Vanguard Magazine

game CHangER 40 JUNE/JULY 2019 www.vanguardcanada.com See the full interview online Q How did you start out in this industry and how has it brought you to where you are today? My marine career started in 1994 when I was called upon by KPMG personnel search division to change careers from Executive Chef of the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax. The po- sition was a corporate F&B Cost Con- troller in charge of managing the food procurement from the head office in Moncton, N.B. to the commissary, lead- ing to the onboard meal management of the crew and passenger logistics. Q What is your role at your organi- zation today? My role at Smart Galley Designs is a Galley Design Specialist encompassing the areas of food services assessments (Diagnostic Surveys) of a vessel's busi- ness practices, starting with onboard re- ceiving, storage, preparation and service logic from stores to the table and ending in the scullery and waste considerations. I am involved with the complete food and beverage design with the end goal to provide a complete design package. Q What was your most challenging moment? Designing a food and beverage opera- tion for marine conditions with personal work considerations. The transition thinking from a land-based kitchen to a marine-type galley kitchen. The most challenging task is to reach a consensus with multiple working personnel (differ- ent crew shifts) to ensure the individual likes are covered in the design in the same work space, along with planning the dining space in a comfort zone for all onboard while keeping to the budget and build in the task at hand. We must work closely with onboard personnel and engineers and considering the ergo- nomic placement and choices of equip- ment and the effect on the people. Q What was your "aha" moment or epiphany that you think will resonate most with our reader? Tell us that story. Our "aha" moment happened onboard during the drafting of a galley when three things happened: a 6'3" chef had to carry a large heavy maple cutting board from one position to create a workstation as comfortable as possible at his height, while the other 5'2" person working in the galley could not change the work height to work in a safe and healthy position. The next moment was when the same two people had com- pletely different needs in the end design of the pot sinks. The "aha" thought was as simple as: "Let's just plan in adjust- able equipment." We quickly learned that equipment was not available to pur- chase for this. So, the next "aha" mo- ment was: "Let's design and customize our own line of Ergo Work Station© equipment." So today we have a patent pending for our Smart Galley Design line of adjustable workstations for induc- tion, pastry and even a triple pot sink. Q What is the one thing that has you most fired up today? The thinking and planning of a galley seems to be a last-minute thought and at a low priority in the engineering design phase of a ship's creation. The difficulty is, once the ship is complete in its final de- sign, the vessel's structural mold is cast in steel for the life of the vessel. The galley is essentially the soul of the ship that carries a critical importance to both the workers and the personnel that must live onboard. Not having the right tools to do the job in the most ergonomic environment can be problematic. That is why galley design should be included from the beginning. Q What is the best advice you received? The best advice I received was from my apprentice chef: "Do what most other chefs don't like to do: be the best at the business end of the business, and the busi- ness will look after you." Also, my teacher, Chef Richard Serwa – who was a Holocaust survivor – once told me: "If you do the math and design the menu and kitchen with people and place- ment in mind in a smart logical flow, you will never go hungry or be out of a job." Q What people or organizations do you believe best embody the innovation mindset? Thomas Edison, Innovation Master of the 1900's. As he famously said, "Our great- est weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." Q What is your parting piece of advice? Never forget the importance of the basics. Think with technology. Make calculations for recipes using proper measurements. Always follow the basics of math, cooking science – logical proven steps with prov- en formulas. My parting advice: "Share knowledge and learn every day." Wayne McKay Galley DesiGn specialist Smart Galley DeSiGnS

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