What is that secret ingredient in a special restaurant; you know, the one that everyone clamors to score a reservation at? Who are their vendors? Do they have arrangements with an exclusive fish monger, a farmer who grows exceptional vegetables just for them, or a meat packer that sets aside the top two percent of the top ten percent of the most incredible beef to be found anywhere? Everyone else seems to have a similar menu, they invest a ton of money in creating an engaging atmosphere, and they spend way too much money on kitchen equipment. So, why is one restaurant somehow magical and everyone else is just okay?

Well, most chefs will claim that the ingredient is king or hint that, yes, that some restaurants must have those unique exclusive relationships with vendors who save the best for a few, but….

Having been immersed in kitchens forever, I have great respect for ingredients and have ALWAYS worked to create strong relationships with vendors to help ensure some kind of special treatment (by the way, the best way to do this is to pay them on time), but, the difference between “okay” and “wow” rests on the shoulders of the team of cooks and servers, and the engaged leadership that carries the vision, trains and teachers with enthusiasm, and lights the fire of passion that permeates the operation. Some mistake talent for dedication and desire to be excellent; some assume that quality plates in the pass are dependent solely on the quality of ingredients; some may even think that it has something to do with the tools that kitchens are equipped with, but I beg to differ.

Once you spend time in one of those “wow” restaurants you will discover that the best ingredients can be destroyed by poorly trained, uninspired, dysfunctional teams of cooks, servers, and managers. You can feel the magic in the air of a restaurant kitchen and dining room when the right people are well-trained, caring, enthusiastic, and passionate about each plate of food, every table, each piece of China and glassware, every cocktail, glass of wine, and cup of coffee. You can sense the readiness and the excitement minutes before service when cooks are focused in anticipation, bouncing from foot to foot like a tennis player waiting to receive that 100 mile per hour serve, or quarterback anticipating a defensive blitz. You can hear it as cooks click their tongs, servers run through the nightly features – talking through their pitch to themselves, chefs tasting ever sauce on the line and managers triple checking every dining room station tabletop before the doors open. Details have been checked and re-checked. Line cooks station maps are perfectly appointed with pan handles facing just so, side towels folded and stacked, chargrills brushed one more time, and ingredient mise en place reviewed countless times over.

Everyone in a “wow” restaurant knows that once the gates are open, there will be little time to correct mistakes that are evident now. Once tickets start flying off the printer and the expeditor barks out orders as “fire, ordering, pick-up, refire, etc.” there will be no time to question or fall into the trap of poor preparation.

The grill cook must have a system for controlling degree of doneness, for tracking stages of cooking those top 2% prime steaks, or heritage pork chops. Grill mark when ordered – set aside, baste and finish the char when pick-up is nearing, and finishing in a hot oven until each item is just as ordered. Sauté cooks may be working eight or ten pans at once, most in different stages of cooking, typically with pan sauces that must be finished at the precise moment with monte au beurre. And the sometimes discounted, but essential fry station knows that even though the waiter waits for the finished products, not the other way around, his or her deep-fried items will lose their essence quickly so timing must be perfect. When it comes together in a “wow” restaurant, everything flows like an orchestra when each instrument knows their part and executes with absolute precision.

In all cases, those great ingredients are respected, the growers and vendors are honored, the process of cooking is consistently executed, and the service staff waste no time in delivering and announcing each plate with pride and enthusiasm. Same ingredients, same equipment, same investment of substantial funds, it comes down to the people who love what they do, who are well-trained and proud of their skills, and the leadership that knows how to keep the team focused and always tuned in to becoming better today than they were yesterday.

Line cooks double-click their tongs between orders, each waiting for that 100 mph serve, prepared for that deviation from the standard (no butter on that saltimbocca or hold the salt on that filet), and expeditors are balancing timing with quality control while keeping the pace from spinning out of control. In the dining room, the host is maintaining that smile that says we are in control while keeping their thumb on the pulse of door management (seating too many tables at once will negatively impact service and cooking) knowing that they can control the success or failure of a service period. The ingredients do speak, but not for themselves. They rely on the skill, readiness and passion of cooks and service staff to bring out their best. This is why a few restaurants stand out from the pack.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

People Who Cook, Are the Best People

www.harvestamericacues.com – BLOG

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