Jake woke up with a pounding headache. It was only 7 a.m. and he was already sweating from the July humidity or maybe it was from those last two shots of tequila just a few hours ago. As was the case on most nights after a busy service – he found his way to the…
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The AMERICAN FARMER and YOU
THE FARMER’S DILEMMA I have never done this – I have never used my blog to post an article from someone else, but this one was too compelling. I could write pages on my feelings about this, but the author of this article said it much better than I ever could. Let me simply say…
IN THE KITCHEN: EVERYONE’S DIFFERENT – EVERYONE’S THE SAME
This story may not be true – but it could be. “We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.” -Jimmy Carter Chef Michel looked around his kitchen and reflected: “What an incredibly diverse group of people who are keeping this kitchen afloat.” The…
OWNERS/OPERATORS – VALUING COOKS AND CHEFS
It is certainly true that those who work in the kitchen are not the only reason why a restaurant may be successful, but it is certain that if the back-of-the-house team is not competent, is unable to function as a cohesive unit, or lacks the passion to take pride in their work then the restaurant…
THE PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF COOKING FOR A LIVING
There are a few common denominators when it comes to viewing the job of a professional cook. One, of course, is the need to appreciate, understand, and practice the established foundational processes of preparing food – this is essential regardless of the style of cooking or ethnicity of a particular cuisine. The foundations always apply.…
BEING A CHEF – THE PASSION AND THE COST
Let’s first separate those three types of cooks who stand tall behind a range: Those who consider cooking to be their purpose in life, the career choice that inspires them, and the choice that let’s them jump out of bed in the morning to face the opportunities that cooking will provide today Those who view…
KEYS TO BUILDING A GREAT RESTAURANT MENU
The heart of every great restaurant is the menu. The building of a menu impacts every other aspect of the business, in fact – every other aspect of the restaurant should be designed to support the style of cooking and the specific dishes that become center stage to the experience. The process that a chef…
WE ARE COOKS
I was thinking back to a fantastic lecture that I attended maybe in 1982 or 1983 that was presented by Andre Soltner – one of the true great chefs of my generation. Soltner was, at the time, the chef/owner of Lutece in New York City – arguably the best French restaurant in America. The restaurant…
TO THOSE WHO COOK FOR A LIVING – WHEN IS IT EVER OK TO BE MEDIOCRE?
I just don’t get it. Those with whom I have worked and enjoyed countless kitchen adventures have lived by the mantra: “Anything worth doing is worth doing well”. This is a philosophy that has lived at the core of success for individuals in numerous careers forever. Whether you work in the kitchen, manufacturing, design, art,…
COOKS AND THE BEAST OF SUMMER
Americans have always seemed to live for summer. This is the season of fun, engaging with the great outdoors, tanned skin, beaches and water, convertibles and rock and roll. Everyone seems to agree with this except one segment of the population that suffers from mixed feelings about the grand days of summer. Cooks are not…
