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On The Line: Each Chef’s Brand Is Their Professional Philosophy…

On The Line Pt.4

Building Blocks

Fourth in a series documenting A. Chef’s first year as an executive chef.

There have been lots of experiences over the years that make us, as cooks, what we are. The school we went to, the people we work with, the places we work at, and the tools we work with. We all have our mentors, we all have our defining, eye opening restaurant gig, and we all have our favourite, must have, go-to ingredients and supplies. Butter? Cream? Cheap Swissmar peeler? C’mon, I know I have mine.

One thing that’s never really been part of my experience has been the building of a brand, something I was (and still am) so wholly unfamiliar with as to not really know which way to turn next. Thankfully, I have some connections in the marketing world who have been able to set up a couple of interviews, some limited media events, and find a decent food photographer to take the pictures of what it is we do that will make their way into magazine advertisements, websites and other promotional material as we see fit.

One thing that should happen is that you should come up with a game plan, and make a list of questions that, when answered, will take you to where you want to go. What’s my target market? Who do we already have and need to maintain? What delivery methods will this take?

Really, as many ways as there are to get your restaurant’s name and your face out there, the one thing as a chef you really want to promote is your philosophy. It’s the one personal stamp that people will seek out when they come to your restaurant. The building can stay the same, people come and go, restaurants open and close, but the one thing you can (and will!) take with you when your time comes is your personal and professional beliefs, and the will and ability to stick to your guns. Part of this is menu development and putting your mark on the food. Other parts include ethical and educated purchasing and hiring practices, as well as the loyalty you have to a mentor, and will in turn pass along to those who come after you.

Most cooks are happy to be in the back, and quite often it’s for a good reason. To be placed in the spotlight even briefly can be unsettling and exhilarating for a first-timer. To be sure, having someone focus so intently on your plates, your food, and your presentations can be a little intimidating, a little too soul-baring. Sometimes in the hustle of service little flaws and imperfections are missed in the fluorescent light and action of it all, but under that box light, 15 photos later, you see every minute wilt on your watercress and that imperfect crumb on your bread. You might as well take your photo in nothing but a sock.

This notion of brand development is a funny one, and I think there are lots of cooks and chefs out there who are building one and perhaps not even aware of it. It’s what you develop in your professional life over the course of years. With the rise of food culture through social media and food television, more people are taking the opportunity to put it all out there. The crazy idea of “rock star” celebrity chefs that I see some kids wandering around with is thankfully becoming passé, and the rise of the craftsman and the legitimacy of the trade is coming back into focus as people become more exposed to the belly of the beast, with all the fascination that comes through the insider’s perspective achieved from various channels. Your personal philosophy is what your brand is going to be, so when it comes time to put it out there, it’s best to have one defined.

READ PART ONE | READ PART TWO | READ PART THREE

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