The Secret To Google’s Success: Free Beer And Sushi
Duncan Riley
25 comments »
Google’s original chef Charlie Ayers claims in a new book that much of Google’s success comes from free beer and sushi.
In Eat Yourself Smart, he argues that Sushi made Google’s engineers work better: “The fat found in fish helps make the cell membranes round the brain more elastic and more able to absorb nutrients easily.”
In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, he explains how Google got top results out of it’s employees
[Ayers] started easing the computer engineers into the long hours culture with innovations including free beer and fortnightly “big-ass” barbecues. To introduce computer experts fresh out of university to early mornings, he developed breakfast specials, such as “French toast with coconut, macadamia and rum”. The rum, beer and barbecues provided perfect cover for converting the “googlers” to a diet that ensured they kept working after lunch, weaning them off pizzas and on to salads…..
My favorite quote (and reasonable enough thinking):
“He was hired by Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google’s founders, in the belief that like a Napoleonic army, an internet giant marches on its stomach.”
(img credit: TropicalIsland)
He forgets to mention that a high level of mercury is essential for solving big O notation
This chef has definitely had too much of his own cooking. What about the smell and taste of sushi or is it just me?
The beer…maybe, but the sushi…nah!
where are my boots???? The google toilet has overflowed and the $hit is getting deep in here.
Haha that is interesting.
Check out this site for ways to earn money online http://mikesmoneyclub.blogspot.com/
I guess it’s not the money that Google is paying their engineers, then? Good thinking: must be the French toast.
I concur with Marzipan: I think Google is starting to believe its own hype. Let’s hope they can avoid a Microsoft-like descent into bad design and poor management.
This is a silly post. I do not visit techcrunch to read such ‘gossip’.
sounds like a load of shit
sounds great! i could go for a lobster roll right about now….
I thought the secret to their success was a really great search algorithm and ad platform. But this is great. It’s going to make coming up with the next Google killer so much easier. Michael, get ready to cover my new search startup: every employee will get free unlimited omega-3 fatty acid IVs and gallon jugs of grain alcohol. Google, your days are numbered. I laugh at the anemic cell membranes of your employees! Muahahahaha! Muahahahaha!
they are specialize in creat creativity atmosphere
Mike, since when does proper nutrition and exercise sound like shit? Oh ya, I forgot, you are probably a depressed couch potato whose weight exceeds your IQ.
I completely agree with the chef… food is capable of making you both smarter and more efficient!
Jon
http://dreamclue.com … get the message!
Americans not fond of American food anymore?
i wonder when am i gonna get this opportunity..lol
I can believe that giving employees lunch makes them work longer hours. Here at MIT, we have a lot of free food which achieves the same purpose. Especially near paper deadlines, when a number of professors pay for their students to order delivery from the lab instead of spending time walking to a restaurant.
But what was that about fish and brain elasticity??
OK, first we get the Google masseuse explaining how it was all to do with the free back rubs. Now we get the cook saying it was all down to his expertly produced meals. Give us a break, who’s next? The cleaner claiming it was all down to shiny floors. What about the guy who drives the Google bus? I’ve heard he’s shit hot!
@Jollyjo:
“This chef has definitely had too much of his own cooking. What about the smell and taste of sushi or is it just me?
The beer…maybe, but the sushi…nah!”
I feel so fortunate hearing what you think about sushi…
to MIT PhD - When was the last time your lab professor ordered Sushi? I seem to remember a constant supply of free krispy kremes, dunkin donuts, Regina’s, despina’s, and dominos (sometimes the fine Bertuccis!). I think the only good free food I ever had was during rush.
Regardless, I do completlely agree with the googlers. Even though my startup can’t afford a full time chef, we make an extra effort every week to stock up on fresh food from Costco (even though fresh and costco may be oxymoron). However, one important thing I’ve learned is that you don’t buy food that has directions, otherwise you’ll have 2-3 employees spending 2 hours a day trying to be the chef!
Hmmmm… this post was released a day after mine.
Google and The Sushi Chefs
http://deftlabs.com/2008/03/go.....shi-chefs/
1. Monitor the price of raw fish on the market.
2. When fish price increases, start shorting google shares.
3. Profit!!
Sounds like most of you have sour grapes…..the cheese is being served in the other room to go with your whine….
If any of you have had the Chef’s food, or knew how hard he worked, or if any of you have read his book (which I highly doubt as it still has not been released yet) you might have something a little nicer to say.
I’ll admit I used to be jealous when I would get to read the daily Google Menu back in the day, as I myself went to Taco Bell….
Now, I just get to eat good food all the time in my own private Google kitchen, if you folks were nicer I might consider inviting you over for a meal…
I guess it’s easier to throw barbs and insults to people you don’t know.
One thing I can tell all of you is that you can’t believe everything that you read or hear. A lot of this stuff that is written is taken out of context, and then tweeked to amuse others….but if you all want to get your panties in a bunch go ahead….I’m going to go have some breakfast, The French Toast sounds wonderful!
Sounds like PR. Too cool to be believable….
Does he have the same PR firm as the back rub lady?