Chef/owner of Helm, The Test Kitchen, Savage, and Ember

Strangely enough, this is a question that I asked myself recently and I think the number one piece of advice I could give the younger me would be to trust instincts and don’t wait for things to happen naturally. Push forward and push hard. Having now realised this, there is a quote that I love: “Someone once told me not to bite off more than I can chew. I told them I would rather choke on greatness than nibble on mediocrity.”

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Head chef/partner, Metronome; Chef/ partner, Taquería Franco

Knowing what I know now, I would’ve told myself to go easy on myself, and not be so abusive with my body. When I was younger, I felt invincible, I would start my day with cigarettes and end my day with alcohol and cigarettes. But, I seriously doubt I’d listen to myself as well. I love what I do, so work was a very welcome escape for me instead of working through personal challenges like grief. I worked so much and didn’t give much thought on taking breaks and enjoying myself. Honestly, I still have to remind myself the same thing now.

COO, FooDee Global Concepts; Co-founder, Kraver’s

Embrace the chaos, young Eric. Dive into diverse flavours, innovate like crazy, and trust your gut. People fuel passion, so build a team that craves the next big bite. Execution is king, so sweat the details, learn from flops, and always, always keep tasting life’s endless menu.

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Chef and restaurateur, Antonio’s Group of restaurants

I was fortunate enough to know what was really important then, and that is still what I believe in now: reputation and quality are everything. When you build your career focusing on quality, you are able to create a reputation that can withstand trends or challenges. When you have a good reputation, it will speak for itself. You will have a good relationship not only with your patrons, but also with your suppliers and colleagues. Understand also that the fruits of your labour may not come in a year, two years, or even a decade. It really takes time, patience, and dedication.

Chef/owner of Cibo, Grace Park Dining, Lusso, The Loggia, Cibo di Marghi, and Museya Kafé

Because of where I am today, I would tell my younger self to just go on and do exactly what she did then. She never had a plan, just rolled with the punches, and made the best of what she found in front of her. Ups and downs, missteps and great choices, failures and successes, all of these things put together have indeed brought me here, 37 years after.

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CEO and president, Wildflour Group

The first piece of advice I would give my younger self is to know your limitations and surround yourself with people who will help you overcome those limitations. Nobody is perfect and we all have our strengths and weaknesses. The more experience I’ve gained, the more I see the value in building a team who complement each others’ skills–who know what you don't.

Another would be that the sooner you appreciate the power of data and analytics, the better. Businesses used to rely a lot on intuition and observation, but nowadays, it’s those who are able to crunch the numbers and make the most effective decisions with the information at their disposal that succeed.

Founder, Happy Concept Group

If I had the ability to give advice to my younger self regarding my career, there are several key pieces of wisdom that I would think of. First and foremost, I would advise my younger self to never stop learning. Continuously seek out new knowledge, skills, and perspectives. This may involve taking on new challenges, pursuing further education, or seeking mentorship from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences. In addition, I would also encourage my younger self to take risks and not be afraid of failure.

I would also say to give priority to having meaningful connections with colleagues, mentors, and peers that can provide support, guidance, and opportunities throughout my career. Surrounding myself with hardworking and responsible people has inspired me to not only work harder but to continuously improve as well.

See also: What makes you a chef?

Chef/co-founder, Aurora 

I’d start by saying, I know you have a lot you want to achieve, let’s start by exploring. Get to know the world better and let’s put more attention into unlocking new flavours, textures, and memories rather than techniques and recipes. Take in and cherish all the games you win and get a good look at those around you. Measure twice, cut once; be precise and clear with your vision, goals and intentions, from the kitchen, all the way to your potential restaurant partners. Lastly, be kind to yourself. You only live once.

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