We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Efe Onoglu a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Efe, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today The more we talk about good leadership the more we think good leadership practices will spread and so we’d love for you to tell us a story about the best boss you’ve had and what they were like or what they did that was so great?

Working as a part of Jose Andres team.
A company where everyone genuinely believes in the process.
All the mentors i had working for them thought me about leadership, being a part of the machine and creating a happy work environment for your employees where they feel like a part of family.

Efe, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have started my studies as a biomedical engineer. After completing my MSc on Bioinformatics, took a gap year to travel.

I have chosen South Africa Cape Town and started studying culinary arts as it was my long time hobby and connection with my grandfather.

After completing my first year at school, i have decided that being a chef and working in a kitchen is my calling and that iwill complete the 3 year culinary program.
Next 20 years i have worked in 4 continents, under multiple globally acclaimed chefs , experimenting and searching for my inspiration.
Which finally lead me to Santa Barbara. I instantly fell in love with the community and the natural beauty of the place that inspired me to start telling my own stories through the food.
I felt like i found my audience. After 3 year of hard work, networking, clientele building and research, i finally opened my own restaurant where i can welcome my community 3 months ago.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe that staying true to myself and my brand’s core values, which emphasizes authenticity, has been instrumental in establishing a strong reputation within my market. Furthermore, my unwavering dedication to delivering exceptional quality in every piece of work, coupled with the genuine care and attention I provide to each and every guest, has played a significant role in shaping the positive perception of my business.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Within the unique atmosphere of my culinary establishment, I firmly believe that the overall well-being and morale of our chefs have a profound and direct impact on the exceptional quality of the food we present to our valued customers. To successfully maintain a high level of morale within my team, I prioritize the creation and ongoing cultivation of a work environment that is not only fair and healthy but also genuinely happy. It’s essential that every team member feels a strong sense of safety, mutual respect, and camaraderie, ensuring that they not only fulfill their duties but also genuinely desire to be an integral part of our team and the overall success of our restaurant.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aegeansb.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aegean.sb/?hl=en
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/aegean-santa-barbara