Recruiting, Teaching, Inspiring, and Placing the Bottom 50%

Recruiting, Teaching, Inspiring, and Placing the Bottom 50% Chef Adam Weiner, CFSE, Culinary Arts Instructor

Contact Information • Chef Adam Weiner, CFSE • Culinary Arts Instructor • JobTrain • 1200 O’Brien Drive • Menlo Park, CA 94025 • (650) 330-6413 • aweiner@jobtrainworks.org

Introduction • It isn’t easy, more difficult than teaching the best • Biggest enemy may be administration • Get support from peers, employers, etc. • Best supporters are other chefs and employers • It’s exhausting and frustrating • The hardest part, knowing when to push or to let go • Admitting not all people should be culinary students

Recruiting: Why • Extra source of funding • Need by students • Need by employers • Ego gratification (anyone can get Emeril a job)

Recruiting: Where • High schools • Courts • Jails • Probation officers • Drug and alcohol rehab

Teaching • Teaching middle-class rules

Teaching • Primarily: teach how to work • Secondarily: teach culinary skills

Teaching • The big five • “Yes Chef” is the answer to all questions • Students need to ask themselves: “Is it illegal, immoral, or dangerous” • Do as the Chef says, not what you think the Chef wants • My Bad is not an option • What do you call a chef who doesn’t watch his food costs? • 15 minutes early is late

Teaching • Don’t teach the technical skills like you were taught • Teach as little as you can up front, let them get in the kitchen and learn from their mistakes(See Motivation articles http://www.cafemeetingplace.com/gmc/fifty-minute-classroom/item/559-50-minute-classroom-motivation.html or search “50 Minute Classroom Motivation”) • Peer teaching • Special events with students in charge • Student clean-up manager

Teaching • Demand high standards

Inspiration & Motivation • Admit when you made a mistake • Please and thank you work wonders • Daily 10-second review of each student • See Assessmentarticle http://www.cafemeetingplace.com/gmc/fifty-minute-classroom/item/677-50-minute-classroom-assessment.html or search 50 Minute Classroom Assessment

Inspiration & Motivation • Find something worthy of praise • Don’t fake it • Look for ways for others to praise your students

Inspiration & Motivation • Bizarre things work! • Throwing candy and ice cream • Star charts • Hokey-pokey

Placing: The Most Important Part • Big-time hand holding: Story of the watch and ring

Placing: The Most Important Part • Thomas Keller • No formal culinary training • First job was a dishwasher

Placing: The Most Important Part • Stages to jobs • Externships • Placing students indirectly

Placing: The Most Important Part • Preparation • Resume review • Multiple mock interviews

Placing: The Most Important Part • Don’t take anything for granted • Email addresses • Phone manners • How and when to call a business • How to follow-up after interview • Voice-mail message • Checking email and phone messages

Placing: The Most Important Part • Apply as specified • Online • In person • Email

Placing: The Most Important Part • Apply in proper English

Placing: The Most Important Part i wuz hapy 2 her u had job

Placing: The Most Important Part Online Application Name: john smith Date: june 25 2012 Address: 123 main st georgetown cali

Conclusion • Chefs are only as good as their last meal • A culinary instructor is only as good as his last student

To paraphrase Chef Didier in Last Holiday Anyone can do great things with shitake mushrooms and foie gras,but it takes a true genius to make something great out of a turnip!

Recruiting, Teaching, Inspiring, and Placing the Bottom 50%