Safety and Security - of Kitchen Staff

It cannot be denied that the kitchen environment can become aggressive, especially if the kitchen is very busy.  Tempers could fly, arguments could erupt, and harsh words could be exchanged.  It will also happen that arguments may arise between a customer and a kitchen staff.  If this happens, the restaurant may either lose a valued guest or lose a worker.  For this reason, what should a manager do in case such a situation happens, especially since it is also his duty to ensure safety and security of the kitchen staff and the customers as well?

The Aggressive Customer
One scenario that all restaurants wish to avoid is the aggressive customer.  The customer may have become a bit aggressive because he has had too much alcohol to drink, or he may not have liked the service and decided to take it out on the staff.  If this happens, the first thing that you, the staff, should do is to remain calm and never confront him.  Always keep your cool and avoid getting into a more heated argument with him, but instead, call your manager quickly.
Now, if you are the manager, you have to remember that you just cannot get rid of the customer, although this is the very first thing that will cross your mind.  What you should do is to listen to his complaints and deal with it in a very calm manner.  Your end goal here is to have peace and harmony between the customer and the restaurant, so for this reason, keep your goal in mind as you talk with the angry customer.  Take responsibility; however, do not promise him anything that you cannot deliver, especially if the customer demands that the particular staff be fired.  Placate the customer, but be impartial about it.

The Aggressive Staff
Another scenario that a restaurant will never avoid is a confrontation between its staff members.  As above, keeping cool and calm are the keys to solving the problem.  This way, escalation of the heated confrontation will be avoided and a solution will be reached in a faster and more professional manner.  However, even if the situation has been resolved, it does not mean that it is over as you, as the manager, still have to have a talk with the involved parties.
It is best that you have a talk with each of them in private so as to get to the root of the problem and come up with the best solution.  If one of the parties has always been the aggressive one though, it is important that you show him that his behavior is unacceptable.  As a professional, one needs to act like one, not only in the way he deals with clients but also with his coworkers as well.
Get to the bottom of the aggressive staff’s issues, too, and look for a good solution.  Encourage him to respond more positively in the future, especially in dealing with coworkers.  Furthermore, tell him that the conversation is being documented and will be forwarded to the appropriate people, the Human Resources.  You should also tell him that a follow-up meeting is necessary for feedbacks, be it positive or negative or for termination or for commendation.
The way the manager deals with an aggressive staff depends upon the disciplinary action rules and policies of a restaurant.