Who knew contact sports and gourmet cooking could be so intertwined? It was a pleasure having Chef Duane Keller on my Off the Clock podcast to explain the link. A Canadian-born gold-medal recipient in hockey whose father Ralph was an American Hockey League Hall of Famer, he generously shared pearls of wisdom about the importance of mentorship and leadership in the culinary arts.
Having grown up in Hershey, Pa., home of the eponymous candy bar company, Duane has more than chocolate coursing through his veins. He’s one of the premiere chefs in the nation’s capital, serving his creations to four U.S. presidents and at multiple inaugurations. But his influence extends far beyond the beltway in the form of numerous awards and international recognition.
Between his hockey background and family members who always held each other accountable, he says it’s a perfect recipe for working with people and food. Sports and food prep are both 50% physical and 50% mental, according to Keller, who considers himself as a player-coach in the kitchen. “You have to put your people in the right place, give them the tools to succeed, and go out and win the game, which is wowing our guests,” he explains.
As part of his leadership philosophy, which takes hold from the bottom up, the goal is setting a good example for the entire team, as well as providing solid training and tools for each rung of the career ladder. That means starting in the stewarding department where the dishes are done, which he considers the most challenging job. Then he’ll move to the pantry and onto the hot side, leaning on sous chefs to help maintain the operation.
Another critically vital part of the equation is the power of mentoring. New hires obviously need a great teacher, but they should be patient with that partnership. He says it takes years to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to sustain healthy career growth. But it’s worth noting that the best learning is reciprocal. Duane says seasoned professionals can benefit from aligning themselves with young minds that are at once creative and passionate. In some respects, it’s about change management.
“I’ve seen a big change in food, how it’s plated, tweezers and everything,” he observes, “and you want to be part of that as well.” Sometimes what’s new is actually old. With a career that has spanned decades preparing exceptional cuisine at fine-dining establishments, he notices a full-circle return of the haute cuisine trend from the 1980s.
What keeps him centered is giving back to the community. His charitable work has included helping with disaster relief in the wake of 9/11 recovery efforts at the Pentagon and Hurricane Katrina. Duane recalls meeting a few guys in the Bahamas for whom he participated in a live auction for their Smilezone Foundation in Toronto where he had to follow Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson. The highest bidder paid $50,000 for him to cook dinner for 10 people, which didn’t include food or wine. The event was such a successful fundraiser that it’s now done every year.
Despite having achieved elite status among U.S. chefs, he’s all about humility, noting “you’re only as good as the last dish you put out.”
Click on the following link to watch the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhbnLygMOI0
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