5. Education for staff
Just as K-12 operators should provide education and awareness to students about different types of cuisines and the story behind them, directors and managers should also provide that same knowledge to employees so they can understand the how and the why behind new menu items.
Sodexo Culinary offer development and deployment Michael Morris says that any time they’re going to launch a new dish, they make sure that staff understand that dishes’ background so they can then educate students about it. “For me, it starts with making sure our staff understands the recipe, what are the ingredients that go into it, the cultural significance of it and the steps they're taking to prepare it,” he says. “So, when the students come through, they're very educated and familiar with the product, and they can talk to the customers about that recipe.”