The Dynamics of Private Service and Recruitment with Mark Sorensen-Leandro

Mark Sorensen Leandro

You really, really have to set the ego aside, be helpful in whatever way you can. Realize that it's all part and parcel of being in this service industry.

Hannes Hennche

Welcome to the Private Chef podcast, serving the 1%. I'm your host, Hannes Hetji, and on our show, we speak to the best chefs, how they honed in on their skills to excel in the industry, and what it takes to work as a private chef for some of the most exclusive clients in the world.

Welcome back to the Private Chef podcast. I'm your host, Hannes Henchy. Today we are joined by Mark Sorensen Leandro, a private chef with over 15 years of experience, Chef Mark shifted in 2022 to become an expert in finding talent and eventually founded his recruitment agency, the Sorensen stuffing. His recruitment philosophy centers around commitment, clarity, and ease. Join me today to learn more about the exciting career journey of Chef Marc, the nuances of private service, and the dynamics of recruiting private chefs.

Welcome to the show, Mark. Thank you so much. I'm really happy to be here. Yes. So tell me a little bit more about your personal journey into the kitchen.

Where did the passion for food come from? Let's see. I always loved food. Honestly, mine. People have these wonderful stories of how their parents used to cook all the time.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

We used to go out to eat all the time. I think that's also a great story. Yeah, I mean, I think that's kind of why. And my whole family loves food, but I think I really came to love not just food, but the whole idea just being out, that's sort of celebrating the meal that can happen when you're out to eat. I think from my personal experience, it was probably, I got a dishwashing job at 14, and I did a little.

Like, prep cooking and remember throwing lots. Of fries in the fry later? So I was probably 14 when I. Actually did my first cooking for money and then really didn't do it for. A long, long time.

I was a bus boy. I was in another place. I grew up in Newport, Rhode island, where there's tons of restaurants. So I was a dishwasher in the first place. I was a busboy in sort of the casual part of a restaurant and then the formal dining place.

I was a DJ. I did all sorts of stuff. But I next actually cooked professionally in the late nineties when I cooked aboard an oceanographic research boat called the Atlantis, which is out of Woods Hole, Massachusetts. It's pretty famous because it was. The submersible on board is what first found the Titanic.

So it got. Oh, wow. I mean, woods hole is. Yeah, it's a big deal. But the boat is the mothership to the Alvin, which is the submersible of the first from the Titanic.

So I was. I got that job in 98 or 99, and I was at sea for four and a half months. I met the boat on the west coast of Mexico, Manzanillo, Mexico. We went back and forth to easter island several times, which was crazy. It was an amazing experience.

I knew fairly quickly that it probably wasn't going to be a career, because I couldn't imagine it was isolating to be on a boat, even with 50 other people. What I've always said is, being around people not of your own choosing for a long, long time can get to be. It can be like a lot of camaraderie, but it can also be like, you kind of want to jump overboard sometimes, which I did not do. But then, really, from 97 until 2005. I didn't do any cooking at all.

I went back to school. I finished my degree. I applied to law schools. I didn't get into any law schools I wanted to go to. So that kind of prompted me going.

Back in this direction. I had. I used to host a lot of dinner parties when I lived in San Francisco, and someone who I really didn't know well came to one of my dinner parties, liked the food mentioned. He knew a private chef headhunter, and did I want him to introduce me to her because she had a job that he knew she was working on. So, yeah, he did introduce me to her.

I ended up getting the job, and it did not. It was basically a contract, a four month contract position. And actually, I didn't have to sign any NDAs or anything. And that client actually ended up going to. I think he's in federal prison until 2042.

Oh, wow. He was basically. He was running a small Ponzi scheme. He was basically pumping up his own company by telling a lot of people that it was about to be acquired by a big deal company. And it was all.

It was all made up. Yeah. My very first private chef client lived in a. The house was rented. The house was filled with counterfeit art, like, beautiful counterfeit art.

Picassos, Warhols, caldermobiles that were fake. So whoever he had doing his art was great. Anyway, so that was my introduction, was working for this guy who I, who I won't name, even though I could. And then that ended. I was very briefly the chef at a restaurant in Virginia, which was unusual by my standards.

They had reached out to me. They were opening a new restaurant, had heard of me through a friend of a friend who lived Virginia. I had just ended this contract with that first job, and I thought, well, maybe I'll check it out. And I did. And that lasted a month.

So it's not good. I want all of my candidates to have much more longevity than I do, at least in this part of my career. But it was. It wasn't what I expected. And literally on the day I told them it wasn't going to work out, I got an email from my friend.

Whose wedding I had cooked for in. Normandy, asking, telling me that her in laws, who lived at this chateau in Normandy, wanted to bring someone in for a year to cook. And I said, I mean, I immediately said, yes, I was still in Virginia. I had just. It was the afternoon I had told them I was leaving and that I was going to leave.

So anyway, I went to France for a year, came back to San Francisco, had to go to a wedding in. New York, and had prepared a big. Portfolio that I brought with me to New York. And I met with a bunch of different agencies. Old school Al Martino, I don't know if you knew him.

He's an old school New Yorker. I think he might still be around. Robin Kellner, who's another agent who I've become good friends with, was wonderful. And, yeah, that was it. Nothing.

They said they'd keep me, keep looking out for me. And I got back to San Francisco, and a day later, I got a call to. To go back to New York to try out for a superstar on Central Park west. That dragged a really long trial. One of those things that happens in this business where they ended up not hiring anyone.

At that moment, I had some unemployment, and then I landed the job that I was in for five and a half years. The rest is kind of history. I went from there to doing freelance after my kids were born, moving to LA, where I had a single client, and then moved back up to the Bay Area in 2018, where I did freelance work for, I guess, the first three and a half years I was here, and then was actually recruited by a staffing firm in the Bay Area to be a recruiter for them, which is what sort of led to me switching to the other side, other side of the fence, so to speak. In which part of the world or the country is the basic ingredients that are available the best? Normandy, east Coast.

Hannes Hennche

West coast. That's a tough one, I'd say for, like, basic, to be able to, like, go to the. To, like, a grocery store. I mean, I think farmers markets are good everywhere, and I think farmers markets in the Bay Area are particularly good, and the green markets in New York are amazing. But just being able to go for.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

A chef or for an average person, into a supermarket, I'd say France, for sure, because you could go. I ended up shopping a lot at big chain supermarkets, actually, and I would go to small markets when I could, but I would say France has better quality. I think it's also more. I think food is not think, I know food is more regulated there. You know, you have to be.

Certain standards have to be met. And I think also french people won't. You know, they're not going to buy. Produce unless it's perfect. So, you know, at the most average grocery store, you'd find stuff that in the states would only be at sort of a pretty fancy grocery store.

Hannes Hennche

Yeah, that's really the thing. I think in Europe, it's kind of whether you go to France, Germany, Italy, the average standard of things is just higher. And so the affordability of good ingredients is more spread out. And it's much, as you said, there's items that you have to go to. Specialty groceries here, which there.

You can just get them anywhere. Yeah, no, I think that's true. I think that's true. And it was fun. I mean, it was fun exploring.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

I had had these visions that I. Would be going to farmers markets all. The time, every day in France, but I ended up. I didn't really need to. And it was a job, after all.

When I found that I could find such nice quality at some of the. Larger stores, I did make use of them. We also had, in France, there were. A couple of different people. There was a swiss woman who was there.

There were, like, several younger people there. And she created an amazing garden. I don't know, probably a quarter of an acre. That was unbelievable. It was only really in action for the last three or four months I was there.

But, I mean, nothing's better than when. You can growing your own stuff. And I see a movement toward that. Especially in the Bay area and at. A lot of, you know, ultra high net worth estates of having, you know, people having their own, whether it's on site or somewhere else, their own farms.

That then deliver the food. And having culinary gardeners, it's like, it is a job description I've seen many. Times and help plays. And I think it's amazing to go to that level of like, hey, I want to control what we're putting into our body and to the degree where we're ourselves actually you know, the blue hill farm in Tarot. Dan.

Hannes Hennche

Barbara. And where in Tarrytown? So it's just. No, I don't. It's just outside, north of New York in Westchester.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

Uh huh. And, um, I think. Oh, blue hills. Yeah. Sorry, I didn't hear you.

Yes, I know them. I think that farm was originally from the Rockefellers and the same concept they wanted. It was their own dairy farm, I. Think, where they're like, yeah, we want to know what the, what the cows are eating. That's our milk.

Yeah. Right, right. And I've talked to chefs who have. You know, been the, the culinary directors. At these kind of estates, and they'll even, they'll plan the garden around the menu ideas.

Like, they'll, the culinary director will come up with ideas of, you know, with. The client of what they want to. Be able to make and will, you. Know, then talk to the culinary gardener. And we'll plant exactly the things that they need.

So it's also, I mean, a lot. Of, obviously, for an average person, you go to the farmer's market, you see. What looks good, and then you make something using that. This is the reverse where you able. To engineer the garden to, to fit your tastes.

Yeah. And then Barbara goes one step further from there. He, he wants the menu to reflect. What the soil needs. He basically wants the healthiest soil possible.

Hannes Hennche

So his menu rotates around, what does my soil need? So he's growing something that the soil needs more than the people. And then, because he doesn't want any monocrops or anything. So he's so soil focused that he, his mission for chefs is like, we should translate anything that the soil needs into an amazing experience. He's amazing.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

It sounds like maybe he needs to pay a little more attention to the. Human beings that work under him, but. I'll steer clear of that. But, yeah, I think that paying attention, that's incredible. I think paying attention to the soil.

Is because it's a problem. It's a problem with the big monoculture. These farms that are just growing one thing, they're slowly or quickly killing the soil, which is pretty important for growing. What is this like, to change the sides of the fence, you know, to go from the job seeker to somebody. Who is part of the ecosystem of providing jobs or at least making the connection?

Yeah, it was, it was very interesting because I think that agencies, to me. Always seemed like a bit of a. Black box where you're like, what is going on in there? What, what is. What is happening?

And, and it was really, it was eye opening in kind of a positive way because I think, like many chefs. I see lots of chefs on LinkedIn. That seemed to have gotten kind of. Cynical and understandable in some ways. But I think it really hit me, being at an agency and recruiting, that we're just middlemen, like we do the.

Very best we can. But, you know, I used to get annoyed when I wouldn't hear back anything. And communication is super important, but I. Always tell the chefs I'm working with. And I place all sorts of positions, by the way.

But I always say, if you don't hear from me for a week, trust me, it's not because I'm like, the moment I have any information, you're going to get it. And I have a vested interest in moving this forward as well. So I'm never intentionally ignoring anyone in. The way that I sometimes imagines that. I was being ignored.

So it was interesting to learn that I really enjoyed working with the hiring. Managers and a lot of the clients that I worked with, which was I. Knew I'd like working with chefs and I was hired to work with chefs. In my last role, but I really enjoyed the hiring managers I worked with and the clients as well. So that was not quite surprising.

But it was a nice aspect. Did you feel like they were more difficult or less difficult than you imagined? More demand? I think less. I think less difficult because in a.

Way, the hiring, it's like we're the middlemen from the sort of candidates perspective, and the hiring manager is kind of. The middleman for the principal and we're trying to get. I think the hiring managers and recruiters generally work pretty well together to try. To find the right match. And I think it's when, when the.

Hiring manager is empowered by the boss, by the principal to do their job. It works really, really well. But I think it's undeniable that a lot of these searches must start with. The principle, making what I imagine to. Be almost an offhand comment like, oh.

We need a chef. And it starts this cascade of events where the estate manager or other hiring manager, executive assistant is given this task. It's not potentially not that well defined yet, and they're off to the races. Before it's really fully baked. So I do think that it could be the process, and I think that's.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

What happens, especially with the individuals we're working with. They say jump and people do because that's their job. But sometimes the details go missing and that's what leads to searches that drag. On and that frustrate candidates, and that can frustrate agents as well, for sure. And it's actually also tiring principles, like.

Hannes Hennche

If you get too many trials and if you're not precise enough upfront of what you want in your household, and then you get kind of a little bit of random trials and you're like. And that can drag on for weeks, if not month, you know, till you refine what you're actually looking for. Yeah. No, I think that's a huge, huge part of it. And it's what, you know, I really.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

Do hope that that soarings and staffing. Can be a breath of fresh air. Is what I keep saying in this industry. And I hope that I can do that for clients, too. I would like to.

I want to vet these jobs before. I start working on them. I really want to dig in and. Find out what it is that they want and have a real understanding and. Honestly make sure that they have a.

Real understanding and then be in agreement about what that is and then proceed with that knowledge. And then I think it's the best way. And it's happened many, many times when it's a well run. Chip, the client's been clear, the hiring manager is clear. We're clear to the candidates who are proactive as well.

You know, sometimes jobs get filled very, very quickly. I'd say that's not the usual. That's another thing I always tell chefs, especially newer ones. I say, this is going to take a lot longer than you think it is. Yeah, go ahead, Mark.

No, go ahead. You go ahead. I was just saying this is something that I try to keep reminding chefs of. Like, please make sure you have some money in the bank, because this is nothing that happens within a month often. Exactly.

Hannes Hennche

You need to have an iron and the fire in some way or another. Or you need to have savings to make that transition. Like, yes. The thing is, you can't quite do it while you have a full time. Job because going to different trials, being available is a need.

And then it's kind of like, I always encourage chefs, like, have some savings, man. Like, if you want options in life, if you want a job that suits you, who you are and what you. Would like to cook, you need to have some. Some money to. To have time, because otherwise, if you just need the next.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

Yeah. You need to be able to afford to wait. Yeah, exactly. If you need the next paycheck, you don't have choice. No, no, I agree.

I think that's. I think it's. I think people, I mean, veterans know. They know it's gonna take longer going into it, but I think it's. Yeah, it's important to have yours, have.

Your ducks in a row and be able to ride out potentially several months. Of, you know, searching, if that's your goal. So kind of having both experiences, being. A chef prior going the very traditional. Road, when you first went to New.

Hannes Hennche

York and you prepared your portfolio to. Reach out to agents, what is best. Practice now on those things? Like, if you had somebody approach you who maybe just has restaurant experience, very little private experience, maybe just some catering. Or meal prep experience, how would you like them, ideally, to approach you?

What kind of preparation in terms of resume or portfolio? What do they need to, to make. This work as quickly as possible? I think a resume that is clear, readable photos. I just posted this on LinkedIn the other day.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

You probably saw, like, photos are crucial. They're absolutely crucial. More so than ever. I mean, we're living in a visual age, and I think you, even a. Few years ago, I think you could.

Get by without photos, but you need them. And this doesn't mean, like a professional photo shoot. It means well thought out photos you take yourself. You can even do your own photo. Shoot in your own kitchen with some good lighting in your iPhone.

Lighting is important, but really important. Yeah. And just the composition of the photos I posted. There's an amazing french private chef who. Let me use his photos for that.

And his Instagram is just stunning. Every picture is just a work of art. And I don't expect that. I mean, the reality is, it's really hard to break in. And what I do tell people, even.

Restaurant people who have great experience, Michelin. And such, is that try doing drop off service to start. Get something on your resume that you're working for a private individual or individuals, or wait for the unicorn job. Like you were saying, we were speaking. Earlier about sometimes clients will be okay.

Without prior experience, but it's few and far between. Really few and far between. Most people want three years at least. Many want five, and then many want at least say you have a ten year resume. They want each of those jobs to.

Be at least three years. So it's hard. It's hard to break into it. I think that, you know, if you really want to, being. Having that savings you talked about, really, you know, maybe staying at your restaurant job, obviously, until you can make it happen.

But I think it's looking out for. Those kind of lower levels, entry level jobs, which you can still make a lot of money at. I mean, I did after my kids were born. I did drop off in New York and then in San Francisco several years later for three or four clients a week. And, you know, it's not unusual to get six or seven or $800 per drop per client.

And when you add it up, that's a decent living, but you need to develop the clientele. So I wish I had a easier, a better answer. I wish there was a secret to getting in. The two things are sometimes clients will. Be okay with restaurant chefs with no.

Experience and trying to get in through, like, the personal chef route. Do you think the market has shifted a little bit? So there is more wealth? There is more people who consider having. Private chefs at the same time.

Hannes Hennche

Those, like, actually ten year plus experienced kind of private chefs just, it's also unicorn for them. Like, so you want this highly experienced individual who at the same time caters to your. This particular diet that you want. So, you know, on top of that, there needs to be a personality match. So there is this thing that eventually.

I realized that I'm also the unicorn for them sometimes. Like, there is a family there, and I am what they want. And you have to be the unicorn. Yeah. Like, it's, you know, it has to be the unicorn match in that.

In that regard. Like, they are also looking for you. So make yourself something worthwhile in the sense that it represents who you are and what you. What you love to cook, what your passion is to kind of the cuisines that you are, but also the cuisines that are kind of woke right now in the sense that there's always a trend diet. Sure.

So if you have, like, I remembered out of my own curiosity, I was. Exploring vegan cuisine, and then I saw. A lot of that coming through on the app, on the jobs, and I. Was like, yeah, I can speak to. That because I've in depth explored that for myself.

Yeah. I think continuing to expand your repertoire. And including some of those fad things, like, I mean, I know keto is everywhere. I feel like it's still. It's.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

I think it's on its. I think it's declining. Going down slightly. Yeah. And then paleo before that was everywhere.

And now that's declining. What's the next big thing? Tell me. Yeah, well, I think it's more like. I'm more of an essentialist.

I'd rather do what's always going to be successful. I mean, I feel, like, Mediterranean always. I mean, if you can mimic, like, Otto Lenghi, you're in. Yeah. For a lot of.

I mean, because it's also a wonderful way to eat. And I think a lot of people. Really just, they want clean and clean, meaning avoiding a lot of, you know, saturated fats and particular oils and lots and lots of red meat clean. They want bright flavors.

They want vibrant flavors that are created by things other than salt and sugar. And fat, you know, using acid, using lemon juice to brighten something up, to give a very sort of specific example. But I think that people want the. Going thing that I see is everyone wants Mediterranean. It's also, like, it's also a really.

Healthy way to eat without being too fussy. I mean, there are always going to be clients who want very, very specific. Ways of eating or have dietary, legitimate. Dietary restrictions where they can't eat. And I will say, I think having, being skilled and dairy free is really good these days.

And gluten free, obviously, I think that gluten free, like, even for myself, like, I'm not gluten intolerant or certainly not. Celiac, but I do find I feel. Healthier and happier when I'm not eating. A ton of bread as much as I love bread. So I think being able to adhere to those broad basics and then be skilled in lots of individual cuisines under that sort of clean framework is a way to go and gets what people want.

Yeah. Yeah. I think the mediterranean diet is so one. It's scientifically more than proven that it. Really helps to live a good life.

Hannes Hennche

And it's just super flavorful. It's light, it's. I mean, I could certainly live off the mediterranean diet. Yeah, no, yeah, me too. It's nothing too restricted in that sense.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

And, yeah, there's always, there's lots and. Lots of choice because really, Mediterranean is. Everything from, you know, the Middle east to Spain. Like, it's a lot, a lot of different things. I was going to say I could be, if I had to pick, like.

Two cuisines to live on forever, I. Would probably pick, like, Mediterranean and, like, vietnamese or something, which I feel like. Is the asian equivalent. Sort of fresh. Right.

Really vibrant flavor and within a pretty. Under a pretty healthy. Yeah, I remember I went, I traveled. Through Southeast Asia for a while, and I spent, like, four weeks in Thailand. And I was eating so much on the local, like, on the road, the side of the road, you know, there's broth and stuff.

Hannes Hennche

And I, like, yeah, I felt amazing. Like, I was feeling so healthy. And the one which is hard to. Do when you're traveling, it's hard to feel healthy when you're traveling. That's a lot, you know, the funny.

Thing is, the one time I got sick is when I went to, like, the equivalent of a Michelin star restaurant with two german chefs cooking classic french cuisine. And that's when I felt like, really like, you probably had two sticks of. Butter within an hour. Yeah, exactly. Your body was like, what are you doing?

Mark Sorensen Leandro

Give me some bone broth. But the bread was well classed. I mean, pretty good bread, I'm sure. I'm sure it was really good. But, yeah, I think.

I think that there are sort of. Those trends and then there are sort. Of the perennial things that people always, they always want. I mean, and they also always want is another thing for people looking. You know, a lot of people want.

To eat simply these days, but they. Also like that when they want to. Have a fancy dinner party for six or eight people, someone could pull out. All the stops and make some really next level cuisine. I think it's a good way to market yourself as being able to do that.

I don't think most people, with the. Rare exception, clients don't want to eat Michelin food every day. It's not, I don't know, it's not sustainable. It doesn't make a lot of sense. But they want to know you can.

Which brings me to another thing I was thinking that would be good to. Talk about, which is the preponderance of. Clients wanting Michelin starred chefs. And it's become, you know, it's a. Requirement on a lot of job descriptions.

Now, I feel like that may be starting to break a little bit because a Michelin starchef doesn't necessarily translate into. A home kitchen well at all. It's not, I would not want a. Three Michelin star chef in my home. Cooking for me, would be.

I'd be afraid. You know what I mean? They're used to running almost like a. I mean, they call it a brigade for a reason. You're used to, you know, running a team and having things being.

You have to be flexible. I think flexibility is the hallmark of a private chef. And I don't know, I think rigidity is what makes most like Michelin starred chefs good. It's good that they can come up with an amazing concept, but then follow. It with, with rigidity, which is amazing.

And I love to eat that way a few times a year. But the idea, I think it's become a status thing. You know, chefs want, clients want to. Be able to tell their friends, oh. I have a, my chef used to be at this place or that place.

And it's not to say that some. Of those chefs who I've placed are. Not unbelievable in the home. I'm just saying it's not, it's not a natural transition that a Michelin chef is going to be great in someone's home. Yeah.

And I think there's that assumption that. Oh, if they, if they did that, they could easily work in my home. Nope, I don't think that's quite the case. And I know, like, one of my close friends, he's talented, man. He, like, he.

Hannes Hennche

I'm pretty sure he's on his way. Like, he used to work as the sous chef of three Michelinsa restaurants for. Eight years, and he's on the way. To having his own Michelin star in. His own name now.

He, like, we put him in a. Private home for a couple of weeks, just. And he hated it. And the way he engaged with them. Oh, they asked me to do something that was slightly unrelated to cooking, and he was like, why would I do that?

Kind of like, the attitude tool is like, I'm like, man, you will never, never be, like, an actual private chef. Yeah. Yes. That's a great example of what I. Was talking about, probably.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

Yeah, that kind of flexibility won't be there. It's just, you're not, like, if somebody. Asks you to check on the pool temperature, might just be something that you. Do for one source. Like, it's like, it's different.

It's different. No, I agree. And it's, you know, you go from, I think, not to be labor. We can move on, but I think Michelin starch are really put on a pedestal for good reason. They're super talented.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

I think when you're in any, anyone's home that's going to hire you, you know, you're just the person, you're the. Person doing the cooking, and you're not. Going to be, no one's going to be bowing down to you and telling. You how great you are every single. Day, which, you know, I think when you're, when you're running an incredible restaurant, you get a lot of that immediate.

Feedback all the time, which is nice. I did used to work for one family, and whenever they had guests, they. Would want me to step out, which. To me was almost a little bit odd because I kind of enjoyed to be in the back of the house. I said, you know, they put me there for a reason, and.

Hannes Hennche

But in a private role, you have to be more engaging and presentable, and. You have to speak to the food. And all of those things. Yes, but that was rare. You know, there's also many times where it's just like, you're just doing your job, you know, you might serve it.

Yeah. But your job is really to be more invisible. Mm hmm. Yeah, I'd say that's for sure. And I think in all my jobs.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

Maybe occasionally they'd be. They would ask me that. I think after, if people really liked. It, they'd want me to come out or something. But I don't think I ever see.

Your sauce walk through the meal. Exactly. But, yeah, no, I think it's. I always say that especially to new. Folks, like private shopping, it's 50% food and 50% personality.

Might even be 55% personality, 45% food. Because you're in someone's intimate space, you're in. You know, it's unusual. It's an unusual role, in a way. It's a very intimate role.

It's not a house manager who's really. Just dealing with logistics and lots of important things, or a housekeeper who's cleaning. But you're making people food like you're nourishing them. It's very intimate, and it's. But it also has to not be very intimate because you're being paid to be there.

It can be a complicated thing, and I think it takes a lot of emotional intelligence to be able to be. In one of those roles for a long time and succeed. I think it takes way more than probably technical cooking skills. You have to navigate that personal part really, really well. I remember one time, a principal got really loud towards me, and I was.

Hannes Hennche

Like, we have a professional work relationship. I understand we're in your home, but. There'S a professional work relationship, and you can't speak to me that way. Hmm. And then she was like, how was it received?

But you're in my home. I can speak in my home whichever way I want. And I'm like, you can speak whichever way I want. But this remains a professional work relationship. Like, sorry.

Like, I. Right. You can do this. And if you do it one more. Time, you might have to look for a different chef.

Right. You can do it, but just not to me. Yeah, you're gonna. You're gonna. Yeah.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

I mean, I think that's. I think that is. It's tricky because it is people in. Their homes, and I think they feel. It'S more easily easy for them to kind of snap at someone or, you know, I think.

I think it happens, but I think it's. I think you did the right thing. I think that's the right thing to say. Just to remind them that, you know. You'Re there out of your own free will.

Hannes Hennche

Yeah, I think it's also there's. I mean, I'm already going out of my way in so many different ways in general. Like, I'm usually not the guy who's just like, yeah, I'm. I only cook. I don't touch anything I like.

I'm making myself very useful. Like, and my way I approach it is I'm like, I'm looking around where. I can help, you know, like, if. Yeah. Even where I can be helpful to other team members.

Like, if I see something that's laying. Around somewhere else and I know it belongs there, I don't. I don't have to wait for the. Housekeeper to return the car key to where it belongs. If I see, then I'm going there anymore.

Sure, right. Those kinds of things. And I think that's part of what a lot of job descriptions say, and that I really do agree with is no ego. And I think that it's important. It's really important.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

I mean, when you're putting as much of yourself into your food as many. Chefs are, it's hard to separate out. All of your ego sometimes, and I think we need to acknowledge that. But you have to. You really, really have to set the ego aside.

Yeah. Be helpful in whatever way you can. Realize that. It's all part and parcel of, you. Know, being in this service industry.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

It's kind of the height of the service industry is to be of service to someone in their home. So, no, I think. I think it's important. And then I think there's lines that shouldn't be crossed. Like, I don't want to pick up the dog poop.

I'm not going to do that. Is this a funny thing? You're saying it, because I literally remember having that conversation with the principal where they were considering a dog, and I'm. Like, I'm doing a lot of things for you. I'm not going to walk the dog.

Hannes Hennche

Not going to pick up the dog poop. Like, yeah, yeah, it's a pretty good red line. I mean, I think if that's, that. Shouldn'T have to be crossed, and it's. Just I'm not a dog person, so it doesn't.

Doesn't quite strike me in that regard. But, yeah, I think there are, there. Are some lines that should remain. What are some of the other red flags where you now, especially being on the other side of the fence as you coined it, where you're like, okay. This is someone I actually don't want.

To represent, and I don't want to. Put chefs in this position. I mean, I think probably places that. You know, go through chefs like crazy. You know, if there's a, if they're.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

Hiring someone new every four or five months, it's probably not a role that I'm going to leap to take on. It's the biggest one. I mean, if there's no longevity at. All or if, you know, through, you know, that there are other roles, but also they're constantly recycling. That's the biggest red flag.

And then there's the rare, rare times where you hear, you know, this person. Can be really, really toxic or abusive. Then, you know, I'll be, I want nothing to do with that. And most reputable agencies won't work with those people after once, once the word. Gets out, really gets out.

Those people, I think, have a hard time using agencies to find because really, we do. Agencies really want, that's the other thing I learned. They really want their candidates. I really want my candidates to find a great job that they're going to love. It's what makes the job gratifying.

The money is one thing, but it. Actually is really gratifying to put someone. In a role where they love it. And the principal loves it and everyone just gets along. Like, I really do love months or a year later hearing from.

We do regular check ins, right? When you hear unsolicited, you get an. Email like, hey, just want to let. You know things are going so great. It's like, oh, that makes me really, really happy.

And it's kind of, you know, it's always the goal. We fall short. It falls short sometimes, but the goal is always to make those long term, really positive connections. That's a very fulfilling part right there. How much would you say is the.

Hannes Hennche

Inbound, like, the ratio of chefs perfect job offering. And, like, I mean, it's wildly varying. I'd say there are some where you send three, you present three candidates. They pick one, they trial one, they. Try all two, and one of them gets hired.

How many applications are on top of that? Fun. Like, if you post a job, you have a hundred applications. Maybe in three you present. It really depends.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

I mean, well, I'm also Brent. I just opened my doors less than. Two months ago, so I'm not getting. A, a flood of applications. But I'd say, like, in my old role, you know, you might have for a really great role, you know, maybe, I don't know, 80 people would apply for a really great role.

Or maybe. Maybe more. And maybe ten get presented. So what is that, 15%? And of the presented, maybe two or three get a trial, and then if.

They'Re lucky, one gets a job. If that's the interesting. That's the interesting thing. Like, sometimes it stops right there. Or not.

Are they. Yeah, or they. Or, you know. And this is part of the beast. It's like.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

And it's understandable because it's a home. Because things change, because these are people. Who have a lot of options. They can decide maybe it's not the. Right time, and they'll hang up the search.

And that has. That's another thing. I feel bad for candidates that we. Have no control over. I've been seeing on LinkedIn a lot.

People are talking about fake. Fake job postings, and I'm thinking, what. Agent has time to do that? And what's the purpose? I guess, ostensibly it would be to get new candidates on your roster, but I've never heard of anyone creating a.

Fake job listing just to generate buzz or generate interest. I think that's something that really doesn't happen that I've ever heard of, but. There'S a perception out there that it happens. But I also think established agencies don't. Usually have a shortage of chefs in the roster.

Right. Yeah, no, that's true. There are lots and lots of chefs. There are other roles that are harder to fill. Too many.

Hannes Hennche

Too many chefs out there. Too much. Not too many. Just the right amount. Some people say there's, like, fake job.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

Postings to generate interest, so. But I do think that there, I mean, there is plenty of chefs out there. That part we said, and then, yeah. I think there's shortage, and that's also really your job now. Establishing yourself is filling both ends of.

Hannes Hennche

The pipeline, because it's always that balance. Where you have to have the job and the talent at the right time, in the right place. Yeah, no, exactly. Timing is big. Timing is really big.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

And having the right person for the right job. And there's. It's rare that you, sometimes I'll have. Like, three or four people in my mind. I'm like, this person could be great.

For it, but usually it's one or two. And sometimes I have no idea. When I first see a job description, someone doesn't come to mind. So do you service all of the US? Yeah.

And I'm actually, I'm handling a nanny. Job in Canada right now, so all. Of north, probably not. Yeah. North America.

Yeah. And I'm handling chefs and state managers and housekeepers. And nannies and having a state concierge role. Role in Florida right now, which is actually on hold, so please don't apply for that one. But really, I'm taking all roles.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

I feel like, you know, the mechanics of recruiting. I obviously have a specialized interest and. Knowledge of chefs and chef roles, but. The mechanics of the recruiting process are. The same for all the roles.

And it's fun for me. It's actually fun to work on different roles. So where can people connect with you? If they wanted to, they can. Our website is at Sorenson staffing people can find us@sorensonstaffing.com and it's s o.

R, not s o n. And then. I can be reached directly at Mark. M a r. Crendsandstaffing.com.

But I encourage folks to come look at the website. Yeah, please do. Please do. We're always looking to expand our roster. Of course, I know a lot of the chefs around, but there's always more.

And, you know, I do find that in my career doing this, when I'm. First talking to a chef, and then I let them know that I did it for 15 years, it changes the. Whole tenor of the conversation, and I. Go from being some random agent to someone who really knows. Knows what it's like and has been, you know, has been there, has been.

In the field doing. Doing it myself. And I think it's a. It's a strength. I think it makes a huge difference, because I've.

Hannes Hennche

I've dealt with recruiters where I felt like, you know, they're just throwing noodles at the wall and see what sticks. Yeah. They've also never really been in those estates. Like, that's the interesting part. Like, they've never lived this part of their life.

They've never been on that yacht or the airplane in the estate. Right. No, I think that's absolutely true. And I think it's easy to kind. Of feel like, even if they don't mean it, to sort of feel like a number.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

You know, you're just a. You're a body they're trying to put into a job. Yeah. To. That turns into a check.

You know, make their living. Yeah, that turns into a check, which is fine. Everyone needs to make a living, but. It'S nice to be able to really. Know the ins and outs of the work and really.

And then help after. Like, I always stay in touch. Like, I check in and my door is always open. And, you know, I don't inject myself into dispute when someone's hired. It's not my place to really, if.

There'S a big problem, I'm probably not going to be a huge help, but. I can help with advice and, you. Know, my take on if there are challenges and, you know, I just. I want the relationship to be ongoing. Yeah.

Hannes Hennche

Well, Mark, this has been great. Thanks so much for making the time. And, yeah, maybe we'll do round two at some point. Let's do it. I love it.

Mark Sorensen Leandro

Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. And I hope folks will come and. Sign up to be on our roster. Yeah, we'll spread the word.

Okay. All right, Hannes, thank you again. Thank you for joining us at the private chef podcast. If you know any highly skilled chefs that want to take their life to the next level, make sure to share this podcast with them. And if you enjoyed this episode, click subscribe and check out our upcoming episodes.

Hannes Hennche

Thank you for listening.

The Dynamics of Private Service and Recruitment with Mark Sorensen-Leandro

Primary Topic

Episode Summary

Main Takeaways

Episode Chapters

1: Introduction

2: Career Journey

3: Recruitment Philosophy

4: Private Service Dynamics

5: Conclusion

Actionable Advice

About This Episode

People

Guest Name(s):

Content Warnings:

Transcript