Creating a positive kitchen environment will save you money! Every time you have to replace an employee it costs money, time and effort to recruit and train the replacement. Often employees leave the kitchen because of a hostile working environment. Here are my top 5 ways to make your kitchen a fun place to work.

5. Schedule the right people for day & evening shifts:

You must understand your cooks' lifestyles. If they are the type to party all night then these are your evening workers. They will hit the strip and party until last call and need time to sleep off the night before. Schedule them from mid-afternoon until close. Be very mindful of evening cooks looking to swap shifts with your day cooks.

4. Promote those who are calm under pressure:

It’s almost impossible to have a kitchen full of calm, cool and collective cooks. But if your Sous Chef or your lead line cook has a hot temper then you have a problem. Those in leadership roles need to be as cool as a polar bear's toe nails when under pressure. 

 3. Provide staff meals:

Take this one step further and have designated times and people for staff meals. The person responsible for cooking the staff meal should be scheduled a bit earlier and this person should rotate daily. Provide a bit of direction (I’ve got some salmon that we gotta use up) but let them be free to create whatever they want out of it. Everyone should sit down and eat together!  

2. Provide Staff Drinks:

After pulling off an intense dinner service, your kitchen staff needs to be able to pop a bottle cap and raise a glass with each other. I’ve worked in places where it happened automatically after every shift, and I’ve worked in places where it happened only after a busy shift. Either way it needs to happen and it will be appreciated!

 1.  Provide A Boombox:

Just like food…music soothes the soul! Your kitchen needs music! In my kitchens music is mandatory during prep and cleaning times. The only time it goes off is during service. Remember happy cooks make happy food! 

Did I miss anything? What’s working for you in your establishment?  Drop a brotha' a comment below and let’s continue the conversation.