French General Napoleon famously said, “Great armies march on their bellies.” This insight is particularly relevant in the hospitality industry, where lunch provided to staff is often crucial for nourishment and productivity. The energy demands placed upon employees underscore the need for nutritious meals at work, especially as many staff either skip meals or consume poor-quality food outside of working hours.
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work in organizations that recognized the importance of meal breaks and encouraged communal dining. My early experiences included solitary breakfasts in storage rooms; however, later employers made staff meals a valued tradition. While images on social media may depict employees eating hurriedly between shifts, it is less known that constant exposure to aromas and tastings can suppress appetite, sometimes leading line cooks to forget to eat. Sharing food together not only creates camaraderie within the kitchen but also fosters a supportive environment, far preferable to eating alone or in silence.
During my apprenticeship, we had access to a chef’s table for both lunch and dinner, contingent upon completing our prep work. This practice subtly reinforced time management and team cooperation, marking a rite of passage for aspiring chefs who debated whether to take or skip breaks. While no one endorses not eating, priorities will be key to leadership agendas for the rest of your career. In the words of Stephen Covey, “first things first” always resonates.
My upbringing emphasized family meals, which took place every evening at 5:30 pm. Such rituals profoundly shaped my appreciation for communal staff gatherings in professional kitchens. When I advanced to the role of Executive Chef, I delegated cafeteria menu development to the Executive Sous Chef, allowing them to gain practical experience in budgeting and customer satisfaction. In retrospect, I regret not participating more actively as a diner among the broader staff—an opportunity I embraced as a General Manager later in my career.
While in Hong Kong, I was approached by Stanford University to serve as an ambassador for student dining, highlighting the growing emphasis on quality, variety, and authenticity in institutional food service. The university student sector encompasses diverse preferences and socio-economic backgrounds, making it essential for leaders to advocate for those who rely on workplace meals, particularly by providing substantial, energy-rich options.
In the hospitality industry, you have many “caste” systems of means and wants in the dining space. You have those who can provide for themselves, and those who can’t. As an Executive Chef, my heart leans toward those who might only have one quality meal daily. There were always a few loud voices for the Executive Sous Chefs to manage, and it was great experience for the future stakeholders they would have to please in their next roles with customers outside of the staff. Human Resources was usually the partner and gave them insight into culinary planning, execution, and business realities.
At Shangri-La Hotels in Asia, we introduced an award for exemplary employee meals, complete with a traveling trophy and recognition from our ownership. Many Asian cultures value seeing food prepared live, so hotels feature fully staffed display kitchens serving thousands of employees. Many of the employees lived on property, so three meals every day were the expectation.
One of the first things I did when taking over the private club as General Manager was to turn a space into a staff dining area. Before, the staff ate in a hallway, cold in the winter and hot in the summer, with food that wasn’t safe. In fact, when we opened the employee dining space, we had the Board eat there for the first month to endorse the importance of the initiative. As I travel the nation today, I see great improvements in the staff dining at sister clubs. While there is still need, many benchmarks exist, and the Executive Chef or GM are leading this charge.
Technology companies such as Google, Uber, and Facebook are celebrated for their outstanding employee dining programs, influencing recruitment and standards across industries. Indeed, private clubs have successfully hired Executive Chefs from these organizations. Similarly, the Culinary Institute of America has partnered with industry leaders to develop world-class food halls for staff and students.
The challenge with clubs is financing—not only for non-member spaces but because most members come from white-collar business backgrounds. They might understand the need for quality meals, but perhaps not the vital importance of it. General Managers understand it and must be able to secure alignment with the Board on its importance. Using technology firms as examples moves our profession forward.
Ultimately, among my regrets as Executive Chef was not sharing more meals with servers, housekeepers, stewards, and groundskeepers, whose stories could have enriched my perspective and purpose. I encourage future leaders to prioritize building relationships over meals, fostering inspiration and unity throughout their organizations.
