Author, Relentless Growth: Cultivating a Chef’s Mindset to Professional Fulfillment
This week on "Ira’s Everything Bagel," Ira sits down with Chef Franck Desplechin—culinary innovator and author of Relentless Growth: Cultivating a Chef’s Mindset to Professional Fulfillment. From his early days as a teenage intern in France to mastering English in Hawaii, Chef Franck has built a career defined by curiosity, resilience, and an unshakable drive to improve.
In this conversation, he opens up about the stress and intensity of the food and beverage world, why he believes growth should always be “relentless,” and how he’s evolved as both a chef and a leader—learning to listen, set high expectations, and handle everything from difficult customers to personal setbacks. He also shares why he wrote his book, the surprising process of bringing it to life, and one powerful principle he swears by: redefining failure as a chance to learn and grow.
Whether you’re in the kitchen, in business, or just looking for a better version of yourself, Chef Franck’s insights on mindset, leadership, and personal growth go far beyond food.
Franck Desplechin has been a distinguished figure in the world of Culinary & Food and Beverage operations for more than 25 years. Throughout his illustrious career in the kitchens of several Michelin-star-rated restaurants in France and some of the most luxurious brands around the world, such as St. Regis Hotels & Resorts and Auberge Resort Collection, Franck has exemplified flexibility and adaptability, seamlessly aligning with organizational needs while spearheading teams to unprecedented success.
Franck’s unique journey started at the school of hard knocks when he decided to work in kitchens at 15 years old instead of going to high school. His “neurotic” obsession to keep moving forward against all odds and adversities has earned him recognition as a true mastermind in his field.
Today, Franck shares his leadership philosophy through his consulting firm, Incrementum. He is a firm believer that adopting a professional growth mindset will transform an individual to reach career fulfillment.
When he is not traveling to assist hotels and resorts around the country, he enjoys hiking the trails of Connecticut with his wife Kristin and his two daughters, Lorena and Camila.