Harvest America CUES BLOG

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  • AH…..BREAD AND BREAD BAKERS

    “The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight.” – M.F.K. Fischer If line cooks are the heart of a kitchen then bread bakers must certainly be… Continue reading

  • FOOD ART – LOOK TO NATURE

    There is no question that people eat with their eyes. Chefs are, for the most part, tuned into this reality and oftentimes invest countless hours developing and defining their signature presentations for various dishes. To some it may be creating… Continue reading

  • LIFE LESSONS FROM A LINE COOK

    I may be a showing a bit of bias, but I do believe that there are many lessons that anyone can learn from observing the daily activities and mindset of a typical restaurant line cook. These seasoned disciples of the… Continue reading

  • THE SOCIETAL IMPORTANCE OF COOKS AND COOKING

    I believe it was Julia Child who pointed out that every significant change in society has always been accompanied by a change in how we grow, select, distribute, prepare, serve and consume food. Whether food drove societal change or if… Continue reading

  • ENOUGH WITH INACCURATE TV FOOD SHOWS

    Nearly everyone in the restaurant business that I know cringes when anyone mentions one of the “reality food shows” on various networks. Inaccurate would not go far enough to describe the environment that is portrayed. Some may clarify and say,… Continue reading

  • WHY DEMOCRACY DOESN’T WORK VERY WELL IN A KITCHEN

    Originally posted on Harvest America CUES BLOG: The foundations of our country stem from the concept of democracy or as clearly stated by Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address: “a government of the people, by the people and for the… Continue reading

  • WHY DEMOCRACY DOESN’T WORK VERY WELL IN A KITCHEN

    The foundations of our country stem from the concept of democracy or as clearly stated by Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address: “a government of the people, by the people and for the people…” a bold, and noble statement that… Continue reading

  • ARE LINE COOKS REALLY REBELS WITHOUT A CAUSE?

    Many people reflect back on the 1950’s as a unique time in American history when the concept of the role of youth was being seriously questioned. James Dean personified the challenges of a younger generation in the cult classic 1955… Continue reading

  • FIND A MENTOR, BE A MENTOR

    Originally posted on Harvest America CUES BLOG: For those seeking to define their place in the world-whether it be professionally or personally, the one piece to the puzzle that allows this to truly happen is the mentor relationships that a… Continue reading

  • NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE HUNGRY IN AMERICA

    Originally posted on Harvest America CUES BLOG: We live in the most affluent nation in the world. A country that coast-to-coast still produces more food than any other, a country with the natural resource gift that allows our farmers to… Continue reading

  • FIND A MENTOR, BE A MENTOR

    For those seeking to define their place in the world-whether it be professionally or personally, the one piece to the puzzle that allows this to truly happen is the mentor relationships that a person takes part in. The mentor is… Continue reading

  • SORRY – THE CHEF CAN’T MOTIVATE YOU

    “The chef really needs to motivate me today”. How often have you heard this type of interplay in the kitchen? People have a tendency to relegate their performance, attitude, and outlook on their job to someone else. A restaurant employee… Continue reading

  • JIRO ONO– THIS CHEF DEFINES PASSION AND COMMITMENT

    I just finished watching an incredible documentary movie for the second time: Jiro – Dreams of Sushi is a story not to be missed by serious cooks, chefs, restaurateurs, artists, musicians, teachers and all who are seeking a calling in… Continue reading

  • THE FOUNDATIONS OF COOKING WILL ALWAYS SERVE YOU WELL

    There is no question that dining is a sensual experience. A perfect meal will always address the full gamut of senses as it is prepared and presented: sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. Chefs who focus on just a few… Continue reading

  • THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING TO MAKE THINGS

    Originally posted on Harvest America CUES BLOG: Progress isn’t always for the better. I have taught for many years that America is now a service-based economy and that this transition is a natural progression that we must learn to adapt… Continue reading

  • THE IMPORTANCE OF LEARNING TO MAKE THINGS

    Progress isn’t always for the better. I have taught for many years that America is now a service-based economy and that this transition is a natural progression that we must learn to adapt to. The problem is that we are… Continue reading

  • COOKING LESSON FROM ERIC CLAPTON

    At the age of 63 I decided to finally take guitar lessons. I have owned a beautiful Fender Stratocaster for years as well as an Epiphone Les Paul without really deserving either. For quite some time I have dabbled in… Continue reading

  • A CHEF’S FEET – THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR BODY

    Ten hours each day, six days per week (or more), 48-50 weeks per year, 40 years of a career in the kitchen. Each professional cook or chef will likely spend at least 120,000 hours on his or her feet during… Continue reading

  • CHEF’S NEED TO SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

    In 1996, Richard Carlson wrote a very successful book on stress relief entitled: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff. His approach was to de-emphasize those tasks and issues in our lives that drive us crazy and are, from his perspective, not… Continue reading

  • THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WORK ETHIC IN RESTAURANTS

    Work ethic is one of those concepts that has been frequently thrown around when discussing the foundations for individual and group success. There are likely as many books written on the topic as there are styles of management but that… Continue reading

  • EATALY – A BUSINESS THAT “GETS IT”

    OK, so I like, no I love to write. I am far from a perfect technical writer and any teacher of English would probably cringe at the number of grammatical and structural issues in any one of my posts, but… Continue reading

  • THE MAGIC OF THE SHORT ORDER COOK

    It must have been around 1958 in Buffalo, New York. I was eight years old and downtown shopping with my mother. We were somewhere around Broadway and Main where a storefront diner was in our path. The large picture window… Continue reading

  • THE CONFUSION OVER RESTAURANT VALUE

    There is a difference between the following two statements: “that was an expensive meal” and “that meal wasn’t worth the money I spent”. The difference lies in the true definition of the term: value. The amount of money that a… Continue reading

  • DISCIPLINE AND PROFESSIONALISM IN THE KITCHEN

    It drives me crazy to see the lack of discipline and respect for the profession of cooking that exists in so many kitchens today. How we maintain our kitchens, care for our uniforms, attend to basic grooming, treat the ingredients… Continue reading

  • NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE HUNGRY IN AMERICA

    We live in the most affluent nation in the world. A country that coast-to-coast still produces more food than any other, a country with the natural resource gift that allows our farmers to grow crops from apples to zucchini, corn… Continue reading

  • WHY I DON’T OWN A MICROWAVE

    Let’s put aside the method by which microwaves work. Exciting molecules in a product and creating internal friction that drives moisture out of food does not sit well with my training. I guess, to some degree, I am just a… Continue reading

  • RESTAURANT BUSINESS ACUMEN OR CREATIVITY – WHICH COMES FIRST?

    Some would promote one vs. the other when in reality you can’t have one without the other. With the Superbowl behind us (a rather painful one to watch) you could easily compare Creativity to a solid offense and Business Acumen… Continue reading

  • RESTAURANT PROFIT IS IN THE PEELS AND SHELLS

    I believe that there are very few businesses more challenging when it comes to profit, than restaurants. As I have previously pointed out, there are numerous reasons for this; however, one of the most significant is the management of perishable… Continue reading

  • THE ADVANTAGE OF AGE

    After watching the Grammy Awards last night I was impressed with something that many might not have seen through all of the glitz and glamour of an entertainment spectacle. What impressed me the most was the “advantage of age” and… Continue reading

  • THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MINIMUM WAGE DEBATE IN RESTAURANTS

    There are numerous ways to look at the debate over raising the minimum wage in the United States. First, there is no question that low-end wages have not kept up with the cost of living and that, of course, is… Continue reading