Donald Burns breaks down four levels of restaurant culture, from toxic environments where staff run things to legendary operations that attract top talent. He argues that systems and training only matter when you actually use them.
Bad level, the toxic culture your team runs you and your restaurant. They tell you what to do, they set the standards. You're afraid to fire people because you don't want it to lose anyone. So at this level, they run you. Next level up, the training culture, you're starting to put some systems in place. You got some training programs in place. You're starting to get control of your restaurant again. And then at the leadership level, now your team runs a restaurant and you take yourself out of the equation. This is where you start getting your life back or you start having a life again. You're not basically sacrificing your life and your quality of your life to your restaurant. And at the very top, of course, legendary restaurants, people really seek to work with you and your brand. Any of those restaurants you saw on that list of legendary things, trust me, they have no problems trying to find quality people. People look for them, People seek them out. People come to them asking if they can work there. Remember, tools, culture, it's all just potential until you pick it up and apply it.
If your restaurant only works because you work 80 hours a week, it doesn't work.
