Ban swearing in the kitchen to make it a more attractive career choice
Banning swearing in my kitchens makes for a more positive environment and a more attractive career option, says Ralph Porciani executive chef and beverage manager for the Westin Turnberry Resort, Ayrshire.
The stereotypical chef has a reputation for being intimidating, foul mouthed and insensitive. I do not believe this is the way that the majority of chefs are, and if we want to attract new recruits to this sector, nor should it be the way that the industry is portrayed.
We are trying to drive forward the hospitality offering in UK but how can we achieve this when the perception is that many of the chefs in the most senior roles struggle to act in a professional manner? Like many chefs, I do not believe that this is an acceptable way to behave.
I want to coach my team on how to use their personal communication skills to propel their career advancement, allowing them to develop into young professionals.
I don't feel the need to yell at my team in order to get the best out of them and find I can motivate them far better by giving them a pleasant and calm environment to work in. This allows them to concentrate all their energies in producing the best dishes possible and the best experience for our guests.
As well as banning swearing, I also discourage unnecessary shouting in the kitchen and earlier this month I stopped calling out orders, called somaging. Again, this gives my team a more positive environment to work in and allows me to get so much more out of them.
I want a professional team producing first-class dishes and feel that banning shouting and swearing is one of the ways in which to achieve this. I strongly believe that you don't get the culture if you don't create the environment.
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