Pass It On: Chef Raymond Johnson

This month on Pass It On, we’re featuring Chef Raymond Johnson, Executive Chef at the Radisson Hotel La Crosse in Wisconsin. His 30-year culinary journey is defined by dedication, precision, and heart. Today, he leads by example, blending old-school discipline with modern-day mindfulness. In this edition, Raymond shares how data transformed his food waste strategy, the advice that reshaped his leadership style, and the comforting dish he’d choose for a final meal.

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From Passion to Plate

How did your culinary journey begin? What inspired you to become a chef?

Like many in this industry, I started as a dishwasher. One day, the kitchen was short-staffed, and they asked me to jump in. From salads to steaks, I worked every station, and I loved it. After a break to attend culinary school, I returned in 2013 and joined Radisson, where I’ve been ever since.

What would your final meal be?

Something simple: chicken and potato dumpling soup. It’s warm, comforting, and fits our Wisconsin winters. I don’t have an expensive palate, just give me something hearty and homemade.

What changed your perspective on food waste?

When I moved into a leadership role and started seeing the numbers. Line cooks don’t always see the financial impact, but once you start reviewing cost reports and overproduction data, it becomes very real.It was the first time I truly understood how much waste can take place and the associated costs.

Ingredients of Success

What are your ingredients for success?

Planning, understanding, and details. Those three have to work together. You can write out a great plan, but if you don’t understand what’s behind it or miss the details, it falls apart. I’ve built our entire prep and portioning system on precision, and it works.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

A previous Chef of mine once told me, “Always look at things from the other person’s perspective.” That changed everything. Kitchens can be tense, and I used to have a short fuse. But stepping back, asking “what don’t they understand?”, and responding with patience instead of anger, that’s how I lead now.

What drives you?

My family. I’ve got a wife and three kids. Everything I do is for them. I also have OCD, so my brain is wired for structure and precision. That drive to do things the right way, not the easy way, has shaped my career.

Proof in the Pudding

What’s your proudest achievement in reducing food waste?

Using Winnow, we cut our food waste by 46% in just five months. One big wake-up call was mashed potatoes. We were making too much, 15 pounds extra in three days. That insight helped us change our production habits, improve forecasting, and cut back on wastage. It wasn’t just the potatoes, we cut waste on veggies and sauces too.

Bite-Sized Pro Tips

What’s one key takeaway for chefs aiming to reduce food waste?
Educate your team. If they don’t know why they’re doing it, it won’t matter to them. Whether it’s the financial impact or environmental cost, find what motivates them, and use that to build buy-in. The more it matters to them, the more it’ll stick.

Fuel for Creativity

Where do you find inspiration beyond the kitchen?

My daughter and I love MasterChef. She calls herself my sous-chef at home, she’s already learning knife skills and helps with prep. For books, anything by Anthony Bourdain. His raw, honest take on the industry really resonated with me.