Brandon Fazio – unfiltered

BOOM! the kitchen doors swing open, in comes the chef riding on her broom. Cooks that aren’t busy on a task, grab a rag and start wiping already clean counters. Everyone avoids eye contact with her to steer clear of a deathly look.

This is a good example of how not to carry yourself as the leader of a kitchen. I have been blessed to work for a handful of asshole chefs. Those chefs are the ones who taught me who not to be in the kitchen. Your cooks should smile when they see you walk in the door, not when you exit. They should feel respected. They should feel comfortable coming to you with any questions, or concerns. They should feel heard, and appreciated. Working in kitchens is not for the faint of heart, it takes a special breed of person. We work brutal hours at times. We miss a lot of quality time with those we love. The least we can do as the leader of a kitchen is to create a healthy environment. An environment that inspires, and provokes creativity. An environment where people are excited to go, and are able to be themselves. An environment that induces growth, both personally and professionally.

There are still chef’s out there throwing sauté pans, and belittling their workers. I hope in my lifetime it comes to an end, and we can break the generational trauma too many have endured.

To all the chefs out there already leading with kindness, I salute you.

Thanks for your time listening to my rant. Much love guys – Brandon Fazio