves.
(09:21):
It's this idea of being present again,reduced morale and team engagement.
A negative leader fosters anatmosphere of fear and uncertainty.
When team members feel unsupported,undervalued, or micromanaged, they
disengage from their work leading to loweroverall enthusiasm and job satisfaction.
(09:41):
And oh my God, haven't we all been there?
Question is why do wecontinue to propagate that?
What?
Because, you know, we do, as wewere told, as we are taught, as we
are shame trained and conditioned.
Higher mistakes in turnover, chronicstress and negative reinforcement create
an environment where employees operateout of fear instead of confidence.
(10:05):
Mistakes increase due to anxietyand high turnover becomes inevitable
as chefs seek healthier, morepositive work environments.
There are only two things to consider.
Is it the person running thesystem or is it the system?
And too often we wanna shit on the personwho's running the system instead of doing
(10:26):
the deeper work, which is like, do weactually fucking know what we're doing?
Are we setting thatassociate up for success?
Does he have the tools, theknowledge, the time to understand
what's actually required of him?
Or do we just need a fall guy?
Nine times outta 10.
It's been my experience that we havethe right person in the wrong job
because we didn't think deep enoughabout which skillset would be best for
(10:48):
which job and undertaking that work.
That's a leader.
What the fuck, man?
I didn't know I was theproblem, but apparently I was.
And so it's incumbent upon meto try to figure out some way,
some way of being different.
In my day to day such that I canactually foster a thriving kitchen
(11:12):
environment such that I can becomethe preferred employer on the block.
I don't have to put an ad up becausepeople are lined up outside, but they
can only do that if the street knows thatI treat people well, and if I'm feeding
them my shit, that's not gonna happen.
(11:33):
The hardest part of leadershipis taking the shit and holding
it such that it doesn't affectanybody underneath you emotionally.
Like, listen, there's processes andprocedures that need to be changed.
Get that totally cool.
But when it's about trying to take thecrap outta somebody, then it's your
(11:56):
job to take it to hold it, and then thequestion becomes, what do you do about it?
Like how do you exercisethat energy out of your body?
Because if you don't, that willcontinue to reside in you and curdle
such that now all of a sudden youare pissed off all the fucking time.
I. I remember so clearly a pivotal momentin my career when I bounced into the
(12:20):
GM's office and I was so fucking pissed.
I was angry at my cooks.
I was angry at my sous chefs.
I was angry at the people who came in,and I blurted out this job would be
so great if it wasn't for the people.
And she, she laughed atme, said like, which ones?
And I said, all of them.
And she let me rant and rave for minutesuntil I dropped in the chair completely
(12:46):
exhausted because I had nothing left.
And she sat there for about fiveminutes and she looked at me and
then finally said, Adam, don'tyou see the God in what you do?
I'm like, fucking, what do you like?
What do you mean?
And she said, Adam.
(13:08):
Look at our society.
Look what's happening.
You go to the gas station, youdon't go inside, you pay at
the ATM, you go to the bank.
You go to the ATM.
You don't go inside.
She said, our society is become moreand more fractured and less connected.
Don't you understand that what you do isa great excuse for people to come together
(13:31):
and be in relationship with one another?
Maybe they haven't seeneach other in years.
Maybe it's only been months,but what you do provides them an
opportunity to gather around a tableand be connected to one another.
And after I heard her say that, I settledback in my chair and I thought, wow.
(13:53):
Uh, not only am I a lot lesspissed, but I'm kind of fucking
feeling sheepish right now.
Like I thought it was all about me.
But what she did is she shared a differentperspective with me in that moment.
I could see myself within what she wastalking about, and I understood that being
(14:15):
in service, like in this community, I.
In this brotherhood and sisterhoodof chefs, culinary professionals,
our first foundational principleis to be in service to others.
Whether you like it or not.
If you don't like it,cool, get the fuck out.
But if you are, just understand thatwhat we do facilitates conversation,
(14:37):
and that is probably the most importantthing that any person can do Now
in this society, it's not throughthe phone, it's not through text.
We get people around a table.
That's where fucking magic can happen.
So overstating the obvious, oneof the consequences of negative
(14:58):
vibes is long-term cultural damage.
A consistently negative environmentleads to decreased trust
between staff and leadership.
Eroding the sense of camaraderie andshared purpose within the kitchen.
Once negativity takes root, it becomesdifficult to shift back a positive
(15:18):
culture without intentional intervention.
And oh my God, haven't weall fucking been there?
The problem was, is there wasnever intentional intervention.
It was always about a poster on the wallor something that came from upstairs.
It was never a, it was nevera co-creative process about.
(15:43):
Who the fuck we are andwho are we moving forward?
How do we serve our customers?
How do we serve our associates?
Like can we engage one another in afruitful conversation about what it
looks like moving forward together?
Listen, your vibe creates your tribe.
A kitchen led with negativity breedsdiscontent, but a kitchen led with
(16:09):
optimism, fosters growth and success.
I, I don't know howother way to put it, man.
I mean, it's that simple.
And yet all of us have experienced this,but very few of us have been on the edge
where we could actually influence it.
And that's where we convince ourselvesthat we don't have any power.
(16:29):
And what I wanna say to youis it doesn't matter about it.
Fucking tag doesn't matter about yourhat size, doesn't matter anything.
You can influence the people around you.
Immediately by your presence.
Now, what are you gonna do about that?
The choice comes down to whether ornot you're gonna be a victim of your
(16:51):
circumstance or whether you're gonnaunderstand that at some level you made a
choice and you accepted your circumstance.
Cool.
What that does is it empowersyou to understand that you
can make a different choice.
If it's not the place that you wannawork at, you can choose another.
(17:11):
If you're okay with thatchoice, cool, be there fully.
If not, know that you can choose other, ifyou remain a victim of your circumstance,
whether it's because of money or benefitsor whatever, the golden lasso, the, the
parachute, whatever, it's just a choiceand you can choose again tomorrow.
(17:37):
You can make a different choice.
Listen, talking about you as a leader,I'm talking about you as a person.
I understand that leadership energyis a choice and cultivating a
positive work environment starts withintentional habits and behaviors.
What I'm trying to suggestis that well, fuck it.
I'm not suggesting, I'm justgonna tell you right out loud.
(17:58):
If you're not into it, don't be there.
Get out.
Nobody's telling youthat you have to do that.
You don't have to be with that employer.
You don't have to be with thisparticular, you know, career field.
And that's cool.
Nobody's gonna fucking judge you.
Like I get it that you put a lotof effort, you put a lot of money,
(18:18):
school and all that kind of stuff.
One of the best things thatI ever did was take a break.
I actually walked awayfrom this industry twice.
In the time that I wasgone, I learned skills.
I accept myself intentionally on, notnecessarily how I could be a better
(18:38):
chef, but how I could be a betterperson, how I could be a better leader.
And I guess this is where Iwanna lead the conversation.
Leadership is a choice andyour energy is a part of that.
Cultivating a positive workenvironment starts with
intentional habits and behaviors.
(18:59):
I. Listen,
if you wanna develop emotional awareness,we should all recognize how our
moods and reactions impact our team.
The only way to do that is with regularcheck-ins that can prevent negativity
from spreading from one person to another.
(19:22):
We can also set the tone from the start.
I can arrive at work witha clear positive mindset.
I can set the foundationfor the day's service.
When I enter the kitchen withconfidence and enthusiasm, I can
establish the emotional standard.
Listen, small gestures of appreciation,acknowledgement of hard work,
(19:46):
and celebrating team successesreinforces morale and motivation.
You and I know that it's thething that kept us going.
Finally lead with composure.
Maintaining a calm and solution-focuseddemeanor, especially in high
pressure moments, helps keepthe team grounded and confident.
(20:09):
Listen, leadership is a choice.
If you choose that, then understandthat there are certain requirements.
So here are your actionsteps for this episode.
One, identify your emotionaltriggers and develop strategies
to manage them proactively.
(20:31):
Number two, set a dailyintention for the energy you
want to bring into your kitchen.
Write down your intention daily.
It only takes a couple minutes tosit there in your journal and write
down what intention are you bringing.
I will be calm, I will be present.
I will be X. The fact is,intention is everything.
(20:58):
We can either be conscious orunconscious in the way that we
go about our business action.
Step number three, regularly createspace for open communication.
Those, uh, daily standup meetings,team check-ins, pre shifts.
Simple one-on-one conversations.
To maintain a positive kitchen atmosphere.
It also gives you the opportunityto redirect any negative energy
(21:21):
that someone else is bringing.
Someone shows up on the line and youcan just tell they're not on their game.
That's the time to approach.
Okay, got a couple minutes.
Just wanna check in withyou and then check in.
What's happening, what's going on?
You're not your same bubbly self.
Anything I need to know about ever.
Cool.
Everything cool at home?
Taking the time to understand wherethey're at emotionally is very often
(21:42):
the only thing that people needin order to shift their energy.
But you have to be the one to initiate.
Great leadership isn't about skills.
It's about consciouslymanaging our energy.
It's the hardest work we'll everdo, and it's the most rewarding.
If today's conversation resonated,take a moment to reflect on the
(22:04):
energy you bring to your kitchen.
Leadership isn't just about directinga team, it's about inspiring them.
Make a conscious choice today tolead with positivity and intention.
Take a moment to ask yourself,how do you want your team to
feel at the end of a shift?
Do you want them to feel drained,frustrated, and on edge, or do
(22:26):
you want them to leave feelingaccomplished, valued, and
motivated for the next service?
It all starts with the energy you bring.
Take a deep breath beforestepping into the kitchen today.
Set the tone, uplift your crew.
And remember you control thevibe more than you realize.
Until next time, stay tall and frosty,and don't forget to lead with your heart.
(22:55):
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.
(23:16):
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
(23:38):
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.
Have you ever noticed how yourmood instantly affects the
atmosphere in your kitchen?
Ever walked in, stressed and seenyour team quickly follow suit?
Do you question how your dailyvibe might be shaping your team's
performance and overall culture?
Today we're diving into howyour energy impacts your kitchen
more deeply than you realize.
(00:24):
I'll reveal how managing your ownvibe can boost productivity, morale,
and create a culture of positivity.
We'll get to that in 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 Lamp, 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.
(01:08):
Because the best kitchens don'tjust survive, they thrive.
Hit that subscribe buttonand let's get started.
The power of your energy.
Believe it or not, your energy setsthe emotional and operational tone
of the kitchen directly influencingmorale, efficiency and team cohesion.
(01:28):
Whether positive or negative, a leader'sattitude and demeanor spread quickly.
If you ever enter the kitchen stressed,andm, patient, or frustrated, your
team will absorb that tension.
Conversely, walking in with confidence,focus, and a solution-oriented
mindset encourages a productiveand positive atmosphere.
(01:49):
Team members subconsciouslyreflect their leader's energy.
A composed, upbeat leader fosters akitchen environment where staff feel
more at ease, motivated and engaged.
On the other hand, a constantly agitatedleader can create an environment of
anxiety, making mistakes more frequentand communication less effective.
Listen, service can be unpredictable.
(02:10):
Stress levels can spike unexpectedly,but a leader who maintains composure
and sets the expectation for calm,collected problem solving helps the
team stay focused under pressure ratherthan spiraling into chaos over time.
Over time, the cumulativeenergy a leader brings shapes
the overall work environment.
(02:31):
Kitchens that operate underconstant negativity, experience
high turnover, lower creativity,and decrease trust among staff.
Meanwhile, kitchens led with consistentpositivity and support, see stronger
collaboration, better retention,and overall higher performance.
Are you consciously choosing your energyor are you just reacting to the stress?
(02:53):
Have you ever been in a room, like maybewaiting for a meeting to start and you're
looking around and you can see thateverybody's kind of down and the overall
energy of the room is just off somehow.
Right?
It's almost like a physical pawhanging in the room, a cloud over
everybody's head, and yet a positiveperson can walk into that environment
and within a few moments have peoplestart sitting up paying attention.
(03:17):
All of a sudden people are smiling.
There's a great video I'm gonna link to inthe, uh, in the show notes where this guy
walks on a bus and he starts laughing, andpretty soon the entire bus is laughing.
It's hysterical, man.
But that's how one person'senergy can shift the entire room.
That's the power that your energy has.
(03:38):
And while negative energycan be infectious, good.
Positive energy can also be infectious.
Sometimes just gonna have to work a littlebit harder to bust through those walls.
But eventually your positivity willstart to affect everybody, even though
they might not necessarily admit it.
(03:58):
Listen, there's no horror story thatI can tell you that will convince
you any more than you already knowof how intense things can get in a
kitchen, and yet that is the precisemoment when the intensity ratches up.
Calm is most needed.
Don't believe me.
Tell me what your blood pressuredoes after listening to this.
(04:28):
If you're anything like me, evenif you're dead tired, when the
machine starts hitting you, perk up.
Listen, I happen to consider myselfan expo master, and I spent plenty
of nights on the line, and it seemedlike when the tickets started coming
in fast and furious, my energywould ramp up to match the speed at
which the tickets were coming in.
Yet, the quicker I called, themore mistakes were being made.
(04:51):
So even though my energy's way high,no one else can keep up with me.
And so that's the moment when Ineeded to take a pause, slow down,
get grounded, check everybody, look'em in the eyes, call out their name
before calling out tickets and leadthem through this particular rush.
With calm, certain grounded energybecause it's not just about me,
(05:14):
it's about me leading the team.
And the only way I can do that and besuccessful is by staying calm, trying
to be the center of the hurricane,the eye of the storm when everything
else is going around and my cooksare looking at me for some type of
emotional cue, and I can be grounded,all of a sudden they get grounded too.
(05:37):
Mistakes lesson, the stress lessons.
They know that they're in goodhands and that I am not gonna
lead them off the cliff in a rush.
I was recently on the Culinary Mechanicpodcast with host Simon Chuka, and
we were talking about this exact samething, and I related a story when I
used to work at this movie theater thathad a full service restaurant, the very
(06:00):
first time it actually happened in theUnited States in Boca Raton, Florida.
Movie Code Premier.
And the thing about that was, isthat everybody had somewhere to go.
People would sit down, they'dstart pressing the server, Hey,
listen, I gotta get to my movie.
And that would cause agreat deal of stress.
And also this thingabout time compression.
So 7 7 15, 7 30.
(06:20):
Because there's an eight o'clockshow, everything starts going crazy
and then it would drop down 8 25, 830 because now it's between shows.
And then the room would open backup again and it got to the point
where at the height of the rush whenthings are peaking, listen, I've
got two expo, six food runners, andI've got 10 cooks on five stations.
And I would sit there and I would waitfor the machine to just spit out onto the
(06:44):
floor because everybody needed a moment.
Jeff Simon was so great because he relateda similar story in which he concocted
this particular strategy where he wouldget a busboy to go get glasses of water
and come back and he would hand glassesof water to everybody and just wait.
Everybody take a drink.
(07:05):
Just be calm, take a breath.
And the thing that amazedme is that he, he told me in
that moment what he was doing.
Actually, I. Peel back the covers as hewas returning humanity back to his cooks.
So they went from being amachine, being a cog like, shit,
(07:28):
man, I can't keep doing this.
I'm not a goddamn machine.
To take a breath, have a glass of water,understand that you're human being
and you can only go so far, so fast.
And I thought that that was brilliant.
Acknowledging the humanity.
Viewing your associates as more thana pair of hands, as more than you
(07:52):
know, just a body on a station, likeacknowledging the fact that they're
human beings and you can only go so far.
You can only push themto a certain extent.
And Simon made another point when he wastalking about the fact that like you get
up to this particular point of energyand you can only sustain it for about.
(08:13):
40 minutes, an hour maybe, whereit's peak production, peak execution.
And if you don't take a break, ifyou don't offer somebody to return
back to themselves as a human being,then everything goes sideways.
Does that land with you?
You remember the days when you werejust a cog in the machine and everybody
(08:34):
was on you just to keep producing?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Why should we expect that from others whenwe couldn't even fucking stand that shit?
Now we're at the portion of our show.
When I say something that all of us knowto be true, but very few of us are willing
to say out loud, here are the consequencesof your fucking negative vibes.
(08:59):
I. Listen, negative leadership energycan create a toxic work environment,
diminishing morale, performance,and overall kitchen culture.
Yeah, we know that.
And yet sometimes when we're in the midstof our shit, we can't pull ourselves
out far enough to actually see ourselvesthe way that we're presenting ourselves.
(09:21):
It's this idea of being present again,reduced morale and team engagement.
A negative leader fosters anatmosphere of fear and uncertainty.
When team members feel unsupported,undervalued, or micromanaged, they
disengage from their work leading to loweroverall enthusiasm and job satisfaction.
(09:41):
And oh my God, haven't we all been there?
Question is why do wecontinue to propagate that?
What?
Because, you know, we do, as wewere told, as we are taught, as we
are shame trained and conditioned.
Higher mistakes in turnover, chronicstress and negative reinforcement create
an environment where employees operateout of fear instead of confidence.
(10:05):
Mistakes increase due to anxietyand high turnover becomes inevitable
as chefs seek healthier, morepositive work environments.
There are only two things to consider.
Is it the person running thesystem or is it the system?
And too often we wanna shit on the personwho's running the system instead of doing
(10:26):
the deeper work, which is like, do weactually fucking know what we're doing?
Are we setting thatassociate up for success?
Does he have the tools, theknowledge, the time to understand
what's actually required of him?
Or do we just need a fall guy?
Nine times outta 10.
It's been my experience that we havethe right person in the wrong job
because we didn't think deep enoughabout which skillset would be best for
(10:48):
which job and undertaking that work.
That's a leader.
What the fuck, man?
I didn't know I was theproblem, but apparently I was.
And so it's incumbent upon meto try to figure out some way,
some way of being different.
In my day to day such that I canactually foster a thriving kitchen
(11:12):
environment such that I can becomethe preferred employer on the block.
I don't have to put an ad up becausepeople are lined up outside, but they
can only do that if the street knows thatI treat people well, and if I'm feeding
them my shit, that's not gonna happen.
(11:33):
The hardest part of leadershipis taking the shit and holding
it such that it doesn't affectanybody underneath you emotionally.
Like, listen, there's processes andprocedures that need to be changed.
Get that totally cool.
But when it's about trying to take thecrap outta somebody, then it's your
(11:56):
job to take it to hold it, and then thequestion becomes, what do you do about it?
Like how do you exercisethat energy out of your body?
Because if you don't, that willcontinue to reside in you and curdle
such that now all of a sudden youare pissed off all the fucking time.
I. I remember so clearly a pivotal momentin my career when I bounced into the
(12:20):
GM's office and I was so fucking pissed.
I was angry at my cooks.
I was angry at my sous chefs.
I was angry at the people who came in,and I blurted out this job would be
so great if it wasn't for the people.
And she, she laughed atme, said like, which ones?
And I said, all of them.
And she let me rant and rave for minutesuntil I dropped in the chair completely
(12:46):
exhausted because I had nothing left.
And she sat there for about fiveminutes and she looked at me and
then finally said, Adam, don'tyou see the God in what you do?
I'm like, fucking, what do you like?
What do you mean?
And she said, Adam.
(13:08):
Look at our society.
Look what's happening.
You go to the gas station, youdon't go inside, you pay at
the ATM, you go to the bank.
You go to the ATM.
You don't go inside.
She said, our society is become moreand more fractured and less connected.
Don't you understand that what you do isa great excuse for people to come together
(13:31):
and be in relationship with one another?
Maybe they haven't seeneach other in years.
Maybe it's only been months,but what you do provides them an
opportunity to gather around a tableand be connected to one another.
And after I heard her say that, I settledback in my chair and I thought, wow.
(13:53):
Uh, not only am I a lot lesspissed, but I'm kind of fucking
feeling sheepish right now.
Like I thought it was all about me.
But what she did is she shared a differentperspective with me in that moment.
I could see myself within what she wastalking about, and I understood that being
(14:15):
in service, like in this community, I.
In this brotherhood and sisterhoodof chefs, culinary professionals,
our first foundational principleis to be in service to others.
Whether you like it or not.
If you don't like it,cool, get the fuck out.
But if you are, just understand thatwhat we do facilitates conversation,
(14:37):
and that is probably the most importantthing that any person can do Now
in this society, it's not throughthe phone, it's not through text.
We get people around a table.
That's where fucking magic can happen.
So overstating the obvious, oneof the consequences of negative
(14:58):
vibes is long-term cultural damage.
A consistently negative environmentleads to decreased trust
between staff and leadership.
Eroding the sense of camaraderie andshared purpose within the kitchen.
Once negativity takes root, it becomesdifficult to shift back a positive
(15:18):
culture without intentional intervention.
And oh my God, haven't weall fucking been there?
The problem was, is there wasnever intentional intervention.
It was always about a poster on the wallor something that came from upstairs.
It was never a, it was nevera co-creative process about.
(15:43):
Who the fuck we are andwho are we moving forward?
How do we serve our customers?
How do we serve our associates?
Like can we engage one another in afruitful conversation about what it
looks like moving forward together?
Listen, your vibe creates your tribe.
A kitchen led with negativity breedsdiscontent, but a kitchen led with
(16:09):
optimism, fosters growth and success.
I, I don't know howother way to put it, man.
I mean, it's that simple.
And yet all of us have experienced this,but very few of us have been on the edge
where we could actually influence it.
And that's where we convince ourselvesthat we don't have any power.
(16:29):
And what I wanna say to youis it doesn't matter about it.
Fucking tag doesn't matter about yourhat size, doesn't matter anything.
You can influence the people around you.
Immediately by your presence.
Now, what are you gonna do about that?
The choice comes down to whether ornot you're gonna be a victim of your
(16:51):
circumstance or whether you're gonnaunderstand that at some level you made a
choice and you accepted your circumstance.
Cool.
What that does is it empowersyou to understand that you
can make a different choice.
If it's not the place that you wannawork at, you can choose another.
(17:11):
If you're okay with thatchoice, cool, be there fully.
If not, know that you can choose other, ifyou remain a victim of your circumstance,
whether it's because of money or benefitsor whatever, the golden lasso, the, the
parachute, whatever, it's just a choiceand you can choose again tomorrow.
(17:37):
You can make a different choice.
Listen, talking about you as a leader,I'm talking about you as a person.
I understand that leadership energyis a choice and cultivating a
positive work environment starts withintentional habits and behaviors.
What I'm trying to suggestis that well, fuck it.
I'm not suggesting, I'm justgonna tell you right out loud.
(17:58):
If you're not into it, don't be there.
Get out.
Nobody's telling youthat you have to do that.
You don't have to be with that employer.
You don't have to be with thisparticular, you know, career field.
And that's cool.
Nobody's gonna fucking judge you.
Like I get it that you put a lotof effort, you put a lot of money,
(18:18):
school and all that kind of stuff.
One of the best things thatI ever did was take a break.
I actually walked awayfrom this industry twice.
In the time that I wasgone, I learned skills.
I accept myself intentionally on, notnecessarily how I could be a better
(18:38):
chef, but how I could be a betterperson, how I could be a better leader.
And I guess this is where Iwanna lead the conversation.
Leadership is a choice andyour energy is a part of that.
Cultivating a positive workenvironment starts with
intentional habits and behaviors.
(18:59):
I. Listen,
if you wanna develop emotional awareness,we should all recognize how our
moods and reactions impact our team.
The only way to do that is with regularcheck-ins that can prevent negativity
from spreading from one person to another.
(19:22):
We can also set the tone from the start.
I can arrive at work witha clear positive mindset.
I can set the foundationfor the day's service.
When I enter the kitchen withconfidence and enthusiasm, I can
establish the emotional standard.
Listen, small gestures of appreciation,acknowledgement of hard work,
(19:46):
and celebrating team successesreinforces morale and motivation.
You and I know that it's thething that kept us going.
Finally lead with composure.
Maintaining a calm and solution-focuseddemeanor, especially in high
pressure moments, helps keepthe team grounded and confident.
(20:09):
Listen, leadership is a choice.
If you choose that, then understandthat there are certain requirements.
So here are your actionsteps for this episode.
One, identify your emotionaltriggers and develop strategies
to manage them proactively.
(20:31):
Number two, set a dailyintention for the energy you
want to bring into your kitchen.
Write down your intention daily.
It only takes a couple minutes tosit there in your journal and write
down what intention are you bringing.
I will be calm, I will be present.
I will be X. The fact is,intention is everything.
(20:58):
We can either be conscious orunconscious in the way that we
go about our business action.
Step number three, regularly createspace for open communication.
Those, uh, daily standup meetings,team check-ins, pre shifts.
Simple one-on-one conversations.
To maintain a positive kitchen atmosphere.
It also gives you the opportunityto redirect any negative energy
(21:21):
that someone else is bringing.
Someone shows up on the line and youcan just tell they're not on their game.
That's the time to approach.
Okay, got a couple minutes.
Just wanna check in withyou and then check in.
What's happening, what's going on?
You're not your same bubbly self.
Anything I need to know about ever.
Cool.
Everything cool at home?
Taking the time to understand wherethey're at emotionally is very often
(21:42):
the only thing that people needin order to shift their energy.
But you have to be the one to initiate.
Great leadership isn't about skills.
It's about consciouslymanaging our energy.
It's the hardest work we'll everdo, and it's the most rewarding.
If today's conversation resonated,take a moment to reflect on the
(22:04):
energy you bring to your kitchen.
Leadership isn't just about directinga team, it's about inspiring them.
Make a conscious choice today tolead with positivity and intention.
Take a moment to ask yourself,how do you want your team to
feel at the end of a shift?
Do you want them to feel drained,frustrated, and on edge, or do
(22:26):
you want them to leave feelingaccomplished, valued, and
motivated for the next service?
It all starts with the energy you bring.
Take a deep breath beforestepping into the kitchen today.
Set the tone, uplift your crew.
And remember you control thevibe more than you realize.
Until next time, stay tall and frosty,and don't forget to lead with your heart.
(22:55):
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.
(23:16):
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
(23:38):
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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