I’ve been watching “Top Chef Masters” on Bravo TV. It takes some very well known chefs in the U.S. culinary scene and pits them against each other in a set of challenges. This week’s challenge (I am writing this on August 18) takes the last 4 chefs and pairs them with 3 souse chefs each. As I watched this show, what became evident was that this was not only about the quality of the food they would prepare, but also about their ability to manage their team of chefs. The lineup of styles was quite clear and very entertaining:
The mentor: was really into teaching his group of chefs, but also very willing to accept collaboration and give up some responsibilities to the team. Each of his team members saw the event as a learning experience.
The collaborator: wanted to see what each member could bring to the table. Ultimately the dishes presented were still very much within his culinary comfort zone, but this chef managed his team making sure they all had adequate input to the menu and sought out ideas.
The micro-manager: didn’t try to get the point of view of his team. From the start he was authoritarian and didn’t get the respect from his team members who are all respected (although more junior in the profession) chefs. They got the job done, but did not seem to enjoy it.
The un-visionary: was disorganized. She didn’t seem to have her team in control, nor did she have a vision for the menu as situations changed. The team also felt the disorganization and lack of direction.
As I watched the show, I became more interested in how the results of flavor in the dishes would come out based on the management styles of the chefs. Indeed, the results came out as listed above, with the mentor and collaborator taking the top 2 spots.
While this is in no way scientific, it is certainly interesting that even in this small of a test, the results turn out pretty much the way we expect them to. We live in a business world where we are surrounded by professionals. Management who don’t have vision, or don’t allow individual contributors to shine will ultimately fail.
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