Leigh Omilinsky
Executive Pastry Chef Partner at Daisies
“When it comes to hiring, I look for candidates who are curious, quick thinkers and problem solvers. Skills do not matter as much as an openness to being taught and having a positive attitude.„
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
Don’t be afraid to fail. If you fail and learn from it, then you’re better off.
At the end of the day, nobody needs dessert so if you have a piece of cake, it better be good! It feels good to be true and to know that when I did something, I offered the very best of what I could.
My month-long stage at Pierre Hermé in 2013 shaped who I am and how I go about recipes. It taught me not to be afraid at a time when I wasn’t in a good place in my life. I was lucky enough to spend a day with the chef and his R&D kitchen: the fact that they’re able to produce such a huge quantity of pastries every day while maintaining a perfect service and product really blew me away.
My 7th grade teacher would tell us, “Your worst day has to be good enough” and it has stuck with me ever since – I tell this myself every day.
I like to break things down and research by region. Our restaurant is Italian, I love to dig into each region's specific culture and cuisine.
I find Instagram and social media really important nowadays. Things pop up that you would never know. I love to go out to eat as well, it's always good to get out there. Staying inspired also means doing something completely different that is not related to food, such as checking out a museum.
My team is the best. They are the ones that make the place go so that I can have days off. They are the ones that work the line and push me to push myself.
I keep my team inspired and motivated by involving everyone on a project. We have a whiteboard with everyone’s name and project in the kitchen. I set up educational workshops, partnering with local vendors and having them come to us to talk about their products. We also make sure to have fun, listening to music, dancing and making fools of ourselves while working really hard!
Disclaimer: Individuals featured in the Inspirational Career Timelines section have been nominated by peers, colleagues and/or other members of the hospitality industry. It is to the best of our knowledge that each individual has demonstrated leadership and acted as a positive role model for others.
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