709: Field Failing on "Giving a fuck starts with the leader."

Field Failing is a graduate of Cornell University where he earned both his B.A. and his MBA. After working in finance and failing to become a professional cyclist it was time to return to his passion for cooking. He filled the fridge in his New York apartment with brines and marinades and set out to make the perfect chicken. By 2012 he was confident enough in what he had to open Fields Good Chicken. 8 years later Fields Good Chicken has scaled to 6 locations through New York, NY.

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Favorite success quote or mantra:

• "Talent without grit is just potential. Talent with grit is unstoppable."

In today's episode with Field Failing we will discuss:

• What is grit? How can we benefit from it when facing adversity
• We can let COVID control us or see the silver linings and make the best of it
• The importance of running a small company as if it is a large corporate structure
• Where following your heart early in your career gets you
• An excitement for ingredients
• Sustainable packaging for to-go orders
• "Giving a fuck" in a kitchen starts with the leader
• Actions speak louder than words in the kitchen
• Field worked in finance so we discuss it for a solid chunk of the episode
• Food cost
• What influences the numbers in a restaurant on the daily?
• Constantly push your brand and rebrand if necessary; don't wait!
• The importance of talking through your problems out loud even to someone who doesn't have the answers
• The need to scale healthy food
• Field is trying to make grilled and roasted chicken healthy and delicious
• Joining a restaurant group to get the funds to open
• Joining Aurify Brands
• Food quality is number one according to Field
• Don't say that you care; SHOW that you care
• You should always be working on your brand, don't settle, things change
• Motivated and happy people are just as important as food quality
• How is Fields Good Chicken adapting to COVID-19
• Fields Good Chicken was one of the first NYC restaurants to start feeding healthcare workers for free

Today's sponsor:

Restaurant365 is a cloud-based, all-in-one, restaurant-specific accounting and back-office platform that seamlessly integrates with POS systems, payroll providers, food and beverage vendors. It generates accurate real-time reporting and analysis in user-friendly dashboards, facilitating immediate, data-driven decision making. Restaurant365 eliminates manual, error-prone processes and is designed to help restaurant businesses grow with functionality that helps optimize labor costs, reduce food costs and increase revenue.

P&G ProfessionalTM offers innovative total foodservice solutions featuring trusted brands such as Dawn® Professional, Cascade® Professional, Spic and Span® and Comet®. We are unique in that our total solutions are founded in customer and patron understanding, superior products that help save time and cut overall costs, and a five-star service group that is compensated based on customer satisfaction, not commissions. Visit www.pgpro.com for the latest information about P&G Professional's solutions and services.

 

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Attention to detail. Being mission-driven and putting people first
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • "Obsessing over details to the point where I latch onto the negative before seeing the positive."
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • I look for ambition and drive. Ask where they see themselves in 5 years
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Operational execution being perfect every time
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Be kind
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Friendly greeting, make the guest feel comfortable, friendly farewell
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   1. The Good Job Strategy: How the Smartest Companies Invest in Employees to Lower Costs and Boost Profits by Zeynep Ton
   2. Chasing Excellence: A Story About Building the World's Finest Athletes by Ben Bengeron
      GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Use technology
9. Name one service you've hired
   • Hungry Studio for branding, design, and creative direction
10. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your restaurant walls and how has it influence operations?
    • Meez - The recipe tool for professional chefs
11. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    1. Family is most important
    2. Treat each other with kindness and put people first
    3. Take risks

Contact info:

Instagram: personal: @fieldfailing the restaurant: @fieldsgoodchicken

Website: FieldsGoodChicken.com

Thanks for listening!

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Huge thanks to Field Failing for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

Restaurant Unstoppable is a free podcast. One of the ways I'm able to make it free is by earning a commission when sharing certain products with you. I've made it a core value to only share tools, resources, and services my guest mentors have recommend, first. If you're finding value in my podcast, please use my links!