Latest Posts
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Plan Your French “Wine Memories” Vacation
In the fall of 2013, Harvest America Ventures, in partnership with The Weissberg Family of Paris and Chef Sarah Steffan of the Lake Placid Lodge, will present a vacation opportunity of a lifetime. Unlike most wine tours that focus primarily… Continue reading
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SAY IT’S NOT SO……….
I guess we all have our heros – people who in our professional or personal lives have helped us to set a course and continue to inspire us on a daily basis. To some it may be a musician, a… Continue reading
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In France the Fundamentals are Strong
Bread, Cheese and Wine – all products of fermentation, products that require an artisan to prepare properly, products of passion and commitment and products that represent the foundations of a great cuisine. Having just returned from a far too short… Continue reading
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RESPECT FOR THE LOCAL FARMER GOES MAINSTREAM
The National Restaurant Association recently released their 2013 version of the Top Ten Trends in Restaurant Menus. Five of the Top Ten are directly related to buying local and regional or focused on sustainable practices, while four additional focus on… Continue reading
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Most Restaurant Meals are Disappointing
So…I just had an epiphany and as a result am writing this blog post that some people might not like. It might simply be because I am traveling on business right now and had a rough trip, then again, I… Continue reading
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Posturing, Politics, Trust and How Not to Become a Putz
I found the following article by an anonymous source that really seems to hit the nail on the head. Regardless of what business you are in, this type of leadership “misdirection” seems to take place. This is a call to… Continue reading
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Taking the Time to Appreciate What We Do
To some it may be a job, a means to an end. Yes, there are those who work in kitchens simply to pay the bills. This is not true of the people who I strove to work with and hired… Continue reading
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IF YOUR GOAL IS RESTAURANT SUCCESS…..
WIN A FREE IPOD SHUFFLE! I am so convinced that any serious restaurateur, manager or chef MUST attend a Deep Dive Seminar on the opportunities, challenges and pitfalls of restaurant operation in this difficult economy that I am providing additional… Continue reading
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You Can’t Afford to Miss This!
Harvest America Ventures presents Deep Dive Seminars for Restaurateurs, Managers and Chefs. This all day event will focus on the opportunities, challenges and pitfalls associated with operating a restaurant in the current economic climate. Paul Sorgule, president of Harvest America… Continue reading
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How Important is Food Cost
Lets be realistic – the primary job of a chef is to make money for the restaurant. Now the ways to get there are through creating a product that drives sales, exceeding customer expectations so they return, training the staff… Continue reading
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“Go Big or Go Home” The Evolution of Tannins and Hops on Our Palates.
“Go Big or Go Home” is a phrase that is usually associated with sports, however it has crept into the food and beverage world as well, albeit unintentionally. About two decades ago California wine makers began making high alcohol and… Continue reading
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More of: The Top Line Drives the Bottom Line
The hardest task for any restaurateur is convincing a potential customer to walk through the front door for the first time. This takes considerable effort in the form of image building, identifying target markets, use of social media, advertising, building… Continue reading
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Coming This Spring
For restaurateurs, restaurant managers, chefs and professional cooks, and for those contemplating a restaurant start-up – this seminar will help to set you on the right path and provide you with some important operational tools. Look for seminars this spring… Continue reading
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The Top Line Drives the Bottom Line
This is a first post in a series demonstrating what Harvest America Ventures does to help restaurants reach their goals. The restaurant business is quite simple on paper, the challenge is transitioning some simple rules into effective processes and great… Continue reading
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Building Your Food Memory
What does a fresh, seasonal strawberry taste like? How about apple pie, a Georgia Peach in July, A Prime Steak just off the char-grill, or even a cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon whipped cream? We would likely answer: it… Continue reading
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The Difference Between a Restaurant Meal and an Event
On Saturday, January 26 I was reminded of why I still remain so excited about being a part of the restaurant business. Together with many friends I presented a tribute menu event at the Left Bank Cafe in Saranac Lake,… Continue reading
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The Odds are Against Them, Yet People Continue to Open Restaurants
There are more than 965,000 free-standing restaurants in the United States. That does not include Business and Industry foodservice, Schools, Hospitals, or home-meal replacement from your local grocery store deli-counter. Most data points to a 66% failure rate for free-standing… Continue reading
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Restaurant New Year’s Resolution – Business Success!
It is hard to believe that 2013 is here. If you are a chef or restaurateur, one of your New Year’s Resolutions will probably revolve around creating greater opportunities for business success. Let Harvest America Ventures help you through a… Continue reading
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A Teachers Greatest Joy
What is the significance of teaching? The longer I taught, the more I realized that teaching is a calling that has many rewards. By far, the most significant reward is the pride and satisfaction derived from seeing graduates succeed in… Continue reading
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A Special Dinner at the Left Bank Cafe
Monet’s Table – A Special Menu Fresh subtle blending of natures’ colors and culinary bounty inspired by the beauty that only Monet could capture. The food preparations will follow the classical stylings of Auguste Escoffier and Joel Robuchon. A… Continue reading
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Priorities
I will stay away from the heated debate over gun control for the time being and focus on a topic of equal importance. Following the tragedies of this past week forces everyone to take stock and think about what is… Continue reading
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Restaurants are Tight Knit Families – Appreciate Them
I do not personally know Heston Blumenthal, yet I do know him in a larger way. As I read today that two of Heston’s culinary brigade were tragically killed in a car crash in Hong Kong, I felt some of… Continue reading
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The Hands of a Chef – The Ultimate Tool
I have been giving lots of thoughts to my tool kit lately. Like many chefs, I have a plethora of knives, forks, cutters, pastry tips, strange new gizmos and the like. My tool kit (if I brought everything with… Continue reading
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Cider Pairing Dinner – A First
To me, it is always refreshing to experience something truly new that breaks all the rules with food. Even though I am a classic traditionalist in many ways (my favorite meals are usually ones that are time-tested), I can be… Continue reading
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Asparagus Salad – Better Late Than Never
Asparagus Salad – Better Late Than Never. Continue reading
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Asparagus Salad – Better Late Than Never
I know, I know, if I truly practiced what I preached, I would never offer a recipe for asparagus salad in September. OK, enjoy reading this and ten put it aside for next spring. This is one of my favorite… Continue reading
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Who Can Resist Baby Back Ribs?
Well, it’s the end of summer (although the weather in the Adirondacks is still incredible) and everyone wants to cram in as many great meals to enjoy on a deck or porch before the onslaught of winter. Although my cholesterol… Continue reading
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Hoping for Excellence, Living with Mediocrity
What is so fascinating about the surge in interest for careers in culinary arts is the desire that every serious young cook has for making their mark in the food world. As is the case with most things in life,… Continue reading
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Show Some Respect for Servers
Well, we have done an excellent job of raising the respect for cooks and chefs in America. I can still remember when I was first starting to cook how people would ask me what I am really going to do… Continue reading
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The Demise of the Family Table and World Peace
I just finished responding to an article focused on placing stricter controls on the food industry to curb obesity in the United States. This is a very sensitive topic that can be approached from various angles. Certainly one could argue… Continue reading
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