Restaurant Voices National Los Angeles
Four Major Takeaways From The Chef Conference in Los Angeles
On Oct. 21, 2024, more than a hundred restaurant industry professionals gathered in Culver City, Calif., for the inaugural Chef Conference Los Angeles, presented by Resy and American Express. A West Coast extension of the popular Chef Conference in Philadelphia, the event brought chefs, restaurateurs, journalists, and publicists together from across the country to have engaging conversations about topics weighing heavily on their minds, to celebrate the often-unsung work that restaurant workers do day in and out, and to connect over shared meals in the lead-up to the conference, with a series of collaborative pop-ups throughout the city.
Panels discussed topics ranging from kitchen leadership and culinary entertainment to expanding your brand outside the kitchen, what restaurant critics are really thinking, and what the industry can do better to address mental health issues. Here are some of the biggest takeaways from those conversations:
On Leadership
“I named my restaurant Virtue because virtue is defined as a high moral standard. We all want to be seen and heard in every generation. Hospitality, kindness, and courage are all virtues. The old-school way was to show kindness to your guests, but not necessarily to your team. The new-school way is to demonstrate that kindness inward first, and then outward secondly. When we’re under pressure, we do crazy things, but good leadership channels that pressure and virtue addresses it first.”
— Erick Williams, Chef and Owner, Virtue Restaurant and Bar, Mustard Seed Kitchen, and Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern, Chicago
“Leadership is collaborative, and it’s always a team effort. The best [kitchen] environments have had different personalities and balance — it’s never just one style, or one person.”
— Katianna Hong, Chef and Partner, Yangban, Los Angeles
“Every time you open a new restaurant, it’s an opportunity to correct yourself from the last one.”
— Enrique Olvera, Chef and Partner, Pujol, Cosme, and Damian in Mexico City, New York, and Los Angeles
“Food is the fun, easy part. But the best leaders in any industry aren’t afraid to ask for help. A chef is a leader, and someone who is uncomfortable with collaboration won’t make it.”
— Thomas McNaughton, Chef and Partner, Flour + Water, San Francisco
On Storytelling and Connecting with Diners
“Why do we go to a certain restaurant over the other? It’s the people who work there and the story of that place. … What moves people are human stories and human experiences and we need to capture that wide range of human experiences.”
— David Gelb, Creator, “Chef’s Table” and “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”
“Even if it’s not ‘perfect,’ just put it out there. People want originality and they are genuinely interested in the inner workings of restaurants.”
— June Kim, Head of Digital Video, Bon Appétit and Epicurious
“The algorithm kills creativity, and chasing likes is a scary cycle. We’ve been doing this for 14 years, and you need to develop your community. You can’t train people to like your content.”
— Gaby Dalkin, Cookbook Author, Chef, Creator, @whatsgabycookin
“[As a restaurant reviewer], trends equate to a paucity of creativity. It’s ubiquity and tedium. We’re looking for restaurants that leap out, not just for the food, but because of the way you feel when you’re there. I don’t want a menu of clichés. That’s why it’s even more important to celebrate risk.”
— Jeff Gordinier, Contributing Editor, Esquire
On Building a Brand Outside of the Kitchen
“[At Tilit] we did this organically. We think of the brand as a community organization, as an extension of the hospitality industry. We launched a podcast (“Opening Soon”) and a trade show for independent brands and restaurants. We do whatever we can to support the industry and it’s very much brick by brick.”
— Jenny Goodman, Co-Founder and CEO, Tilit, New York
“When it came to launching our own CPG (consumer packaged goods) line, we knew we needed to have authenticity meet integrity. People are attracted to authenticity, and you need to have integrity for the long game. Sustainability goes far beyond where you source your fish from; it’s the long game.”
— Thomas McNaughton
On Taking Care of Ourselves
“You have to take care of yourself first … therapy is a maintenance across the way. It starts with you as the leader. They need to know you are taking care of yourself so they can take care of themselves.”
— Chris Shepherd, Chef and Founder, Southern Smoke Foundation, Houston
“The people who need help don’t ask. And the people who don’t need the help often like to use therapy speak. But as leaders, we need to be able to see the flags and address them when we can. … To quote Erick Williams: Don’t let ‘perfect’ rob you from ‘good.’”
— Claudette Zepeda, Founder, Chispa Hospitality, San Diego
The next installment of The Chef Conference takes place in Philadelphia from April 4 to 7.
*Opinions and views in articles shared on Resy OS are presented for the purpose of discussion and commentary on topics of interest in the restaurant industry; they should not be viewed as substitutes for advice given by professionally engaged business consultants and advisors.
Deanna Ting is Resy’s New York and Philadelphia Editor. Follow her on Instagram. Follow Resy, too.
