Tableside Talks: Gabe Branch of Gray’s Hall
Gabe Branch is the talented Executive Chef of Gray’s Hall in South Boston.
Gabe’s culinary journey began in Sioux City, Iowa, washing dishes at the local Elks Club before he found his passion for food, setting the stage for an impressive career. After opening acclaimed spots in Iowa City like Pullman Bar & Diner and St. Burch Tavern, Gabe made his way to Boston in 2019. In Boston, he honed his skills at Pammy's before becoming a Sous Chef at Oleana Restaurant. He even spent some time as a fish butcher in Nantucket.
Now at Gray’s Hall, which was recently awarded a Best of Boston award by Boston Magazine, Gabe crafts “New American” cuisine with Middle Eastern flair. His food and leadership has made this neighborhood gem a must-visit for dinner and natural wine. When he’s not in the kitchen, you might find him admiring tattoos or cuddling with his beloved tuxedo cat, Ahri.
Welcome in, Gabe!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Deirdre Auld (Tableside): Gabe, what's the most impactful piece of advice you received as a leader?
Gabe Branch: One of the most impactful pieces of advice that I received when starting in management and eventually becoming a head chef was no matter what happens over the course of the day, no matter what is going on or what problems you have, make sure that you say hello to everyone when they walk into work and make sure that you say goodbye, either when you leave or when they leave every single day. Being able to form relationships, personal and professional, with the people that I am working with, helps everyone work towards the same goal.
[When] I was a young cook, you get kind of used to being lost in the mix of everything that’s going on in the day-to-day operations of a restaurant. Being in a position where the person that was immediately responsible for me and someone I looked up to was making it a point to say, “Hey I see you, thank you for being here,” made me feel closer to that person. As a cook, it made me more compelled to want to work harder and want to help that person achieve their own goals.
Deirdre: What's one thing that you wish you knew when you stepped into a leadership role that no one told you?
Gabe: One thing that I really wish that I knew is you are going to be wrong many, many, many times stepping into a leadership position, whether it is your first time doing it or you've been doing it for years. You're going to have a lot of moments where you do not make the correct call. You will have moments of failure, despite working for so many years to be in a position where you are in leadership, but there is a lot of strength and a lot of respect in having some humility. There is a lot that can be gained from the people around you, from your staff.
Deirdre: If you could say one thing to somebody who's just starting out in hospitality leadership, what would that one thing be?
Gabe: It’s important no matter what decision or call you ultimately make that you’re doing it with confidence. That can mean you need to feel confidence in a decision that is being made or a change that's happening. You need to speak and carry yourself in a way that people know they can trust and believe in what you’re saying. Have confidence to admit that you’re wrong. You don’t have to be embarrassed or sheepish about something that didn’t go correctly. Very rarely is a failure a failure. It’s just a success that maybe hasn’t quite happened yet.
It’s so important to confidently look at someone and say, I was wrong in this situation, but in being wrong about this, we learned these things and I think we can make a fix going forward. Have confidence that you were put into this position for a reason and use the confidence in tandem with some humility. Approach situations with the knowledge, “I’m the person who’s been asked to make this call, so I need to confidently communicate that.”
Deirdre: Our last question, you have one condiment in your fridge, what is it?
Gabe: Honest answer, mayonnaise. You can make a different mayonnaise for so many different sandwiches, and it can go with so many entrees. I eat a lot of sandwiches at home, so being able to just have plain mayo and then add chili powder or something to it. I would go for mayonnaise, because I have no shame about getting after mayonnaise all day long.
Deirdre: Well, Gabe, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your insights on leading in hospitality. Stay tuned for more insights with other leaders in the industry. We'll see you next week.