Phillip Yates: mentoring by example.

• Author: Kennedy, Linda T.
• Position: Spotlight

Although he wears chef's attire instead of a suit and a tie, you won't find many differences between Grand America Executive Chef Phillip Yates and other executives running successful organizations. For one thing, Yates leads 47 chefs with a key ingredient rarely found in today's competitive marketplace: the belief that successful management includes mentoring those with less experience.

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"Mentoring is just always a part of my day in the kitchen," he says. "Without the great chefs I have, I couldn't do it by myself. If I don't train them to see the vision I have, then really, you just have people that come in and just cook and produce. I always want to see more out of people. No one wants to be in a kitchen where people are being told 'no' when someone has a good idea. I want to listen and make it happen."

As a matter of fact, listening to the Grand America team is where Yates' success at the hotel began. Yates was first hired in 2007 as executive banquet chef; his primary responsibility was to cook for the hotel's employees. Yates took the post seriously, listening to the employees' thoughts about the on-site cafeteria.

"The first thing I did was bring in a fresh salad bar. I think I would put that salad bar up against most restaurants," Yates recalls. Now the employee cafeteria also offers a two-week rotating menu with new offerings every day. "My chef told me 'when I start hearing compliments about the food, you can move on.'"

Along with the compliments, the Grand America Hotel noticed Yates' proficiency in organization, creativity and production--three critical skills needed in the hotel's kitchens. Yates ascended to the executive role in September 2009. Now he is a leader...