Simple things can make a world of difference..
I started my internship in the month of February and what interests me the most is not the cooking but what actually goes on in the kitchen and how a successful kitchen is run. I have found that what makes a world of difference is the environment which is set by the boss or the head chef and how they manage their staff. If both are happy then all is wonderful. If not, then you have staff walking out the door every few months.
Based on my observations, this is what I have learnt. It is without a doubt that the customer is always going to be king. Without your customers, you do not have a restaurant. However, on the flip side, without good staff, you do not have a restaurant as well and therefore no customers. To run a successful restaurant, you need to balance both of them and ensure both are happy. It's easy to say but in reality not easy to do!
Here is my open letter to all restaurant owners and Executive Chefs:
1. Staff need to eat. Serving lunch boxes that are full of carbs and nothing else is not going to cut it. At a minimum, if you want your staff to work split shifts (from 10.30am to 10.30pm with a break between 2.30pm to 5.30pm), then not only should you provide them a resting place, you should also feed them at least twice a day. Put together a budget, buy ingredients separately and get the staff to take turns to cook a decent meal for everyone. If you want your chefs to cook 2 meals a day to only feed your expat employees, it causes even more resentment among them. Everyone should eat the same thing. Eating together with your staff is key. It should be seen as family time where discussions can take place and everyone (no matter their seniority) should be given a chance to voice their opinions on what's happening in the restaurant.
2. There should be a daily briefing by the Executive Chef or Chef de Cuisine before the shift starts so everyone knows what's going on.
3. A Chef de Cuisine is not a Chef de Partie. He/she should not cook unless they are standing in for a missing employee. Their job is to train their staff, check quality control and ensure they "fire" all the orders as they come in. This person needs to be able to get along with all the staff as he/she bridges the gap between the Executive Chef and the staff.. basically he is the voice of reason carrying everyone's concern so a strong communicator and diplomacy is needed.
4. Train your staff. Don't expect them to just know what they have to do by just observing. They are all chefs but not everyone knows the menu and how to cook it when they start. Take the time to show them and ensure everyone is armed with a note book and pen so they can jot down recipes and methods.
5. Creative input. A restaurant is only going to be as good as its staff so take the time to ask them for ideas. Some restaurants allocate each team a certain amount of time and challenge them to come up with a new recipe every day or week or whatever. It is only by taking ownership and getting their dishes included in the menu will your staff feel that they are included and are important. Nurture them. Don't push them away and dont treat them like slaves.
6. Managing by fear, humiliation and anger only gets you so far. Ultimately it will only back fire on you. By all means be stern and expect the best. Set a standard as only the Executive Chef can set. Treat people how you want to be treated yourself. I don't believe in giving crap to a new employee for 6 months so that they can 'earn' respect then be accepted as part of the team only for him to turn around and do that to the next new employee. The cycle has to stop somewhere.
7. You do not expect your customers to use dirty toilets so why do you expect your employees to put up with it? There is nothing that irks me more that dirty toilets and locker rooms. If you can't do such a simple act, then what can I expect from your menu?
8. Uniforms should be fitted, clean and worn with pride. Please provide uniforms for your staff and don't expect them to wash it. You should collect them on a daily basis and wash them for everyone. A uniform reflects the style of the restaurant as well. This is one of the things I look for. If you are not bothered to have smart looking chefs, then what can I expect from your menu?
9. Please provide proper equipment in your kitchen and replace broken items. I believe that a kitchen should provide knives for their staff to use. They should also be regularly sharpened and kept at tip top condition. Again, if you can't be bothered, then what can I expect from your menu?
10. You should also ensure your kitchen is properly lit up so that staff do not cut themselves. It is terrible that all it takes is 5 minutes to replace light bulbs but you can't be bothered. If you can't be bothered, this shows what you think of your staff.
11. There should be proper places to keep everything eg: dry goods, amenities etc. Store rooms should be clearly labelled and clean. It should not look like a bomb shelter or a market.
12. There needs to be daily and weekly printed check lists like they had at El Bulli. This is for the staff to do proper inventory control and to ensure nothing is missed. From this list, you can do your weekly ordering sheets.
13. Please tell your staff not to taste the food with their fingers. It's unhygienic. It does not take any longer to use a clean spoon. And if you do not set the standard, this is what happens.
14. Please tell your staff not to eat the food they are cooking. It's okay to taste (point 13) but don't eat left overs. There are some restaurants who do not allow their staff to taste the food. It is not the wild wild west. Instill some discipline on their behaviour. They should also never raid the bread basket and if you fed them properly, they won't have to.
15. When the staff are working, they should not be using their mobile phones and talk as they are cooking. No one should be allowed to use their phone. And if you do not set the standard, this is what happens.
My conclusion is to treat your staff right and you will reap the rewards. Equipt your kitchen well and create a pleasant working environment. Set the standard and others will follow.
Based on my observations, this is what I have learnt. It is without a doubt that the customer is always going to be king. Without your customers, you do not have a restaurant. However, on the flip side, without good staff, you do not have a restaurant as well and therefore no customers. To run a successful restaurant, you need to balance both of them and ensure both are happy. It's easy to say but in reality not easy to do!
Here is my open letter to all restaurant owners and Executive Chefs:
1. Staff need to eat. Serving lunch boxes that are full of carbs and nothing else is not going to cut it. At a minimum, if you want your staff to work split shifts (from 10.30am to 10.30pm with a break between 2.30pm to 5.30pm), then not only should you provide them a resting place, you should also feed them at least twice a day. Put together a budget, buy ingredients separately and get the staff to take turns to cook a decent meal for everyone. If you want your chefs to cook 2 meals a day to only feed your expat employees, it causes even more resentment among them. Everyone should eat the same thing. Eating together with your staff is key. It should be seen as family time where discussions can take place and everyone (no matter their seniority) should be given a chance to voice their opinions on what's happening in the restaurant.
2. There should be a daily briefing by the Executive Chef or Chef de Cuisine before the shift starts so everyone knows what's going on.
3. A Chef de Cuisine is not a Chef de Partie. He/she should not cook unless they are standing in for a missing employee. Their job is to train their staff, check quality control and ensure they "fire" all the orders as they come in. This person needs to be able to get along with all the staff as he/she bridges the gap between the Executive Chef and the staff.. basically he is the voice of reason carrying everyone's concern so a strong communicator and diplomacy is needed.
4. Train your staff. Don't expect them to just know what they have to do by just observing. They are all chefs but not everyone knows the menu and how to cook it when they start. Take the time to show them and ensure everyone is armed with a note book and pen so they can jot down recipes and methods.
5. Creative input. A restaurant is only going to be as good as its staff so take the time to ask them for ideas. Some restaurants allocate each team a certain amount of time and challenge them to come up with a new recipe every day or week or whatever. It is only by taking ownership and getting their dishes included in the menu will your staff feel that they are included and are important. Nurture them. Don't push them away and dont treat them like slaves.
6. Managing by fear, humiliation and anger only gets you so far. Ultimately it will only back fire on you. By all means be stern and expect the best. Set a standard as only the Executive Chef can set. Treat people how you want to be treated yourself. I don't believe in giving crap to a new employee for 6 months so that they can 'earn' respect then be accepted as part of the team only for him to turn around and do that to the next new employee. The cycle has to stop somewhere.
7. You do not expect your customers to use dirty toilets so why do you expect your employees to put up with it? There is nothing that irks me more that dirty toilets and locker rooms. If you can't do such a simple act, then what can I expect from your menu?
8. Uniforms should be fitted, clean and worn with pride. Please provide uniforms for your staff and don't expect them to wash it. You should collect them on a daily basis and wash them for everyone. A uniform reflects the style of the restaurant as well. This is one of the things I look for. If you are not bothered to have smart looking chefs, then what can I expect from your menu?
9. Please provide proper equipment in your kitchen and replace broken items. I believe that a kitchen should provide knives for their staff to use. They should also be regularly sharpened and kept at tip top condition. Again, if you can't be bothered, then what can I expect from your menu?
10. You should also ensure your kitchen is properly lit up so that staff do not cut themselves. It is terrible that all it takes is 5 minutes to replace light bulbs but you can't be bothered. If you can't be bothered, this shows what you think of your staff.
11. There should be proper places to keep everything eg: dry goods, amenities etc. Store rooms should be clearly labelled and clean. It should not look like a bomb shelter or a market.
12. There needs to be daily and weekly printed check lists like they had at El Bulli. This is for the staff to do proper inventory control and to ensure nothing is missed. From this list, you can do your weekly ordering sheets.
13. Please tell your staff not to taste the food with their fingers. It's unhygienic. It does not take any longer to use a clean spoon. And if you do not set the standard, this is what happens.
14. Please tell your staff not to eat the food they are cooking. It's okay to taste (point 13) but don't eat left overs. There are some restaurants who do not allow their staff to taste the food. It is not the wild wild west. Instill some discipline on their behaviour. They should also never raid the bread basket and if you fed them properly, they won't have to.
15. When the staff are working, they should not be using their mobile phones and talk as they are cooking. No one should be allowed to use their phone. And if you do not set the standard, this is what happens.
My conclusion is to treat your staff right and you will reap the rewards. Equipt your kitchen well and create a pleasant working environment. Set the standard and others will follow.
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