Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ali Gonzalez, CEO of Sustainable Culinary Solutions, located in Eastvale, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My business is a restaurant/food service consulting company, which includes back of house and front of the house training. We also audit your restaurant to include HR, Procurement, and all business practices. We also work with new restaurant startups.

Tell us about yourself

I am an executive culinary leader possessing a dynamic ability to create modernistic approaches and steer enterprise-wide launches and restaurant transformations by improving operational processes and leading with creative flair and proven business practices. I direct strategic planning, and precise operational management, and spearheads organizations by aligning high-performance teams with corporate vision and by closely monitoring outcomes to forge the delivery of world-class cuisine.

I drive initiatives aimed at innovating and leveraging culinary techniques to deliver solutions that achieve desirable objectives. My experience encompasses leading and directing highly skilled high-performance teams to achieve program and product success.

Early in my career, I held the role of Executive Chef for Aramark, Bon Appetit, Hyatt Regency, and Sheraton Hotels as my career trajectory evolved into one of Leadership at each progression. My first organizational leadership role was as a District Executive Chef for the Compass Group, where I honed my skills by leading catering services for Paramount & ABC Production sets, modernizing menus, and professional training staff. Based on the exceptional quality of my work, I soon coordinated large catering events with $150k budgets and catering for up to 800 people for Ford's Premier Automotive Line(Aston Martin, Land Rover, Jaguar, et al.)

I hold a Professional Chef Program certification from the California Culinary Academy and additional certifications from the Culinary Institute of America that are equivalent to or exceed a bachelor's degree. I am the author of "The Sustainable Restaurant Plan," and among my career accomplishments are the Salon Award, the Honorable Chef Award, the Culinary Excellence Award, Food 2.0 Outstanding Leadership Award, and has been featured in newspapers for his giant gingerbread houses.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

3 Key Achievements as a leader in the last five years:

I successfully created sustainable environments and practices for all my operations to the best of my ability. In order to understand and produce a sustainable environment, I made sure I did my research and followed through by going to the source. I visited sustainable farms that included fruits, vegetables, dairy and eggs, cattle, seafood, paper, and compost sites.

I continuously updated the school's curriculum to meet current trends and the current environment. Old-school curriculums have been in place for the last thirty or forty years, in which the majority of them have no relevance in today's restaurant market. By creating a curriculum that matches today's fast-casual environment and trends that include sustainable, plant-based recipes, I was able to better prepare future culinarians and gastronomes.

I modernized training and leadership skills for today's marketing technology. In today's current restaurant environment, if you are not updating your business with the latest marketing and technology, you will not be able to move forward with your business. By training, counseling, and consulting, I have been able to assist students, restaurants, and foodservice operations in updating themselves with marketing management and technology that allows them to properly calculate the operation's KPIs. This way, they are managing a more efficient operation.

3 of my biggest strengths:

I am a man of Vision. I say this because the years of experience in the industry as a whole has inspired me to astutely initiate fresh ideas to create and execute opportunities for success. I promptly visualize the direction of the food industry in the years to come.

I Have Integrity. In understanding the nature of our ever-changing industry, you must have strong values to make ethical choices. Translating that integrity to a collaborative team makes me an effective, dependable leader with successful communication.

I thrive at Decisiveness. Because I am Success-driven, when it comes to strategic, critical thinking, I am able to make responsible, quick turn-arounds. My work in research and evaluation remains true-to continual improvement, with authenticity and awareness.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

In the restaurant industry, there are several obstacles to oversee when it comes to being an owner.

  1. Having an education in the culinary arts field and in business management.
  2. Staffing is another issue in this business; it has a high turnover rate, and you need to train well and watch for theft. In addition, understanding all state laws as lawsuits with liability, time-keeping, and workers compare on the rise.
  3. Understanding cost control not only with procurement but with all contract negotiations, food production waste, and labor management.
  4. Understanding trends, including technology, food trends, and marketing (social media &, etc.).

There are a few issues that a business owner in the food industry should pay attention to if they are going to be successful; it is too easy these days to lose money if there is no plan in place and if you are managing your business in a rearview mirror.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Examples of Decisiveness and Creative Leadership:

In my early twenties, I had the opportunity of running my first restaurant. I was the executive chef learning the ropes of leadership. In this small restaurant, with a two-and-a-half-hour wait for service, it was undeniably the opportunity to adapt and anticipate success with tact and execution.

I quickly learned that If I was to be successful and an effective leader, I had to become extremely self-aware and prioritize my personal development; otherwise, I'd fail. Since then, I have practiced and mastered a balance of the following:

Leading others by example- I have to practice what I preach. My behavior and focus allow me to lead with confidence. I build up and inspire the people around me to see the bigger picture. Effectively managing my time and attention leads me to equip team leaders with the proper tools for diverse skills.

Communication- I fine-tune my ability to present, communicate, and collaborate with others effectively. In order to accomplish this, I listen and appreciate genuine feedback. I then assess areas for improvement and set goals that allow the culture in the workplace to thrive.

Time management and productivity- It's second nature to me as a leader to continuously maintain a forward-thinking mentality. Innovation and creativity keep me on my toes with trends. I encourage teams with my enthusiasm and focus on the future. Setting boundaries between my personal and professional life, I keep a balance to increase focus, productivity, and accountability to accomplish more and remain authentic to the integrity and vision of the company.

The well-being of others- Being a great leader is being able to self-reflect and evaluate each situation without prejudice. As a leader, you're also looking for ways to offer your team members growth opportunities. It is important I let them know I respect and value their contributions towards a goal. When they are feeling at their best, they perform at their best. It has proven to me that training, development, and delegation help to empower people to find meaning and purpose in life with all they do.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I have always had a passion for food, and the industry has given me an incredible education as well as many lessons learned, only to be passed on to those who haven't had the experience I have. I never plan for just today; I look at the future and anticipate what is to come. It is very exciting being ahead of the curve, sharing and giving experiences to those in a way that they can feel the excitement that you carry in your heart for great food.

Two things that I believe in:

  1. Integrity without Compromise.
  2. Everyone Brings Something to the Table.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://sustainableculinarysolutions.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SustainableCulinarySolutions/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sustainableculinarysolutions/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aligonzalez/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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