Gain the tools, guidance, and support you need to excel at the highest levels of your craft with
Gain the tools, guidance, and support you need to excel at the highest levels of your craft with
Culinary Systems & Craft Mastery Coaching
One-on-One Coaching with Certified Master Chef Gerald L. Ford
Not every athlete has a coach, but every gold medalist does...
Culinary Systems & Craft Mastery Coaching is:
- A committed investment into your achievement
- A confidential 1 on 1 relationship
- About making your ideal happen
Coaching allows us to take your goals and break them into small achievable steps,
with guidance, support, and accountability.
Progress is a Guarantee with:
- Clear objectives
- Implementation
- Accountability
- A process
- A guide
My Coaching Process
- Step 1: Assess Leverage tools like DISC profiling, Culinary Self-Assessment, and Habit Tracking to map your current skills and identify growth areas.
- Step 2: Strategize Develop a targeted plan with clear OKRs and KPIs, setting measurable goals that bridge the gap between your current and desired state.
- Step 3: Integrate Focus on accountability and habit-building as we monitor progress, refining goals and actions to align with your evolving aspirations.
- Step 4: Reflect Conclude each cycle with structured reflection to evaluate successes, learn from challenges, and solidify sustainable growth.
- Step 5: Repeat With each new cycle, revisit and deepen these steps, continuously refining your journey towards mastery and consistent growth.
Are you ready to breakthrough on the projects that still aren’t done?
Coaching is a one-on-one professional relationship, that enhances performance with consistently scheduled meetings and support. Coaching benefits everyone, not just athletes. Not every athlete has a coach, but every gold medalist does. It cuts the journey to a fraction of what it would be when figuring it out yourself.
I became a John Maxwell Certified Coach to guide Professional Chefs on their path to perform at their highest capacity and live a fulfilled life of purpose and legacy. Although each coaching client's journey is unique, we can implement metrics and measure your progress while defining what success looks like for you.
Do any of these resonate with you?
BURNOUT
Symptoms:
Exhaustion, constant fatigue, diminished enthusiasm for work, and strained personal relationships. Feeling trapped in a relentless cycle of putting out fires and reacting to problems.
Root Cause:
Over-reliance on the chef to solve every issue, lack of delegation, inefficient systems, and no boundaries between work and personal life.
Solution:
Step 1: Assess: We will use tools like Habit Tracking and the Culinary Self-Assessment to identify your primary stressors and habits to get to the root of what is contributing to burnout.
Step 2: Strategize: Together we develop a tailored action plan focused on creating boundaries, delegating tasks, and self-care. Include prioritization and OKRs that align with both professional and personal goals.
Step 3: Integrate: I will become your accountability guide around work-life balance through regular check-ins and progress tracking, emphasizing sustainable habits.
Step 4: Reflect: Then we check in using reflection to identify wins and areas where balance can be improved further, solidifying long-term solutions.
DISORGANIZATION
Symptoms:
Chaotic kitchen operations, missed deadlines, inconsistent execution, and frustrated staff. Often leads to errors, customer complaints, and team turnover.
Root Cause:
Poorly defined processes, lack of standard operating procedures (SOPs), unclear roles and expectations, and insufficient time to organize effectively.
Solution:
Step 1: Assess: I will help you conduct a detailed analysis of kitchen operations using my Culinary Systems frameworks to uncover inefficiencies in workflows, team dynamics, and communication.
Step 2: Strategize: Then we map, create and implement streamlined systems for inventory management, scheduling, and task delegation depending on the key problem areas. Then together we define clear processes and SOPs to implement structure.
Step 3: Integrate: Together we will implement these systems step-by-step, focusing on accountability and consistent communication with the team. I provide tools for team alignment, such as role clarity templates as needed.
Step 4: Reflect: Periodically, we evaluate the effectiveness of the new systems and refine processes to address any remaining gaps or resistance.
UNCLEAR VISION
Symptoms:
Feeling lost or unfocused, struggling to articulate long-term goals for the kitchen or career, and difficulty inspiring and aligning the team.
Root Cause:
Lack of strategic planning, inadequate mentorship, and no clear process for translating big-picture goals into actionable steps.
Solution:
Step 1: Assess: We will do the deep work to articulate and document your vision by guiding you through a process of self-discovery, utilizing the DISC profile and vision-setting exercises.
Step 2: Strategize: We will work together to define a clear roadmap, breaking down long-term goals into actionable milestones and aligning them with your vision and values.
Step 3: Integrate: I then coach you on communicating your vision effectively to the team, aligning team roles and responsibilities with the vision.
Step 4: Reflect: Together we review how the vision is being realized, what adjustments are needed, and how it inspires the team to move forward.
STAGNATION
Symptoms:
Frustration with lack of progress, inability to innovate, and a sense of being stuck in a routine without growth or excitement.
Root Cause:
Neglecting personal and professional development due to operational demands, limited opportunities for advancement, and lack of exposure to new ideas or techniques.
Solution:
Step 1: Assess: We start by evaluating your current skills, techniques, and professional development using tools like the Culinary Self-Assessment. We identify areas for growth, such as advanced craftsmanship, fundamentals, competition or leadership skills.
Step 2: Strategize: Together we create a development plan focusing on mastering new techniques, introducing innovation in your cuisine, and opportunities for mentorship and leadership.
Step 3: Integrate: We develop a process for continuous learning by setting up systems for knowledge-sharing within the team (e.g., culinary workshops or collaborations). We then create micro-goals to keep you engaged.
Step 4: Reflect: We will regularly revisit progress to celebrate achievements and identify new areas for challenge and growth, ensuring ongoing momentum.
OVERWHELM
Symptoms:
Feeling constantly stretched too thin, unable to prioritize, and consumed by the demands of managing both kitchen and administrative tasks.
Root Cause:
Trying to do everything without adequate support, lack of prioritization systems, and failure to set boundaries or delegate effectively.
Solution:
Step 1: Assess: We get started with Habit Tracking and time audits to identify where the energy and time are being drained. Pinpointing high-stress areas that need immediate attention.
Step 2: Strategize: We focus on prioritization using tools like Eisenhower’s Matrix or your own frameworks and working to simplify larger complex projects. Then we build a manageable schedule and break down big projects into smaller, actionable steps.
Step 3: Integrate: I then support you to train your chefs to delegate effectively, empowering the team to take on more responsibility. And, as needed, will introduce tools to track progress and ensure accountability while minimizing the need for micromanagement.
Step 4: Reflect: We review how these systems are reducing stress and overwhelm. Make iterative adjustments to improve clarity and focus, building confidence in their ability to handle future challenges.
What's Included In Coaching:
White Glove Service
- Priority text messaging
- Consistent weekly meeting
- Session archive
- Regular access
- Personalized looms
Aligned Vision
- Long term goals
- Quarterly OKR's
- Regular check ins
- Habit tools
- Reflection
Baseline Benchmarks
- Culinary assessments
- Leadership assessments
- DISC profile
- Leadership profile
- Operational analysis
Tool & Resource Access
- Cloud access share drive
- Online resources
- Personalized training
- SOP library
- Resource library
Accountability
- Weekly check ins
- Weekly reminders
- Habit tracking
Your Next Level Is Waiting For You
If you think 1:1 coaching is right for you, click below to apply and schedule a 30 minute free discovery zoom call. To ensure we can have an effective working relationship, on your call we will discuss key elements of our coaching program including process, investment, and your goals.
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About Gerald L. Ford, CMC
- John Maxwell Certified Coach
- CMC since 2017
- Culinary Olympic National Team 2020
- Olympic Team Captain
- American Master Chefs' Order (AMCO) Board of Directors
- Executive Leadership since 2012
- Michelin experience
- Platinum Country Clubs, AAA 4 & 5 star Hotels, Casinos
- Restaurants & groups
One of 73 Certified Master Chefs and former Captain of the National Culinary Team USA, Chef Ford had stops in Michelin Starred Restaurants, The Moulin de Mougins and Eleven Madison Park. Over his career, Master Chef Ford has established himself as a professional who is focused, driven, innovative and organized beyond obsessive. During his 30 years in the food service industry, Master Chef Ford was part of the opening team at The Mandarin Oriental in Columbus Circle, NYC. He also served as part of the opening team of several restaurants in New York State and worked for the Four Seasons & Ritz Carlton Hotel Companies. For the last thirteen years he has been working in Platinum-Level Private Clubs in the role of Executive Chef, Culinary Director, Executive Sous Chef & Sous Chef. Earning medals at the highest level of international competition and the Culinary Olympics, Chef Ford has proven his resourcefulness and honed his leadership, leading and developing the best chefs in the world.
30
Years of Culinary Excellence
73
One of 73 Certified Master Chefs in the U.S.
90+
Chefs Coached
& Trained
Chef Coaching Success Stories
Chef Jared Masters
Learn how Chef Masters used coaching to be successful at the Culinary Team USA team try outs.
Chef Amit Banger
See how Chef Bangar utilized coaching to implement the systems for his kitchen to run and changed the culture to use them.
Chef Jacob Judd
Learn how Chef Judd leveraged fresh perspective and structured sessions to absorb the chaos in his changing operations and upgrade his organizational skills.