Help Each Other

There’s a saying in kitchens around the world: “If one of us fails, we all fail.”

But I didn’t truly understand it until the day everything went wrong — and we came together anyway.

It happened during the opening of a new hotel in Indonesia. Normally, we didn’t serve lunch buffet unless it had been pre-booked for a special event. That day, however, the General Manager accepted a last-minute group booking for around 80 guests. With little time to react, we all had one choice: make it happen.

There was no time for pointing fingers or discussing roles. Everyone moved. Sous chefs jumped on prep. The stewarding team helped organize the service pass. I rolled up my sleeves and got on the line with the others — preparing, plating, and even helping with grilled fish.

We didn’t just serve lunch that day.

We delivered an experience.

And no one in the dining room ever saw the chaos behind the scenes.

That’s Rule #5 of my book The 10 Rules of the Chef in the Modern Era: Help Each Other. It’s simple to say — but in practice, it defines the soul of every great kitchen.

Teamwork Isn’t a Strategy — It’s a Culture

In kitchens that thrive, helping each other isn’t just something you do when there’s a problem. It’s a reflex. It’s the invisible thread between stations.

Teamwork means that when the pasta station is buried, the grill chef checks in. When the dishwasher is overwhelmed, someone else resets the racks. Not because it’s their job — but because it’s our job.

When the team acts like one organism — not a collection of individuals — pressure becomes a rhythm instead of a threat.

The Day I Became the Help, Not Just the Chef

It’s easy to forget, especially in leadership roles, that the kitchen doesn’t need a commander — it needs a contributor.

On that day in Indonesia, I could’ve delegated. I could’ve stayed in the pass and barked orders.

But kitchens don’t remember who gave the speech.

They remember who grabbed a pan.

When my team saw me jump in — not because I had to, but because I wanted to — the energy shifted. Morale lifted. Pace improved. The service became smoother, not harder.

That’s the essence of leadership through collaboration: showing, not telling.

A Legacy Built on Hands, Not Just Words

Throughout my career — in over ten countries, in cruise ships, fine-dining restaurants, and luxury resorts — I’ve seen the same truth repeat:

The kitchens with the best food weren’t always the ones with the biggest names.

But they were always the ones where cooks helped each other without being asked.

A kitchen built on ego crumbles under stress.

A kitchen built on support grows stronger after every service.

From the Sea to the Pass: Real Lessons from Real Kitchens

I learned this early, especially during my formative years as a Chef de Partie aboard Silversea Cruises, traveling to more than 30 countries — from the far north of Europe (Sweden, Estonia, Finland) all the way to Hong Kong. On board, the environment was unique: small teams, long hours, zero room for ego. You helped each other, or you failed together.

Later, as an Executive Chef for brands like Radisson Blu, InterContinental, Marriott, and Crown & Champa Resorts, I made that value central to every kitchen I led.

Because the greatest compliment a chef can earn isn’t “brilliant.”

It’s “trustworthy.”

Final Thought: Who Did You Help Today?

If you’re a chef — or a leader in any industry — I challenge you to ask yourself one question at the end of your day:

Who did I help today?

If you can answer that with honesty, you’re already building a culture where excellence doesn’t rely on pressure, but on people.

And that’s the kind of kitchen worth leading

About the Author

Cristian Marino is an Italian Executive Chef and Culinary Consultant with over 25 years of international experience. He has led kitchens in more than ten countries and sailed through over 30 others during his formative years aboard Silversea Cruises—from Sweden and Estonia to Hong Kong.

Cristian has served as Executive Chef for world-class hospitality brands such as Radisson Blu, InterContinental, Marriott, and Crown & Champa Resorts, where he recently led the culinary vision for the reopening of a luxury island resort in the Maldives.

He is the author of 10 Rules of the Chef in the Modern Era, a leadership guide rooted in real-world experience, teamwork, and the human side of hospitality.