Creative problem solving and control in the kitchen - Blog by performance psychologist Mike Duckett

Mike Duckett talks about creative problem solving, asking the right questions and controlling the controllables. 

• What can the UK Bocuse D’Or team learn from the professional world of cycling?
• Why every chef needs to have a 'champagne moment'
• Can our food choices manipulate our behaviour?

“Do every little thing right and almost without noticing you can do something big” (Sir David Brailsford – Team SKY).

This could almost be the motto of every ‘elite’ chef I know. When I first became involved with chefs and restaurateurs over 20 years ago, what immediately struck me was the meticulous attention to detail. I remember watching Ashley Palmer-Watts on the pass at The Fat Duck as he paused to straighten part of a dish that was probably just 3mm off vertical!

I can’t remember a chef (at this level) saying, ‘it’s good enough’; so, I would say the new motto could be, ‘’it’s good enough’ just isn't good enough’. In the last blog, I was thinking about the UK Team Bocuse and the lessons they might draw from the way British cycling has come from almost nowhere to be a world dominant winning machine. Some years ago, I think Brailsford must have asked himself the critical question, “why not?” and that’s the question the newly formed UK Bocuse Academy has dared to ask of our chances of winning the Bocuse D’Or - why not?

Money & Creative Problem Solving

Even now, if you openly ask that question there are some automatic immediate responses, usually related to money or lack of it. The Gold medal U.S. team certainly had access to considerable funds and even though part of the new Team Bocuse includes experts in fundraising and public relations, it will take some creative thinking around new ways to raise a competitive amount of sponsorship.

Brailsford again came to mind when we were talking money. I saw him interviewed about the sniping against Team SKY because of their big funds and he pointed out that some other teams also had big funds but weren’t winning; so, the critical issue is what you spend the funds on. This then led us to open our minds to some creative thinking about sponsorship. Not, how much money do we need, but what do we need the money for? For example, an area of expense is flights; the team needs to fly to Lyon for the final.

At the meeting this time as well asking about how much flights cost and if the budget could cover them etc, someone asked, “do we know anyone with a plane?” At this stage, we know we do in fact know one or two people with access to an aircraft. We haven’t actually asked for a lift yet but if we do - who knows?

The important thing is we’ve started to ask new questions; the lesson is that constraints are good for creativity so when you next feel restricted in some way, get creative and start asking some different questions!

Control the Controllables

Whenever an athlete is interviewed before an event the presenter will inevitably ask them about their thoughts on winning or about their opponents. They may give some short reply, but the best athletes are usually reluctant to answer these kinds of questions because they know better than to think of things that are out of their control. When Geraint Thomas was asked these questions during the Tour de France this year he consistently refused to think of anything other than the very next stage and his own performance in that stage.

Whenever you’re competing against others you cannot control winning or losing. What you can control is your own performance, which is the only way you’ll achieve your goal of winning.

Team Bocuse know this. They have received the final briefing document laying down the parameters for the final. Whilst their goal is obviously to win, and they’ve done some work on visualising success, their focus is solely on their own performance; how they are thinking about & reacting to the brief and what they are producing as exquisite dishes.

So, the next time you’re stressing about achieving a goal that involves other people, forget it and focus on the adage, ‘control the controllables’!

Oh, and by the way, do you know anyone who has a plane………………………………..?

Mike Duckett has a degree in psychology and is a member of the Occupational Psychology division, the Sports Psychology division & the Coaching Psychology Special Group of the British Psychological Society. He holds a diploma in Hypnotherapy & Cognitive therapy and is a certified NLP coach.

With over 20 years experience he was one of the pioneers of applying performance psychology to coach people in the hospitality industry to get the best from themselves, in areas such as creativity; leadership; optimism etc.

As a certified NLP Coach and ANLP Accredited Master Practitioner, Mike has clients ranging from world-renowned chefs, restaurateurs & sommeliers to up and coming staff in both the kitchen and front of house. You can see more of Mike's blogs atcoachforsuccess.wordpress.com