Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
S2:EP10 International Men's Day: Positive Role Models
71 Plays5 months ago
In honour of International Men's Day, we’re thrilled to present a special episode featuring chefs Chris Jarman, Chris Terry, and apprentice chef Louie Mcdonald, hosted by Andy Aston, our head of partnerships and community.
This heart-warming conversation shines a spotlight on the importance of positive role models and their impact on young chefs. Together, we explore the intricacies of mentorship, debunk common misconceptions about life in the kitchen, and discuss why prioritising mental wellbeing is vital in the hospitality industry.
Join us as we dive into the stories, experiences, and advice from these talented chefs. Discover how mentorship and role models can shape careers and redefine the future of the culinary world.
Don’t miss this episode—tune in and celebrate International Men’s Day with us! Who knows? You might feel inspired to become a mentor yourself.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast and Theme
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to FYI, the Back to Story Podcast. I'm Andy Aston, Head of Chef Partnerships and Communities at Back to Story, and I'll be your host for today's episode where we'll be exploring the power of Mentorships in celebration of International Men's Day.
00:00:12
Speaker
We're joined today by three very special
Role of Chris Jarman in Food and Sustainability
00:00:14
Speaker
guests. First, Chris Jarman, Head of Food and Sustainability. Chris, how are you? Good, thank you, very good. Thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us a little bit about what you do? Yeah, so my role is Head of Food and Sustainability at one of the central London locations. Been with Backstory for about six years now. The day-to-day role is sort of overseeing all the kitchens in the building, so retail, hospitality, and the client dining kitchen. Got chef tables, got bakery.
00:00:38
Speaker
Obviously, we've got an apprentice as well.
Mentorship and Kitchen Management with Chris Jarman
00:00:40
Speaker
He's part of the team as well. So it's kind of like being dad, I guess. It's kind of like any problem you've got a sort in. So yeah, it's high stress, but i and I enjoy it. I love it. And you're great with your apprentices as well. You've got a great, you're a great mentor. So thank you for joining us. Chris Terry, how are you? Yeah, I'm good. Thanks. Thanks for joining us. Yeah, really good. Yeah. Tell us a little a bit about what you, what you do in your day to day role. So very similar to Chris, apart from the sustainability piece, that's obviously coming a bit later. Just opened one of our new locations in the city, where I look after hospitality, retail, and client dying. Team of 40 of us. Brand new building, obviously we've also got a chef and apprentice just like Chris. Yeah, it's really busy. Everything's brand new, it's shining, so what more can a chef want, really? Brilliant, and you'll you'll grab your apprentices too, and that takes us onto Louis.
00:01:25
Speaker
Louis, our apprentice with Chris Terry, who's just been talking there. Louis, how are you? I'm great, thank you. Tell us a little bit about what you do.
Chris Terry's Role in Hospitality and Retail
00:01:32
Speaker
Of course. So I'm currently working with Chris Terry and I'm basically training to become a chef. So I've got a strong passion for cooking. So you're on a three year apprenticeship, aren't you? So three awards academy, culinary arts specialist, chef. And you started with us back in January. Yeah, jumped into that straight after school because I was looking around for work experience and I met with a chef. He was heading me to work in the best place possible. He mentioned the ritz, so I went up to there, wrote a letter to John Williams and I was asking for an apprenticeship. So he welcomed me and had my interview. I didn't get it, but he offered me some work experience. So over there, learning of I was learning how service works, all the dishes I'm making. I was amazed by that.
00:02:13
Speaker
Then off that, John Williams actually told me about the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, the whole course, and then recommended me to go on it. So literally, straight after school, I just jumped into the course, and yeah. So the Ritz's loss is our game.
00:02:28
Speaker
Well, it's delighted to have you today. It's your first ever podcast, isn't it? It is, yeah. Chris Terry, you're doing a great job with Louis,
The Importance of Being a Positive Role Model
00:02:33
Speaker
so thank you. Well, look, throughout today's episode, we will explore the importance of having a positive role model, the value of guidance and how this relationship can support both our personal career and also our mental wellbeing, which is really important to remember that. So, chefs, are you ready for for some questions? In the far away. Fantastic. So the first one is going to be for Chris Charmons. In your opinion, what is your understanding of being a positive role model?
00:02:56
Speaker
I think it's, first and foremost, you've got to be approachable. You've got to be someone that the guys can relate to. So it's not about being super hard face all the time, you've got to be someone who's quite welcoming, but you've got also got to show them how it is to be, how you should work in the kitchen, how you should work in your, the apprentices are very young, so it's almost like we've got to kind of help them sort of grow up in a way, and sort of out in a big wide world, they've moved a lot of them have moved to London, it's kind of quite daunting, so then stuff will come up that you maybe, we didn't expect to come up, it might be problems with our host families or stuff like that, or just, they're missing homes, I think. For for us, it's just to, to
00:03:35
Speaker
Show them what a chef should be in our eyes, but it's someone that's approachable, it's someone that's professional. yeah For me, I try not to expect them to do anything, I'm not willing to do it myself, you know what I mean? So it's kind of, they can relate to what you're doing. And just been been being that person that they can come to with their problems, with their questions, whether it's a question about a recipe, or it's a question about their their coursework, or well yeah their home life, like how to how do get in tune to this place. so It can be anything, but it's just being that person that's there for them.
00:04:04
Speaker
and that's And that's a really important note, there especially you mentioned, so I guess for any any anyone working in your kitchen, yes, you're responsible for them when they're in your care, but it's also the aftercare as well, I can say. You've had some experiences of that this year, yeah you know, just how you find stuff for them to do outside of work, especially when they're young, you know, if you if your friends are young or whatever member your teams are.
00:04:24
Speaker
Yeah, totally. It's not like an eight hour shift and then you forget about them kind of thing. They'll be more likely to be content all sorts of times of the day with this problem or that problem. Or it might just be sending you a picture because you've gone and done a dance class or something like that. Whatever it is, certainly with our apprenticeships.
00:04:43
Speaker
we get a lot There's a lot of content inside and outside of work, if you want me. But it's that it's that social side as well, because that's one of the difficult things when they move to London, is that they're away from family, they're away from friends. So you have to, luckily for us, ours, she gets on very well with our team. So that works really well. But yeah that's not necessarily the case everywhere.
Mentorship Experiences and Team Enrichment
00:05:02
Speaker
but so youre yeah So being a positive role model is very important, isn't it? For me, it's part of my job and i want I always want to do my job well. I think yeah Chris, who stays the same, we all want to do our job well, so that's part of our job. so Great, lovely, great answer. Okay, we're going to come on to Chris Terry.
00:05:20
Speaker
Chris, you're Louis' mentor. and you know I'm indeed, yeah. From somebody that sits outside of that, you know you've done a fantastic job of Louis this year. you know We started on January 8th, didn't we? Yeah. It's a big responsibility for you and the team. You've encouraged a positive environment for Louis to flourish, haven't you? Can you tell us a little bit more about how you've managed that alongside the day-to-day job, you know keeping him active and keeping him happy?
00:05:40
Speaker
So I believe we have, you youre obviously very true. Like I say, you mentioned there that Louis didn't actually start with us when the apprenticeship scheme started, unfortunately, because we were still under construction. So to to not let Louis miss out, we sort of put him in one of our other locations, just so he was still in in in a kitchen environment. And then luckily enough, we sort of brought him back on board, maybe, was it three months?
00:06:03
Speaker
after we opened, obviously, so he was not nervous. And then obviously when he come into the team, he'd already been introduced to the team. But yeah, bringing him on board for us, yeah it's a brand new space for a young apprentice to come into on his own, let alone a location that's up and running. So to get him in from the start was also very positive and beneficial for for me, for the team and for for Louis himself, because we could start off the right way where we're a new team in the location.
00:06:32
Speaker
It was also very handy to bring in new team members at that start rather than halfway through the journey. So I found that very positive for myself. But just in terms of obviously was c Louis himself, what more could you ask for an apprentice? Great attitude, great responsibility. The commitment he's shown to me is fantastic. So I want to give it back to him. And the reason I'm a mentor and I want to give back is what I've been taught. And that's my philosophy in terms of the younger guys in the kitchens, I want to give back to what I've been taught. So for me, having this ah opportunity to to deliver something I've learned and teach back to Louis, other chefs throughout my journey is something I'm really passionate about anyway. So what we've done for Louis, obviously any opportunity we can give out of the business to see new suppliers.
00:07:18
Speaker
ah meet new faces. We're trying to support that and encourage that as much as possible so he gets as much growth for himself and obviously having the opportunity in our location where a multiple site he can experience new things every single day so it's good for someone like that.
00:07:35
Speaker
Great, and and obviously Louis when he joined you was 16. So it's kind of, throughout that time, do you feel you've changed, you mentioned slightly it's been good beneficial for you, but do you feel it's changed how you manage, you know, all of your team? Because if you think about, obviously Louis coming in at a very young age and, you know, added a bit of spark to the team, inspired them, lots of energy. Do you feel it's improved, you know, kind of how the team communicate, the you know, the rest of the team? or Do you feel you manage them slightly differently? Do you, has it created more opportunities?
00:08:04
Speaker
I believe we have to, because obviously someone's so young. I've been in the industry for for many years and always been around a lot of older generational people and obviously having someone so young in the kitchen, you have to change the way you act and adapt accordingly and obviously so looking at people that we've already got and how they come across and obviously speak to Louis, it has also very been encouraging and obviously used the word challenging in some aspects because we're so quick to want to do something our own way but having someone so young that's very new to this sort of game you have to adapt a lot differently so I think we've really haven't changed our approach to how we speak to our staff as a whole.
00:08:47
Speaker
Great, so that's a positive. Yeah, a real positive. I believe, you yeah. Great. Well, great, great answer. Thank
Industry Changes and Mental Health Awareness
00:08:52
Speaker
you. I just want to move on to talk about a little bit about mental wellbeing in the workplace. And the industry as a whole, there's a lot being said over the last few years about mental health and how we manage it and how we look after each other and how we communicate. Let's talk about the shifts in the industry attitude towards mental health over the years.
00:09:06
Speaker
What changes have you seen and what do you think still needs improvement? I'll come to you Chris Jarman first. I think there's bit certainly been big strides made in sort of the mental health of chefs and stuff like that and the stress that they're under I would say over the last few years. I think it's important that we we find a balance and we don't go too far one way or the other because I think ultimately a lot of the successful chefs in the industry have been through a hard time and they've learned from it and grown from it and I think we still have to put the younger apprentices into difficult situations but we're not talking like difficult situations where they're getting screamed at we're talking challenging you know it might be a challenge during service or it might be a section that's very busy or something like that so we're not sort of cotton willing them too much because then we need to prepare them for
00:09:52
Speaker
They might go into a restaurant or to another site. It's not as so friendly as where we are or as supportive. So we need to prepare them for the big, wild world in many ways. But I think at the same time, they need to be able to feel that they there's no stupid questions that can always come to you for a recipe, or I'm not sure how to do this, or I'm not sure how you want this cut. So it's having that support, but it's also challenging them at the same time. So I think we've made massive strides.
00:10:18
Speaker
I think as an industry, like I think you compared compare it to that even 10 years ago, it was massively different. It was very hostile, it was very uninviting, it was kind of almost like military, almost like the army. And and that precision is part of the past, I think, of being a chef. You need that military precision, but it doesn't mean that you need someone to scream at you because you've cut a rung or something like that. So I think it needs to be like okay that's wrong but don't worry about it this is the right way to do it so you rather than just telling them it's wrong and not explaining why you're fully explaining why they're doing something wrong and i think that's that's the other thing is that always taking that time to be if service has not gone very well or something like that you always pull them aside and say look this is what went wrong and this is how you fix it next time so it's always giving them solutions why you know why he's done that wrong kind of thing so
00:11:01
Speaker
And then go, I just want to, you know, we've had to get some good conversation this year. You know, you've reached down a number of occasions yeah in terms of your apprentice, but any money general. And we've had a chat about. Delicate things that have been going on, you know, growing up, challenges in the outside of work. What I love the most about that is how we've dealt with that or how you've dealt with that in terms of broadening the network, rather than it just make, you know, keeping an isolated case. You know, you, you the individuals reached out with their talks and yeah it's been positive. And I think that that's very new to our industry. You wouldn't have seen that many years ago. You know, if you reached out to somebody for help, it would normally just be brushed away. But I think what we're seeing now is,
00:11:35
Speaker
We're in it together. you know We've got each other's back and that's really important. I think there's been some good cases this year of how you've handled certain situations. Yeah, i mean I agree. I think that think that's the beauty of our business in many ways is that it's not just a restaurant or hotel with a head chef and then that's it kind of thing. There might be a direct restaurant manager or something like that, but we have a whole support network with people like yourself who, if I need advice, because I'm not know i'm an expert at these things and we all and we all have different opinions and different experiences that we've gone through in our lives that might be relevant to help the apprentices. and I think that's the thing is that The apprentices also know that they've got that support, so that makes them feel more sort of comforted anyway, if you know what I mean, whereas I think if if they had a problem and we didn't have that support network behind us, it would be very difficult for just us at site to deal with. We can do our best, but we have a lot of other role models, whether it's male or female, within the business, and so I think, yeah, that's one of the best things about our business.
00:12:26
Speaker
Yeah, it's very positive. It's good to see.
Louis's Journey and Experience at Backstory
00:12:28
Speaker
And you've done some great work there. I'm going to come to you, Louis. OK. Are you ready? So, Louis, look for you. I mean, you've been with us just nearly a year now. You started in January. So, nearly a year now. Have you found your experience so far just in terms of if you've had a problem or you you wanted to talk to someone? Have you have you found it easy to reach out and speak to Chris Terry or anyone? Oh, yeah, no, 100 percent. Literally, like it's like backstories, like a massive lot of family. They're also caring. Chris.
00:12:53
Speaker
Some of my mates, they're working hotels and I've spoken to them, their mentor was like, not very good. Whereas like here, I feel so welcomed. If I've got a problem, I'm not ashamed to ask about it. If I've got like a weird question, they're all here to tell me which I'm really happy about. Louis, just in terms of that, 11 months. Yeah. Yeah. You've kind of, you seem to be flourishing. Of course, yeah. Yeah.
00:13:16
Speaker
Is there anything that stands out in that time that you feel has really benefited you and and given you real, just makes you feel good, you know, about you've made the right decision to work in this industry? Oh yeah, definitely. I mean, with this industry, I've presented with so many opportunities to grow. Like recently, I've just been, I've increased to enter me in a cooking competition, which I was really nervous about at first, but I've now done my first competition. I've loved it. And I've looked at stuff like an improve on that, reckon that can make me become like a better chef.
00:13:44
Speaker
That's perfect. Listen, at the end of the day, it's about creating experiences and you're flourishing, which is really important. Chris and Terry, I want to come on to you quickly. Hospitality. It is often perceived, you know, as a high pressure industry, especially in the kitchens. And Chris, Jeremy, you mentioned earlier on about, you know, the old days, what it used to be like. You can overlook your own well-being sometimes, can't you?
00:14:00
Speaker
What do you do to look after yourself personally and your team on a daily basis when it comes to your own wellbeing? So like obviously Chris Jarman said that there has been a shift in the industry over the like say the last 10 years and you cook certainly can see that and obviously what that sort of has happened to us is the work-life balance.
00:14:20
Speaker
um and making sure that work-life balance is there for all team members. Previously, when I was a young lad in the kitchen, I'm a bit older now, obviously I was working 15, 16, 17, 18 hours a day and that didn't bother me. But when you look back in reflection, you think, really? Is that what we were doing?
00:14:38
Speaker
And yes, there is a part that's still needed, so they need to understand about being a chef that that means there is long hours, but it's not to scare people, because nowadays we have got ah that work-life balance and making sure that they understand that. If they want to put in the effort and the the hard work, then we're willing to show what you can achieve by doing that. But also, there is outside. You can still spend time with your family, you can still spend time with your friends. But if you want to spend time with
Balancing Work and Life
00:15:02
Speaker
us, we're here. For me, it's a reflection about what I've achieved.
00:15:06
Speaker
And now what I can do differently in my approach to whatever that may be, but I can only look at the benefit of what I've achieved. So for me, next is obviously more for the work-life balance, spend time with a family, and I'll try and encourage the team. Obviously, everyone's got kids, well, most people got kids, sorry, ah but they've all got families. And to spend time with a family in troubled times is what's needed. So checking in on the staff, making sure they're okay. How was your weekend? What are you doing tonight?
00:15:35
Speaker
How can I help? Any concerns? Constantly speaking to the guys. I think it's really important to emphasise the fact that we do, you do you you chefs do a lot for everyone, you know, and that's the easy part, is well how we look after ourselves. And that's really, really important that we get that time for ourselves as well. So, Chris Jarman, I'm going to ask us the same sort of question to you. What do you do to kind of look after Chris?
00:15:59
Speaker
I mean, you know for me now, a lot of it is spending time with my daughter but and that that has also forced me to have a better work-life balance because it wasn't possible for me to continue to do the hours that I was doing. So that was a big change for me. But also, for me, a lot of it is exercise, it's seeing mates. It might be going for a cycle, going for a coffee, having a cake. that's you know That's my Sunday. That's what I do on a Sunday morning. but Yeah, ex exercise has always been important to me. Just ah if you've had a really bad day, you go and do a bit of a run or you do some weights or something like that. It just takes your mind off stuff. and kind of It's the space where you can kind of leave your phone in the locker, forget about emails, just kind of i forget about it. But I think on the flip side of that, I've also always found that work has been my escape. So if I'd been going through into something in my personal life,
00:16:44
Speaker
I've always found that that concentration and that focus at work and also having the ability and wanting to help the rest of the team has helped me forget a bit about myself and my stuff and not in a bad way where it's kind of like forgetting about it and just parking it. It's just that kind of having that focus on it on other people rather than having that time to just dwell on something that's going on in your life all the time because as soon as you leave work it pops back up again.
00:17:07
Speaker
but That's the way I've always been with work. It's always been a ah distraction in many ways of stuff that I've had going on in my personal life. So I think work can be work can cause the distress, but work can also be part of it that helps it. Especially if you're doing something you love. If you're doing something you love, like putting food on the plate and you're seeing the customer's face or you're talking to the chef's table or whatever, then that's you the joy of being a chef. So that that's therapy in itself, if that makes sense.
00:17:31
Speaker
And that's a really important message you said there about coming to work helps you because in the wrong hands, you know, sometimes it's easy to come to work to forget about what goes on, but then just forget, totally forget. And I guess it's great that you so you can get back into your home life and you you're able to pick that up and still manage it because that's the really important message here that you don't just let it. Yeah, you can't let work bury. No. that's That's the dangers you're so busy to work that your your problems outside can get buried and forgotten about and that you never saw them out. So I think that, yeah, it's it's important to have that kind of That's which you can flip back to. Love it. Very true. Louis, I'm coming back to you again. okay No pressure, Chef. Louis, Chris, as a mentor, you know this year, for you we've mentioned it slightly before, can you can you tell me some some of the good things he's helped you with in terms of your own development? Maybe it's personal, maybe it's professional. Is there a couple of examples you've got for us?
00:18:20
Speaker
You know what, he's amazing. Well, the main thing is to help me grow as a chef. I'm learning different techniques, something I'm struggling with. Like, he's really helping me grow as a chef. And...
00:18:33
Speaker
I picked up many things that are important, like seasoning to taste for example, it's quite big on that and I've sort of picked that up. One time I was doing my salmon dish for an event and we liked seasoning tasting each component which I really enjoy that and I've found out how much seasoning to taste can actually change the dish, how much it it improves it basically. Just the little things he helps me with which I think is amazing. ah that's like That's great. i mean It's good to hear that.
Impact of Mentorship on Development
00:19:00
Speaker
At the end of the day, we're here today to talk about you know positive mentorship, and that's really important to get that message across. No matter what form it comes in, whether it's personal, or private, whatever, it doesn't really matter professional, or it doesn't really matter. As long as there's examples of it and you're feeling it, and you've just turned 17, so you joined us at 16, you've just turned 17, so you've been going for a lot.
00:19:18
Speaker
You know, you've come to London every day and it's great to see you grown and see where you are. So well done so far. honest see Yeah, we've got a big challenge ahead. Obviously you're currently still living with your parents, obviously. And then Louis is going to make that transition to go live with somebody else. So um yeah that's an experience and obviously support ah Louis through that as well. Obviously that's going to be new to us. on fork Obviously Chris is having that now and he's going to have that reversal.
00:19:42
Speaker
in January, look yeah we've had it the other way, so we've got that to look forward to. And obviously ever and that's and that's the time for you, Louis, to kind of be if look at the the mentorship in a different way. Yeah. Because you need help, you know, personally, you know, moving to a new area. It's important you keep communicating as well. So thank you. Chris Jarman, back to you again, apprenticeships. You're a massive fan of apprenticeships. I know you are as I am. Do you feel as an industry, we're doing enough to encourage and support and enough apprentices come into this this industry?
00:20:09
Speaker
I think we're doing better. I don't think certainly business we're doing better. But I think there's still a long way to go. There's still barriers to it, whether that's clients or budgets or stuff like that. But you know, I think we're doing way better. And I think and also I think we where chefs as managers and execs and stuff like that, we're more open to it as well because I think before we'd kind of be a bit like, you might have looked at them as being a bit of a burden and some of them I can. I'm gonna have loads of pay points to do with this. I'm gonna have loads of like, I'm gonna have to help them with this. But then I think,
00:20:41
Speaker
the actual apprentices themselves have convinced us all in a way like every time I'm asked and I think Chris is the same when we've been asked about social drinks or whatever and then said how the apprentice is getting on we've all been really positive said he had a great brilliant so I think that is helps in itself because it's getting the other sides and the other edge she hasn't exactly think oh okay actually this could be quite good you know to the point where i'm actually saying to the the career team could we just have some more apprentices um because the the quality of what we're getting is is a lot better than what we're some we're sometimes saying in an interest because other people have been taught wrong or they've picked up bad habits whereas with the apprentices it's kind of like a blank canvas really we can kind of we can mold them in a way we want to mold them and as long as they again start us with
00:21:20
Speaker
good people, good teams, the right the right atmospheres, then they're only going to flourish. then then the rest of these is up If they don't, then that might be partly down to them and they might have certain struggles, but I think they're being put into the right places. so i think Definitely, I think the industry as a whole is is more open to it, but certainly within our business, we're definitely more open to it, I think. it's
The Growing Role of Apprenticeships
00:21:41
Speaker
Hopefully, this will be the sort of start of something much bigger and it'll it will just grow and grow and grow.
00:21:45
Speaker
i think I think this year we've learned a lot. you know We took them for apprenticeships, prentices so we we've literally had 11 months in, no sick days. You know, this is part of what I mean, is the reliability is unreal. Dedication. But I'm no late. It's almost unheard of. But if you go back to the fact that, you know, in our sick days, we talk about positive mentorship here today, you know, having positive mentors and also a positive environment has allowed them to flourish. So I think you've answered that question perfectly, you know, and that's the bit we must remember, you know, the right environment, the right leadership, you know, whatever it might be, professional personally,
00:22:20
Speaker
allowing them to flourish and putting them in difficult situations, but being there to pick them up when we do our own stuff. So apprenticeships are very important. You know, I think we this year alone, you know, you've you've done incredible work on it. So, you know, we appreciate that. And I'm going to move on to the next topic, myths and common misconceptions. The culture within kitchens has often been depicted as stressful, high pressure and associated with burnout. However, the backstory, we have a positive kitchen culture that is inclusive, inspiring and creative. Nui.
00:22:50
Speaker
Back to you again, I know you might have answered this similarly, but how have you found working in that kitchen, and how has it measured up your expectations? So when you started to to now, how has it been for you? is This is including college as well. Yeah, just in terms of... First of all, I'm going to be honest, it was ah it was a massive shock because before I was working in kitchens, I was just cooking at home. I had all the time in the world, but I've noticed that responsibility is a big thing. You're responsible to like for actually making food, making the dishes.
00:23:17
Speaker
So I've learned how important that is, I've picked that up and, you know, it was a big shock. which College has also really prepared me for that because we had a restaurant there, we was running service, we was all responsible, we each for one dish to put out, which is similar to the actual working at a restaurant. So you come out, the the kitchen colleges are really, you know, I've been down there, they're temporary at the moment. They are, yes. You've come to that environment, you've come into our kitchens, you've been in you've been in two kitchens really, haven't you? You've been out and doing stuff. so You know, you mentioned that all your colleagues might be out working in other restaurants around the town, but you've been able to experience different locations. Yeah, exactly. And I love to see how different like each location is. Like, it's not all just the same because they're different. You learn different techniques, different food, basically, which I do really enjoy. it Thank you. Chris Terry, do you feel kitchens are now operated with more effective learning environments for chefs? Do you think if you go back to where you started, obviously with Divanarina, in the world we're working in now, do you feel we're set up for
00:24:11
Speaker
delivering more of an experience for somebody coming into our kitchen, a new person, or our existing teams? I'd definitely say yes. I still say there there needs to be improvement, but from when I started, when I came out of college, I was thrown in at the deep end. That's probably Chris Gyllen was the same.
00:24:28
Speaker
so to just get on with it obviously if you didn't succeed but you got shouted at and you moved on i suppose so but now obviously it's a a real welcoming environment obviously we got opportunities that we didn't have back then and obviously given the guys the tools that we've got and some of the equipment that's changed and obviously the supply chain and the support mechanism from the company as a whole I think really screams volumes that it really does encourage people to want to join us as a company and the industry. Great, thank
Advice for Aspiring Chef Mentors
00:25:01
Speaker
you. Chris Jarman.
00:25:04
Speaker
bit of a closing question for you really. and Many young chefs look up to those with more experience. What advice would you give to any chefs who want to become mentors themselves but aren't sure where to start? So anyone in our business that might be listening today, what what what should they be? any any Any good tips for them?
00:25:19
Speaker
well i mean i think First and foremost, kitchen should be fun, and you should be fun to work with, but they should be professional at the same time, so it doesn't mean that if you're professional you can't have a bit of a laugh now and then, but the whole point is that it's got to be an environment where people can learn, so you've got to be someone who's comfortable or wants to.
00:25:40
Speaker
pass on your knowledge. It was like what Chris was saying earlier. It's very important that we, for me and I think for Chris Terry as well, that we pass on what, because I was taught by incredible people. I learned from incredible cooks. And I always was in in good places to learn. So I think it's important to me to pass that stuff on and to pass on the correct recipes and and correct techniques. And no, you don't do it this way. You do it that way. So it's not about just pass on a recipe. It's about passing on the recipe in the right way. if I mean, and not just giving us one recipe without understanding how to do it. So I think really you need to be approachable. You need to be welcoming. You need to be positive.
00:26:10
Speaker
It's about that glass half full rather than glass half empty kind of approach because it's very easy for them to kind of be daunted by coming to a big kitchen or a new size, but it doesn't need to feel like that. it can It needs to be welcoming and sort of open. And I guess, you know, we talk a lot about food in this conversation. Sometimes food's an important part, but obviously also have an empathy.
00:26:31
Speaker
You know, put yourself in a situation a new person might be in or wherever it might be. I think it's teaching them your experiences. So food is important. I think it's also teaching, you know, learning from what you've been through. And that's really important too. So great answer. Louis, quick one for you. Look before we go, we come back to you again, chef. Any advice you'd give to any young chefs?
00:26:48
Speaker
they want to join this hospitality industry from you who's very new to the business. Right so personally I think passion is key showing your passion all the chefs will definitely pick up on that they'd actually want to help you because they'll see that you're keen to learn which I found with Chris you've got to be very resilient and a lot of chefs will really like that about you because If you were to fail, like if you had a bad service, some people maybe wouldn't let it go. They could get too much to them and it could ruin them. But if he was like, come back up from that, chefs would see that. I guess if I go back to what you just said there, are you more, would you feel more comfortable now, and you've done nearly a year in the kitchen, are you more comfortable now working in a team? Do you feel like you're able to pass on some experiences to other people that might be joining? Oh, yeah, not. So have you been apprentice joined, for instance? 100%, yeah. Yeah, you'd be confident to do that.
00:27:36
Speaker
you know, you'd give them advice. That's important as well. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. Obviously just to to touch base on that and was seat obviously what Chris said, that to be a mentor, don't be don't me scared. Obviously you've all got the ability to to do it and deliver and because you do it day in, day out, it's just having a little person next to you just to support you. And obviously anyone that wants to do what myself and Chris Jarman do, there's no reason why you can't.
00:28:07
Speaker
When you think about it as a whole, yes it's hard, there's a lot of effort and time that needs to be spent into it, but it's also very easy. It comes naturally because it's what you do they day in day out, teaching your commie chef to party sous chefs anyway. So just to take on an apprentice.
00:28:24
Speaker
It's no different. And obviously having someone like Louis for me was fantastic because Louis' attitude to wanting to do well and succeed has been phenomenal. So you can't ask for more than an apprentice like Louis to join the team anyway. So if you get another Louis to join the business, it makes your life a lot easier.
00:28:42
Speaker
Yeah, and I love that. It's a happy environment, which is a really nice thing. You said, if you have fun, we should have fun in our kitchen. You know, we've talked a lot about apprentices today, which is brilliant. You know, being ah in general, our teams, you know, hopefully it's influenced them and and and and positive change in the environments, which is important. Well, look, we've come to the end now. ah It's been a great conversation and one that I hope engages not just chefs, but others to become mentors and pave the way for future creativity.
Final Thoughts on Mentorship and Environment
00:29:03
Speaker
Any final thoughts? Any any last minute anecdotes you want to share quickly?
00:29:07
Speaker
I think for me it's just about being yourself, being yourself. Getting the apprentices, they can see your vulnerabilities as well. It's not just about you being hard-faced. We're all human, we all have our own problems, we all have our own experiences, but we can collectively, if we share them and we can't talk about it, we can we can get over it.
00:29:25
Speaker
criteria No, exactly the same. you know Obviously, like I say, we are all human. Yes, we wear the big tie or the big hat, but we're all down to earth at the same time. We've all got families. all We're all here to do a job, but we're not just your boss. We're friends. you know we We build a family together.
00:29:42
Speaker
Love it. Louis, I would just say just have fun. You don't think of it as a job, you just go in there just to make money. Honestly, I'm having fun there. I don't even think of it as a job. up Personally, I don't care how much I get paid. I think learning and growing is more valuable than my paycheck. Love that.
00:29:59
Speaker
That is a great answer. Well, ah thank you so much. Really appreciate your time, Chris. Thank you. chris for really Really good conversation there. And thank you for joining us on this episode of FYI, the Backstory Podcast. We hope you found inspirational and valuable insights into our conversation. Don't forget to subscribe for more engaging topics and stay tuned for upcoming episodes soon.