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COOKS AND CHEFS – WE ALL CRAVE DISCIPLINE

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Let’s not confuse freedom with a desire to do whatever we want without a system of order or respect for the discipline of structure.  We can both be free and still respect the need for that discipline that comes from organization.  A well-run kitchen is not a free-form environment where every cook does his or her own thing or moves to the beat of his or her own drum.  Just like other well-run organizations – the kitchen functions best in a system where everyone has well defined jobs, follows the structure of systems or order, and exhibits the discipline of structural respect. 

Whether it is the military, your favorite baseball or football team, FedEx, UPS, the airlines, or your favorite musical group – structure and a level of discipline are essential if the end result is going to be accomplishment of business objectives. 

My experience, and I will note that it may not be everyone’s experience, is that kitchens tend to attract a broad array of staff members who come from environments where discipline is not always the norm.  The refreshing nature of discipline is what attracts many of those great employees to the environment of the kitchen.  There is comfort in the ability to achieve concrete objectives – a well-prepared plate of food and a satisfied customer.  There is comfort in wearing a clean, crisp, white uniform that represents history, tradition, and pride.  There is comfort in following the directives on a prep list, a recipe, or a banquet order.  There is comfort in knowing and executing foundational methods of cooking that can consistently yield good results.  There is comfort in knowing that there is a chain of command in the kitchen and that following this order creates a sense of team when and where it is needed.

I have recently read articles that claim that the discipline and order of chefs as far back as Escoffier or as contemporary as Ferran Adria or Thomas Keller are no longer appropriate or needed.  That this structure that chefs have defended for generations will somehow stifle an individuals opportunities in a kitchen and thwart their ability to grow.  Oh contraire, my experience is just the opposite.  It is exactly this structure, and this discipline that helps to develop talented, polished individuals and build a skill set that leads to long-term success. 

Do not misconstrue this support for discipline as an endorsement of hostile work environments where some chefs have been known to demean and excessively criticize cooks – there is no place for this approach.  Discipline is not synonymous with this awful, abhorrent approach that is, for some reason, portrayed as normal on TV kitchen shows.  This may have been normal in the distant past, but it cannot be tolerated today.  But, a level of discipline and structure is critical, especially in complex, ever changing and time sensitive environments like a busy kitchen.

I have observed kitchens that are highly disciplined while employee centric at the same time.  It is these kitchens that hum with enthusiasm, pride, and professionalism and produce extraordinary results.  I have seen cooks when they button up those crisp, clean uniforms, tie on an apron, and draw their knives across a wet stone to hone an edge; when they wipe down their station, line up their tools, and pull down an organized prep sheet, and I have watched that spring in their step, that look of focused professionalism that can only occur in a kitchen that respects the order and discipline of the work.

It makes no difference if it is a 4-diamond restaurant offering fine dining, a quality pizza shop, a bakery, or a hospital foodservice – discipline, pride, and results are closely aligned.  I have seen cooks from all different walks of life – some from culinary schools, some who worked their way up from dishwasher, some born into an American neighborhood, and some who came to our country for a better life, both male and female, young and at the beginning of their work life and others who are nearing the end of their careers – come together with pride in the work they do, joy in their accomplishments in front of the range, and charged up about the kitchen where they work.  This is what discipline and organization bring to a work environment. 

Peek into the kitchens of restaurants that you patronize and you can immediately see the difference.  In fact, it is likely that the food presented to you as a customer will reveal the level of discipline, professionalism, and organization that exists in that kitchen. 

A chef who understands that his or her role is to define that structure, create an environment where critique is tied to training, and results are aligned with the structure and organization that –yes, Escoffier, Pointe, Poilane, Keller, Trotter, and others established or reinforced, is a chef who will not only find personal success, but will set the stage for employees to enjoy a long and fruitful career.

There are many aspects of the restaurant business that need to change: pay scales, benefits, reasonable work schedules, tolerance of chefs and operators who demean and belittle employees, and addressing the factors in restaurants that limit profitability- but, in all cases it will be organization and structural discipline that will make those changes possible.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

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CHEFS – WHAT DOES YOUR MENU REPRESENT?

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Consider this – the menu is the most important component of a successful restaurant and once designed it can, and should, impact every other aspect of the business.  These aspects include: décor, skill level of staff, style of service, pricing, profit, type of vendors selected, kitchen layout, equipment selection, marketing and advertising, pay scales, dining room seating, type of china, glassware and flatware, even the location and color scheme for the exterior of the restaurant.  YES – the menu is that important!

The menu comes first and should reflect the philosophy of the owners and chef and how the operators expect to be perceived by the public.  Far too many times the menu takes a back seat to all other planning that will lead to serious miscalculations along the way.  General Motors would never build and equip an auto plant, hire the entire staff, and create a marketing strategy until the car they intend to build is designed, prototyped, and presented to various focus groups first.  Why should it be any different for restaurants and their menus?

That being said – here are a few examples of “menu thinking” that can be considered:

[]         A COLLECTION OF ITEMS THAT SELL

This menu is developed using analytical data that is drawn from surveys and historical reference to other restaurants within a community or region.  There is certainly nothing wrong with this approach except that the result is typically an operation that lacks inspiration, lacks soul, and attracts employees who are less interested in passion and far more content to align with the operation that provides a dependable paycheck.  There are thousands of restaurants just like this – they serve a real need for dependability.

[]         A CONNECTION TO HISTORY

Whether it’s the history of the town where the restaurant is located, the family that owns the operation, or the heritage of a certain ethnicity – sometimes these influences set the stage for a menu and what it represents.  Destiny and tradition create expectations that are hard to argue with.  A restaurant on the Maine coast without lobster would be difficult to justify, just as a café in the French Quarter of New Orleans without some reference to Cajun, Creole, traditional Southern or Acadian French cooking would seem out of place.

[]         A CHEF’S SIGNATURE

Of course – many chefs view the menu as a chance to make a statement – a statement that focuses on those styles of cooking that influenced the chef, his or her desire to “push the envelope”, and a chance to stand out among the crowd of competitors.  This menu energy is attractive to chefs while at the same time it is risky.  A chef’s signature without any research can set a negative perception of the restaurant that is hard to break.  At the same time – a restaurant that boxes a chef into a corner with little or no room for expression will find it difficult to hang on to culinary talent. 

[]         THE COLLECTIVE STYLE OF THE KITCHEN TEAM

When a chef engages the culinary team in the process of menu building, and when this is done with proper guidance and adherence to a common set of benchmarks, then real kitchen synergy will result.  This is one of the best ways to attract excellent cooks and create an environment where they want to stay and contribute to the team effort.

[]         A DARING TRIP INTO THE UNKNOWN

We have seen some examples of uniquely talented and daring chefs who want to shock as much as inspire.   Keeping in mind that there is a relatively small, but passionate number of consumers who are referred to as “innovators” (1-2% of the dining public) – there will always be room for a few disruptor restaurants.  The biggest challenge is keeping those innovators interested and expanding the market to enough predictable guests to keep the restaurant in business.

[]         A REFLECTION OF COMMUNITY

When a chef takes part in active demographic research – a menu might very well reflect something about the community where the restaurant sits.  Building a neighborhood restaurant where support for the operation is considered a responsibility of residents becomes a reality when that operation truly connects.  It might be based on a menu that reflects the heritage of the community, the ethnicity of residents, their socio-economic background, or something about the community that makes it unique.  When a chef identifies this and as a result creates loyalty – then a restaurant can expect to live on for generations.

[]         THE OWNER’S FAVORITES

Owners have a tough time staying out of the menu planning process.  It is their business after all – right?  The chef, regardless of how creative he or she might be, and the owner, regardless of how savvy he or she might be as a consumer – needs to take a back seat to all of the factors that will lead to a connection with consumers and return customers.  Beware of the owner that hopes to build a personal menu rather than one that might work.

[]         A LIST WITHOUT DIRECTION

It takes just a minute or two for a seasoned restaurant professional to identify a menu without direction.  There should always be “connections” on the menu:  the appetizers set the stage for the entrees, and the entrees lead to desserts that complete the package.  When a menu lacks continuity, then the experience suffers and the customer is left – confused.

[]         AN ATTEMPT TO PLEASE EVERYONE

There was a time when the American diner was prevalent at every major crossing of highways.  Not ever knowing whom their next customer might be – these operations attacked the customer will pages of menu choices, representing multiple ethnic influences, utilizing every ingredient possible, and doing so without any parameters such as what makes sense for a given meal period or how the kitchen and service staff might function.  When the restaurant offers pasta primavera and tacos throughout the day then the consumer starts to wonder what the results will be.

Don’t underestimate the importance of smart menu planning that takes into consideration the habits and desires of typical customers, demographics, the facility layout and equipment on hand, the skill level of the cooks, the style of service that front of the house employees are trained to execute, the price point and profitability potential of the items selected, the availability of vendors, and the passion and ability of the chef who stands at the helm.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

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CAFÉ Talks Podcast

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THE COOK’S INTELLECT

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Anyone who has tied on an apron in a professional kitchen understands the physical nature of the work.  We know about the aching muscles, the throbbing feet, the faltering knees, and the heat – did I mention the heat?  But we don’t often take the time to stop and pay attention to the intellect of the cook and the broader skills that few careers can boast.  Great cooks and chefs are highly intellectual individuals who are challenged to apply those skills and aptitudes every day.  Unfortunately, it is rare to hear of anyone pointing out these essential abilities or the need for them if one is to be effective in the job.

So, for all who are sweating on the line every day, for all who are dipping their toes into the rushing water of a culinary profession, and to all chefs who think they know their worth – here are the unheralded skills that cooks and chefs apply each and every day without much fanfare:

[]         MATH

Yep, that’s right – cooks are adept at using math every day in the kitchen.  They apply these principles while expanding recipes, using fractions with units of measurement, working with percentages (especially in the bakeshop), portioning products, determining yield of products through fabrication and cooking, using geometry to determine precise vegetable cuts, and working within the parameters of recipe costing.

[]         TIME MANAGEMENT

Working backwards from a finished plate of food – cooks must prioritize work based on how long each step will take, as well as pacing of a ‘la minute work on the line to ensure that every dish on an order is ready at the precise time for plating.

[]         STRATEGIC PLANNING

From the moment a cook walks through those kitchen doors he or she is building a strategy for the day.  “How will I approach today’s prep, what can I defer till a later time, based on who is scheduled for a shift – how must I adjust the work that I do, and given the reservations for tonight – which items might move and which items will take a back seat to demand.”  Sometimes the strategy is systemic and doesn’t waver, while at other times each day will be unique. 

[]         PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Especially in operations where there are significant numbers of banquets and special events – the cook is assigned a function and must either align with a project strategy already developed by the chef, or in some cases build and manage that project independently.  All of this is done within the parameters of standards of excellence and timing.

[]         PROBLEM SOLVING

Even the best-laid plans can go astray when the unforeseen gets in the way.  The best cooks and chefs will constantly work on scenarios so that very little is classified as a surprise.  If left to chance – whatever could go wrong – will.  This is the principle of Murphy’s Law that every cook subscribes to.  The best cooks solve problems before they arise.

“In its simplest form, Murphy’s Law states: If anything can go wrong, it will. However, as with many successful business theories, the original law has been extended over time to cover specialist areas, several of which are given below:

  • Project Planning: If anything can go wrong, it will. Usually at the most inopportune time.
  • Performance Management: If someone can get it wrong, they will.
  • Risk Assessment: If several things can go wrong, the one you would LEAST like to happen will occur.
  • Practical creativity: If you can think of four ways that something can go wrong, it will go wrong in a fifth way.”
  • www.mindtools.com

[]         HISTORY AND ANTHROPOLOGIE

The best cooks take the time to study the background of a dish or a cooking process.  A person who has never studied the history of a dish such as Cog au Vin is far less likely to master it than another person who understands the ingredients, why they are used, how they are used, the type of people who consumed it, their socio-economic background, the indigenous nature of the ingredients used, how it was presented and how it might have been celebrated by those involved.  So cooks are often compelled to learn more about a dish or process as part of their skill development.  One does not learn how to make Kansas City BBQ without living in KC and apprenticing with a pit master who was born and raised there.

[]         ART AND DESIGN

Food is the ultimate art form and every plate of food that a cook touches is truly a canvas that was analyzed and approached with an eye for color contrast, symmetry, dimension, consideration of negative space, applying different textures, combining geometric shapes, and maximizing the three-dimensional nature of the dish.   Additionally, the cook considers all human senses in the build out of that dish: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch – no other art form is that fully engaged with the senses.

[]         PSYCHOLOGY

There is psychology at play whenever team members are reliant on each other to perform a task.  The kitchen team is a fragile organism that requires understanding, compassion, support, critique, anger management, and passion.  All of the aspects of understanding oneself and those around you are at play at every moment in the kitchen.

[]         COMMUNICATION

Communication in all of its forms is essential in a well-run kitchen.  Verbal, body language, written communication, and eye contact are used by cooks – all the time.  Whether it is checking what and how you say something, the manner with which you give a directive, offer critique, write a prep sheet, enter info in a log, prepare a recipe, or simply give a nod or make eye contact with another player on the team – communication is critical.  Cook’s learn to be masters at this essential skill.

What is most interesting about these unique skills is that they define the difference between a cook and a great cook, a chef and a remarkable chef.  These skills are also very transferrable – thus great cooks and remarkable chefs can quite easily transition into another career track as a result.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

Know your value and the unique skills that you bring to the table.

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THE FUTURE OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS

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Numerous people have asked me, over the past few months, what I think about the future of restaurants in America.  Of course, this is a question without scientific studies to back up an answer – this is pure speculation.  However, there are a number of indicators that point to a very challenging few years ahead.  The simple answer is nobody knows for sure, but it doesn’t look good.  Please read through till the end, because it’s not all doom and gloom.

Here are the challenging indicators

In the short term:

  1. A capacity limit of 25% or 50% simply doesn’t work for an industry with substantial fixed costs and low profit margins.
  2. The difficult labor situation pre-Covid was tough, it’s even worse now, as many people have decided that a job in the restaurant business is just not worth it.
  3. Landlords can only be forgiving for a short period of time – they have bills to pay as well.
  4. Customers may put their toe in the water and test the safety of going to restaurants now, but all that it will take is an outbreak traced back to a restaurant to change everything.
  5. The industry, in many parts of the country, had a decent summer season, but that was because of outside dining.  In many parts of the U.S. that is beginning to change as winter looms large.  Dining inside is just not as attractive right now.
  6. Un-employment and under-employment eradicate unnecessary family expenses – so restaurants are right back where they were after the 2008 economic crash – they are not essential.
  7. Small restaurants, in particular, are just like their employees.  They cannot endure long periods of time without a revenue stream.  Many restaurants cannot survive past a month or so without throwing in the towel (It has now been more than seven months).
  8. Our government just doesn’t get it.  Restaurants are important to the economy, they are important to American’s piece of mind, they are effective ways of bringing people together especially when everything else seems to push them apart, and restaurants tend to define a community or neighborhood – they are the heart and soul of what makes a community gel.
  9. It is estimated that as many as 50% of the nations restaurants will close and never re-open as the virus continues to thwart any chance of financial survival.

In the long term:

  1. Restaurants don’t want a bail out – they want support and real help.  This means that American entrepreneurs need the support and advice of experts to help them figure a way out of this business mess.  These restaurants need training and mentorship, they need easier access to low interest loans, they need some type of easement on their rents (which requires federal support for landlords), they need extended unemployment benefits for their employees and they need a national marketing program to focus on the importance of your neighborhood restaurants.
  2. This pandemic has revealed significant problems with the U.S. supply chain.  This is just as important as talk about infrastructure rebuilds.  Without real dialogue that looks hard at centralized production and distribution vs. a return to a more de-centralized model – there is little doubt that the supply chain will continue to show its weakness.
  3. Low profitability and intense need for lots of hands to get the job done are issues that have plagued the success of restaurants for many decades.  The country needs a load of great minds to figure this one out.  With an increased failure rate among restaurant start-ups, soon enough we will see a decreased interest in becoming a restaurant entrepreneur.
  4. Low pay and meager benefits have been associated with restaurant work forever, finding a solution to this is long overdue.  Ask yourself: “Why would anyone want to work in a high stress, physically demanding, unpredictable, labor deprived powder keg industry when pay is below the national average for skilled workers, employer paid healthcare is impossible to find, sick leave is even rarer, vacation time is questionable, personal days are non-existent, and predictable schedules are impossible?
  5. For seven months people have become accustomed to avoiding restaurants, cooking more at home, and saving money that would have normally been spent for a dine out meal.  Will they return at some point as though this period in time was just a slight inconvenience?
  6. As restaurants suffer from low participation and in many cases – closure, so too have culinary schools who had the job of training tomorrows cooks, chefs, and restaurant entrepreneurs suffering from low enrollment and less than stellar placement opportunities for graduates.  This adds to the draining of the labor pool.

So, indications for long-term recovery and success are not great.  But, this does not mean the restaurant industry will not recover and regain strength over time.  These factors simply change the face of an industry that has evolved very little over the past 50 or so years.  There is, and will be, real opportunities moving forward for those who can recognize and solve the immediate problems, accept the need to change – really change, and approach tomorrow with passion and enthusiasm.

This is what I (again, no scientific data to support my theory) think will occur over the next few years:

  • There will be a wholesale culling of restaurant numbers.  Those who are not business savvy with disappear, those who fail to recognize that they need to re-invent will disappear, and those without quality leadership will not have the heart and energy to carry on.  This breaks my heart to see; yet it is the most likely scenario.
  • Those who stand tall and admit that they need help, seek out those who can encourage change and show them the path, and those who relish the opportunity to become truly different will find a path to renewed success.  Of this I am certain.
  • Those who re-design their systems to reduce the number of hands required in a restaurant while increasing efficiency and quality will be able to pay their employees better and find a way to create improved work/life balance for their most important assets – people.
  • There will be a movement towards more reasonable dialogue and contractual agreements with landlords.  There is a space for effective compromise here.
  • More and more – mobile options for restaurants will gain traction.  This means more food trucks, more appropriate licensing and tax burden sharing with communities, and wider acceptance of this as a long-term answer.
  • Take out food will rise to a new level of excellence as most restaurant realize that although this will never be their most profitable way to present a meal – it will be an expectation and they had better do it exceptionally well.
  • Consumer education will become the norm through on-site classes, video chef demonstrations, and instructional links for take out customers – how your food was prepared and how to refresh it at home.
  • Partnerships between schools and restaurants will provide opportunities for certificates and degrees in culinary arts that cost less and result in better-trained graduates.  Schools will need to speed up the process of learning, ensure that what they teach is relevant, and build hybrid delivery experiences that are as good or even better than full-time person-to-person.  Refresher process specific course work will become available on line or through social media, and those who enroll in school will be able to access skill updates for life.  The connection between schools and students will never end and job placement will become the key element of an education with some level of guarantee that those who complete a course or degree are “kitchen ready”.
  • The safety protocols that larger chains have adopted and seem able to deliver will be just as well programmed in those independent operations.  As a result, the neighborhood restaurant will have a fighting chance of regaining their support in communities across America.
  • The government will eventually see the importance of restaurants to our way of life and will re-invigorate the breadth of work and power of the SBA to do so much more.  They will be able to provide training and consultation for small restaurants, help them negotiate better terms for long and short-term bank loans, and connect hundreds of thousands of independent operations to a national marketing campaign that helps the industry attract employees, and convince the public that these businesses are streamlined to keep them healthy and safe.
  • Finally, the Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and professional commodity groups, food related organizations, and chefs will form a taskforce to look deeply into the changes needed for a stronger, more resilient food distribution system.

I truly believe this and am confident that with leadership in Washington that is more in-tune with the issues facing restaurants – things will change.  It will take time, but as has been the case through national and international disasters over many decades – the restaurant industry will rise up and thrive again.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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A KITCHEN’S ELEGANT LAST IMPRESSIONS

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As a chef, I have long admired the craft of the Patissier and Boulanger. Chefs readily admit that the skill set of a dedicated pastry chef or bread baker is quite different from that of the savory chef.  Aside from the innate artistic talent for detailed presentations – the pastry chef is far more adept at applying the exactness of chemistry to food, and far more intent on the details and patience required to present incredible works on a plate.  Pastry chefs are in a league of her own – a club of amazingly talented individuals who make every chef shake his or her head in disbelief at the art of individual with a pastry bag in hand.

One of my favorite “wake up” moments was working in a competition kitchen many years ago when the famous Pastry Chef – Lars Johannson walked by my station.  I was busy piping a salmon mousse on canapés at the time.  He looked at me and

said: “You do very nice work, but you have no business holding a pastry bag.”  He walked away and I knew for certain that pastry work was not in my future.

I have always subscribed to the importance of first and last impressions to the overall experience of dining.  Think about it – I would dare to say that many guests understand that those initial experiences in a restaurant and those that end the meal are the ones that stick with us.  They define the food experiences that we have and create benchmarks for others to follow. 

Whether it is a trip to your local retail bakery, a walk through a well appointed grocery store, that first impression of food when seated in a restaurant or the final course before the presentation of the check – I guarantee that the visual impact,

deep aromas, and first bite of an artisan bread, or luscious plated dessert are some of the most satisfying parts of the guest experience.

Why is it that a simple ham sandwich from a bistro in Paris can be so extraordinary?  Sliced ham on a buttered baguette – that’s it!  Why does this rival the finest complex sandwich found in a New York deli?  It’s the quality of the bread.   Why is it that no matter how full we might be after a restaurant meal – it takes very little prodding to convince us to order that feature dessert?  It’s our nature to crave something sweet and our desire to see just how exceptional the kitchen might be with this last impression. 

That commitment to great bread and the focus that a chef places on a dessert menu that rivals a restaurants signature entrees is one of the most important drivers of a successful restaurant.  That beautiful retail bakery window display that highlights the skills of a pastry chef with cakes, tarts, petite fours, profiteroles, Madeleines, and meringues is impossible to resist. 

People crave the luxury and innocent pleasures that sugar, pastry, fruits, genoise, chocolate, and crème fillings bring.  It is in our DNA to want and our limited willpower to resist the temptations of the pastry chef.  If a chef loses sight of this

reality then he or she is limiting the full experience for the diner.

Bobby Flay once said:  “First Impressions are Everything”, but I would add – it is also true that: Last Impressions are Forever Impressions.  The pastry chef and baker are responsible for both.

It may have been Chef Careme who first brought the concept of Grand Cuisine and the art of cooking to the event tables of his day, but today’s pastry chef has refined and re-defined the art and the importance of food for the eyes as well as the palate.

Carême, as you may remember, gained fame in Paris for his elaborate centerpieces made of pastillage, sugar, and marzipan.  He did free lance work for Napoleon and Charles Maurice de Talleyrand to name a few.

A pastry chef to those operations large and complex enough to support the position is the visual signatory of the operation.  Hotels, resorts, clubs, and caterers crave those signature pieces to make their food events stand out as memorable and sought after.  A grand wedding deserves the grandest of cakes; a conference or convention seeks out those centerpieces on buffets and individual tables that reflect the objectives of the event; holiday festivities in hotels and resorts demand those structures that align the property with the joy of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Hanukah, and other ethnic and religious celebrations as well as welcoming in the New Year.  It is what is expected and it will always be what guests talk about for years to come.

The talent of the pastry chef may be innate, but the skill to produce centerpieces and individual plated works of art is built from hard work, countless years of practice, and loads of patience.

A SINGLE DAY OF EXCELLENCE:

The pastry chef – Suzanne Holmes, enters a resort kitchen just shortly after 4 a.m. – the bread baker is pulling crusty whole-wheat boules and crunchy baguettes from the oven – his day is nearing an end.   She pulls down the clipboard with today’s prep list and smiles nervously at the breadth of detailed work to be done.  Her apprentice will arrive shorty and Sam – her counterpart for the evening shift will take over sometime after 3 p.m.  This is a week of high profile events including the unveiling of the hotel’s new spa.  Chef Holmes will need to concentrate much of her effort today on completing an elaborate chocolate sculpture of male and female figures in a yoga pose.  This has been a project that she has worked on for the past two weeks in addition to her normal onslaught of pastry and dessert work.  Additionally, two weddings will require triple tier fondant cakes and nearly 1,000 individual petite fours glace.  The dessert menu that has brought fame to the main restaurant must be stocked with individual components that Sam will assemble in the evening.  Chef Holmes breathes easy when she touches base with Addie – her bread baker and breakfast pastry aficionado – she knows that this part of her department will always take care of itself.

The petite fours cakes have been layered and trimmed so all that remains is to wrap them in marzipan, coat with fondant, and pipe a simple rosette on the top of each bite size piece.  Her apprentice has been with the department for six months now so aside from delicate chocolate filigree work and important sauce reductions – the apprentice can handle the restaurant dessert work.  Sam always keeps up with ice cream work since the operation added two Pacolet machines that make the work much easier.  So – it looks like centerpiece time.  Chef estimates that the finish work on the sculptures and final spray with cocoa butter will take her about three hours – plenty of time to let everything set and move the showpiece to the spa entrance.  The resort GM is counting on the chocolate work to be front and center when local press arrives to take pictures at the opening.  Another three hours on the petite fours and the two weddings tomorrow should be set except for assembly and final piping on the three tier cakes.

As pressured as Chef Holmes feels she knows that being patient and methodical are essential traits with the detail work before her.  Her dedication to excellence and insistence that every piece of work that comes from her shop meet exacting standards makes the work fun, but always stressful.  She re-hangs the prep sheet clipboard, sets her station and begins a typical day in the pastry shop – a day where her last impressions will help to define the quality of the whole operation.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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CHEFS – YOUR EMPLOYEES JUST MIGHT HAVE THE ANSWERS

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We all know the challenges facing restaurants right now – there is little benefit in reiterating the problems.  The question is: “What’s the answer?”  Of course the pandemic is the cause and the effects are either a direct result of that or the necessary restrictions that evolved from Covid.  What needs to be addressed is: “ How do we build trust among customers, trust that the restaurant will keep them safe, and how do we generate enough sales and in turn – profit, to keep the operation moving forward?  Ask your staff!

Your staff members are vested in the success of the restaurant, just as you are.  They may not be encumbered with as many critical issues as you – but they know the customer, they see the operation through a less cluttered lens, and they are able to tune into immediate changes that might just pull you out of the weeds.  Engage them, trust them, encourage them, excite them and give them an opportunity to help far beyond preparing a plate of food or delivering it to the table.  Behind the mask and the social distancing each one of those employees is home to that next great idea – sometimes obvious, and sometimes hidden beneath the surface.

WHAT THEY KNOW:

[]         Your employees know that the essential challenge is TRUST.  They see those hesitant customers walking into a restaurant (or not) while scanning the environment for masks, distancing, and proper safety protocol.  Your employees know that this is not the best way to start a dining experience.  They know that at this point their primary job is to make the customer feel safe.  Ask your employees: “What else can we do to bring about that trust?”

[]         Your employees know that preparing and serving food is only a part of what has kept customers coming back on a regular basis.  They know that the ability to attract new customers lies not with just flavorful food and speedy service, but rather with a deeper experience that can and does create memories.  Ask them how you might bring back an experience in a world of masks and 6 feet of distance.

[]         Your kitchen employees know that the wall that separates the kitchen from the customer creates a level of uncertainty: “What are they doing back there to ensure that the food is safe, the plates are sanitary, and the process of preparation is designed to keep Covid at bay?”  Pose these questions to your employees – who is better positioned to find the answers that would lead to a higher level of trust among customers than those who interact mask to mask?

[]         Your kitchen employees know that 25 or 50% occupancy caps on restaurant dining rooms will never be sufficient to sustain an operation.  They fully understand the rationale that the top line (sale) drives the bottom line (profit).  They can see the concern in your eyes over the certainty of failure when a full dining room is not allowed.  Ask them for ways that you might increase check averages, improve costs, become more efficient, or build menus that contribute more to the bottom line.  You might just be amazed at what they have to offer.  They live every day what you simply oversee.  Who is better prepared to understand the cause of problems and potential solutions than those people who are closest to the challenge?

[]         Your employees know that one confirmed case of Covid stemming from your restaurant will result in temporary or even permanent closure.  Any trust that was built will be set aside when fear takes over.  Ask your employees about your protocol and how to best protect them, the guest, and the business.  Who lives closer to the challenge than employees who are shoulder to shoulder in the operation?  What should be done to protect this? 

[]         Your employees know that typical marketing in the midst of a pandemic is very ineffective.  That ad in the local paper or radio commercial that helped to fill a dining room in the past is frivolous at best when fear and uncertainty are the norm.  Ask them how to best promote a restaurant experience when so many people are simply saying: “No, I’ll just wait until this whole thing is over?”  Ask them about creating word-of-mouth, and a social media buzz that quells fear and builds anticipation for that experience once again.  Your employees are more than just a name on the payroll – they are ambassadors and salespersons who, when they trust what you are doing, will invest in creating that buzz.  Get them engaged.

Your greatest asset in business will always be the employees’ who clock in to your front or back of the house.  All of the investment in décor, menu, tabletop, and marketing are far less significant than the quality of committed staff members.  Solicit their ideas and engage them in the process of success.  Don’t rely on government to solve our problems and overcome our challenges – rally your troops to rise up and find the opportunities that will always exist even in the most difficult times.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

Restaurant Consulting

TEAM COMPETITIVENESS IN THE KITCHEN

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Create a Team Built to Win

When Coach Vince Lombardi said: “Winning isn’t everything – it’s the only thing”, he was not inferring that winning at all costs justifies the means, not was he inferring that somehow “losing” was the end of all hope – he was simply stating that the attitude of excellence and the goals that define it should always be a driving force within a person’s attitude or a teams mantra.  How you play the game in the process of winning is critical, as is the sportsmanship that allows people to get past defeat with honor and grace while taking the time to positively recognize those who administered that defeat.  Standing tall and looking forward to the next chance to win, knowing what needs improvement, how to rise above mistakes, and supporting each other in the process is at the core of a winning team – even in defeat.

Well-run organizations – in this case a kitchen, are built to win.  They hire, train, critique, support, celebrate, and rally behind the members of the team that has been built and push each individual to contribute his or her best – always.  This is what great organizations and great teams do.

Kitchens, like athletic teams, share in a common structure.  This structure is based on the understanding that the team is only as strong as its weakest link and that greatness is achieved with each team member understands his or her strengths and weaknesses as well as those of the other members of the organization.  Great teams turn to those with certain strengths to rise up and show the way and build up those with identified weaknesses so that together they can float their boat even on the most challenging seas.

Each day in a kitchen there are ample opportunities for a “win”.  Getting that dish just right, controlling costs, managing inventory, meeting budgetary goals, topping yesterdays customer count, clearing the rail of tickets without any re-fires, a complement from customers, top ratings on Trip Advisor or Yelp, or a positive local restaurant review can all be viewed as a competitive opportunity.  Each of these goals requires that all players on your kitchen team be tuned into their role and self-motivate to hit the mark of expectation that the chef, manager, or owner has set.  Success will not occur if the weight of success falls solely on one individual or even a part of the kitchen team.  United in purpose is the call to arms.

The spirit of competition must be felt by every individual in an organization and by the team as a whole.  In this manner – competition helps to drive people to always improve.  The Japanese refer to this as Kaizen.

Michael Jordan is probably one of the most vivid examples of a person who would breathe that competitive spirit constantly.  He said:

“You have competition every day because you set such high standards for yourself that you have to go out every day and live up to that.”

Michael did not need to be pushed to strive for excellence – it was in his DNA.  As a result, he became the taskmaster for the team, the standard setter that drove the expectation of others.  His unwillingness to accept anything less than best effort became the core philosophy of those around him.  He was tough, but focused on something that would benefit everyone.  He could play a support role when the team was clicking on all cylinders or he could take individual control when the rest of the team had lost its steam.  It was his competitiveness with himself that kept the team boat afloat.

Charlie Trotter, in many chefs’ minds, defined what fine dining would become in America.  His renowned restaurant: “Trotter’s” was the benchmark for others to follow for nearly 25 years.  The food was groundbreaking, the service was impeccable, the restaurant was polished and smooth on the eye, and the creativity was beyond parallel.  It was his competitiveness and the expectation of the same from his staff that made the restaurant what it was.  He was a tough person to work for and his expectations were not for the faint of heart. 

His focus is clear in this quote:

“I have always looked at it this way:  If you strive like crazy for perfection – an all-out assault on total perfection – at the very least you will hit a high level of excellence, and then you might be able to sleep at night.”

It is this internal competitiveness that pushed Trotter to not only create a truly great restaurant, but more importantly to help those who worked for and with him to carry this spirit of winning to their own careers, and in some cases – their own future restaurants.

Never known as a pleasant person to work for – Steve Jobs – founder of Apple, was a consummate perfectionist, the driving force behind and in front of a company that always maintained a mission of excellence and ease of use.  Creating the next great product was secondary to doing so as the company that created the benchmark of excellence with regard to that product.  His focus on every detail from the user interface to how beautiful the circuit boards in an electronic device were (something that the average user would never see), to the packaging and style of everything associated with the company became the core belief and guiding measurement for every employee in the company.  Some could not live up to the expectation and some would thrive in the environment where winning meant admiration, respect, coolness, and desire to own.  Although he is no longer with us – Apple continues to move forward with the underlying question: “What would Steve think?”

Steve once stated:

“For you to sleep well at night – the aesthetic, the quality, has to be carried all the way through.”

He was in competition with himself to always produce a product that was great – this same objective became the calling card of Apple – that internal competition that drives them to always determine how to make things better – how to win.

“When you’re a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you’re not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will ever see it.  You’ll know it’s there, so you’re going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back.”

-Steve Jobs

This is how a great business “wins”.  This is the result of a commitment to excellence and internal competition that moves people in that direction.

The same can be said for numerous other companies like Walt Disney, IDEO, Porsche, Bose, Oxo, Daniel Boulud’s Dinex Group, Thomas Keller’s restaurants, Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality, and Ritz Carlton Hotels.  Each of these successful companies is founded on an attitude of excellence – a desire to win – not at all costs – but through a commitment to individual and group need to reach for excellence.

Your restaurant whether it is a neighborhood pizzeria, taco shop, American diner, Italian trattoria, French bistro, Farm to Table fine dining operation, or New York style deli – can and should build up from a desire to be excellent, a commitment to win, and a team effort to reach those goals.

As a friend of mine and successful entrepreneur once said: 

“No matter how many similar businesses there are in a community – there is always room to be the best.”

It’s hard to argue with that logic.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

CAFÉ Talks podcast

https://cafetalks.libsyn.com/

CHEFS – FINE TUNE THOSE SENSES

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The kitchen sensual army

There are many things that differentiate cooks and chefs, but none more important to the customer experience and the reputation of the restaurant than mastery of the senses.  Whether a fine-dining experience or your local taqueria – the cooks that stand out, the ones that are the reason why customers line up to buy their food, are the ones with well developed senses of taste, smell, touch, sight, and sound as they relate to what takes place in the kitchen.

The essential tool in development of these senses is experience.  Certain individuals may be born with the capacity to taste and smell, with the innate talent to present beautiful food, and with excellent hearing, but it is what those senses are exposed to that makes a cook – a great cook.  Every experience that we have is imbedded in our subconscious mind.  When we are exposed to that memory again, it moves quickly to the conscious realm and we say: “a’ha – I remember that”.  After frequent exposure to that same memory can even allow an experienced cook or chef to envision what that product will smell, look, sound, and taste like – even before that takes place.  This is how experienced chefs are able to plan dishes and menus knowing how ingredients will marry together, what the overall flavor profile will be, and how the final dish will look.  It’s an amazing process.

Without the experience associated with the development of this sensual tool, it is like a beautiful knife that never leaves the roll bag, or fine china that never serves as a canvas for a plate of food.  Thus, the best cooks and chefs are always seeking out those sensual food experiences so that they can develop their flavor memory.

It is common for people to confuse flavor and taste as being the same, but taste is but a portion of the flavor experience.  Flavor is a combination of taste, sight, sound, smell, and texture – all in the right proportions.  Try tasting a familiar ingredient while you hold your nose to see how the flavor changes.  Close your eyes and taste a raw potato next to a fresh apple and see how similar they are.  Think about it: Is a potato chip a potato chip without the sound of the crunch?  Is fresh baked apple pie as appealing if it has no smell?  Why do green and white asparagus taste so different – does it have anything to do with the color?

An interesting exercise to establish the importance of sense experiences is to ask your cooks some basic questions:

[]         WHAT DOES A STRAWBERRY TASTE LIKE?

The majority of time the cook will likely say something like: “It tastes like a strawberry”.  Well, if that cook had never tasted a fresh picked, fully mature strawberry before – how would they know what to expect?  More importantly, how would they know how to differentiate a great strawberry from an inferior one?

[]         DESCRIBE THE FLAVOR OF BAR-B-QUE BRISKET?

Anyone from a southern state will likely win any contest in describing this flavor, and ironically, their response will differ depending on which state they are from.  What will be universal are the smokiness, the moisture, the tenderness, and the subsequent mouth feel that comes from a process that goes beyond taste.  Unless you have tried a brisket that was smoked and cooked over coals for 12-24 hours then it will be impossible to describe the flavor or know when a properly cooked brisket is just right.

[]         WHAT DOES A FRESH TRUFFLE SMELL LIKE?

The truffle is one of the most unique, impossible to describe ingredients unless you have held one up to your nose, shaved it offer soft scrambled eggs or fresh pasta, or buried it in raw Arborio rice to imbed its perfume in a dish of risotto.  It is intoxicating and overwhelming to the senses.  But without the experiences mentioned, it would be impossible to describe.

[]         TELL ME IF THE HOLLANDAISE I JUST PREPARED IS CORRECT?

What is the balance of lemon and heat from Tabasco? What is the right amount of salt? Is the correct balance of egg yolk and clarified butter present?  Is the mouth feel correct?  A sauce with the simplest of ingredients is so hard to make correctly and to achieve proper balance.  Can you imagine being asked to make a hollandaise if you never made one correctly before or had never tasted a perfect example? 

[]         CAN YOU TELL IF A SAUTE DIVER SCALLOP IS BEING COOKED CORRECTLY IF YOU ARE BLINDFOLDED AND 20 FEET AWAY FROM THE RANGE?

That scallop will only reach it’s perfect state if the pan used to sear it is screaming hot and the portion of clarified butter is just right.  The sound of a pan when it sizzles beneath that scallop and the smell of butter before it passes the burn point is a tell- all even if the cook does not see the scallop.

[]         ARE YOU ABLE TO DETERMINE THE DEGREE OF DONENESS ON THAT STEAK BY SIMPLY TOUCHING IT?

Of course a cook can always probe that steak with a thermometer to determine degrees of doneness, but a seasoned broiler cook would never be caught doing that.  This cook knows the give of the muscle at medium or medium rare.  He or she knows the perfect point at which to give the steak a 45 degree turn to imprint those beautiful grill marks, when to flip the steak (just once), and when to pull it from the heat so that it takes advantage of carry over cooking and time to rest so that it doesn’t bleed out when that first cut of the knife opens it up on a plate.

[]         CAN YOU TELL IF THOSE ONIONS ARE CARAMELIZING PROPERLY JUST BY SMELLING THEM FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF THE KITCHEN?

The Maillard reaction (reducing sugars and protein through the application of heat) that is the process of caramelization has its own smell and sound.  If it is taken too far then the item begins to burn giving off a less than pleasant aroma.  When it is done right the sound of the sizzle and the sweet smell of this chemical reaction is one of the most positive of kitchen aromas.

When the chef turns on his sensual radar

A seasoned chef can walk through a kitchen, turn on his or her sensual radar and assess what is going right and what is going wrong.  When the radar is tuned in, he sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of the kitchen fill the air and send signals of process and outcome.  These are skills that go way beyond a person’s natural ability; it is a culmination of experiences that have changed how the cook views the world around him or her.  Without these experiences, this capacity will never be realized.

Cooks who have the desire to master their craft are the ones who seek out food experiences, taste and mentally record those experiences, re-introduce those experiences frequently enough to allow them to become a part of their bag of tricks, and relish the opportunity to share this gift with others.  When this happens they are in control of the food that is being prepared, the ingredients that are being purchased, and the success of the team engaged in creating memories for restaurant guests.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Experience is the best educator

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A SOMBER DAY – WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET THE SOUL OF AMERICA

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Never Forget

Nineteen years later – what does 9/11 continue to mean to America and the world?  This is a day that must give us pause, a day of unthinkable horror that will always be remembered by anyone born before 2001.  It is also a day that has and will continue to impact every person worldwide, regardless of his or her age and nationality.  This is the day when the world stopped and gave a collective gasp – The United States was attacked on its own soil, by an outside entity, for the first time since Pearl Harbor signaled a new phase in World War II.  This is a day that changed our lives forever, that set a new uncomfortable course for the world, and a day that changed how others viewed the U.S.  We were suddenly – vulnerable.

First, and foremost, for me and others who were going about their normal business on that day in 2001 – this is a day to remember the fear and uncertainty that rushed through our veins when word of the attack became real; when the twin towers crashed to the streets of New York, when a passenger jet plowed into the Pentagon, and when another was brought to a halt in a Pennsylvania field en route to the White House.  That moment brought about a paralyzing fear of: “What just happened, what is next, who did this, how could this be happening?”  This was also a moment that drove us all to immediately think about our families and what must be done to protect them.

In the days to follow, the real meaning of 9/11 would become clear.  We learned of the friends, family and co-workers who lost their lives in the attack, the first responders who would selflessly give their lives to help others, the extent to which this event would change the character of America, and for the first time leave our citizens with a realization that we were vulnerable.

In the days to follow we would see the world united in condemning what happened and showing solidarity for America and our people.  “My God, someone attacked the United States!  What does this mean for every other free country in the world?”  There was unity among our allies and even those who were on the fence about a relationship with the U.S.  We could, for a period of time, feel comfort in how much support we saw throughout the world. 

In the days to follow, the world focused on a common enemy- terrorism.  It seemed as though this focus could actually bring about a collective effort to stop the growth of hate and violence that brought about this terrorist statement, a statement that pointed to our fragility.  Dozens of countries would send their troops and advisors to help America fight this battle that threatened the free world – it was, if such a statement can be made, a reality that brought about a feeling of completeness and unification.

Then we over-stepped our bounds, other underlying initiatives drove us to make assumptions, and include other deeply seated theories in our approach towards this common battle.  What once was a unified effort would slowly lose its heart and many of our allies drifted away – eventually leaving America to fight a battle that was no longer clear and the countries impacted left with even more fragility and anger at its peak.  The world became even more polarized than it was in the past and nationalism rose up its ugly head in not just America, but in numerous European countries as well.  Tens of thousands of soldiers and innocent bystanders would lose their lives or end up with life long disabilities as a result of wars without end. 

Our country was changed significantly on that day in 2001.  The fear and anger that was justified on 9/11 fueled the fires of mistrust, polarization, isolation, and hate.  The face of America looks quite different than it did in the summer of 2001.  The once unified world that respected the meaning of America and supported the democratic dream that was the model for others to follow was damaged, maybe beyond repair.  The word of Americans and the intent to be a guiding light for human rights and personal freedom was much dimmer than it was in the summer of 2001.

The scabs of previous cuts and bruises in our history were ripped off in the coming years- exposing old wounds that had not been adequately addressed, but rather simply bandaged and ignored.  Worldwide concern over a new American direction was heightened as they watched internal discontent and anger rise up on the streets of our country that had always been the example of justice and righteousness. 

America changed on 9/11 and we are where we are with far more uncertainty, polarization, and fear than at any other time, at least in my life.  World terrorists have taken a back seat to domestic terrorists.  We no longer disagree with others; we hate them if their thoughts and beliefs don’t align with ours.  The world no longer turns to America for direction; in fact they turn away from us so as not to be infected with this spreading negativity and malaise.  America has changed, and not for the better.

On this day we need to remember all of those fine people who lost their lives on 9/11, all of those first responders who gave of themselves in an effort to save and protect others, those soldiers of America and our allies who gave their lives in the fight against terrorism, and the concept of America that has lost so much ground in 19 years.  At the same time we must remember that what made America great is still there under the cloud of uncertainty and isolation.  We can resurrect what has always been great about America and rise up again.  We can unite our country so that our differences are embraced rather than being viewed as irreconcilable and we can win back the respect and support of our allies so they once again view our country as that place that defined freedom.  We should no longer allow what happened on 9/11 to be a moment in time when the definition of America was changed.  We must unite, use our vote to make a difference, look to our left and look to our right and know that the person beside us can have different opinions and beliefs and that is OK.  Doing the right thing has always been what made our country special and doing the right thing now is the best way to remember all of those individuals whose lives were lost or changed as a result of this day, 19 years ago.

As is always the case on this day – I want to pay special tribute to Chris Carstanjen – a former student of mine who lost his life in a plane that crashed into the twin towers.  Chris was a kind soul who boarded that plane en route to a well-deserved vacation.  He had no idea what was to happen minutes later, nor would he ever dream what that day would mean to the world 19 years later.  Pay due respect to Chris on this day – vote, open your arms and hearts to others, and help to bring back the soul of America.  Let November 3, 2020 be the day of a new beginning that Chris and millions of others would want – the America they knew and believed in.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Never Forget

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

Chris Carstanjen

THE BREAKFAST COOK – TOUGH, DEPENDABLE, ORGANIZED, AND FAST

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There are cooks and there are cooks – each has his or her list of responsibilities, required skills, and bag of tricks.  Just because you are listed on a schedule as a cook does not necessarily mean that you are adept at filling every position under that designation.  Grill cooks, sauté, prep, garde manger, bakers and pastry chefs are all very unique.  Then there is the breakfast cook – although some cooks use this position as a stepping stone to the evening line – many are comfortable choosing this as their position of choice.  If you fit the mold – then you possess a special value reserved for just a few, value that – to the chef goes way beyond the ability to prepare breakfast items.

Unlike other line positions where there is a time allowance for preparation, pacing of courses, and the detail work that equates to a meticulously aligned plate presentation – the breakfast cook must be efficient and fast.  When the order is placed the cooking is almost instantaneous. 

Finding that perfect person for the job is one of the more important tasks of the chef in a property.  Comparable to finding a solid sous chef – this position must, at some point, almost become invisible.  The chef wants to know that the cook will be there, will be ready, will be consistent, and will represent the quality that is expected of the operation – without much supervision.   When this person is identified then the chef can rest easy.

There can occasionally be room for a creative dish or two, but when it comes to breakfast – most restaurant guests are looking for well-executed familiarity.  At the same time, the guest is quite specific about how they like their breakfast items prepared – their expectations are clear.  “I want my eggs over-easy but yolks that are not too runny”.  “I want my waffles crunchy”.  “Make sure that the scrambled eggs are dry”.  “I like my bacon well done”.   “A five minute egg  (not shorter and not longer)”.  The list goes on and on.  Add this to an onslaught of orders coming in a breakfast crunch time and you can see how easy it would be for a cook to get frazzled. 

So what are the unique attributes of this individual?

[]         DEPENDABILITY:

The last thing in the world that the chef needs is that 5 a.m. call from the restaurant stating that the breakfast cook called out or didn’t show.  The thought of jumping out of bed and rushing to the restaurant, setting up an unfamiliar station and trying to function while behind the eight ball is un-nerving.  This is not the best moment in a chef’s day.  He or she must be able to depend on the breakfast cook to be there or provide ample warning so that the chef can find a replacement.

[]         INDEPENDENCE:

Oftentimes the breakfast cook is an island.  It is very common to find, unlike the evening shift where there may be three or four line cooks for a meal period, the breakfast cook may be the one and only.  Because of this, his or her planning, prep, organization, and attack are separated from the rest of the kitchen team.  The right candidate must be able to function effectively in this manner.

[]         EFFICIENCY:

Efficiency is the rule of law for all cooks, but even more so for the breakfast cook.  When an order comes in it is immediately cooked, plated, and slid into the pass.  This requires that the cook’s system is tight and foolproof.  Mise en place has never been more important!   The breakfast cook must be able to anticipate business volume, reflect on his or her past experience to assess what items will move, how many eggs to crack, how much batter to make, bacon to cook ahead, and plate garnishes to prepare.  Considering the limited time available between orders placed and orders filled – there is no time to return to prep during service.

[]         ORGANIZATION:

Pan placement, folded side towels, clarified butter placement, temperature of griddle, poaching water, and plate organization are all crucial, especially during crunch time.  All cooks must be organized, but a breakfast cooks station will resemble the cockpit of an airplane – he or she will be able to point to the placement of each ingredient or tool without even thinking.  If you want to see impeccable organization turn to chaos in a few seconds – let the chef jump behind the range to “help” a breakfast cook through the rush.  Most cooks would rather not have the help.  As a chef, whenever I helped I made sure that I stuck to garnishing plates and wiping the edges of china before a plate went into the pass.

Pans lined up waiting for the command.

[]         MULTI-TASKER:

Eight pans of eggs cooking simultaneously (some sunny side, others varying degrees of over-easy), four orders of pancakes on the griddle, eggs benedict poaching, waffles in the iron, and a refresh on the oatmeal.  This is constant, unrelenting as the dining room moves from a few guests at 6:30 a.m. to a full house by 7:15.  Flip the cakes, slide the over easy eggs in a pan, respond to the buzzer on the waffle iron, plate up orders, transfer that rasher of bacon or triple sausage alignment,  bark out: “pick up!”, and start all over again.  Multi-tasking must be second nature.

[]         SPEED:

Guests and in turn – servers have little patience during breakfast.  The average dining room guest for breakfast is likely to spend no more than 30 minutes from the time they are seated.  They have things to do, places to be, and breakfast is simply a means to an end.    A five-minute wait seems like an eternity to a breakfast guest.  The pressure is thus on the cook to be fast – lightning fast.  To watch an efficient breakfast cook is mesmerizing.  This modern version of the short order cook still amazes me. 

I remember my first introduction to the cooking profession was watching a short-order cook through a restaurant window.  At the age of 9 or 10, it was amazing to watch the efficiency and speed, the focus and the calmness of a person who was able to handle so many orders with grace.  It is this experience that years later helped me to decide to become a cook and eventually a chef.

[]         DETAIL ORIENTED:

As traditional and seemingly simple as breakfast may be, there is a detail that is expected, a focus on doing the little things right that makes all the difference in the world.  If that bacon isn’t exactly how the guest likes it – the meal is substandard.  If the oatmeal is not the perfect consistency, then it is pushed aside by a disappointed guest.  If those eggs are too runny or not runny at all, then the expectation of a good start to the day is shattered.  The details are small, but nevertheless important. 

The breakfast cook cannot sacrifice the details for speed, nor speed for the details.  It is a delicate balance.

[]         ECONOMY OF MOTION:

The best cooks work from the standpoint of the pivot step.  Everything must be within that pivot step if the system is to work.  One step to the left or right, forward or back – any more and the game plan is in jeopardy.  The more steps that a cook takes the greater the opportunity for mistakes.  This is why organization and efficiency are so closely tied to how this station is set-up.

Focus, organization, efficiency.

[]         FOCUS:

Watch this cook from the moment he or she arrives until everything is packed away for tomorrow.  There is a focus that tells a story of oneness with the job.  Walking through that back door at 4:30 a.m. – the cook clicks on that focus switch in his or her head and then it takes over.  Flip on the lights and the hood fans, fire up the ovens for bacon and sausage, turn on the griddle to warm up, and the flat top that will accommodate those egg pans in a short period of time.  Fill the steam table and grab a cup of coffee.

Roll out the cart with mise en place that was prepped at the close of yesterdays business, slide those first pans of bacon and sausage in the oven, set the timer, put on butter to clarify, and oil the flat top to welcome pre-cooked, diced potatoes for home fries.  Crack a half case of eggs for scrambled, and finish the pancake and waffle batters that were measured out yesterday.  Check plates for chips and cleanliness and restack in their assigned location.  Pre-assemble garnishes, transfer eggs to cooler pans for easy access, keep those potatoes moving so that they are crisp on the outside and soft and warm inside, transfer cooked bacon and sausage to the steam table, fold side towels, and align spatulas, tongs, and slotted spoons for service.  Pre-heat pans in that lowboy oven, and double-check all of your mise.  Set up that pinch pot of salt and pepper, wash and dry berries of pancakes, remove the solids from that clarified butter, and grab another cup of coffee. 

Only a few minutes till the dining room opens – time to check in with the dining room manager and walk through your checklist one more time.  There will be no rest for the next three hours.  Soon the action begins and if all is organized properly it will run like a well-rehearsed orchestra.  At the end you will prep for tomorrow, clean your station, and pass on the spatula to the next shift.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

All respect for the breakfast cook

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