Leading in Restaurants

An 8-week leadership development program designed exclusively for restaurant managers

You hire managers, we make them leaders.

The Leading in Restaurants program takes managers and chefs from being stuck in the weeds and always playing catch up to confidently leading others in just 8 weeks.

Our research-based curriculum is the result of 10+ years of leading restaurants and dozens of interviews and conversations with restaurant professionals across the country. It addresses the leadership topics and skillsets we heard were in highest demand and most urgently needed.

Managers will learn the difference between managing and leading and leadership best practices. They’ll also walk away with specific tools they can use to handle sticky people situations, from giving feedback to managing conflict.

Our program ingredients

  • Leadership Frameworks

    The context and competencies that lay the groundwork for leading successfully in restaurants.

  • Mindsets + Beliefs

    The attitudes and self-awareness that support business success and growth as a leader.

  • Behaviors + Skills

    The day-to-day actions and habits that contribute to effective management and great leadership.

Curriculum

The Leading in Restaurants curriculum was designed based on leadership development research and tailored specifically to the restaurant industry.

The 8-week program develops the mindsets and skillsets needed to successfully navigate the unique leadership challenges of the hospitality industry.

Each weekly session is about 75 minutes long and can be administered in person or via Zoom.

Program Overview

  • Week 1: Leading in Hospitality

    Understand the difference between leading and managing. Learn what is required of a leader in hospitality and how that has changed across time.

  • Week 2: Operationalizing Management

    In your role as a restaurant manager or chef, how can you ensure business operations run smoothly? Learn how to implement key habits like daily planning, prioritization, and delegation.

  • Week 3: The Power of Mindset

    Learn about the power of your mindset and how it can impact your leadership. Gain an understanding of hospitable mindsets and how to reframe limiting beliefs.

  • Week 4: Building Self-Awareness

    Develop an understanding of the role of self-reflection in leadership. Learn how to grow your self-awareness and reflect-in-action.

  • Week 5: Building Successful Relationships

    Strong relationships are key to successful leading. Gain an understanding of how to build trust and help team members feel supported and stay motivated.

  • Week 6: Communicating Effectively

    Learn about differences in communication styles and how to effectively listen as a leader. Get frameworks for successfully giving feedback and setting clear expectations.

  • Week 7: Managing Conflict

    When managing people, conflict is a fact of life. Learn how to manage conflict between others and develop your ability to respond instead of react in moments of stress.

  • Week 8: Self-Management

    Let’s face it: leading others can be stressful. Discuss how to navigate burn out and how to continue to invest in your leadership development and professional growth.

Meet the program designers

Cassie Francisco and Deirdre Auld are certified leadership coaches and have a background in adult learning and organizational development. They both have experience coaching hospitality managers to support their leadership development.

Cassie has 10+ years of experience working and leading in resource constrained environments, including non-profit and higher education settings. Deirdre has 10+ years in restaurant management and operations roles and has experience in leadership consulting in corporate environments.

Driven by their personal and professional experience, they share a desire to help restaurants strengthen their business operations by developing their leaders and creating a positive learning culture.

EXPERTS IN LEADERSHIP

Ready to get started?

We’ve made it easy for you to facilitate the program based on your organization’s unique needs and priorities. We offer a facilitator license for one-time purchase. After that, purchase as many seats for participants as you need. Want to offer the program again to your organization in the future? Simply purchase more participant seats, and we’ll make sure your new employees have access to all the program materials.

Facilitator License
$150.00
One time

Access all of the materials you need to facilitate the Leading in Restaurants program to your employees. Buy the facilitator license once, and purchase a seat for each individual you'd like to participate in the program.

Leading in Restaurants Participant Seat
$125.00

Select the number of individuals you would like to participate in the Leading in Restaurants program. Note: in order to purchase seats, you must have already purchased a Leading in Restaurants facilitator license.

Once you submit your order, our team will contact you via email to grant your participants access to the participant dashboard, which includes session overviews, materials, and weekly practice activities.

Testimonials

  • "Tableside has created a community-driven learning environment that feels equal parts informative and empowering. I walk away from each class with a greater understanding of myself and my own management strengths/weaknesses, therefore I am able to step up for my team in more meaningful ways. I will carry the lessons learned with me for the rest of my career."

    — Savannah Miller, Chef de Cuisine, M Tempura

  • "Deirdre and Cassie provide a wealth of knowledge, skills and tips to employ in the restaurant industry. Their approachable lessons make it easy for anyone in any role (no matter the experience level) to understand and foster new leadership growth. They set a fantastic foundation for future leaders and their continued efforts to changing and molding the industry gives me such hope for the growth and direction of hospitality."

    — Liz Grandchamp, Owner/Operator, Grandchamp Hospitality

  • "Leading in Restaurants was a very valuable and empowering experience! Learning new management techniques, identifying and restructuring my own thinking about day-to-day scenarios and responsibilities, and hearing the perspectives and experiences of my classmates in the hospitality field has definitely made me feel more comfortable and confident in my ability to manage and lead."

    — Bryce Summers, Bar Manager, Bar Futo

  • "This was a fantastic program. I have taken part in 3 other similar programs in my past. This one was way smoother to follow along with. Much more engaging. Very helpful overall. I'm happy I was able to be a part of this."

    — Michael Morway, Executive Chef, Branch Line + Little Branch Cafe

  • "An engaging and enlightening course that not only provides quality knowledge on how to be a better manager, but also the best version of yourself!"

    — Emily Tunison, Assistant General Manager, Moto-i Ramen and Sake House

  • "Sitting down and talking with other industry professionals is something I do on a regular basis—but it's usually just to commiserate over drinks. This gave me an opportunity to talk with others in the field in a constructive, educational and inspirational tone. Deirdre and Cassie were authentic and thoughtful with how they lead each session, providing tools and methods on how to be more effective leaders. With each session, I started to feel more empowered, more confident and better prepared to lead my team. I would implore any person who is new to a leadership role or management to take part in this program."

    — Devon Westcom, Service Manager, Traveler Street Hospitality / Black Lamb