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Reality TV shows often depict chefs as cruel, heartless tyrants, willing to make their staff cry in pursuit of the perfect bite. But it doesn鈥檛 have to be this way. Just ask Bruce Bromberg (Anth鈥�88). For the last three decades, he鈥檚 led a team of extraordinarily loyal staffers at Blue Ribbon Restaurants, the growing restaurant group he co-founded with his older brother Eric Bromberg in 1992.聽

Blue Ribbon started with one intimate eatery at the edge of New York City鈥檚 SoHo neighborhood. Since then, the company has expanded into different concepts 鈥� from sushi to bowling 鈥� and opened more than 20 locations nationwide.

Through it all, intentional leadership has been paramount to the team鈥檚 success.

鈥淲e wanted to create an environment where people flourished and wanted to come to work and wanted to learn, not just punch the clock,鈥� said Bromberg. 鈥淲e found that once we had that environment in place, everyone excelled.鈥�

The results speak for themselves. Diners keep coming back to Blue Ribbon night after night 鈥� and so do its employees. Eleven of the 14 staffers who worked the restaurant鈥檚 opening night are still with the company more than 30 years later. Now, they鈥檙e all part-owners, too.

鈥淸Eric and I] both worked in France in very oppressive and abusive kitchens,鈥� said Bromberg. 鈥淭hey exist in America, they exist everywhere. But it was the last thing we wanted to have happen in our kitchens. There鈥檚 a better way.鈥�

Bromberg鈥檚 own culinary journey started in his hometown of Morristown, New Jersey, where he grew up in a 鈥渧ery food-centric household.鈥�

鈥淲hether it was my grandmother and her traditional cooking or my father鈥檚 obsession with everything French, food was a really strong element in our childhood,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y father had a home in the south of France, and we would travel there in the summer and he would take us on day trips to every restaurant he could think of.鈥�

Though many of his peers attended East Coast colleges and universities, Bromberg decided to head west. He enrolled at 精品SM在线影片 and majored in anthropology. When he graduated in 1988, he didn鈥檛 know exactly what he wanted to do next 鈥� only that he didn鈥檛 want a desk job 鈥� so he moved back to the East Coast. His brother, meanwhile, had studied at Le Cordon Bleu, the famed cooking school in Paris, and was running a restaurant in the Hamptons.聽

One evening, a chef where his brother was working called in sick, so Bromberg offered to pitch in and help.聽

鈥淭hat was really it,鈥� Bromberg said. 鈥淚 spent that first night in the kitchen with Eric and was instantly enamored by the whole process.鈥澛�

Bromberg followed his brother鈥檚 footsteps and headed to France to study at Le Cordon Bleu. When he returned, they went into business together and opened the first Blue Ribbon, a 48-seat 鈥渓ittle hole in the wall,鈥� he said. The name is a nod to their culinary training: Le Cordon Bleu means 鈥渢he blue ribbon鈥� in French.

The eatery was an overnight success, partly because it was open until 4 a.m. each day, attracting musicians, chefs, servers and other people who worked in hospitality and entertainment. The food, of course, was also a big draw.聽

Over 30 years later, Blue Ribbon鈥檚 sweeping success has only bolstered the brothers鈥� commitment to their people-first leadership approach.聽

鈥淎s a chef, I am a teacher. I鈥檓 constantly teaching. You have to be patient and respect every single individual in your environment until the last moment.鈥澛�

For more information on Blue Ribbon Restaurants visit .

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Photos Courtesy Blue Ribbon Restaurants