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WHEN COOKING TRANSFORMS FROM A JOB TO A CALLING
The average worker spends 40 hours per week on the job, that’s 90,000 hours over a 45-year career. A professional cook who becomes a chef may spend 50-75% more time than that. In some cases that’s more time than a… Continue reading
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A COOK’S UNWRITTEN, BUT FULLY UNDERSTOOD, KITCHEN LAWS
Every profession has its respective “method of operation”; those understandings that every serious employee commits to if he or she plans on a future in that line of work. These “methods” can be viewed as unwritten laws that one quickly… Continue reading
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“COOK FOR ME” – GIVE LINE COOKS A CHANCE TO SIGN THEIR WORK
There is a tremendous amount of pride that is churning in professional kitchens. Every cook who is serious about their job is committed to making that picture perfect, properly prepared, and delicious food that is represented on a restaurant menu.… Continue reading
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SHOULD CHEFS SPEAK OUT? LET’S MAKE FOOD ISSUES PART OF THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE AND PLATFORM
This is not my normal type of article, and yes it is a bit long, however, I think that the issues pointed out are worthy of consideration. There is no question that the breadth of issues facing our country is… Continue reading
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WHY SERIOUS COOKS WILL ALWAYS BE MY FAVORITE PEOPLE
I hope that this article is not viewed as just another stab at nostalgia, but rather a testament to what made and will continue to make the environment of the kitchen so special. Some will say that kitchens are changing;… Continue reading
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THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS – FULL DISCLOSURE
A recent excellent article by Jason Hammel in conjunction with the annual restaurant discount “rite of passage” in the local newspaper inspired an “aha” moment and the impetus for these musings. http://www.madfeed.com/2015/culture-of-the-kitchen-jason-hammel/ Jason Hammel I live in the Adirondacks of… Continue reading
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CHEFS and RESTAURANT STAFF – THE IMPORTANCE OF PERFECTION
What drives people to obsess about seeking perfection? Is it a disorder to be scoffed at or is it simply meant to confuse others? With all of the attention being paid to a relatively small segment of the restaurant market,… Continue reading
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“YES CHEF” – WHAT THE LINE COOK REALLY MEANS
Since the days of Careme, Point, and Escoffier, there has been a military approach to how a kitchen is run. We have learned, rightfully so, that this type of order and control is essential if cooks are able to accomplish… Continue reading
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HOW CAN RESTAURANTS HANG ON TO EXCEPTIONAL COOKS
I have read and listened to a never-ending stream of concerns about the shortage of cooks and each operations unique perspective on the reasons for this significant concern. Thoughts range from culinary schools not doing their job, to the continued… Continue reading
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BE AN EXCEPTIONAL COOK & THE OPPORTUNITIES WILL COME YOUR WAY
We have all read about the current dilemma in the restaurant business – the challenge of finding cooks to fill shifts. This is a cyclical problem driven by fluctuations in the economy paired with the continual American dependence on restaurant… Continue reading
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DO LINE COOKS SYNC THEIR BRAINS WHEN THE RESTAURANT IS HUMMING?
I read an interesting article in Fast Company Magazine, entitled: “Guitarists Can Sync Their Brains with Other Players, Forming a Giant Hyper Brain.” In this article based on a scientifically researched study, it was implied that when guitarists are jamming… Continue reading
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A COOK TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF 9/11
Another year has come and gone bringing us back to 9/11, “A day to remember”, as it has been called. The rest of the year we try to forget, because we are good at that. Forgetting is a defense mechanism… Continue reading
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FARM TO TABLE IS NOW AN EXPECTATION – WHAT’S NEXT FOR RESTAURANTS?
There was a time when stating that your restaurant had strong ties to local farmers and producer’s was an exciting marketing advantage. This was a statement to the public that the chef and the restaurant were concerned with quality, support… Continue reading
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A COOK’S LETTER TO RESTAURANT GUESTS
OK, I get it; restaurant guests don’t really need to know what makes a line cook tick, nor should they care. After all, cooks are in the service business and our primary job, just like that of the service staff,… Continue reading
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A COOK’S LEGACY
It’s eight on a Sunday morning in August and I am out for my daily three-mile walk. The temperature is a comfortable 57 degrees, the sky is blue with just a few clouds to block the sun, and the lake… Continue reading
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A WOMAN’S PLACE “IS” IN THE KITCHEN
I could start this article by simply asking: “Why is this even a topic for discussion?” The truth of the matter is that we shouldn’t need to identify people by gender in a professional kitchen. Chefs and managers shouldn’t hire… Continue reading
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WHERE HAVE ALL THE LINE COOKS GONE?
How often have you heard stories like this: “Jake and Carla have worked for years to get to this point. Both are culinary school graduates, both spent the past ten years working in great restaurants as they built their skill… Continue reading
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BEING A LINE COOK SPOILS YOU FOR OTHER JOBS
Whatever the reason, some find themselves working behind the range – a place that is unique to most any other. “Why am I here” may be a question that line cooks ask themselves on occasion, but for the most part,… Continue reading
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WHY ON-LINE RESTAURANT REVIEWS ARE A BAD IDEA
There was a time when dissatisfied restaurant guests voiced their concerns with staff or management. These guests expected consideration and resolution of their complaint. There was also a time when guest expectations of restaurants were not very high, so a… Continue reading
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COOKS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES
That’s a pretty big opening statement, but I know that it is true on many levels. Certainly, cooks make a difference in the lives of restaurant guests who are looking for an experience, a reward, a mind-blowing meal, or just… Continue reading
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COOKS ARE UNITED – ENOUGH WITH THE SCREAMING CHEF!
How many times have you heard, “This is the way I was trained, so this is how I will train you.”? Physically and emotionally battering cooks is no longer a realistic approach towards managing a kitchen crew. Just because it… Continue reading
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WHAT COULD COOKS AND RESTAURANTS LEARN FROM THE GRATEFUL DEAD?
Certainly, by now, everyone on the planet knows that the Grateful Dead just completed their “Fare Thee Well” tour that celebrated fifty years as a band (far too many of those years without Jerry Garcia). Yes, I was, and still… Continue reading
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A COOK’S LIFE IS ALWAYS A NOVEL IN THE MAKING
I know that I spend an inordinate amount of time analyzing those of us who spend or have spent a hefty portion of our lives working in kitchens. Maybe I tend to over-think what it takes to be a kitchen… Continue reading
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AN OPEN LETTER TO LINE COOKS
There are certainly some negative aspects to life in the kitchen; however, those who have enlisted in the cause of great cooking will typically demonstrate a true passion for their choice of careers. Some may reflect on the physical demands,… Continue reading
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CHEF ROGER VERGE – THE QUIET MASTER OF COOKING
I realize that some may feel we tend to make too much of a deal about cooking. After all, it’s only food –right? However, for those who have and continue to dedicate their lives to discovering, creating, applying techniques, operating… Continue reading
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WITH COOKS, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FIRE
There is a unique bond between the Zen of fire and the character of a cook. We have had a fascination with controlling fire both literally and conceptually ever since the first human rubbed two sticks together. Some archeologists claim… Continue reading
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WHY DON’T RESTAURANTS GET IT?
There is no question that the restaurant business is challenging, very hard work, and plagued with low profitability. Those of us who have made this our life understand all of this quite well. What really makes me scratch my head… Continue reading
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THAT FORK IN THE ROAD – TO BE A COOK OR WHAT?
I have quite a network of cook and chef friends. All of them are part of that special club of people who have been there and truly know what it means to be a kitchen warrior. Everyone is unique, yet… Continue reading
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BEING A COOK IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT JOB
I often times give thought to the significance of cooking. Although I may invest the majority of time on a portrayal of professional cooks and the kitchen environment of restaurants, cooking is far more important than simply referencing the dining… Continue reading
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