# 7 Tips On Training New Chefs

Have you got anything in place for training new Chefs?

Try these 7 tips and you’ll be well on your way to having the perfect Chef..

##### 1. Hire The Right Person

This may sound obvious, but it’s often forgotten about. Hire a Chef who will fit in with your team, even if they don’t have as much experience as the other candidates that you have interviewed. It’s much easier to train someone up who has the right attitude than trying to change somebody who has a bad attitude.

##### 2. Be Organised

Before you start training new Chefs, write down a list of everything that the job involves, yes everything. What are the priorities of the job? Make this list the basis of your training but do it in the correct order. There’s no point in showing somebody how to cook something if they don’t know the menu. Make sure this list is easily accessible to all staff and remember to update it as and when roles change.

##### 3. Allow Them To Shadow You

Have your Trainee Chef ‘shadow’ you all day. You know what’s best for your business so you’re the best person for them to shadow. The trainee will see how you manage, how you speak to customers & your staff and just what you expect of the business. You’ll also demonstrate to your employee that you can get stuck in and get your hands dirty.

##### 4. Answer Their Questions

No matter how silly their questions may seem, answer them in a polite and supportive manner. Remember, you’ve been there a while. Every restaurant is different and your Trainee is probably used to doing things in a different way. “The only stupid question is the one left unasked.”

##### 5. Ask Them Questions

You need to be asking questions as well as answering them. When your Trainee Chef has a couple of days experience under their belt, start asking them questions about the areas that you have talked about. Make it clear that you’re not trying to catch them out. Ask the Trainee Chef to cook a simple dish. If they are uncertain in their response, show them how to do it and get them to do it again.

##### 6. Shadow The Trainee Chef

Once the training is complete let them take the lead but give them the safety net of knowing that you’re right behind them if they need you. Be ready to step in if they start to lose their way. When their shift is complete, go over what needs more work and point out and compliment the things that they did well. Before their next shift, remind them about where they need to focus.

##### 7. Give Them Some Space

If you think they’re ready, give them the space and give the occasional bit of advice if needed. Nobody likes to think that they are being wrapped up in cotton wool, so keep this to a minimum. They need to make the odd mistake in order to learn, just as long as these mistakes don’t affect your customer’s experience.

Now you can take our tips on training new chefs to work and be the best staff trainer there.

Need a Chef for your restaurant or event? We provide all levels of Chefs across the whole of Bristol, Bath, Cotswolds, and Wiltshire. Call us on 0718604611, email us at hello@thechefstree.co.uk or visit our contact us page.

Go back to the Blog page

Click here to get your Chef Quote
Click here to join as a chef