Respect

In class we learned about good leaders and managers. I truly feel that my Executive Chef, of the Golf Club Kitchen at the Broadmoor Hotel, fits directly into this category. He respected each and every one of his employees and made it known day by day. Each morning when he came in he said “Hello” to everyone individually and each night he said “Goodbye”. This in turn made all of us respect him in return. It made us all feel that we were a vital part to his kitchen and he knew that if we were not there the food would not be as good as it was. He also was very good at letting his well trained staff take charge in situations when he knew they would strive.

Even though he really knew what he was doing in the kitchen and knew what he wanted from us, he let us use our creativity in our dishes, especially when we made up some of the dinner specials, but even on our main entrees. An example of this is; One night, in the middle of service, one of the full-time cooks and I were plating our pork dish. While we were plating, the pork kept falling off to the side, leaving the plate a mess. Chef saw what was happening and he told us that we were allowed to change the plating if it would help us. So, the next order that came in I was told to plate. I plated it differently than we were doing it before and Chef liked it. From then on we plated it that way. This was really nice to have the respect of such a high Chef in our Hotel. He gave us the respect and what we wanted to do to make sure that everything turned out the way that it was suppose to. He made sure that we knew what we were doing and that we were comfortable doing it. This respect that he gave us was all put into the food.

I was on the grill station for about half the time I was there. While on that station there were very few re-fires. I truly feel this is because of all the confidence that our chef had in us. I was told many times, by many different people that Chef never puts Externs or Apprentices on the grill station. This was because it is such a high priority station. But for some unknown reason he put me there and I earned his respect every day that I was on that station. He had what he wanted in his mind and I proved him right.

Chef was an amazing leader. Everyone in our kitchen, and even the entire Broadmoor, knew who he was and had the respect for him. If he needed almost anything, another kitchen would give it to him in a heartbeat, even pots and pans.