Training Is Not Just Technical
When a new cook walks into your kitchen, the easiest thing is to show them how to cut, how to cook, how to organise their station. These are skills. They can be learned.
But the real goal is to build someone who understands why they do what they do. Who takes pride in their work. Who feels part of the team and not just an executor of orders.
That does not happen through commands. It happens through example, structure and genuine interest.
The First Week: Structure, Not Fire
The most common way to ruin a new cook is to throw them into the fire from day one. "That is how I learned too" is the justification. But the fact that you survived does not mean it was the best way.
The first week needs structure. Clear, calm and purposeful.
- Day 1. Familiarisation with the space. Storage, fridges, stations, hygiene rules. Nothing more.
- Days 2 to 3. Observation. They watch how the team works, how service runs, how people communicate.
- Days 4 to 5. Simple mise en place tasks. Cuts, preparation. With supervision and feedback.
What You Teach First and What Comes Later
Training has an order. You do not teach everything at once. And if you try, you teach nothing properly.
- First: hygiene and safety. Non-negotiable. Before anything else.
- Then: organisation and mise en place. How a station is set up, how FIFO works, how to label.
- Third: basic techniques. Cuts, temperatures, equipment handling.
- Fourth: sauces and bases. The foundation of flavour. This is where real understanding of the kitchen begins.
- Fifth: service. Pace, communication, priorities under pressure.
- Sixth: creativity. Only when they have a solid technical base. Not before.
Feedback: How and When
Feedback is the most powerful training tool. And the most misused one.
Many chefs only give feedback when something goes wrong. And they do it loudly, in front of everyone, to make the correction visible. That does not train. It humiliates. And a humiliated cook does not learn. They defend themselves.
Positive feedback is equally important. When something is done well, say so. Publicly if you can. The new cook needs to know where they stand. Not only where they fall short.
Responsibility as a Training Tool
A new cook does not develop if you do not give them responsibility. And they do not develop if you give them responsibility they cannot yet carry.
The skill is finding the right balance. A little beyond what they already know. A little less than what would crush them.
That zone, just outside the comfort level, is where learning happens.
When They Are Not Learning: What You Do
Some learn fast. Some slowly. Some learn differently. And some are simply not right for this work.
Before you decide that someone does not have what it takes, ask yourself three questions:
- Did I explain what I expect with clarity?
- Did I give enough time and repetitions?
- Was the feedback I gave genuinely useful?
If the answer is yes to all three and the problem continues, then perhaps training is not the issue. But until you check these, you cannot know for certain.
The Final Goal: Autonomy
The goal of training is not to build someone who depends on you. It is to build someone who can work without you.
That is the true chef: the one who builds people capable of replacing them. Not because they are leaving, but because that means they did their job well.
The team that does not constantly need the chef to function is the team the chef built properly.
Questions and Answers
Where does training a new cook begin?
With the basics: hygiene, space organisation, understanding the menu and getting to know the team. Before picking up a knife, the new cook must understand how the space works.
How long does training take?
Generally 3 to 6 months to stand independently at a station. But learning never truly ends. A good cook is always developing.
What is the most common mistake?
Throwing the new cook into service without preparation or keeping them on simple tasks without giving them responsibility. Both kill development.
How do you give feedback effectively?
Directly, specifically and with respect. Say what happened, why it is wrong and how to correct it. Then give them a chance to apply it. Feedback without action changes nothing.
How do you know they are ready for more responsibility?
When they do their work correctly without constant supervision. When they ask the right questions. And when they help those around them without being asked.