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THE 2021 CHEF SKILL SET

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It is always safe to say: “things change”.  Change is an inevitable part of life and as we all know if we fail to recognize that and adapt – we can become obsolete.  Throughout history there are countless examples of those who ignore or seem paralyzed by the need to change as their industries or specific job descriptions evolve.  This is reality, a reality that is quite predictable although the pace of change is now much more rapid than in the past.  Think about the technology sector as a prime example.

Sometimes the change curve can be mapped out allowing ample time to gear up with new skills, new products, new methods of production, and a laser focused marketing strategy, while on occasion, something environmental takes place that forces a more immediate response.  Such is the case in 2021. 

We all knew that the restaurant industry was in need of a structural overhaul, we (those of us affiliated with the business) were well aware of the cogs in the chain, and the years of rust that had accumulated on systems and organization, but it took the pandemic of 2020/21 to shout out: THE TIME IS NOW!

So here is the good news:  there will be ample opportunities in 2021 and beyond for chefs, cooks, managers, and service staff who recognize the immediacy of the challenge and the new skill set that will be required of successful players and leaders in the field.  Let’s take the position of chef as a prime example – here is a list of skills and aptitudes that will set todays and tomorrows chef apart from those who are in a state of change paralysis:

[]         EFFICIENCY

Doing more with less will be the name of the game.  The labor-intensive environments that have been typical in kitchens are nearly impossible to maintain.  Chefs who are able to develop systems of production that work with fewer people will find a gold star on their resume.

[]         STREAMLINED MENU PLANNING

To go along with efficiency – the new chef will need to find ways to develop creative menus that rely on fewer ingredients, are fluid enough to change as the market demands, cost effective, aligned with seasonal ingredients at their peak of quality, and just as exciting for customers and cooks as those expansive models used prior to 2021.

[]         ANALYSIS

Chefs who are able to generate, assess, and use analytical data in their decision-making (menu trends, cost trends, daily labor analysis, market prices, etc.) will have the upper hand when it comes to securing those prime job opportunities.

[]         SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY

Marketing no longer belongs to a department – marketing is every person’s responsibility.  With the increasing relevance of social media as the primary method of getting a restaurants message out – chefs who are social media savvy (astute at using Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, YouTube, and Twitter) will be at the top of the “hire” list for prominent restaurants.

[]         TEACHING/TRAINING

Of course chefs have always been trainers, but be aware that this will now become a “must schedule” part of their job.  Chef’s who are able to progressively teach cooks and even service staff about the ingredient, preparations, flavor profiles, pairings, and presentations of the food that is designed and produced in the kitchen will be in high demand.  With all of the challenges that culinary schools are also facing in this changing business environment, restaurants cannot depend on graduates as their primary source of trained cooks.

[]         LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT

Assuming that after the pandemic customers will return to a semi-predictable pattern of traveling to your restaurant is a bit naïve.  Chefs who are experienced in multiple ways of connecting customers with their food (catering, food trucks, pop-up restaurants, delivery, take out pick-up, etc.) will find themselves in the winner’s circle.

[]         FLEXIBILITY

My way or the highway may be difficult to maintain as a chef’s method of operation.  Bending to the market, changing in an instant, adopting other people’s ideas, and seeking out new ways of preparing and presenting food will become the new norm.  Can you leave your old habits behind?

[]         SANITATION ADVOCATE

As important as sanitation and food safety is already, look for this to become the most important signature of a chef’s repertoire.  Ultra-clean and safe will be a very important way that a restaurant markets itself and the chef who has the tallest toque.

[]         LABOR LAW SAVVY

If you don’t have a restaurant law course in your background, now is the time to sign up.  In a world where the employee will continue to have an upper hand, owners will want a chef on board who will protect them against litigation, not one who creates litigious situations.

[]         HR ROLE MODEL

How the parent acts is how the child will also act.  The same holds true in a kitchen: how the chef acts will become the standard of operation for everyone else.  Throw out all of the stereotypes of belligerent, egotistical, pan throwing, demeaning chefs – they can no longer exist.  If this is your M.O. then it’s time to retire.

[]         SUPPLY CHAIN NEGOTIATOR

Everything, every service, every price, every vendor relationship is negotiable –especially when it comes to buying local and regional.  Picking up the phone to place an order without talking about those details and negotiating the best option for the restaurant is not acceptable in the new restaurant world.  A negotiation savvy chef will win the day.

[]         IDEATOR/PROBLEM SOLVER

Finally, more than ever before the restaurant will look to the chef for new ideas and solutions to problems.  A 2021 chef must be the go-to person for that next great idea and must have the experience and confidence to find instant resolutions to the plethora of challenges that arise every day in a kitchen and restaurant.

In case you didn’t notice – I failed to mention anything about cooking skills – the act that attracted a person to the kitchen in the first place.  It will always be assumed that the chef in any operation has impeccable cooking skills, understands ingredients, is a master of preparation and presentation, and owns a palate for creating flavors that draws a steady flow of customers through the restaurants doors.

This is quite the package. How does your bag of tricks fit the profile?

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafetalks.libsyn.com/

THE EINSTEIN MOMENT FOR RESTAURANTS

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I have been thinking quite a bit lately about a comment made by Chef Jeremiah Tower during our recent podcast conversation.  He stated: “The restaurant industry needs an Einstein Moment.”  There are numerous ways that we categorize these occurrences:  Eureka moments, aha moments, or light bulb moments; but what we are referencing are those points in time when we suddenly understand the solution to a problem or the need for something that no one has pondered before.  With all of the challenges facing the restaurant industry today, it would seem that Chef Tower is spot on; but where do we turn for that flash of inspiration?

One thing is certain – we are overwhelmed with the problems of the moment and seem unable, or unwilling to move through the storm to blue skies that might exist beyond.  Those who have confidence in their abilities will often times say: “Give me some time to think, to reflect on my experience, to chat with a few friends, and I will find a solution to the problem.”  When we are able to set aside the pressure of the moment and let our imagination wander, there will be greater opportunities to find solutions and to define a new direction – one that might create even greater opportunities. 

I have been struggling to dig deeper into Chef Tower’s statement and have come to a few conclusions:

  • I don’t have the answers for the restaurant challenges of the day
  • I do have a better understanding of how we might collectively approach those challenges

There are a variety of ways that people, throughout history, have approached Einstein Moments – inspiration that leads to positive solutions:

  • OBSERVATION – Newton supposedly observed an apple falling from a tree and thought about earth’s pull – the result was an understanding of gravity.
  • EXPERIENCE – Horst Shultze, a young bellman at a hotel used his experience of working his way through various positions to eventually land the position of CEO of Ritz Carlton Hotels and their approach towards Total Quality Management.
  • TRIAL AND ERROR – Thomas Edison had thousands of failures before he was able to perfect the light bulb – the world has never been the same.
  • BUILDING A DEEP PORTFOLIO OF KNOWLEDGE – Doctor Salk, an accomplished researcher and virologist was able to build on his knowledge and that of his peers to develop the first vaccine for polio.
  • BEING BORN WITH THE GIFT OF VISUALIZATION – Steve Jobs was always able to envision devices and services that only he knew the world would need before they came to that realization.  The resulting products of personal computers, smart phones, clean and addictive MP3 players, and tablets are an integral part of our lives today.
  • DIGGING IN AND WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH IT – This is the method that every professional chef has used for generations.

One thing is certain, as described simply by Albert Einstein:

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

Ah – stay with me:  you might be thinking that the current challenges that restaurants face are all driven by the pandemic – so, we didn’t create them.  Certainly, the pandemic is a major curve ball that was not anticipated, but the effects on our businesses are crippling to this degree because of some deep seated issues that have been around for decades:  a labor intensive business, low profits, high rents, ingredients with a short shelf-life, unpredictable business volume, high cost of ingredients, and the list goes on.  In the end, the restaurant business did not have the resources or the wherewithal to weather this storm.  Our country will get through this crisis, but there will be others, maybe not as severe, but there will be others.  The Einstein Moment must begin with a realization of the “cause” so that we can find better ways to avoid curve balls in the future, or at least better deal with the “effects”.

Restaurant folks are pretty good at problem-solving when we can approach the issue in a logical manner:  “business volume is down and labor cost is out of whack so we change our operating hours and reduce the amount of labor needed – problem solved for the time being.”  But when the boat is leaking from a dozen different spots, then logic is far less effective.

“Logic will get you from point A to B.  Imagination will take you everywhere.”

-Albert Einstein

The industry’s current situation requires imagination that can lead to a Eureka moment and a new direction that attacks the root cause of leaking from a dozen different spots.

“Knowledge of what is does not open the door directly to what should be.”

-Albert Einstein

Relying on what we know may simply not be enough to pull our industry out of the weeds, build on its solvency, and set the boat right as we move forward into uncharted waters.

Somehow the restaurant industry as a whole (ideally), or at the very least small groups of community restaurants need to make the time to step back, take a deep breath, put aside the pressures of the moment and let their collective minds wander.  What we are looking for is not a solution to a problem so much as it is a rethinking of how we perceive our businesses.  

If we are looking for those flashes of insight it is important to define periods of time when we can “incubate” our thinking – stop focusing on the current problems and allow your mind to observe, listen, drift a bit, take in your environment, share with others, tap into other interests, and give your mind a chance to breathe and clear ample space for new thinking.  It may mean that we need to engage with other stakeholders and rather than state your time-tested approach – open yourself up to their feelings, needs, and thoughts.

“The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design (and longer term challenge solving) we will have.”

-Steve Jobs

Think of some of the great new directions (and products) that came out of this “Eureka Moment” approach:

  • When asked what consumers thought about buying record albums in the 1990’s and beyond, it was discovered that they were miffed that they had to purchase an entire album to get the one or two songs that they really liked.  The result was Napster – a free (illegal) service that allowed people to download individual songs to their MP3 player.  The industry responded by filing lawsuits and taking Napster to court rather than listening to consumers and addressing the real issue.  Along comes Steve Jobs and Apple – iTunes is born and the recording industry is suddenly re-invented.
  • When asked what they felt about the decades old taxi industry – customers expressed their dissatisfaction with standing on street corners trying to wave down a cab.  The resulting Einstein Moment gave birth to Uber built on the technology of a smart phone. The taxi business was re-invented.
  • When customers were asked about the service they received from their banks – they expressed dissatisfaction with hours of operation and their ability to access service when they were not at work.  The result was an Einstein Moment that led to drive-thru windows and ATM machines that were available 24/7. The banking industry was re-invented.
  • And when it was observed how much time and effort was involved in shopping for everyday purchases – Jeff Bezos responded with amazon.com that gave customers access to nearly everything imaginable, available 24/7, delivered to your door in a few days, and now with Prime – without the cost of shipping on every purchase. The retail business was re-invented.

This is what Chef Jeremiah Tower meant when he called for a restaurant industry Einstein Moment – a time when a major paradigm shift results in reinvention, not fixing a problem.  Who will be our Albert Einstein, our Steve Jobs, or our Jeff Bezos?  When will we take a step back and allow our minds to wander, to incubate, and to think clearly about what the restaurant business can and should be like in the decades to come?

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafetalks.libsyn.com/

A CHEF’S LETTER TO CONGRESS

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When approached, as it should be – your position is very challenging, at times – almost impossible.  By design you are charged with defending the Constitution, protecting the American people from harm, creating and passing laws that support the Bill of Rights, keeping other branches of government in check, lifting up the economy, being a beacon of light for other countries seeking to maintain or create a democratic government, creating an environment for private business to be innovative and cutting edge, maintaining the infrastructure of an enormous country, and doing all of this as representatives of the people.  This job of representation was designed to be a public service, something that you choose to do for the betterment of the country – offering your expertise in an altruistic manner for a period of time.  This is hopefully done in a manner that will leave the country better off as a result of your involvement.  You are elected by the people to do just this, and they trust that you will live up to the pledge that demands it.  We know that it takes time to get comfortable and understand your role more fully; we know that a few years is not enough time, but we also know that representation was never meant to be a lifetime career that bends to your need to “keep the job” and hang on to the personal benefits that it provides.

All of this is a heavy responsibility – not for the faint at heart.  This should never be a position that sets aside what you know is right and what the people expect in favor of a political party’s inclination or the pressures from donors and lobbyists.  The expectation is that you will stand up to this pressure and choose what is right and appropriate over what special interest groups desire.  This is a position that should make it difficult for you to sleep at night, to take those long vacations, to set aside the need to read and research, to avoid challenging the norm and stand on that soapbox at times in defense of what is right for the people.  Sorry, this is what goes along with the position of representation – representation that holds on it’s shoulders the lives of American people, their livelihood, their families, and their potential to live the American dream.

These are incredibly challenging times, times that none of us could have imagined just a year ago.  We all know the issues: a 100 year pandemic, a crumbling economy, a threatened system of education, loss of millions of jobs, a planet crying out for help, our decaying international stature, runaway deficit spending, fairness and equality, and the demise of private entrepreneurship – such an enormous load.  This is the worst of times, not the best and as a result this is the most inappropriate time to relinquish your responsibility for partisanship behavior.  When times are toughest teamwork must rise to the top of everyone’s priority list.  The decisions to be made must always take precedent over party desires and special interest pressure.  You need to come together to resolve the critical issues of our time or we all will pay the price.  Your people, the ones who placed their trust in you with their vote, are counting on you and they are watching.  The world depends on you just as much as do the American people and they are watching as well, watching with bated breath. 

One issue that may seem to be just another to add to the pile is the health of the restaurant industry in our country.   To some, this industry may seem to be one that is far from critical.  After all, people can cook at home.  To some, restaurants will always be a luxury and not a necessity – something that is great to have, but not essential.  I would beg to differ, and so would the millions of Americans who either work in, or dine in those establishments that have been the backbone of our economy for generations (yes, the backbone).  Allow me to elaborate for your edification – first some hard facts:

According to the National Restaurant Association:

  • There are (were) over 1 million freestanding restaurants in the United States before the coronavirus was part of our vocabulary.
  • 15.6 million Americans are (were) employed by the restaurant industry and to so many who live in this country – working in a restaurant was their introduction to the workforce
  • 90% of restaurant managers started out as entry-level restaurant employees demonstrating the upward mobility from a job to a career and although I don’t have a numeric value for it – a high percentage of professional chefs got their start as a dishwasher
  • 80% of restaurant owners started as an entry-level restaurant employee demonstrating the magic of the American Dream to become an entrepreneur
  • 70% of American restaurants are single unit private entrepreneurships

Now on the qualitative side – the following list points to the societal importance of restaurants to the heart and soul of our country:

  • Throughout the last 150 years – restaurants have been that place where people gather to challenge each other, to celebrate, to nourish, and to reward.  We rely on restaurants to provide these opportunities and the environment that fosters these interactions.
  • As our country has clawed its way through disaster after disaster: two world wars, the Korean war, Vietnam, Desert Storm, The Afghanistan War, the Great Depression, numerous recessions, the horrors of 9-11, Polio and HIV, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters – it has been the American restaurant that showed the first signs of national recovery.  When these disasters occur – it has been the American restaurant Industry that came together to help with the first, most basic need – to feed those in need. 
  • When families seek to raise their children to be active members of society and learn to care for themselves while earning those first paychecks – they turn to restaurants to teach their sons and daughters some basic skills.
  • When the demands placed on families because both parents need to work, or in single parent homes where survival is the first call to arms – the ability to lean on restaurants for family meals has always been a comfort.
  • When neighborhoods that have been plagued by decades of neglect seek to renew and rebuild – it is oftentimes expected that a restaurant will be the first business to open and show signs of life and hope for that renewal.

I could go on and on, but the essential point is that restaurants are important to America, they represent all that we envision and work to reach: a paycheck, an opportunity to become an entrepreneur, a place of gathering and comfort, a place to celebrate and raise a glass, an a sign of life and vitality for a community. 

Right now restaurants are in need of understanding and help from Congress.  This is not an issue that can be put aside for a while and looked at in the future.  This is not a tomorrow issue – this is critical TODAY, in this very moment.  The pandemic and necessary restrictions on public places like restaurants in order to protect the lives of so many are something that restaurant owners, chefs, servers, and managers understand.  At the same time, this is not a normal situation that resulted from an operator’s ability to manage properly, this is far beyond our control and as a result we need help to weather the storm.  Some predict that as many as 50% of the private restaurants in America will close before this pandemic comes under control – some will reopen and new ones, undoubtedly will rise up, but millions of jobs, the centerpieces of many neighborhoods, the lifeblood of far too many communities, and a significant chunk of the American Dream stand to crumble.

This is not a time for Congress to bicker over politics, to take partisan sides, to try to slide in those special interest expenditures, or to go on vacation with the job left undone.  This is the time to act for the people and the country that put you in office to be a representative, to do what is right.  The restaurant industry needs help in providing a paycheck for their employees, loan deferrals, rent support, and long-term advisement on how to reinvent themselves.  This is what one would expect from the greatest nation in the world and from a country that promotes the American Dream as essential to its character.

To fail to do this will result in the destruction of an essential industry to the character of America.  WE CAN’T WAIT – TIME HAS RUN OUT.  Do what you were elected to do and do it TODAY.  We are all watching what you do next.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

A CHEF’S REFLECTIONS

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The most challenging part of difficult times is living in the moment.  Today is what gives us the most angst since we live in uncharted territory with all of the unpredictable factors that align with it.  Yesterday is easy to look back on – it gives us strength and a point of reference, it provides context and the ability to analyze our actions, and it provides hope since we managed to work our way through it.  Tomorrow is inspiring and energizing since it provides opportunity and possibility without the burden of reality, it lifts us up and points the way to thinking in a positive manner – a manner that demonstrates that anything is possible if we set a course and stick to our commitment.  Ah, but TODAY is the tough one.  “How will we get through this, what else can possibly happen, will we survive to see those brighter times?”  This is where the restaurant industry is today, this is where chefs, cooks, and restaurateurs sit in the moment, and this is what keeps us all up at night – challenges without definitive answers.

There is plenty of hope and promise to be found in history – so maybe this is a good starting point.   Quite possibly we can find potential answers in the things that we miss, the challenges that we have, and similar points in time when others had faced similar situations.  So, as we close out on 2020 – here are some reflections and outcomes in the past that we might learn from.

[]         A DRAMATIC EVENT, BEYOND OUR CONTROL HAS SHUT THE DOOR ON RESTAURANT BUSINESS

Over the past 100-years our country has struggled through a number of earth shattering events that have changed the course of our lives, and re-shaped the structure of our life environment.  America has moved through two world wars, Prohibition, the 1918 pandemic, polio and tuberculosis, the Korean War, Vietnam, the tragedy of 9-11, the Great Depression and the economic collapse in 2008 as well as a number of recessions along the way, Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and now another epic pandemic.  It is hard to imagine how we have been able to still prosper and keep a positive outlook – yet we have and do.  During each of these events small businesses like restaurants have been challenged to stay afloat, yet alone grow.  Restaurants have always been, to varying degrees, viewed by many as a luxury that can easily be put aside when times are tough.  In fact, when times are tough – restaurants are even more important.  When we collectively are able to move past each of these life-changing cycles – it is the restaurant that helps to bring light and excitement back into people’s lives.  Restaurants have always been one of the first businesses to recover – people need to gather, to lift those glasses, to break bread and to celebrate all that is good and all that is promised.

Loads of future thinkers are projecting the demise of the restaurant business after Covid -19 subsides, but just as many have done the same after each of the other earth-shattering events listed in this article.  Certainly, there will be victims of these challenging times and many, many restaurants that we love will never open their doors again – but the restaurant business will evolve, adapt, regain energy, and find a way to thrive again.  We hope that our government will learn to respect the important role that restaurants play in our way of life and lend a helping hand, but even if this fails to happen – the American spirit of entrepreneurship will find a way – of this I am certain.

[]         LIMITATIONS ARE PLACED ON RESTAURANT OPERATIONS THAT EAT AWAY AT THE POTENTIAL FOR PROFITABILITY

It is difficult to argue with safety precautions designed to keep people well and thwart the spread of the virus.  At the same time it is worth noting that restaurants cannot survive at 50% capacity or worse, lockdowns that prevent any inside dining, take out or delivery only, or an environment that limits the “experience of dining out”.  It is certainly not the first time that the restaurant business has been faced with these types of challenges – Prohibition as an example.  Serving alcohol has always been the primary profit driver in full-service restaurants and when Prohibition took that option off the table then restaurants were hard put to find a path to profitability.  Of course their answer of serving alcohol illegally is not the best approach, but the fact remains that restaurants found a way – they had to. 

Fighting the common sense approach to limiting customer and employee exposure may make sense emotionally, but it is not realistic.  The only viable solution is to find ways to adapt and change to discover an approach that is safe, exciting for customers, and one that provides owners with the ability to earn a living. 

We have, as an example, predicted the death of fine dining through 9-11, the 2008 economic collapse, and every recession from the early 1960’s on.  Just as restaurants of this caliber seem to be on the precipice – they find a way to reshape what fine dining means, reinvent themselves, and rise back to a level of prominence.   If history is our guide, this transition will happen again – recognition, re-evaluation, re-invention, and revitalization.

Limitations force us to look for alternatives and workarounds.  Knowing that from insurmountable obstacles come the next wave of brilliant ideas – restaurateurs and chefs can and should rely on their innate ability to problem solve and invest in resilience and creativity to find a new way.

Finally, when we relinquish our desire to truly serve, when we fail to exemplify the word “hospitality”, when we give up on that part of the experience because we feel that limitations do not allow for it to occur – then we are doomed.  It has always been about hospitality and will always be so.  It is this commitment to making people feel welcome, special, and thought well of is the key to a return to success.

“Hospitality is central to the restaurant business, yet it’s a hard idea to define precisely.  Mostly, it involves being nice to people and making them feel welcome.  You notice it when it’s there, and you particularly notice it when it isn’t.  A single significant lapse in this area can be your dominant impression of an entire meal.”

_John Lanchester

[]         THE MAGIC OF WORKING IN A PROFESSIONAL KITCHEN HAS LOST ITS SHINE

As we ideate our way to a new business model it is important to remember that hiring passionate, creative, dynamic, excited employees will always be the way to success.  Every new business model must provide a platform for these individuals to be expressive.  Without this dynamic, a restaurant will be relegated to a standardized product and level of service that provides a means to an end, but will rarely entice great employees to knock on your door. 

We (the industry of food) created employee attraction throughout the 80’s and 90’s by elevating the status of talented chefs to become the centerpiece of the food experience.  Just as in the past, it will be important for the food industry to present kitchen work as inspiring, important, beneficial, exciting, and rewarding both professionally and financially.  As long as cooks and chefs view the work of the kitchen as a job with a paycheck then the brilliance of culinary artistry will take a back seat to free agency.  When chefs simply seek out the highest bidder for their skills and talent then the sparkle of a career in food will falter and fewer and fewer individuals will commit to tie on an apron and dedicate the effort.

Those of us who have spent a significant part of our lives working in kitchens, interacting with a well connected team, embracing great raw materials as we transition them into beautiful plates of food, and helping to make people smile, relax, laugh, and raise a glass in friendship – are distraught.  Our purpose, and our passion have been devastated over the past 9-months and we know that it will still take time before things truly begin to improve.  It may seem a bit hopeless to some and difficult at best to others, but rest assured – the environment where restaurants exist will improve, in fact it will likely improve dramatically.  Life in the kitchen will change, but there is little doubt that the role of restaurants in the human experience will rise up again.  The talent, passion, and ambitions that you have as a cook, chef, or entrepreneur is simply dormant right now – a period of hibernation.  We will fill a void that has been gnawing at the fabric of the American experience for far too long – the need to gather, to break bread, to enjoy a great meal, and to laugh will never go away.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

HERE’S TO A VERY PROMISING 2021

Restaurants are the center of our American communities

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

https://cafetalks.libsyn.com/

THE RESTAURANT ECO-SYSTEM NEEDS HELP

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There are a number of reasons why restaurants fail – some are predictable and avoidable, while others can catch a business off guard.  None, however, are as devastatingly out of the operators control as this pandemic.  Even the best operators are at a loss for solutions.  There are short-term band aid solutions such as takeout, delivery, or even conversion into retail markets where wine inventories and local necessities take over space once occupied by diners, but they are not a replacement for a steady turn of tables.  Restaurants have been relegated to outside dining or limited indoor space with loads of protocol limitations (some that are even more stringent than what is expected of other businesses) – this doesn’t pay the bills or keep a staff employed.

The pandemic is an “all hands on deck” problem that can be somewhat contained through simple precautions, but until there is mass vaccination of a population – these precautions dig at the heart and soul of a business that is essential to our way of life, our psyche, and our social health and wellbeing. 

There have been well over 100,000 restaurants that have closed their doors permanently as a result of the pandemic.  Many of these restaurants have been around for decades or even generations.  They just can’t survive the pain of lost business for months on end.  Now, this alone might not keep the average consumer or politician up at night, but what they fail to understand is that restaurants are at the center of a broad eco-system of businesses that are inter-dependent.  When your favorite restaurant closes its doors it is disturbing and sad, but it is also part of a domino effect that can tumble out of control.

Here are some of the other businesses that suffer when a restaurant closes, sometimes they too cannot survive as a result:

[]         Regional Farmers:  A significant percentage of farm crops are dedicated to restaurants.  A reduction in restaurant business leads to crop waste, unplanted land, and serious cash flow problems for farmers.  Already living on the edge – smaller farms cannot withstand this loss of business volume.

[]         Fisherman:  The end consumer’s love of fish cannot sustain a fisherman’s need to catch and sell a quantity of product to offset their expenses.  Restaurants account for a large percentage of a fisherman’s direct or indirect business volume.

[]         Ranchers:  Have you noticed that the price of beef, pork, and chicken has increased significantly over the past few months?  Those processing plants need to cover their substantial operational costs now that restaurant business has all but disappeared.  If processing plants cannot find an outlet for their end product then this trickles down to the rancher who is saddled with cattle, pigs and chickens without a market.  The end result is reduced herds, increased cost of feed, land without sufficient grazing, etc., etc.

[]         Cheese Makers:  Cheese, although there are exceptions, is still a product with a shelf life.  When restaurants fail or reduce their product needs, then cheese makers must do the same.  Inventories wane, waste becomes a real concern, decreased cheese product means a reduced need for milk putting a strain on dairy farmers, and the lists goes on and on.

[]         Equipment Manufacturers:  Restaurant kitchens are home to some very expensive equipment – when sales volume evaporates then restaurants are faced with aging equipment that they cannot replace, and delays in opening new operations that require equipment purchases.   There is no other outlet for this specialized equipment.

[]         Breweries:  Sure, maybe consumers are directing their beer purchases to their local package store, but breweries know that this direct to consumer cycle is not sufficient to support their growing expenses.  It is the restaurant segment of their business that creates a steady flow of cash to support their endeavors. 

[]         Distilleries and wineries:  The same holds true for those who market distilled beverages, and of course the wine industry.  Restaurants are the mainstay of business for vintners both domestic and imported.

[]         Table Top Manufacturers:  Restaurants are constantly buying and replacing china, glassware, and flatware for their restaurants.  It is a business that is predictable and dependable – until purchases stop.  Every restaurant that tries to survive during these difficult times will commit to tightening their belts and deferring any purchases that are deemed non-essential.  Those companies focused on tabletop have found that their business has disintegrated.

[]         Local Musicians:  Musicians need to play.  That wonderful local talent that graced the stage in bars and restaurants, and at banquets and festivals no longer has an outlet.  There is literally no opportunity for them to play and earn a living.  The need to survive will have a long-term impact on the availability of live music for quite some time.  Musicians depend on the restaurant business.

[]         Florists:  Sure – florist shops do very well on Mother’s Day, Easter, and Valentine’s Day – but the rest of the year involves a full-time focus on weddings, banquets, reunions, anniversary parties, and daily restaurant floral displays.  When this business goes away (there are no conferences, large wedding receptions, business gatherings, or restaurant floral displays during the pandemic) then the florist is left with unsustainable cash flow.

[]         Linen Companies:  The vast majority of restaurants do not have laundries where tablecloths and napkins, and restaurant uniforms and side towels can be laundered, starched and ironed.  These restaurants rely on linen companies for this service as they rent all of the above.  When business dries up in restaurants – so does business disappear for linen companies.

[]         Wholesalers:  Those companies that collect, deliver, stock, and bill for essential ingredients in restaurants depend, almost exclusively, on restaurants for their business.  Unless they can change their business model and supply ingredients directly to consumers – then wholesalers are left with a greatly diminished amount of business volume.

[]         Clothing Stores and Uniform Companies:  Those local clothing stores take a direct and indirect hit from a faltering restaurant industry.  Directly – those clothing stores that have relied on providing restaurant uniforms have found that their business model is void of customers.  Indirectly, as fewer people take the risk of dining out and shelter at home during the pandemic, they also cut back on clothing purchases that they can display when enjoying a night at their local restaurant or bar.

[]         Coffee Growers and Roasters:  The direct to consumer market for coffee roasters is certainly important, and at some level the take out business and home brew option is still strong, but still a large section of their wholesale business has dried up as restaurants fail at an alarming rate while others have seen business volume decrease by 50% or more.

[]         Landlords:  Building owners have been a target during the pandemic as restaurants have found it impossible to meet the requirements of a lease.  In the end, the landlord also has to pay bills and when a restaurant defaults – they find themselves in a very difficult situation.  “Should we cancel a lease for non-payment and evict the tenant, or should we try to compromise?”

[]         Bakeries:  Most small to medium sized restaurants cannot afford the space or talent needed to produce their own breads and other baked goods.  So, they rely on local or regional bakeries for those goods.  Many bakeries have built their business model on this type of wholesale as their mainstay.  When restaurants fail – they take your local bakeries with them.

[]         Culinary and Restaurant Management Colleges:  With a decrease in the number of restaurants and significantly lower volume of business – there is far less need for those young, eager graduates.  Schools are experiencing dramatic declines in enrollment and challenges in job placement.  Every day brings another college program closing.

The list could go on and each of these listed businesses has their own eco-system of impacted operations.  The point is that that failing local restaurant is only part of the dilemma.  If we allow restaurants to fail, then we allow the entire ecosystem to fail as well.  If restaurants are financially healthy then the system works well.  Right now the restaurant industry needs help from the Federal government.  Without extended PPP benefits, bank loan deferrals, help for landlords, and business recovery training for small restaurants – this system will crumble.  Restaurants cannot wait until 70 or 80% of the population receives a vaccine.  Restaurants cannot survive until the fall of 2021, restaurants cannot continue to wonder from week to week whether they will be able to accept indoor customers or not and they cannot wait for politicians to find a way to talk respectfully to one another.  They need help now!  If this is not provided then an important part of our culture, a major employer of people, and the heart of the food ecosystem will not survive.   Write to your representative, speak your mind through the media, stand in support of your local businesses and do your part.  We have lost too much over the past 9-months; don’t add your local restaurants to the list.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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MARC MENEAU – ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREAT CHEFS

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There are chefs who have mastered the craft of cooking, chefs who have built a public brand that defines a region or exemplifies a cuisine; there are others who give to their community and as a result uplift those who call that community “home”; and there are those who push cooking in new and exciting directions.  On rare occasions, there are chefs who do all of the above and more.  Chef Marc Meneau was such a chef – a powerful personality who elevated the dining experience – a chef who lived excellence every day in his restaurant L’Esperance in Vezelay, France.

A small, historic community on the crest of a hill in the Burgundy stands tall as a village where thousands of worshipers and interested historians visited each year to pass through the threshold of its Benedictine monastery – The Basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine built in 1120 A.D. – a house of worship where it is claimed rest some of the bones of Mary Magdalene.  Walking up the cobblestone road that leads to the church and taking in the beauty of the French countryside is truly a spiritual experience.  At the same time, on the outskirts of this religious mecca, sits another destination that for decades attracted worshipers of a different kind.

Vezelay is a centuries old village of less than 500 year-round residents, but throughout the year, visitors from around the world would make the trek to experience the spirituality of the area and to win a table reservation at Marc Meneau’s magnificent restaurant.  Some would fly into France and make the final journey by car to break bread with friends and business clients at the Michelin 3-star L’Esperance, enjoy a memorable meal, and then fly home.  It was this good.

Walking towards the entrance to L’Esperance – you could feel the stress of life leave and the anticipation of something unique and noteworthy about to happen.  Chef Meneau’s wife, Francoise, might greet you at the door, as well as their dog that had free reign of much of the restaurant.  A beautiful, petite gift shop on your left was reminiscent of stepping into a Cartier store in Paris, but in this case the product was not jewelry, but rather expensive wine, caviar, glassware, and reminders of your time visiting Marc Meneau’s contribution to the culinary arts.

The dining room was perfectly appointed with fresh flowers, the finest tabletop details, and magnificent views of the L’Esperance gardens.  Many visitors would in fact be encouraged to walk through the gardens in between courses to take in its beauty and aid in digestion of the multiple courses to come.

As you walk through to your table you might pass young service staff hand wrapping house made caramels and chocolates, polishing silver, and nurturing the robust coffee beans that would eventually become a perfect espresso at the end of your meal.

As perfect as the dining room was – the environment was still light and comfortable.  The L’Esperance experience was not pretentious at all, yet for those who make their livelihood with food – there was a reverence to this place that was quite unique. 

If first impressions are truly lasting impressions then Meneau knew how to control them.  While guests take in the view and passionately read the menu – the L’Esperance signature Cromesqui would arrive.  Painstakingly prepared with foie gras passed through a fine mesh sieve until it was as smooth as silk, and added truffle and cognac – this mind blowing concoction was refrigerated, cut into precise cubes, coated in seasoned flour, and fried until crisp.  When served the process of enjoying this amuse bouche came with instructions from your server.  “Place it in your mouth, do not chew – allow it to melt in your mouth and attack your senses.”  This single bite could be felt in your sinuses, on your palate, and in the process of coating your throat as it disappeared.  This set the stage for what was to come.

Each course would be masterfully prepared and presented and flawless in execution.  You would find yourself wanting more of each dish, but anxiously awaiting what would come next at the same time.  This was dining as it could be; dining executed at the highest level.  If you ever wondered why a 3-star Michelin experience was so special – you now knew.

A tour of the kitchen was to a food lover, the ultimate polish to a perfect meal.  The kitchen, as you would expect, was pristine.  Stainless, silver, and copper was accentuated by the natural light that flowed from the kitchen windows.  Stations were set as per the same model that Escoffier had defined more than a century and a half before.  Entremetier, Saucier, Poissonier, Garde Manger, Grillade, and Patissier were directed by the calm yet forceful voice of the Sous Chef/Expeditor as he called out orders in French.  Everything was made fresh and from scratch – in fact, at the end of a service, the coolers at L’Esperance would likely be near empty –waiting for the early morning orders to arrive tomorrow.

Chefs and commis were in crisp whites and blue aprons.  They were serious about their work and cognizant that the smallest detail was as important as the most complex.  The experience that was the guest’s – began with this level of passion and commitment.

Meneau’s presence was always felt, even though he might be walking through the dining room visiting guests.  He did not need to cook a dish to impact it’s flavor and presentation.  This kitchen was the perfect example of a consummate team of professionals.

Meneau was never trained as a cook, yet his passion for food, for outstanding experiences, and for the significance of excellence allowed this self-taught study of the craft to rise to the culinary world’s highest perch.

For ten years, I had the distinct pleasure of sending student interns for a semester experience in France.  An experience that included a stage in operations like L’Esperance.  While not every student had the opportunity to work with Meneau, they did find themselves in Michelin restaurants from Paris to Sancerre.  Every student knew of Meneau and what he represented, and he would often visit our home base in Entrains sur Nohain to chat with them about food, history, and the beauty of France.

Meneau was a world ambassador for French cooking and was treated as a celebrity wherever he would visit.  He was commissioned to work with the producers of the movie “Vatel” featuring Gerard Depardieu as the chef who made the grand food presentations during the age of Louis the XIV.  The food that you see in the movie was directed by Meneau.  Sofia Coppola, in the movie: “Marie Antoinette, was surrounded by beautiful food created by Meneau and his team.

As a restaurateur – Meneau understood the challenges of being successful.  Of earning a profit – he once told me:  “Restaurant profit is found in the onion peel, not the onion, and in the lobster shell, not the lobster itself.”  At one point Meneau suffered through the loss of a Michelin star, but- re-energized, he worked to gain it back and did so.  Earning those stars is challenging, but keeping them is relentless.

On December 9, 2020 – Marc Meneau passed away at the age of 77 and the culinary world will miss him.  His impact will not be lost as this chef has raised the bar and sits with a small cadre of exceptional culinarians as a benchmark that will continue to define the possibilities of great dining.

Rest in Peace – chef.

PLAN BETTER –TRAIN HARDER

Listen to and learn from the great chefs

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COOKS AND THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS

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Sweat was creeping down Alex’s back.  The line was just 15 minutes into the 7 o’clock push and the board was full.  The pressure was on, but Alex was on his game – he was wearing an ear-to-ear smile because he knew he was in the zone.  The line team was in total sync:  Alex looked at his sous chef expediting on the other side of the pass – his eyes said: bring it on chef.

This has been a long haul for the eager, confident line cook who started out three years ago as a dishwasher.  It was that part-time job in his senior year of high school, diving for pearls on weekends and an occasional weeknight that gave Alex a level of confidence that was lacking in his life.  He would graduate from school, but not because he was a stellar student, but simply because he promised his parents that he would.  School actually came easy for him, but it just wasn’t his thing.  Working, sore muscles sweat, aching feet – this is what gave him a sense of purpose.

The light bulb went off the summer after graduation when he finished his third consecutive week of 50 plus hours on dishes – the chef called Alex into his office and sat him down.  “Alex, I really like your work ethic, the fact that I can always count on you to be here and work your hardest is incredibly valuable to me and the team.  I just don’t think that you are working to the level of your ability.  You’ve washed enough dishes – it’s time to learn how to cook.”  From that moment on Alex knew that his career choice had been made.

This is how so many cooks are made.  Even those who have the opportunity to take the time to attend culinary school, if they are truly committed, started out just like Alex.  It has been said many times that career cooks don’t choose their profession – it chooses them.

Alex spent a year as a prep cook – this is where he learned how to identify ingredients and judge their quality, proper food safety and sanitation, how to set-up a work station, sharpen and care for knives, the dimensions on vegetable cuts, how to make a perfect stock, all of the cooking methods, fabricate a chicken, cut steaks, bone out a ham, fillet round and flat fish, open clams and oysters, turn potatoes, build flavors, and create an array of sauces from the bold stocks that he made.  Most importantly he discovered how to organize his work, be consistent, meet the standards of the operation, and build some speed.  After a year of this important routine – he was ready for the line.

Things were a bit rough at first.  Alex had become accustomed to working independently – playing his skills against the clock and the constantly expanding prep list, but now he had to depend on others.  The whole concept of team was something that would take adjustment time.  He started on the fry station where his focus was on a few bar appetizers, pommes frites, and an occasional deep fried entrée.   When other stations depleted their mise en place Alex would jump in to chop fines herbs, portion extra proteins, clarify butter, or simply line up plates or fold extra side towels.  This was a valuable experience since he had the chance to watch how every other station operated.  At first it seemed impossible: “How do they keep all of those orders timed properly, seasoned appropriately, and always looking perfect at the time of plating?”   After a few months he had a pretty good picture of how it all worked and his comfort level improved dramatically.  Now he was pulled into the grill station on a reasonably slow night when the normal station cook was ill and couldn’t make it in for his shift.  Alex understood degrees of doneness, but keeping a chargrill organized with multiple degrees of doneness, making sure that those hash marks from the grill were spot on, and taking carry over cooking into account was overwhelming.  He made it through that first night with only three re-fires, but it was rough.

The chef made sure that from that point on – Alex was scheduled one night per week on the grill.  Practice makes perfect and in no time he had built a high level of competence and confidence.  Alex saw that the chef was determined to build him into a roundsman – a cook who could work many stations with a high level of skill.  For the first time since washing that first dish while in high school, Alex saw the kitchen as a likely career – one that might even lead to the chef’s position at some point.

Another few months and the chef pulled Alex off of the hot line and scheduled him to shadow the Garde Manger.  “You need to learn the cold side of the kitchen as well.  Garde Manger is where we make our profit.  Salads, appetizers, and desserts are the “extras” that help to turn a restaurant into a successful one.  This is also where you will fine tune your skill at plate presentations.”

To Alex, this seemed like a demotion.  The hot line was where the action was, where teamwork was built, and where the sweat from hard work was most evident.  Garde Manger seemed too light for a cook on the rise.  He would work with Sally who had been at the restaurant for three years – the last two in Garde Manger.  Alex quickly saw that the shear number of components that Sally had to work with made the grill station look like child’s play.  Everything had its own process, most of which fell on Sally’s shoulders unlike the hot line that was serviced by the prep cook.  There were marinades, dressings, poached fruits, sauce reductions, delicate garnishes, artisan cheeses of all types, croustades, washed and spun greens, shucked oysters and clams, poached lobster, pates, and galantines, and the assembly of some pretty intricate desserts that were prepped by the pastry chef in the early morning hours.  It was a lot to organize and assemble – Sally did it so well, with so much finesse.  Alex’s learning curve would be steep.  He dove into the challenge and learned to admire Sally’s skill more and more every day.  He would later find out that she too started on the hot line, but now preferred her artistic station.

Through his on-going training rotation Alex felt himself grow into each position, earn respect from his peers, and slowly become a very good and extremely valuable member of the restaurant kitchen team.  After three solid months in Garde Manger the chef called Alex in to the office.  “Alex, I am very pleased to see how much you have grown and how confident your teammates are in your skill set.  I want to take a step back for the next month and schedule you back in the dish room.  You will start there on Monday.”  The chef left it at that without any explanation.  Alex was crushed and confused.  “This is where I was two years ago.  I thought I was doing a really good job in the kitchen – why is the chef doing this?”  A bit of anger crept into Alex’s psyche and as he walked home he even gave thought to quitting this job and looking to a different restaurant.  The next day, however, he returned to the kitchen thinking that he would show the chef that he was much more talented than wasting his abilities on diving for pearls.

What happened in that first week of dishwashing was both enlightening and humbling.  He began to see the position differently now – he looked at the importance of the dishwasher through the eyes of the cook.  It wasn’t sufficient just to wash sauté pans for the middle station – he wanted to make sure that they were stacked in line with the cooks mise en place, handles pointing a certain way, scrubbed till they glistened, and always perfectly dry before they hit the deep blue flame from the stove.  He made extra sure that plates were perfectly clean, dry, and free of chips and cracks.  He knew now how frustrating it was for a cook to pick up a plate and find out it wasn’t suitable for the assembly of a dish.  He took the time to show servers just how important it was to properly scrape and stack dirty plates to keep the system working well, and he was always on the look out for floor spills that could endanger a cook or server.  He quickly slipped into the role of an excellent dishwasher.

After two weeks, the chef called Alex into the office again.  “You may have wondered why I put you back in the dish area after two years of cooks training.  I think you see now that the objective was to give you a different perspective on how important that position is to the operation of the kitchen.  A great dishwasher can lead to success and a poor one can bring a kitchen down.  I guarantee you that from this point on you will never take the position for granted.   Tomorrow you will begin to learn sauté – our most complicated line position.”

It has been three months now since Alex started on sauté.  He is exceptional at the work, incredibly well organized, spot on as a teammate, and well rounded with his understanding of cooking.  When his look passed on to the expeditor said: “bring it on”, it was because Alex was a confident and competent cook who learned through the school of hard knocks.  He loved what he did and knew that the chef could depend on him to jump into any position where he was needed – even the dish room.  Alex could see into the future and knew that it wouldn’t be long before that first sous chef position came his way.

There is no better way to learn the ropes, become excellent at your craft, and set the stage for a long and fruitful career than learning by doing.  All of these steps are essential.  Look for the opportunities, accept the challenges, enter each phase with an open mind, and build your repertoire in a methodical fashion.  The world is your oyster.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

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CHASING THE DEVIL – SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS

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Joe is a single guy, young and well educated, quiet yet personable enough, incredibly talented as a cook, reflective, and a closet alcoholic.  From the perspective of the chef who reigns in charge of the restaurant where Joe works – this young line cook is an ideal employee.  The chef knows that Joe will always be ready with his mise en place at service, always be focused on excellence in cooking, he will look the part of a professional and whenever the chef is short an employee he knows that Joe will respond to the emergency and double time it in on his day off.  The chef is either oblivious to or avoiding what everyone else in the kitchen knows – Joe drinks with reckless abandon.  After work – Joe can’t wait to trot to the closest bar where his alter-personality kicks in after the second drink.  When he settles in to this environment he quickly turns from that quiet, reflective, talented cook to the life of the party.  He has done this for so long that Joe is able to stumble home at 3 in the morning and appear sharp and focused at 1 p.m. when he arrives for another shift behind the line.

Today, something is different.  It’s 1:20 and Joe hasn’t shown up for work yet.  The rest of the crew is quiet and uncomfortable as the chef asks if anyone has heard from Joe – his most dependable cook.  The chef has called Joe’s cell a few times – but no one answers.  By 2:00 everyone is rather worried and the chef sends one of his other cooks to Joe’s apartment to check on him.  After pounding on his door for ten minutes – he finally opens the door.  He is in rough shape, his face is bruised and cut, his clothes are spattered with blood, and he is obviously still intoxicated from a late night of bar hopping.  “Man – what the hell is going on?  You’re supposed to be at work – the chef sent me to check on you.”  Joe is speechless – he simply waves off his peer and says: “I’m not coming in today.”  This cook has hit the wall – alcohol has taken control and there is no turning back at this point.  He hasn’t been on an extended bender for quite some time – but now one is rearing up its ugly head.  This isn’t the first job that he will likely lose, and it won’t be the last.

If you are working in the restaurant business then this story will ring true.  Maybe you are one of the lucky ones who can occasionally over-subscribe to alcohol or other substances and not worry about the disease sinking its clutches into your every being.  Even if this is the case – you have worked or are working with others who can’t turn it on or off.  Statistics that measure substance abuse by industry rank food service as #3 in heavy alcohol use and #1 in abuse of illicit drugs.  Joe is not an anomaly.  Nearly 13% of all heavy alcohol users in the U.S. work in the food service industry!  Why is this so and what can be done about it?

There are a number of tragedies associated with Joe’s situation – a number of ancillary victims whose only shortcoming is a quiet association with Joe and his problem.  The chef will ultimately lose a great employee, his co-workers will suffer the impact of Joe’s meltdown, customers might even begin to notice a change in the quality of work, Joe’s family will suffer the uncertainty of his health and wellbeing, friends and relationships will deteriorate, and he will continue down this bottomless pit until he self-destructs even further.  All of those connections tried to ignore the growing problem and simply shook their heads and hoped for the best.

One recovering alcoholic stated: “I think I always knew there was going to be a problem – but I thought – not me.   One day a delivery driver arrived late – I was pissed!  I gave him a hard time for no reason – it was not his fault.  On his way out the door he said to me: ‘I wish I could give you a beer’.  It was confirmed – I wasn’t hiding it well.”

Alcoholism and Drug Abuse are part of a disease category that relies on dependence.  Like any other disease it needs to be recognized, accepted, and treated.  This dependence will not go away on it’s own.  The person or persons impacted by this disease will require a regimented treatment unlike any other debilitating disease.  People impacted by substance abuse will need tough love, support, physical treatment, mental and emotional support, and a lifetime of discipline to overcome the need to lean on alcohol or drugs.  As is said: “once an alcoholic or drug user, always an alcoholic or drug user.”  Note that no one is ever cured of this disease – they are always referred to as “recovering” – never cured.  Yet, like Joe – so many keep their problem under wraps as long as they can – never seeking help, never admitting that they are plagued by the evil hands of a monster that always tries to draw them in.

You might think:  “a drink now and then is fine, it’s enjoyable, a nice release, a way to enjoy the social nature of friendship and family.”  You might reflect on your own situation where a bottle of wine with a great meal is the complete package and never something that draws you in at the expense of family, friendships, mental health, or a career.  That’s great – I belong to this fortunate club, but at the same time I have witnessed lives crushed, relationships shattered, careers end, and even lives lost among those who are not as fortunate to have the off and on switch.  What Joe is experiencing is what tens of thousands of food service workers face every day – it is a very, very serious problem.  There was a point in my career when I felt that I should become an honorary member of Alcoholics Anonymous simply because so many of my friends and co-workers built their life schedules around AA meetings.  Let me reiterate – it is a very, very serious problem.

A good friend and fellow chef stated:  “Most alcoholics and addicts feel all alone in a crowded football stadium – most of us think we don’t belong.  A lot of people think, in the beginning, it will help them be more social, to get along better, but what you’re really doing is placing yourself where you can no longer learn – you stop growing.”

During these unprecedented times when the restaurant industry is challenged like never before, when the routine of the cook, chef, server, or manager is very uncertain, and when that typical adrenaline rush of working in a busy kitchen has, in some cases, come to a halt; there may be more individuals than ever before who are on the edge.  It is so easy for alcohol or drugs to creep in and take control.  We all need to pay attention to the signs, be aware, and be there to support those who are finding it difficult to cope.

It takes a village to save a friend or co-worker from the ravages of substance dependence; we can all play a role in the recovery process.  First, most who are in the know will tell you that it serves no purpose to ignore or discount an alcoholic’s or drug addict’s actions.  This is the tough love part – they need to be called out.  Second, we can all help by talking about how their actions impact not just themselves, but also all those individuals around them.  It is important that the individual come to grips with the problem.  Third, we need to support them by helping the alcoholic or drug dependent individual connect with the right help.  Bring the individual to the helping hands of another recovering cook, chef, friend, family member, or known AA sponsor.  Know where and when local AA meetings are being held.  Post it in your kitchen for all to see.  Finally, be the voice of encouragement – the process out of despair is long and difficult, but never turn away from their desire to become whole again.  The person may lose a job along the way; find a family member or friend who turns his or her back, or a co-worker who fails to understand the disease.  From this point on – staying sober or clean is the most important action in their lives.

Words of advice from my friend: “Ask for help!  You are not alone.  There is so much help out there – talk with somebody before it’s too late.”

I was turned on to the following TEDTalk.  It is heart-wrenching and uplifting at the same time.  Everyone, whether directly impacted by substance abuse or not – should watch and listen.  This is a valuable 10-minute investment of your time.

SOBER REALITY FOR THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY:

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER
Know that you are not alone

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THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN THE MAKING OF A GREAT CHEF

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Is it possible to narrow down the secret of greatness to one ingredient?  What could it be?  Is it really that simple, or in this case is simplicity really complex?   I have had the honor to work with, know, or at least meet many extraordinary chefs and cooks and my assessment is that – yes, there is one common ingredient that makes all the difference in how adept, interesting, creative, and ultimately successful a chef or cook might become.  The ingredient is CURIOSITY.

Great cooks and chefs never simply accept – they are perpetually inquisitive.   Those classical kitchens where cooks simply follow directives because that is what the chef demanded were never destined to nurture great chefs.  Cooks need to state the most important questions if they are to grow – “why, where from, what is the rationale, what is the history, how is it made, what are the differences, and when should you choose one example over another?”

It is curiosity, the quest for answers upon answers that builds passion, understanding, creativity, and competence.   When a cook simply accepts without asking why, how, what, or when, then his or her passion for the craft will be limited, his or her perspective on the job of cooking with be tainted, and the resulting cooking will be a shadow of what it might become.  To nurture young cooks, to teach and train, and to build competence and confidence among those who work in a kitchen, it is essential that we (chefs and culinary teachers) establish a platform where curiosity reigns. 

Think about the possibilities and the opportunities that curiosity might unveil. 

  • SALT as a mineral and a seasoning is just salt – why question it?  Yet to really know salt is to understand where it comes from and how it is extracted.  Once you understand that the environment where salt is drawn from, just like the terroir for wine grapes, will have a significant impact on this magical mineral.  Visiting a salt mine, a sea salt plant, or if you have the chance a French Fleur de Sel farm or Japanese soy sauce artisan producer will reveal the complexities of this simple ingredient that to many cooks is just a commodity that sits on their storeroom shelves.
  • CARROTS, POTATOES, TURNIPS, and PARSNIPS are root vegetables that are easily available to all cooks and are offered at very inexpensive commodity prices.  Root vegetables are just root vegetables unless you understand them, visit a farm where they are grown, spend a few days in the farmers shoes, harvest the root vegetables by pulling them from the soil that has kept them in a protective blanket for months, and brushed them off and taken a bite.  Curious chefs want to know what that carrot really tastes like, how the farmer plays a role in its shape, texture and flavor, and how soil and climate impact the flavor.  I guarantee that if this curiosity is met – the cook will never view a root vegetable in the same manner again.
  • THAT STRIP LOIN COMES FROM MY VENDOR, period.  This is easy to accept.  Call your local meat vendor, place an order, receive it, store it, prep it and prepare it just as the chef told you.  Simple directions for the cook working the grill station in your kitchen.  But cooking that is void of understanding is so shallow, void of respect, and starved of meaning.  To become an extraordinary grill cook and eventually a chef who plans menus using those products received from a meat vendor – a serious kitchen employee must ask those critical questions:  WHERE does the product come from?  WHAT part of the animal?  WHY do certain cuts adapt well to high temperature, rapid cooking like grilling, while others insist on low heat and slow timing?  HOW is the animal cared for?  WHAT is it fed?  HOW is the animal processed, fabricated, aged, graded, and packaged?  WHAT is the difference between dry and wet aging and does Cryovac impact the flavor of the muscle?  Think about the care, respect, intensity of attention to detail, and pride that a cook will have once he or she is able to have answers to these questions, maybe visit a cattle ranch, a feed lot, and processing plant before turning a steak on a hot grill to receive those perfect grill marks.
  • ORDER FRESH SEAFOOD FROM OUR USUAL FISHMONGER is a task that chefs engage in constantly.  It might come from a local supplier or be flown in from different parts of the world, but what is important is the transaction and receipt – right?  The styro boxes packed with ice arrives and inside are beautiful Queen Snapper from Florida, Mahi Mahi from Hawaii, Atlantic salmon from Norway, Lobsters from Maine, or Dover Sole from the coast of England.  The chef unpacks, fabricates, stores, and prepares this seafood as is intended and the customer enjoys the fruits of the chefs labor.  How shallow is this process that is void of any real understanding or curiosity?  Why did the chef choose that Queen Snapper from Florida, Salmon from Norway, or Lobster from Maine?  Is it simply because of a product specification designed to meet a standard?  Imagine how the chef would approach the transaction if he or she had spent an arduous day on a Maine Lobster boat – pulling in cages?  Imagine how the chef might approach the fabrication of a beautiful Norwegian Salmon if he or she had visited with those engaged in fish farming off the cost of Bergen, Norway?  Imagine if that same chef had tried to overcome seasickness on a 25-ton fishing trawler positioned miles off the coast of Florida as they pulled in nets filled with the fruits of the sea?  Would satisfaction of this curiosity change the way that chefs order, store, fabricate, cook and serve the fish that came through the hands of dedicated fishermen rather than those who simply move the product from point A to point B?
  • PURCHASING THOSE FLOUR OR CORN TORTILLAS is the most cost effective way of acquiring the ingredients for that “authentic”, Central American restaurant.  After all, who has time to make fresh tortilla?  This will always be the case in the absence of curiosity.   Until a cook or chef has tried that first hand pressed and grilled tortilla, folded it to encompass a world of different ingredients, maybe pay a visit to Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, or Costa Rica or at least spent a day with indigenous people who would never, ever use a store bought shell – he or she will fail to feel the history and the passion behind this beautiful ingredient and process.  “I wonder if there is any difference between store bought and hand made tortilla, and I wonder how the item came about in Central American culture.”  Inquiring minds want to know, and inquiring chefs will always learn to excel at what they do.
  • THE WINE LIST IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DINING ROOM MANAGER OR SOMMELIER – says a typical chef in a busy restaurant.  Have enough variety and there will be something to please most guest palates, besides, the chef really doesn’t have time to engage in wine selection as well.  Great restaurants and great chefs understand the connection and importance of food and wine pairing.  A great chef without a solid knowledge of wine varieties, terroir, the art of the wine maker’s signature, variances in vintage, and how a particular wine enhances the experience of food presented on the menu will surely be at a loss.  Chefs who delve into the winemaker’s closet of understanding will be far better at their job and will reveal a passion that rivals that of the food ingredients that bring a menu to life.  It is the curiosity about this beverage that is alive and ever-changing that adds a spark of interest to a chef’s repertoire.

Whether it is a desire to learn more about the ethnic influences that create a cuisine, the indigenous ingredients that are at the base of a certain cuisine, the time-proven steps in cooking methods, or the historical environment that led to the development of a dish or a regional cooking style – it is that most essential ingredient: curiosity – that separates a good cook from a passionate great one.  We must all remain curious if food is to be viewed as a life-long calling.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

REMEMBERING THE PROFESSIONAL LEGENDS IN YOUR LIFE

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We are a blend of our experiences and the people whom we let in to our lives.  Everyone and everything influences the personal and professional product that we become.  It is important to note that to whatever degree we allow it to happen – influencers are all around us – shaping and molding the cook, chef, and person that others will see.

If you were to write your story that answers the question: “ how did I become the cook or chef that I am today” – how would you answer?  At Thanksgiving time it is beneficial to stop and take note, to remember those influencers and give personal thanks for their contributions to you.  So, for better or worse – here are my remembrances.  I would encourage you to do the same.

  • Thanks to my grandmother for showing me that cooking is an act of caring, something of yourself that sends a clear message to others that you want to honor them.  She also told me that when you make chicken and dumplings to make sure that you use a young chicken from the farm and to never serve day old pie.
  • Thanks to my great aunt who always baked her own bread.  She showed me that it’s all about the crust and baking is a process of becoming one with the dough.
  • To Millie, my first boss at a local diner – she was the breakfast cook and, at the age of 15, I was the dishwasher.  She would bring me over to her station when it was busy to flip pancakes, butter toast, and keep the home fries coming.  This was my first introduction to “cooking” – I was hooked.
  • To my parents, who during my early teenage years, both worked – leaving me at home after school to finish dinner and get it ready for the family meal.  Being a latch key kid helped to formulate my interest in the kitchen.
  • To Meta Bofinger, owner of the Blue Gentian Restaurant in Saranac Lake, who told me that the flavor of the food you prepare is influenced by the love that you have for the craft and the appreciation you have for the guest.
  • To that Hotel GM who interviewed me for a supervisor position right out of college.  He took the time to point out all that I didn’t know, said no to my application and told me to spend more time in the kitchen and gradually work my way into management.  I took his advice.
  • To the chef at the Buffalo Statler Hilton Hotel who accepted my application into the kitchen apprenticeship program.  I learned about team and spent time in every department during my two years at the property.
  • To Frank Shores who brought me on board at his restaurant in Orchard Park and showed me that to be successful in the restaurant business you have to count all the oranges and watch every penny.
  • To Ed Weibrecht who hired me at his newly acquired Mirror Lake Inn even though he didn’t have an opening.  He just had a good feeling about me and took a chance.  He showed me that your gut feelings are important.  We have maintained a strong professional relationship for 44 years.  He taught me that dining in a restaurant is best when it is part of a total experience that encompasses all of the human senses.
  • To Dr. Woods at Paul Smith’s College who hired me as a totaling inexperienced teacher without even asking for a resume.  I spent 26 years there, finished a bachelors and masters degree, started the culinary programs, and helped to build them into prominence.  I never knew that this would be part of my professional destiny.
  • To Fran Peroni who was my first cooking skills teacher and later peer educator who helped me build the first culinary curriculum for Paul Smith’s College.
  • To Master Chef Anton Flory for encouraging me to compete as a chef and brought me into the fold of the New England Culinary Olympic Team.  More than anything else in my career – this changed and solidified my path.  We competed and brought home the gold from the Culinary Olympics in Germany.
  • To my teammates on the Culinary Team:  Roland Czekelius, Anton Flory, Neil Connolly, Danny Varano, Michael Beriau, Joe Faria, Charles Carroll, Walter Zuromski, George Higgins, and Lars Johansson – who taught me about the power of team, the importance of honesty in critique, the dynamic of friendship, and the significance of confidence.  Of course, my culinary skills improved immensely during the process.
  • To Dick Marecki from Rochester Institute of Technology who convinced me to pursue a masters degree and dedicate my teaching life to relaying the importance of service economics.
  • To Jim Jacobs who was a consummate teacher who frustrated the hell out of me, but showed me that growth comes from asking “why”.
  • To Mary Petersen who helped me to grow my network of exceptional educators – people who always make me realize that I still have so much to learn.
  • To Kenneth Weissberg who provided countless opportunities for me to visit and learn from European chefs, bakers, wine makers, cheese enthusiasts, and historians.  He made the connection between French cooking and American cuisines a personal mission.
  • To so many cooks and chefs – many of them former students, who always helped me to question my own abilities, taught me more than they realize, and made me so proud to say that I am a chef and a teacher.  To name a few:  Curtiss Hemm, Kevin O’Donnell, Tim Hardiman, Tim McQuinn, Jamie Keating, Jamie Prouten, David Frocione, John McBride, Vicky Breyette, Jarrad Lang, Jody Winfield, Kris Angle, Jennifer Beach, Rebekah Alford, Jennette Siegel, Michael Garnish, Mark Fitzgerald, Robin Schempp, Steve Schimoler and hundreds of others.
  • To those who are masters of hospitality and know that service is as, if not more, important than the food that we love to prepare.  Thanks to Tracey Caponera, Kristin Parker, Katie Welch, Christine McCoy, Anne Alsina, Noelle Weissberg, Brian Perry, and Wally Ganzi to name a few.
  • To David Meyers for including me in his incredible placement service allowing me to work with clubs looking for that right chef to bring their brand into prominence.
  • To Curtiss Hemm who encouraged me to start writing a blog.  Harvest America Cues is well on the way to hitting 2 million views in the near future.
  • To Jack Edwards, Alfonse Mellot, Daniel Chotard, Terry Robards, and all of my fellow wine lovers who helped to build my appreciation for the beverage made from the fruit of the vine, and the passion of the wine maker.
  • To all of my consulting clients over the past eight years who helped me to grow in understanding and build on my portfolio of knowledge with each project that comes my way.
  • And, of course, to my wife of 45 years, my incredible children, and pretty spectacular grandkids who humor me, put up with my flaws, and keep me centered while giving me enough space to do what I love.

I know I have left some people out – not intentional.  I appreciate you and realize more and more every day that you are a part of who I am today.

Who’s on your list during this Thanksgiving week?

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG

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