Harvest America CUES BLOG

Are you thinking about owning a restaurant?  You are not alone if the thought of putting your name on a restaurant awning has crossed your mind.  One of the most tempting forays into entrepreneurship is the restaurant business.  How hard… Continue reading

From first-in, first-out in the walk-in cooler to how you fold side towels and where your knives are placed – it is organization that allows a kitchen to run efficiently and keeps the mood and pace of the restaurant in… Continue reading

You walk through those kitchen doors one more time, straighten your white coat, roll up the sleeves and tie on a starched white apron.  A quick adjust on that skull cap, wash your hands, and slide a cutting board in… Continue reading

Well, some may not agree with this article, but I felt compelled to point out some observations over the past few years.  I have held myself hostage to some of the martyr reflections that have permeated the business of kitchens… Continue reading

March 9 was National Dish Washer Day.  I’m not sure who decided that this declaration be made, but for those of us in the restaurant business – it is so appropriate.  I have long proclaimed that the dish washer was… Continue reading

It is something quite hard to explain – a fascination, a bit of fear, a desire, something to marvel at, and even something to try and control.  It is at the core of what every cook does, the most essential… Continue reading

I would assume that many chefs who read this article – at least the ones from my generation have reflected on where they are, what they have done, and what they are still able to do.  I also assume that,… Continue reading

It’s 2:00 in the morning and as is all too often the case lately – I am unable to sleep.  There is no shortage of stress nowadays, but for me, unlike the stress that I felt as a chef in… Continue reading

As cooks we tend to live in the moment.  A dish that finally reaches the pass began its journey when it arrived at our back loading dock or even when we located it in the walk-in.  It is hard to… Continue reading

It is so easy to fall into the trap of a stereotypical line cook. It seems, at times, written in stone that those who work in kitchens will be quick to point out other’s mistakes, easily angered, inflexible, excessive drinkers,… Continue reading

Desperation is never a good approach towards hiring.  I know how difficult staffing is right now, believe me – I hear it every day from every chef that I communicate with.  But desperation hiring is, more often than not, a… Continue reading

The good news is that restaurants are beginning to see an increase in sales as more and more customers return to in person dining in addition to their new habit of ordering for home delivery.  So, as life starts to… Continue reading

It happens now and again, that question comes up on-line, usually from individuals new to a professional kitchen, or those who have little idea about how kitchens work.  “What is the difference between a cook and a chef”?  Sometimes, it… Continue reading

We have all heard it before; it is perpetuated in the media, by our politicians, guidance counselors, professors, our peers, and sometimes even parents.  You know that generalization about the position of cook and the inference that somehow it is… Continue reading

What we do, how we act, and what we believe is influenced by many experiences in life.  It is safe to say, that we are, to a very large degree, a product of those experiences and inspirations.  When we stop… Continue reading

It always upsets me to run into a cook with a bleak attitude towards working in a kitchen.  When an individual complains about the hours, his or her team, a lousy chef, a restaurant that doesn’t care about them, about… Continue reading

Watching exceptional and sometimes surprising football this past weekend I realized that it is not old fashioned to give it all you’ve got.  It really shouldn’t matter what we are doing: work, fun, hobbies, sports, exercise, school, family, or relationships… Continue reading

One of the many things that I find truly amazing is a person’s ability to assimilate, understand, categorize, blend, envision, and call into action thoughts from a variety of experiences and do so with relative ease.  This happens progressively throughout… Continue reading

Every person has needs that go beyond food, shelter, and clothing.  Of course, we require those important things to survive, but survival to the average person is never enough.  Getting by does not inspire and will never address the potential… Continue reading

The real question is: “Is it ever a good time to become a restaurateur?”  The underlying answer stems from one simple word: “uncertainty”.  Entering the restaurant business has always been like a non-swimmer jumping in the deep end of the… Continue reading

This is the time of year when far too many of us put together a list of new year resolutions only to find them on the shelf collecting 365 days of dust.  I thought that rather than go through that… Continue reading

I know you remember the first day that you slid your arms into the sleeves of that chef’s jacket with your name embroidered under the title: executive chef.  It was that first time in the lead position – the commander… Continue reading

My, oh my, did you see that sky Sunrise to sunset It can take your breath away In the darkest night A million stars make us wonder How could we be so wrapped up in who we are When in… Continue reading

The trials and tribulations associated with the restaurant business are many – it is not an endeavor for the faint of heart.  Finding the right concept, building in the right location, finding, and training the best staff, nurturing the team,… Continue reading

My grandfather came to the United States from Norway at the age of 17.  He worked his way over on a ship as a carpenter and set his sight on the fortunes that would await him on our shores.  Like… Continue reading

It seems as if our society is on the threshold of decay.  That is an awful opening sentence, but there are numerous indications that it is true.  Differences of opinion are to be cherished, but this expression never crept into… Continue reading

Alex Honnold may very well be the greatest climber of all time.  Although he has climbed many of the most serious mountains in the world, he is best known for his free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National… Continue reading

Nearly every professional cook or chef will agree that discipline in the kitchen and adherence to certain rules and methods is critical to success.  Kitchen careerists live by these rules, imbed them in their subconscious, and rely on them every… Continue reading

I have mentioned many times before how my love for the kitchen stems from the appreciation I have for the diverse types of people who work there.  Every day in a kitchen is a learning experience – not just in… Continue reading