The restaurant and foodservice industry has always been centered around people. Whether you’re an operator managing a high-volume kitchen, a dealer leading a sales team or a consultant advising on workplace flow, nurturing your people is no longer just “good business”; it is a critical strategy for retention and future success.
At The NAFEM Show panel, “Creating a Culture of Care for Employees & Associates,” industry experts gathered to discuss the pressing need for mental health awareness and psychological safety in our workplaces. Featuring insights from Mike Messeroff, the Carpe Diem Company; Jasmine “Jazz” Parks Papadopoulos, Culinary Hospitality Outreach Wellness (CHOW); Tom Mitchell, The Burnt Chef Project; and moderator Jason Wange, Cal-Mil Plastic Products/Foodservice Powerplant Network, the session was packed with actionable advice for leaders across the foodservice equipment and supply (E&S) chain.
If you missed the session, here are the five most compelling insights and practical tools you can implement today:
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Break the ‘brigade’ mentality
The restaurant and foodservice industry has historically relied on an outdated “military brigade” system built on rigid hierarchy. In this environment, outwardly showing signs of struggle is often viewed as betraying the team, leading employees to suffer in silos. To disrupt this status quo, leaders must intentionally model self-care. By showing your team that prioritizing wellness is a strength, you’ll give everyone permission to thrive.
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Practice ‘self-hospitality’
Hospitality professionals are experts at providing great service to clients and guests, but they often forget to take care of the person they look at in the mirror every day. Messeroff advocates for “self-hospitality,” emphasizing that you cannot pour from an empty cup. True operational excellence comes from filling yours first, allowing you to better serve your teams, organizations and customers.
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The ‘rare-to-well-done’ temperature check
Because foodservice workers often have a better vocabulary for their products than their feelings, Parks Papadopoulos shared a brilliant, industry-friendly tool called the “temperature check.” Instead of asking a generic question like, “How are you doing?”, leaders should ask employees how they are feeling on a scale from rare-to-well-done:
- Rare: juicy, fresh and full of life.
- Well-done: been on the grill for far too long and need to be taken off.
This simple framework gives people an approachable way to answer authentically, reinforcing that they are human beings, not just “human doings.”
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The leadership script: ‘I care, but I’m not qualified’
A major barrier to creating a culture of care is that managers feel too busy, under-resourced or unqualified to act as therapists for struggling employees. Parks Papadopoulos offered a powerful, pressure-relieving script for leaders to use in these moments: “I care about you, I’m concerned, but I am not qualified. Let me sit with you while I get you connected to the right place.”
This approach proves you don’t need to be a mental health professional to foster psychological safety; you just need to be a conduit to the right resources.
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Offer undivided presence
Small behavioral shifts can profoundly impact workplace connection. Parks Papadopoulos shared that she intentionally removes her Apple Watch before having meaningful conversations, so a notification doesn’t pull her out of the moment. Similarly, Messeroff emphasized that leaders must break away from the constant distractions of technology and practice conscious focus and breathing, which helps lower stress and build authentic connections with their teams.
Free industry resources
The panelists shared several resources specifically tailored to the hospitality and foodservice industry. We encourage you to share these with your teams:
- CHOW: A “resource broker” offering a variety of options, including a free “Workplace Wellness Toolkit” filled with ideas to create psychological safety on any budget or time constraint.
- The Burnt Chef Project: A global organization providing management training, mental health care resources and tools to combat industry burnout.
