And we’re off! Across most of the industry a new season is blooming. Time to stage patio furniture, prep the pool, freshen up the chicken salad recipe and print name tags. Some perennial team members return for another action-packed season while newcomers are welcomed into the fold. Some may be new to the Club food and beverage business model, have public restaurant experience or may be altogether new to hospitality. Clear communication of expectations and practices for the veteran and the newcomer alike plays a key role at the launch of a new season. Within a flash systems will be firing on all cylinders. Committing to clarity at the outset will create consistency, instill confidence and avoid conflict and confusion.
There’s a quiet assumption that shows up across Club food and beverage: if someone has a little experience, they must already know how things work. It’s common sense. In practice, this assumption is one of the quickest ways to create confusion for a team. Often, the fast-paced environment of Club food and beverage relies on shorthand that doesn’t connect the action to the expectation or purpose:
“Set up the bar”
“Keep an eye on the soup chafer”
“Make sure everything gets put away”
“Check to see that the golf carts are ready”
Clear communication builds connection and consistency. Vague instructions, assuming fluency on a subject or instruction, and inconsistent messaging result in inefficiently executed tasks, wasted time and high levels of frustration.
A tendency might be to think that explaining too much might feel condescending. The opposite is true. Every clarified detail, no matter how minor, is one less assumption and one step closer to a team that moves in sync.
It’s easy to hesitate when it comes to explaining the basics. “I don’t want to talk down to them.” Or “They’ve done this before.” But clear instruction isn’t condescending, it’s respectful. Clarity is kindness.
A new hire is sent to get limes for the bar. A few minutes later, they return with a basket of beautiful lemons.
The bartender points out, “Limes are green.” (this is a true story)
“Limes are green” wasn’t wrong. It just wasn’t the full picture. Imagine the alternative and instead of correcting after the fact, the instruction was given upfront:
“Hey, when you grab fruit, I’m sure you know lemons are yellow and limes are green. We keep lemons and limes separate, and we cut them this way.”
Now there’s no guesswork. No small embarrassment. Just alignment.
Clarity creates space for learning without putting pressure on someone to admit they don’t know something that, technically, they may never have been shown.
One of the healthiest strategies to build into food and beverage culture is this simple idea: nothing is too obvious to explain, and no question is too basic to ask.
About the Author: Chef Mary Howley
Chef Mary Howley is a seasoned culinary leader and former Executive Chef with experience across catering, private clubs, and fine dining. She trained throughout Europe and brings a wide range of culinary expertise. At RCS, she serves as the resident culinary consultant, specializing in menu engineering, food and beverage operations, and back-of-house training. Mary has also worked as an R&D chef for Food Unlimited and participated as a Pastry Chef in two James Beard Dinner events. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the Maryland Institute and is a Certified Professional Food Service Manager, TIPS trainer, and member of Women Chefs & Restaurateurs. She is passionate about seasonality, sustainability, and the connection between people and food.