STAFF: Encourage Learning Opportunities & Industry Certifications [Hack #063]
Building bench strength is a powerful way to Win the War for Talent. If you have aspiring team members, but no slot for them, keep their interests high by suggesting additional training through certifications. Whether it’s a busser/runner that wants to be a server or a line cook that wants to be a kitchen supervisor, there are inexpensive and free resources they can access to get a leg up.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Federer vs. Nadal
Tennis fans rejoice. For the first time since October 2017, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will face each other in an official singles match today, hopefully adding another chapter to what many already consider one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport.
America’s Refugees
The Pew Research Center recently published an analysis of data from the U.S. State Department's Refugees Processing Center which highlighted the top origin countries in FY 2018. The Democratic Republic of the Congo accounted for 35% of total refugee intake - 7,878 people in total. Myanmar came second with 16% (3,555) while Ukraine came third with 12% (2,635).
14 Pints Per Day
Stereotypes aside, this is quite the story about some Irishmen’s love for beer. Dr. Susan Flavin, an Irish historian and lecturer, discovered that 16th Century Ireland laborers drank more than two gallons of beer per day. Specifically, stonemasons at Dublin quarry were permitted a daily allotment of “14 pints of ale.” Flavin isn’t sure how strong the beer was, but estimates it to be about 7% ABV.
HEALTHY MINDS
Why it matters to you: Our industry knows it’s fair share of poor mental health.
In the year since Anthony Bourdain’s death, his TV show has succeeded him and his legacy -- even the negative aspects -- lives on in our industry. The image of drunken and drug-influenced restaurant employees were glamorized in Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. Unfortunately, for many of us that reputation is well deserved. In a business that requires almost all of your time and available energy, it’s not hard to understand how we sometimes turn to our extracurricular into problems in our regular life. As with many folks that struggle with over consumption, our behavior is exacerbated by underlying mental health issues.
This was especially true for someone like Anthony Bourdain, as the end of this life amply demonstrates. His own writing pointed to the challenges he faced with his mental health and how he fought his demons his entire life. So with the distance of one year since his death, it may be time to consider the mental health of your team and yourself. It can be as simple as checking in with your team and asking how they are doing. Whether you limit your involvement to inquiring into your teams mental condition or set up a wellness program, considering the overall status of your team is good for business. Your team is relying on alcohol and drugs to cope with their jobs surely isn’t.
[Source: GrubStreet]
A NOT SO HOT SUIT
Why it matters to you: A lawsuit over sriracha peppers is a lesson on supply integrity you need now.
Sourcing ingredients isn’t something that many of us think about often enough. Sure, you order and price check, but it’s less likely you are interested in the base items that ultimately make up your supply chain. However, the dispute between Huy Fong Foods -- makers of the original sriracha sauce -- and their former pepper producer Underwood Ranches exposes a real problem with ingredient sourcing. Huy Fong originally contracted with Underwood to produce the red jalapenos they used in the sauce, but last year the two parted ways -- and not amicably.
While the lawsuit is about money and pettiness, the issues revealed about ingredient sourcing are particularly relevant. We are all searching for that secret sauce, but what if you find it and then can’t create it because of a third party? In the case of Huy Fong, their supplier went even further than just discontinuing their relationship, they started making their own version of sriracha sauce. To avoid that same fate, be thoughtful about the ingredients you employ to make your signature items. For example, if you are featuring a specific farm’s product in your menu, ensure you have a solid contract to continue to receive those ingredients to avoid the fate of sriracha with your signature menu items.
[Source: Eater]
