What “Slinging Nuggets” at the US Open Taught Me About Recognition
If you’re a part of my massive 140-person Instagram following, you already know I spent the last couple of weeks working the US Open with the COQODAQ team.
As a former line cook, I was determined to prove myself as a really good worker. I couldn’t have been prouder when they told me I was the fastest sandwich maker on the team, holding down a station that usually took two people! I even volunteered for extra shifts, came in early, and stayed late some days.
But why? The work was grueling. My pores were saturated with fryer oil, every pair of sneakers I owned was ruined, the commute was an hour each way, and my back was killing me.
At first, I thought it was about identity: proving I'm still that dedicated line cook from the early 2000s who eats lunch out of a quart container crouched behind the station. But when I really sat with it, I realized it wasn’t identifying as a “good worker” that kept me assembling chicken sandwiches for hours.
It was being recognized for my contribution that did it.
The Magic of Noticing Out Loud
At the US Open, every time I walked into that stall, there was a chorus: "YAY! WELCOME BACK ELIZABETH MELTZ!" When I left: "BYE, THANK YOU SO MUCH!"
I actually hate this kind of public attention, but it reinforced this feeling that they couldn't get it done without me.
That's recognition in its purest form: noticing and saying it out loud.
The science backs this up: recognition activates the brain's reward system, releasing dopamine and reinforcing the behaviors leaders want to see. But what the research doesn’t talk about is that people don’t just work harder when they're valued; they come alive.
What Recognition Actually Sounds Like
Too often, we confuse recognition with annual reviews or generic Slack shout-outs (both of which serve a purpose). Employee of the month is not the kind of recognition I’m referring to. True recognition is specific, timely, personal, and authentic.
Here's what it sounds like in real moments:
Instead of: "Good job tonight"
Try: "The way you handled that eight-top when we were totally in the weeds, getting their full order in immediately so that the kitchen had some breathing room—that made a huge difference.”
Instead of: "Thanks for staying late"
Try: "Your staying to help close when your shift was done meant everyone got out an hour earlier. That means a lot to everyone on the team."
Instead of: “Nice meeting today.”
Try: “I noticed how you paused and drew out quieter team members in the meeting. It made the discussion more balanced and gave us perspectives we might have missed.”
For my friends who worked the register at the US Open, customer interaction for 10 straight hours takes incredible patience and is something I could never do. I was sure to tell them. That's the kind of noticing that matters.
When Recognition Feels Fake (And What to Do About It)
Recognition only works when it's genuine, and if you're paying attention to your team, you'll find genuine things to notice. The problem isn't that there's nothing to recognize; it's that we're too busy, distracted, or stressed to see what's already happening.
I’m not suggesting that you manufacture praise, but rather slow down enough to actually see the effort that's already there. That server who consistently checks on tables without being asked. The prep cook who always leaves their station extra stocked for their PM team. The bartender who remembers that Jane doesn’t drink even though she regularly comes in with a large party of drinkers. It's all happening. You just have to notice it and say it out loud.
Every time I turn around these days there's a new tech platform to help systematize recognition and build culture. These tools are great! But the low-fi approach still works: just say what you see, when you see it, specifically.
Why It Matters Right Now
Restaurants and hospitality are bleeding talent. If you’ve heard it once, you've heard it 100 times: people don't leave because of pay alone; they leave because they don't feel seen.
I've lived on both sides: the line cook who wants to be noticed for grinding it out and the leader trying to build a culture where people feel valued. Recognition is the bridge between those experiences. It's how you show someone that their effort matters, that they're not just a warm body filling a shift.
My whole business is about helping founders and teams build healthier ways of working. I care about dignity at work. Recognition is how dignity gets translated from an abstract value into a daily practice. While many consultants talk about systems and strategy, I focus on the human moments that make people want to stay.
Recognition is free. Replacing someone isn’t.
Give It A Try
Notice one person's effort out loud. Say thank you in a way that's specific, timely, and real.
The magic happens when noticing becomes audible. Recognition is like reflective listening's cousin: instead of repeating back what you heard, you're repeating back what you saw.
Start small. Pick one shift or one meeting. Watch for one moment when someone does something well. Not extraordinary, just well, and tell them you saw it. Be specific about what they did and why it mattered.
You don't have to write a full Substack love letter to your team, but if you have the platform like my friend Victoria James, it doesn't hurt.
