EXECUTIVE CHEFS: THE BEST LEADERSHIP POINTS: INTERVIEWED BY SENIOR JOURNALIST KHATIBAH REHMAT IN ASSOCIATION WITH EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF SANJAY KUMAR OF ABELA & CO. DUBAI.

An Executive Chef is responsible for overseeing and managing all aspects of hotel’s culinary operations. They are in charge of planning menus, developing new dishes, supervising kitchen staffs, ensuring food quality and presentation, managing inventory and costs and maintaining food safety standards. They also  have to hire and train new cooks and come up  with innovative menu items. In addition, they must possess the essential leadership qualities to design the best kitchens imaginable and safety has to be the chief executive chef’s  responsibility as well, the executive chef is responsible for providing a high-quality dining experience for guests, meeting and exceeding expectations and ensuring that all food and beverage outlets within the hotel are running smoothly and efficiently.

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AN EXECUTIVE CHEF SHOULD POSSESS THE FOLLOWING SKILLS AND TRAITS: 

OBSERVING SAFETY:

Kitchen safety can be taught through training sessions and instruction manuals, but they also need to be backed up by practical applications. The executive chef must be well aware of all  safety precautions. In order to protect both  their staff and the restaurant’s bottom line,  they have to be extremely vigilant about any  violations of safety. One way to lead by  example is to wear chef shoes with grippe  soles. Wearing slip-resistant footwear keeps  busy cooks on their feet and helps prevent  slip-and-fall incidents.

JOB ASSIGNMENT:

The chief of the kitchen should have complete trust in his staff members, which means becoming proficient at delegating important tasks in order to improve productivity. Because of this position, he or she will often be preoccupied with additional responsibilities and must rely on his assistant chef to carry out crucial chores in the kitchen. Delegation is ineffective if all that is done is to give instructions and hope they are executed flawlessly. There must be constant communication. The executive chef needs to look for possibilities to encourage and support  their team. 

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HEARTFELT EXPRESSION:

The mood in the kitchen may begin to dwindle when times are difficult. Under such circumstances, staff grows even more  apathetic towards a manager who seems  disengaged and bored. But when they see their  boss truly enthusiastic about their work, other team members will also be inspired to perform to the best of their abilities. In this case, the Executive Chef needs to set a high standard and lead by example, which entails putting personal issues behind them and being determined to perform at their highest level.  

LISTENING TECHNIQUES:

Speaking with employees is just as important as listening to them; Boss should think carefully about the questions they ask their workers. For example, after implementing a new food preparation routine, an executive chef should get feedback from the other culinary staff members in order to fully understand whether the stated objectives are being achieved. A successful leader will take time to probe for information and pay close attention to the responses.

ADVANTAGEOUSNESS:

Like passion, positive thinking is contagious. Leaders who succumb to their negative emotions usually aren’t in positions of leadership for very long. According to an Entrepreneur Magazine article by Joe Griffin, Leaders should anticipate failing from time to time. Therefore, they will learn from these setbacks and will not repeat the same mistakes twice. Kitchens and other similar workspaces can be chaotic and unforeseen problems might occasionally occur. In these circumstances, Executive Chefs’ may help their teams to navigate over obstacles by fostering a positive mindset. 

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THE NEED FOR EDUCATION:

Executive chefs frequently hold bachelor’s degrees in culinary arts and many of them have years of experience working in busy kitchens.  Some chefs even pursue master’s degrees in certain disciplines. In this profession, one needs to stay up to date on the latest culinary techniques, flavours, ingredients and combinations throughout the professional career. Don’t think it takes away from your individuality or touch of personality. Conversely, it helps one as to forget their own identities.

Furthermore, remember that if one ignores local and traditional foods, their culinary education would be considered as useless because, a chef must respect the knowledge of basic ingredients used in cooking. All in all, having these executive chef leadership abilities, positions one for success. A person could thrive in the challenging position of executive chef by setting an excellent example, listening to and accepting the opinions of others, honing critical skills, establishing a pleasant and enthusiastic work atmosphere and putting safety first.

INTERVIEWED AND PICTURE COURTESY: EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF SANJAY KUMAR OF ABELA & CO. DUBAI.