Latest Posts
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WHY LET RESTAURANT CRITICS DEFINE US?
There was a point in time when people relinquished their decision making to outside services and individuals. Deciding on a movie, automobile, record, school, bank or restaurant suddenly became someone else’s responsibility. Siskel and Ebert told us what movies to… Continue reading
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WHAT IS A GOOD LINE COOK WORTH?
The ongoing success of a restaurant depends on two factors: great food and great service. It really is that simple. Of course, the chef, manager, and owner play an important role in selecting the right location and concept, building the… Continue reading
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KITCHEN LIFE- HEY, IT’S HARD WORK!
From the outside looking in, things always seem different than they are. This has always been one of my major concerns with young people anxiously applying to culinary school, believing only the fun and creative part of the job and… Continue reading
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OPEN YOUR EYES
Well, I am in New York City for two days, my very infrequent taste of everything overload. This jaunt happens less frequently as I age, compared to a week or more every year from 1979-2005. I thought, as I was… Continue reading
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HELP TO SUPPORT THE RELEASE OF “THE EVENT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING”.
My second book, a work of fiction, entitled: The Event That Changed Everything” is currently with the publisher. After edits I anticipate a release some time later this fall (2014). There are advantages and disadvantages to self-publishing, even with an… Continue reading
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IS COOKING YOUR CALLING?
I have often stated that people don’t choose a career in the kitchen; it chooses them. Those who currently work in restaurant kitchens need only look around the space they call home for 60 plus hours a week to see… Continue reading
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SOME SAY, “IT’S ONLY FOOD.”
Originally posted on Harvest America CUES BLOG: I remember reading a post from a well-know chef who proclaimed that cooking is not a life or death trade, it is, after all, only food. I am sure that his point was… Continue reading
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ARE SERVERS AND COOKS LIKE OIL AND VINEGAR?
There are many examples of love/hate relationships or classic feuds that are difficult to rationalize: the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s, Alexander Hamilton and Raymond Burr; Neil Young and Lynard Skynard, the Beatles and Yoko Ono, Democrats and Republicans, and, of… Continue reading
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SOME SAY, “IT’S ONLY FOOD.”
I remember reading a post from a well-know chef who proclaimed that cooking is not a life or death trade, it is, after all, only food. I am sure that his point was to remove some of the “holier than… Continue reading
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“I’M NOT READY”, A LINE COOKS GREATEST FEAR
It’s 20 minutes before the first reservation arrives and John the line cook knows that his mise en place is not tight. In a few minutes the chef will be walking the line checking to see that everything is in… Continue reading
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THE CULINARY COUNTER-CULTURE IS ALIVE AND WELL
Some may believe that the culinary evolution in America began with Wavy Gravy at Woodstock in 1969. As the chief of the Pleasure Force and front man for the commune “The Hog Farm”, Wavy Gravy helped to orchestrate a… Continue reading
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ALL HAIL COOK’S APPRENTICESHIP
John was 16 and a junior in high school. He came from a family of modest means; dad was a carpenter, a pretty good one too; mom had her hands full taking care of John’s three sisters, his younger brother… Continue reading
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HAVE IT YOUR WAY – HAS THIS GONE TOO FAR?
I have wrestled with how to approach this topic for some time. It began with a request from a blog follower who was looking for an article on Gluten Intolerance and how restaurants respond. So after a fair amount of… Continue reading
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CELEBRATE CHEFS TODAY AND EVERY DAY
Today, August 16, is National Chef Appreciation Day, a perfect time to reflect on the importance of cooks and chefs to everyone. If you are a chef or cook, then hug your coworkers today, if you are not, then find… Continue reading
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WHERE ARE ALL THE WOMEN CHEFS?
While I was a part of culinary education at two prominent U.S. colleges, I was proud of how many women were entering and graduating from culinary schools. By the late 1990’s, nearly a third of all enrolled students were women… Continue reading
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COOKING IS THE ULTIMATE SENSUAL EXPERIENCE
It’s 7 a.m. as the chef walks into the kitchen. He grabs a cup of freshly brewed coffee even before opening the door to the office. Nodding to the breakfast cook who has been there since 5, the chef enters… Continue reading
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THE REAL KEY TO RESTAURANT SUCCESS IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND STAFF
Everyone seems to be free with advice on how to find and push the magic button creating a successful restaurant. There are certainly standard answers (ho hum) like location, product, atmosphere and service. These are certainly critical pieces of the… Continue reading
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LIFE IN A BOTTLE – DON THE BANQUET CHEF
It is a story, too often in the making. A person, too young dies from self-abuse. It happens frequently in kitchens, the question is why? Now Don, the banquet chef at a hotel where I worked in the early 70’s,… Continue reading
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CHEF ESCOFFIER STILL INSPIRES AFTER 160 YEARS
This framed picture has been hanging on the wall of my office through much of my career. It is a beacon of inspiration that requires me to self-assess and always ask, “Is what I’m doing right now, good enough for… Continue reading
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COFFEE, THE REAL MAGICAL BEAN
“I don’t know where my ideas come from. I will admit, however, that one key ingredient is caffeine. I get a couple cups of coffee into me and weird things just start to happen.” ― Gary Larson Isn’t that the… Continue reading
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CAN CHEFS GET OLD AND STAY RELEVANT?
I have often caught myself saying that cooking in a professional kitchen is a young persons game. Having left the kitchen for education and then returned at the age of 55, it was obvious to me that certain jobs… Continue reading
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THE WORLD THROUGH A CHEF’S EYES
We all have different ways to view the world around us. Chefs tend to work more than many other people and have difficulty decompressing when they do get a chance to have some personal time. The complexity of their position… Continue reading
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DO YOU COOK TO LIVE OR LIVE TO COOK?
My son, a technical education teacher once said, “There are two types of workers in the world; those who shower before work and those who shower after.” I thought this was quite profound and a way to categorize the type… Continue reading
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TO BE A COOK – AN HONORABLE PROFESSION
Walking down the street in my hometown back in the late-1960’s; an old acquaintance stopped me to say hello; “So, what are you doing with yourself?” My response, “I’m a cook in a restaurant.” Uncomfortable pause: “Oh, so what are… Continue reading
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KITCHENS ARE THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING COMMON SENSE
It’s likely everyone is familiar with the statement by Voltaire, “Common sense is not so common.” From our personal experiences I know that you, like me, have found this to be true. People are not born with common sense; they… Continue reading
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DOES MUSIC BELONG IN THE KITCHEN?
It was inevitable. As cooks and chefs grew into the role of artist so too did they join the ranks of talented expressionists who use a multitude of mediums. If the chef is truly an artist, then it would make… Continue reading
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RENT, LEASE, OR BUY – THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RESTAURANT LOCATION
Was it Ellsworth Statler who, a generation ago proclaimed, “The three most important elements of success are location, location, location,” or was it the British real estate tycoon named Lord Harold Samuel who died in 1987? In either case, those… Continue reading
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LINE COOKS ARE THE ENGINE THAT DRIVE A RESTAURANT
Originally posted on Harvest America CUES BLOG: It takes many years for a good cook to become a great cook, to become a chef. There is an enormous amount of experience that leads to the ability to lead a kitchen,… Continue reading
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CHEF’S – BE ACTIVE WITH ALL PARTS OF THE DINING EXPERIENCE
It would be accurate to state that there is more to do in operating a restaurant kitchen than most any chef can effectively deal with. Writing menus, testing recipes, ordering product, connecting with farmers and vendors, hiring, training and evaluating… Continue reading
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