How do I keep cooks from quitting?

Question:

I need cooks! They keep quitting. Help!

– Chef

Answer: 

At least weekly, and sometimes daily, I get inquiries from chefs, managers and owners looking for cooks.

This has been true throughout my decades in culinary education, but it has been exacerbated by our low unemployment rate and people leaving the industry during COVID lockdowns. Because so many operations are seeking cooks, talented ones can practically choose their gig and may be gravitating toward better hours, better pay, a better environment or a combination of those. I have written before about strategies to recruit cooks, but this week wanted to address your concern about retaining them.

So, I conducted an informal poll of chef friends and focused on who does not need cooks to see what we could learn. A multi-unit culinary director put it simply when I asked for his secret sauce. He answered, “I pay people well and treat them well.”

A source at Ivan Ramen in New York City said, “At Ivan Ramen, we're well staffed for a few different reasons. We pay above industry norms and give cost of living raises. We offer front-loaded sick time that can be used as PTO. We allow for fixed schedules that include two back-to-back days off as well as the opportunity for overtime. Then we make it a practice to check in with staff to make sure their schedules work for them and their families. We cross-train on all positions, which enables us to promote from within. Of course, there's fluctuation in staffing, not everyone is right for us and we're not right for everyone. When we're in need of staff, we turn to our team for referrals and offer a bonus if the new hire sticks around. Most importantly, we treat all our employees with respect.”

A few other strategies I’ve heard from the well-staffed:

My advice is to treat your staffing as competitively as you market your concept to guests. Build the culture and promote your culture to this internal market that is key to your operation’s success.

More on recruiting and retention here.