Chefs Naama and Assaf Tamir on How to Lead a Positive Kitchen

If you can’t find it, make it. This is the philosophy behind Lighthouse, the culinary project of sibling Naama and Assaf Tamir. Their restaurant was born from the need to create a place where food, people and culture all come together:  

“It really is about creating a special place where there's education and patience and family and all these things come together. […] We essentially hope to create a place with better energy […]. It's a place where people can come together and be a part of a community,” says Chef Naama proudly.  

They describe their business model as a multiple bottom-line business, where the wellbeing of the staff, the planet and of guests are the focus and drive decision-making. Listen to these inspiring chefs as they describe how they’re changing the culinary industry experience, one day at a time. 

5 Ways to Lead a Positive Kitchen

The kitchen culture at Lighthouse perfectly embodies the TEAMS code - Togetherness, Empathy, Acting as One, Mindfulness and Speaking Up - a framework centered around values of inclusion, respect, mindfulness and resilience.  

Here are five ways Lighthouse co-owners Naama and Assaf Tamir are building a positive and empowering workplace and how you can do the same:

1. Togetherness: Make it feel like family 

One of the core values of Lighthouse is making everyone feel part of a family, a community that is welcoming and has no boundaries. Chef Assaf reveals that this is reflected in the way the restaurant is built: 

“There are no hidden places here. That helps create a feeling of togetherness. And this is something that we really try to teach our staff, that we are all on the same team. There's no back of the house, front of the house and guests. We’re all together as one team. And the goal of this team is to have a good time.” 

2. Empathy: Everyone counts

Leading a fair kitchen also means keeping the human aspect of the staff at the forefront. On the one hand, you should take time to understand and learn your team’s backgrounds and respect their personal lives. 

On the other hand, try to involve the crew into shaping the restaurant culture, for example by involving them in creating the menu: “Everyone in our staff has an opportunity to present a new procedure for service,” says Chef Naama. 

“It's really an opportunity for everyone to collaborate and have some artistic voice in the restaurant. And they get to see something that they worked on or something they came up with show up on the menu. It's really fun for them and it's really exciting and very, a proud moment for us as well.” 

3. Act As One: Be a strong unit

Teamwork is quintessential in the kitchen and even though everyone has their assigned role, real team spirit makes everyone feel they’re valued and equally important. No matter how hard the shift gets, everyone should step in and help out and motivate the crew.  

Even before looking at skills, Chef Naama wants to transmit a culture based on values and respect, where people act as one: “It’s really important to us that they learn to work with other people, that they understand that this is a place where we're all equals, where we're all colleagues, that we're here to do the same thing. We sit down and break down our values and our culture, and that means just very respectful, very loving, very patient.” 

Caring for the team also means the staff eats the same good quality meals as the guests, and break time is spent together to strengthen a bond that goes beyond work.  

4. Mindfulness: Make time for wellbeing

Kitchens often operate at a relentless pace and prioritizing personal wellbeing feels challenging. However, it’s essential to give everyone time to recharge outside of work.   

By giving staff time off, where they can take care of themselves and spend time with loved ones, you will help boost morale and performance: “I think you show up better for work when you've had some time for yourself” says Naama. “If you saw a great movie, if you played with your kids that day, if you read a good book, it's inspiring to you and you feel human. And you show up as a better boss, as a better employee, as a better server.”

You might also be interested in: Understanding Mental Health and Wellness in Foodservice 

5. Speak Up: Recognise hard work

Take time to value your employees and recognise their hard work. Even some words of praise during a busy service can go a long way. When the crew is rewarded, they will be even more committed to the team and the restaurant’s mission.  

Chef Naama believes that celebrating wins and saying ‘Good job’ is a vital part of Lighthouse’s kitchen culture: “Saying to someone ‘You did a great job’ or just complimenting them is a pleasure for me. I enjoy telling people how great they are. I enjoy being the kind of person that is interested in another human beings, truly, and that is being able to appreciate a good job when it's done. And immediately that is reciprocated.” 

Sometimes it’s also necessary to give feedback to members of staff, to push their professional development. “Constructive criticism is a great opportunity to show someone that you care about the quality of work that they do, and that you care about your product.” continues Naama. “I think if you're doing it truly constructively, you want the best for yourself and you want the best for them.” 

You can start your journey to leading a fair kitchen by downloading and printing the TEAMS Code poster.