Nick Barrington, CEC, has been Executive Chef at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club for 12 years now. In that time, he’s built a culture among the culinary team that he’s particularly proud of.
It all starts with “accountability, consistency, and excellence,” he says. “Those are the three things that I always ask of my chefs.”
He also prioritizes one-on-one meetings with his staff twice a year.
“I want to know what their interests are,” Barrington says. “What are they looking to do? Do they want to become a sous chef? Do they want to become a caterer? What is it that I can help them focus towards?”
Ultimately, he says, they’re not just an employee on a schedule; they’re family.
“We have a saying that hangs in our kitchens that says we’re not a family because we work together; we’re a family because we look out and care for each other. That’s why we’re a good team.”
