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WHAT RESTAURANTS HAVE LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC

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As restaurants rally to try and meet the requirements of the new protocol for operation – distancing tables, reducing customer volume, enforcing mask wearing, deep sanitizing of surfaces, moving to on-line menus or single use documents, removing anything from table tops that could carry the virus, and trying to calm the fear that both customers and employees share – they are even more concerned with the inability to convince employees to return to the job. From coast to coast restaurants that are open at some level are paralyzed by a lack of staff. This might seem counter-intuitive when one considers that unemployment rates have skyrocketed – but it is the reality.

As restaurant owners and chefs scratch their heads trying to figure out what’s going on – it might be helpful to look at the lessons that are before us. Restaurants have been struggling to attract and retain employees for years, but never at this level. Typically, when unemployment is high – people line up to find those open positions, but not now. So here are some thoughts:

TEN LESSONS LEARNED:

[]         PASSION FOR COOKING IS FRAGILE: Those of us who cook because of a love of the craft, the pride in the history of the profession, the joy of creating, and the energy derived from working with a team of like-minded people may not fully understand this – but there are many others who enjoy cooking, but discovered that their enjoyment was dampened by the reality that the work conditions, commitment of hours, and meager wages and benefits are hard to ignore. Passion is not blind forever.

[]         THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS IS EVEN HARDER THAN WE THOUGHT: The pandemic has demonstrated to owners/operators just how very fragile their business is. Obviously, revenue is critical to any business, but most others have the capacity to ride a storm for a period of time. Restaurants, like the employees who work for them, cannot survive more than a handful of weeks without sufficient revenue. Four months of lockdown is the end of the road for most restaurants, in fact one month was all that it took for the grim reaper to knock on their door.

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[]         WE ARE THE POSTER CHILDREN FOR ECONOMIC DISASTER: Take note of the amount of press that restaurants have received as economists point to the devastation caused by the pandemic economic disaster. According to ABC news – more than 16,000 U.S. restaurants have permanently closed as a result of the pandemic and the numbers are growing – thousands more are hanging on by a thread. Yes, other businesses in numerous sectors have closed, but none at this rate. Low profitability, inconsistent business volume, and the inability to create an emergency nest egg have been at the root of this problem.

[]         THE SUPPLY CHAIN IS TENUOUS: The domino effect became apparent early on as meat processing plants were impacted by Covid outbreaks, farms found it difficult to attract harvesters, transportation systems were cut back as restaurants closed, and consumer hoarding made it difficult for businesses to keep their stock levels where they should have been. Suddenly, those items that were simply a phone call away from supplier to restaurant are faced with inventory shortages. As a result, normal menus have been challenged and restaurant storerooms are looking pretty challenged. All of this happened within a few weeks of a significant bump in the road.

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[]         COMFORT AND SERVICE RULE THE DAY: Restaurants and chefs have long portrayed the quality of food, uniqueness of menus, and signature of the chef as being the key to success. The pandemic has shown that the fear of exposure has directed consumer attention to a much simpler formula: good tasting, comfortable food, prepared and served safely, and packaged in a convenient manner so that the guest can minimize exposure to others. This may put a different spin on what restaurants look like in the future.

[]         TRAINING REALLY IS IMPORTANT: The pandemic has made it acutely obvious that TRUST is at the core of success for restaurants. Trust must be evident to employees and customers and trust during the pandemic is based on training all involved about the necessary protocol to keep people safe. There has never been a more important time for employee (and management) training than right now.

[]         GOVERNMENT DOESN’T UNDERSTAND: It has become abundantly clear that federal, and in some cases, state governments do not fully comprehend what the restaurant industry is facing. They seem to waver on unemployment for employees who typically live paycheck to paycheck, fail to understand that if a restaurant is mandated to be closed – they are unable to pay their landlord, fail to understand that PPP to cover labor cost is great, but if it comes with a mandate to keep everyone employed when protocol limits business capacity to 25 or 50%, there is a disconnect, and seem to believe that throwing money at restaurants is the long-term answer, when what small operators need is expertise on how to weather this storm and prepare for the next.

[]         THE NATIONAL ECONOMY DEPENDS ON RESTAURANTS: We knew this all along, but now it is vividly apparent that the number two employer in the U.S., even though many of those jobs are close to minimum wage, has a significant impact on the economic health of the country. The restaurant industry needs serious assistance right now if it is to continue helping the national economy equalize.

[]         IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE IN RESTAURANTS: OK, we can open (at some level), but the common sense protocols of masks and 6-feet of social distancing are quite impossible to maintain in a restaurant setting. Either we simply can’t open, or we need some very creative thought on how we can keep everyone safe and do it economically.

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[]         WE CAN’T IGNORE THE NEED FOR FAIR PAY: Finally, the pandemic has brought home, even more so, that there needs to be a systemic change in the restaurant business, a change that makes us more efficient, more profitable, and able to pay a fair wage to our employees and offer a basic platform of reasonable benefits that any worker should expect. When the federal government offered expanded unemployment benefits and a $600 per week stipend to all workers – two things occurred: first – these employees were, in some cases for the first time, able to pay their bills and enjoy the comfort that comes from keeping creditors at bay; and these same employees realized that they could make more money not returning to work than if they did in the highly stressful activity of being a restaurant employee. This is a challenging combination for restaurant operators to compete with.

Out of every disaster comes a bit of sunshine, or at least clear vision of what is wrong and what the potential solutions might be. Hopefully this will be the case for restaurants and all of the stakeholders who depend on the restaurant experience.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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WHAT IS THE INTENT OF EDUCATION?

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As the country continues to come to grips with the ravages of a pandemic and the trail of chaos and long-term destruction that it leaves behind, we will need to think very clearly about how a country deals with diminishing funds to support our lifestyle and establishing priorities moving forward. Without question there are two areas, short and long-term, that must be at the top of our list: education and healthcare. Of course – there are many other needs, and at some level these other needs are priorities as well, but few things have more substantial impact on generations to follow than the education of our youth and setting a plan in place for the health and wellbeing of a population. For the purpose of this article – let’s just focus on education.

For decades many have debated what a good education entails and where our efforts should lie. When budgets are tightened (education always seems to be in the cross hairs) the first targets appear to be in the arts and technical life skills. Having spent my professional life in that career category of falsely labeled “non-essential” I have been acutely aware of the rising desire to de-emphasize the arts and technical skills and view them as less necessary than the traditional battery of courses that lead to an entrance in a college of choice. What the decision makers oftentimes fail to recognize is that the key to a “great education” is the ability to set the stage for creative thought, dreaming, and application of those courses that seem to dominate a curriculum. This article is not intended to downplay the importance of the classics: reading, writing, and arithmetic, but rather to view them through the lenses of the arts and technology. It is, in my opinion and that of many highly successful people, that application and integration of essential skills is a preferred method of generating real learning.

Keep in mind that the word education is derived, at some level, from the Latin word: “Educo” which can be interpreted as “To draw forth”. In other words, the intent of education is to create an environment where the person who is being educated is allowed to come to an understanding rather than be simply on the receiving end of information. What better way to “come to an understanding” than to think, create, produce, embrace, feel, hear, smell, and touch what it is that is being offered?

Here are a few thoughts/examples:

WRITING: When young people are presented with an opportunity to write – the natural approach is to begin with structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. All of this is critically important, but not natural. Structure and process must be drilled in and this takes time. What comes natural to young people is the desire and ability to tell stories. As soon as a two year old begins to develop a vocabulary – he or she is anxious to tell a story. The most intriguing and engaging part of writing is the ability to express a story that is drawn from experiences and vision. Creative writing is the application while structure is an important part of polishing the story. This is something that becomes real when it is encouraged outside of the traditional “course in English Composition”, when it is something that is part of everything that a student is engaged in.

When writing becomes real, tangible, and part of a student’s normal approach towards life and learning then so many doors are opened. Writers give all of us the opportunity to dream, express, feel, embrace, think, build a vocabulary, open our eyes and minds, question, challenge, connect, and enter a story as if it were part of who we are. Writing and subsequently reading what others have written is one of the most important parts of building creative thought, converting imagination into tangible ideas and results, giving hope, challenging difficulties, and becoming a problem solver. I always feel despondent when a person states, unequivocally, that he or she doesn’t read or can’t write. What a lost opportunity.

MUSIC: To those who love a particular type of music without experiencing the opportunity to broaden learning about different styles – I would state that you are missing so much of the experience that music provides. To those who have never picked up an instrument to play or approached the process of learning to play and building a connection to scales and chords, then I say that you are missing one of the great creative joys that music brings. I would dare to say that an education void of the opportunity to embrace an instrument, attempt to sing a bar or two of music, play a solo or become part of an ensemble or band, is an education that lacks breadth. Music is tactile and deeply rewarding, music is a way of understanding math (yes math), music helps individuals to understand the importance of teamwork, and music is relaxing, encouraging, demanding, structured yet free form. Music can be a friend at times in a person’s life when others seem too distant to understand and help, and most importantly – music is joy.

CARPENTRY: It is human nature to make things. Students inherently respond well to learning foundational skills that will serve them well for a lifetime. Everyone should know how to identify the right tools for the right job, swing a hammer, operate a circular saw, use a hand drill, a level, and a square, sand with the grain, pre-drill holes, and apply a coat of paint. EVERYONE will use these skills for the rest of their lives and will enjoy the results regardless of their age. This is creative expression that is tangible and like others listed is still an art form that applies basic math skills, planning, creative thinking, and various forms of communication.

TECHNOLOGY: technological advances and the products that have been a result surround us. Students are rather adept at using technology – it is almost innate. Exposing them to the positive uses of hardware and software, the thinking process that goes into design, foundational programming, and problem solving using technology is essential in today’s world.

COOKING & HEALTH: There are few things in life more important, more gratifying, and more beneficial than learning how to cook and draw out the natural flavors of the ingredients that we have access to. Cooking is an art form that incorporates all of the human senses – no other art form is this comprehensive.

DRAMA: Isn’t it interesting that many who are gifted as actors are far less gregarious when not in character? Acting allows us to step outside of the person who others perceive us to be and become someone else, sometimes revealing an inner person who has a tough time demonstrating certain traits otherwise. Acting allows us to experiment with that inner person, to see how others react. Sometimes creativity is inhibited because we are cautious about showing others that we are flush with great ideas. Acting frees many people to be expressive.

ART EDUCATION: Painting, drawing, sculpting, design, and architecture are crafts for sure, but more than that – these are visual ways for us to tell those stories that make our lives rich and connect us with a larger audience. Art can be a way to apply the concepts of storytelling, geometry, physics, and those processes that express a connection to oneself and to others (psychology and sociology).

To starve an education by minimizing these forms of expression is to minimize those opportunities to apply the skills and aptitudes that society deems essential. Real learning takes place when the opportunity to apply concepts is present.

Support your local schools and support the arts and technology.

“An arts education helps build academic skills and increase academic performance, while also providing alternative opportunities to reward the skills of children who learn differently.”

-Gavin Newsom

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Education is the great equalizer

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STRENGTH, GRACE, AND DIGNITY

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I am in the process of reading Chef Dominique Crenn’s autobiography: Rebel Chef. I have long been a fan of her style and passion for expressive cooking, but it is these three words that solidified, in my mind, how a chef should run his or her kitchen: Strength, Grace, and Dignity. Those of us who are over the age of 40 – probably worked in a kitchen or two where Strength may have always been at the core of a chef’s style, but Grace and Dignity were not part of the formula. It was the way it was, and few ever questioned the methodology.

The problem is that strength without grace and dignity does not inspire, does not rally support, and will never result in long-term positive action. Let there be no question that strength that also demeans, discounts, segregates, disrespects, and undermines others is actually the definition of underlying weakness. Chefs, by the definition of the role, are leaders of a team, the face of a kitchens integrity, and the role model for others to follow. When strength is practiced without grace and dignity, then leadership is in serious question.

I know, I have been there – there are ample opportunities every day for a chef to sense that the only way to get things done is through promotion of fear of the chef’s wrath – the temptation to move in this direction is always present. Yet, the best chefs ask: “Where does this approach get me?” Employees who are less than dependable, those who fail to understand that sense of urgency that is pervasive in a kitchen, people who are too cavalier with the ingredients they work with, cook’s who are not on top of controlling waste, those who drift away from defined cooking methods, sloppy work stations, failure to take that extra few seconds to make sure a plate presentation meets the standards of the operation, or confrontational disregard for the chain of command will also light the fires of anger in a chef. How the chef approaches these instances has everything to do with whether or not there will be a change in attitude as a result. A demeaning comment, an embarrassing quip, a vile word in view of peers, a violent tirade of expletives along with a few idle threats may have an impact in the moment, but at the same time it creates an environment of discontent, anxiety, and isolation rather than team unity.

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“Dignity is one of the most important things to the human spirit. It means being valued and respected for what you are, what you believe in, and how you live your live. Treating other people with dignity means treating them the way we’d like to be treated ourselves.”

-Family Education

Those who promote the integration of grace and dignity in their style of leadership are also those who understand that many, if not all of those listed examples of operational realities are directly related to how the chef approaches them. The solutions rest on the shoulders of training, setting examples, equitable enforcement of operational standards, provision of the tools for employees to be successful, support of their efforts, honest critique, and all done under the umbrella of strength – a 100 percent commitment to excellence without exception.

“Grace in Business. … The dictionary definition of grace is elegance, and yet to me, in business, it is a combination of many qualities, including valuing people, being gracious and respectful, having gratitude and quiet confidence.”

-Association for Talent Development

Strength in business is a combination of power and trust. The power comes from the position, the title – not always the actions of the person who holds that position. When those around can trust the business leader to be honest, do what is right, represent the best interest of the position, the business, and those who work and support that business – then strength is viewed in a very positive light. When the person “in charge” uses power to demonstrate privilege over someone else, use it as a manipulative tool to push another individual in a direction that is contrary to his or her belief or authority – then strength takes on a whole different, contrary role. Far too many chefs in the past leaned on the power of the title vs. the power drawn from consistency and earned trust.

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Those who exemplify strength, grace, and dignity in appropriate proportions live by these rules:

[]         STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE (strength, dignity)

Everything that the chef and his or her team members engage in: from the simplest tasks (vegetable mise en place, organization of storage, station mise en place, cleaning plates or pots) to the most complex (finishing a delicate sauce, perfect plating of dishes even when it is very busy) is done with a commitment to excellence and constant improvement.

[]         TRAINING TO MEET THOSE STANDARDS (strength)

Chefs should never assume that excellence will take place – it must be accompanied by a commitment to training and teaching. Strong chefs take the time to explain, demonstrate, and follow-up with those standards of excellence that are clearly defined for the restaurant.

[]         CONSISTENCY (strength)

Chefs who are in control know that the importance of excellence lacks strength unless every task, every process, and every plate of food consistently meets those standards. Thus systems and procedures are expressed and solidified throughout the operation.

[]         REAL CRITIQUE (Grace and Dignity)

Strong chefs never criticize – they critique. In critique – the notation is not personal but rather procedural and pointing to what is wrong is viewed as shallow unless it is accompanied by showing the person how to improve and why to improve.

[]         PROMOTION OF A TEAM INITIATIVE (Strength, Grace, Dignity)

Strong chefs know that they are never able to accomplish the lofty goals of excellence unless every person on the team understands, appreciates, and becomes passionately involved in meeting those goals with an uncompromised commitment to excellence. It is a team effort that counts and the leaders responsibility is to promote this environment.

[]         RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT (Grace and Dignity)

Strong chefs give credit where credit is due. Strong chefs applaud (publically) the good work of others and always recognize their focus on meeting and exceeding standards of excellence. One of the chef’s most rewarding moments is when this happens and support is always given so that team members can feel the gratification that comes from a job well done.

[]         ASSESSMENT (Grace, Dignity and Strength)

Strong chefs are always giving feedback to team members as they reinforce those standards, point out where there are needs for improvement and how to achieve that, and celebrate even the smallest win. A simple “thanks for such great work” goes a long way toward building pride and confidence.

[]         PRIDE IN THE PROCESS AND RESULTS (Strength, Grace, Dignity)

To a strong chef – the pride that comes from his or her team members reaching or exceeding a particular goal is far more important than personal accomplishments. That five minute wrap-up at the end of service when the chef says: “Well done team – customers were thrilled and I am so proud of how well everyone did their job to the best of their ability and did so while supporting each other” – will inspire those team members to replicate that same effort again, and again.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Do so with Strength, Grace, and Dignity

*Thank you Chef Crenn for the inspiration.

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

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COOK FOR ME

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I have seen the following quote from Anthony Bourdain many times before, but today it really resonated. It is a statement so simple, yet so profound; so foundational, yet so deep and meaningful; so intriguing and so beautiful. This statement strikes a chord with every professional cook, every chef, and every entrepreneur who owns that intimate corner bistro that opens its doors to a community. This is a statement that strikes a chord with every grandparent who protects those family recipes, every parent who tries to hang on to family traditions, and every friend who seeks to find the best way to project how much they care for another person. This is a statement that resonates with everyone who seeks to demonstrate who they are and what they care about.

“When someone cooks for you – they are saying something. They are telling you about themselves: where they come from, who they are, what makes them happy.”

-Anthony Bourdain

COOK FOR ME is a request that allows the person who ties on an apron a chance to bare his or her soul, to demonstrate how heritage impacts the plate, to talk about joy and pain, memories and challenges, and the love that they have for those who will share what they present through food. This is a big ask, a personal ask, a request to have the cook reveal everything about him or herself.

Cooks never take this request lightly – it is as if the ask was similar to “tell me everything about yourself”. There are few requests that are more personal, few that are more significant, and few that help to solidify a relationship more than: “cook for me”. To a professional – this is an opportunity to shine, to give his or her all, to stand tall and put everything on the table: “This food is a reflection of me, my history, my skill, what I care about, who has influenced me, and a compilation of those experiences that have brought me to this point”.

I paused this morning when I read Bourdain’s words again because there may have never been more important words to cooks; never more telling of why, deep in their heart, a person decides to become a cook or a chef. Once you peel away the necessary layers of: “I need a career, a paycheck, a marketable skill, a way to support my family, a way to fill up my days, etc.” – underneath all of that is a desire to bare your soul, to define what makes you happy, and a way to express that to others.

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“Why do you want to become a cook”? This is a question that many will pose to you as you contemplate a career in the kitchen. Think about your answer; think seriously about how you will answer this question. If you respond by relating to a career, a paycheck, a marketable skill, a way to support your family without giving due consideration to the deeply personal meaning behind it – then you really should think twice. Yes, all of those factors are important and necessary, but they do not reveal what makes a cook a cook, a chef a chef, a restaurateur a restaurateur.

Those cooks, chefs, or restaurateurs who peer out the front window of that corner bistro – minutes before opening the door, are doing so in anticipation of bearing their heart and soul, representing their history and their experiences on a plate, and welcoming others into their space so that they can share all of this. Cook for me is such a personal request and cooking for you such a form of personal expression.

To prepare a meal for someone else is to share everything, giving the guest a chance to find out what makes you tick – a chance to reveal so much that might be missing in simple conversation.

“You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together.”

-Anthony Bourdain

Think about those early days of building a new personal relationship. Maybe the first few experiences together were relegated to a third party: a dinner or two at your favorite restaurant, a concert, a movie, or a gathering with friends. One of the best ways to solidify whether or not the relationship has staying power is to invite that person to enjoy a meal that you prepare. This is personal, this is revealing, this is significant. Cook for me is significant.

I have had the pleasure to work with some extraordinary chefs, not always ones with names that roll off the tip of your tongue, but extraordinary all the same. I have shared incredible meals with many exceptional individuals, and I have had the opportunity to experience the work of chefs who take their role seriously and restaurateurs who live to make guests feel at home when they walk through that bistro door. Menus are a fascinating window into the character and skill of a chef, but what is most exciting to me is when I simply say to the server: “Ask the chef if he or she would just cook for me.” Make that dish on the menu that is most inspiring to the kitchen, the dish that resonates to them in the moment, the one that he or she is most proud of – or simply cook whatever you want even if it is not on the menu. I want to connect with the cook, to provide the cook with that opportunity to tell a story and open up a dialogue on the plate. This is exciting for me.

At one point as a chef, I actually put an option on the menu called: Cook for Me. Take a chance and put the entire experience in the hands of the cook and the chef. Give them a chance to be who they are through food. At times it was a diversion from the pace of meeting the demands of a full board of orders, and at other times it caused additional stress – but in all cases, cooks and chefs take the opportunity seriously. Cook for me is significant.

Anthony Bourdain hit the nail on the head when he proclaimed that cooking is a way of telling your story and revealing who you are. What a privilege it is to be a cook, a chef, or a restaurateur. What an opportunity cooking provides to tell your story and share yourself with others. That plate of food is your story, it is a painting that reflects so much about the person that you are.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER
Cooking for others is a privilege

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A COOK WITHOUT A KITCHEN

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They say we’re back. The kitchen lights are back on, deliveries arrive, the battery of ranges is fired up, and cooks (some of us) are welcomed back. Somehow, it just doesn’t feel right. After four months of idle time – time without a schedule, time without a chance to do what cooks normally do – this kitchen just seems vacant.

Walking through the back door there is an uncomfortable feeling of emptiness, of fear and trepidation, and of caution that feels so foreign to anyone who remembers the instant connections that existed in the past. Remembering the mixture of feelings that once were prevalent as a cook stepped through the “staff only” door – you know: that nervous feeling that stemmed from the uncertainty of a new day, minds racing as cooks mentally flip through mise en place lists, wondering about projected customer counts, and that usual knot in the stomach that comes from typical angst before the adrenaline kicks in.

Yep, the kitchen lights are on, and the exhaust fan is whirling, a few other cooks are engaged in prep at their station, but the place is just lacking the charge of electricity that would always greet everyone who walked in with knife kit in hand. It is an uneasy feeling that was pronounced as those cooks who were already at work – looked cautiously at their teammate, nodded, and turned their heads back to the work in front of them. There was no banter, no smiles, no syncopation of knives hitting their fast-paced rhythm, and no active clanging of pots and pans, shouts of “behind”, or clatter of plates being stacked as they conveyed from the dish machine. This is not the kitchen that any cook would recognize and embrace.

There is a different uncertainty that hung in the air; it is thick as fog, and heavy on the soul. This is the uncertainty that only a silent threat can unveil. Sure, there are temperature checks at the back door, masks donned upon arrival, and deep hand cleaning constantly throughout the day, but in reality no one knows if this is enough. Is anyone asymptomatic, have they been exposed in the past few days to someone who is, will the virus hitchhike on some of those boxes coming off the vendors delivery truck, or is someone secretly experiencing slight symptoms without a fever?

A cook adjusts her mask, ties on a clean apron, snaps on a pair of latex gloves, sanitizes a stainless table that is strangely distant from any other worker, dampens a side towel and places a cutting board on top to keep it from slipping, pulls her knives across a wet stone to waken the edge, washes the sharp blades with a bleach solution, takes a deep breath behind a constricting mask, and makes a quick list of work to be done.

Grabbing a 4-inch hotel pan – she walks to the produce cooler to collect items for prep. Noticing that another cook is already inside – she waits until the cooler is free. There will be no more sliding between carts, shelves, and other cooks – one at a time is the rule. The pace is already different, there seems to be little sense of urgency, no panic based on work to be done – the panic is all related to fear of infection.

Sure, the restaurant has been offering take-out options for the past six weeks, but it’s not the same experience for the cook. Meticulous plate presentations do not apply, the basic rules of thumb: “hot food hot, cold food cold” are a stretch when a guests meal is placed in disposable containers for re-heating at home, and the showmanship of service is relegated to passing a bag of food through a car window. Now we are back to in-house dining, yet it is still far from ideal.

Takeout numbers have been ok, but can be handled by two people in the kitchen – in-house is a different story with a skeleton, yet more robust line crew: one person in the back for take-out assembly and two on the line plus an expeditor and a limited dish crew. Reservations are sparse since the restaurant is limited to 50% occupancy, tables 6 feet apart, and wider common isles for people movement. The service staff is even more on edge than the cooks. Who knows where these guests have been, whether or not they are symptomatic or asymptomatic, have they recently been exposed to someone who is positive and they have not shown any sign of impact yet? Was that someone coughing, or was it a sneeze?

The guests are arriving, paced by reservations only, and they walk through the front door with loads of trepidation. They won’t be greeted with a smile today, at least not one that they can see from behind a mask. They are pointed to their table and reminded to wear their mask until fully seated, told that the menu is on line (no more physical menus here), and that the server will take their order shortly. The table is free of any un-necessary frills: no more table cloths (for ease of cleaning table tops), no salt and pepper shakers, flowers are gone, silverware is wrapped in a napkin, and glassware will be brought to the table as needed. The guests sit down, uneasily and look from side to side to make sure that no other guest is within the six-foot margin.

The server approaches the table to determine if guests need any assistance with finding the menu on-line, he explains that there are no specials tonight and that the menu is limited during the pandemic. Drink orders are taken and in short order the server returns with two glasses of Pinot Noir. The guests say thank you and as the server leaves – both guests eye each other, thinking: “How do we know that these glasses were handled correctly?” When the server returns the order is taken (guests opt out of appetizers thinking that the less time spent here, the better) – two orders of salmon – and the order is shot back to the waiting line cooks in the kitchen.

me at dinner

Ah…at least the cooks are able to do what they do best – prepare delicious, beautiful food. Somehow the cooks are nervous – it has been a while, and they suddenly realize that how they handle this is not only part of the restaurant experience – it can determine whether or not the guest becomes seriously ill. This is a new level of stress that cooks have never experienced before. The steps in cooking are the same: heat the pan, small amount of clarified butter, sear the fish both sides, baste with pan butter, a splash of wine, lightly salt, push to the side. Reheat the blanched vegetables in a separate pan, season, and dust with chopped parsley. “Pick up table 23!” shouts the expeditor – just like old times. Two hot plates are pulled from the pass, salmon is slid into a 500-degree oven for a 2-minute finish, and the plating begins. The cooks walk through the mental assembly – lemon beurre blanc on the plate, creamy polenta in the shape of a quenelle. The salmon is pulled from the oven and transferred to the polenta – slightly mounted on the side and vegetables are neatly arranged – tucked into the gap that the salmon provides in its nested position. A light salad of fresh mixed herbs on top, a grind of coarse pepper and both salmon are returned to the pass. The cooks are happy with this first effort as the server works a crisp white napkin in his hands and proudly carries the entrees to the table. As the server approaches – the guest nervously fumble to put their masks back on- nod when the dinner plates are presented and wait for a moment for the server to leave their safe zone.

The fish is delicious, but all that the guests can think about is how quickly they can finish and leave this anxiety drenched environment. As the server walks by, the guests ask for the check even though they are only half way through their entrees. As the server prints off the check from the POS, he thinks – this is not a dining experience, this is not something to look forward to, it is something to dread.

The board in the kitchen is never full as it once was, three or four tickets at a time so the pace is laid back and that adrenaline rush that every line cook looks forward to, never arrives. Cooks are clicking their tongs in anticipation, bouncing from foot to foot, constantly wiping down their stations, and hydrating for the sake of something to do. This is not the way that cooks want to be, this is starting to feel like a job.

Out front – the guests hand a credit card to the server as he clears their plates. There is no exchange of small talk, no gushing over the flavors or presentation, just a simple “thank you”. The credit card is returned, the check signed, a 15% gratuity added, and the guest places the card in his pocket, noting: “I have to remember to sanitize the card as soon as I get home”.   As the guests walk out the door the service sanitizing crew gets to work. A frantic process of wiping table top and chairs with sanitizing solution as the faint smell of bleach hangs in the air providing a glimmer of hope to the next guest scheduled to arrive in 15-minutes.

Until there is a clear solution, until there is a vaccine and a protocol for administering that vaccine, until there is a way to assure that everyone – employees and guests are immune – this is what the life of a restaurant employee and guest will be like. It is a far cry from where it was and where it will be, but it is a start. The cook will eventually become accustomed to the new normal, as will the server and the guest. When this happens there will be a glimmer of trust and a taste of the experience to come – some day soon.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

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THE LINE COOK’S NEW KITCHEN RULES SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

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As cooks start to, or at least hope to, begin settling into kitchen life again, it seems appropriate to reiterate those standard rules of thumb that everyone must abide by. They may be tweaked a bit – after all, a lot has changed over the past five months, but for the most part – the rules of operation that cooks have always lived by, are still the rules.

Ah..but, here is the thing – creative people often claim that rules are there to be broken, otherwise we never discover, we never move forward. Jeff Beck, the guitarists’ guitarist once stated:

“I don’t care about the rules. In fact, if I don’t break the rules at least 10 times every song, then I am not doing my job.”

Well, if you listen to great musicians then you probably thank Jeff Beck for being radical in that regard. Steve Jobs, the household name for creativity and founder/creative genius behind Apple Computers proclaimed that we should “Think Different” and ignore the rules. Hard to argue with him – isn’t it? Yet, in the kitchen there are things that need to be done a certain way to avoid chaos and to respect each other’s role in getting the job done. Strange – maybe rules are important, or, maybe they aren’t rules at all.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote:

“Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are.”

Now we’re getting closer – maybe, just maybe, what we are talking about is not a list of rules or policies, but rather, a list of universal principles. That sounds better – the Principles of Being a Professional Cook.

Your principles, and those of the cooks who proudly wear the uniform of the kitchen, are your stakes in the ground. The very beliefs, actions, and standards that define the kind of person you are, the way that you carry yourself, the way that you want others to perceive you, and the predictable results of your actions.

We should not confuse principles with rules of conduct, or polices and procedures – principles go so much further than that – they are not dictated, they are embraced.

“Policies are many, Principles are few, Policies will change, Principles never do.”

-John C. Maxwell

So, what are those Principles of a Professional Cook – his or her “stakes in the ground”:

[]         RESPECT

The first general principle of the kitchen is to live the attitude of respect for co-workers who may have different skill levels, may be of a different culture or race, different gender, and different education level, they may have beliefs that are contrary to yours, but they are all worthy of your respect. When they tie on an apron they are part of your family.

Respect applies to the established chain of command in the kitchen because it exists for a reason. You can respect the position even when the person holding that position rubs you the wrong way. “Yes chef “is not a blind commitment to the person, but rather to the need for order and organization in the kitchen.

 

Respect applies to the ingredients that a cook uses, the source of those ingredients: farmer, rancher, fisherman, cheese maker, processor, and distributor. It also applies to the equipment and the facilities that every cook uses – it is imperative that every cook treats these resources as if they were his or her own.

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Respect applies to the foundations of cooking – the processes that are time honored and proven and the steps used to build flavors and consistently excellent products.

Finally, respect applies to the history of the proud profession of cooking. This does not infer that cooks should not move forward and create their own history, but when we honor those who came before we establish the same pattern for the future.

[]         OWNERSHIP

The second principle for cooks is to always honor the dynamics of work environments. Professional cooks know how important personal tools are to anyone who stands in front of a range. A cooks tools, the space that he or she has identified as their work parameters, the ingredient mise en place and station set-up are all sacred to the cook and to his or her ability to work efficiently and effectively. Cooks will never violate these parameters.

Cooks must also practice effective cost controls through total utilization of ingredients, minimizing waste, following procedures and where important – recipes, and making sure that perishable goods are rotated and stored properly. The financial success of the restaurant is in everyone’s hands.

Painted in Waterlogue

[]         TEAM

The third principle relates to the interaction of all members of the crew as a true team. This means that everyone is in it together. The stronger help those who have limitations and weaknesses, those who are still learning become effective listeners, and each cook has the other cook’s back. Professional cooks avoid pointing fingers and when wrong – they take responsibility. When a team has formed – the group wins as a total unit or loses as a total unit.

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[]        CLEANLINESS

The fourth principle relates to one of the most important tasks of any professional cook – maintaining the highest level of sanitation, cleanliness, and safety in the kitchen. Clean as you go must become second nature to every cook. This applies to their personal work area as well as all common areas. This is what the guest expects; this is what every cook must expect.

[]         TEACH AND SHARE

The fifth principle for cooks relates to the responsibility to “pass it on”. All cooking techniques and procedures are public domain. There can be no secret processes or methods in a team environment. Every cook and chef has the responsibility to share and help others build their proficiency. In a team environment there is no shame in admitting that you “don’t know how” – the only shame is in refusing to admit it. When a cook asks for help in building skills then that help is freely given in a professional kitchen.

[]         PASSION

The sixth principle is something that comes from the heart and soul of a cook. There will always be room for cooks who function effectively at the job of cooking, but to truly excel – a cook must feel that this is what he or she was meant to do. The professional cook has a passion for the ingredients, the process of cooking, and the history behind a dish, the creation of flavor, and the presentation of a dish. When it is part of a cook’s heart and soul, then cooking will produce magical results.

[]         EXCELLENCE

The seventh principle is one that is at the core of everything else. Professional cooks are always seeking out excellence. Perfection may never be reached, but excellence is a commitment to moving in that direction. From the simplest task: cutting perfectly symmetrical vegetables, trimming tenderloins, cutting steaks, filleting whole fish without leaving valuable meat on the bone, respecting the steps in preparing a perfect stock, mincing herbs, clarifying butter, or the exactness of a plate presentation – a professional cook takes each task seriously.   Every step in the cooking process deserves your best effort.

saucing

[]        PROFESSIONALISM

The eighth principle, as basic as it may seem – sets the tone for great work and excellent cooking. When the cook looks sharp (clean, pressed uniform, neat grooming, clean shoes, etc.) then he or she is more inclined to act professional. When a professional cook treats the job and the people who work in the kitchen in a professional manner – then that cook can expect the same in return. This is how professionals reap the benefits of appropriate attitude.

[]         BEING ALL IN

The ninth principle is a focus on commitment. Professional cooks know that the job is never over until it is complete. To some this means investing more time than the schedule shows, while to others it means focusing on ways to improve efficiency so that the job can reach completion in the time allotted. In all cases the job must be done and done correctly.

travis

[]         HONESTY

Finally, the tenth principle pertains to building an environment of trust where cooks are upfront, honest in their approach to the tasks at hand, willing to take responsibility, able to accept critique and willing to offer that critique as long as it includes a “how to improve” lesson, and careful to respect the standards of operation that allow the restaurant to remain successful.

These ten principles are not rules – rules are demanded of those who work for a business. Principles are those stakes in the ground that each person accepts as part of who they are. When this occurs then cooks follow those principles because it is right, not because it is demanded.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

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GOVERNMENT WHEN WE NEED IT MOST

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Take a breath, exhale and sit down. Let’s face reality – the Coronavirus is going to be with us for some time and simply opening back up and expecting that everything will be fine is misguided. We are in this for the long haul, at least until there is a safe and available vaccine – a vaccine that must be distributed to every human on the planet. Is this six months, a year, or longer? We don’t know, nor do the scientists who are working non-stop to develop the solutions. OK – did that sink in yet? Knowing this frees our minds to compensate and plan ways to effectively adjust, as best we can.

Much of the dialogue today sounds like this: “We recommend that you consider doing this or that, but it is up to the states and local communities to decide how they want to address the plethora of issues that stem from the reality of the virus.” Really?? The last time I looked we are called the UNITED States of America, not the INDEPENDENT States of America. We have a federal government for these reasons more than anything else. When in time of crisis we need a united effort, expert guidance, and creative thinking that must be effectively implemented in ALL states. During these times we expect our government to take the lead.

The first concern with the pandemic continues to be the safety and wellbeing of our population. We can’t even agree on this because every state is able to make its own decisions on how to approach control. If we can, at some point, get ourselves together on the need to have a universal approach towards containment – then we must address all of the systemic challenges that will define who we are as a country for decades to come. These are education, economics, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, and equality. Let’s just take a look at education since many would agree that it is the most critical component of recovery and growth.

Overnight – teachers were required to transition their classes from on-ground to on-line. This was true from elementary school to college. Let’s applaud teachers for the wartime effort that they rallied behind. Now that one semester of programming is complete, try asking those teachers how effective on-line was, comparatively how well did students perform, how much support did teachers receive as they “figured it out”, and how would they evaluate their own capacity to create meaningful educational experiences?

Now that it’s summer – most of those teachers from elementary school to college are breathing a sigh of relief – they made it through the term and they are able to enjoy a well-deserved break. What is going to happen in the fall? What is the plan, how is the system being adjusted to help teachers be excellent at what they do in the fall when the virus will still be with us? Most schools do not know what direction to take in just two months time. Elementary and secondary teachers have likely been told to prepare for three options: full return, hybrid return, full on-line. Is there guidance on what this will look like and how to prepare for something that is probably foreign to all of them?

We have wrestled with the onset of on-line education for some time now and the vote is still out. There are examples, in some cases, where it works, but there is little research as to what extent and how effective it can be as the only option for all students. There are also many questions from those who teach in fields where hands-on application has long been viewed as essential. Certainly in my field (culinary arts and hospitality), but what about medical studies, nursing, engineering, building trades, and law? How can we prepare individuals for these careers without face-to-face education and ample opportunity to practice skills in a live environment? What will the virus do to the supply of trained doctors, nurses, engineers, tradespeople, etc.? If we are to face the existence of the virus, at some level, for the next year or more – what impact will it have on those skilled workers that are already in short supply?

So, where is the government effort for the UNITED States of America? Where is that critical taskforce (unknown if anything has been planned in this regard) led by the National Department of Education that is researching, planning, and preparing to guide states and those who teach and administer educational programs? If we freely print more money to support the bailout of various private industries – where are the funds to support the absolutely essential education model in the U.S., an education model that despite talk about shifting to private school vouchers – is best served by a public education system that has countrywide guidance and support?

If we simply allow the federal government to turn the decision-making and implementation of educational solutions to states without giving them the resources to do so (not just money, but also guidance and well-researched models) then we will continue to erode our outcomes where the best education is relegated to states that can afford it, cities that are more economically sound, and neighborhoods where affluent residents are able to add an influx of cash to the system. Is this the right approach for a great country?

If we agree that education can be the key to opportunity for our young people, if education can be one of the solutions to issues of inequality, if education is a vehicle for creating hope as well as opportunity for our future leaders, then there has never been a more important time to insist that our government unite the states behind a universal approach towards finding solutions.

If we simply think that this time is just a bump in the road and that there will be no real long-term challenges because “students and parents just need to relax and adjust their lives to the new laid back approach towards learning, then we are driving blind. One semester is significant, more time removed from an effective educational model will be devastating to society, will fuel more discontent and social unrest, and will severely limit opportunities for our children for years to come. THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE and there seems to be very little unified, creative thinking around it.

Everyone is trying to figure this whole thing out as we go along. It is a crisis that we have not faced in 100 years, and we were, for all intents and purposes, caught off-guard. But, we have had four months to settle in to reality and do what we have always done best – problem solve. “We have a problem Houston”, a problem that impacts every aspect of our lives so – let’s insist that government do what they should do: provide us with the tools to solve it.

People will not return to restaurants until this is addressed, people will not return to retail stores until this addressed, people will not travel until this is resolved, and our economy will not recover until we resolve it.

If how we deliver, what we deliver, and when we deliver our educational model is not resolved it will impact the future of our children, parents ability to work and keep their children safe, the economy and our ability to get business back to business, our standing in the world market, and our ability to set the stage to resolve some of the great social and humanitarian issues of our time.

This is not an INDEPENDENT states issue this is a UNITED States issue. This is the opportunity for the greatness that has always defined our country. At the core of any truly great society is the quality of its education model.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

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KITCHENS CELEBRATE DIFFERENCE

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It has always been my experience that kitchens are the great equalizer. Sure, I know that the environment of a kitchen can sometimes be tough and abrasive, it’s hot, humid, noisy, stressful, fast paced, and somewhat unforgiving, but…..all that being said – the kitchen is a place where who you are and what you believe in is far less important than what you do and how well you do it. I always found it gratifying to walk into a kitchen and find diversity of color, ethnicity, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, and certainly culinary heritage. It is this melting pot that makes a kitchen buzz, that gives it personality and character – that makes each day an experience.

Personally, I have never understood blatant prejudice that is based on erratic and unfounded perceptions that an entire race, gender, nationality, age group, or for that matter any group of people identified as different can be problematic or not worthy of respect. Where does this come from? Is it based on geography, historic bias, generational bias, or isolationism? Is it based on one groups feeling of superiority over another? Or is it some level of genetic tendency towards hateful action?

My answer is: spend time working in a kitchen. We are all different and that is precisely what makes us interesting and important. In kitchen life is pretty clear – there is loads of quality work to be done, work that requires attention to detail, process, knowledge of ingredients, an educated palate, and a commitment to doing things right. You are either in tune with that, or you are not. If you are then no one cares about how different you may be, they care that you can do the work and do it well. Later on that “difference” can come into play as a real positive. It is that difference that brings history, traditions, cultural nuances, new flavors, and great systems ideas to make a restaurant kitchen function better and continue to exceed customer expectations.

angry chef

Spend a day in the kitchen and learn how those differences won’t separate you, but rather bring you together. To all chefs and operators – know that it is important to promote and support the environment where differences are celebrated and the unifying factor remains: can you do the job, are you willing to do the job, are you willing to learn how to improve, and will you strive for excellence in executing that job. Know that there are limitless opportunities to create a learning organization when we celebrate differences.

[]         HIRE COMPETENCE AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE

I know that this is already your method of operation, but it’s always an important reminder that what matters is their ability to do the job, willingness to learn how to do the job, commitment to excellence, and their all-in positive attitude. Everything else really doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if they are black, white, or brown; it doesn’t matter if they are young or old; it doesn’t matter if they are male or female, gay or straight; it doesn’t matter what their ethnic background is; it doesn’t matter if they are Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative; it just doesn’t matter – they are all part of the kitchen team and united they stand, divided they fall.

[]         BUILD A WORK ENVIRONMENT OF RESPECT

As a chef or restaurant operator you set the tone for how the team treats each other. When you show respect for all people, regardless of how they might be different in some people’s eyes, then your team will emulate that approach. If some try to poison that environment of acceptance, inclusion and respect then they really do not belong on your team. There should always be the expectation of excellence, but never tolerance for exclusion or disrespect.

[]         TRAIN TOWARDS, INSIST UPON, AND SUPPORT EFFORTS TOWARDS EXCELLENCE

Some may try to cloud your approach by inferring that your respectful approach towards all is somehow a sign of weakness, but when you show respect while still building an environment of excellence then, and only then will you be able to build a winning team. Be respectful, but never drift from that insistence of excellence, that commitment to training toward excellence, and that support for all who view that as their obligation and motivation.

chuck and mickey

[]         BE FAIR AND EQUITABLE IN YOUR APPROACH

Respect begins with being equitable in your approach towards others. Again, when you focus on – can you do the job, are you willing to learn how to do the job, are you passionate about excellence, and do you view this commitment as your stake in the ground, and when you measure everyone on these attributes – then you will have built a real team.

[]         DO NOT TOLERATE DEMEANING INTERACTIONS IN YOUR KITCHEN

You are in control of the environment that people work in. When you tolerate ANY disrespect towards others, when you turn your eyes away from inappropriate, or hurtful behavior towards others, when you write it off as “that’s kitchen life”, or “you need to toughen up”, then the team will begin to crumble. Stay in control, teach and observe, call out poor behavior, and demonstrate through your own actions what the right approach should be.

[]         LISTEN TO DIFFERENCES AND BE WILLING TO LEARN FROM THEM

When you build an environment where people in your organization feel comfortable talking about their differences in a positive manner, when they are willing to share and you are willing to listen, then so much can be gained. We each bring powerful history, traditions, observations and ideas to the team if the team is open to what is presented. Build that environment and the whole organization can benefit.

changin

You know how this can work, if you have been in a kitchen you will understand the outcomes of both a positive and negative work environment, you know that the responsibility starts at the top, and you know that a person’s attitude and behavior is, to a large degree, a reflection of his or her environment. Set the stage for excellence, inclusion, and opportunity.

For those who struggle with acceptance – I encourage you to work in a kitchen – a place where a melting pot of differences helps to create a perfect dish.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

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WHY IS A PARTICULAR CHEF’S FOOD SO MUCH BETTER THAN ANOTHER’S?

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Every chef has experienced it and as a result he or she will relate to the content of this article. There are times, possibly many times, when you question your own skill – whether in cooking or presenting food, or even with the operation of a kitchen. You have likely been on the receiving end of a plate of food that is just so damn good that it first gives you pause, then amazes you, makes you angry for a brief moment, and then finally makes you question whether or not you are really worthy of wearing a chef’s toque.

This same reality happens to artists, musicians, writers, designers, architects, woodworkers, and a suitcase full of craftspeople. I remember two specific examples with the late guitarist – Jimi Hendrix.

When asked about playing the blues – Hendrix stated:

“The blues are easy to play but hard to feel.”

Hendrix

pans

This paid homage to those blues musicians who stood apart from all others: BB King, Albert King, Taj Mahal, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Buddy Guy, Howlin Wolf, Ella Fitzgerald, John Lee Hooker, Billie Holiday, Bonnie Raitt, John Hiatt, and Aretha Franklin to name a few. It is what is felt and experienced deep down inside that made these individuals stand out as accomplished and authentic. They were one with what they played and sang. There are tens of thousands of blues players who would automatically feel inadequate when standing next to these greats.

It was early in his career that Hendrix spent time in England building his chops and forming the Jimi Hendrix Experience when he somehow finagled his way on stage to play alongside Eric Clapton and Cream. During this mind-blowing concert – Hendrix embarrassed Clapton, who up to this point was considered the greatest guitar player in the world. Clapton walked off the stage and said that he suddenly questioned his ability to play guitar next to this man who obviously was his superior as a musician, master of the instrument, and showman. Obviously, Clapton continued on – but it was that moment when he, just like many of us in the kitchen, questioned his or our own abilities.

I consider myself an acceptable chef from the perspective of cooking, respectable at food presentation, and better than average at running a kitchen operation. All in all – I can do the job. I learned very early on that there are thousands upon thousands of chefs who are far more talented as cooks, many who are way more artistic, and a considerable number who run a better, more systematic kitchen than I. I am OK with that and never tried to proclaim that I was any better than that. There were many times when I was humbled by a bite of food that left me in awe of a chef’s talent, many times when a chef’s food was so beautiful that I felt embarrassed to admit that I also was a chef, and numerous times when I recognized a chef who was stellar at running a profitable, well mannered kitchen that made me very jealous. At the same time I always thought, and oftentimes acted on finding out why that food, that presentation, that operation was so much better and how I might learn and grow from the experience. These are some of the things that I learned:

[]         YOU CAN’T REALLY PLAY THE BLUES UNLESS YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED THE BLUES

All of those musicians whom I listed, and hundreds more, are able to amaze us with their talent of expression. Their talent goes well beyond instrumental prowess – it is all about channeling feelings and experiences that connect with that prowess. Hendrix felt it, Ella Fitzgerald felt it, Buddy Guy felt it, and so does Shaun Brock, Stephanie Izard, Dan Barber, Dominique Creen, Rick Bayless, John Folse, David Chang, Keith Taylor, Alain Passard, and many other chefs who hold the key to authenticity in cooking. The common thread is a deep understanding of what they are working with, the history behind ingredients, people, and process, and a sincere love for what they do. Being a chef is never just a job to them – it is an expression of who they are and what they know. You can sense it when you walk into their restaurants, when you sit at their table, when the server proudly presents the menu, when the line cook receives the order and the plate is presented in the pass, and you know it when you take that first bite. It is no different than when Hendrix played that first note of “Little Wing”.

[]         YOU CAN’T ADJUST FLAVOR UNLESS YOU KNOW AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS YOU USE

“What does it need” – is oftentimes the consummate question that a cook asks the chef. How do you know – really? “It needs salt”, or “More heat, more acid, some butter to provide a smooth mouth feel”. What the dish really needs is far more complicated, far more interesting, and far more connected to a real understanding of the dish, the cuisine, the history, and the terroir. What does that Hoppin John need is something that Sean Brock might answer appropriately since he has made the study of southern beans, spices, and culinary culture his life’s work. What does that taco really need is something that Rick Bayless might answer by first asking about the type of corn that was used to make the masa for the tortilla or whether the flavor profile you are looking for is based on Mexican heritage or Latino. And Stephanie Izard might very well ask you to talk about the farm where the goats were raised for that braise, what they were fed, and the way that you butchered the animal and handled the meat before cooking. Somehow: “It needs salt”, just doesn’t cut it.

[]         YOU WILL NEVER PLATE FOOD AS BEAUTIFUL AS NATURE AND YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND NATURE UNLESS YOU APPRECIATE ART

To me, it has always been interesting to have a conversation with highly artistic chefs who make beautiful plate presentations. Some are advocates for simply relying on Mother Nature’s palate to combine foods that grow together, pick them at the peak of maturity, and do very little to change them from how the earth intended them to be. Others invest all of their creativity to use those ingredients to duplicate a vision they had – sometimes inspired by nature, sometimes events, and sometimes a parallel presentation that mirrors some experience from their past. In most every case – the chef is inspired by what they see in nature.

I worked with a chef/educator who during his classes on plate presentation made students forage through the nearby woods for branches, leaves, stones, moss, and natures mushrooms to create plate presentations from Nature’s floor. He wanted this to be their roadmap to working with food – follow what Nature offers you first.

[]         THE OPERATION OF A CHEF’S KITCHEN IS NOT A REFLECTION OF OWNERSHIP, IT IS A REFLECTION OF SHARED PHILOSOPHY

Leadership and management are sometimes a chef’s greatest challenge. Chefs tend to be highly focused individuals who have a need to express what they believe through their food and their operations. They tend to demand that others follow what they see as important and cringe at anything or anyone who steps in the way of this vision. These kitchens tend to be tense, always on edge, highly stressful, ready to burn out at any second, and wrought with mistrust and angst. Things get done, but the price to pay is high. You can feel it when you walk in the kitchen, you might even feel it in the dining room – it is not a good feeling. Others (the ones that I believe are far more successful) are chefs who work hard to identify cooks who are confident, yet cognizant of the chain of command; willing to express themselves, but knowing when it is best to simply say: yes chef; and dedicated to a shared philosophy of food, commitment to excellence, and team dynamics. In this case, the chef can reach the same goals, but do so as a unified body that believes in what they are doing. The difference is: “I wouldn’t dare put out a plate of food that fails to meet the chef’s standards” vs. “Why would I ever put out a plate of food that doesn’t meet our collective standards?”

Eamon

[]         THE OPERATION OF A KITCHEN IS LIKE ADJUSTING A RECIPE

Recipes lack soul and fall short on understanding the need for flexibility. Not every tomato tastes the same, not every fish from the sea is the same, and not every berry that the pastry chef uses is cut from the same cloth in terms of flavor. A chef understands the difference, knows what the ingredient at its peak should look and taste like, understands the history of a dish and how a certain profile must be maintained before he or she is able to complete a recipe with predictable results. The same is true with kitchen dynamics. Not all cooks are the same; in fact they may differ depending on the day of the week or their personal circumstances that will impact performance. The chef must know all the nuances of character, empathy, and leadership to get a consistent result from that kitchen crew. Cooks need to understand before they adjust a recipe and chefs need to understand before they proceed with day-to-day operations.

Why does that chef’s food taste so much better than another’s? It is a complex question with complex answers. When the food is right you know it immediately. When the kitchen is running smoothly, it can be sensed from the moment you step through the door.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

Don’t miss the debut of CAFÉ Talks podcast

July 1, 2020 – available through iTunes, Facebook, this Blog, and the website for CAFÉ: The Center for Advancement of Foodservice Education

www.cafemeetingplace.com

 

A BAROMETER OF CHANGE FOR AMERICAN COOKS & DINERS

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Painted in Waterlogue

You can sense it in the air, you can feel it in your bones, and you can hear it in the silence – the energy that had surrounded the career of professional cook is down a few quarts. For nearly four decades the job of cook dominated the media and served as a major point of conversation and entertainment for guests of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. Suddenly, the conversations have drifted away, the excitement is tempered, the media has more important things to cover, and the energy – well the energy is hard to find. Is this a barometer for change? Is the relationship of food and dining much less important to all stakeholders?

As Americans found themselves in lockdown for the last few months they changed their priorities, they became more focused on what they needed vs. what they wanted. After a period of time – that restaurant meal was pushed to the back burner. Dining out was unavailable and we got by, we re-introduced ourselves to cooking at home and dusted off those skills that had been dormant, or added some new ones that had here-to-for not existed. Cooks and chefs drifted out of the limelight and now even those career cooks were likely questioning their choice of jobs. Is this where we are at?

Time will quickly tell as restaurants begin to open and operators try to coax back those cooks, chefs, and servers to an industry that still has a few warts that need to be addressed. In the meantime, what can be done to build back that enthusiasm, the mystery, the excitement and joy of cooking and dining?

What took decades to build up has taken only a few months to deflate. You remember – just a few months ago – dining out was a source of entertainment, chefs were careerists worth admiring, a restaurant meal was a reward, and a chance to clink glasses with friends was something to truly look forward to. You remember as a cook – the job that you did was never boring, filled with adrenaline, creative, and at its core – a dynamic team sport. We need to put loads of energy into bringing that back. This is what restaurants are all about and an industry without the energy that existed a short time ago will be shallow and certainly not the same.

Part of the reason is the isolation reality, part is the negative impact of “pause”, part is a lack of availability, a good part is fear, and an even more significant part is our fault for not keeping those lines of communication open with all stakeholders in the restaurant experience.

Let’s start with a clean slate and lean back on some old marketing tools:

[]         BUILD ANTICIPATION

It has been a while since employees and guests have walked through your restaurant doors. What was it about that previous experience that brought excitement into their lives? What was it like to be part of your restaurant experience before and what will it be like now. Try not to show signs of trepidation or fear, but rather well thought out optimism. This is where you need to make everyone feel comfortable about walking through those doors – this is where you need to show that you will have your act together. Now – start to build on anticipation.

[]         COMMUNICATE FREQUENTLY

Build this anticipation using the tools that are within your grasp. Flood social media with “COMING SOON” type announcements, take loads of quality food and people photos and post them on Instagram, use your network of email addresses to talk about specifics, update your tired website to reflect a “NEW and IMPROVED” restaurant, and connect with your loyal ambassadors for something special – maybe a pre-opening, socially distant event for them to try out the new menu. Do it all and do it often. Be present every day on these platforms.

[]         LIFT UP THE BRAND

Your regular customers were your ambassadors and your raving fans. They remember you, your people, your name, and your image – talk it up. Make sure that your name and what you stand for is prominent in every communication you send out. Order new uniforms with the brand name front and center, print a bunch of T-shirts to give away or sell during those initial re-opening days: “RESTAURANT SO AND SO IS BACK”, “WE SURVIVED FOR YOU”, “THANKS FOR WAITING”, “BE PART OF OUR EXPERIENCE”, etc.

[]         FOCUS ON THE REWARD

People have been out of action for a long time, they crave an opportunity to be served, to eat someone else’s food, to see other people (even if they are socially distant and wearing masks). The restaurant experience has always been more than just filling stomachs – it has always been about tangible and intangible rewards. Remind everyone about this. “You deserve a break today” was always a perfect marketing pitch that focused on reward – don’t underestimate its importance.

[]         PRODUCT, PRODUCT, PRODUCT

Refresh your tired menus with something new. It doesn’t need to be groundbreaking, but it should make people feel good. This might be the perfect time to resurrect those classics that make people comfortable – put your own twist on them. A few years back there was a trend to bring back the grilled cheese sandwich as something with limitless possibilities – look at what you might re-invent and add your signature to.

[]         RE-IMAGINE THE EXPERIENCE

Right now we are scratching our heads trying to rationalize how the Coronavirus restaurant experience might be even remotely enjoyable. Limited seating, at least 6-feet apart, everyone in masks, the smell of bleach as everything is sanitized frequently, limited menus, no group tables, and nerves on edge everywhere you look. Stop thinking about how difficult it will be and start contemplating how you might make lemonade out of lemons. How can you have fun with the limitations? Is there a way to create some level of interaction without violating those protocols that are so important? What rewards can you offer your guests?

[]         VALUE IS AT THE CORE

This is a time to rebuild confidence, to minimize fear, to become part of everyone’s routine again. This is not the time to make too many decisions that are based solely on profit. Yes, every restaurant is faced with the financial challenges brought about by the shutdown, but there has never been a more important time to focus on value. Remember people have figured out that they can get by without restaurants – so why skimp on experience or focus too much on making up for lost financial ground? Build menus and experiences that demonstrate that the experience is important and the price is right.

[]         RE-INVEST IN EMPLOYEES

In some cases – your hourly employees have been able to make more money on enhanced unemployment than they made working for you. Although this is short-lived it is hard to compete with that reality. This is not the time for despair; this is the time to show your employees that they are important and that you intend to invest in them. Financial incentives are important, but so are the non-tangible investments like enhanced training and a new attitude that shows how much you care about them and their life challenges.

[]         CELEBRATE THE CRAFT

Cooking and service are two of the oldest professions know to mankind. The inclination might be to figure out ways to make things easier, use more convenience items to save on labor, cut back on the details of service, or plan menus that are not challenging for cooks who had, in the past, taken their craft seriously. This might backfire. Many in the restaurant business have chosen their career because of the craft, because of the skills, and because of the creativity. Don’t lose sight of this.

[]         LISTEN AND ACT

There has never been a more important time to listen to your employees, listen to your regular guests, and listen to your competition. There is much to be gained from listening, really listening, digesting what is offered and building a positive action into that formula.

[]         START TO FIX THE PROBLEMS

Part of listening is to acknowledge the problems that are systemic in the restaurant business as well as those that are unique to your operation. If you want to regain the ground lost and set a course to thrive as time goes on, then your strategy must include a sincere attempt to correct many of the problems that plague the operation and impact employees and guests.

Let’s bring back the enthusiasm and the energy – this is the lifeblood of a vibrant restaurant business.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

COMING SOON:

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CAFÉ Talks Podcast

A podcast for chefs, cooks, and culinary educators