50.2022 Edition

Editor: Justin Khanna​

Hey Reader,

This week’s monologue is in reference to a relatable moment in hospitality: getting feedback on your work.

I went on a whole rant in my Episode 8 Breakdown of The Bear video, but one of you folks commented on it and I felt it was worth expanding on here.

When I was a sous chef at Lysverket, we would do 2 seatings. Sure, staggered tables would happen, but for the most part, guests would begin their tasting menus at either 5:30pm or 8pm.

This left great opportunities at around 7:30 and 10:30 (while desserts were being served) for my chef to go out in the dining room and talk to guests.

Bergen, Norway wasn’t exactly the most popular tourist destination (compared to other cities like Copenhagen), and so he would always make it a point to try and speak with guests 1:1. This might be the one and only time they ever visit the restaurant.

When my chef would be away (doing TV appearances or on vacation), he’d ask me to do the same thing - and I landed on a pretty helpful framework for asking for feedback.

I didn’t think of it as that special at the time, but now can I look back and see why it was so useful. I’d approach the table, greet them, and then ask, “what were some highlights and low lights?”

This opens multiple doors for the guest:

1. I’m not asking the generic question of: “how was everything?” - that’s the equivalent of “how are you?” in conversation…there’s a societal “default” of just saying, “I’m good, how are you?”. You might as well have not asked anything at all. By putting attention on the peaks and valleys of their experience, it allows for more focus.
2. By asking for “low-lights”, I’m also implying that I’m okay with negative feedback. Asking a table, “what was your favorite dish?” is really just me stroking my ego. You make it possible for folks to share what they might’ve thought missed the mark or didn’t quite jive with their palate. I’d say maybe 20-30% of guests actually took me up on sharing “low lights”, but it’s better than the 0% I would’ve gotten from effectively asking, “tell me how good we are”.
3. On that point 👆, if they DO share a low-light with you, you’ve got them physically there to share the concept behind the dish, any background on the process, the fact that it might still be in development, or even ask them what expectation they had when they were presented with the dish. This kind of feedback is gold, and to be able to talk things through with them while they’re in person (vs via DM when they give that feedback over Instagram the next day) is incredibly valuable.
4. By seeing patterns in highlights OR lowlights, you’re actually able to make well-informed decisions on what is performing well on your menu (and what to cut out). Few people are realistically going to tell you the entire meal was bad, and so you can start to notice that 80% of tables share the same 1-2 highlights in the menu, and potentially make those signature dishes on the menu (or prioritize those for your website or social media). Not to mention, with increased voicing of feedback on lowlights, you can just tweak them until they improve.

It’s not always comfortable to get feedback. We open ourselves up to criticism, and it’s hard to tell what feedback to uncomfortably stomach, versus what thoughts to take with a grain of salt.

However, compared to the alternatives of negative compounding on your reputation, frustration from staff, decreased popularity, and gaslighting yourself…I’d say it’s the better poison to pick.

Top Hits 💥

​How Getting Fired Fueled This Chef’s Career​

Chef Austin Johnson shares his unexpected journey to success, from two firings to earning one Michelin star at One White Street.

Two issues ensued: Johnson’s decision was published in the press before he could give his notice personally, and internally, he was accused of trying to poach a colleague. Johnson says he was essentially told, “It’s been a great run, get out.”

He got the announcement article taken down, but it was too late. And the false accusation appeared to be a personal vendetta or sabotage. “It was bizarre. It was this back-stabbing scenario that really affected my career ⁠— at least in the moment, I thought my life was over. I didn’t have the full support of Daniel Humm, leaving him. That was just a tough pill to swallow.”

Our Take: You can usually tell someone’s likelihood for success by the time frames that they talk in. If someone’s speaking in “gigs”, “jobs”, “shifts”, or “seasons”…they’re probably going to lose to the person who talks about their “career”. Not to mention, it’s a huge benefit to Austin to be savvy enough to recognize the power of media as a tool in his public perception. If you’re vulnerable and transparent enough, it’s much more difficult to get “cancelled” or have one small mistake ruin what you’ve spent years building. I finished this article being a bigger fan of Austin, not judging him negatively.

​Nick Kokonas rant on Food-borne illness​

"This is bad not only for restaurants but also other customers who might actually get sick as a result of something they ate, there or somewhere prior to eating the night before.

Very difficult customer service situation to be in, especially when you believe someone may have fallen ill but there is no correlation to your restaurant, staff, or other patrons.”

Our Take: It’s never fun to be on the receiving end of accusations, much less actually have the horrifying realization that people got sick from your food. I continue to applaud Nick for publicly saying what a lot of us are thinking, and this thread is no different 👏

ICYMI 🙌

​Reaction to Ep 8 of The Bear out now! 🔪 🎬 - Check out my chef-centric commentary on saying goodbyes to an old kitchen, small notebooks, and bad fire-CGI! 🔥

If you haven't already, checkout the new podcast episode with Arnold Byun Ep. 157 🎧 - Listen to us talk about Building Brands, Front-of-House Mastery, and Stacking Skills. 📈

I want you folks to be thoughtful (and get gifted stuff you actually want) this year - here's a few ideas that I'd certainly be happy & grateful to receive. Watch Gift Guides now on YouTube - The Gifts Chefs (Actually) Want | 2022 and My Anti-Unitasker Kitchen Gift Guide for Professional Chefs 🎁​

Although we are moving towards kitchens having a calmer demeanor, there are kitchens, like Eleven Madison Park, where people still choose to have a sense of urgency or “a nudge”, as Andrew Friedman likes to put it. Check out our short-form content, from reaction clips to podcast bits, on Repertoire's YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels 🎵🤳🏼

This Week, We Learned… 🧠

​Eater Partners With Publisher Abrams on Line of Books - Eater is partnering with Abrams on an Eater line of books. Abrams, known for its state of the art visual books, will be the exclusive home for Eater book publishing in a deal that spans seven books, including three cookbooks and four city guides.

​Bon Appétit's 2022 Heads of the Table Awards | Bon Appétit - “We asked the BA staff, previous honorees, and trusted food writers for their recommendations, and after months of extensive research and deliberation, we’re finally here. These five honorees are doing critical work, work that heals the restaurant industry and makes it more inclusive, more equitable, and more delicious.”

​What Went Wrong With Eleven Madison Park’s Vegan Menu | Bon Appétit - In 2021 ducks made way for peppers as the restaurant went plant-based. It marked a monumental occasion that Humm hoped would shape fine dining’s future. But months later things aren’t looking so optimistic for one of the world’s most famous restaurants. There have been negative reviews of the food and, more notably, there have been allegations of food waste and labor issues that betray Humm’s progressive promises of change.

Comment from you folks:

To Peep 👀

​Breville: 20% off Select Espresso Machines - Don’t let the hot chocolate season steer you away from a nice caffeinated drink. Avail the discount before the holiday season ends!

​Courtney Storer (culinary consultant on The Bear) is coming to Seattle in the NEW YEAR! - The wine and whiskey will be flowing, sparking connections with old and new friends. Foodies from Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles – start the year off right and get to know Courtney and her immeasurable talents.

Quote I'm Pondering 💭

Thanks for reading, as always,

👊Justin​

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