Top Tips For Choosing A Restaurant Mentor

The employee turnover rate in hospitality jobs — recently reported to be as high as 74% — is over 60% higher than other US job sectors. Another eye-watering statistic to add to the list is the average cost of replacing a single hospitality staff member, coming in at roughly $5800 per employee. 

With the future of the workforce resting in the hands of Gen Z and the cost of restaurant operations continuing to rise, these numbers indicate that retaining staff offers a valuable opportunity for cutting costs. Investing time and effort in mentorship for yourself and your team can pay off in spades.

Job satisfaction, opportunities for career growth, and inclusive company culture are all ingredients Gen Z workers prioritize. With the aid of mentorship, these aspirations are well within most businesses' control. 

The restaurant industry continues to grow despite these challenges, providing significant value to the US in terms of goods and labor. The National Restaurant Association projects sales of $1.2 trillion and an industry workforce of 17 million by 2030. With the currently disproportionate turnover rates, restaurateurs need to ensure they can keep staff satisfied for successful business growth.

While it’s proving simple enough to recruit staff into hospitality roles, the issue is finding ways to keep them satisfied in their position. Implementing formal or informal mentoring programs can transform restaurants into career destinations that people strive to stay with.   

A 2018 survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) found that 82% of Gen Z participants had taken their first paid job in a restaurant. Unfortunately, three-quarters of these hires then left the industry.

According to Rob Gifford, executive vice president of the NRAEF, “That’s a tremendous amount of young people who experience what it’s like to work in our industry. Our new study shows that we have the opportunity to purposefully foster longer-term relationships with Gen Z.” 

A recent study conducted by Adobe found that 83% of Gen Z workers consider a workplace mentor as crucial to their career and subsequent success.  No matter your age bracket, mentors have a consistent influence in building confidence and professional expertise across the hospitality world. Constant learning, inspiration, and professional growth are important for restaurant employees of all ages. 

Felix Torricer, general manager of The Slanted Door, in San Francisco, CA, shared how mentorship led to his nearly two-decade working relationship with executive chef Charles Phan. “I came to Slanted Door 17 years ago, burned out from work at other well-known restaurants. Charles tapped me to start up the restaurant’s private dining room.” Chef Charles saw potential in Felix and mentored him by providing guidance, trust, and upward opportunity.

How to Find a Mentor

Are you planning to find a mentor to help you grow and reach your professional goals? The first step in finding a restaurant mentor is to consider what you want to achieve in your career. 

A suitable mentor should have practical experience you can learn from. You might be hoping to start your own restaurant, train as a professional chef, or gain a new level of responsibility in your existing job. Think about the qualities, skills, and challenges involved with reaching this goal. Once you know where you want to go, you can find a mentor who has successfully walked before you. 

Now, you can start researching your local scene for people (executive chef, head waiter, restaurant manager) who have achieved the goals you hope to. Newcomers to the restaurant business can find in-house mentors, who are usually best positioned to help an apprentice become a master. 

In-house mentoring is common in the fast-paced restaurant world, especially if there’s a dedication to a specific chef or group. This type of mentorship program provides an opportunity to shadow, get hands-on, and foster long-term employees. 

If you’re searching outside your own restaurant for a mentor, networking is a handy tactic to learn about potential candidates. “Talk with people that have worked with the chef or person you’re interested in,” recommends Felix. “Get to know what it’s really like to be mentored by them.”

Find a mentor you can relate to and who you trust, but don’t let differences in experience or background stop you. While the hospitality industry is made up of a diverse workforce, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2023 that 11.5% of food service managers were black, and 23.3% of chefs and head cooks were women. There still isn’t equal representation across leadership roles in the restaurant industry. 

American political scientist and diplomat, Condoleezza Rice, offers inspiration to those seeking a mentor who may be frustrated by the lack of equal representation in our industry. 

Rice, who was the first female Secretary of State, famously said to Time, “…had I been waiting for a black female Soviet specialist role model, I’d still be waiting. So my role models were white men—old white men—those were the people who dominated my field. Don’t wait to see someone like you.” 

By finding a mentor and taking charge of your career, you can achieve your biggest aspirations and become the mentor for someone in the future on the same path.

What is a Mentor?

A mentor is a person who has successfully achieved the goals you hope to achieve and can offer knowledge and experience to guide you. There’s no perfect or singular model of mentorship. What you seek from a mentor could be vastly different from someone else with a similar career plan - mentoring looks different for everyone.

Some corporate organizations have formalized mentoring programs and structured pathways. In many restaurants, due to the pace of business, management must take a case-by-case approach to provide their staff with mentorship. 

Howard Cummins was the general manager of Le Colonial (closed 2024) in San Francisco, CA. In his nearly 40-decade career, Cummins has opened or reconceptualized more than 75 restaurant properties, bringing them back to life after struggles or ownership changes. When revitalizing a restaurant, Cummins takes the in-house, hands on approach.

Felix explains how he uses the mentorship provided to him by chef Charles Phan. “I let my team know how valuable they are. If there are disagreements or service missteps, I open with their strong points and then address the situation and how to correct it.” Felix provides a safe structure for his staff to learn from their mistakes while coaching and providing opportunities to help them grow in their careers.

Benefits of Having a Mentor 

If you’re a business owner, you stand to benefit both personally and organizationally from mentoring, or being mentored, in your role. For your employees, having a restaurant mentor provides them with guidance, investment in their leadership skills, and a clearer career path. 

Gen Z, the up-and-coming lifeblood of restaurants, have made it clear they want mentoring opportunities. Their workplace expectations are similar to other generations, however Gen Z do place a premium on flexible work policies, and value socially responsible companies more so than their older colleagues. 

Employers planning to keep their staff long-term will need plan accordingly, considering that 49% of food service workers are part of the Gen Z demographic. NRAEF’s research in 2018 also found that 58% of Gen Z workers with a mentor were in more senior positions, than the 29% of those who had never had a mentor.  

By encouraging restaurant leadership to serve as mentors and by seeking out mentorship yourself, the restaurant industry can become stronger. Your novice employees will gradually become the leaders of the future, thanks to the guidance and support they receive in your business. 

Howard tells us about the benefits of mentorship.

The characteristics of a mentor are important beyond the person’s status and achievements. Felix explains that trust is critical in mentorship, and it goes both ways. A mentor acts as a sounding board to navigate work challenges and opportunities, and a mentee needs to listen and evaluate how to take on the advice. 

Understanding is also a core characteristic of a mentor, said Howard. As a mentor, “Seek to understand before you can be understood. If you show an interest in understanding the person, you’ll understand them better, but then they will also take your constructive criticism better.” 

How to Ask Someone to Be Your Mentor 

With some careful consideration, you’ve determined where your career is headed. You understand what support you’ll need and have found a selection of potential candidates to help you. You work hard, and your track record of achievements will show a future mentor that you’re serious. 

Start out by inviting the person to a neutral meeting place – it could be a coffee meeting, or something tailored to their professional expertise. Be thoughtful in your approach. If you are able to provide something in exchange for them, do so.

Lay out your proposal for them – communicate your goals clearly and mention why you think they’d be able to support you. Discuss what the mentorship would look like in practical terms. Be sure to ask if they’re available for mentorship, and be prepared for a ‘no’ if that is their decision. Don’t take it personally – you have other candidates, so move on to your next potential mentor.

There’s no need to rush building your career — it deserves time, love, and support. For more structured mentorship programs, there are organizations that foster specific areas of the restaurant industry. 

Some of these include the James Beard Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Program or the NRAEF’s ProStart program for youth. 

Whether you’re starting out on the line or hoping to expand your restaurant empire, learning from a mentor can help you achieve your goals. 

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