My favorite boss in the kitchen always listened first.

Teams work better when the chef hears them out.

3 comments

3 Comments

Have you ever noticed how kitchens with good listeners have way less staff quitting? I read a piece about this last week that said when chefs actually hear their line cooks, the whole crew makes fewer mistakes. It pointed out that the person doing the job often spots tiny problems a manager might miss. That definitely lines up with what you're saying about your favorite boss. It builds so much trust when you know your voice matters before a decision gets made. That kind of respect makes people want to stick around and do better work.

nathanbailey1mo ago

But isn't that true for any kind of work, not just kitchens? Feels like a basic people thing, not a kitchen thing.

caleb_jenkins921mo ago

My old boss was such a bad listener I once told him the walk-in was on fire and he just nodded and asked for more diced onions. It's wild how much smoother things run when the person in charge actually processes what you're saying. That trust Brooke mentioned is everything, it turns a job you tolerate into a team you want to be part of. Getting ignored over small stuff just makes people stop speaking up about the big stuff later.