Harvest America CUES BLOG

There are kitchens and there are kitchens. Painting the environment that surrounds cooking with the same brush is unfair and quite inaccurate; yet many do. Those operations that resemble the caldrons of hell filled with arrogance, bullying, unprofessional behavior, and a lack of respect for people, product, and process is the same as categorizing musicians, athletes, business leaders, and politicians under a unified profile. Not all kitchens are alike. Not all chefs are the same. Not all cooks step to beat of the same drum.

There may be ample examples of poorly operated kitchens where cooks are treated like pawns, battles between front and back of the house are commonplace, ingredients are treated like commodities, demeaning behavior is accepted as the norm, and cooking success is measured by how many “covers” can be pushed through instead of the quality of the plate and the dining experience, but I assure you – this is not universal. There are countless examples of kitchens where proper cooking is revered, people are treated with respect, professionalism is the standard, ingredients are handled with care, and pride is evident in the pass.

So, how detrimental is this “bad press” and what can be done about it? It might very well be that the great kitchens are just too busy and focused to worry about the misinformation that seems prevalent, but this should not be used as an excuse. When restaurants cry the blues about a lack of staff and even more significant – a lack of committed staff, then it is time for those who “do it right” to actively work at changing perceptions. Why is it that fewer and fewer young people are interested in a culinary career? Why is it that culinary schools are faced with declining enrollments? Why are more and more restaurants reducing service and menus or closing their doors because of a labor shortage while customer demand for the restaurant experience is on the rise?

We (the restaurant business) have an image problem and those restaurants that fit the negative profile that the media tends to focus on, are driving the narrative. It’s time for the GREAT to stand up and tell a different story. To those young cooks working in a less than professional kitchen, I say this: “It doesn’t need to be that way!” You can either be a driver of change in that operation or step outside and find a property that respects the process, the ingredients, and the people. THEY ARE OUT THERE, and they are willing to teach, train, support, and inspire those who want to be great.

Am I wagging a finger at those operations that perpetuate the negative? Yes, but at the same time I offer encouragement to change. Instead of complaining about a “lazy workforce”, try looking in a mirror and transition towards being good and eventually great. It’s a decision you can make if you want to.

So, what’s it like to work in a kitchen where the focus is on doing things right? Here are the signs as you walk through that back entrance:

[]       CLEANLINESS:

What immediately strikes you is how clean the kitchen is. Floor to ceiling, table legs to sinks, coffee makers to stacks of plates and racks of glassware – the operation is well attended to. Regardless of how busy the kitchen might be, everyone is attentive to keeping the kitchen clean and sanitary. Cooks are wearing gloves when appropriate, all are wearing headcovers, sanitation buckets are evident at workstations, stainless steel glistens, floors are swept, mopped, and dried, and ingredients are kept at appropriate temperatures.

[]       ORGANIZATION (MISE EN PLACE):

Peek in their coolers and storerooms. Kitchens that do it right have organized shelves, labeled and dated products that are properly rotated, production sheets in view, workstations that are neat and organized, plates, pots, and pans that are clean and organized – everything is where it should be.

[]       UNIFORMS:

Professional kitchens respect the history of the uniform and wear it with pride. In a proper kitchen, the uniform is clean, pressed, and complete. Headcover contains all hair, shoes are polished, aprons are clean and pressed, and name tags are prominently displayed.

[]       BUSY, BUT CALM:

In a focused kitchen there is no question that there is a sense of urgency. Time is the hardest thing to manage – there is never enough, so cooks are busy, but they exude “purpose” and are always cognizant of not wasting steps. They walk with determination, but not out of panic. They know that time is in short supply, but they have a plan to get everything done.

[]       THE SENSES IN FULL PLAY:

A great kitchen smells of properly prepared food: caramelized onions and garlic, simmering stocks, the sweet smell of meat being marked on super-hot grills, baked breads being peeled from ovens, and sugar crust being caramelized on top of crème brulee. The sounds of searing meats in a pan, French knives mincing parsley on wooden boards, mirepoix sauteing in rondos, and the ticking of the POS printer fill the air. And visually, the raw ingredients are held at their peak quality and plates are presented as works of art awaiting the signature of the expeditor before being released to the dining room.

[]       EVIDENCE OF RESPECT:

Yes, in proper kitchens there are ample examples of “please” and “thank you”, nods of support, helping hands, and effective teamwork wherever you turn.

[]       COLLABORATION:

Most importantly, this respect culminates in the orchestration of the meal. The work of the line cook is an exercise in choreography. The dance is well designed, and every person plays a role in bringing service to fruition. It is not filled with angst and frustration, anxiety and gut-wrenching fear. When the team works in collaboration then the result is like an orchestra executing a piece of music, flawlessly.

This is the kitchen work that needs to fill the perception gap that exists. It’s up to those who believe in this and work to execute it right every day, to tell the story and pay it forward. Invite your local newspaper and TV station to watch your kitchen in action – they’re always looking for an interesting story to tell. Give guests’ tours of your kitchen. Video ten minutes of your kitchen line during service and post it on YouTube. Volunteer to address students at a regional high school about a career in the kitchen. We can’t remain idle while the industry we love is being portrayed in a way that is detrimental to our success.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

TELL THE RIGHT STORY

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