Observe, innovate, succeed: A learning perspective on innovation and the performance of entrepreneurial chefs

Literature on the role of observational or vicarious learning is extensive, but little research has focused on learning for entrepreneurs in a demanding, competitive context. This article investigates how different competent models influence the innovation behavior of entrepreneurs in the context of haute cuisine. Further, we evaluate how much these innovative choices influence the performance of the restaurants. A total of 55 gourmet restaurant chefs were sampled using two Gourmet Magazine rankings of the top 50 US restaurants. Multiple sources of archival data were coded: chefs' profiles for the observation of competent models; press articles for innovation (as novelty, product, process and service innovation); and the restaurant's position in the Gourmet ranking for performance. This paper makes two unique contributions: (1) Entrepreneurs learn to innovate vicariously through observing competent models (parents and mentors but not academic models); and (2) Innovation mediates the relationship between the observation of models and the performance.