Kenzeo Mpoyi of Tanta Chicago: 5 Things You Need To Know To Successfully Manage a Team

Be knowledgeable — When I first started working for a Peruvian restaurant, I did not have any idea what Peruvian culture or cuisine was. So I had to educate myself a lot to be authentic and am continuing to learn every day.

As a part of our series about the five things you need to successfully manage a large team, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kenzeo Mpoyi.

Born and raised in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenzeo Mpoyi furthered his business management studies in South Africa where he discovered his passion for the hospitality industry working as a server to earn money for his college tuition. Starting from a stand alone restaurant and climbing his way up to a 5-star establishment to work for Gordon Ramsey, Kenzeo spent seven years in Dubai before working for Acurio’s very own La Mar Cebicheria, a Peruvian restaurant in San Francisco. After five years in San Francisco and aspiring to move to a city cultivated in rich culinary history and traditions, Kenzeo took an opportunity to stay in the Acurio family by leading Tanta in Chicago as their general manager. Through his ability to connect with guests and staff alike, Kenzeo became an integral part of Tanta, empowering his team through his hands-on approach and goal-driven mentality.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! What is your “backstory”?

I was born in the Congo and was raised in South Africa where I finished my studies and started my career in the restaurant industry. I am the youngest of 13 children and we grew up not having much. As you can imagine, my parents tried to work and provide for so many children, which is not an easy task. I worked in restaurants while attending college so I could pay for my tuition. I worked in South Africa for several years before moving to Dubai which is how I was exposed to the restaurant industry and fell in love with it. Dubai is where my career really took off, being exposed to a world class city with a bustling tourism, hotel, and leisure market. I saw that I had an opportunity to make a career out of it.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

The most interesting thing that happened to me was back in 2009 when I transitioned from a stand-alone restaurant to a five-star hotel setting. This was when I was working for the world renowned Chef Gordon Ramsey in the One&Only Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa. For the hotel’s opening, I had the privilege of being in the same room as the world’s most prominent and very important figures, ranging from politicians, movie stars, sports personalities, etc. All sitting at one dinner table was the South African freedom fighter, Nelson Mandela, along with actors Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Morgan Freeman, and Matt Damon (just to name a few). One of my most memorable times!

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I do not know if this is funny or not but, on my first serving job, I was so nervous carrying a tray of drinks to a table that my hands were shaking so much. Because of this, I dropped the drinks on my way to the table. I was so embarrassed that I could not face anyone. I was afraid I was going to be fired so I resigned on the spot to save myself the embarrassment. I should have faced my mistakes and asked for help on learning and practicing how to carry a tray. Instead, I took the easy way out. I know better now. I ask questions about things I do not know and I am constantly learning.

Ok, let’s jump to the core of our interview. Most times when people quit their jobs they actually “quit their managers”. What are your thoughts on the best way to retain great talent today?

Managers need to lead by example. When you recruit a team member, you need to instill in them a sense of pride for the job. You do this by telling them why they are an important part of the company. It is also important to train them on the background of the company, values, motto, goals, and what is expected of them. It is also imperative to constantly reward and congratulate your employees on a job well done. Once these values are instilled, you, as the manager, then move on to train them on the skill set required for the job. Train and show them how it is done. You cannot expect an employee to perform at their best without showing them how a job should be done. You must empower the employee, give them some space for mistakes, and correct them in a respectful manner.

How do you synchronize large teams to effectively work together?

Try your best to recognize the strongest and the weakest people in your team– not everyone will be the same. Utilize each person’s sets of skills, and lack thereof, in the best way possible. Keep a balance by pairing a strong staff member with a not so strong one. I also prioritize instilling a sense of teamwork. I always preach about the importance of working as a unit during my pre-shift meetings with the employees. Another important task to implement as the manager is to be present on the restaurant floor and monitor who is being helpful and who is cutting corners. You should address the individuals separately about this and correct or award them afterward.

Here is the main question of our discussion. Based on your personal experience, what are the “5 Things You Need To Know To Successfully Manage a Team”. (Please share a story or example for each, ideally an example from your experience)

1. Be knowledgeable — When I first started working for a Peruvian restaurant, I did not have any idea what Peruvian culture or cuisine was. So I had to educate myself a lot to be authentic and am continuing to learn every day.
2. Be passionate about your work — Despite facing many challenges at work in Dubai where there is a lot of discrimination due to color and nationality, I could have given up so quickly and returned home, but I persevered. I loved what I did so everything else did not matter. I moved from job to job until I got my promotion through hardwork and determination.
3. Educate yourself about working with different cultures, races, and creeds — Having worked in Dubai where there are more than 200 different nationalities in one little city, you have no choice but to learn how to live with people. Religious, cultural, and language barriers were all part of the learning journey for me. It really equipped me for success in America.
4. Be a good communicator — I am an “open door policy” kind of manager where my staff is free to come to me with anything on their mind. If I can solve it, I will. If not, I will explain why I cannot and try to find a way to help.
5. Inspire and motivate your team

What advice would you give to other CEOs or founders to help their employees to thrive?

My advice would be to believe in your employees and to empower them. This will help you cultivate your employees’ skills and talents. You also need to lead by example as they look up to you.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

My passion and goal is to bring the culture of hospitality, culinary, and tourism to all corners of Africa and especially in my birth country of Congo. The country has so much potential but has been marred with decades of war and colonialism where we were stripped of almost all riches, which to this day continues to be the case. Not everyone can afford to go to college to get a degree or more, and even for those who are lucky to succeed with their studies, there are no jobs. So with war coming to an end there, I would like to bring skills, such as culinary and hospitality training, to the people. Hopefully as the country becomes more safe, international tourists can come and experience what Congo has to offer. This in return will provide much needed work and relief for my people.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I don’t have a quote; however, something about me is that I never doubt myself no matter what. Believe in yourself and constantly strive to be the best you can be. I didn’t see my limitations growing as a stumbling block in my life– rather, I used them as motivation. I did not have formal training in the hospitality industry, just perseverance and hard, honest work. Constantly learning and pushing myself and wanting to work for the best chefs, hotels, and cities in the world has brought me from South Africa, to Dubai, to San Francisco, and now Chicago as General Manager of Tanta.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

They can follow me on Instagram @kenzeompoyi and come dine and meet me at Tanta Chicago on Tuesdays to Saturdays! They can also follow Tanta on Instagram at @tantachicago.

Thank you for these great insights, and for the time you spent on this. We wish you continued success.