If you had told me 20 years ago that some of the most important leadership lessons I’d learn wouldn’t come from a boardroom or a trading desk—but from standing behind a kitchen counter—I would’ve laughed. But the truth is, cooking has taught me more about how teams succeed, how timing makes or breaks performance, and how trust is the backbone of any high-stakes environment than I ever expected.
I’ve spent decades in finance, navigating complex markets and managing high-pressure situations. But I’ve also spent a lot of time in kitchens—both at home and in restaurant settings—pushing myself to learn new techniques, master flavors, and share meals with people I care about. The parallels between cooking and leading a team in finance are striking.
Teamwork: Every Station Matters
In a kitchen, every station—from the prep cook to the line chef to the person plating the food—matters. One weak link slows down the entire operation. The same is true in any professional setting. On a trading floor or in a deal room, every person plays a role. You can’t afford to have someone out of sync.
In cooking, you learn to respect everyone’s contribution. Even the smallest task—like chopping onions or setting mise en place—impacts the final dish. When you carry that mindset into your day job, it transforms how you lead. You stop thinking in terms of hierarchy and start thinking in terms of collaboration. Everyone owns the outcome.
Timing: Seconds Count
One of the hardest parts of cooking well is mastering timing. Overcook something by even a minute, and you’ve lost the texture, the flavor, or the presentation. Hit the timing just right, and you’ve created something memorable.
This is exactly how trading feels. Miss a market move by even a few seconds, and it can cost millions. Anticipate too early, and you expose yourself to unnecessary risk. Precision is everything.
Cooking has sharpened my sense of timing. It’s made me more aware of pacing—when to push, when to hold, when to let others take the lead. It’s also reminded me that preparation and timing go hand in hand. You can’t react effectively without first laying the groundwork.
Trust: You Can’t Cook Alone
One of the biggest mistakes new chefs make is trying to do it all themselves. I’ve been there—hovering over every dish, afraid to delegate. But kitchens don’t run on lone wolves. They run on trust. You have to believe that your team will handle their roles with skill and care.
I’ve brought that same lesson into my professional life. Trusting your team doesn’t mean stepping back—it means empowering them to own their part. It means giving them room to succeed, and even fail, without fear. It means creating an environment where everyone feels accountable and supported.
In both the kitchen and the office, trust builds speed, creativity, and resilience. Without it, everything slows down.
Feedback: The Final Taste Test
In cooking, you’re constantly tasting, adjusting, and refining. That’s feedback in action. It’s immediate, objective, and focused on improvement. The dish either works or it doesn’t—and you learn from it.
I’ve tried to bring that feedback mentality into leadership. Creating space for constant improvement—not just at review time, but every day—is what keeps a team sharp. In cooking, we don’t take feedback personally. We use it to get better. Imagine what would happen if more workplaces operated with that mindset.
Serving Others: It’s Bigger Than You
The greatest joy in cooking isn’t just nailing a recipe—it’s serving someone else. Watching them take that first bite and light up. That moment reminds you that your effort had purpose.
That’s another lesson I’ve taken back into my career. In finance, it’s easy to get caught up in the competition, the numbers, the wins. But at the end of the day, it’s about who you’re serving—your clients, your colleagues, your partners. When you reframe your work as service, your priorities shift. Your integrity strengthens. Your legacy grows.
Bringing the Heat (In a Good Way)
Working in a kitchen can be stressful. Things move fast, and tempers can flare. But the best kitchens don’t operate through fear—they thrive on respect and communication. They know how to “bring the heat” without losing their cool.
Same goes for leadership. Bringing urgency and focus is important, but yelling or panicking only creates chaos. Great leaders, like great chefs, know how to bring intensity without losing humanity.
Final Thoughts: The Kitchen as a Classroom
Cooking is more than just a hobby for me—it’s a classroom, a lab, a retreat. It’s where I learn about people, about timing, about pressure. It reminds me of the importance of humility, presence, and craft.
You don’t have to be a world-class chef to benefit from time in the kitchen. But if you’re willing to approach it with curiosity and care, you’ll discover lessons that make you a stronger leader, a better teammate, and a more grounded person.
Because in the end, whether you’re trading bonds or flipping scallops, the fundamentals are the same: teamwork, timing, and trust.