Chef Chatter

How Seafood chef is making the most out of 'chaotic times'

Sloane Emden, the corporate chef of Angry Crab Shack, said instead of resisting the changes spurred by the pandemic, chefs should adapt and reinforce their skills.

Sloane Emden, the corporate chef of Angry Crab Shack, said instead of resisting the changes spurred by the pandemic, chefs should adapt and reinforce their skills. Provided

July 30, 2020

By Sloane Emden, corporate chef, Angry Crab Shack

I started as a chef back in the '80s and '90s — working my way up the kitchen and learning the ropes as I went with influences from a myriad of cultures — classic French, Italian, Asian, German, etc. The more I learned, the more I fell in love with the craft. I have been so lucky to have had hands-on experience in several areas of the industry ranging from warehousing to cooking in a high-end, luxury kitchen at the Grand Wailea in Maui — all of which have played a tremendous role in the way I cook today.

Most recently, I made the transition from an Angry Crab Shack general manager to the brand's new corporate chef. If you aren't familiar, Angry Crab Shack is a Cajun seafood restaurant that specializes in boiled shellfish flavored with signature sauces. While the flagship restaurant was launched in Mesa, Arizona, seven years ago, we've grown to 11 locations and have agreements to bring the brand to Atlanta, Georgia; Arlington, Texas; Parkland, Florida; Salt Lake City, Utah and Henderson, Nevada. As we continue to grow, it became even more important to streamline our food, service and culture, so whether you're in Mesa or Atlanta, you're getting the same Angry Crab Shack experience.

When the pandemic hit, restaurants around the world were faced with a unique challenge to adapt to a completely new way of life or simply shut down. At Angry Crab Shack, we took the slow-down as a chance to refine and take our concept to the next level from analyzing every item on our menu to filming tutorials to standardize our menu and so much more. Collectively, these changes have been instrumental in helping our brand rise to the top during these chaotic times.

A picture-perfect menu
Angry Crab Shack is known for providing an unparalleled dining experience drawing on Cajun and Asian flavors. All of our boils, including, shrimp, crawfish, lobster and crab, are presented in a fun, colorful way, and each of our restaurants offers a laid-back environment where guests can throw on a bib, roll up their sleeves, and dig in. The experience our guests have is second-to-none and we wanted our menu to match that.

While my training in the kitchen was influenced by a variety of chefs, cultures and cuisines, one thing that remained consistent among every chef I worked under — presentation of a dish should be prioritized over everything else. While food quality is without a doubt important, the reality is that people eat with their eyes first. If a dish doesn't give a great first impression, a guest will immediately lose interest. This is something that I've carried with me throughout my entire career — especially now at Angry Crab Shack when our dining experience is already so unique.

We decided to take it a step further, however, with a goal of fine-tuning the menu to elevate our guests' experience by making each item look and taste a cut above the rest. This wasn't an easy feat. We went through our entire menu and elevated our proteins and made our menu items completely unique to us by using proprietary spice blends that we have spent years perfecting. On top of this, we prioritized plating — making the center of each of our dishes more colorful and desirable to match the elevated taste. While subtle, these changes have been vital and prime Angry Crab Shack to be the leading casual Cajun seafood restaurant.

Training our teams
After taking a deep dive into our menu, we created procedures to train restaurant teams throughout our franchise system. The most effective way to do that was to develop a comprehensive training program. We added how-to videos that demonstrate step-by-step guides on cutting veggies, making measurements, assembly and cook times.

If there is one thing that I have learned in my years of experience — especially in restaurant franchising — it's that you and your kitchen teams must remain on the same page. By communicating and taking time to adequately train and educate your kitchen staff, you are automatically setting your team up for success in serving your guests.

What's next?
The restaurant industry is incredibly high-paced with brands constantly innovating and reimagining dishes in order to stay ahead of the curve. The recent slow-down brought on by the pandemic was unique in that the entire industry felt it. So, instead of fighting it, we decided to take a step back and use it to our advantage. Brands that channel culinary and operational creativity will find new ways to deliver their brand promise to guests, which is critical now more than ever.

The reality is that I anticipate more changes ahead, but the work put into reeducating our teams on our culture and what sets us apart in the culinary world is what will help us when we're up against future challenges. This pandemic has changed the restaurant industry and forced chefs to be creative. Instead of resisting the change, think about how you can adapt and reinforce your skillset. I never thought I'd be helping to optimize our kitchens and seafood boils for carry out, but here we are. In fact, it's an incredibly exciting time, one where the guest experience has been completely turned upside down. Now more than ever, it's time to rethink what you know and help remind guests what they love about restaurants – just because the dining experience looks different doesn't mean it should taste different.

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