Leadership lessons from a great Australian chef
Photo of Guy Grossi from Grossi Florentino
I'm not usually a talker on flights, but my weekend trip from Perth to Melbourne was different.
It presented an opportunity I couldn't pass up. I was seated beside renowned Australian chef and restauranteur Guy Grossi. Lucky for me, he was up for a chat.
Over a few glasses of Chardonnay, we traded thoughts on, in his words, 'work, wine, food, life and humanity'.
With his permission, here are just a few things we covered...
Clarity of purpose is fundamental to business success. Considering restaurants as 'putting food on tables' would be easy yet short-sighted. Guy described his desire to create shared memories through dining experiences. (Anyone who has seen my Instagram knows that food and wine are central to my best memories!)
Culture requires increasing attention as you scale your venture. In the early days, when your team is small, culture happens by osmosis. Everyone can see and feel it. They know the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. As teams scale, the power of osmosis dissipates. There is an increasing need to be explicit about how you do things - which begins in recruitment and onboarding.
Feedback modulates culture. When done respectfully, correcting errant behaviour in real time allows an individual to learn. It has the added benefit of reinforcing core components of the culture to the entire team - the importance of quality output, the safety of making mistakes or the importance of learning.
Leadership presence is more than physical. Physicality certainly helps create presence. That said, even those of us who are 'vertically challenged' can create a presence by being curious, focused exclusively on the people we're with and remembering who they are and what they care about.
A rising tide lifts all boats. The restaurant business, like so many others, is highly competitive. Every day, we read about closings and, conversely, new openings. It is helpful to view the competition with an abundance mindset, focusing on the benefits for owners and patrons.
Constraints amplify the opportunity for creativity and innovation. The availability of ingredients, in part, determines menu design. That might result from seasonality and weather, the philosophy of using imported products or the price that customers will be willing to pay for an ingredient. Those constraints often produce surprising, new combinations on the plate.
Partnerships create powerful access. Selecting the right primary producers to partner with and forging deep, enduring relationships with them creates strength and security in your supply chain.
Our conversation allowed me to do two things I love - ask questions and share ideas about my favourite topics (food and wine, leadership, and culture).
Thank you, Guy.
My only regrets were the strong tailwinds that shortened the flight (said no one ever) and having to drive my car home from the airport!