Harvest America CUES BLOG

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  • LABOR DAY THOUGHTS

    This picture was a perfect opening for some Labor Day musings. I am part of an industry that is interesting to many on the outside, challenging to those who own restaurants, exciting to those who find themselves in the grips… Continue reading

  • IT’S ALL ABOUT CHEW

    “Chew your food!” I am sure we can all remember hearing that from our mother and grandmother along with: “close the door, wipe your feet, wash your hands”. It was part of Parent 101 to state those requirements of existence… Continue reading

  • BUFFALO – MY KIND OF FOOD TOWN

    Yes, in case you have not guessed, I am originally from Buffalo. After you get all of the stinging quips out of your system let me tell you what Buffalo is really like. It is true that the press has… Continue reading

  • DON’T MESS WITH MY KNIVES!

    Masa Morimoto once said: “Japanese chefs believe our soul goes into our knives once we start using them. You wouldn’t put your soul in a dishwasher.” (or in the hands of another person… WOW! So what is the deal with… Continue reading

  • SHORT ORDER COOKS WERE MY HEROS

    I can still remember that day in my hometown of Buffalo, New York. I was 10 years old and on a shopping trip downtown with my mother as we came upon that restaurant with a full picture window framing in… Continue reading

  • 100 IDEAS A WEEK, IS ONE OF THEM BRILLIANT?

    Originally posted on Harvest America CUES BLOG: So here is the dilemma – I can’t turn it off! I can’t stop designing the next great restaurant concept in my head. Is this a problem? A good friend of mine, in… Continue reading

  • 100 IDEAS A WEEK, IS ONE OF THEM BRILLIANT?

    So here is the dilemma – I can’t turn it off! I can’t stop designing the next great restaurant concept in my head. Is this a problem? A good friend of mine, in a totally different field, suffers from the… Continue reading

  • The Demise of the Family Table and World Peace

    Originally posted on Harvest America CUES BLOG: I just finished responding to an article focused on placing stricter controls on the food industry to curb obesity in the United States.  This is a very sensitive topic that can be approached… Continue reading

  • A PIZZA NATION

    Originally posted on Harvest America CUES BLOG: Most Americans probably realize that pizza (in some form) is the number one entree in our country. Last year alone we consumed 4 billion fresh-made pizzas and another billion of the frozen variety.… Continue reading

  • A PIZZA NATION

    Most Americans probably realize that pizza (in some form) is the number one entree in our country. Last year alone we consumed 4 billion fresh-made pizzas and another billion of the frozen variety. Many, unfortunately, look to pizza as the… Continue reading

  • HOW TO FAIL AS A BUSINESS LEADER

    It occurred to me this morning that my blog posts are always directed at ways to enjoy success. In fairness to the other side, I thought that I would outline the quick and easy steps that lead to business failure.… Continue reading

  • Chefs and Servers with Different Motivations

    Originally posted on Harvest America CUES BLOG: When chefs and service staff are not on the same page the guest experience is confused and disjointed. When I have referenced the importance of team in the kitchen I am concerned that… Continue reading

  • The Problem with College for Everyone

    As a person who spent 30 years as a teacher and administrator in higher education I have often thought of the dilemma we have created in the U.S. The term “education” is drawn from the Latin root word: “Educo” which… Continue reading

  • Chefs and Servers with Different Motivations

    When chefs and service staff are not on the same page the guest experience is confused and disjointed. When I have referenced the importance of team in the kitchen I am concerned that some might think that if that “culinary… Continue reading

  • Onions – The Most Important Ingredient

    Two things occurred in the same week a few years back when I was the Executive Chef at a four-diamond resort. A server approached me when I was expediting and stated that a guest was allergic to onions and wanted… Continue reading

  • The Spark of an Idea – A Restaurant is Born

    Are you an idea person? Maybe you are more of an implementor. Or are you a bit of both? Does this picture represent you: * I can’t stop my brain from working overtime * I have lists of ideas everywhere… Continue reading

  • IT’S ALL ABOUT TEAM CHEMISTRY

    I frequently remember a typical manager’s quote that tends to start my blood boiling a bit: “the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary”. This, of course, is suppose to act as a harsh motivator, but… Continue reading

  • THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COOK AND A CHEF

    A few years back I read of an interview with a prominent chef who was asked: “what is the difference between a chef and the millions of cooks throughout America.” The response, to me, was a perfect definition: “Most reasonably… Continue reading

  • PROFESSIONAL COOKING IS A TEAM SPORT

    The cadence of orders in a busy kitchen seems unrelenting. A staccato clicking from the point of sale printer sends out a drum roll of orders while the expeditor calmly, yet seriously calls out tickets in kitchen lingo to the… Continue reading

  • Every Picture Tells a Story

    Ever since I came across this photo I have not been able to get it out of my mind. The photographer caught what every artist and craftsman gets up in the morning to do: move people. Music, like cooking is… Continue reading

  • “You’re Gonna Like the Way You FEEL, I Guarantee It”

    I can’t remember where I found this jpeg, probably on FaceBook, but it really struck a chord. When I was at the helm of a kitchen my feeling was that every customer wants a dessert and should be given the… Continue reading

  • Escargots – So Much for Eating with your Eyes

    I oftentimes find myself asking “who was the first brave person to eat………(fill in the blank)”. A long-time advocate for insuring that food looks good, I am somewhat perplexed at the exceptions to the rule. Food does have to get… Continue reading

  • SEEKING RESUMES OF TALENTED CHEFS, SOUS CHEFS & RESTAURANT MANAGERS

    As a restaurant consultant I am constantly faced with finding the right team leaders for restaurants and resorts of all types.  Harvest America Ventures is thus looking to build a strong portfolio of passionate, honest, talented chefs, sous chefs and… Continue reading

  • A LETTER TO CULINARY SCHOOL GRADUATES

    First and foremost allow me to congratulate you on accomplishing a significant goal: completing your degree. Know however that this is only the beginning of your culinary education. You have chosen to pursue a career in the greatest industry on… Continue reading

  • A Letter to Culinary School Graduates

    First and foremost, congratulations on completing your formal education and welcome to the best industry in the world. Granted I have a certain amount of bias toward an industry that I have spent my life in, but I do truly… Continue reading

  • RESTAURANTS NEED TO PAINT OUTSIDE THE LINES

    What ever happened to creativity and the fun associated with developing something new, exciting, delicious and trend defining in restaurants. Certainly you could cite those handful of unique restaurants that grace the cover stories in trade magazines, win James Beard… Continue reading

  • WINE QUALITY IS A REFLECTION OF THE WINEMAKER’S PASSION FOR LIFE

    I am far from a wine expert, however, as is the case with many things in life – I become more knowledgeable and appreciative as the years go by. I know what I like to drink, I know which foods… Continue reading

  • The Importance of the Neighborhood Restaurant

    I have waited some time before writing this post – I needed to let the significance of the event sink in. Anyone who ever spent time in Saranac Lake over the past 30 years knows Casa del Sol. “Casa” as… Continue reading

  • The True Role of the Chef

    Mary Petersen is one of those rare individuals who falls under the heading of a silent superstar. She continues to have a tremendous impact on the quality of culinary education throughout the United States and the integrity of our profession… Continue reading

  • It is Time for Reform – Your Health is the Top Priority

    The Elephant in the Closet: So here is the reality: I praise the president for making an attempt at healthcare reform and unlike some I do not necessarily oppose what has been labeled as Obamacare. I think the greatest nation… Continue reading