Insights & Inspiration from the CCAB Kitchen: Soft Skills Aren’t Soft - They’re Foundational Human Skills.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting our training kitchen at Culinary Concepts AB. Admittedly, I get to go there a fair amount because, well, I work there.
But yesterday was different. And there are a couple reasons for this.
Most notably, we have another cohort of our GoCook Program going full steam ahead, with 9 hungry, passionate aspiring culinarians participating in our 7-week intensive culinary and workforce training program.
And, whenever there is a workshop or training going on - especially Go Cook - the energy in the kitchen is always powerful, vibrant, and super lively.
Sure, the sheer number of people brings a different kind of energy. But it is way more than just numbers. It is the passion, the intention, the purpose, and the pure creation circulating throughout the kitchen that makes it so meaningful and memorable. A collection of bright, diverse, motivated minds coming together to learn, grow, create, and much more!
But that isn’t all. Far from it, in fact.
After leaving yesterday, I started reflecting on why I always feel so energized, hopeful, and inspired whenever I visit the kitchen and see the students in action. I sat with those questions throughout the evening and into this morning, ruminating and cogitating on it. Here’s what was revealed.
Last week I shared about my struggles with ADHD and a quite long life of active addiction. Notably, I wrote about how shifting my focus from trying to resolve addiction through “recovery” was not nearly as productive as working to overcome it through a focus on executive function skill-building and learning key daily life management strategies.
During my visit yesterday, this “ah-ha moment” that led to a life-changing shift was not only confirmed, but reiterated the fundamental importance of strengthening human and executive function skills.
Notably, I realized yesterday that our programs, which prioritize soft-skill development in addition to teaching culinary skills, are providing students, partners, and organizations with the foundations they need to flourish. What I mean is that the skills we teach are really more broadly vital life skills that everyone needs, being absolutely necessary for every human to live a successful existence.
Sure, the things we teach are also transferable to, and necessary for, almost any industry or career path one chooses, i.e. their professional development. But it goes way deeper than that. Indulge me for a moment…
What I realized this morning is that what inspires me most about seeing our programs and students in action is that it is really a snapshot into what a healthy, functional family system and work organization looks like. And, in addition, we’re providing each person in the system what they need to build those foundational skills - things like expertise, personalized attention, insight, guidance, empathy, patience, and more.
Yesterday, I watched as passionate people came together with extreme focus and goal-driven behavior for an undeniably noble and vital cause. After all, what is more important in this world than to create a tasty, nourishing meal that brings people together to connect, eat, drink, and be merry? (or just get essential energy in the form of food so one can successfully move about their days).
Furthermore, in witnessing our students' work, we notice a true commitment to the cause, which of course requires real collaboration and co-creation. They must work as a team in order to execute and deliver an exceptional culinary experience. This means:
communicating clearly yet compassionately, asking for help when they need, exchanging ideas to reach higher understanding, a student sharing their time and energy to support another team member stuck in the weeds, asking for and receiving feedback to improve their dishes, taking accountability for their mistakes, the list really goes on and on ad infinitum.
So, the biggest takeaway from my kitchen visit yesterday was this: culinary and soft skills are foundational, not optional. Skills like goal setting, planning, organization, time management, teamwork, accountability, communication, mindfulness, self-management, problem-solving and more are truly vital, thus essential, skills for anyone and everyone. And forget careers or professionals, these skills and strategies are necessary to lead a successful and enjoyable life.
Its funny, in the professional world we see these skills conceptualized and communicated in all kinds of ways. Some call them durable skills, others soft skills, others frame it as executive function, and others as enduring leadership skills. And sure, there are some differences and nuances between.
But, the truth is, soft skills are really critical to life and human skills. There is no need to overcomplicate it or try and package it in a pretty veneer. And, the more important social fact is that most people need to develop and improve them no matter what work they do or career pathway they pursue.
I am not sure why or how so many people now struggle with their executive function and soft skill development. I know for me it is a beautiful, complex coalescence of ADHD, drug addiction, lack of prioritizing skill-development, being taught the wrong things in school, and allowing myself to regularly get hijacked by technological tools. In other words, it is complicated as I am sure it is for most people.
What is far more important, however, is just to realize and appreciate how absolutely vital soft/durable/leadership/executive function skills are to leading a meaningful, enjoyable, and fruitful life. They are not “advanced professional ideals”; they are foundational human skills we all must learn, strengthen, and continue to sharpen.
And yesterday, in our hot, busy, bustling, highly energy training kitchen, I was given extra hope for our humanity. Why? I know that Culinary Concepts AB, along with lots of other organizations and professionals, are bringing people together to help them build the critical skills they need to thrive in all aspects of their lives.