THREE BITES EVERYONE KNOWS THE RULES
ONE
The older I get the more I’ve realized how important it is to say exactly what I mean.
This is pivotal when communicating in a restaurant, but really it’s important for any relationship. To speak clearly and without sarcasm or humor. To communicate clearly all the time, not just when you’re in a good mood. To not sugar coat the hard conversations, and always be authentic, even when it’s tough.
I read in a book the other day that when we are upset the part of our brain that helps us think things through gets cut off.
On many occasions, I’ve spoken without thinking about what’s about to come out of my mouth because the only thing I could see was red. That helps no one, and I always end up apologizing for it later. It’s something I work on every day and have gotten a lot better at.
Mindfulness can be a powerful thing.
Communication is such an important part of life. It’s what brings people together and what keeps them close, or it can cause them to grow apart. IMO it’s the real difference between an awesome work environment or a shitty job.
TWO
Wanna hang out with me for a morning?
We started a VLOG that showcases some of the day-to-day at HOT TONGUE. Come hop in my Honda Fit, bake some pizzas and make some dough in episode one of “TASTE BUDZ”! on Hot Tongue TV.
THREE
“A mind is like a parachute, it doesn’t work unless its open”
FRANK ZAPPA
Being open-minded helps us communicate better without fear of judgment. I see a lot of people wear their opinions around their necks like a chain. The weight of those opinions anchors a lot of conversations at a standstill.
Everything is always moving, changing, and evolving. Especially in a restaurant full of people from all kinds of backgrounds, upbringings, and life problems which can all collide in a very stressful atmosphere.
Closing a mind IMO pulls the blinds down on growth and exploration. Life is one long lesson, and I’m here to learn everything I can. So I’ll try to listen more, and communicate better, whether at the pizza shop or on my couch at home.
EXTRA SLICE
I love Gordon Ramey’s Kitchen Nightmare. Some of the kitchens actually haunt my dreams.
When I look around my restaurants I make sure there is nothing Gordon could yell at me about. A lot of the time the kitchens aren’t the scariest things, it’s the absolute breakdown in communication in these restaurants he visits. Anyway, here is Gordon Doing what he does best: talking shit.
