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Mr. Miyagi was on to something in The Karate Kid. There is a process, a rhythm, and an order to so many things in life. You can’t get to the end game without going through the steps requiring “patience, young grasshopper”. We all need to learn the process, the rhythm, and the order to reach a level of competence, understanding, and confidence – there is no shortcut.  Practice, patience; practice, patience; assessment, listening, and acceptance of critique for cooks are as essential as the deep learning that took place during The Karate Kid’s training. When the process is embraced then understanding and excellence are the results.

The movie was entertaining at an elementary level, but the underlying lesson is what gave it cult status. Everything that Miyagi applies to karate and life in general does apply to a cook’s approach towards career and being in tune with the larger picture. According to Malestron, the men’s lifestyle magazine, here are a few “life lessons” from the Karate Kid. Apply them as you may to where you are in life and see how you match-up:

[]       BE RESPECTFUL: Being respectful seems to be in short supply nowadays. The kitchen brigade was built from military organization. Escoffier, the king of chefs, came from a military culinary background and designed the organizational model for kitchens that is still, to some degree, used today. Just as mise en place in work is important to efficient production and service so too is the structure of kitchen reporting and the respectful way that cooks, chefs, and service staff SHOULD interact. YES, CHEF is not a subservient approach towards blind respect, it is an efficiency that embraces the immediacy of need, the urgency of timing, and the acknowledgement of skill through experience that the chef brings to the table. This same respect should be applied to interactions with peers, guests, vendors, and all stakeholders in the conduct of business and life. The Karate Kid had to understand this if he was to learn important lessons from Mr. Miyagi and the value of experiential knowledge.

[]       HARD WORK PAYS OFF: Hard work, or commonly referenced as work ethic is a conditioning and belief that “you get back what you are willing to invest”. This is not hyperbole – look at the vast majority of people in any profession and you will find a willingness to and history of hard work. No pain – no gain.

[]       FACE THE LIONS YOU FEAR: It is human nature to avoid conflict, to find a safe place and call it home, to step aside when challenge is encountered, and gravitate to one’s comfort zone. It is natural to shy away from potential failure, to avoid competing with those who excel where we do not and accept a position of confidence. However, those who excel and succeed in life are often those who commit to improve, who face their demons, and who push themselves to learn from failure and constantly move forward. Step into the darkness and find your way.

[]       SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO WALK AWAY: At the same time, if you are not ready it may be wise to step away, then commit to preparation and self-improvement, defer to others, stand back, and observe, and view this process as not failure, but rather awareness of a need to re-direct. Don’t shy away from a challenge but know that timing is just as important as willingness. Make sure you’re ready.

[]       100% COMMITMENT: Stepping aside may be the best approach today, but only if you are willing to do what it takes to move forward, to learn and grow, and to chart a course towards excellence. You can do it if you are willing to give 100% to the process.

[]       FIND BALANCE: Our successes whether in the kitchen or in life are only enjoyable if balance is the result. Financial success without a life filled with friends, family, mentors, and a clear conscience is a hollow position. Chefs and cooks who are truly successful are those with not just a stellar history of culinary accomplishments but also a full life outside of work. Wax on, wax off infers that what we invest is what we are able to reap – input and output.

[]       MONEY ISN’T EVERYTHING: I know it’s hard to accept this statement if you’re broke but trust me – money is important until you have enough to support that balanced life – then you will crave interaction and social acceptance, knowledge and varied interests, friends and family, and a broader perspective on a life well lived.

[]       CHEATERS DON’T PROSPER IN THE LONG RUN: I relate this to those who accept short cuts as a means to an end. In the end you are a professional cook or chef and that means something. You are a representative of a proud history of cooks who respect ingredients and their source, embrace well established methods of cooking and flavor building, who are proud of clean plates returning from the dining room, and who connect with the background of a dish or method and understand how important it is to be true to that. Look at what you are doing today and ask if it is respectful of those ingredients, methods, and history.

[]       HUMILITY MATTERS: Being great at something – in this case – cooking or leading a kitchen team comes with a responsibility to be humble and share what you know with others rather and brag about your prowess. If you are accomplished there is little need to wear it on your sleeve. Ego can get in the way of the best cook and chef – keep it in check.

Wax on, wax off is an approach towards life inside and outside the workplace; it is acceptance of patience and awareness of process as well as meaningful outcomes that can result. Whenever you face one of those forks in the road or a seemingly impossible situation – think of Mr. Miyagi and the patience required to work through it and arrive at the outcome that is most appropriate.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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