An important lesson to learn is that cross training in pubs can help shape customer experience…
It is important for team members to feel comfortable stepping into different areas of the business — not to replace each other, but to understand how everything worked together.
In many pubs, front of house and kitchen can feel like two separate worlds. But in reality, they rely on each other constantly.
Wherever possible I encouraged the team to spend time outside of their usual roles, this helped extend knowledge within the business.
Front of house would run food during quieter periods, helping them understand how dishes were presented and how the kitchen operated.
Over time, this built confidence and gave them a better understanding of service flow.
Simple changes made a difference too.
Front of house preparing desserts during busy periods helped ease pressure on the chefs. It also gave the team more confidence in handling different parts of service.
A number of team members were trained in both front of house and kitchen roles. This supported the business during busy nights, holidays, and staff shortages — but more importantly, it built stronger teamwork.
People became more supportive of each other because they understood what was involved.
In some cases, it even helped individuals discover they preferred a different role altogether — moving from front of house into the kitchen, or vice versa.
Cross training in pubs isn’t about expecting everyone to do everything perfectly. It’s about building confidence, awareness, and flexibility.
When a team understands the whole business, not just their own role, everything runs more smoothly.
And when people feel capable of stepping in where needed, pressure is shared — not carried by a few. This level of awareness links closely to maintaining strong standards across the pub.
Aces in Places isn’t just about putting people in the right roles — it’s about giving them the confidence to understand the whole business.