Empathy is Key
EP 004:
Kieffer Morgan
Executive Sous Chef of The Tillery Restaurant [Owings Mills, MD]
Chef Kieffer Morgan reminds us you never truly know what someone is going through, so empathy is key. We discussed how his life journey as an immigrant influences his leadership approach and how he believes restaurants should grow and support their communities.
EPISODE OUTLINE
[00:00:00] Intro
[00:01:46] Chef Kieffer’s background
[00:24:13] How he approaches leadership
[00:37:45] Chef’s vision for his future
[00:40:52] Outro
[00:42:18] Rapid Fire questions
RESOURCES
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TRANSCRIPT
Music fades in…
[00:00:00] Aubrey: Welcome to another episode of the Golden Approach podcast, a show where hospitality professionals come together to figure out hospitality beyond old habits. And I'm so very grateful you're here. My guest today is another dear friend and peer of mine, Chef Kiefer Morgan. I personally think that he's the epitome of the “one team, one dream” kind of person. He is someone who really takes the time to get to know the people around him and to stay open minded. He never makes assumptions, and that's why the title of this episode is “Empathy is Key,” because he reminds us... that you never truly know what someone's going through. We discuss how his life journey as an immigrant from Jamaica directly influences his approach to life, his approach to leadership, his approach to restaurants, and how he thinks they should be a part of their communities.
[00:01:00] Aubrey: I cannot wait to get into this episode because there are so many wonderful nuggets of advice. But the thing I really appreciate about Kiefer doing this is, and as you'll soon hear, he was truly open and vulnerable to share his story. And I hope that this will help all of us kind of remind ourselves that perspective is everything. So without further ado, let's get into the episode.
Music fades out…
[00:01:33] Aubrey:Hey Kieffer, welcome to the show today, thanks so much for joining us. It really means a lot that you want to be here and that you're willing to share your story. So thank you so much. Just to get started and help people get to know you, can you just tell us a little bit about who you are?
Chef Kieffer’s Background
[00:01:46] Kieffer: So I'm Kieffer. I'm a sous chef at the Tillery here in Owings Mills. It's like a modern American sort of restaurant in the Marriott Hotel and the development company that built that hotel, David S. Brown, they've been doing a lot of development in this area. So it's pretty cool to be a part of something exciting going on in my neighborhood. And the chef there is great and the team's great, and I'm actually having a lot of fun there. So things are pretty good right now, job wise.
[00:02:13] Aubrey: Oh, that's awesome. I'm so glad to hear that. We all know that in this industry, it can kind of be a real up and down roller coaster. So I'm so glad that you're somewhere that you're happy and you feel part of a good team.
[00:02:25] Kieffer: Hmm It's a big part of it… so let's see, let's start with the restaurant, right? So it's on the ground floor. It's got this wall of like big pane glass and the dining room. So it's just a ton of natural light. It's got this sort of like modern living room kind of vibe to it. We're all on flat level, but it's like a big open space. They did a really good job, like designing their dining room. So it feels cozy and when the lights are nice and dim and there's this sort of like glow to it. It's a really nice spot and the patio it gets a ton of light. This is one of my favorite spots actually
[00:03:00] Kieffer: like the patio is great but the food. The food is where I get excited because Chef, he's a creative, I'd say, sort of like myself. We have a similar style and we work well together and, you know, obviously that's important in building a team, especially with a sous and his chef or like the three sous working together. It's important that we understand what the direction is. You know what I mean? There's no over-noting of any dish, like, of course we have criticism or whatever, but So far it's been, you know, smooth sailing in terms of, Hey, I want to work on this thing, but yeah, let's make some fresh pasta. Ooh, what would go, go with that? Saffron? Sure. How about lobster? How about some peas and some chili? What kind of broth are we going to do? Are we going to do a lobster stock or are we going to do like a butter sauce? You know, kind of bouncing ideas off of that, off of that person. It's really fortunate. So that's kind of the vibe we have now, you know, and as long as we get the cooks to keep up that consistency, I feel like this place is going to be worth mentioning,
[00:04:00] Kieffer: you know, like in the conversation for sure. With this chef, I see opportunity for him to be a good part of this community because he's interested in not only putting up good food, but getting the community involved in like, maybe starting a farmer's market or something like that. Because I think that would be really good for this area. Like, we're having these conversations, I'm getting super excited because I'm like, yeah, we could be starting a new tradition, or we could be starting a culture in this neighborhood about food and, you know, natural stuff and getting the community involved and expanding their horizons with food and learn about different varieties and these kinds of things, which I think is the extension of a good restaurant, like where they source the food from. And so many times I see restaurants with like a farm attached and that makes me think, yeah, cause that's where you get the good produce from, you know? And then
[00:05:00] Kieffer: it makes me think. That's how I grew up as well. So like there's this natural connection with that kind of stuff that gets me really excited because it just takes me back to when I was growing up and like waking up at five o'clock in the morning. I got to take the goats out and tie them so that they could graze for the day and then get ready for school. Come back and then bring the goats in, do any laundry, chores, whatever, help around the house. And one of these like really strong food memories for me is my uncle was a butcher and periodically he'd slaughter a pig and his eldest son used to help him with it. Me and my other cousins, we were too young. So when we're not doing anything or we're not horsing around or whatever, we just watch, right? And we'd help them fabricate it for sure. But for the actual process of killing the pig, he'd have his oldest son do it. So there was this one time where, you know, he killed the pig, like he normally does. And he just like cuts off, I can't even remember what piece it was.
[00:06:00] Kieffer: I think it was like a piece of the butt because it was really fatty. Or maybe like from the belly. But it was just really fatty piece of, just this slab of pork that he just gave to us. And was like, here, you know, cook this up or something. And we built a small fire right in front of the house. And we just threw, you know, a little bit of salt and we just threw the pork on there. And cooked it there, like it had this really nice char on it. And there were some peppers growing. Next to where we built the fire. So we just took some peppers and I crushed them up and like rubbed it on it. They give us some flavor. And for some reason that whole thing just stuck with me. And like now charred pork and peppers is just in my mind as like this flavor that I'm always searching for, you know, it's just really. I don't know, just really strong food memory that I have. And, you know, like with restaurants nowadays, I'm really interested in anyone who's doing that sort of, I wouldn't say farm to table, so to speak, but just anything outside of, I'm just ordering my produce from a produce company, you know, and I'm getting my fish from the fish guy or whatever, like sourcing really good ingredients from local farmers or anything like that.
[00:07:11] Kieffer: That gets me really excited. And that's something that Foreman Wolf does, you know, like with the farmer's market, going there every Sunday, getting all that good stuff and following the seasons and cooking the food that comes up, doing it real seasonal. That's really nice. Atwaters is another one. They have their own garden where they grow their vegetables and stuff like that. There's a catering company called the Classic Catering People right here on, I think that's Painters Mill Road. They have a little garden bed outside of their place and they're doing herbs. You know, taking it that next step and growing the food, being involved with the cultivation of the food, just all of that fascinates me because growing up like that. It really sort of brings me back anytime I hear about farm life or farming and a restaurant, you know, combined or whatever. So, I think as long as we can, we should try to do that here because I love that stuff and I think this would be a really good neighborhood for it. There's a lot of good stuff coming up in this neighborhood, a lot of development and that'd be a great thing to establish. In front of the restaurant or somewhere close, but you know, that would bring awareness to the restaurant and, and let people know like, Hey, we got good food here because we got good produce and educating people.
[00:08:26] Aubrey: I completely agree. I think people forget that. Yes. It's nice that we're creatives and we get to be inventive with all the different cuisines we have access to here, especially here in America. Right? Like we can pretty much put whatever we want on a plate and it's okay because everyone is so exposed to so many cultures all the time. Which is very unique to this country and I think it's really special. But at the same time, we need to remember the importance of our positions that there are the three parts. It's not just us being creatives that it's being spokespeople in a way. And supporters for the farms and where we get the food right that without them, we don't succeed.
[00:09:00] Aubrey: And without us, they don't really succeed either. We appreciate a higher level of dedication to the craft right of raising animals and farming and all of that, but then also giving back to the community and making sure that they're supported, they can afford it, that they know what good food is, all of that kind of stuff. Cause I remember I used to go to the Pine Ridge Reservation as a kid, so we would stay out there and they're served commodity food, right? Like they're served powdered eggs and spam, lots of canned things. And we had chickens growing up and so every year we would literally save up like 10 flats of eggs and we would take them out there. And they didn't want to eat them because they never had fresh eggs and they preferred powdered eggs. And like, I feel a responsibility now, like you were saying, to make sure that people have access to real food, quality food. So that way they're healthier and they're able to enjoy the same level of cuisine that we're able to enjoy every day.
[00:10:15] Kieffer: Yeah. Cause even, even something as simple as an egg? There's a different feeling when someone gives you a flat of eggs. Like they have chickens that laid those eggs versus buying a carton of eggs at the grocery store, there's so much more meaning attached to it when it's that fresh food, you know, so like going into a market and just like picking out some nice mushrooms or, you know, some nice carrots or something like that. You know, like so many times people see like purple carrots and like, what are these? And it's like, they're carrots. They're just purple, you know, or they're just yellow or they're just white. And, you know, seeing that look, I've never seen a purple carrot before, you know,
[00:10:53] Aubrey: I really hope you guys do this farmer's market
[00:11:00] Aubrey: thing, because I really encourage anyone who's listening to this, that. It's one thing to go to the grocery store, like you were saying, and pick out your produce. And there are people who are still very passionate about learning how to pick out the right produce, right? And how to tell if it's a good one or a bad one. So they say, well, even just going to a farmer's market, right? And having that face to face option with the person who grew that food, who can tell you more about it, how to use it. Lots of chefs use the farmer's market, right? So you never know who you're going to meet there. Build a community. And so I really hope you guys are able to do this because people will get so much more out of picking their food from there. Than they ever will just going to a grocery store.
[00:11:38] Kieffer: Yeah, for sure. For sure. Like I went to the market down in the city and I got just a bunch of stuff and I was like just so excited getting all that stuff and like seeing a different variety. I mean, especially being a chef and being exposed to more than the average person, being surprised is still a lot of fun. You know, when you see something you're like, I've never even seen that before it's great. And then when you do that and you, even if you have your own little garden, It's so rewarding. You take a little basil, you throw it in your pasta or something like that. You grow your peppers or, you know, like anybody can do it. Anybody can do it. Like you, you get a little pot, you get some dirt, some water, some sun, and you know, you grow some herbs, man. And I don't know how to describe it. It's just great.
[00:12:22] Aubrey: And I think we all forget too, that you can't do it with everything, right? Because of genetic modification and hybrids and all of that. But a lot of things that you buy at the grocery store have the ability to be replanted. Right? And so you don't even have to spend a lot of money to do these things. You can just buy what you normally buy, test it out. If it works, then you don't have to buy it again. What a win. So tell us a little bit about your background, your family, what got you into cooking, those kinds of things.
[00:12:53] Kieffer: So, I mean, if I'm going all the way back, I was born
[00:13:00] Kieffer: in Jamaica and I moved to the U.S. in 2001, but before then I grew up with my mom and we live in the city in Kingston and she's got three sisters and her eldest sister, she lived in the country, what we call it in Manchester, close to Mandeville. And for most of my life down there, I like split my time by going to school. With my mom living there in the city and then when school's out, she'd send me to my aunt's farm and I'd stay there with my cousins and I kind of got to experience a lot of that country life, living, not really living outdoors, but being more associated with outdoor stuff, like, you know, building fires and checking on animals and that kind of stuff. And I think a lot of that influenced me a lot. It made me like. It was a nice change of pace and that sort of stuff kind of helps you round out as a person, I think. And I think that's where my love for food came from because, you know, we were constantly around animals. Like food was a big thing.
[00:14:00] Kieffer: We had to feed them, take care of them. And doing that stuff makes you understand where food comes from and why it's important and not to waste and that kind of stuff. Because... You understand how much work it takes to produce that, you know? So when we moved here in 2001, I came up shortly after my mom did. And we stayed with my grandmother and then my aunt, and then we eventually got a place on our own. And around that time was kind of rocky for us, because we Without getting into too much detail, like our green card situation got messed up. So at a certain point, my mom was afraid that if we went back to Jamaica and sort of tried again, then they might just consider that like a deportation and not let us come back. So she was trying to figure out how to basically get straightened out while she was up here, even though our visas were expired at that point and it wasn't any fault of hers,
[00:15:00] Kieffer: you know what I mean? It was just a sticky situation. So for about 10 years or so, she basically took under the table jobs and she was like a cleaning lady, which is so stereotypical, right? But she cleaned houses. She did contract work on the side because she was a architect when she was in Jamaica. And, you know, she went to school for it, and she was working at a big company and everything like that. But, the economy in Jamaica got so bad that she got laid off. And, you know, she's only working a couple of days a week. You know, she's got me to feed, she's got bills of her own, stuff like that. So, I think that's why she... Chose to come up here. I mean, you know, the opportunity is there, but if you're an immigrant and you don't have the proper paperwork, it's, you can't get a job and then chasing that American dream, which you come up here for, it basically becomes impossible. So she took those jobs and she was constantly trying to figure
[00:16:00] Kieffer: out like how to get us squared away so that we could live our lives basically. She managed to get me into school and I can't really remember back then, but from there she was working, I was going to school and that was pretty much it. It was just her and me, you know, single mom, working it out, that kind of stuff. Me being a little bastard sometimes in school, you know, how it is, young kids and stuff, getting into trouble. She tried her best to keep me out of that stuff, because especially with our sensitive situation, like, she didn't want me to get into trouble, to draw any attention to ourselves, to make any difficult life decisions, basically. So I tried as much as I could to stay out of trouble. And for, let's see, up until high school, I always felt like, sort of, like I was watching everything, you know what I mean, like, I wasn't part of everybody, like, not really an outsider, but there's that one thing that's separating me from everybody else, and I always, I feel like now that was our immigrant status, because, you know,
[00:17:00] Kieffer: certain things that everybody else just does as a part of their life, you know, We have to think about like, well, do we need a social security card for that? Do we need this, that, you know, like, do we need to prove anything before I can participate in this? Like, I remember when I wanted to get a job in high school, all my friends were getting jobs and I was like, I don't want to get a job after school. And it was one of those things I couldn't do because of that situation. Eventually though, she met my stepdad and they got married and she was able to straighten everything out. So when we got our green guards. She went back to school and did very well in school, graduated top of her class, and then went back to school again after that and got her architect job back and was living the life that she meant to do like 10 years before. And I was able to go to school, got a job, and my first job was Pizza Hut and from there, I went to culinary school. From there,
[00:18:00] Kieffer: I sort of bounced around and like... Federal Hill at this little café. Then I went to Atwaters. I went to the Renaissance hotel. We met at the Pendry. I went back to the Renaissance. I went to Cinghiale, saw you again. And after that was basically the pandemic. And I remember making a fun situation out of a terrible situation. I was making bread a lot and I was like able to sell bread to my friends and family. And. After the pandemic, it was Cindy Lou’s, I was working at Bar Vasquez for a while and from there, I went to the Westin Hotel. And now I'm here at the Tillery as a sous. And that's pretty much the whole shebang. But what I really like about my experience is now I'm a citizen. I was able to get my citizenship and it feels like everything's come like full circle. Because we went through all that tough time where we didn't know what we could do. And I felt like I was hopping along on one leg, so to speak.
[00:19:00] Kieffer: There was that one thing that kept me from being an American, living the American dream and all that's over now. I can close that chapter of my life and just be great and not have to worry about it anymore and all that stuff. It reminds you where you come from, you know what I mean? And it just. Kind of propels me forward, especially after my mom passed a couple years ago. It was Sort of like well, I have to do good now because she gave so much up For me on raising me and coming up here with this tough situation we had and she never gave up She showed me the example and that had a huge impact on me. So now it's like I'm doing something that she always told me, if you're going to do something, give it a hundred percent. And I take that with me every day, like when I'm creating a dish or working on something else, like just put your best foot forward and try to make a good impression and show people the correct way. You know, that's something that sticks with me to this day.
[00:20:12] Aubrey: I'm so grateful for you going into so much detail and sharing so much of your personal life and being so open with us. I think it is so important for people to hear these stories because our industry is so filled with diversity and immigrants and a lot of people who don't have paperwork and it's really easy for the outside world to stereotype why people don't have that paperwork. There's a lot of opinions on that, but there's so much to that system that is so out of the control of the individuals living it.
[00:20:47] Kieffer: Yeah, for sure. Cause like in my situation, I was a kid. I was nine when we moved up here. And when we found out that things weren't
[00:21:00] Kieffer: going to move forward I was like, well, I don't know what any of that means. I'm just here because you told me to come here. She booked everything. And it's not like we moved here together on a decision. She was like, yeah, we're going to America and we're going to live. And I'm like, okay, cool. Like, you know, I didn’t have a choice. And you know, you just find yourself in that situation and you got to make the best of it. And um, you know, it sucks when you've had credentials before in another country and you're accustomed to a certain lifestyle and she used to say it, it frustrated her a lot that we were comfortable in Jamaica. She lost her job and everything. She was making good money. She was sending me to private school. She had her own apartment. She didn't depend on anybody. And she comes up here and then lands in a situation where she's very much dependent on her family. The graciousness of people to give her the jobs and to pay her on time and not take advantage of her and stuff like that. And you don't know a lot of times what people are going through and like you said, why they're in that situation. Because again, it wasn't anything that she did wrong. It's just, it ended up happening the way it did and she had to make it work for
[00:22:00] Kieffer:10 years. And it's like, I always understood, or was like sympathetic to other immigrants in our situation, whether they came here illegally or not. You're here now and you're trying to make a life for yourself and it's tough without the stigma of the ignorant people who have their opinions about that. Just trying to get by is tough enough… It's like an app. You have the free version but you don't have access to the to the full version. So it's limiting in that way but if you are fortunate enough to make it through and get naturalized and get your papers and everything like that It's definitely a weight lifted off you And I'm sure you could thrive without it, but for me, it was, like I said, it was always this cloud above me that I didn't know what to do with. And even when I had my green card before I was a citizen, there's still a little tension there. Cause it's like, if it gets denied or if I don't renew it on time or whatever. So I was like, okay, I'm just going to apply for my citizenship
[00:23:00] Kieffer: and just be done with it. It was like a whole door just opened up for me, even though I was already like working on my career and everything. It's just that weight that is feel like relief. And like, I can just be myself without feeling any kind of way or anything like that.
[00:23:25] Aubrey: I think we all forget when we're young, we're taught about the basic needs of survival. Everyone needs food or like housing. And once you have those things, then you can start focusing on education. And then once you have education, then you can focus on the extras, right? Like there's the steps to lifting that stress. Off of just surviving and you had all these extra hurdles and weights right that are of no fault of your own of no fault of your mother's of no fault of most of the people that we know and I just think that it's so valuable to have these conversations and remind us that like, we all have these different weights and hurdles that we're all just trying to get over so we
[00:24:00] Aubrey: can live a comfortable normal life. Everybody just wants to live a comfortable, normal life.
How he approaches leadership
[00:24:13] Kieffer: Yeah, yeah, for sure. Everybody's got their own struggle. And I like hearing about people's lives. I like sharing, you know, what I've gone through. Because there's insight in a lot of that. You know, when you learn about other people's perspectives, you kind of re-evaluate, like, what you're going through. And, okay, is this thing that I'm stressing over really that important? And then you kind of let that stuff go. I don't worry about... Too much because I understand I can't stress about every single little thing like the big things I'm focused on that and like little petty stuff if there's like chitchat going around at work, or if there's you know somebody don't like you like oh, what am I you know? I'm not a child anymore. You know I mean you kind of rise above certain things and it makes you a stronger person. You can handle more and you empathize with people, but it makes you a better person because you understand, like, you've got your stuff and I've got my stuff and I'm trying to deal with it, how I'm dealing with it. And you're dealing with yours, how you are. And there's no right or wrong way. As long as nobody's getting hurt, you just got to. Find your way through it.
[00:25:18] Aubrey: I could not agree more. You literally summed up my entire intention behind the show so thank you, Kieffer, for just doing the work for me. I think the timing of this particular conversation, whether it's in relation to immigration or anything else, right? But just about that openness, accepting, having conversations, being kind. It's the conversation of our time right now. So I just I couldn't agree with anything more than what you just said. This is the important conversation. So we've talked a lot about the type of restaurant you work in, the type of food, who you are and what you're passionate about. But let's go with your team because nothing that we do is possible without lots of Other people behind the scenes helping us execute our visions, right? So how do you get the most out
[00:26:00] Aubrey: of your team? Do you have any tangible advice or things that have worked for you that have helped you lead your team?
[00:26:15] Kieffer: I'd say just show up. I think. Some of the chefs I admire the most that I've worked with get in there and mix it up with the cooks and They lead by example. If they're working a station, you can tell chef is working here because it's a certain way. It's clean, he or she runs it a certain way and it's as good as it can be. It's as efficient as it can be and I like to show the cooks that there's a process, especially like, let's say sauté, right? Like let's take that station. If you're doing fish, you know, that there's a way to get crispy skin. And sometimes you run into people where they've been working somewhere where it's all about getting it out as fast as possible and not about.
[00:27:00] Kieffer: Cooking the product in a beautiful way so that it's just as good as it can be as a piece of fish or, you know, even if it's a steak or something, so I try to show them the correct way to do things and not just like bark orders, you know what I mean? Because I think learning from someone who's doing it correctly is how I learn. I want to see how chef does it. I want to see how he expects me to do it. And there's one way where you can tell someone how to do it. But if I see, you know, how you move, if there's no, like no wasted movement, or if there's being efficient as possible, and you're working on multiple things at the same time, and you have your eye on your sauce and your sides and how many fish you have and all that stuff. You take that mental stock and you're, you're working that station and it's just beautiful. That's how I like to work and that's how I'd like my team to work. So even in my last job, when I was running that kitchen, I had to be on the line.
[00:28:01] Kieffer: Because I didn't have enough staff and even at what I would consider like our best point where we had enough staff, there's always the weak link. So I try to show up and be there next to them. This is good. Keep it up. This isn't. So this is what I want you to change and doing it in a respectful way where you don't feel like you're berating them or they don't feel like they're being assaulted or anything like that, but in a direct way, whereas like, this is how I want it done, you know, or this is how it should be done. This is the best way to do it. Leading by example, basically they kind of put a button on it. Not just someone who is sitting in the office all day or, you know, I understand like being there, haven't been in that role. Sometimes you're stuck in the office because you've got whatever dude by the end of the month and all that stuff. Like I get that. But I think making it a point to show them, even if it's just like, You know, I'm going to make a dish, show you how to do it. And then I expect you to do it. You know, just having that hands on experience with the chef, I think is probably the most valuable because the whole vibe comes from whoever's running the kitchen.
[00:29:08] Aubrey: Some people might think to themselves, well, that's obvious. Of course you should do that. But if I've come to learn anything, and I'm sure you'd agree, that what we think should be common sense typically is not because it's all about exposure, right? Same thing as the food, like if you've never been exposed to that kind of work environment, you don't know what it's like, it wouldn't cross your mind maybe to do it that way. So sometimes no answer is too simple. Right? No approach is too simple because you just never know where people have come from or what they've been exposed to.
[00:29:46] Kieffer: It's not every single time, but for sure, there's a difference and it feels good when you start to have that person who is taking that initiative and then they can start handling something and then you can kind of pass that knowledge on and then they start to come up and they are taking on more responsibility. And you as a supervisor can focus on other things that you've been kind of putting on the back burner because you have to be there. And those are the people who end up as the
[00:30:00] Kieffer: Sous and the supervisors and then move on and the people who are just like, yeah, I'm just here for a check. I'm good. You know, I've been doing this for 20 something years. It is what it is. And some people are comfortable with that. Some people want that investment.
[00:30:26] Aubrey: I think you and I can relate on this. We're very driven people, we want to grow and be bigger versions of ourselves, but like you said, not everyone wants that and I think that sometimes we forget that that's okay as long as people are doing their work properly and meeting expectations, but as you were saying, like being a chef and being hands on with your staff, you get to learn who's who and whose dreams are what? And I think It's good to just help people embrace their dreams.
[00:30:57] Kieffer: I know this guy, he's been doing it for years, right? He's one of the best, like, he can probably run a kitchen. He's just solid, and like, no matter how busy we are, everything's coming out perfect. Everything's coming out on time. You know what I mean? But like I said, like, some people are comfortable there, and that's what they want, because he wants to be the best cook he can be. And that's it, and that's fine. And some people... Want to be a chef. Some people want to be executive chef. Some people want to work on a cruise ship. Some people want to work in a hotel. So it's like, whatever, chase that and go for it. And I try not to disparage anybody who doesn't want to reach for the stars, so to speak, because that's not for everybody. But everybody who's not a star is supporting the stars and we need that support. That's the foundation because you can't run a whole restaurant by yourself, right? And, like you said, being there, you learn about these people, you learn where they come from, you learn what they like. At the last job I had, there were so many immigrants there. I'm from Jamaica, and then I had a cook from Guatemala, I had another cook from Senegal, I had another cook from the
[00:32:00] Kieffer: Philippines. At one point, I think I had a dishwasher, and he was like the only natural born American in the whole kitchen. But we're all working together, and after a while it starts to become like a family. Um... You have this relationship with them that's, even when you move on, you remember them. You remember what it was like going through all that stuff with them. Working the late nights or coming in early and all that stuff. It's one of those things about this industry, like, it's a lot of work, but you do it because you love it. Like, labor of love. Some of my favorite jobs is where everyone was so close. We're all in this together. We all have the same... Goal in terms of like where the business is going or the restaurant or the hotel like It's not disparate motives or anything. Everybody's on board and you get so much better work when everybody's like on the same page.
[00:32:53] Aubrey: Yes, just yes. I think there's a lot of companies and industries that like to say,
[00:33:00] Aubrey: Oh, we're family, right? Like we have to do this because we're family and sometimes I have issues with that for different reasons, you know, situationally, but in our industry where you literally have people's lives on the line, you know what I mean? People can get hurt if you're not doing what you're supposed to do and you have to have such trust the people around you are being safe and doing what they're doing to keep you safe, right? Like it's on another playing field, I feel like. You sit and you eat meals together, people share their cuisine and their culture with you. And this industry is so small. I mean, everywhere I go, it doesn't matter if it's here in Maryland, if it's in California, wherever I go, I end up meeting someone who I've already known or knows the same people. So our industry is very special in that family mentality. And I think it's really important to always use that as a grounding point for all of us. And we're all literally in these trenches together every day, all day.
[00:34:07] Kieffer: Yeah. Yeah. Like trauma-bonding, right?
[00:34:10] Aubrey: Sadly, but yes, I know other people in other industries might listen to this and be like, what is wrong with these people? That's not okay. And then I bet you anyone in the medical field and the food field are like, Yes, yes.
[00:34:25] Kieffer: For sure. Like my, my fiance, she's a veterinary technician and sometimes she works the ER and tells me about the shifts and everything. And I'm like, that sounds like line-cooking to me, the same stress, like just getting them in, getting them out. You know what I mean? Trying to be as efficient as possible, but you got this pressure. And then, I mean, there's this extra. level with them because there's a life on the line.
[00:34:50] Aubrey: Dude, I know, right? Like, at least we're not literally saving lives here.
[00:34:52] Kieffer: Like, somebody's beloved dog or cat or whatever pet, like, these people spend a lot of money on pets where she works. And for some people, it's like losing a family member.
[00:35:02] Aubrey: I would probably give my house away to save my dog. I honestly would.
[00:35:07] Kieffer: So I hear those stories and I'm like, man, like that sounds a lot like a kitchen with just everything that's going on. It's, it's fast paced and sometimes it's just hard. Sometimes the job is just hard and you just gotta push through. And when you get on the other side, you're like, Ugh, we did it. You know, you high five everybody and you go .
[00:35:25] Aubrey: Yeah. It's such a satisfying feeling knowing that you, not only that you made it through, but like you did it together. Because when you are not working together and things go poorly, And you're just clawing your way through in survival mode. Those are very different nights, right? And we all want to go home in a really depressed, exhausted, burnt out feeling. But the nights where it's just hard, I mean, yeah, you clawed through, but you survived because everyone did what they needed to do to the best…
[00:35:55] Kieffer: Yeah. What they were supposed to do.
[00:35:58] Aubrey: Yeah. Yeah. To the best that they could in that situation. Then you go out for drinks and you're like, we did it guys. We did it.
[00:36:06] Kieffer: And I was telling somebody, I was like, if I handle my station, you handle yours, she handle hers. If we all just lock it down, we all succeed. You know what I mean? Like that's it. Just handle yours and you don't have anything else to worry about.
[00:36:22] Aubrey: Ain't that the truth.
[00:36:24] Kieffer: Just make sure you're stocked up, you got backups, you got your pans, and everybody's working together. Especially like, oh my gosh, the dishwashers. Like, where would we be?
[00:36:35] Aubrey: Everyone needs to, every single day, go to their dishwashers and say thank you for your service. Because none of us are getting anywhere without the dishwashers.
[00:36:44] Kieffer: Yeah, shake their hand or give them a fist bump or something man like they deserve all the props cuz I mean We had a new one recently and it was Friday night. It was him and this other guy and It was busy. I'm working sauté and I'm just constantly running out of pans and It's one of those things where like you appreciate the guy who's just on top of it, you know what I mean? It's like he's new so I'll cut him some slack But that night I was really feeling like I missed the other guy. He should be here! But you know, as you go along, you pick up how the pace is and all that stuff. So he's getting better. But that first Friday was rough. I'm trying to tell you.
[00:37:25] Aubrey: I feel like we can all imagine if anyone who is actually worked in this industry, we can all think of at least one night where we get what you're talking about. Oh man. Well, we've covered a lot of bases here. So to kind of just close this out, I just am curious, can you tell us about. What do you want to accomplish someday?
Chef’s vision for his future
[00:37:45] Kieffer: I think my ultimate dream, like, the biggest thing that I want to do is open up a restaurant. Obviously, I mean, I feel like that's a cliché thing, but...
[00:38:00] Kieffer: I really want to go for it. I wanted something just nice and small, you know what I mean, really intimate, like nothing too crazy, but just doing really good, unpretentious Jamaican food, but something more modern. Everything that I grew up eating and like the big things that are part of our culture, like red pea soup and chicken foot soup and braised oxtail, jerk chicken, jerk pork, curry goat. Just a way to express my creativity, but also tell my growing up in Jamaica, living here, going to culinary school and working in the industry and just sort of like bringing all that together and something that it's one of these memories. Again. Of my time in Jamaica that really influences the vibe I'm going for because on Sundays when I was living with my aunt in the country, we'd go to my great great grandmother's house and I mean she lived
[00:39:00] Kieffer: until she was 101. She was incredible, right? And we'd go there, and that's sort of like our Winterfell, in a way. My mom was born there, and I grew up there as a kid, she grew up there as a kid, and it's like the basis of basically our whole family. So, every Sunday we'd go, and I just remember feeling at home, like... This is where I belong, you know what I mean? Like everything is okay when I'm here and it's a place where anytime anyone goes there, there's no trouble. Everything else melts away and we're just enjoying being there, being comfortable, being around family. And I want to provide that feeling for other people. And I think that's another reason why I've gotten into cooking because providing a service and feeding people is something that makes me feel good. I get that dopamine hit when I know that. Somebody's enjoying my food or, you know, they were
[00:40:00] Kieffer: hungry and they're not hungry anymore. I mean, even if it's just that, it just makes me feel good that I made someone else feel good through cooking. So just making someone feel at home and invited and taken care of and all that stuff. Like that's kind of what I want to provide because that's when I was at my happiest. So being able to provide that for somebody else would just be everything come in full circle. So I think that's one of those pie in the sky, like. I'm going to chase that as much as I can, but for now it's just doing as good as I can learn as much as I can so that when that time comes and the opportunity knocks, I'll be ready for it.
[00:40:33] Aubrey: I just want to give the very first testimonial that I have been very fortunate to have Kiefer's. Jamaican cooking, and when you open a place, you all should run, not walk. That's all I'm gonna say. Run, don't walk, you will not be disappointed.
[00:40:51] Kieffer: Yeah, yeah, definitely come through.
Outro
[00:40:52] Aubrey: Well, to kind of close this out, if anyone wants to follow you, where can people follow you? What's the social media that you use or anything like that?
[00:41:01] Kieffer: Uh, right now I'm only on Instagram, you can just search my name, Kieffer Morgan, or my handle is @K13FF. So it's basically my first name. K-I-E-F-F-E-R. So yeah, that's where you can follow me.
[00:41:16] Aubrey: Perfect. Seriously, guys, I highly recommend because even if he's not cooking for you right now, you'll get just as much satisfaction out seeing the beautiful things that he's posted. Just follow. Please follow.
[00:41:26] Kieffer: Yeah, thanks for having me. This is a lot of fun. And like, if you ever want to like delve deeper into anything, like I'm down for sure.
[00:41:34] Aubrey: Oh, you're welcome back anytime. You just tell me you're like, “Hey, when next episode, we're recording this day.” Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you so much Kieffer. I just, yeah. I can't say thank you enough.
[00:41:45] Aubrey: Thank you for listening to another episode of the Golden Approach podcast. If you enjoyed listening, I would super appreciate it. If you would share us with a friend or maybe give us a follow, that's cool too. And if you want to hang out with us some more, follow on Instagram @goldenapproachpod, or check out our website, goldenapproachpodcast.com for more details such as transcripts and reference links from today's episode, until next time though, remember everything's going to be just fine.
Rapid Fire questions
[00:42:18] Aubrey: All right. So very last thing we have a little surprise. In my classic little deli container, we're going to do a quick rapid fire. So all the chefs we interview, they all have to answer three questions, but we pick the questions at random. So that way you're never able to pre plan or get the same questions. Okay? Everyone that comes on the show picks from the same options, but we're only going to do three.
[00:42:50] Kieffer: Okay, okay…
[00:42:51] Aubrey: Okay, so just whatever comes to mind first. What chef's voice sticks with you, and if it's appropriate, what do they say?
[00:43:00] Kieffer: Uh, Gordon Ramsey. Gordon Ramsey, where's the lamb sauce?
[00:43:07] Aubrey: Amazing, alright. What did you want to be when you were a kid? Was it always a chef, or was it something else?
[00:43:14] Kieffer: I think at one point I wanted to be a fireman. And then, when I was in middle school, I wanted to join the army because I was in ROTC. And, before I wanted to be a chef, I think I was considering, like, computer science or something with computers. But, that was when I was in computer class.
[00:43:14] Aubrey: Quite the range.
[00:43:14] Kieffer: As soon as that ended, I was like, yeah, I'm gonna be a chef.
[00:43:36] Aubrey: You know, I love hearing that not everyone grew up being like, yes, food. Alright, so this does not have to be kitchen or food related. This can be very general. What brings you joy?
[00:43:47] Kieffer: Mmm, what brings me joy? Being at peace brings me joy.
[00:43:52] Aubrey: How do you accomplish that?
[00:43:54] Kieffer: Not having to, like, I don't know.
[00:44:00] Kieffer: I mean, just, when I think my most joyful is when, like, I'm home, I'm sitting outside, it's nice weather, or even if it's raining, and even if it's me and Rayjean, or if it's by myself, and we're just enjoying the moment. Honestly? Sometimes it's in the kitchen too. Like when everybody's working and everything's just moving smooth. Right. I kind of like take myself out of it and I think about everything that's going on. Right. Like there's guests out there that's being sat, there's guests out there ordering their entrees, there's people like paying and leaving, there's people coming in. Servers are moving around, dishes are getting washed, you know, oil is splashing in the pan, fires are flaring up, somebody's dropping a fryer, you hear the sizzle, like, all those kitchen sounds, and everybody's working in unison, and you know, chefs calling out orders, tables are being ran, these kind of things. Even in that moment, and I'm like, everything's cool right now, like, there's no drama, everybody's working, things are good, and I just feel like, yeah, this is where I'm supposed to be. And even if I'm sitting outside, I get the same feeling, whereas like, right now, I'm just enjoying this moment of either peace, or things are just calm, and there's nothing crazy going on, and that's when I'm like, this is good, life is good.
Music fades in…
[00:45:07] Aubrey: Well, I couldn't have asked for a better way to round this out. I also feel the same way about you. You have brought me so much joy and peace having this conversation. And I'm not saying that to be cheesy. I am genuinely so happy to have gotten to do this with you. So thank you so, so much.
[00:45:23] Kieffer: All right. Well, thanks for having me take care. I'll see you later. Bye bye.
Music fades out…
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