Training: Constant Learning

Legal Sea Foods sharpens its hospitality skills with ongoing training for hourly employees.

By David Farkas, Senior Editor -- Chain Leader, 5/1/2007

Legal Sea Foods and Jewish Vocational Services are testing a program in which experienced workers mentor entry-level employees in a variety of unit-level jobs.

At store openings, the opening crew’s first job is to keep people excited during training.

Rich Villanueva is a fast-talker, though his rapid delivery is more evangelical preacher than used-car salesman. His mission this year at Legal Sea Foods is to hire servers capable of forming a relationship with customers—and to continue to sharpen their skills via ongoing training.

It all began after the company’s top brass returned from New York City earlier this year. Impressed by service levels at restaurants run by restaurateur and author Danny Meyer (Setting the Table, HarperCollins), they suggested that Director of Training Villanueva concentrate on hospitality. "What is it [his servers do] that provides a little more of it than we do?" Villanueva asks.

Legal’s approach to discovering that is to hire front-of-the-house employees capable of connecting to diners. "We are looking for people who have an innate quality to provide an emotional dining experience to the guest," says Villanueva, who studied aeronautical engineering before entering the restaurant business after college graduation. "The difficulty is finding the right person."

Company recruiters developed an assessment tool to help them discover which applicants are likely to deliver the goods. Meanwhile, Villanueva is administering classes in seafood and beverage training and teaming up with a local nonprofit to offer employees mentoring and computer instruction.

Continuing Education

Ongoing training is particularly important to the company as fast-growing seafood chains with similar price points and quality like Portland, Ore.-based McCormick & Schmick’s and Tampa, Fla.-based Bonefish Grill extend their national reach. Legal Sea Foods remains an East Coast chain, although it has opened three restaurants in Florida.

We caught up with Villanueva in early April, as he was overseeing training at the new King of Prussia, Pa., restaurant, the 39-year-old company’s 34th unit. The first challenge at any new restaurant, he explains, is finding a mix of new employees whose knowledge complements one another. "You want a good base. Maybe some people are very good about wine and can help educate others," he says.

Legal wants employees to become familiar with its extensive wine program, offering a beverage certification course to those who want to delve more deeply. "I believe this is a major point of difference for us," Villanueva boasts. "We’re trying to make sure each customer has the best experience possible." The classes are taught by Vice President of Beverage Operations and Master of Wine Sandy Block.

Walk Before You Run

Villanueva describes the training in a new restaurant, saying the opening crew’s first job is to keep new people excited. That’s accomplished by immediately tackling paperwork. "We’ll set up a room with 10 tables, and we will walk people through the benefits the first day, to get it out of the way," he says.

Next, company officials explain the chain’s history and culture. George Berkowitz, father of CEO Roger Berkowitz, founded the chain in 1968, in Cambridge, Mass. The company’s name is spun from the slogan, "If it isn’t fresh, it isn’t Legal." The rest of the training is interactive: classroom activities that include ice-breakers and role playing.

Villanueva describes the week-long process as a "walk before you run" approach, with menu and service mechanics emphasized throughout training. He claims servers recall information better when they learn a little at a time. "A lot of restaurants harp on the menu all on one day. We deliver information in small pieces," he explains.

Idea Generator

Villanueva gets training ideas by reading trade periodicals and attending human-resource conferences, like the one sponsored by the Council of Hotel & Restaurant Trainers—and talking to people at work. He says an intern in the company recently suggested using streaming video to broadcast messages from Roger Berkowitz. "We could also download training videos or menu promotions," Villanueva says.

For the time being, Legal has been working since January with Jewish Vocational Services, a nonprofit group, testing mentoring and computer programs, which are being funded by a grant. "It’s helping to fine-tune skill levels," he says of the program.

In turn, the company has appointed "learning coaches" to mentor hourly workers and help them develop additional skills. Mentors are also hourly workers who offer advice on jobs like bartending or cooking to entry-level employees who desire a similar position. The chain launched in-store computer training in April to associates who want to learn basic applications. "A lack of computer skills really holds people back," says Carol Grady, a JVS career counselor who works with Legal.

Villanueva emphasizes that both programs are only test runs and must be evaluated this summer. Still, he adds, "They can provide us a way to have constant learning." And, possibly, longtime employees.

Taking Immediate Action: Cattlemens looks for management potential in hourly employees from the get-go.

Back to Best Places To Work articles.