CHICAGO —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Henderson, whose autobiography, “Cooked: From the Streets to the Stove, from Cocaine to Foie Gras,” tells how he turned his life around, was the keynote speaker at breakfast at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place here during the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Attendees rose to their feet in a standing ovation after Henderson told them not to judge potential employees by their criminal records. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
“They just made some bad choices,” he said. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
The Spirit Awards, presented by the NRA Educational Foundation and Nation’s Restaurant News and sponsored by the Coca-Cola Co., honor foodservice companies that excel in employee recruitment, recognition and retention. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
This year’s winners were Bambara Restaurant in Cambridge, Mass.; Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, based in Carrollton, Texas.; Los Angeles-based The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf; and The Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
The breakfast was followed by a panel discussion featuring representatives from the winning companies and moderated by NRN columnist Jim Sullivan, chief executive of
Representing Bambara, which has an hourly turnover rate of just 25 percent, general manager Frank Kawecki said restaurant involvement in its staff’s favorite community causes helped to retain them. He noted that the restaurant’s green policies were implemented in part because the workers wanted them to be. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Kawecki stirred a bit of controversy when he discussed hiring practices, which included conducting group interviews for front-of-the-house staff to see how they would work as a team. The group would be left alone at one point, but an undercover member of the restaurant staff would be left with them to see what they really thought of the company. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Members of the audience wondered if this initial ploy resulted in mistrust from the staff, but Kawecki said servers often volunteered to be included in the process after they were hired. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Ann Varano, senior vice president of human resources and communication for Carlson, which runs the T.G.I. Friday’s and Pick Up Stix chains, said focusing on the well-being of the staff was the key to running a successful hospitality business. She noted that the guest’s happiness would never exceed the happiness of the employees. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Her company, which employs 28,000 people, has a manager turnover rate of 22 percent and an hourly worker turnover rate of 90 percent. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Mike Serchia, human resources director for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, said the company’s approach to its employees is “FROTH,” which stands for “friendly, respect, ownership, teamwork and honesty.” Open communication is the company’s philosophy, and benefits range from holiday parties to trips to Costa Rica to visit coffee growers and learn more about coffee production. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
The result: manager turnover of 32 percent and hourly worker turnover of 96 percent. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Julie Jones, director of The Ohio State University Medical Center Nutrition Services, has a unique job in training her staff. Sensitivity is key, she said, because sometimes they have to provide food to people who are coping with loved ones’ illnesses and even approaching demise in the same building. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
She said she encourages continuing education for her 215 employees, many of whom are students, at two patient kitchens and four retail stores. Employees enjoy full tuition reimbursement for themselves and family members after a certain period of time on the job. —Winners of the second annual Spirit Awards were roused at an early-morning breakfast by “Chef Jeff” Henderson, a former drug lord and convict who now is executive chef of Cafe Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Nominations for next year’s third annual awards can be made at