Gavin Kaysen: Cooking Philosophy, Leadership & Future

flavors unknown podcast

Today, I’m talking to Chef Gavin Kaysen. He’s the executive chef and owner of several Minneapolis hotspots, including Spoon and Stable, Bellecour Bakery, Demi, Socca, and Mara. Kaysen was a 2018 recipient of the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef.
You’ll hear about his early love for his grandmother’s dishes, how they inspired him to become a chef, and where to find those recipes.
He shares his experiences growing and learning in the industry, his experience wih Chef Daniel Boulud, and the lessons he has woven in to his leadership philosophy.
You’ll learn about his impressive hospitality portfolio, his perspective on the profession as a whole, the future of fine dining, and the role of the guest in their dining experience.

What you’ll learn from Chef Gavin Kaysen

• The family member who influenced Gavin Kaysen love for cooking 3:04
• Dishes from his childhood that you can find in his cookbook 3:59
• How the seasons remind him of food 4:34
• Chef Haviin Kaysen experiences working with chef Daniel Boulud 5:15
• Earning coveted votes for the James Beard award 7:58
• Success and growth as an entrepreneur 10:00
• Offering opportunities for people to grow 11:00
• Managing multiple roles when you’re a chef/owner 14:27
• Dissecting Gavin Kaysen’s leadership style 15:25
• A deeper understanding of the culinary profession 16:26
• Learning the values of the French brigade system19:32
• The importance of discipline if you want to get ahead 20:40
• Why Gavin Kaysen doesn’t use the word bistro or brasserie 21:54
• The role of happiness in hospitality 22:29
• Sticking to your values to maintain a successful establishment 23:28
• How the guests influence your business over time 24:14
• Rotating the menu according to seasonality 24:55
• Sourcing consistent creativity through your team 25:16
• The premise of Demi and the importance of collaboration 26:06
• Holding on to community ties and contributing to the local fabric 27:29
• Opening dialogue between chefs through The Synergy Series 28:17
• The truth about success stories 29:22
• Covid-era offerings that helped save the business 30:17
• Upping your skills as a home cook through his book, At Home 31:41
• The one difference between cooking in a restaurant and at home 31:56
• Gavin Kaysen perspective on the future of the food business 33:49
• Focusing on what makes you happy rather than accolades 34:25
• Fine dining of the future and re-defining what it looks like 35:04
• The responsibility of the guest during the dining experience 35:55
• Five spots in Minneapolis to visit 37:55
• His Guilty Pleasure Food 38:44
• A recent cookbook he felt inspired by 39:08
• A few pet peeves in the kitchen 39:34
• The worst advice he’s heard 39:57
• His best investment advice 40:48
• One chef he’d love to collaborate with 42:15

I’d like to share a potential educational resource, “Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door”, my new book that features dialogues with accomplished culinary leaders from various backgrounds and cultures. It delves into the future of culinary creativity and the hospitality industry, drawing from insights of a restaurant-industry-focused podcast, ‘flavors unknown”. It includes perspectives from renowned chefs and local professionals, making it a valuable resource for those interested in building a career in the culinary industry.

Get the book here!

Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode)

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Chef Andy Doubrava

Chef Chris Kajioka

Chef Suzanne Goin

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I want to foster people to give an opinion, and I want to hear what it is that they think. But I need for them to understand that discipline is what will get them where they want to go. Curiosity and questioning will get them there as well, but it’s just a different path.

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I think that our profession is very misunderstood in that when somebody works for you for a long time, and then goes and leaves to open up their own business, people from the outside see that as a negative. And they think that something then is going to change internally in the business, or that competition is somehow going to breed frustration. It’s always the opposite.

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It’s always hard to go from one role to the other because you need to take a step back and use different parts of your brain. But for me, I love it. Part of my strength is the CEO side, as well as the cooking, but it’s about leadership. It’s about leading a company and leading the business toward profitability because ultimately that profitability is dependent on people who work for you. And so you need to be able to carry that.

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Chef Gavin Kaysen

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Spoon and Stable

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Demi Restaurant

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Links mentioned in this episode

Restaurant Spoon and Stable

Restaurant Demi