J. Kenji López-Alt's Three Rules For The Restaurant Industry
In the age of reality cooking shows that have taken television and online streaming by storm, it seems we can't get enough of the high-level drama that goes on behind cameras in famous kitchens from popular shows like Hell's Kitchen and Top Chef. But far beyond judges and stages, the chaotic world of cooking appears to always be passed off as normal – until now. While we've all heard that famous saying about leaving the kitchen if we can't take the heat, for acclaimed chef and New York Times food columnist J. Kenji López-Alt, it's not about leaving the kitchen, but rather changing it.
Everything can't be all roses and sunshine 100 percent of the time, after all. Pandemonium is an underlying factor shared in thousands of restaurant kitchens across the country, but the culinary industry can make a shift towards some civility among chefs, cooks, and other kitchen employees. For chef J. Kenji López-Alt, author of the popular James Beard award-winning food column, The Food Lab (per his online bio), having a respectful environment is necessary for a kitchen to thrive and one that can be achieved by following three simple rules.
It's as simple as 1, 2, 3
If you're a follower of chef J. Kenji López-Alt on social media, you'll know that he doesn't take lightly the behaviors of recognized chefs like Gordon Ramsay, and has gone as far as to state Ramsey and other ill-tempered chefs alike should attend therapy (via Instagram). However, López-Alt recently took to Instagram to recommend three concrete ways in which kitchens could be improved to "help ensure that a basic level of respect is maintained."
López-Alt recommends a zero yelling, no cursing, and no public dressing down policy at all times. "If someone makes a mistake, make them aware, but wait until you can take them aside and talk about it – you'll both be more effective when you can talk calmly," said López-Alt. In the midst of slicing and dicing, it's understandable things may get lost in translation, but for a kitchen to work, respect should always be a priority.