624: Michael Kloeti on Keeping an Open Mind

Born, raised, and trained in Switzerland, Chef Kloeti moved to the United States to enrich his classical French cooking background with other cultures. Before make the move to VT, Kloeti absorbed experience from New York City's 4-star Lespinasse to upcountry comfort food in Hawaii, and back to NYC's Manhattan as Chef de Cuisine in the St. Regis Hotel. In pursuit of work-life balance, in 2002 Kloeti left the big city to open Michael's on the Hill Restaurant in Waterbury, VT.

Show notes… Favorite success quote or mantra:

"Don't take yourself too seriously."

In this episode with Michael Kloeti we will discuss:

• The family dynamic of a kitchen
• Keeping your mind open
• Ignorance
• Sympathy and empathy
• Problem solving
• The importance of being part of a team
• The importance of being quiet and listening to others
• Dealing with unions
• Eye-opening experiences
• How to motivate people who just work for a paycheck
• Know yourself before you try to tell others how to be
• The problem with chefs who get angry at staff and thrown tantrums
• Controlling your emotions in the workplace
• Giving second and third chances
• Avoiding debt
• Failure is not an option
• Learning from failures
• Community

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Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Giving people second chances
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Giving people third chances
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Personality
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Finding qualified staff
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Don't take yourself too seriously
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Hospitality
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   • The Old man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
   • Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
   • GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 
8. What's the one thing you feel restaurateurs don't know well enough or do often enough?
   • Hospitality
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted within your four walls restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • Cell phones
10. 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?
    • Don't take yourself too seriously
    • Be open-minded
    • Recognize your own ignorance

Contact info:

Michael's On the Hill website

Thanks for listening!

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Huge thanks to Michael Kloeti for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

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