Article

Black Chefs Matter

Prior to the pandemic, the restaurant industry employed nearly 11 million workers and was one of the fastest growing sectors of the US economy. Yet, despite the industry's growth, the economic position of black and minorities in the restaurant industry was particularly unstable.

Restaurant workers experienced poverty at nearly three times the rate of workers overall, and workers of color experienced poverty at nearly twice the rate of white restaurant workers (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005.) Cary Snow is one of the few that have beaten those odds. And he is dedicating his career to helping others beat those odds, as well.

Snow is executive chef and chef instructor for North Carolina Central University (NCCU), an HBCU (historically black college and university) in Durham, North Carolina. Like many professionals in the restaurant and foodservice industry, foodservice and hospitality weren't his initial pursuits; however, he discovered his passion for a career as a culinary educator in large part due to family and a few mentors.

STATISTICALLY, IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT BLACK AND MINORITY WORKERS HAVE BEEN CONCENTRATED IN LOWER-LEVEL BUSSER AND KITCHEN POSITIONS IN FINE-DINING RESTAURANTS, AND OVERALL IN SEGMENTS OF THE INDUSTRY IN WHICH EARNINGS ARE LOWER. A 2014 CANVAS OF 133 FINE-DINING ESTABLISHMENTS FOUND THAT 81% OF MANAGEMENT AND 78% OF HIGHER-LEVEL NON-MANAGEMENT POSITIONS SUCH AS CAPTAIN, MANAGER, AND BARTENDER WERE OCCUPIED BY WHITE WORKERS, A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF THESE MALE.

"I was the youngest of three growing up. When I got home from school, mom and dad were still working so I was on my own. My mom had taught me how to cook some things, so I would often entertain myself -- when I was cooking, I would talk to myself as if I was conducting a cooking show."

Although Snow started as a psychology major, he ultimately graduated with a bachelor's degree in hospitality administration/management from Virginia State University. "I had an internship at college and on the second day I went to the executive chef to learn how to cook. At eight thirty the next morning he's there with a pencil in one hand and hooded coat in the other."

He told Snow they were going to the cooler. "Chef came in and went over a variety of herbs we had in there. He had me take notes, and then afterwards he told me I had to stay in the cooler until I could recite all the information back to him." He went to get him 35 minutes later. "It was cold, but that's what helped light the fire from there. He and the sous chef were the ones that motivated me to cook for a living."

After Snow graduated, he went on to get his master's in education; his mother was a public school teacher. Snow then got his culinary degree from Johnson and Wales University.

Over the years, Snow would serve as an executive chef for Hilton and Compass Group North America alongside a chef instructor at Virginia State before he ended up in North Carolina. In Virginia he had a hand in developing the culinary program. "Virginia State is an HBCU like North Carolina Central University is, and at many HBCUs there are not many culinary programs or concentrations, so it was an opportunity I couldn't turn down."

Although Snow was presented with great career opportunities, he acknowledged this was not the norm. "I did not see many faces that looked like mine throughout my track. Many times, minority workers were line cooks. They weren't in any type of managerial or leadership role."

Statistically, it has been found that black and minority workers have been concentrated in lower-level busser and kitchen positions in fine-dining restaurants, and overall in segments of the industry in which earnings are lower. A 2014 canvas of 133 fine-dining establishments found that 81% of management and 78% of higher-level non-management positions such as captain, manager, and bartender were occupied by white workers, a disproportionate amount of these male (Restaurant Opportunity Centers United, 2014).

I DID NOT SEE MANY FACES THAT LOOKED LIKE MINE THROUGHOUT MY TRACK. MANY TIMES, MINORITY WORKERS WERE LINE COOKS. THEY WEREN'T IN ANY TYPE OF MANAGERIAL OR LEADERSHIP ROLE.

"This was challenging at times. People, especially in the minority community, want to be taught, trained and work for those that look like them. Women often like to work for powerful women that inspire them. So, different minority classes want to work for their minority class because that's what inspires them."

And as such, one of Snow's greatest lessons came during one of his rotations.

"When I worked for Hyatt, the general manager that hired me was black. One day, I was working at the front desk and I was a little late for work. I forgot my dress shoes at home, so I just took my sneakers and put them on. Well, I'm standing behind the front desk thinking nobody's going to see my feet, right? But the front desk manager noticed. I told him what happened. But he told me not to let the general manager see me like that."

An hour later Snow gets called into the general manager's office where he is essentially read the riot act. "His point was that being a minority, people are always watching you. They're always looking for a reason not to move you up. He went on to educate me that sometimes you need to be a step ahead because you don't want to be stereotyped and typecast. I think that it's still pretty predominant."

Snow does believe things are changing, however slowly. "If you look in the restaurant world, yes, we are starting to see more of these roles in higher positions. Is it as bad as years past? No, it gets a little bit better as time goes along, but it's still not close to center."

With the advent of COVID-19, Snow tells me what he thinks the future of the arena will look like.

"I think what's going on with a lot of these movements right now, is that it's going to bring light to minorities getting more chances in general, not necessarily Blacks, but all minority groups getting more chances". He notes that these movements are drawing attention to the disparity prevalent in many groups.

"People will start to catch fire and think they can start a business - that they can lead. I think it's going to move people. I think our [hospitality] industry is going to suffer a little bit in the beginning because of the uncertainty, but I think it will bounce back overall because it's going to recreate itself because people want to be entertained. People have to eat. It's just about redefining what we have to do."

As for advice for students and individuals who want to be in the arena?

"One of the biggest takeaways I tell anyone is to always put your best foot forward and always be mindful of where you are and who you are. I don't ask them to be different. I just ask them to be better."

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, Hours, and Earnings from Current Employment Statistics, August 2015, www.bls.gov/ces/

Restaurant Opportunity Centers United. "The great service divide: Occupational segregation and inequality in the US restaurant industry." Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (2014)