Public & Human Services: Executive Chef
Public & Human Services
Executive Chef:
Ronald Nasuti
by Brian McInnis
Ronald Nasuti, 36, always knew what he wanted to do in life. And that, ladies in gentlemen, was to be come a well-respected chef. His dreams paid off - he's now the executive chef at Roy's Restaurant in Honolulu, overseeing everything in the kitchen to make sure things run smoothly from the time the food is prepared to when it gets to your plate.
Early Experience
Nasuti explains his tradecraft was ingrained in him at a very young age. "I grew up in an Italian family in Massachusetts (in a suburb of Boston), and as with many cultures, Italians' family life revolves around the dinner table," he said. "We weren't wealthy people by any means but we always had a good meal, because it was always (taken care) of at dinner time on everyone's part to make it that way." He was 13 when he started cooking at home, and by age 15 he was cooking in his first restaurant. He moved to Hawaii at 20 and has been at Roy's for the last 12 years.
Ingredients For The Job
Though being a chef does not require a college degree, Nasuti knows there's a great deal of skill needed to command a kitchen. "Aside from the obvious knife skills needed and some math skills of understanding measurements and temperatures, there's baking, and the ability to memorize. You have to see information and apply it, so you (need) organizational skills and (be able to) work under pressure."
Beyond all that, the right attitude and an open mind are important. "I think what you need more than anything is a willingness to learn a lot and learn many different ways to do the same thing, because the restaurant industry, especially in today's world, is constantly being reinvented and nobody wants the same old thing." Flexibility is also required: Nasuti often pulls down long shifts (from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.) and often must work on holidays, when everybody likes to go out and eat. Lastly, the executive chef must be creative and personable, because "they're responsible for menu design, quality control, staffing, maybe development, there's actually a (public relations) aspect of it. We do outside catering and interact with the public. We have to do television spots at times."
A Well-Oiled Machine
There are nearly 100 employees at Roy's Honolulu, and it's Nasuti's job, along with the general manager, to keep everything running smoothly and in order. If that sounds difficult, in reality it's even worse. He explains: "It's like a machine - and if everyone doesn't work in synchronicity (at the same time) … it's like a car. If the timing belt breaks, the systems won't run because everything isn't getting gasoline. It's not an issue of people getting along working together; it's a production, it's an orchestra. Something has to happen at the same time at five different places for one dish to happen, and if all of those five things don't happen at the same time, then there's meltdowns, lockdowns - everything comes to a screeching halt. The food won't make it to the table, and that's the largest challenge. That's the bottom line - if our guests weren't happy, all of our efforts would be in vain. It's all for nothing."
Above and Beyond…
He began his career at Roy's as a line cook, under the supervision of another executive chef. But when he rose up to the top job, everyone paid him their respect. "My staff started to call me 'chef.' They didn't always call me 'chef.' When they start to call you 'chef,' you realize that they do respect you. Everybody else in here who's not a chef is a line cook, or started as a dishwasher. I don't tell them to call me 'chef' - that's compliment enough."
The Downside
There's definitely one negative aspect to go along with all of the other satisfaction of the job: missing meals with loved ones. "Unfortunately, being in a restaurant, I don't get to sit down and eat dinner with my family that frequently, although they do come in and eat dinner here sometimes. And on my day off we make it a point to sit down and have dinner all together. "