McKinsey Quarterly 2023 Number 1

someone will do when I know somebody’s an expert in something. But that’s not the important question. The important question is: Will people stand up to me and tell me what they think?

A chef’s recipe for a successful emergency response 1 Once disaster strikes, arrive first. 2 Prioritize action over meticulous planning. 3 Leverage existing infrastructure. 4 Test short-term solutions. 5 Iterate successful ideas. 6 Apply emergency-level intensity to long-term challenges.

Katy McLaughlin: And will they?

José Andrés: I think people second-guess me all the time. I don’t think when I speak my mind that I do it just to impose. I speak my mind because I have an opinion, too. We’ve always allowed everybody to speak their mind. Obviously, José Andrés Group is my organization. It’s my company, but if my board kicked me out because I didn’t show up to the board meetings, I would probably vote in favor with them. Katy McLaughlin: Tell us about the impact of inflation and supply chain issues on your businesses. José Andrés: With inflation, you adapt. Unfortu nately, you have to raise the prices accordingly to pay the bills. We’ve had supply chain issues impact our Spanish olive oil and cheeses– we’ve had problems. In the end, restaurants are like brokers for our clients, for our guests. You buy the best possible food, and you sell it at a certain cost so that you can make money, you can pay the employees, you can pay the rent, you can pay to keep the lights on, and you can give a good value to your guests. With inflation, you just go up accordingly and make sure that you are not subsidizing the dining experience of your guests. - Katy McLaughlin: World Central Kitchen has pledged to raise and spend $1 billion to provide meals to victims of climate-change-related events over the next decade. You opened seven restaurants and bars in 2022, have nine con cepts planned for 2023, and are cochairing the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, among other projects. Do you ever feel overwhelmed or stressed, and if so, how do you cope? -

McKinsey Quarterly 2023 Number 1

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