Latest Posts
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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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Fill That Lonely Refrigerator with Pickled Vegetables
So…I have a new hobby – pickling! Pickled vegetables can bring new life to an average meal, or even more importantly, fill that void for healthy snacks in-between meals. The thought of going through the process of canning can wear… Continue reading
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The Challenge of the Farmer/Chef Connection
The concept of centralized farms was based on a classic supply and demand opportunity within a growing nation and the need to support the consumer’s desire for everything, anytime, anywhere. Since climate and soil (terroir) are not the same from… Continue reading
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Realistic Expectations for Culinary School Graduates
This is an article that I posted two years ago regarding the expectations that young graduates of culinary education oftentimes have when first entering a professional kitchen. I felt that it fit well with the series of recent posts that… Continue reading
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Addicted to Food??
“A baby is born, it cries, it is fed, it is content.” (In the Shadow of Cooks: iUniverse Publishers) So…the baby cries and cries until it’s body aches from the effort. When the baby is finally fed, it feels better.… Continue reading
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Frustrated Artists, Adrenaline Junkies, Misfits and Real People
I love restaurant people- always have, always will. What is it about this motley crew of unlikely team members that makes being a part of their family so enticing? For my time in the kitchen I have been able to… Continue reading
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Dishwashers Rule!
The following is a repost of an article that I wrote during the first few months of “Culinary Cues”: it is still relevant. “Just a quick note on dishwashers: there is no one person, let me state that again –… Continue reading
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Anything worth doing is worth doing well
I remember years ago talking to a friend in Buffalo who had just opened a phenomenal record store (some may remember records – those vinyl discs that gave us a world of music, along with scratches and pops). The store… Continue reading
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Win as a TEAM, lose as an individual
What I love most about working in restaurants is the sense of accomplishment when a team of serious cooks works together to pull off a night of great food or a banquet that draws rave reviews. Watching everything click when… Continue reading
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Of course the food is important, however………
One thing never seems to change – front-of-the-house vs. back-of-the-house mentalities. When are we going to get it? Service is just as important, if not more important, than the food that we serve. WOW- I can’t believe I actually said… Continue reading
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A book worth adding to your collection
In Pursuit of Excellence (Northstarbooks, LLC) is one of those professional cookbooks that I can’t put down once I begin paging through the chapters that follow the courses in a menu. Josiah Citrin – chef/owner at Melisse Restaurant in California… Continue reading
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