When in Doubt, Never Say Never…

Being a quality leader comes with responsibility. One of which is to help other aspiring and established entrepreneurs achieve their goals and dreams.
Through the reflection of our past failures, sharing encouraging words or spreading their expertise throughout our networks; we do our part to lift our colleagues.
Welcome to my blog series, #WhenInDoubt.
Today’s interview is with Chef Phillip Foss, the creative visionary behind
El Ideas, an unlikely Michelin-starred restaurant.
“The cuisine at EL is about as adventurous as the setting is unusual. Given the direct line with the audience, the small culinary team is able to give their own descriptions as to how their creations take form through inspirations, stories, and even guest interaction. Culinary ideas are crafted with a modern sensibility that expresses the experience, palate, humor, and honest approach of chef/owner Phillip Foss.”
[courtesy of elideas.com]
Let’s learn more about what makes Phillip tick as a chef, as an entrepreneur, and as a leader.
Do you have a motto or rally cry for your business or for yourself? If so, what is it and if not, what would it be?
My Grandma Toba always said, “Show me who you walk with and I’ll tell you who you are.” So I like the idea of surrounding yourself with good people.
As a serial entrepreneur, I have certainly had my share of highs and lows. How do you maintain your own resilience despite the setbacks that come with being an entrepreneur?
Mostly with therapy and meditation. I have a hard time not getting overwhelmed, and I don’t do well at all when I am overwhelmed.
And when the shit really hits the fan, I do it for the love I have for my family, the responsibility I feel towards the people I work with in EL, and the passion I have to entertain our guests. And, of course, working with food is extremely gratifying to me.
I always say that “Good Business + Bad Culture = Sh*t.” I truly believe that longevity in business comes down to building a strong internal culture for your team. How do you instill strong culture within your company?
I try to cultivate a culture by allowing those around me the space they need to express themselves.
The chefs in my kitchen share in the creative aspects of our menu, and given that our restaurant consists of a shared space amongst diners and chefs, they announce each of their dishes to the whole room.
This alone proves that the restaurant is about a lot more than just me. Each chef is directly connected to the entire room, and as a result, they inherently feel the accountability that comes with that.
Aside from the chefs having the opportunity to develop their own culinary repertoire, my belief is that the interaction with our guests will serve them valuably in many aspects of their careers down the line. In exchange, I learn from their creativity, and I don’t feel so much pressure to be the only creative one. It’s a group effort. It also allows me to focus more on who I am as a person outside of being a chef.
So I guess what I’m saying is, focus on making those around you better!
I have said that at the heart of great marketing is establishing loyalty and trust with your customers. What tactics do you use to achieve loyalty and establish trust within your company?
Honesty is the best policy. That and constantly striving to create an environment where people feel safe to come to you about issues… even on a personal level.

I strongly believe in turning bad experiences into some of the greatest teachers and lessons. You never fail as long as you learn, right? What would you say has been your biggest learning lesson in building your business?
Never giving up.
If you are resilient enough, there is almost nothing you can’t achieve.
My high school guidance counselor told my mom not to expect me to amount to much. I was told multiple times by multiple chefs to consider another line of work. I almost failed out of cooking school, and was fired from my first five cooking jobs in New York City.
Actually — I’d like to change my answer.
I’ll say my biggest lesson is to be highly motivated by your failures and detractors. Let them drive you.
I always strive to be the person I needed when I was a younger entrepreneur by paying it forward with my honesty. What advice would you give to someone coming up in your shoes?
Believe in yourself even when everyone else around you thinks you’re nuts.
Perception is nine-tenths of reality, and dumb luck makes up most of the rest.
What is something you wish you knew then that you could share with someone today?
Get a prenup.
Anything final thoughts to share with the #WhenInDoubt audience?
I feel really f*cking lucky to have found my calling in the kitchen, and to be able to call this dormant dead end street in Chicago my home.
A huge thank you to Phillip Foss for taking the time to share his journey and entrepreneurial advice with us.
Be sure to check out El Ideas — place is legit, I’ve been there!
