Chef Michael Symon’s Guide to Flavor-Packed, Inclusive Menus That Keep Employees Happy

By  Chef Michael Symon, Kitchen Works Culinary Ambassador

Food has this incredible power to bring people together and make them feel good.

I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family that sat down at the dinner table together every night. We shared a home-cooked meal and talked about our day. I looked forward to it.

Food in the workplace has that same ability: to keep people happy.

When you bring flavor-packed, inclusive menu innovation to the workplace, you create an experience where people get a true break from their work. They get excited about what they’re about to eat and they feel good — and more productive — afterward. As a chef, that’s exactly what I want, to create meals that keep people happy, that bring people together, that fuel them through the workday — all while keeping them looking forward to what they get to eat on a daily basis.

But why should you care? Because when your people are happy, your business is happy. And I’ll tell you why.

Let’s start by answering the big questions.

How Do You Make a Flavor-Packed Menu?

We don’t need a lot of smoke and mirrors to make something delicious. Flavor comes from the quality of the ingredients we’re using and thoughtful preparation. It means getting the best product you can and cooking it the right way.

And don’t be afraid of seasonings. Adding seasonings, especially to classic dishes, makes the dish exciting to eat and not so ho hum.

How Do You Make an Inclusive Menu?

I had a Greek Sicilian mother. At 10 years old, you’d find me with a lunch box full of grape leaves. I have a personal connection to those flavors. To me, Greek Sicilian foods are comfort foods.

I like to work with different flavor profiles that personally connect with people — while keeping the dish itself approachable to others. I think this personal connection and variety get people excited about food. For example, not everybody grew up eating grape leaves, but everybody grew up eating fried rice, so I like to do a crispy rice with the flavors of the grape leaves that I experienced as a kid. This makes those Greek flavors approachable to a whole different audience.

The same goes for accommodating people’s diverse dietary needs. We’re thinking about what’s in the food we eat, more than ever before — gluten, meat, dairy, sugar. Whatever food you’re eating, it’s my job as a chef to make that food delicious. I never let anything limit what I do with a flavor profile. Making a meal free from something doesn't mean that it can no longer taste good. It just means we find a new way to get there.

Take mac and cheese for example. I could use yeast and nut milk to create the same flavor as cheese, so people who aren’t eating dairy can experience that dish again. It blows their minds.

And now for the last question.

How Does a Flavor-Packed, Inclusive Menu Keep People Happy at Work?

I'm the kind of person who’s already thinking about lunch as I'm eating breakfast.

We’re not just looking for food to give us energy and sustenance — we want to look forward to what we’re eating and maybe even try something a little different. When our menus are flavor-packed and inclusive, it could be something that they've eaten a million times, but it's a more memorable version of that. Then people look forward to that break, not just because they're getting time off to relax but because what they’re eating is exciting. In addition to the nutrients in a meal, that excitement also adds a lot of fuel and energy to their day.

Good food also gives people something to talk about, especially when we have those little hints of different cuisines that can take them back to a place — like dinner with their family or the lunch their mom used to make. It becomes a topic around the water cooler. And it's just one more dynamic that adds to the culture of work that I think keeps it exciting and fresh for people.

Ultimately, food is the gasoline that fuels our engine. So, in order to have a good workday, you need the proper fuel. I think about balance. There's an old Julia Child saying that goes, “everything in moderation, including moderation.” There are a lot of different ways to eat healthy without it just being a salad with dressing. By using proper proteins and proper grains and fruits and vegetables and dark leafy greens, you get a meal that's insanely satisfying and still really good for you.

When your workplace menu is flavor-packed and inclusive, your people are excited to come to work, they’re included and connecting and they’re getting the fuel they need to do the work you need.

And that’s my guide to menus and menu innovation that keep employees, and your business, happy.

Want to bring flavorful menus that work to your work? Let's talk.