Harvest America CUES BLOG

Like many of you, I sat and watched, with great anticipation, the days of the NFL Draft. Who will my team be able to lasso and pull into the organization? What will they contribute? Will they help us drive all the way this year? I know that if they make it to the final roster, they will be positioned to make millions of dollars in pay and bonuses and if they live up to the hype – much, much more. It is accepted in professional sports, like in so many other aspects of life: “You get what you pay for.” But I wonder – is this true?

Without a CULTURE OF QUALITY, the relationship of price to results is not always clear. Who knows how successful that multi-million dollar running back, or defensive lineman may turn out to be. There could be injuries in the first few games that sideline a player for the season, there may not be chemistry with the rest of the team, maybe ego will get in the way, or it could simply be a case of scouting misjudgment. Unless a team invests the time to build a culture and system around the concept of quality, then there are no guarantees.

It was Edwards Deming, the great American statistician and quality guru who said that VALUE is the real measurement of success and QUALITY is an essential component of the value formula. For value to exist, quality and quality measurement must be built into the culture and every aspect of the systems that drive an organization. Thus, in the case of football -unless a team invests in the culture of quality then those millions spent on players will lack enough traction to help them reach their goals.

The same applies to any business, in this case – a restaurant. Paying employees, a respectable wage, seems like a commonsense approach, but it does not guarantee success. Great pay and benefits without that culture of quality may very well fall short when it comes to performance and results. It makes sense on paper that buying the most expensive ingredients will result in high quality (you get what you pay for), but is that true? When you push those expensive ingredients to the eventual plate what is most important is guest reaction: “Is it worth the price”. Quality and price are not always synonymous. What you do with the level of quality invested in is far more important and relates directly to the culture and the system developed.

“Is it worth it! This is the most important measure of success when it comes to investment in people or ingredients.”

Did that experienced, higher than normal paid employee contribute to the operation as you intended? Did those high-priced ingredients build on the perceived value of the restaurant in the eyes of the guest?

So, what is a culture of quality and how is it created? Whether a sporting team, tech company, banking institution, institution of higher education, or a restaurant – investment in this culture should be first and foremost.

BUILDING A CULTURE OF QUALITY

[]       RESEARCH, STUDY, AND ASSESS BEFORE YOU HIRE.

Bringing a new player into the fold is one of the most important and challenging tasks of a manager, chef, or owner. The wrong move can result in in-fighting and a wedge between you and your team. Invest the time to find out as much as you can about the person whether a new sous chef, line cook, or dishwasher. They are all part of the team and will either add or subtract from the team’s effectiveness. Involve other team members in the interview process, hire them conditionally for a few weeks and then assess how well they integrate before solidifying the position.

[]       TEACH, TRAIN, CREATE FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITIES, IMMERSE IN THE TEAM CULTURE, MENTOR, AND MEASURE.

New hires need to understand your culture, your collective vision and mission, team dynamics, strengths, and weaknesses, and where they fit. Buddy them up with a seasoned veteran, include a touch base with you every day for the first week and see how they are acclimating. Mentor and teach them, show examples, critique (not criticize) their work and if it is not up to par – roll up your sleeves and show them how to improve. This is the honeymoon phase – do whatever you can to build towards success. At the end of the grace period, if it isn’t working then cut ties before any lasting damage is done.

[]       KNOW WHAT QUALITY MEANS TO YOU – SHOW EVERYONE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, MEASURE EVERYTHING AGAINST IT.

Your team will need to know EXACTLY what is expected. The time you invest in making these quality objectives very clear is the best investment you can make. Don’t let a single plate leave the kitchen until it is right, don’t allow any negative interactions to fester between employees – address them immediately. Don’t allow mediocrity to find a home anywhere in your kitchen. Everything is important to the culture of quality.

[]       DON’T RELY ON COST AS A MEASURE OF INGREDIENT VALUE.

It seems like common sense to buy that American Wagyu beef for your steaks, but if the result is a selling price that guest question as “worth it” then look for alternatives. Maybe a different cut of meat or cooking method will result in a dish that is equality gratifying in terms of flavor and plate presentation and at a price that demonstrates a commitment to value.

[]       PLAN MENUS FROM A VALUE PERSPECTIVE.

Think about what inspires both the cook and the guest: technique, flavor, execution, and visual impact. These are the components of “experience” that equate to a perception of value. Cooks love to make delicious, beautiful plates of food and demonstrate their skill in the process. Guests want the WOW FACTOR when it comes to stimulation of the senses. When these are addressed then price becomes less of a factor in determining value – the quality of the experience is paramount.

If you follow Deming’s approach then a great menu might invest more time in a perfectly prepared, fork tender chicken thigh with a deeply flavored sauce and perfectly executed vegetables at a price that is viewed as very fair, then that Wagyu steak for $70. The cook’s talent is on display with the chicken thigh and less so with simply knowing how to cook the steak at varying degrees of doneness.

[]       SHARE, CRITIQUE, LISTEN, EVALUATE, CELEBRATE TEAM RESULTS.

In a culture of quality, everyone shares in the results of the team’s collective work. The chef will openly share feedback from guests and offer critique that emphasizes how to improve rather than a scolding for not meeting expectations. In a culture of quality – the property ensures that guests have an opportunity to offer feedback and are thanked for doing so (before they turn to social media to do the same) and employees are given the same opportunity to provide insight. Mistakes are accepted and used as a tool to improve and are never held over the head of anyone involved. Successes are celebrated – even the small ones.

[]       TEAM IS NOT A GOAL IT IS WHO YOU ARE.

Team, like family, is the heart and soul of the restaurant. Just like a family – there are disagreements and times when individuals just don’t get along, but they unify around the concept of family. All for one and one for all. They can agree to disagree, but don’t allow anything to become a serious wedge between them and their goal of quality.

[]       INSIST ON EXCELLENCE AS A WAY OF LIFE – REGARDLESS OF THE TASK.

In a culture of quality excellence is the hallmark of performance, it is the ONLY WAY THAT TEAM MEMBERS APPROACH ANYTHING. From peeling onions to washing dishes, from making sure that uniforms are right to keeping the kitchen floor spotless even during busy times, and from sliding a basket of perfect fries in the pass to plating a perfectly grilled halibut steak – excellence is the measure, the expectation, and simply stated – the way things are done.

[]       RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE AND SHARE THE WEALTH.

In a true culture of quality – excellence is expected and delivered and when the result is business success – the outcome is shared. Whether it is simply announcing a great review from a guest or outside evaluator, or an occasional bonus or jump in pay – the team knows how much the organization values their contribution.

[]       DON’T PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.

Teams enjoy adding players who are accomplished at their position and relish the chance to bring a new person on board who can make them collectively better. However, a culture of quality will never allow that added expertise to overshadow the contributions and accomplishments of every other player. It will always be the support group who allows the unique player to perform at a level that is “worth it”.

Whether an NFL team that adds a mega star to the roster and pays unheard of money for that expertise or a restaurant who pays a bit extra to attract a sous chef with “rising star” qualities – it is the culture of quality that will allow those investments to pay off.

Invest in building quality into the system before considering how you will spend your money on people or ingredients.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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