COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF!
18.02.2011

The relationship between the team of chefs and the team of waiting staff has historically always been a bit of a fraught one.  The stereotypical image of the scary head chef and the timid waitress who's on the verge of tears is one that is often in the forefront of people's minds when they think of a restaurant with the size and pace of a Jamie's Italian.  However, we all work hard at every level to ensure that this really is a million miles away from the reality.
First and foremost we employ people on both sides of the pass who are passionate about food.  The chefs in the kitchen put their heart and soul on every plate so we look for people who will take this from the kitchen to the table; people who love to talk about the food, love to make recommendations and love to enthuse about the menu.  When the chefs trust that the love they've put into a dish is being respected, they're much more likely to want to work together as a team.  After that it's about instilling into each and everyone that it's very much 'one team, one goal'!
The first Jamie's Italian opened in Oxford in May 2008 and they're as busy as ever but as Kate Arnold, Training and Development manager in Oxford recognises, it's always time for a shake up!
"The pre-opening training for Jamie's Italian is second to none in terms of covering absolutely every aspect of the menu, the service, the culture, the ethos etc.  But the real challenge comes now - how do you re-create the passion and excitement of a new opening without a new opening?!!  One of the things I want to do is ensure that everyone has a really good understanding of each and every role in the restaurant and how each role works together to create a 'machine like' team!  I also want to keep the product knowledge as high as it can possibly be and remind everyone of the stories and history around our menu items - they're interesting and fun!  I've done this by introducing different and interactive pre-shift meetings.  From focaccia and pasta making to matching wine with the gorgeous daily specials; the emphasis is on the team talking to each other!  I'm also in the process of organising 'chef for a day' experiences so that our front of house team can see what it's like first hand in a Jamie's Italian kitchen.  Further down the line we'll also see chefs out front and shadowning our waiting, bar and reception teams."