GROW: Brotherhood Beyond the Barbecue

Issue #92

Welcome!

Hey G-Tribe! For those just joining us, the G-Tribe stands for the GROW Tribe, a community of people committed to Guidance that Redefines Our Way of living, leading, and showing up in this world.

Let’s talk real for a second. There’s something powerful about gathering around a grill. The sound of meat sizzling, the smoke rising, the stories and laughter flowing—it’s not just about eating. It’s about building.

For us in the G-Tribe, the grill isn’t just an outdoor kitchen. It’s a sacred space where mentorship comes alive. It’s where young men learn patience, resilience, and responsibility. It’s where fathers teach sons and brothers sharpen brothers. And most importantly, it’s where the community gets stronger.

This week, we’re stepping into that space. Whether you’re running a pitmaster’s setup or just learning how to keep the coals hot, there’s something here for you.

🌱 Growth Spotlight: Fire It Up - Grilling as Bonding for Men

Something special happens when men gather around a grill. The conversations flow differently. The walls come down. The real teaching begins.

Research from the National Barbecue & Grilling Association reveals that 98% of barbecue professionals believe that connecting with others to share insights, solve challenges, and discover new opportunities is the key to thriving in this industry. This is not just about the restaurant business. This is about life.

The Psychology Behind the Fire

Men have gathered around a fire for thousands of years. Something primal happens when we stand together watching flames dance and food cook. The formal barriers drop. The teaching moments multiply. The relationships deepen.

Building Community One Meal at a Time

The strongest communities form around shared experiences. Food creates those experiences. When someone takes time to teach you their signature rub recipe or shows you how to manage the heat zones on a grill, they are doing more than sharing cooking tips. They are investing in your growth.

The greatest lesson I learned from my Dad, and one that I strive to pass down to my boys now and to anyone else I feed, is that good food, fire, and smoke are about bringing people together and building community.

This is leadership development in its most natural form. No corporate training rooms. No PowerPoint presentations. Just honest conversations happening while real work gets done.

Creating Your Own Fellowship

You don't need to be a master chef to create these bonding moments. Start simple. Invite someone over for burgers. Ask questions while you cook. Share what you know. Listen to their stories.

The magic happens in the margins. While you wait for the meat to cook. While you prep the sides. While you clean up together. These are the moments when real mentorship takes place.

The Ripple Effect

When you create these experiences for others, you start a chain reaction. The person you mentor today becomes the mentor for someone else tomorrow. Your backyard becomes a training ground for future leaders.

This is how communities build themselves from the ground up. One conversation at a time. One meal at a time. One relationship at a time.

💼 Professional Growth Gateway: Cooking Up Leadership Lessons

The professional kitchen offers some of the most intense leadership training available anywhere. The pressure. The teamwork. The constant decision-making. These environments cultivate leaders who can handle any challenge.

The Brigade System

Professional kitchens operate on what chefs call the brigade system. Everyone has a role. Everyone knows their responsibilities. Everyone works toward the same goal. This structure creates clarity and accountability that many organizations struggle to achieve.

Chefs and head cooks must be able to motivate kitchen staff and develop constructive and cooperative working relationships. These are not just cooking skills. These are leadership fundamentals.

Mentorship in Action

The culinary world takes mentorship seriously. Supporting young culinarians with ongoing education, mentorship is built into the professional development process. Young chefs work under the guidance of experienced mentors who provide hands-on training to support their growth.

Each one, with their unique style and approach, contributed to my growth and success. The culmination of their guidance was realized when a chef I mentored reached out years later to express his gratitude for the knowledge and confidence I imparted.

This model works because it combines skill development with character building. Mentors don't just teach technique. They model work ethic, problem-solving, and resilience.

Skills That Transfer

The leadership skills developed in professional kitchens can be applied to every other area of life. Time management under pressure. Clear communication in chaos. Team coordination around shared goals. These abilities serve leaders well, regardless of the field they enter.

The demand for verifiable skills and continuous learning is driving the adoption of digital credentials. Culinary professionals are increasingly looking to online certifications and digital credentials to showcase their expertise.

Creating Kitchen Culture

Great kitchen leaders understand that culture beats strategy every time. They create environments where people want to work hard and support each other. They build teams that can handle the pressure because they trust each other completely.

Being a Chef is so much more than just food and cooking; it's about leadership, mentorship, and also being able to learn and grow from others around you. To be a successful Chef, you must focus on building your team and culture; you are nothing without your team.

Lessons for Every Leader

You don't have to work in a restaurant to apply these principles. Every workplace can benefit from clear roles, strong mentorship, and a culture of continuous learning.

The next time you face a leadership challenge, think like a chef. Break down the process. Assign clear responsibilities. Work as a team. Celebrate the success together.

✨ Success Spotlight: Chef Mentors Who Serve More Than Food - A Conversation with Chef Rick

Interview by Michael R. Morgan, Founder/President of A Few Good MENtors, Inc.

This week’s G.R.O.W. feature highlights a rising star in the culinary world, my cousin, Chef Rick, one of the head chefs at Steak 48 in Charlotte, NC. We sat down to discuss his journey, the impact of mentorship, and the power of giving back.

Q: What inspired you to become a chef?

Chef Rick: My biggest inspiration was my dad. He cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. I didn’t see that in a lot of my friends’ households, and it made an impression on me. I started working in the food industry and haven’t looked back, 15 years strong now.

In high school, I took culinary arts classes and later toured Johnson & Wales in Charlotte, North Carolina. I fell in love with the city and the school. I graduated with a four-year degree in culinary arts and business. That foundation helped me grow not just as a cook but as a leader.

Q: What’s been the most important life lesson you’ve learned in the kitchen?

Chef Rick: One of my first jobs taught me what not to do—and that’s just as important. You don’t only learn from success; you also learn a lot from failure. I also learned how to remain calm and level-headed, especially in high-pressure environments. That clarity is crucial when managing people and making real-time decisions.

Q: Have any mentors shaped your journey outside of family?

Chef Rick: Absolutely. When I was back in Virginia, the community at Gethsemane Baptist Church poured into me from the very beginning. People like Jonathan, Frederick, Eddie, and Quentin had a significant impact.

In my professional career, Chef Matt at BLT Steak played a significant role in shaping me. My current boss, Chef Heather, has taught me the importance of purpose and urgency. I've worked with her for eight years, and she’s an influential leader.

Q: Do you see yourself mentoring others someday?

Chef Rick: Definitely. We’ve already done outreach through Steak 48, like serving meals at a local shelter. But I’d love to one day teach cooking classes and help people who feel intimidated by the kitchen. Cooking can be simple once you learn the fundamentals. The key is not just leading, but teaching well.

Q: Let’s talk cooking on the grill. What’s your secret for amazing barbecue chicken?

Chef Rick: It starts with a good brine. Whether you’re roasting or grilling, a brine helps keep poultry moist and flavorful. Use salt, sugar, herbs like rosemary or bay leaf, garlic, and even some apple cider vinegar or chicken stock. Let it sit overnight in the fridge, then pat it dry, season it, and grill it.

Q: One last debate — to rinse or not to rinse chicken?

Chef Rick: I do rinse poultry and fish, but not red meat. A light rinse with water, lemon juice, or vinegar helps remove preservatives and prep the meat. Just don’t overdo the acid, or you’ll start cooking it too early.

Q: Any favorite cooking shows or creators that inspire you?

Chef Rick: I grew up watching Iron Chef America, but now I’m into food bloggers and content creators on YouTube and TikTok. They’re making culinary education more accessible than ever. I’d love to do a Chopped episode one day!

Chef Rick is a stellar example of purpose-driven passion. From a young boy watching his dad cook to becoming a chef at one of Charlotte’s top restaurants, his journey is a testament to what happens when talent meets discipline and community support. We’re proud to spotlight him this week.

Stay tuned for more inspiring stories in our next issue of G.R.O.W.

🔥 Michael's Hot Take: Burnt Hot Dogs and Real Conversations

Let me tell you something about burnt hot dogs and real conversations. Some of the most important mentoring moments in my life occurred while standing around a grill that wasn't cooperating, eating food that wasn't perfect, and facing situations that were completely unplanned.

The Myth of Perfect Conditions

We have this idea that mentorship has to happen in perfect settings. Conference rooms with whiteboards. Scheduled one-on-one meetings. Formal programs with structured agendas. But that is not how real life works. That is definitely not how real relationships get built.

Some of my best mentoring conversations happened while trying to salvage overcooked burgers at a community cookout. While figuring out why the grill would not light properly. While standing in the rain trying to keep the food warm under a pop-up tent.

These moments create real connections because they strip away all the pretense. Nobody is trying to impress anyone when the hot dogs are turning black, and the guests are getting hungry.

The Beauty of Shared Struggle

There is something powerful about working through challenges together. When you and another person are trying to solve the same problem, the normal barriers between mentor and mentee start to disappear. You become partners in the moment.

I have watched young men grow into leaders while helping manage a grill that was running too hot. They learned problem-solving under pressure. They practiced clear communication when time was short. They developed confidence by contributing to solutions.

These lessons stick because they happen in real situations with real consequences. No simulation can replicate the learning that takes place when actual people are counting on you to figure things out.

The Hot Dog Test

Here is my test for authentic leadership development. Can you maintain your composure and continue building relationships when things go wrong? When the food is not perfect? When does the plan fall apart?

Authentic leaders are revealed in these moments. They stay calm. They focus on solutions. They keep the group's energy positive. They turn disasters into adventures.

I have seen men who looked like natural leaders crumble under the pressure of a backyard barbecue gone wrong. I have also seen quiet guys step up and take charge when everyone else was panicking about burned meat.

The Power of Imperfection

Perfect conditions create artificial learning environments. Real growth happens when things get messy. When you have to adapt. When your first plan does not work you need to try something else.

This is why some of the best mentoring happens around grills. Because grilling involves live fire, unpredictable weather, and timing that requires constant adjustment. You cannot control everything. You must remain flexible and continue learning.

Building Through Breakdowns

Every time something goes wrong at a community cookout, I see it as an opportunity for growth. Who steps up to help? Who stays positive when others get frustrated? Who comes up with creative solutions?

These moments reveal character in ways that formal interviews never could. They identify who has leadership potential and who requires further development.

More importantly, they create shared stories that bond people together. Years later, we still laugh about the time the grill caught fire during the annual mentor appreciation barbecue. That disaster became one of our favorite memories because we handled it together.

The Real Curriculum

The real leadership curriculum happens in the spaces between planned activities. While waiting for charcoal to heat up. While cleaning up after the meal. While troubleshooting equipment that is not working right.

These are the moments when real conversations happen. When walls come down. When learning accelerates. When relationships deepen.

You cannot schedule these moments. You can only create conditions where they are more likely to happen. Gathering people around food is one of the best ways to create those conditions.

The Challenge

Here is my challenge for every leader reading this. Stop waiting for perfect conditions to start mentoring others. Stop thinking you need formal programs or official titles.

Invite someone to cook with you. Plan a simple cookout. Focus more on the relationships than the food. Let the conversations flow naturally. Be okay with imperfection.

Some of the best leaders I know learned their most important lessons while standing around fires that were too hot, eating food that was less than perfect, surrounded by people who cared more about fellowship than cuisine.

Burnt hot dogs and real conversations. That is where authentic leadership development happens. That is how strong communities get built. That is how the next generation learns to lead.

The Invitation

Your backyard can become a hub for leadership development. Your grill can become a classroom. Your next cookout can become a mentoring event.

The only requirement is your willingness to create space for real relationships to develop. Everything else is just details.

So fire up that grill. Invite some people over. Focus on the conversations, not the perfection. And watch what happens when you combine food, fire, and fellowship.

This is how communities transform themselves. One burnt hot dog at a time. One real conversation at a time. One relationship at a time.

Poll Question: 

P.S. This week, I challenge every person in the G-Tribe to plan one grilling experience focused on building relationships rather than perfect food. Invite someone who could benefit from your mentorship. Use the time around the fire to have real conversations. Make it about fellowship, not just the meal.

The work of transformation continues with each relationship we build and each door we open for others. Make it count.

Please send me an email at [email protected]

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