Mr. Trainor

Food & Beverage

Motivation and Satisfaction: Ingredients for a Great Kitchen

By Robert Trainor, Exec Chef, Hilton

Today, that environment is fast becoming extinct. Kitchen employees and many in the top corporate offices of the hospitality industry have all arrived at the same business-building conclusion: Satisfied, motivated employees are productive, loyal employees. Today's cooks are not only concerned with the cuisine and what they can expect to learn from the chef; they are also interested in paying off student loans, health insurance coverage, 401k plans and a balanced personal life.

And they're right to think of these things. The truth is, a positive work environment generates a drive to succeed, knocks down the walls between front of the house and back of the house, and encourages employees to put the operation's success at the forefront of their professional (and sometimes personal) goals. As chefs, it's our responsibility to inspire, educate and motivate staff, not just about producing the finest food possible, but also about the financial and business aspects of the industry.

So how does an executive chef attract and keep good people? How can we inspire, educate and motivate our staff while keeping true to our main objective of creating a dining experience and operating a profitable business?

By inverting that old adage that we are all products of our environment. To make your staff feel motivated and satisfied, you must make your kitchen environment become a product of your creative, controlled presence.

It's all about attitude!

The single most important thing you can do to create a positive attitude among your staff, is to lead by example and maintain a positive attitude of your own. The only thing new and surprising about this concept is that it has's taken this long for many in the hospitality industry to put it into practice in their kitchens.

Employee manuals, orientation classes, role-playing and mission statements all have their usefulness in motivating staff. But their impact will fade with time if the top chef fails to live up to all those pages of "who we are." Rather than wonder why employees don't have the "right attitude," chef managers need to ask themselves if they have it first, and are successfully conveying it to their staff. In some way, every employee reflects the attitude of his or her leader.

When an issue arises in my kitchen, we have a proven formula for dealing with it. We work together to identify the problem. We remain calm and refrain from bringing personal interpretations into a professional issue. We work together to suggest and ultimately select a method for dealing with the issue. When necessary, we don't hesitate to bring in fellow employees from another department to help assess and resolve the problem.

Many things that happen in our kitchens are beyond our control - who called in sick, what piece of equipment suddenly broke down, the storm that delayed an important delivery. We can control how we react, and through that example, influence how staff will deal with problems too. Your positive influence can create an environment that invites growth, respect, integrity, trust and dignity.

Open Doors Open Minds

The "open door policy" shouldn't be considered a clich'e, but a respected practice. In the past, young chefs were expected to absorb the brilliance of their culinary masters in appreciative silence without complaint. Very likely, any novice bold enough to voice a concern would have received a stock answer as a suggested solution: "If you don't like it, go work somewhere else."

Well, I've visited and cooked in kitchens around the world. Not one was quiet. There's no place for silence in our kitchens. Employees must be allowed to voice their concerns and find you willing to listen and eager to help. Most of the time, a frustrated employee is one who started out with a very simple issue, but never got the opportunity to express his or her feelings.

Allow employees to vent their frustrations (at the appropriate time and in a constructive manner), coach them on finding a solution and help them put that solution into action. Allowing the employee to be heard and take part in the resolution process can help affirm their sense of participation and "ownership" in the operation of the kitchen.

Word Power

Mary Poppins said it best "pie crust promises, easily made and easily broken."

There is no good way to break a promise to an employee. We've all been in the situation where an employer dangled the carrot of a promotion or pay raise to get us on board, then back-pedaled later with "the situation has changed," or "hang in there; I haven't forgotten you." Broken or delayed promises can buy an employee's allegiance for a very short time only. Eventually - and often sooner than later - the allegiance turns to resentment, dissatisfaction and impaired performance. .

Integrity isn't just an issue for presidential candidates and corporate CEOs. As chef managers, we must be as true to our employees as we are to our cuisine, as committed to keeping our word as we are to culinary excellence.

Keep your word and don't make promises. Be honest with an employee. Discuss the challenges as well as the successes and opportunities. Do focus on the possibilities of growth, but don't promise a timetable you can't guarantee. If you tell an employee you're going to do something, then do it within 48 hours. If you cannot resolve the situation in that time frame, keep the concerned person(s) in the loop, let them know what you've done and what is the next step. Don't let an issue go unresolved.

Inclusion! This means you

Include your employees. When you are writing new menus or changing policies, involve the staff. This reaffirms to employees their importance in the process, and also lets you tap their wealth of knowledge and experience. Your staff is on the front line day in and day out. They can have great ideas about what works and what doesn't.

Involving team members in the decision-making process improves your chances that they will buy into the changes, and be more committed to the success of the operation. New policies and menu changes will become part of the culture much quicker when employees know they've had a voice in decision-making.

At the end of the day, our success as chefs, managers and leaders won't be measured by whether or not the souffl'e fell. Our success will be judged on the basis of our employees' successes and on their daily performance. By helping them better perform their jobs, we make our own that much easier. And we create a win-win situation for everyone - the employee, the operation and, most importantly, the guest.

Robert Trainor is executive chef of Hilton Short Hills. He manages all aspects of menu and meal preparation, staffing and training in the hotel’s restaurants, room service and all banquets. As Executive Sous Chef at the Waldorf=Astoria, retooled the menu of Oscar’s, while maintaining elements of the restaurant’s tradition. Educated at Johnson & Wales University, Trainor’s achievements include becoming a certified sommelier, serving as the 95th Distinguished Visiting Chef of Johnson & Wales University, and garnering numerous gold and silver medals in international culinary competitions. Mr. Trainor can be contacted at 973 912 7974 or Robert_Trainor@Hilton.com Extended Bio...

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