Latest Posts
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WHAT CUSTOMERS DON’T KNOW ABOUT RESTAURANT WORK
More difficult than you may have thought, more chaotic than you might expect, more poetic than you realize, and more fulfilling than you would understand: this, to me, describes the environment of the professional kitchen that few customers are able… Continue reading
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A COOK’S SENSUAL OVERLOAD – TOUCH, TEXTURE, CHEW
We are tactile beings – the feel and texture of things that we encounter is very personal and very important to our life experience. Such is the case with the food that we consume. As is stated by the Institute… Continue reading
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A COOK’S SENSUAL OVERLOAD – SMELL
Now that I have your attention – allow me to walk you through a cook’s journey of experiences that activate the senses. One of the most amazing aspects of the human mind is its capacity to store and remember every… Continue reading
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THE APOCALYPSE FOR RESTAURANTS IS NEAR
It is the end of October 2020 and we are all focused on the National Election in just a few days. We certainly should be zeroing on this event that will likely change the course of history and determine what… Continue reading
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COOKS AND CHEFS – WE ALL CRAVE DISCIPLINE
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… Continue reading
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THE COOK’S INTELLECT
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… Continue reading
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THE FUTURE OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS
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,… Continue reading
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A KITCHEN’S ELEGANT LAST IMPRESSIONS
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… Continue reading
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CHEFS – YOUR EMPLOYEES JUST MIGHT HAVE THE ANSWERS
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… Continue reading
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TEAM COMPETITIVENESS IN THE KITCHEN
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… Continue reading
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CHEFS – FINE TUNE THOSE SENSES
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… Continue reading
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A SOMBER DAY – WE SHOULD NEVER FORGET THE SOUL OF AMERICA
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… Continue reading
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THE BREAKFAST COOK – TOUGH, DEPENDABLE, ORGANIZED, AND FAST
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… Continue reading
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A CHEF’S 2020 LAMENT
They say that hindsight is 2020 – that being so, there is plenty for us to reflect on and determine how we might have done things differently. The fact is, we can’t go back, but we can look forward. … Continue reading
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SUCCESSFUL CHEFS – WHAT CAREER KILLERS TO AVOID
Rest assured, at some point restaurants will rise up again, clubs and hotels will measure success based on occupancy and food service activity, and the position of “chef” will be center stage in driving sales and measuring profitability. The opportunities… Continue reading
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IN CHALLENGING TIMES DON’T MAKE CLASSIC BUSINESS MISTAKES REMEMBER THE TOP ELEVEN
Difficult times in business can never be addressed with complacency. This is the time to double your efforts rather than allow yourself to get caught up in the malaise. There is always opportunity beyond business survival for those who commit… Continue reading
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DON’T JUST RE-ARRANGE – CHANGE THAT RESTAURANT
Take a breath, hold on and think it through, turn on a dime, change or be changed, now is the time, don’t jump to conclusions, don’t forget what got you to this point, the past is the past – move… Continue reading
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IN BUSINESS – BIGGER ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER
There are lessons to be learned that are often overlooked. Growth seems to be one of those markers that define a successful business, yet there is ample evidence that growth can be a deterrent to success. How so? What makes… Continue reading
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IT’S ONLY FOOD
You know I have occasionally heard this statement, or at least felt that it was implied: “Don’t get so wrapped up in it – it’s only food.” Well, I am here to state unequivocally that this just isn’t so. Of… Continue reading
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WHAT RESTAURANTS HAVE LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC
As restaurants rally to try and meet the requirements of the new protocol for operation – distancing tables, reducing customer volume, enforcing mask wearing, deep sanitizing of surfaces, moving to on-line menus or single use documents, removing anything from table… Continue reading
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WHAT IS THE INTENT OF EDUCATION?
As the country continues to come to grips with the ravages of a pandemic and the trail of chaos and long-term destruction that it leaves behind, we will need to think very clearly about how a country deals with diminishing… Continue reading
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STRENGTH, GRACE, AND DIGNITY
I am in the process of reading Chef Dominique Crenn’s autobiography: Rebel Chef. I have long been a fan of her style and passion for expressive cooking, but it is these three words that solidified, in my mind, how a… Continue reading
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COOK FOR ME
I have seen the following quote from Anthony Bourdain many times before, but today it really resonated. It is a statement so simple, yet so profound; so foundational, yet so deep and meaningful; so intriguing and so beautiful. This statement… Continue reading
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A COOK WITHOUT A KITCHEN
They say we’re back. The kitchen lights are back on, deliveries arrive, the battery of ranges is fired up, and cooks (some of us) are welcomed back. Somehow, it just doesn’t feel right. After four months of idle time –… Continue reading
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THE LINE COOK’S NEW KITCHEN RULES SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE
As cooks start to, or at least hope to, begin settling into kitchen life again, it seems appropriate to reiterate those standard rules of thumb that everyone must abide by. They may be tweaked a bit – after all, a… Continue reading
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GOVERNMENT WHEN WE NEED IT MOST
Take a breath, exhale and sit down. Let’s face reality – the Coronavirus is going to be with us for some time and simply opening back up and expecting that everything will be fine is misguided. We are in this… Continue reading
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KITCHENS CELEBRATE DIFFERENCE
It has always been my experience that kitchens are the great equalizer. Sure, I know that the environment of a kitchen can sometimes be tough and abrasive, it’s hot, humid, noisy, stressful, fast paced, and somewhat unforgiving, but…..all that being… Continue reading
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WHY IS A PARTICULAR CHEF’S FOOD SO MUCH BETTER THAN ANOTHER’S?
Every chef has experienced it and as a result he or she will relate to the content of this article. There are times, possibly many times, when you question your own skill – whether in cooking or presenting food, or… Continue reading
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A BAROMETER OF CHANGE FOR AMERICAN COOKS & DINERS
You can sense it in the air, you can feel it in your bones, and you can hear it in the silence – the energy that had surrounded the career of professional cook is down a few quarts. For nearly… Continue reading
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