Cooking up culinary talent

Question:

What are some chef recruiting and training no-nos?

Answer:

One reason I started teaching after working in the field for 25 years was because I wanted to help train chefs who could transition into noncommercial. Now, 10 years later, we’re begging for chefs to be able to cater to on-site operations. But there is a wrong way to build your kitchen dream team.

Even though it’s competitive, have some integrity when you are interviewing; poaching chefs will give you a bad reputation. Rise above that temptation and do things the right way. When you write a job listing, be clear what you are looking for. If you come from a dietitian’s background, and don’t know the specifics of what a chef does, ask your chef colleagues for help.

Don’t neglect internal training programs for the production crew. You can top off their education with an in-service training program or boot camp, or invite outside chefs to cook for the day. Build up a little rapport, and the other property might invite your chefs in return. You can have an award system where your chefs go to properties once a month and showcase their skills.

When  you understand the work, the problems and the solutions—that’s when you are developing your chef into a professional.