Flavors Unknown

Leadership Styles in the High-Pressure World of Restaurants

Panel discussion Leadership Styles

Today, we have a special episode of the flavors unknown podcast as we delve into the topic of leadership sttyles in the hospitality industry.
Our guests for this episode are a panel of experts in the field, including renowned chef and restaurant owner of a.o.c. and Caldo Verde in Los Angeles, Suzanne Goin, chef and owner of the two Michelin star Gabriel Kreuther Restaurant in New York, Gabriel Kreuther, and former Executive Chef of the Fairmont Hotel n Austin, André Natera and now author and podcast host of the Chef’s PSA podcast.
This episode is a follow-up panel based on the chapter “The Kitchen as Metaphor for Life” in our host's new book, Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door.
In this episode about Leadership Styles, our guests share their insights on the most important skills for a leader to have in the industry, their leadership style, and the challenges and trends they see in hiring today.

What you'll learn from this panel discussion

How Suzanne describes her leadership style 3:29
Why André takes a personal approach to leadership 4:20
Why the success of the individual depends on the whole team 8:03
Making sure the culture you’re creating sticks 9:06
The importance of the handshake (10:36)
Why Suzanne believes in tough love when it comes to the leaders in her kitchens 12:47
Honesty is always the best policy in the kitchen 14:58
How leadership styles evolve 15:36
Fine-tuning your leadership style through maturity 16:28
The hiring practices of esteemed chefs 18:41
Why you shouldn’t mix goldfish with sharks 21:21
Why Suzanne prefers to hire from within 22:52
Hiring challenges today’s chefs are facing 25:26
What culinary school promises but can’t deliver 29:17
The one thing all managers in Gabriel’s kitchen have in common 31:47
How restaurants are fighting for the same staff 32:30
Qualities that make a good mentor 37:45
Andre’s advice to cooks who are looking for a mentor 40:20
Why mentoring needs to be a two-way street 41:39
Their favorite question to ask in job interviews 43:09
Industry advise that has helped them in their careers 45:13
Books on leadership every chef should read 48:21
The worst call-out excuses they’ve ever heard 49:29

I'd like to share a potential educational resource, “Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door”, my new book that features dialogues with accomplished culinary leaders from various backgrounds and cultures. It delves into the future of culinary creativity and the hospitality industry, drawing from insights of a restaurant-industry-focused podcast, ‘flavors unknown”. It includes perspectives from renowned chefs and local professionals, making it a valuable resource for those interested in building a career in the culinary industry.

Get the book here!

Links to other episodes with the chefs

Don't miss out on the chance to hear from these talented chefs and gain insight into the world of culinary techniques. Check out the links below for more conversations with Masako Morishita, Carlo Lamagna, and Fermín Nuñez.

Conversation with chef Suzanne Goin

Interview with chef Gabriel Kreuther

Conversation with chef Andre Natera

Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode)

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[After Covid] a lot of chefs made decisions along the way to put people in positions that maybe weren't ready for. If I have a crown and I put it on you, it doesn't mean you know how to run a kingdom yet. –André Natera

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I feel like people really want to be heard. And they want to feel like they're important. It's key to take the time to invest in each staff member so that they feel that because that is what gets them to stay and work hard for you. –Suzanne Goin

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I believe that if you want to achieve something in our industry, the work environment and the camaraderie that is going on within the kitchen are what’s making the achievements possible. ‘One team one dream’. It's everybody pushing in the same direction that makes the difference. -Gabriel Kreuther

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