Looking back is not always the best rule of thumb – it is much more realistic to be in the moment and look toward the future. There are always lessons to be learned from the way it was, but we should never insist on living there when the world around us is changing. There are…
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WORKING IN KITCHENS DURING THE 60’S AND 70’S – PART III
Frenchie the Butcher and Lloyd our Jamaican Sous Chef – 1971 During my three years as an apprentice at the Buffalo Statler Hilton Hotel I worked for two different executive chefs and three sous chefs. I had the opportunity to work in the butcher shop with Frenchie and bust out more chickens than I can…
WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE A LINE COOK IN THE 60’S AND 70’S – PART II
Frenchie – The Statler Hilton butcher – 1970 Don the banquet chef had his full crew in place by 10 a.m. – the work in front of them was daunting. With 12 events scheduled for the day culminating in the evening banquet for 1,200 there would be no time to waste. Fortunately, much of the…
BEING A LINE COOK IN THE 60’S – WHAT IT WAS LIKE
The kitchen in the Buffalo Statler Hilton Hotel was in the sub-basement of this 1,200 room property. There were 18 banquet rooms with the largest, the Grand Ballroom, capable of seating 2,000 people and the smallest – an intimate party of 20. The kitchen was sprawling and set-up in the classic Escoffier brigade format.…
WHY COOKS HANG OUT WITH COOKS
In the era of social media the term “friend” has been misconstrued. A Facebook friend is likely distant from the true definition that has been an essential part of a full life since the beginning of time. A social media friend is likely only a person who chooses, in the moment, to click on that…
WHAT MAKES A CHEF’S JOB SO CHALLENGING
If you cook in a serious way, if you have defined the process of cooking as something that you want to invest in, if you find that the passion of working in a professional kitchen is something that inspires you, then you will have an undeniable desire to become a chef. What many do not…
WHEN LINE COOKS CONNECT WITH THE FOOD
It’s the chef’s cuisine after all – right? The role of the cook is to prepare what the chef tells him or her to prepare in the manner prescribed, because that’s what the cook is paid to do – right? Well, this approach omits two very important components of a successful restaurant that serves delicious…
CHEFS AND COOKS – KEEPING IT REAL
I thought that it would be interesting to talk menu for a change. What we relish most is the opportunity to create dishes and cook in a manner that pays justice to the ingredients and the heritage of a dish. The menu is thus the most important part of the restaurant experience for both the…
CHEFS – HOW STABLE ARE WE – REALLY?
If you are a chef I know that you have experienced it many times – people around you who shake their heads and wonder what’s wrong with you. They are astonished at the hours you work, the physical and mental stress of the job, the unpredictable nature of the position that never allows you to…
A ROADMAP TO SUCCESS FOR COOKS AND CHEFS
Although some my choose to turn down an unknown road to see where it leads – most of us would prefer to predetermine a destination and plug in our GPS. There are those who would state that the best way to get ahead is to take a chance on the unknown I tend to be…
