We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Savannah Rogers. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Savannah below.
Hi Savannah, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
The hospitality world is where I reside. Within this world of food and beverage, I am surrounded by talented chef, sommeliers, bartenders, event planners, and so much more. Diversity is the word that comes to mind when I think of the kind of people who work in hospitality yet a common them is found often in professional kitchens and established culinary leadership roles throughout… can you picture the individual? When you see a middle-aged male walking through a elegantly decorated dining room with a pressed button-up, slacks and dress shoes, what kind of job do you think they have? Management, one would probably assume. Now imagine you see a woman in her 20’s walking around that same dining room with long, light-blonde hair dressed in a emerald-green blazer, dress pants and heeled dress boots, what kind of job do you think she has? The narrative that comes to mind is usually not that of the males.
Many people look at me differently when I, the woman in the blonde in the emerald blazer, get introduced as the community’s Director of Culinary Services or even the Regional of Culinary Services. When they hear I manage all 4 dining outlets in the community and have 6 manager and 80 associates reporting to me I get an even more perplexed look. Every time I walk in the room, I am different than the rest of my peers. I do not let being younger and my feminine appearance stop me from excelling in my career as a professional chef and hospitality executive. Quite the opposite.
Being underestimated by others who don’t know what I’m capable of is what fuels me. I love shocking people with my professionalism and proving their original narratives of me and my capabilities incorrect. I treat it like a little game in which I usually always win.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself and the company you work for before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am currently the Director of Culinary Services for an amazing non-profit Luxury Senior Living Community in Dallas, Texas called Presbyterian Village North (PVN). I’ve never worked for quite a company like Forefront Living before; here, they focus on providing exceptional lifestyles, services, and amenities in a faith-based environment for seniors and team-mates alike. PVN feels like a culinary playground for myself and my team. Where else so you get to put forth restaurant quality menus, wine dinners, interactive events and amenities in a senior living environment where the residents are so open to allowing us to be creative with their dining experiences? We are proud to provide exceptional dining outlets for all levels of care as well as a café and Culinary Cruiser (food truck)! We cater everything in house from 5-coursed wine pairing dinners to happy hours and even the occasional Wedding.
As a not-for-profit senior living community, we believe the right moral decision is the right business decision. That philosophy leads to this being a friendly place, where residents truly enjoy each other’s company and regard each other with respect. Here you’ll find a physical environment that truly does present itself as a village, with winding walkways, green spaces, and a variety of residential options in view, all beautifully situated within 66 wooded acres. It is a place designed and built to help those who live here thrive, no matter what phase of life they are in.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three most impactful skills and qualities I leaned along my career journey are delayed-gratification, self-confidence and boundaries. Being able to set mental goals and then do everything in your power to achieve them without immediate gratification is very difficult. I found that putting in maximum effort and hard work will not always appear productive in the moment but sometimes I’ll see the fruits of my labors appear years later… it always pays off but patience is key.
Self-confidence is extremely important, especially when you may not “look the part” or get into an industry that does not yet appreciate what you being to the table. Knowing that you are skilled and proficient in your craft is paramount to success because most times you will not get a pat on the back for doing well. You need to be able to maintain confidence and KNOW that you did a good job. Others will take note of how you carry yourself when you walk into a room with your head held high.
Setting clear work boundaries was one of the best things that I taught myself in my career. As a regional I traveled a lot, met a lot of people, and managed a number of communities across 4 states. Early on I sent my availability hours with my bosses and my direct reports to best protect my peace. Lots of people take calls at all hours or the day and night, send emails until 2am and allow associates access to their social media or share personal information… I do not. I instead establish communication and information boundaries early on so that I can maintain any level of anonymity I may desire that will protect my time and personal life from work. Do I talk about my adorable pup, Béchamel? Yes, I do. Do I share stories form culinary school with my team? Yes, I do. However, you will not often hear about my personal life, exercise journey nor what I decided to do with my days off as I do not feel they are relevant for my career success or personal development in workplace.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed, professionally and personally, I pause. In the past when trouble arose, or stress felt like it was crushing me I would quickly react and attempt to put a bandage on a situation then ignore it until it festered once more. Now, I pause, take a step back and evaluate. There is nothing wrong with taking a moment to shut everything off, disconnect for a moment to collect yourself and strategize your next step carefully after weighing the pros and cons. I look at it like cutting out “um” or the stutter while presenting in front of a group. Instead of saying “oh, um” while collecting my thoughts as they fly around my brain like loose papers in a wind tunnel, I like to pause… then continue once I have the next thought lined up. Not only does it draw suspense from the group, but it comes off more collected and polished amidst the chaos internally. When overwhelmed, just remember to pause, breath, look at the big picture, THEN act.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://presvillagenorth.org/about/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savannah-rogers-307942ab
- Other: https://shoutoutdfw.com/meet-savannah-rogers-rogers-culinary-director-chef/
Image Credits
Kevin Neff, Presbyterian Village North, Forefront Senior Living
