A little over a week ago, a person whom I knew, worked with, and admired for more than 40 years, passed away.  I am aware as I grow older this is going to happen, but nevertheless, it hits hard and makes you take inventory of the person you are, what you do, how you do… Continue reading

Sorry, there isn’t a lot of good news for restaurants and chefs in recent years-except up to this point customer demand for the experience is rising.  We are all aware of the challenge with the workforce – finding and retaining people to do the job, and we are still feeling the pains from Covid shutdowns… Continue reading

It’s the start of another day in the kitchen.  Seven in the morning and aside from the baker and breakfast cook, I am alone with clip board in hand and my roll bag of knives placed strategically at a workstation.  I arrived a half hour earlier, grabbed a cup of coffee with a splash of… Continue reading

The symbolism of July 4th is apparent in the arts that are rewarding to those who create and those who receive what they have to offer.  Music, painting, sculpture, literature, drama, and cooking provide an outlet for expression by the craftsperson or artist and a world of discovery for those who appreciate what they see,… Continue reading

For me, some of the most important tools for life were gained in the kitchen.  They were gained when I had to wake up at 4:00 a.m. to be in the kitchen by 5:00.  They were gained when I worked on my feet for a ten- or twelve-hour shift.  They were gained as I worked… Continue reading

This classic line by Stanley Tucci in the fabulous movie: “The Big Night”, has always struck a chord with me.  It speaks well of simplicity and allowing ingredients to be themselves and shine.  Whether it’s perfectly cooked pasta, a fresh garden salad, fresh fish, or a prime roast of pork, there is so much there… Continue reading

When a person refers to “work” there are a number of connotations that come to mind.  Quite often the term “work” implies something slightly negative – a necessary evil.  In this light, we tend to think of associated words to explain the feelings we have towards work:  hard, demanding, stressful, required, tiring, limiting, etc.  Those… Continue reading

There are many questions that people ask with regard to the restaurant industry, but two seem to really stand out in the post pandemic world: Why should I spend money in a restaurant? Why would I choose to support a locally owned restaurant? Let’s begin with some facts about the business of serving food: There… Continue reading

Setting aside the challenges of today, it is important to recognize just how instrumental the restaurant business is to society and how significant the role of cooks and chefs.  I feel privileged to come from a lineage of restaurateurs, and although not chefs, they represented a taste of this importance.  Throughout history it has been… Continue reading

(an opinion piece) Well, it has come to roost as they say – if you leave the opportunity for something to go wrong, it likely will.  Murphy’s Law has been tested time and again and it seems that in most cases Murphy’s Law wins.  What is ironic is in most cases we can see it… Continue reading

The most important room in a home is the kitchen.  This is the hub of activity, the space that portrays unity, defines tradition, nourishes the body and mind, and sets the tone for communication.  This is where we celebrate and reflect – the place where a cook offers the most important expression of love through… Continue reading

Well, there is little that can be said to those who have caught the restaurant fever – you know, when that opportunity finally knocks, and you have your sights on a café with your name on it.  The feeling is hard to describe – a cross between elation and shear panic.  Your blood pressure is… Continue reading

The early crowd sputtered in – parties of two mainly, usually no appetizers – they got down to business with the less expensive entrees and a cocktail.  This was “order/fire” time.  Jake didn’t even spend much time at the expo station until this first group of reservations was well underway – the line could handle… Continue reading

As a cook or chef there are many days that go well and a few that challenge the best.  There are times when a service kind of clicks and the night ends without any problems – these are nights that allow you to feel good about what you do and the level of skill that… Continue reading

I get it, profit in restaurants is sometimes hard to come by.  We deal with highly perishable goods, unpredictable customer behavior, swinging door staffing, and constantly escalating cost of goods.  Restaurants get hit from all angles so when there is a chance to push the envelope on pricing – many do.  It’s so hard to… Continue reading

Weekend work continued through the Fall and Winter when I turned 16.  I already made plans to work full time at the diner during the summer months.  Millie was beginning to involve me in some of her breakfast prep when things were slow.  I peeled and diced potatoes for home fries, cracked eggs for scrambled… Continue reading

When I was 15 years old the furthest thing from my mind was planning my future.  This was the beginning of that age when aside from finding a way to be independent and seeking a girlfriend, there was very little planning going on.  Ah, but getting a part-time job with a paycheck was a good… Continue reading

A retired NFL coach would rally his team before a game with the words: “Where would you rather be than right here, right now?”  This is a sentence that sums up the life’s work of these athletes, a culmination of talent, hard work, and perseverance.  To get to where they were in that moment took… Continue reading

This is a direct message to all of those young cooks just starting out, dishwashers, culinary students, and seasoned veterans of the kitchen – you can go as far as you want to go in the food business as long as you are willing to put in the work, build a plan, and stick to… Continue reading

Now that I have your attention and you are back in your chair, let me explain.  The margins are very tight, in fact they are so tight that most business savvy people would wonder why anyone would ever want to own a restaurant.  The cost of raw materials seems to always go up, most ingredients… Continue reading

I have never physically owned a restaurant, but I have always approached the position of chef as if I did.  Like many chefs that I have known over the years, I was always “all in” when it came to my actual responsibilities and those that I perceived where there.  Those who physically own a restaurant… Continue reading

You remember those early moments with food – the aha moments when a dish really surprised you.  The flavor, aroma, texture, or presentation made you sit back in your chair, close your eyes, and wonder how anything could be this good.  We have all had those moments – this is likely the reason that a… Continue reading

Cooking and eating are two of the great pleasures in life.  They are sensual in nature, vividly stimulating sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste as we participate in a process of transitioning Nature’s ingredients through the application of heat and seasoning.  When cooking and eating add tradition and structure they become “dining”, an entirely new… Continue reading

Decades of working in or focusing on kitchens and kitchen life have led me to wonder, and sometimes question what I really know.  Our resumes never really tell the story, at least not the important story.  A resume may reflect on where you have spent time, the title that you have been given, and the… Continue reading

“There a billion people in the world who are chronically hungry.  There are a billion people in the world who are overweight.” -Mark Bittman It’s 4am and I’m awake, actually, I have been for a few hours.  This is not an uncommon occurrence for the past decade or so – always too much cluttering my… Continue reading

From the ages of 18 to 65 we experience 47 years of life.  This is 410,592 hours of breathing. These are typically the years when the average American works to earn a paycheck.  If you work a typical 40-hour week (not typical in hospitality careers) that equates to 94,000 hours over 47 years and if… Continue reading

Are you thinking about owning a restaurant?  You are not alone if the thought of putting your name on a restaurant awning has crossed your mind.  One of the most tempting forays into entrepreneurship is the restaurant business.  How hard can it be – right?  Well, you have all heard the statistics about success and… Continue reading

From first-in, first-out in the walk-in cooler to how you fold side towels and where your knives are placed – it is organization that allows a kitchen to run efficiently and keeps the mood and pace of the restaurant in sync.  To some, it may seem less significant, but to seasoned professionals – this is… Continue reading

You walk through those kitchen doors one more time, straighten your white coat, roll up the sleeves and tie on a starched white apron.  A quick adjust on that skull cap, wash your hands, and slide a cutting board in place.  Your knives are always sharp, but you run the blades down a steel just… Continue reading

Well, some may not agree with this article, but I felt compelled to point out some observations over the past few years.  I have held myself hostage to some of the martyr reflections that have permeated the business of kitchens for decades. These beliefs have taken control of the minds and hearts of many cooks… Continue reading