Be it at the corporate level, regional or even store by store, a chef can bring not only a culinary sentiment to a c-store, but also a level of experience with the business side of culinary arts.
We want to hire a chef to help us develop a foodservice program for our c-store chain. What should we look for?
Getting the right people in place is the foundation of a successful business. So take the time to find the right person—and never settle for anything less. At the top of my list of characteristics I look for are flexibility, diverse experience and business sense.
Being a chef of a c-store chain has plenty of similarities with chefs from other foodservice outlets, but it also has its own particulars. If your candidates have not already worked in the c-store environment (check references!), I would want to know that they can be flexible in their cooking and how they think about food. They will need this to successfully recalibrate to the needs of the c-store segment. Question them about projects they’ve been on, or jobs they’ve had that demonstrate their ability to be flexible.
I would also want to see a diverse set of professional experiences and employment.
If a candidate comes with only fine-dining or only fast-casual experience, think seriously about hiring him or her. Ideally, I’d want to see some restaurant experience and some product R&D work. A diverse background indicates that the potential employee would be able to morph into the c-store environment.
Strong business acumen is also a plus for me. Up-and-coming chefs often lack basic business skills needed to be successful.
A solid culinary education—with an emphasis on the business of culinary arts—is preferred.
Passion is another determining factor in my hiring process. In this case, I would want to see a genuine passion for the c-store business.
A chef’s motivation can’t only be about running from the long hours, nights and weekends of the restaurant industry; that would devalue the opportunity and create a less-than-engaged team member. Rather, ask about their knowledge of c-stores, what excites them about the business, what they have seen in other c-store operations, and how they could leverage their previous skills in the c-store space.
Finally, check resources diligently, and be sure that he or she can really cook. It’s amazing how many “chefs” I have run into who don’t cook all that well. Have them cook for you—and be sure that they really “wow” you.
Christopher Koetke is vice president of Kendall College School of Culinary Arts in Chicago. He is a certified executive chef and certified culinary educator by the American Culinary Federation. Have a question for him? Email awestra @winsightmedia.com, subject “Ask the Chef.”
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