Do you have what it takes to work at one of London’s most popular casual dining restaurants?


Now’s your chance to find out as we speak to Bone Daddies’ Head of People, JJ, to discover the five key personality traits and attitudes they look for when making new hires.


JOB ALERT: Shackfuyu, part of the Bone Daddies group, is looking for a Chef de Partie. Apply via the Placed App.


Rock and Roll spirit


Bone Daddies describes itself as a “Rock and Roll Ramen Joint” and this ethos informs its approach to recruitment. Instead of hiring people based purely on their experience, the restaurant groups favours people with a vibrant attitude and personality.


“We don’t look at where you went to school or how you like to dress, we simply want to get to know you as a person,” explains JJ.


“We look for candidates who can connect with people. Hospitality is all about connection, a huge part of people wanting to return to restaurants after lockdown is that they missed the service, the connection with other people. We want to hire employees who are passionate about people, about getting to know others and caring about our guests.”


Passion for Food & Drink


You don’t need to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of Japanese dishes to work for Bone Daddies, but you do need to show some kind of enthusiasm for food & drink and a willing attitude to learn.


“Some of the questions we ask candidates are: What did you enjoy about the last place you went out to, what’s your favourite food, where would you recommend we go for dinner. There’s no right and wrong answer. We’re just looking for some kind of passion for food and drink in general. Because if they’ve got that they can transfer that across to ramen.”


Calmness under pressure


Working at one of London’s busiest and buzziest casual dining restaurants is hugely rewarding, but it can also bring a lot of pressure. Candidates need to show that they react well to intense situations and can think on their feet. JJ explains that while Bone Daddies often use games and presentation tasks in group interviews to see who copes well under pressure, the best way to detect this trait is through trial shifts.


“Everyone knows how to talk about their jobs, everyone has an understanding of how to describe their job but actually being in a kitchen or on a floor in the middle of a busy service, you get to see the person in their element and they also get to see what working for us is like. Recruitment is a two way process, it’s just as important that people know and understand what we’re like to work for as well.”


Eyes on the prize


Bone Daddies prioritise candidates that will be committed to the role and invested in the success of the business. “We will look at things like longevity in previous roles, if they’ve been promoted within those roles,” JJ says. “We also try to get to know people. I personally love that we’ve got artists, graphic designers and sound mixers within our teams and the more diversity we gain through people’s interests, the more diversity there’ll be within the group with multiple ways of thinking.”


Once in the role, Bone Daddies have a unique way of ensuring employees retain their focus, as JJ explains. “We have a big Daruma’s eye in every restaurant and everyone that works with us gets a pair of eyes when they pass their probation. You colour one eye in and you tell your team what your target is. The other eye stays open to remind you to keep an eye on every other part of your job. If that person gets promoted, they colour the other eye in and you get a new Daruma’s eye.”


Backbone


“Backbone is about doing what you say,” JJ explains. “If you want to do something, do it. If you want to say something, say it. Be honest in how you’re working, be honest with your team, be honest with your managers. If you have honesty within your group and team then you have more harmony.”


To get a job at Bone Daddies, therefore, candidates must show humility and honesty during the interview stage and demonstrate that they are able to work as part of a team.


Leadership skills


Whether they’re coming in at the top or bottom of the company, Bone Daddies like to hire people with leadership skills. Candidates that are able to make decisions and motivate and inspire others.


“When we do interviews we like candidates to take the lead,” says JJ. “We don’t need to hear about what they’ve done, it’s about the person – can they inspire people around them, can they encourage someone who’s feeling shy. It’s those skills that make really strong members of teams.


“If we run an open day we keep it quite fun and loose, we play games with them, we interact, we get them to do little group tasks. You can walk around the room and see who’s taking charge of that group.”