Noble Food and Pursuits

What My Experience Taught Me: Team Training Drives Quality

My experience in bakery operations has evolved over the years with every new location I have worked in and brand I have worked with.

Being in the industry for over 15 years and experiencing all sides to the baking and pastry world have shaped the level of quality I strive for. Starting in luxury hotels and learning to say yes as much as possible and working with the best ingredients shaped the way I approach customers and guests.

Working in test kitchens with Chefs from around the world helped me learn to continue growing and absorb everything I possibly can from as many individuals as I can. And now, being in restaurant, bakery and wholesale, I have learned to find the balance between efficiency, costs and the development of my team. I have come to learn that my team is the key and if they have the training or the small tricks to improve their work, quality products will follow and production will excel.

What’s Trending: Social Media Drives Reinvention

Social media is the biggest influence in consumer preferences and expectations. Guests today are much more willing to try new items because they look exciting or they have seen them on the internet and it is constantly changing. Things like the traditional croissant have turned into any shape you can imagine with exploratory fillings and flavors.

With so much change in what customers are looking for, it keeps the operations of the bakery forever changing. Finding time to test, learn, develop and teach the new while maintaining the classic is the balance that chefs face today. Realizing that the way we did things yesterday, may need to change or improve today for us to stay current tomorrow.

The most important thing that I always remember when guiding my team, is to manage the process and not the person.

Production Balance: Training Keeps Innovation Consistent

The key to managing product consistency is all in the training and retraining of staff on a regular basis. Trusting that they know how to do their job, but then verifying that they are still performing at a high level. One of the biggest things I see happen in the industry is managers focusing on fixing their weak link and forgetting to recognize and check on their strong links which causes complacency and dissatisfaction with their job. We focus on working with all members of our team to evolve together and create together. When I am so hands on with the team, it invigorates them to do their best and gives me the opportunity to control waste and utilize it in creative ways.

Continuous Improvement Leadership: Manage Process, Not People

The most important thing that I always remember when guiding my team, is to manage the process and not the person. When the process is not written down, trained properly and continually reviewed, you cannot manage your staff properly. Individuals will figure out what works for them and not necessarily what works for the team which leads to inconsistencies, waste and overall confusion. And if the process is not correct, it is important to take responsibility for the fails as the manager and work together with the team to fix for the future. This promotes trust between staff and management to make a strong team and gives individuals the feeling that their voice is heard and mistakes happen at all levels.

Peer Advice: Own Mistakes, Build Teams

Never stop learning. Stay humble. Strive for perfection. Own your mistakes. Build up your team.