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COOKS: A CALL TO ARMS – DON’T SETTLE!

10 Tuesday Mar 2020

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There exists a real dichotomy of enthusiasm towards working in the restaurant business. I realize that this may have always been present at some level, but in today’s kitchens there appears to be a polarization of those who love the business and those who are angry at their state of affairs. In the middle are the proponents of indifference and it is those who I hope to speak to through this article. The cheerleaders know what is before them and have embraced their calling with all of its opportunity and challenge. The angry cook will tend to remain so and for the most part he or she will point fingers at others and seek out blame for their situation. Of course there are reasons that are out of the individual’s control and challenges in the industry that seem to lack adequate attention from the decision-makers, however, some seem to find comfort in pointing this out and ignoring their role in making a change.

My answer to all, but especially those in the middle who appear to be indifferent and accepting of a lackluster fate, is: DON’T SETTLE! Grab on to opportunity, make your own opportunity, and by all means be part of the solution to challenges rather than accepting of a fate that does not inspire. So – this is a call to arms (not weapons), a moment to stand on a soap box and shout: DON’T SETTLE!

The Beatles in the landmark album: Rubber Soul wrote of the Nowhere Man:

“Doesn’t have a point of view
Knows not where he’s going to
Isn’t he a bit like you and me?
Nowhere man please listen
You don’t know what you’re missing
Nowhere man, the world is at your command”

As a cook the world is at your command. Opportunities are present, but lack meaning if no one grabs and owns them. This is profound and true. No person is held back unless he or she chooses to be held back. This may sound harsh, and there will be those who argue my point with loads of examples of roadblocks that have been laid in their paths, but I stand true to the statement.

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To those who have become complacent in the kitchen, who punch a clock feeling that their primary goal is to get through the day, who have all but given up on moving forward with a career, I say: WAKE UP!

A CALL TO ARMS:

[]         ARM YOURSELF WITH AMBITION:

Elvis Presley once said: “Ambition is a dream with a V-8 engine.” It is drive that carries a person forward with a desire to work through any obstacles that take away his or her passion to reach a goal. This can be positive or negative, but to those who hold ambition as a tool with positive energy – ambition can make all the difference in success. You have to want it – to achieve it.

[]         ARM YOURSELF WITH A STRATEGY:

Ambition without a plan will fizzle out in frustration. What is your goal as a cook – to reach a certain position, to work at a particular restaurant, to make a specific statement with food, to make positive change in an industry, etc.? Define the end goal and build a step-by-step roadmap to reach that goal. Every day that you wake ask yourself: “Is what I am doing today helping me to reach that goal?” Build a plan and work the plan.

[]         ARM YOURSELF WITH VISION:

Reaching the goal is not always sufficient in the hearts and souls of successful people. What are you going to do with the success of reaching that goal? How are you going to leverage your success for personal, community, and even industry betterment?

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[]         ARM YOURSELF WITH SKILLS:

You know right now that to move towards that goal you will need to acquire, and in some cases – master, a new set of skills. Research and define what those skills are and establish a plan that will allow you to build them into your bag of tricks. It may mean volunteering, taking classes, attending workshops, working with other chefs, reading more, experimenting, and certainly lots of practice. Commit to it!

[]         ARM YOURSELF WITH DETERMINATION:

Stay the course. Don’t let small failures and disappointments along the way slow you down and stop your forward motion. YOU CAN GET TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO – you are in the driver’s seat. If your current work situation makes it too difficult to stay the course – then look for another environment that is more supportive. The food industry today is crying for talented, energetic, committed people – if you have the drive there will be many terrific properties anxious to give you the opportunity.

[]         ARM YOURSELF WITH A NETWORK OF INFLUENCE:

The best opportunities come through those with whom you are associated. Build your network of friends and advocates who know you and trust that your commitment is unwavering. Pick and choose your team of influence with this in mind and be prepared to accept their advice. Be prepared to give back when they ask – receive/give is a win/win.

DON’T SETTLE is the process of never selling yourself short. When you start the day with I CAN, and I WILL instead of I can’t or I won’t, then countless doors will open. You will stumble, and there will be disappointment, but bounce back with two simple words: DON’T SETTLE.

“He’s a real nowhere man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody”

-Beatles

Be a somewhere man, an everywhere man, a man (or woman) who grabs those opportunities and stays the course until they come to fruition. Know this – there are countless opportunities in life and countless opportunities in the food business. Limitations are far too often – self-imposed. Don’t be an advocate for complacency, be an advocate for forward movement and a soldier for the kind of change that will keep those doors open.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

 

 

 

 

 

COOKS AND CHEFS – THINK ABOUT THE STORY BEHIND WHAT YOU SEE

04 Wednesday Mar 2020

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Some of you may be too young to know the band – The Moody Blues, but their lyrics always inspired me, especially during challenges that life occasionally brings. One such lyric asked us to view the story in peoples eyes – the truth behind the façade, the experiences, hopes, and dreams that lie behind a stoic or smiling face – to think beyond what seems to be common and sometimes misleading and find the story behind what you see. This applies to direct person-to-person contact as well as indirect contact through the things that they touch and create. When we pause for just a few seconds to try and understand the impact of those stories, then our perspective and our approach may change.

We are very fortunate – once we step away from the difficult nature of kitchen work and the demands that seem too often to be excessive, to work where we work, do what we do, and have the chance to interact with some damn interesting people. When we only see what is immediately in front of us then we can become jaded, pessimistic, and even angry at times. If we are not connected to the stories than our good fortune suddenly appears to be a burden.

It may seem unrealistic in such a high pressure, always changing, never predictable environment like a busy kitchen to say that it is important to pause and look for the story that lies behind everything, yet I am certain that you will find it rewarding, energizing, and helpful while you face todays challenges. It is the story that makes us who we are and it is the story that reflects the value that we bring.

I spend loads of time talking about the environment of the kitchen, and sometimes the plight of those who work in hounds-tooth pants and double-breasted white jackets, but not enough time revealing what might be behind that façade. We all talk about our passion for cooking and for creating interesting and flavorful plates of food, but not enough time about the struggles, hard work, and passion that go into the ingredients that make those dishes possible. Yet, to be a great cook or chef must mean more than dealing with what is simply in front of us – greatness comes from understanding the story in those eyes.

Painted in Waterlogue

What makes a person tick? Why are they the way they are? What brought them to this point or what holds them back?   What moves them and what haunts them? Once you know a person’s story you become part of it and as a result can impact their performance and their future. This is the core of what makes kitchen work so interesting and dynamic. This is what drives people to the profession and keeps them coming back for more.

Here is a sampling of some stories that I have grown to be a part of (names have been changed to protect their privacy):

  • DON THE BANQUET CHEF: On the surface Don seemed to be a wreck – physically unfit, a quiet alcoholic, crusty and void of any type of social decorum. But, he worked 80 hours a week, was always on time, could put together a function for 200 all by himself and could facilitate one for 1,200 like it was just another day at the office. To some chefs he was a person who should be fired, while to others he was an incredible asset. What made Don the person he was? What I learned painted an interesting picture: he had 10 kids (that’s right – 10), his mother-in-law also lived with his family and Don was the sole income earner. Don had the skills to be the chef in a property, but his life pressures, subsequent heavy drinking, and lack of care for his personal wellbeing kept that carrot out of his reach. He was overworked, stressed about home, angry about his career limitations, and unable to pull him out of bottle dependence – what we saw at work was a reflection of his environment. Once you understood his situation it was easy to at least find some empathy to override what was on the surface.

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  • PETE THE DISHWASHER: People tend to stereotype others based on what they see on the surface. In the case of Pete – he was a 45 year old, well-kept career dishwasher. While some might write him off as simply being lazy – I saw something else behind those eyes. Pete was very intelligent – in fact he would spend his break time reading the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. Conversations with him were always enlightening when you realized that he had a grasp on the world at large. As it turns out Pete had a bachelor’s degree in business, but simply grew to have a lack of trust in those around him, so he retreated into a job that allowed him to push aside this mistrust and angst about society and just live his life. He was happy.

 

  • TERRY THE OCD LINE COOK: We all know that good line cooks are organized and structured, but Terry was obsessive about mise en place, his station, the steps that he took, and his observation of others who were not as focused. He was an exceptional cook with great taste buds, a passion for exact plate presentations, and a willingness to work those extra shifts and longer hours as long as no one messed with his system. He made some people uncomfortable with his exactness and critique, but they all seemed to admire the quality of his work. On the surface he seemed over the top, but when you understood that he came from a family of doctors and lawyers and his decision to become a cook did not sit too well with the rest of his kin, you began to see a person who was focused on being as precise as a doctor, and looked upon as successful as a lawyer. He was always working to make others proud of his choices. Look into those eyes and you will be intrigued by what you see.

 

  • JUAN THE ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN CHEF: You have worked with others just like Juan – he had been employed by half the restaurants in town at some point. He always came on strong, oftentimes taking on a sous chef or chef role in a fast paced restaurant, and then would eventually start to falter and then wind up in front of the firing squad. Whenever a restaurant would hire him – others would roll their eyes – knowing what was coming all too soon. Juan had the right skills developed over a few decades of the school of hard knocks, but he never felt part of the pedigree. He came from the hood, was very streetwise, talked the language of the street and acted the part. Whenever he got close to breaking out of his environmental past he would revert back to his comfort zone and turn people off. When you got to know him it was easy to like him, even when he acted out of a scene from West Side Story. Juan wanted more for himself, but he always put on the brakes when he got too close. What Juan needed more than anything else was a mentor to help him over that hump.

 

  • SUE THE SINGLE MOM ENTREPRENEUR: There are far too few women chefs in properties across the country – something that Sue was all too well aware of. She wanted to break down those barriers. She was talented, smart, hard working, and creative yet constantly torn between parenthood and business. She became an entrepreneur and did a good job in this regard but lacked trust in her employees – especially male employees. She compensated by working more and delegating less. She wanted to give it her all and at the same time was stressed about her responsibilities as a single mom. The kitchen would often times experience meltdowns that were directly or indirectly related to her approach towards challenges. Employees would come and go because – on the surface Sue was just plain hard to work for. When you got to really know her you would discover a successful parent who never understood her desire to be a chef/owner and one who consistently criticized her for her style of parenting. She was always faced with this critique and her own self-criticism aligned with that. Once you looked past the façade there was a talented person who needed encouragement and guidance.

 

  • MARIO RETURNS HOME:   If you understand the Peter Principle you know that there is a core belief that even the best employees will eventually be promoted to their position of incompetence. Mario felt the weight of this reality. When I knew him he had been promoted to the position of Executive Chef at a large hotel property. He was still young, but what was most intriguing was that a dozen years prior he was a young line cook at this same hotel. He had moved on in the company to various other positions until the corporate office thought he was ready to take the reins. The challenge was that the employees of this hotel remembered him as a young upstart many years before and had a really hard time viewing him as the boss. He reacted, as a defense mechanism, by taking on the role of a hard nosed chef and insisting that everyone refer to him by title. His old time co-workers resisted by viewing him as a young kid with a big ego and rather than aligning with the new chefs directions, they did whatever they could to make the job even more difficult for him. When you looked into his eyes you would see a chef just trying to find a way to prove himself and avoid the Peter Principle.

 

  • STELLA THE ANGRY SOUS CHEF: Stella was quite a talent. She breezed through culinary school and outshone everyone else in her class. Her first position after graduation quickly bounced her from line cook to sous chef and then kitchen manager. She was organized, obsessive about how she wanted things done, hard working and willing to put in the hours. She demanded the same level of commitment from her coworkers and employees and as a result operated a swinging door for cooks that came and quickly left. She burned out all too soon and took a job at a corporate business account as a sous chef. The hours were better as were the pay and benefits, but the food was not the same. She worked hard to bring the food quality up and pushed her staff to take cooking seriously. Her temper would oftentimes rear up its ugly head as she lashed out at staff usually ending up as a human resource department meeting of the minds. Behind the crusty exterior was a person from a blue-collar family – she was the first to graduate from college, and the first to actually be in charge of a department. She wanted and needed to make her mark and felt that the best way to do so was to be strong and unbending. Although she was highly skilled at her craft, she was never mentored at being a leader. Look into her eyes and you will see a person who needs validation and just doesn’t know how to be the kind of leader that can find support rather than resistance.

Like most of you know from your own operations, these individuals became part of my story once I understood a bit more about theirs. What we see initially is not always the real truth. Taking the time to discover what is behind the façade is the only way to know how to act and react with others, and certainly the best way to learn how to serve as a supportive leader.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

COOKS – THE COMFORT OF HEAT, SWEAT, AND HARD-WORK

28 Tuesday Jan 2020

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Staring at the POS printer, waiting for those orders to start their tap dance building to a crescendo in an hour or so, clicking a pair of tongs by your side, shifting weight from one foot to the other, and beads of sweat beginning to roll down your back and collect under that scull cap that fits just a bit too tight – is this one of those moments when you begin to wonder what in the world you are doing?

Physical work is stressful and gratifying at the same time. Sweat and aching muscles is uncomfortable, yet somehow a sign of work worth doing. Building beautiful, flavorful, aroma filled, satisfying dishes for people every night is a result of this hard work, this sweat, and these aching muscles. These tangible works are also a result of an intelligent approach to a process, constant reference to flavor memory, and a level of mental and physical organization that is parallel to that of an architect, a pilot, or a surgeon – this is work that is far more complex that many give it credit for. There is also the emotional part – putting it all out there for others to critique leaving the cook wondering: “what did they think?” We sweat not just due to the heat, not simply because we are physically all in, but also because cooking is draining intellectually, emotionally, and even spiritually. Being a cook is complicated.

You know that those orders are coming – in just a few minutes that printer will push out that relentless sound of more orders than you think you can handle. This is the most stressful time – let’s get on with it! You remember a couple quotes that stick in your brain:

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”

-Stephen King

Ok, you can understand that for sure. You think that you have some talent as a cook, but you KNOW that you put in the effort and then some. You wonder: “Is there a difference between talent and hard work when you come down to it?” How many successful people do you know who work hard without talent? Maybe their talent is knowing what they don’t know and finding ways to get things done anyway. Anyway – soon enough those orders will fill that space in your brain that is wandering right now. Then there was that other quote:

“It’s not so much whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”

-Grantland Rice

Right….try telling that to the chef or the owner. You are part of a line team – there is no room for failure. If you fail, so will the rest of the team. One mistake can lead to chaos on a busy night. This is not the place or the time to learn from your mistakes – NO MISTAKES, NO MISTAKES! “Damn – let’s get these orders in before I start to over-think everything.”

Maybe, just maybe, this sweat and these aching muscles, maybe the nervous energy that is obvious from my dance of anticipation, maybe all of this is fuel for the job ahead. Stay calm, stay calm. I sure hope that my mise en place is tight enough. Did I mince enough shallots, clarify enough butter, flatten enough chicken breasts, and peel enough shrimp? Let me check those scallops again – did I clean them properly? Where are my backups on vegetables, extra bottles of white wine for deglazing? What is the temp on those sauces in the bain-marie? Let me draw my knives over that wet stone one more time – can’t afford a dull knife. You look to the expeditor and tell him to grab you a few more side towels – can never have too many.

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The sweat is starting to pool up on your back, feet are hurting from inactivity, and hands are cramping up from nerves. Come on with the orders already!   You stack and restack plates, move your pan handles a few degrees to the right, and fold and refold those side towels. You drop your tongs – CRAP! Run over to the pot sink and wash them quick. Grab another pair as a back-up.

You grab another energy drink and kick it back like it was that after shift first beer. You look to your right and look to your left. Acknowledge the rest of the team and share a few fist bumps. It is coming – you can feel it. Then, the sound you were all waiting for – the printer spits out that first early-bird deuce. Both items for the grill – nothing for you – damn. A few seconds later – a four top – all yours. Here we go. You grab four pans and slide them onto burners – make sure the pans are hot first. Two orders of Diver Scallops, a Chicken Piccata, and Tournedoes Rossini mid-rare. An ounce of clarified butter for the chicken (dredge it in flour and give it some great caramelization – keep the pan moving), a touch in the pans for the scallops (sear them on one side and pull away from the heat for finishing later), and a little more heat in the pan for the tournedoes (this item will be done last minute). The expeditor had called the table as an order fire (no appetizers – ready to rock) – but you know that it is best to wait to finish until the server is standing on the other side of the pass. Two minutes is all it will take to finish this four top.

Pull the caramelized chicken breast and put it aside, add sliced mushrooms to the pan and a touch more butter. Caramelize the shrooms and deglaze with white wine, and fresh lemon. Sweat is pouring freely down your back now. Two more orders just came in – a few items from your station that can wait until this four top is gone. The server appears and the expeditor calls out – pick up on that four top. “Yes chef”! Chicken back in the pan – the flour from the dredged chicken blends with the white wine and lemon and the sauce comes together. A few capers and chopped parsley and this dish is ready to go. The scallops return to a fresh hot pan to finish the sear, hit the pan with a touch of wine, salt and pepper and done. While you and the middleman plate up the first three dishes – the tournedoes hit the very hot pan for a sear along with two slices of foie gras. Flip all items quickly – cooking only takes a minute. Deglaze the beef with Madeira and demi-glace and assemble the dish on toast medallions – top with some truffle shavings and off it goes to the pass. Four top complete. Move on to the next order.

You wipe your brow, take a drink of water and start with fresh pans. The orders keep coming. Now the expeditor is in control of your world. He tells you what to start, what to finish, and what to plate. Every few moments you ask for an “all day” (a review of what should be working on your station), and back to it. No time to chat with others – an occasional look or nod is enough of a signal. Plates are flying now – you turn to plate up an item and the dish is there ready with accompaniments. Only one re-fire so far (you hate that, but try to push it out of your mind).

For the next three hours – this is the frantic pace of the line. Those 180 minutes go by in a flash. You stay on top of your station cleanliness and are relieved to see that your mise en place is holding up. A few little finger burns from hot pan-handles, nothing you can’t work through, and one dropped item to replace – not bad. You haven’t screwed up any orders or messed up your teammates thus far. You are now working like a well-oiled machine. Your brain works through processes, your palate is fine tuned, and there is real economy of motion in the steps that you take.

When 9 p.m. rolls around – the board is almost clear. Just a couple deuces to finish up and that inevitable table that arrives 15 minutes before closing, but you breathe out knowing that you made it through another night.

Painted in Waterlogue

By 10:30, it’s all over. You breakdown your station, scrub your area, chill sauces, label and date items, make out your prep list for tomorrow and a friendly note to the morning prep cook. The sous chef points his finger and gives you a “thumbs up”. The mental and emotional stress is over – the physical pains will take a few hours to come to the surface, but you know they are there. Hey, it’s good pain – an honest days work. The heat, sweat, and hard effort feel OK. This is what you do, and this is how it is suppose to feel.

Tomorrow is another day.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

WORK HARD, SWEAT A LOT, AND SMILE WHEN IT IS OVER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

 

 

A COOK’S NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

25 Wednesday Dec 2019

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Yep – another year, another moment in time to reflect on where you are and where you might be going. To many people a resolution is a futile attempt at changing poor behavior, lost opportunity, broken promises, and failed attempts at positive change. Making a resolution is often a noble attempt at making corrections, while knowing that there is little chance that you will actually follow through.

The three most perplexing statements in life are: could have, should have – didn’t. Most of us can relate to this assessment of a previous year, an assessment that is depressing and self-limiting when we expect that it might be the norm – just the way it is. What is even worse is when we relegate the responsibility for inaction to others: “I didn’t do that because so and so – held me back, placed limitations on me, didn’t support me, or got in my way, etc. More often than not, the responsibility for inaction is ours alone.

“We don’t grow when we stay inside our comfort zone.”

-Unknown

So, if you choose to set a path for the future, knowing that you are in control – then here are some thoughts:

[]         TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY CAREER

Have a goal, determine what will be needed to achieve that goal, set a course, and work the plan. So, if you know you don’t want to be a line cook all your life and have a desire to be a chef of a property some day: talk with other successful chefs and ask what it takes to get to that point. Should you build your skills by seeking out cooking positions working with certain chefs or restaurants? If this is the case – then send out your resume and ask for an interview. Should you develop your background in some type of culinary program? Then apply to a school and sign up for any scholarships available. Should you enroll in an apprenticeship program? Then do it – you can’t win the lottery unless you buy a ticket. If you really want to reach the goal – then you can. So much of success is attitude and commitment to stay the course. Take the leap!

“If it doesn’t challenge you it won’t change you.”

-Unknown

[]         WORK ON MY PHYSICAL HEALTH

This is probably one of the most frequently defined resolution and one of the first ones to fall by the wayside. Make this goal realistic if it is to stick. Try a one-mile walk every day as a start. Sign up for “myfitnesspal.com” (it’s free) and start tracking your calories towards a weight loss goal. Ride a bike to work, cut back on the after work drinks, take the stairs instead of an elevator, start with 10 sit-ups each morning and add two more at the end of each week. Do something that allows you to have a goal and reach a goal. Small steps work.

[]         WORK ON MY MENTAL HEALTH

Try not to bottle things up inside. Life is stressful – so is working in a kitchen. To some – the kitchen is a safe haven, a place to escape to, an environment where everyone is accepted and where you can push aside all of life’s challenges and focus on the task at hand. When work is over then all of those life challenges rear up their ugly head and they can be overwhelming. Some are able to cope, while others hit a wall. Some of those challenges are ones that can be rectified by seeking physical assistance or identifying a new source of funding, while others are far deeper and more difficult to address by yourself. Share your issues with a family member, friend, welcoming ear of a coworker, or in some cases – professional help. This is a serious societal problem, but one that there are solutions for. Don’t try to deal with it on your own.

[]         ADD A SKILL – SHARE A SKILL

If you fail to commit to improving then you relegate yourself to a stalled career. Adding a skill can be invigorating as well as career enhancing. Align with a coworker who is accomplished with a particular skill and commit to learn, attend a workshop, read a book, watch a YouTube video, stage’ with an expert, and then practice until you get it down. The pride associated with mastering a skill should never be downplayed. Do it for yourself.

[]         LEAVE MEDIOCRITY BEHIND

Take the pledge: “I promise, from this day forward, to strive for excellence in all that I do. To treat the smallest task as if it were the most important, and treat the largest task as if the details were just as important as the volume of work. Excellence is a habit – not a goal.

[]         FOCUS ON TEAM

Life is a team sport and life in the kitchen is an ultimate team sport. Spend more time developing the attributes of team: listening, respecting each others strengths, and helping every member with their weaknesses, jumping in when and wherever needed, offering critique without being critical, applauding others when they exceed expectations, and patting them on the back when they fail – this is what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself, this is what it means to be part of a kitchen team.   Invest the time in this process and it will pay back in benefits.

[]         FIND SOME BALANCE

Commit in the New Year to finding ways to balance your kitchen life with a daily routine that takes into account your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Commit to finding that balance point of spending time with friends and family, clearing your head, exercising, taking part in a hobby, reading, listening to music – something that gives you a chance to take a deep breath, push aside the challenges of the job, and feel good about yourself.

[]         DON’T SETTLE

If you wake up in the morning, look in a mirror and think: “what am I doing”; if you walk through those kitchen doors and feel the drudgery of the “same old, same old”; or if you find little excitement in what you are doing or how you are doing it – then make a change. You know what you are capable of, even if others may not – never feel as if “this is it” and relinquish control of your destiny. You have the ability to step out of your current situation and move to something that inspires, aligns with your capabilities, challenges you, and brings that excitement that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning. Even if it means moving on from the food business – DON’T SETTLE!

[]         SIGN MY WORK

Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Everything that you do carries your signature and is a reflection on your personal brand. No matter how small or large the task – do it as if it were the sole determination of your professional reputation. Peeling onions – make them perfect and do it fast – this is your signature. Filleting fish – do so with care and speed, paying due respect to the fish. Make sure that you work at being the best fish butcher around – this is your signature. Plating up orders on the line – do so as an artist would while presenting a painting – this is your signature. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

[]         STAY PROFESSIONAL / BE THE EXAMPLE

Stay above the fray – don’t succumb to the pettiness that sometimes takes place in the workforce. Don’t criticize others behind their back, don’t allow your work habits to stray from being exceptional, never demean others, always be on time, make sure that you look the part of a professional cook and earn the respect of others in the process. Be the example for others to follow.

[]         STAY TRUE TO THOSE STAKES IN THE GROUND

If there are parts of being a cook and a caretaker of Nature’s ingredients that are important to you, then don’t set them aside when it is convenient or inconvenient. If they are important then they are part of your character – this is how you want to be perceived and how you are perceived. Stay true.

[]         LIFE’S TOO SHORT TO BE NEGATIVE

It may seem easy to drift from viewing your cup as half full and begin to look at life as if it were more difficult than it is. Remember it takes far more facial muscles to frown than it does to smile. In the big scheme of things it is always much more gratifying to find the positive in a situation than to relegate your attitude to being negative.

[]         CHECK THESE RESOLUTIONS EVERY DAY

“Is what I’m doing right now bringing me any closer to achieving my goals.”

Happy New Year!

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

A CHEF’S LIFE – IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

05 Thursday Dec 2019

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In the Blink of an Eye

“Looking forward has no limits

Looking back reels you in

Thinking about what could be

Gives pause to what might have been

Vision is energy for an active mind while

Reflection is food for the soul

In the blink of an eye our vision and

Reflections intersect as

What was takes center stage and

What could be fades away”

Every now and then it is healthy, and yet humbling, to take inventory of what we have done, and where we have been – to dissect those dreams and actions that brought us to where we are, and to relish the opportunities and the challenges that came along the way. What we have done bears witness to who we are today. “What if” will always plague us, especially those individuals who tend to be serial dreamers – those individuals with evolving plans and limitless ideas that need an outlet. We look back to wrestle with those decisions to turn right when we should have turned left, and to lose sleep over opportunities missed. It is healthy to take this inventory and then look in a mirror. We are where we are and we are whom we are because of those decisions – not necessarily fate – WE made the decision to turn left or turn right. Look in a mirror and know that it is what it is because of the decisions that we made.

Some may look in that mirror and say that everything happens for a reason, and that may be true, but it is also important to note that most things happen as a result of our own free will to make decisions along the way. When we take this inventory it is enlightening to think – I am where I am, I am who I am because this is what I chose – take responsibility.

Vision is only significant if we do something with it. Vision must include a plan of action and the knowledge and ability to adjust to things that interrupt that plan. When we relinquish our responsibility for this then we accept that other people and situations are able to over-ride our free will and ability to move in one direction or another.

From a personal perspective, I look back at how my professional vision evolved and how the decisions made in relation to that vision allowed me to stay the course. I might think that a different decision would have been better at the time, but it was my choice in the moment to turn left or turn right. I am where I am and I am who I am because I chose one direction over another.

Looking in a mirror while you take inventory will likely result in disappointment or a moment of satisfaction. What a terrible feeling it must be to feel disappointment. This does not infer that regret is not a part of even the most successful professionals, but rather acknowledgement that even the regrettable decisions in our lives resulted in a moment of learning and growth.

What is universal for all who reflect is that vision is finite. There is a moment when the clock ticks much faster, when that limitless vision sees the door of opportunity slowly close. Reflection is a wonderful process when we find satisfaction in who we are and what we have done. Acting on our vision and taking responsibility for our own course and destination will result in that feeling of satisfaction. When we relinquish that responsibility to others and find blame for the results realized from our decisions – then satisfaction is overcome by regret, blame, and anger.

Like so many friends and acquaintances that I relish, I find great satisfaction with my evolving vision and the opportunities that came my way as a result of a decision to turn left or turn right. There were bumps along the way, missed opportunities, and there were definitely decisions that could have been made differently – but in the end, when I take inventory I feel satisfied with the results and know that it was within my control.

I hear from a variety of cooks, chefs, restaurateurs, and service staff members who either reflect with great enthusiasm about their careers, the decisions they made, and where they are as a result or who respond with tremendous dissatisfaction. What seems to be universal is that those who are pleased with where they are and who they have become are individuals who have always taken responsibility for their decisions and know that they can and have taken control of their destiny. Those who are dissatisfied are more inclined to blame others (managers, restaurateurs, chefs, or the industry as a whole) for their dissatisfaction. This is not, in any way shape or form, an attempt to ignore that there are poor managers, arrogant chefs, or uncaring owner/operators – there are plenty. But, the choice to stay in that environment is on the shoulders of the individual. When we work in an industry that is in dire need of skilled, passionate, positive workers – then there will always be opportunities to work elsewhere. It is your choice to turn left or turn right.

In the blink of an eye – we move from a young apprentice or dishwasher to a fifty-year veteran of the food business. We rush through those formative years of relentless prep, working early morning breakfast shifts, plating thousands of banquets from a few dozen to a few thousand covers, countless a ‘la carte nights on the line when you feel like it could all fall apart at any given moment only to rise above the fray and push that last plate of food through the pass. We look back on the hundreds of menus planned, budgets made, orders placed, inventories taken, employees hired, trained and sometimes fired, chef coats ironed, cuts stitched and burns treated, and smiles and laughter with team members when service is done. Here you suddenly are, in the blink of an eye, looking in a mirror and reflecting back on a career – hopefully with pride and a sense of satisfaction.

You know now that you can choose to work in a restaurant where everyone is serious about great cooking and where employees are treated with respect, or you can choose to stay in an operation where none of that is true and you feel that sense of despair. You can choose to bite the bullet and invest in a formal culinary education knowing that debt will haunt you for years to come, but you breadth of knowledge will be enhanced – or you can chastise those who invested the time and took out the loans. You can choose in engage in professional organizations and build your network of like-mined cooks and chefs, or you can give a thumbs down to those organizations because they seem to be out of touch with the average line cook. You can choose to invest in your personal skill development by working with accomplished cooks, and yes – even volunteering to work and learn from others – or you can complain that your employer isn’t doing this for you. You can choose to live in a community where great restaurants and terrific opportunities abound – or you can stay in an area that is comfortable for you, but lacks the challenge of excellence. The choice is yours to make – turn right or turn left. The cooks and chefs who look in a mirror and smile at what they see are the ones who chose to control their circumstances rather than have circumstances control them.

In the blink of an eye – your career will come to a close and you will have an opportunity to reflect, to realize that looking back is as important as looking forward. Take control early on, accept the challenges, work through them, make a decision to turn left or right and stand with your vision – even though you may need to adjust the path along the way.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Take Control of Your Career – TODAY!

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

WHEN COOKING BECOMES MORE THAN A JOB

25 Monday Nov 2019

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Typically, it starts off that way – old enough to work, they’re hiring, no experience required – it’s a job. Maybe it’s a local diner as a dishwasher or assistant to a short order cook; maybe it’s a fast food operation as a “sandwich artist” or grill person for that hamburger chain; or maybe it’s a summer snack bar where you learn to walk through all of the steps. At some level, it is great to have a paycheck, but any real connection to food or cooking is something that rarely crosses your mind. What is important is that at the end of the week there is some cash in your pocket, albeit – not very much. There is never enough to be independent, and certainly no vision of a future in the food business, but for now – it serves a purpose.

For a few, at some point that changes. It might be a “moment” of inspiration, while to others it might be a slow and steady process of acclimation, but in time your thought process changes. It could be that incredible home cooked meal from a grand parent or a family dinner at a friends house; it might be that special occasion dinner at the “nice restaurant” in town when a perfectly prepared steak, chop, or seafood dish arrives at your table; or it might be that first “dare to eat” showdown with a friend when you allow that first fresh oyster to slide down your throat and savor that ocean brininess that is hard to describe – but, there is an a-ha moment when you suddenly realize that what you had been doing is not cooking – real cooking is an art, a passion, a life calling. It could be that transition from the lack of any taste 6 x 6 box of tomatoes that are out of season, to your first heirloom tomato, and then eventually picking a tomato off the vine that was sun sweetened in the month of July – taking a bite and realizing what a gift a tomato can be – but, again, there is a moment.

I say: “If you don’t know how to cook, I’m sure you have at least one friend who knows how to cook. Well, call that friend and say, ‘Can I come next time and can I bring some food and can I come an hour or two hours ahead and watch you and help you?”

– Jacques Pepin

When enlightenment happens, a person who thought he or she was a cook knows that there is so much more to the craft. That – “I wanna be a cook” individual takes a deep breath and makes the commitment to seek knowledge, to experience the lifestyle, to build the skills that are necessary to truly carry the title. There may or may not be a desire to become a chef at this point -today it is all about the craft.

Those entry-level positions offer a multitude of advantages and truly serve a need. They provide work for new entrants into the job market, they offer an immediacy that opens the door to everyone, they fulfill a definitive need in the marketplace, and they can provide an important step in building work ethic and a resume. On the other hand, these jobs rarely include the skills and knowledge necessary to be a cook in any way except title.   It is that a-ha moment that sets the stage for cooking to move past being a job.

So how do you know that you have moved past the paycheck and into the realm of a professional cook? Here are some indicators:

Painted in Waterlogue

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE MOVED BEYOND A PAYCHECK WHEN:

  1. You are proud of the uniform that you wear.
  2. When you get excited about that new restaurant cookbook that is being released next month and pre-order it through amazon.
  3. When asked what your most prized possession might be, and you answer: “my chef’s knife”.
  4. When almost all of your friends are also cooks.
  5. When you try to convince your family and friends to tighten up their mise en place.
  6. When you are walking down the street and constantly shout out “behind!”
  7. When you wake up in the middle of the night and break out in a cold sweat thinking about your prep for the day.
  8. When you call in, or stop in to work on your day off to make sure everything is in order.
  9. When your preferred gift list is a link to Extreme Culinary Outfitters. https://extremeculinaryoutfitters.com/
  10. When you get excited about visiting a farm, cattle ranch, commercial fishing boat, or flourmill.
  11. When you own more than three fishing tackle boxes filled with personal culinary tools.
  12. When you know all of the emergency room technicians at your local Urgi-Care because of the number of stitches that you wear with unusual pride.
  13. When you start complaining about people who work normal hours as “part-timers”.
  14. When asked – you can recite the names of the chefs who head the ship of the best restaurants in town.
  15. When you start building that “bucket list” of restaurants around the world where you must dine before you die.
  16. When you appreciate and crave a crusty slice of warm, artisan bread fresh from the oven with a smear of salted butter more than just about anything else.
  17. When you accept that great technique requires discipline and practice.
  18. When you know that dependability above all else, is the trait that is important in the kitchen.
  19. When even when you didn’t agree with the chef you know that: “Yes Chef” is important.
  20. When pride is directly connected to clean plates returning from the dining room.
  21. When you feel that every plate presented in the pass carries your signature.
  22. When letting down your fellow cooks would be the most egregious sin.
  23. When the title of cook, or later on – chef, becomes part of your persona. When your friends introduce you as a cook at such and such restaurant or refer to you as chef, rather than use your name.

When cooks move beyond a paycheck it is due to a shift in attitude, a commitment to self-improvement, a desire to build that palate, a need to truly understand why foods taste a certain way, and how a selected cooking method can elevate that taste and flavor. Many will never make this transition – they may simply use that job as a means to an end and then move on with a different career track – that’s fine. For those who catch the fever – they will never view what they do in the same manner.

There will be many challenges along the way, and ample opportunity to revert back to the “job” mentality: sub-standard wages, lack of benefits, excessive hours, isolating schedules, physical and mental stress, and occasionally a challenging work environment are all there to move the bar in the wrong direction. But, even the most frustrated cook will still admit that this is what he or she loves, this is what he or she was meant to do, and in many cases – “I can’t imagine doing anything else.” This is when becoming a cook moves well beyond a job.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consultant

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

 

 

 

COOKS AND CHEFS- BUILDING YOUR CAREER TAKES EFFORT

26 Thursday Sep 2019

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The best things in life are never easy, and with your career, if you truly want to reach for that rewarding chef position or chef/owner opportunity then it is essential that you set your goals, chart a course of action, stay true to the end game, and know that it will take time and considerable effort to get there. There really are no shortcuts if you want to do it right. There is far too much to learn, far too much to know, and far too many mistakes to make along the way for you to approach your career in any other way.

[]         BECOMING A GREAT COOK IS A LIFELONG PURSUIT

Understanding the foundations of cooking is the price of admission. Every other style of cooking and every tradition behind ethnic interpretation is based on understanding steps and methods. However, there are so many nuances that define how a group of people define “their” cooking that requires ingredient knowledge, variations in process, taste and flavor, and the essentials of presentation that any serious cook can invest decades attempting to master just one definitive cuisine. Great chefs go beyond being general practitioners – great chefs are true believers and authentic replicators of numerous iterations of a style of cooking. This takes more time than any of us have.

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[]         APPRECIATION OF DIFFERENT CULTURES – A GATEWAY TO GREAT    COOKING

Behind the skills associated with a particular cuisine, great chefs invest the time to understand the people, the history, the geographic and political challenges faced by a population, the traditions and socio-economic barriers that loom over a people, and the flavor sensitivity that defines how cooking in a certain area evolved. All of these factors combine to result in food prepared, as it should. This is why a recipe is of little value without the soul behind its use.

[]         UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE

Career chefs are seasoned psychologists who access their appreciation of various cultures, their empathy with firmness, and their ability to listen and process what others have to offer, as part of their being. These appreciations and skills are what truly separate a cook from a chef. A chef must be a leader and a leader must have followers. When a chef strives to understand people then followership is a natural byproduct.

[]         BUSINESS ACUMEN IS YOUR SPECIAL SKILL

In the end, it is a chefs ability to operate a business, manage the processes, control costs, drive sales and build a business brand, inspire others to pay attention to the details, strive for consistency, and act in accordance with those analytics that point to patterns of success or failure, that set the stage for long-term success. This does not come easily – it takes time to develop “business eyes”.

[]         BELIEVE THAT COMMUNICATION SKILLS ARE ESSENTIAL

When a person sets a course for career success, he or she quickly comes to realize that the ability to effectively communicate through writing, public speaking, use of technology, and even proper use of body language will set the stage for strong, positive relationships between the position of chef and all stakeholders who come in contact with the person holding that position.

angry chef

[]         THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCES

This statement goes beyond the singular “experience” as it refers to time in a position – this points to engagement in unique experiences (good and not so good) that build resilience, problem-solving ability, perspective, and control over reactionary responses that build a strong leader, an effective chef. The best decisions come from action based on reflection of how a challenge unfolded in the past, how another individual responded to a similar challenge in the past, and the knowledge of how action impacts on other aspects of the business and the lives of those involved.

[]         BE A STUDENT, BECOME A TEACHER

The number of birthdays that a chef has certainly sets the stage for success, but what is more important is how the chef spent the time behind those birthdays. When a cook is open to learning, open to critique, open to observation and listening, and open to admitting what he or she doesn’t yet know, then a clear path towards career growth becomes evident. Once in the position of chef, it then becomes essential that the person gives back and helps others through that process of learning.

[]         BECOME A SERVICE PIONEER

When various chefs are observed and assessed on their ability to adequately fill the shoes of the position, it is clear that the ability to understand what it means to serve is at the core of success. Chefs must understand that service means to not just provide what people need and want, it infers that the chef understands what people will want before they even ask. Service requires constant observation and evaluation that will help with understanding and anticipation. Meeting expectations in a service centric economy is only the beginning – great chefs are focused on exceeding expectations of service to both external stakeholders (guests) and internal stakeholders (employees, owners, vendors, etc.).

changin

[]         WHEN OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS

If you are serious about building a career that is rich and influential then a cook must grab onto opportunities along the way that will help to build the skills, aptitudes and experiences that lead to success. Work for those who can teach, work in operations that build a resume, travel to new locations that allow you to connect with people of various cultures, take positions that you are ready for but will push your abilities to their limit, and take on a process of learning that fills in the gaps along the way.

[]         KNOW WHAT SUCCESS MEANS TO YOU

Finally, know that success is something that is unique to the individual. To some, success refers to a title, a company, the breadth of responsibility that falls on their shoulders, salary, the chance to build personal brand, ownership, or networking with a certain group of like professionals; while to others it connects to living in a particular area, or gaining a feeling of self-worth that connects to a well-defined philosophy or belief structure. Whatever works for you should be based on how you define “success”. Know what it is, create a roadmap, be patient, and invest in the process of getting there.

As yourself every day:

“Is what I’m doing right now, bringing me any closer to achieving my goals?”

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericaventures.com

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

 

CHEF OWNERSHIP – SCENARIO #2

01 Monday Jul 2019

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This is the second of three chef/ownership scenarios drawn from the initial article on that “OWNERSHIP THING”.

Sabrina’s Scones and Crust:

Sabrina has worked in various pastry shops throughout the Pacific Northwest and has built a strong reputation for her creativity and exemplary work ethic. Wherever she works, business improves due to the magic touch that she carries into the bakeshop. A graduate of the French Pastry School in New York, Sabrina hit the ground running and has shown passion for her craft ever since she received her degree. She has worked on the west coast for the past seven years and is now ready to go off on her own.

Through investments from family and friends, Sabrina is ready to open the doors to “Sabrina’s Scones and Crust” in the downtown Pearl District of Portland, Oregon. Just a few steps from an Anthropology Store, the Performing Art Center, numerous restaurants and office buildings, Sabrina is confident that her business will flourish.

The bakeshop is moderate in size with seating for 24 and extensive counter and display space for her baked goods. The focus will be scones, muffins, and artisan breads with the desire to stay dedicated to retail sales. She is concerned about the high cost of rent in this trendy section of town, but is optimistic that business volume will take care of the higher than normal rent. The current space will lease for $8,000 per month – triple net (meaning that she is responsible for any building repairs). She is ready to open with a staff of three other bakers, and ample counter and service staff.

Since there is a Pete’s Coffee store in the next block, Sabrina decided to stay away from espresso drinks and just offer a standard, limited selection of brewed coffee and tea as a complement to the baked goods at “Scones and Crusts”. She estimates that check averages will run between $6-7 with the current menu offered.

Excitement built over the two months prior to opening and when the big day finally arrived she was pleased to see a waiting line outside the door at 6:30 a.m. – their opening time. The quality of the products spoke for themselves and word-of-mouth advertising brought longer lines of enthusiastic customers that didn’t slow down at all over the first few months of business. An article in the Portland newspaper offered rave reviews for the scones and bread – stating that this was the best bakeshop in the Portland area.

bread

Sabrina and her crew were working around the clock and after three months she had yet to take a full day off. Sabrina was exhausted and had not had a chance to take a breath and assess just how well the business was doing. When she finally had a chance to meet with her accountant, the news was shocking. Sabrina had already tapped into her line of credit with a local bank even with the extraordinary number of customers who continued to walk through the door of “Scones and Crusts”. She took the next day off to try and determine what was going on. Back in school she remembered a business professor stating that “the top line drives the bottom line” and as she sifted through sales and expenses it became clear that the cost of operating the business far exceeded the actual sales that the bakery was generating. Her check average was too low and her fixed expenses were way too high. After three months in business her rent was screaming in at 13% of sales where it should stay under 6% for the business to remain viable. The check average was steady, and higher than she originally anticipated, but at $8.50 it was still too low to compensate for rent.

She sat down with the landlord to try and renegotiate her fixed costs, but he was unwilling to budge. Sabrina began to panic – what could she do? Trying to stay focused on product and service, while her business was failing so early on was almost impossible and her staff began to feel her stress. She had a meeting with her investors and they agreed to defer on any return on investment until the end of year one – this gave her a bit of breathing room, but the bills were still mounting up. She decided to take an aggressive step and add a wholesale segment to her operation in an effort to increase sales. Sabrina met with other restaurant owners in the Pearl District who gladly agreed to begin purchasing their breads and breakfast items from her and even contributed to an investment fund to add some needed equipment to the shop. This would allow Sabrina to step up production.

With a dozen or so additional steady clients in her portfolio, Sabrina was now in the wholesale business. Margins on these items were smaller than in retail, so the need to build volume became critical. Sabrina quickly found herself pulled away from baking and forced to focus on building a client list, delivering product, and hiring more bakers. Restaurants were very happy with the product, but noted that their orders were frequently short since the bakeshop could not keep up with demand.

Painted in Waterlogue

The cycle of angst grew more intense as Sabrina added a second shift of baking to meet the demands of wholesale. In the meantime, her absence from the bakeshop and the retail business were evident as quality began to slip and the lack of her pleasant personality in the operation took its toll. Sabrina began to despair.

As her first year of operation was near, Sabrina worked with her accountant to assess the current status of the business. The bakery’s line of credit was maxed out, she was two months behind in rent, and after a recent “not so stellar” article in the Portland paper stated that the bakery was not the same as it was in the early days of operation – retail business had slowed considerably.

After a depressing meeting with her family and friend investors, and a dark meeting with her accountant, Sabrina made the difficult decision to close her doors just 11 months after opening to rave reviews.   So what went wrong – what are the lessons to learn from this scenario?

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED AND RESOLUTION:

  1. THE VALUE OF A BUSINESS PLAN

Sabrina may have been an excellent baker, but going into business is a totally different animal. Take the time to research and invest all of the time needed to know what you should sell, how much you should charge, what your sales must be to cover costs, what your breakeven point is, whether or not your physical space is right for the concept, the relationship of lease to profit, and your role in the business. It seems apparent that Sabrina did not take care of due diligence.

  1. PAY ATTENTION TO LEASE/RENT ARRANGEMENTS

When the suggested limit for lease/rent to sales is at a 6% limit – then make sure that you are able to meet that goal. Fixed costs are oblivious to your sales – they must be paid whether or not you generate enough income.

  1. KNOW HOW TO ASSESS MENU/CHECK AVERAGE AND THEIR IMPACT ON SUCCESS

In Sabrina’s case, the $8,000 per month rent (if defined as 6% of sales) would require “Scones and Crusts” to generate over $133,000 in monthly sales. At a check average of $8.50, ($133,000/$8.50) “Scones and Crusts” would need to serve 15,647 customers per month. That’s 3,912 per week, or 558 per day. If she had rationally assessed these numbers early on, it would have been clear that this was a goal that would be very difficult to meet.

  1. UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF BUSINESS PERSONALITY

Sabrina was “all in” during her first months of operation. She established a clear connection between herself, her staff, and the customers of “Scones and Crusts”. When the business demands, and wholesale operation pulled her away, then there was a noticeable void. Without filling this void, things began to go sideways.

  1. BUSINESS OWNERS NEED TO STAY AT THE 10,000 FOOT LEVEL

From the beginning, when a person decides to become a business operator, then he or she must realize that their job description changes. Sabrina should have stepped back and changed her focus from the first day of operation – she could no longer afford to be the baker – she had to be the conductor of the orchestra.

  1. CONSISTENCY, QUALITY, VALUE

Business owners must always keep their eye on the defined quality of the product – day in and day out. Any perceived slip in this area, or any realized change in the value statement will push customers away.

  1. INVESTOR RELATIONSHIPS CAN STRAIN PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Finally, although not clarified in this fictitious case, Sabrina’s investors were friends and family, and although they likely understood her dilemma – business closure and a loss of their investment or potential return on that investment will strain relationships for some time to come.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

CHEFS CHASING THE OWNERSHIP THING

15 Saturday Jun 2019

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I don’t believe that I know a single professional chef who doesn’t have a deep seeded desire to own a restaurant. Some are more obvious about the desire then others, some hide it pretty well, but underneath the façade of contentment with their current situation – every chef craves the chance to put their name on the front door of a restaurant.

Why is this ownership fixation such a fantasy for so many? Is it simply the American dream of being their own boss, is it a need to have the ultimate creative outlet that reflects their vision, or is it a false sense of confidence that allows a chef to think that he or she has the right formula for success? Maybe it is that sense of danger, the uncertainty of it as a motivational high, or it could just be a gnawing fear that they might wind up nearing the end of a career thinking: “could have, should have – didn’t.”

The majority of restaurant managers and operators come up through the ranks – this is absolutely important since it is such a simple type of business with enormous complexity in execution that can only be understood by those who have been there – done that. Many of those operators were accidental entrepreneurs who either fell in love with the business over a period of time, or spent so much time in operations that it simply became a logical progression. Chefs on the other hand seem to be born with the desire to own and operate. If a survey of culinary school freshmen included a question: “Do you want to own a restaurant some day”, I would dare guess that the overwhelming majority of young “yet to be cooks” would say yes. That desire may be beat out of them over the years, but it only takes a little encouragement, the sight of a perfect location, a few compliments on the quality of their cooking, or a visit to that new instantly successful concept that brings the desire right back to the surface – with a vengeance.

If you have read this far into the article, then I must assume that I have struck a chord and the ideas for the next great restaurant are filling up your head and soul right now. I am coming close to that scary 70-age marker and I still get excited about ideas for my own restaurant. After throwing some cold water in my face I am usually able to wake up out of those crazy dream states.

I know you have heard all of the reasons not to own a restaurant before – but I think that they are worth repeating – this way I might put a temporary damper on those over the top ideas that are floating around in your head right now. I know: a noodle shop would be killer, Native American cuisine is underserved, and Scandinavian food is hot on the world scene right now – so why not open one in Malone, New York? You can’t believe that no one has thought of this sooner – so the market can be all yours. Well let’s just tuck these realities under your arm:

  • There are over 1 million restaurants in the United States right now creating 1.5 million new jobs each year (many of them go unfilled because the labor pool is so tight).
  • The number one reason why restaurants fail is poor location – so unless you know how to assess demographic flow, population variances, and socio-economic realities within a radius from a site – then be cautious about your site selection.
  • The cost of food rarely goes down.
  • Customers are fickle and restaurants can be busy one week and empty the next.
  • Profitability in restaurants is quite low with the average successful restaurant realizing 4-6% profit if they can avoid mistakes.
  • It is unlikely that you will make a profit for at least three years.
  • We deal with highly perishable products with a shelf life measured in a few days – you better make sure that your menu moves well.
  • Turnover rates of employees in American restaurants are extremely high.
  • Rents are one of the next greatest reasons for restaurant failure. If you can’t keep your rent under 6% of sales then you are looking at almost certain failure.
  • Chefs make great marketing images for a restaurant and are responsible for producing the food that will help the operation stand out, but at the same time – most chefs are not the best financial managers, human resource managers, and marketing gurus.
  • Unlike many other businesses, a restaurant is quite an intense master. Chefs who work hard as an employee will work even harder as an owner.
  • Somewhere around 60% of all private restaurants that open today will close in a year, and 80-90% of those that remain will lock their doors by the time they reach year five.
  • The list goes on.

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Did I do a decent job of throwing cold water on your enthusiasm? I hope so. But, after all of that if you still think that your brilliant idea, and vast experience are just right for creating a successful operation then go for it! Find a partner with the management experience to be your balance. Make sure that the partner is bold enough to tell you NO, to counter some of your enthusiasm with business logic, and at the same time your best cheerleader when an idea is well researched. Make sure that you have investors willing to fund your idea, offer feedback and support, but are not interested in micro-managing the business (good luck with that). Find a location that is proven, through research, to be right for the concept, and ripe with ample traffic able and willing to support the restaurant. Create a conservative budget and stick to it. Create a realistic timeline for profitability and make sure you have the resources to weather the storm until you reach the anticipated point of success. And, by all means, make sure that your spouse or significant other fully understands what your commitment will be and is still excited about supporting you through thick and thin. NOW – take the leap.

The next three articles will cover three hypothetical situations where young chefs took the leap. I will walk you through some of the challenges that they would face, some thoughts on how they might approach those challenges, and the way that they can turn lemons into lemonade.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

And if you want to be an owner – THROW IN A HEAVY DOSE OF LUCK

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

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Restaurant Consulting and Training

 

LINE COOKS WHO TAKE THE LEAP

13 Thursday Jun 2019

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At some point, fairly early on, restaurant cooks make a decision to either view what they do as a transitional job while they look for something that they really want to do, or decide that cooking is their life calling and they intend to become exceptional at the craft. This is true for nearly any job/career, but quite apparent in the restaurant world as the phrase– “love it or leave it”, strikes a chord. There are too many legitimate reasons to not choose a career in the kitchen if a person doesn’t “love it”.

So, if a cook does choose to love it, then what are the next steps? What must a now serious cook do to work towards excellence – to become exceptional at the craft? Here are a few pointers that will set the stage:

[]         BE READY

Be ready mentally, physically, and emotionally for a day in the kitchen. Be on time, dressed properly, and geared up from the moment you arrive.

[]         BE HUNGRY

The best cooks thrive on developing new skills, enhancing the ones they have, trying new ingredients and meeting new challenges – head on.

[]         MASTER KNIFE SKILLS

Accuracy and speed must align. Every cook knows how critical those knife skills are. Sharpen knives, and build the muscle memory necessary to use those knives as if they were an extension of a cook’s hand. These are the foundations on which great cooking is built.

[]         BE ORGANIZED – EXTREMELY ORGANIZED

Mise en place wins! If you are organized and prepared with sufficient mise then any challenge can be met.

[]         BE A SPONGE

The best cooks relish information, food knowledge, concepts and procedures, and techniques that others are willing to share.

[]         RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCE

The best cooks dig in and seek out experiences that will enhance their understanding and ability to cook well. Great cooks invest in their professional growth.

[]         DEFINE YOUR BENCHMARKS AND STUDY THEM

Who do you admire, what do you admire, how do those whom you admire do what they do, and how can a cook model his or her own performance as a result?

[]         REPRESENT THE UNIFORM

Great cooks know that the uniform they wear is representative of a proud history, a history that – as Julia Child once said (and I paraphrase): “Every significant change in society has been paralleled by a change in the way we grow, process, or cook food.” Every professional cook represents this history.

[]         WORK ON BEING HEALTHY

Great cooks cannot perform at an optimum level unless they are well rested, healthy, and physically fit. Great cooks take care of themselves.

[]         WORK ON WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW

Great cooks know what they don’t know and seek to find answers and build new skills. Obstacles can become advantages.

[]         BECOME FAST WITHOUT SACRIFICING QUALITY

Speed is essential in a busy restaurant – time is not on your side, yet sacrificing quality for speed is never an option. Great cooks work on both.

[]         BUILD YOUR PALATE

There are so many variables in cooking (maturity of ingredients, method of cooking used, seasonality, type of cooking equipment used, and – the person doing the cooking) that must come under consideration. In the end, a dish must meet certain flavor expectations and a great cook has developed a palate that is sophisticated enough to allow them to make adjustments to end up with the right results. Great cooks work on building their flavor memory and researching how they might compensate for ingredients or environments that might push a dish in the wrong direction.

[]         CREATE YOUR COOKING/PLATING SIGNATURE

Every great cook develops, over time, a style of cooking that, to some degree, can be identified. It may be the way that an ingredient is approached, or the manner with which he or she assembles ingredients on the plate. Even in an operation where process and design are prescribed, a great cook finds a way to sign the plate.

[]         EMBRACE TEAMWORK

Career cooks learn early on that their effectiveness is not a solo act. Great cooks are, first and foremost, a member of a team, and as such they understand how critical it is to communicate effectively, understand each team members strengths and weaknesses, and work to align and support those understandings.

[]         KNOW WHAT THINGS COST

The cook’s position exists because the restaurant functions in a profitable manner. To this end, every cook must become an owner of the operations cost structure. They must learn and appreciate the cost of ingredients and equipment and understand that profitability is not drawn from the onion, but rather from the onion peel. Everything has an associated cost and as such – value.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

Restaurant Consulting