Episode Overview
In this solo episode, André Natera reflects on what the first experience of being an executive chef is actually like, and what he wishes someone had told him before he took on the role for the first time. The reality of an executive chef position is significantly different from how most sous chefs imagine it while they are working toward it, and the gap between those expectations and the actual demands of the job is where a lot of first-time executive chefs struggle in ways they did not anticipate.
He covers the aspects of the role that surprised him, the skills he had to develop that no one had specifically prepared him for, the loneliness of the position that few chefs talk about openly, and the mindset shifts required to actually succeed in the job rather than just hold the title. It is a personal, candid episode for any chef who is moving toward or into their first executive chef role.
Topics covered in this episode:
- What being a new executive chef is actually like versus how most sous chefs imagine it
- What André wishes he had known before taking on the executive chef role for the first time
- The skills the role demands that no one specifically prepares you for
- The loneliness of the executive chef position and why it catches so many first-timers off guard
- The mindset shifts required to succeed as an executive chef rather than just hold the title
- How to navigate the first months in an executive chef role without losing the team’s confidence
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