Latest Posts
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CHEFS – DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE CRAFT
I was listening to a person the other day who was involved in the restaurant business. He was making a point about how we (those of us who work or have worked in kitchens) need to embrace more technology and… Continue reading
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EYES WIDE OPEN, EYES WIDE SHUT
There is a real dichotomy in understanding, a gap in understanding between the employer and employee and how each views the work at hand. I’m sure it’s true in many industries, but let’s just focus on the business of restaurants.… Continue reading
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CHARGING FOR BREAD -SERIOUSLY?
A new word has been bantered about over the past few months, a word that ticks off consumers and demonstrates either greed or an inability to understand the public’s perception of “value”. “Shrinkflation” is a descriptor for reducing the size… Continue reading
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ACCOMPLISHED COOK – WHEN COMPETENCE ECLIPSES A LACK OF CONFIDENCE
Most of us have been there at some point. You know the feeling and you shake your head thinking back to those moments. You thought you were good, a solid line cook or prep cook, a couple years of experience… Continue reading
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MY HEART ACHES
I’m angry and my heart aches for the seven World Central Kitchen volunteers who were killed in Gaza. Of course, we all feel for the thousands who have been killed in this war and the dozens of other conflicts that… Continue reading
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THE KING IS IN THE HOUSE
Is there any real value to nostalgia? How clear is our memory and how often do we tend to embellish on the positive and diminish the negative? Looking back can provide us with context and content for making future decisions… Continue reading
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RELISH THE CRAFT
Craftsmanship – it truly is something to admire. You see it, if you look, in nearly every small town and village, in those homes that are a century old, in those hard-to-find mechanical watches, in handmade guitars, violins, and cellos,… Continue reading
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CHOOSE TO BE GREAT
When you walk into your kitchen today, what do you see? When you watch finished plates slide down the pass ready for service, what do you see? When you walk through the dining room and observe service and interactions between… Continue reading
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KITCHEN GROUPISM VS. TEAM
We all remember them from high school days – those cliques of conformity based on a desire to “fit in” – right? The cool people with whom you would do or say anything just to be accepted. Be mean, hurtful,… Continue reading
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CHEFS – REMEMBER, REFLECT, RELISH, AND SHARE
There was a time, maybe not too long ago, when you knew very little about food and cooking. There was an initial moment, maybe as a young guest in a restaurant, or possibly as a “first job” dishwasher, when the… Continue reading
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SWING FOR THE FENCES BUT RESPECT THE FUNDAMENTALS
Look around you and try to dissect those businesses and individuals who are successful at what they do. Chances are, these are the players who refuse to lock themselves into the groove of always playing it safe. Playing conservative may… Continue reading
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WHY NOT BE EXCEPTIONAL
It’s a choice that we all have. A daily fork in the road to choose being great or mediocre, being average or noteworthy, world-class, or just getting by. Which will you choose? Yes, choose is the defining word. We all… Continue reading
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RESTAURANT EYES
So, here’s the thing – knowing how to operate a restaurant is not difficult – executing the steps is a whole other story. The work is relentless, the unpredictability is insanity, the never-ending attention to detail is mind-numbing, and timing… Continue reading
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THE PLATE AND THE PASS
I am the canvas on which the cook paints, the frame that draws the viewers eye to the image drawn. I am the plate – too often disregarded except by those who understand the importance of the canvas and the… Continue reading
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KITCHEN RESPECT
Yes, I have been preaching the need for change in restaurants. Changing how we view our concepts, menus, pricing structure, our staff, marketing, and the list goes on has never been more critical. Change, however, does not infer that we… Continue reading
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COOKS – CLAIM YOUR OWN PATH TO SUCCESS
If you’re a chef from my generation then you likely have concerns over the changing landscape in the kitchen. I hear, nearly every day, “things are not what they use to be.” Chefs lament over a time when cooking was… Continue reading
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COOKS GETTING TO CONFIDENCE
Confidence is vividly apparent with musicians, athletes, actors, carpenters, and other trades, and certainly with cooks and chefs. It’s that point in time when they are comfortable working side by side with their peers and mentors. Confidence is a wonderful… Continue reading
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DON’T NICKEL AND DIME YOUR GUEST or IMPRESS THEM WITH QUANTITY
There’s a reactionary movement that I keep seeing in restaurants; a movement that assumes the answer to the restaurant bottom line is to take more and give less or give too much to justify raising prices. Raising prices is inevitable… Continue reading
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WHEN THE KITCHEN AND FOOTBALL COLLIDE
It’s January in the Northeast – a time when the demands of the kitchen and the excitement of football converge. It’s the lull after the holidays in restaurants and the beginning of the NFL playoffs. As the chef of a… Continue reading
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A COOK’S CONNECTIONS – PART ONE, INGREDIENTS
When does cooking really make sense? When do cooks fully understand the process of cooking and the importance of what they do? When do competence and confidence become the benchmarks of a cook’s career? These are honest and important questions… Continue reading
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IT’S YOUR MOVE
It’s not what you expected, things are different now. What once was dependable is now confusing and unpredictable – what will tomorrow bring? Does this sound familiar? We might like to put a date on the transition to confusion: the… Continue reading
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PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS IN 2024
Well, 2023 is done – close the books. A new year is upon us and it’s not too early to decide how you’re going to approach it. Will you focus on getting by, sticking to your routines, trying not to… Continue reading
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ANOTHER YEAR – A CHEF’S NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
I know, I know – New Year’s Resolutions seem to be a waste of time. We all make them and rarely stick to the plan. But lack of execution should never get in the way of planning, dreaming, and setting… Continue reading
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CHOOSE YOUR STAGE – TELL YOUR STORY
I was enjoying my morning power walk on Christmas Eve, taking in the views ever-present in the town I have called my home for more than 40 years. There’s a light dusting of snow on the ground and the crunch… Continue reading
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A GRATEFUL CHEF
This the time of year to pause and reflect, to push past the challenges, the less than stellar moments, the times we would just as soon forget, and the scars from an industry that passes them out freely and give… Continue reading
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APPRECIATING HOSPITALITY WORKERS
This is a festive, happy, family-oriented time of the year when we all try to think about everything that we are grateful for. Some of us are fortunate to have the time and the resources to enjoy the best of… Continue reading
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META BOFINGER’S RESTAURANT SECRET
Long before the restaurant chains of today, decades prior to the birth of fine dining, experience dining, and molecular gastronomy, there were neighborhood cafes that were part of small communities across the country. These traditional restaurants and diners were closely… Continue reading
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MR. MIYAGI WAS CORRECT
There are films that become representative of a generation and sometimes of a life lesson – occasionally both. We remember a line or two that is always there to remind us, to give us pause, or inspire us to reconnect… Continue reading
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THE PATH TO EXCELLENCE – SO INSPIRING
What term or phrase best describes those who are on the path of excellence: unrelenting, finesse, culinary pride, make a dent in the universe, pursuit of perfection, make a difference, total commitment, or focused drive? Some portray the result while… Continue reading
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CHEFS – DOING THINGS RIGHT
It’s not easy being a chef. There are ample opportunities to cut corners for the sake of the bottom line, there are loads of ways to take advantage of your employees, there is always a temptation to overcharge to control… Continue reading
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