In this episode, Keith and Christine bring in their guest, fellow Devita & Hancock partner, and Regional Executive Recruiter Richard “Cutlets of Fury” Teear. He is an experienced restaurant operator with over 30 years of experience running full-service, casual, and fine dining establishments. Initially, he worked at construction and ran his own business for over 15 years. They exchange Olive Garden stories, Richard’s hurdles in recruitment, and their thoughts on incentivizing new hires and the vaccine rollout.
[00:00:30] Introducing “Cutlets of Fury” Richard Teear
[00:03:07] Richard and Keith’s Olive Garden Stories
[00:08:42] Richard’s Biggest Hurdle in Recruiting and Getting the Right People
[00:12:15] Now’s the Time to Get Your Dream Job (with a Signing Bonus)
[00:15:45] Incentivizing People to Get Back to Work
[00:16:38] Glorification of the Restaurant and Culinary World
[00:19:53] Vaccination as a Personal and Political Decision
[00:30:32] Richard’s Broken Mugs
[00:33:52] Final Notes
Richard’s Biggest Hurdle in Recruiting and Getting the Right People
From the client end, Richard sees how people still want to do the recruiting themselves. But from the candidate standpoint, especially during the pandemic, potential hires are opting out of jobs with good pay and benefits outside of the four walls of the office to reconnect and spend more time with their families.
Passion in the Restaurant and QSR Industry
Keith shares how there’s almost a glorification of the culinary industry as more younger people sign up for culinary school. But the reality of the industry could not be further from what people see on The Food Network. People in the industry must do the nitty-gritty stuff: wash dishes despite having a four-year degree, work 6-7 days a week including holidays and weekends, and barely have time to see family. Despite being in the industry, Keith and Christine often discourage their peers to enter the world of culinary and restaurant management. However, their passion and fulfillment in their line of work is what has kept them afloat and satisfied throughout the years of their career.
Incentivizing People to Get Back to Work
One of the biggest issues that restaurant owners are currently facing during the pandemic is manpower and labor. They have now resorted to offering signing bonuses ranging from $500-$1000 and even giving out Apple iPhones to attract potential hires and get people back to work.
Vaccinations: Your Body, Your Choice
Keith, Christine, and Richard are on the same page when it comes to vaccines: your body, your choice. They believe business owners incentivizing and requiring vaccines among employees in order to be branded as “fully-vaccinated” simply adds to the politicization of it all.
Where to find them:
Richard Teear on LinkedIn
Facebook - DeVita & Hancock Hospitality Group Inc.
Instagram - @devita_hancock_hospitality
Official Website - DeVita and Hancock Hospitality Group
Christine DeVita on LinkedIn
Keith Hancock on LinkedIn
connect@devita.tzdesignstudio.info
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