A common complaint from chefs and restaurateurs is that they can’t hang on to employees. The blame game always includes pointing a finger at those who leave claiming that they are ungrateful, lazy, uncommitted to their field, or just incompetent anyway. There are loads of articles and books dedicated to the way to keep good…
Tag: chefs
ROCK SOLID – A COOK’S PROFILE
A chef posts job openings for a restaurant kitchen “Looking for line cooks – dependable, experienced, strong work ethic”. These three descriptors summarize what most chefs are looking for. The resume is simply an elaboration on the critical traits of good employees – cooks who have the raw materials needed for success. Is this enough…
ON THE THRESHOLD OF A DREAM – A CHEF’S LAMENT
(So You Want to Own a Restaurant – PART II) Deep in every chef’s heart is/was a desire to open and own a restaurant. I think that I can say this unequivocally even though many chefs may choose to deny it. Why is it so? The data is pretty clear – the odds of failure…
WHAT LINE COOKS BELIEVE – FACTS AND ALTERNATIVE FACTS
At the core of every person is a foundation of beliefs. Some of those beliefs are based on facts and experience while others are somewhat hollow beliefs that are loosely based on perceptions rather than a deeper understanding. Perceptions left unanswered can become beliefs that are quite rigid and hard to change. So – what…
HAVE YOUNGER COOKS LOST THAT HUNGER TO LEARN?
It is a question that is far more complex than it seems on the surface, yet it is a question that has been posed to me many times. Each generation seems to question the next generations’ commitment and in doing so compare this new generation to their own. This is not an isolated comparison used…
IMAGINE IF CHEFS WERE IN CHARGE
Now that we know that experience in government is not a pre-requisite for high level positions in the U.S., I started to wonder what it might be like if chefs were in charge of Congress and the White House. Hey – why not! With an understanding that “learning on the job” is acceptable, it is…
IMAGINE LIFE WITHOUT RESTAURANTS
How many people have ever stopped to contemplate the importance of restaurants to society, to a community, the local and national economy, and to their own personal lives? Beyond the obvious provision of meals for a hungry public, restaurants are essential in defining a people’s culture and offering a perfect environment for celebration and intellectual…
A COOK IN THE WEEDS
What does it feel like to be part of that downward spiral situation on the line referred to as being in the weeds? This is different, a far cry, from just being buried in orders on a busy night. This is more than a situation – it is a condition, a condition that feels like…
THE WELL-SEASONED COOK
What is it about food that stops people in their tracks? What single characteristic about the food that we consume is literally addictive? What is the most important part of the formula for a successful restaurant that attracts return customers and new customers and builds a reputation that will carry the operation for a long…
SO – YOU WANT TO OWN A RESTAURANT
The life of a restaurateur: “Work all day in preparation to work all night.” -Gabrielle Hamilton – Prune Restaurant Every chefs dream is to own a restaurant – this is, after all, everything that a chef works for. Being in control, controlling the decisions, becoming one with the operation, being in charge of your own…
