Micromanagement in Kitchens, a morale killer.
You know what drains the soul out of a kitchen faster than a clogged fryer on a Saturday night?
Micromanagement.
It’s never about “standards” or “consistency.” It’s about control. It’s about insecurity disguised as leadership. And if you’ve ever worked in a kitchen with a clipboard chef breathing down your neck, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
Imagine this: You’re five tickets deep, grill is on fire (literally), and you’re holding service together like duct tape on a broken fridge. You’re in the zone — until Captain Clipboard shows up.
“Check the chicken temp.”
“Rest the steak longer.”
“Don’t forget to wipe the plate.”
Mate, unless you’re grabbing a tong and jumping in, back up.
Micromanagement doesn’t create better cooks. It creates stressed-out robots.
Cooks stop thinking for themselves. They stop growing. They stop caring. Why would they care, when they’re being treated like toddlers instead of professionals?
And here’s the real kicker:
These same micromanagers will sit in meetings asking, “Why is morale so low? Why is staff turnover so high?”
In Essence: Because no one wants to be treated like they’re disposable.
A well-run kitchen flows on trust. When a chef empowers their crew, magic happens. Mistakes get fixed. Lessons are learned. People show up stronger the next day. But the second that trust gets replaced with constant surveillance? The air gets heavy. Creativity dies. And so does loyalty.
Here’s what good leadership actually looks like:
- Train your team well. Then let them execute.
- Give feedback AFTER service. Not in the heat of it.
- Step in only when it matters. Not to flex your ego.
Trust builds confidence. Confidence builds consistency. Consistency builds greatness.
Micromanagement? It builds resentment. And trust me — that shows up on the plate.
So to every cook out there feeling suffocated, you’re not crazy. And to every “leader” who thinks barking orders equals authority — you’re the reason good chefs walk.
Fix that.
