Radical but ‘Normal’ and Efficient Ways to Run a Restaurant
Part 1. Our Radical Hiring Practice
From the beginning, our hiring ads stated explicit boundaries: no misogyny, no homophobia, no toxic masculinity, no racism, no classism. Those boundaries appeared alongside equally direct language of “if you do not believe front and back of the house should be paid the same, this job is not for you.”
This hiring ad we use works as a first line of defence. People who feel offended by that language generally choose not to apply, and that particular demographic traditionally tends to make restaurant workplace culture toxic. After reading the ad, it means for us that applicants already share the same values, and for the applicants it makes clear what type of culture is set in place as a system. For people who do apply, the same clarity removes uncertainty about what kind of environment they are entering and limits interviews to those who already understand and appreciate the specific culture and standards we are setting.
One interview made this especially clear. A candidate applied with a résumé largely made up of corporate chain restaurants. During our email correspondence, I asked whether he had read the hiring ad and he confirmed that he had, but it became apparent during the interview that he had not. When I explained the boundaries we state explicitly, including no toxic masculinity, no misogyny, and no racism, he became visibly shaken. When I added that we operate as a pooled-tip house and that everyone is paid the same, he became visibly upset and began raising his voice, insisting that tips were meant for “waiters” and that it was the restaurant’s responsibility to pay cooks. I asked my male coworkers to stand nearby, told him we were not a good fit, and showed him the way out. The interview reinforced exactly why that language exists in the hiring ad and why it is more effective to surface incompatibility before someone ever joins the schedule.
Writing these boundaries into the hiring ad is not about politics or ideology. It is a practical way to prevent toxicity from entering the workplace, much like wearing a mask during flu season. By keeping the workplace culture healthy from the start, it saves time and money otherwise spent on rehiring, retraining, and lawsuits. What may look radical is, in reality, something very obvious, normal, and efficient.
About Rise SF
Rise SF is my public education and advisory project for food founders and newer operators in San Francisco. I focus on helping people understand risk, tradeoffs, and structural fit before committing capital, leases, or debt. Through writing, workshops, and early-stage guidance, my work centers on clearer decision-making at the moments that matter most, with the goal of preventing avoidable harm and improving long-term outcomes for independent operators. You can find all Rise SF writing by clicking the Rise SF tag on this Substack.