Written by Mark Hitri.
Photo by James Creange.
Fire, Knives and Steam, oh my.
There are many dangers in the kitchen that you need to be prepared to deal with. Having your first aid kit stocked and your MSDS handy and everyone trained on the equipment will help make it safe for your team. Having your team trained in the best food handling practices will make it safe for your guests. The question I want to ask is: how safe is your kitchen to grow and fail? The stereotypical yelling chef is not conducive to a safe environment for cooks to grow and fail in the industry. As a chef you are responsible for the growth of your staff and that includes clear directions and all the tools and ingredients to get the task done. But how do you deal with it when your staff fails? The great boxer Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” Every boxer knows they will get punched in the face and every chef knows their cooks will make a mistake at some point especially if they are going to push themselves and try to grow. However, they will only try to grow if they feel safe doing so. How are you making your kitchen safe to grow?
