Hospitality Influencers

As anyone who has worked in a team will know, there's nothing worse than working with people who don't cooperate or simply don't want to be there. A strong team who share the same vision is a team that will guarantee success, and teamwork (like in any field of hospitality), is an integral part of any kitchen - and it isn't just the chef's job to make sure his team work well together.

When starting any career, it's always super helpful to gain some advice from those who have experience and know what to expect.

As an experienced chef, I have faced many challenges throughout my career. Here are 5 challenges I face, and how I try to overcome them.

Before I set foot for the first time in a restaurant as a worker, and not as a guest, I wished somebody had told me that, in one of the most fast-paced and stressful environment ever, it was not all about good food, good wines, good drinks and good service.

Here are the five biggest challenges I face as a restaurant manager, and how I try to overcome them. 

I never thought that 16 years ago, while working as a barman in a little pub in the middle of small West Yorkshire, I would be asked to share my thoughts on the entire hospitality industry.

I have enjoyed an exciting and fast-paced journey in my hospitality career, having worked in the Coffee Industry for just a little over 5 years. When I first started working in a coffee house in Vancouver, Canada, I did so because I was looking for a job that would allow me to get to know local residents and insert myself fully into Canadian life, and not one that could offer me a fantastic stepping stone into a new and exciting career.

When I first started out in the industry back in 1995, I had a part-time job as a catering assistant in a food kiosk called the ‘Ranch House’. It was a ‘tex-mex’ themed small business selling burgers, tacos, burrito’s etc.

How can you get off to a great start in your chef career? Being a chef can be a tough career with long (and often unsociable) hours, and you'll often be working when your friends with 'normal' jobs will be out having fun.

Having a great team in the kitchen is really important in our line of work. I believe that building a great team itself is a team effort.