118 - The Power of Culinary Networking

This is Nick Brown. I'm the founder of cooking physics. And today we're going to be talking about the power of culinary networking, that creating a recipe for success. So thank you, again, for being here. What are this, I'm going to talk on five aspects of what it is about networking that is so important, and how you can advance your career so much faster, through your networks, through the people that you know, this was a very difficult thing for me, because I, you know, learning and growing, I went to school, I worked my butt off, I worked really hard. I learned from so many people that I was that I was around. But I never really took the time to actually fully network with other people and expand my network, my my network, my group of people that I talked with and stuff was always confined, basically, by the people that I was currently working with. I was never really one that would really branch out. And it wasn't until I realized that I need to make sure that I continue to grow my network that I need to grow the people that I'm around and continue to keep in touch with people that I admire and respect that up until then I could only get to a certain level. And that without doing this, I was not going to move on to the next level that I wanted to get to. And so once I started realizing that things started to coming into play, I started getting more opportunities, I started to, you know, get a little bit more pay. And because I was getting those opportunities, I was able to reach out to those people that aren't in my current work to kind of ask questions like, how do you deal with this? How do you deal with that. So I'm going to go over these five aspects about the importance of networking, and holidays, that creating that recipe for success. So the first one that we're going to talk about is those shared experiences and your learning opportunities. Never networking in the culinary world is kind of like it's it's it provides like this platform, okay? You're able to connect with peers, with other mentors, and other experts and really get to start to know them, and share your experiences with them. You talk about your experiences, they talk about their experiences, and you begin to start learning about what's going on. You get to share your experiences and the challenges and the successes that happen and what you've been able to do to overcome any challenges. And you can teach them and they can teach you and you start to gain these insights that aren't found within textbooks or classrooms. You are able to exchange your techniques to your ideas, you're able to kind of learn from the various other people and start to adapt and create different approaches to be able to foster this continuously learning cycle. So as you're doing this, as you're as you're growing, developing, and you're sharing these experiences, you're helping them they're helping you. But again, that kind of stuff can happen on a you know, on a sub surface, you know, on a outside level. But until you start to really grow and get those friendships and build relationships with them. You're only going to get so far. So the next part I'm going to talk about is the color of the collaboration. Okay. When you're able to as your as your network expands as you get out into the world and grow and get to know people. There will be opportunities where you can work together, where you can share ideas, where you can kind of bounce off information between the two of you. And, and therefore, you know, increase your skills increase your ability to manage other people. You get to see other people's backgrounds, and to see where they're coming from, you get to understand what makes the person the person that they are. And they learn the same thing from you. And that will help you in your, as you're managing as you're leading your teams, it helps in getting this collaboration of, of ideas. And not only in the way that people are, but the way that they cook. And, you know, cooking, you can consider the cooking is just heating stuff up, okay. But there are so many different ways and methods of doing that and so many different ingredients. And without having that collaboration with other chefs without working with other people in the industry, as well as outside the industry and learning and building your network. All of a sudden, you start to find new ways of doing things. In fact, I was just talking with a pastry chef the other day, and she was talking about the Asian pastry, like, Have you ever looked at the Asian pastries, I'm like, not really, she's like, you really should start looking into those Asian pastries. Because the, the ingredients that they use and and what they do to the, to the pastries to get that, you know, texture or gelatinous kind of thing. I don't know, I'm just starting out looking into this kind of stuff. But she's like, you can take that ingredient. And we can start putting it into one of your pastries. And I'm like, Oh, that would be kind of cool, you know. And so you're kind of melding those traditions melding that the ingredients and the skills to be able to create these innovative dessert dishes. It helps give you a shared perspective. It helps you to encourage experimentation. You know, one of the things that lights me up, is trying new things. Trying a new recipe, experimenting with that recipe, and seeing what happens, it's like, okay, let's do this and see what happens. And, and that lights me up. And it makes me excited. And and I know that it does with so many chefs, that's part of our passion, is that creation process of that building, and that growing and developing. And having a network like I would have never thought about that. Had I not been talking with this other chef. You know how I never, if I didn't have that connection with her and didn't talk with her and didn't do these kinds of things, I would have never thought of that kind of stuff. And so that networking, that creation, that ability to innovate, and experiment, comes from communication with other people comes from that network comes from learning and growing and sharing experiences with each other. Obviously, one part of networking that really is helpful. And that is the mentorship and skill enhancement. One of the things if you're just barely starting out, you know, getting to know people, everybody around you is so far advanced, so much further ahead and just sitting there thinking yourself, there's, I have no idea how to get there. Be able to have this network, going out and talking with people finding somebody that you connect with, and is willing to mentor you. It doesn't have to be somebody who is actually currently working with your immediate boss or anything. This is somebody who's willing to mentor you, willing to be there with you and help you grow and develop and, and enhance your skills. Going out and and making yourself known and talking with people allows you to find those teachers. There's this common phrase says when the student is ready, the teacher will appear well as you are preparing yourself, you talk about it, you tell people what you're doing, and the teachers who want to teach somebody who has that ambition, who has that desire, who wants to learn those kinds of things, and there's a teacher who's willing to teach you that you'll be able to connect and people will help you connect and they will come to you or you will find them or whatnot but getting that meant Your ship and stuff, that just going out and talking and letting people know who you are, what do you want to do, will allow you to find those teachers, they will, they will appear when you need them, when you're ready for that, you'll be able to learn firsthand, from these experienced professionals, you'll be able to refine your skills and hone your craft, and really build that passion and turn that passion into something that is making money. The next thing I want to talk about is building that supportive culinary community. Okay, as you are talking to people as you are going out and meeting people as you are building those relationships, as you are, you know, keeping them in the loop and letting them know what's going on in your life. And you can start to build that supportive community. And the first way to do that, is to make sure that you're not going out there and asking for help all the time. But you're going out there and asking how you can help, you know, hey, what can I do to help you I really want to kind of I want to grow and develop. And so in order to do that, I want to help you out. Okay, go to people and like I want to help you out. My, let them know that the main reason why you are doing what you're trying to do is that you are trying to help them, you want to help them succeed. And in the process, by helping them by being around them, you are going to grow yourself, okay, but the main focus is that you're helping them. See, the culinary journey can be challenging. And networking provides a support group. So that you can help so that that support group can then help you overcome those challenges. You know, getting in with somebody, you know, there's there's, there's the obvious, you know, Oh, I lost, you know, I lost my job, or I want, I'm looking for a new job and you go out and you talk to your friends, you know, hey, you know, I'm looking for a new job, let me know, if there's a new job and stuff like that, you know, that happens all the time. But how often is it that you are sitting there, you're like, you know, I'm in a really difficult situation, I'm going to call this buddy. Because I know he's been through a situation similar to this. And I'd like to get his input, I'd like to find out what it is, and how he was able to overcome that challenge. If you're dealing with personnel issues, as you're growing, developing, you know, getting to know somebody who has been through has had to deal with those kinds of situations, they can help you see things in a new light, they can help you grow and develop. And having this network, the supportive community, you'll be able to connect with like minded individuals who understand the demands of the industry. And you can they they understand what's going on, and they can offer you that encouragement during the tough times. So shared resources, offering assistance, celebrate each other's achievements. They all help to foster this sense of camaraderie and, and building you up and start building this core network, this supportive community of professional chefs who are encouraging each other who are helping each other grow there. You know, I'm trying to build a community of chefs that are celebrating the successes and the growth of others and that are celebrating and, and recognizing chef's for their leadership skills. And being able to gather these groups of individuals of these chefs who are growing and trying to become better, and learning these leadership skills will be able to communicate, to collaborate with each other and to help each other out. And the final thing is networking. Gaining these friendships, gaining these relationships will help open doors and opportunities that never would have been able to happen without you having a circle of friends. The biggest one is it can open doors to career opportunities that might not otherwise be noticed. Okay. Like I said, you know, Hey, buddy, I'm looking for a new job just wondering if they you know, have anything okay? But there's other people are like, they hear of a new job and they're sitting there going, I know this guy. I, and we've been talking a lot, and he knows, and he knows this kind of stuff, or he's really searching to find this kind of stuff out, okay. And so I know this guy, let me get you in touch with this guy. Okay, the next thing is being able to go into like culinary events, going to culinary workshops and other gatherings, those kinds of things are a chance to connect with potential employers, with people that you might want to collaborate with, and work with and grow and develop with, as well as investors who are looking for somebody to invest in. There are people who go to these kinds of things, who are just looking for that next person, that next chef who's got that fire that passion, and is looking for that person and seeing trying to find the one that is going to, that they can invest in. And that they can make more money. So it's, you know, they're helping you with the money and the resources, and you're helping them by by doing your job doing your due diligence and growing, developing. Having a strong network can lead to job referrals, it can lead to partnerships, and even a chance for you to showcase your talents on a much broader stage. So remember, networking isn't just about getting a list of names, numbers. It's about forming genuine connections that enrich the culinary journey, and continue to your growth as an aspiring chef. The whole purpose of networking is to help others grow in their careers. You're not going like I said before, don't go into this networking, don't go into this thinking, how can you help me go into this thinking? How can I help you? Even though you may be brand new in the kitchen? You can go in there and be like, How can I help you? I want to help you. I don't have much experience. But I've got I've got gumball. I've got ambition, I really know that I want to learn. And I want to help you out. So how can I help you. It's about creating new friendships. Not just superficial ones, but ones that will go deep. You're looking for some people who you can connect with at a deeper level. And to help others grow their careers. It's a chance for you to learn from others. And for you to share your knowledge and experience with others. That is what networking is about. And for the longest time. Like I said before, my idea of networking was just, you know, hey, yeah, I got your name and a number in my phone. Great. That's great. All right. But now, over the years, I've discovered that networking is much more than that. In the career in, in the job, you learn skills, but it is the outside skills that you learn outside of the job, from networking, from interpersonal skills, from developing yourself. That is what creates these inspirational chefs as the ones that's the people that people look up to. And they're like, man, he's just a really good chef. It's more than just the food. It's the way you act, it's the way you are. It's the connections that you have, that have helped grow yourself. So go out there, learn, get to know people, go to Events. And just put yourself out there, stop being self conscious, and get rid of the ego that you are the best. Because there's always going to be someone better than you. So how can you help them? How can you help those that are coming up? Always remember, service. That's what this business is about. We serve other people, we serve them in our food. We serve them our heart and our soul in our passion. So go out there and serve others. And I will see you next week. So next week, I'm going to be talking about how to focus on your goals and how to manage that and so I have a free resource. That is a goal setting a goal setting sheet and it helps you focus on three main focuses of goals and for a one month period of time and you just kind of that helps you in each one of your areas of your life. There are the professional development, your personal development, and you're passionate about it and each one of those, although they are kind of intertwined, and they all will help each other. Each one of them helps to ensure that as you're growing as you're working on these goals, you're not just focusing on one area of your life and letting everything else fall apart. That you are making sure that you've got that harmony in your career in your life. So, hope to see you next week. And thank you so very much for coming to this. I really appreciate it and I will see you next week. Bye.