A Taste of Management

During my externship at Meadowood Napa Valley I experienced different management styles in the two kitchens I worked in, both of which consistently produced quality food. The first kitchen I was in was the Restaurant at Meadowood. It is a 2-Michelin star restaurant that offers up contemporary California cuisine. The chef running the kitchen was very much a Theory X manager with an Autocratic leadership style. While he was very personable and friendly outside once in the kitchen he was constantly yelling and haranguing especially during service. Even when he made jokes they were at the expense of someone. While he certainly had the Conceptual and Technical Skills necessary to create food worthy of the 2 stars, his Interpersonal Skills were definitely lacking and it showed. During my 18 weeks there was considerable staff turnover, certainly more than I saw in the next kitchen I worked in.

Following my time at the Restaurant I moved to the Banquets kitchen. This kitchen was run in a completely different way. The chef had a Participative leadership style and practiced Humanistic Management. While he also expected you to work hard and deliver he was always there with you in the trenches. He was always in a good mood and took the time to inquire about your well-being. The result of this was that the staff in the kitchen was extremely loyal to him with most having been there for at least 5 years. Some of my colleagues in this kitchen were even offered jobs in the Restaurant and turned it down because of the way the chef there managed. The food that came out of the Banquets kitchen did not suffer because of the Democratic leadership style. In fact it was of high quality with plates that looked restaurant worthy.