Being an executive chef means you’ve reached the height of your field. It’s also the start of a new phase in your career that can take you to many exciting places. The steps for how to become a head chef may be clear but that doesn’t mean everybody will have success in their first days–perseverance and persistence are key!
We recently spoke with Chef Tommaso Dainotti, Executive Chef for Glovo Concept, and asked him to share some advice for new executive chefs looking for some guidance.
Here’s what he had to tell us.
Explore the World
When you work in hospitality you’re lucky because you’re part of a global industry where your skills can easily translate from one location to another. Considering this, you should take advantage of that opportunity and move to work in different cities and countries.
Working in kitchens in different parts of the world will teach new approaches to cooking and running a restaurant. It will also give you an invaluable cultural education and push you to adapt to your new surroundings. This can help you evolve as much personally as it does professionally and give you a sense of humility that you may not have had before.
For Chef Tommaso, exploring the world played a major role in who he is today.
“The most helpful advice anyone ever gave me was to travel and see the world.
I have to say that at the beginning of your career, at school and at your first jobs, you get a lot of advice from chefs, professors, or your mentors. But it was only by following the advice to travel that I was able to take advantage of all the other knowledge I received over the years and put it into action.
For example, many people advise you to stay humble. For me, this has only been possible because I’ve had the privilege and opportunity to travel the world.
By traveling and tackling new challenges you really learn to have a humble attitude and always be prepared for any new situations that come your way. This is how your desire to learn and discover new things will stay alive and give you the chance to grow and improve every day,” he says.
Be respectful
This one might sound a bit obvious but it’s worth highlighting.
An executive chef must have respect at the forefront of their kitchen philosophy if they want to excel in their field.
You must respect the ingredients that you use and the customers you serve meals to, but it goes beyond that. You must have a true respect for your employees and create a working environment that allows them to grow and feel satisfied with their work.
“My philosophy in the kitchen begins with a single core value: respect. As a cook, you must have respect for the product and for the customer's needs or preferences.
As a head chef and manager, respect means building an environment of collaboration and creating room for personal growth for the whole team. Because nowadays this is absolutely a fundamental necessity in any working context,” says Chef Tommaso.
The kitchen should be your happy place
Running a restaurant kitchen is always going to come with a bit of pressure. It’s the nature of the job. However, you should still be excited to come in to work everyday and lead your brigade. If you’re not then that’s a problem that needs to be solved.
As the head chef, your attitude will set the tone in the kitchen. Energy is contagious, whether negative or positive, and your staff will respond to the way you conduct yourself. If you’re having fun and enjoying yourself at work (while remaining professional) then your team will too.
Chef Tommaso agrees:
“The most important advice for me to give to someone starting out is to always do what makes you happy. First, you need to identify your career path as a chef and then make sure you are always choosing the role or setting that makes you feel happy and fulfilled. Because a happy chef always cooks better,” he says.
If chef Tommaso’s advice has you feeling inspired to take the next step in the kitchen, check out the open executive chef jobs available on Hosco today!
