Lifestyle, Culinary

Finding the Right Culture for your New Restaurant

by: Atticus Garant, Executive Chef

March 12, 2021


Building a strong culture is one of the hardest things that one can do as a leader of a restaurant, but it is also one of the most important things that one can do as a leader of a restaurant. Competitors can copy menus, recipes, process and ingredients, but the one thing that they can’t copy is the culture and that is why culture is a critical component in the strategy for a restaurant.

Consistent delivery of outstanding food requires more than cooking acumen; the team also needs a strong culture with all the right ingredients. Dishing about the topic today, Run the Pass host Andre Natera welcomed our Executive Chef Atticus Garant to his podcast. Garant and Natera worked together on opening the Fairmont Austin. Garant opened the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver and is now the Executive Chef for Fairmont Century Plaza.

Before the opening of the Austin property, Natera and Garant worked to develop the ideal kitchen workplace. “It was really a collection of a lot of different experiences. We listened to everyone, and the sum of that was greater than just the two of us,” Garant said.

One way Garant developed the culture in Austin was to rent a test kitchen in a house for R&D. “We assembled a talented team with different personalities and skillsets. It was learning where they excelled and ensuring that we could continue to progress.”

A thriving kitchen culture is unique versus the corporate world. But they both require actions, not just words. Garant added, “It’s easy to say you want to have a great culture. It requires time, energy and structure.”

Those strong fundamentals and foundations are now the building block for Garant’s culture at Fairmont Century Plaza.

Listen below for more.