The Importance of Mastering Resilience

I’m often asked for advice on the most important skills to master for success in the restaurant industry, and my answer actually has nothing to do with knife skills or advanced cooking techniques. My advice to aspiring chefs and restaurateurs is to master the art of resilience.

Over the past year, we’ve been lucky enough to celebrate many successes at the Marcus Samuelsson Group . There were anniversaries at Hav & Mar in Chelsea and Marcus bar & Grille in Atlanta, plus the opening of three new restaurants: Marcus Addis in Ethiopia, Metropolis by Marcus in the Perelman Arts Center, and Marcus Live! Bar & Grille in American Dream. We were also thrilled that Fariyal Abdullahi, our executive chef at Hav & Mar, was nominated for a James Beard Award in the Emerging Chef category –?and the restaurant itself has been recognized by the New York Times as one of the 100 Best Restaurants in New York City in 2024.?

These successes are a stark contrast from 2020, when I faced restaurant closures and the pervasive uncertainty about the future of my business as well as the health and safety of my family, friends, and peers. I’m used to hard work and overcoming challenges, but as we all know the pandemic was unlike anything else.

I was determined to find a way to keep working and keep as many team members employed as possible, so I partnered with José Andrés's World Central Kitchen to transform Red Rooster Harlem and Red Rooster Overtown into community kitchens. We ended up providing 200,000 meals to our neighbors in need. Giving back and pushing forward became guiding principles.

This industry is not for the faint of heart. Maintaining a steadiness while navigating through the highs of success and the lows of adversity demands resilience. It’s the foundation upon which I've built my career. #OneThingToKnow