We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Whitney Cardozo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Whitney, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?
The advice I would give on creating a more inclusive workplace is to have a clear vision of what kind of environment and culture you want to create. Small business owners’ work hours are high, and we work closely with our staff. I want to create an environment me and my staff want to live in. I believe it begins with belonging.
Everyone wants to feel they belong starting in elementary school, and it doesn’t change in the workplace. The world is diverse, and supporting diversity is an important practice, but it does not necessarily equate to inclusiveness. I view diversity as the number of different types of people, while inclusion is the cultural belonging of people. They work in tandem as a team. I work towards an inclusive workplace through leadership, safety, communication, and recognition.
High on my list is leadership. When I was a young teacher, the wise advice from my principal was, ‘Remember, you are the captain of this ship.’ Whether you’re managing third graders, servers, dishwashers, or even customers, it all starts at the top; you set the tone. I’ve always felt that the language you use and how you show respect are a huge part of helping people feel like they belong. I respect each of my staff members equally and expect the same. Leadership is also represented through your actions. I do not ask anyone to do something I would not do.
The restaurant business has a notorious reputation for being toxic in the workplace. I have personally experienced this, and have left them for that exact reason. It’s hard to feel safe in such a setting. Without safety, it’s hard to feel like you belong. There are small but powerful ways to help your staff feel safe. It can be a no-tolerance harassment policy from anyone, colleagues, or customers. It can be gender-neutral bathrooms for my transgender employees and as simple as using thoughtful gender-neutral communication. All of these have guided me in fostering an inclusive environment.
Communication can be difficult in any situation, and in our fast-paced business and multiple shifts, it can be challenging to get everyone in one room at a time. One strategy that works well for me is daily shift meetings with all departments. These are not long agenda-driven meetings, but an opportunity for me to talk with the team and for them to talk to each other. It’s a meeting where everyone has a voice. It also serves as a team huddle where we can be proactive and see how we can best work together and support each other, given each shift is different.
Recognition is key. Everyone likes to be noticed for a task or a job, and recognition of them makes everyone feel better. It’s about noticing the little things people do and articulating them, which makes the staff feel better (and me, too). Recognition is the easiest and cheapest reward you can offer. It can be as small as someone noticing a bud vase missing from a table or going out of their way to run food. These small things are huge, and recognizing them has helped me promote an inclusive workplace.
Leadership, safety, communication, and recognition are what I work on daily with my staff. These methods don’t require software or consultants; most are small, everyday experiences. One way I measure how we are doing is when someone decides to move on. Do I check the box that asks if that person is eligible for rehire? Checking the box for me means we have been a good fit for this staff member, not the other way around. Being a good fit is the culture of our workplace, as well as meeting our diverse staff with the goal of belonging / inclusivity. It’s not always easy, but we are on the right path. We like each other and want to go to work!
Whitney, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am the chef and owner of Chez Foushee in Richmond, Virginia. I manage all aspects of the restaurant and focus on creating a unique dining experience. I am proud to have an all-female kitchen staff and to provide an LGBTQ+ friendly environment. I’ve had many jobs since my humble hospitality beginnings as a server, and I’m convinced this helps me own and run a restaurant. I have a friend who says, “every day for you is like getting ready for a wedding; how do you do it?” At times, it does seem consuming, but I love what I do and have a fantastic staff to help me do it. It’s about the work you put into relationships and teamwork.
With a B.A., M.A. Ed, and M.F.A., I have many interests and a diverse resume, but food is the common denominator. I always provide, plan, cook, and host in various capacities. Buying Chez Foushee was a perfect match for me to combine all the things I love under one roof. My team and I are committed to providing a great experience for our customers, regardless of their dietary preferences or lifestyle. We want every person who walks through the door to leave feeling better.
As a designer, I believe the environment is important to everyone’s experience. Flowers, dinnerware, linens all make for the experience at Chez Foushee. I recently renovated the dining room, creating a warm and inviting space that makes you feel like you have been transported another country. We are not the biggest restaurant in town, but we are big on providing a dining experience for those with special dietary needs, such as gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free. I believe in the details and every dish is planned, from the mismatched plates to contributing to our sustainability efforts. If it doesn’t match, it doesn’t clash and this is giving vintage dinnerware a new purpose. Inclusivity is a tenet in everything we do, from staffing to accommodating people’s eating choices to welcoming all community members. It’s important to me to provide fresh, delicious food in an elegant space where everyone can feel special.
Let’s move on to buying businesses – can you talk to us about your experience with business acquisitions?
After receiving an intriguing email about a local restaurant for sale, I signed a confidentiality agreement and met with the broker and owners in the fall of 2017. To my surprise, it was a restaurant I had fond memories of years ago. The founders, who had operated it for 29 years, were looking to retire but wanted the restaurant to keep going. They created a small French-inspired restaurant that started with box lunches and evolved into a full-service lunch, dinner, and brunch restaurant. It has always had a loyal customer base, which I have worked hard to maintain. Since buying the business, it remains a French-inspired restaurant, but I’ve added a Southern twist to the menu. The architectural details of the building are unique but needed an update. My daughter (Designer) and I redesigned the dining room, and I made improvements to the kitchen. I bought this restaurant because of what it has represented in the community for 29 years, and as the Chef/ Owner, I have food, art, design, and hospitality all under one roof.
Never owning a brick-and-mortar business, let alone a restaurant, with my diverse background, I bought both the building and the business. The process was not easy, and buying a restaurant is similar to being a kindergarten teacher – it requires a specific type of person. As a first-time business owner, navigating the SBA route was also a new experience. Despite my M.F.A., M.Ed., and cooking experience, I had never written a business plan needed for the loan process. I had a lot to learn about Business 101 and was fortunate to have a loan officer supporting women-owned small businesses. I managed to put my head down and get it done. The owners accepted my offer and became fast friends, even sharing the same closing attorney. They were kind enough to stay on for a few months to help with the transition. Passing the torch to me was bittersweet for them, but they know the next chapter of Chez Foushee is being written, and I honor their legacy.
Have you ever had to pivot?
After owning the restaurant for a little over two years, the pandemic hit and forced us to shut down. I’ll never forget the day when I gathered the entire staff and had to tell them that we would be mandated to close within the week. It was one of the scariest times for me as a relatively new business owner. To meet the needs of our customers and our business, I came up with the idea to design Three Course Dinner Boxes. Our French restaurant with a Southern twist wasn’t originally set up for takeout, so I had to redesign the menu to feature dishes that traveled well. This allowed us to take the food to the customers if they couldn’t come to us. Designing these Dinner Boxes also gave me the opportunity to help provide jobs for some of our staff. The world seemed pretty bleak at that point, so I made sure that the boxes were designed to make customers feel like they were opening a present. Each box came with colorful tissue paper wrapped around a beautifully boxed starter, entree, and dessert, available for delivery or pickup. I also included a little bud vase with a petite flower arrangement. I made sure the boxes were easy to use, with heating directions and diagrams to plate the food like a chef. Moving the entire business online was not an easy pivot. My manager and I had to quickly learn e-commerce and transfer our traditional website to a new e-commerce platform. Transitioning from a full service dining experience to an online take-away felt like an entirely different business. Thankfully, the dinner boxes were well received, allowing me to keep four staff members employed and the lights on! It’s a pivot I hope we never have to do again.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chezfoushee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chezfoushee/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chezfoushee/
Image Credits
Joey Wharton Photography