Harvest America CUES BLOG

chefs

  • WHY SERIOUS COOKS WILL ALWAYS BE MY FAVORITE PEOPLE

    I hope that this article is not viewed as just another stab at nostalgia, but rather a testament to what made and will continue to make the environment of the kitchen so special. Some will say that kitchens are changing;… Continue reading

  • THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS – FULL DISCLOSURE

    A recent excellent article by Jason Hammel in conjunction with the annual restaurant discount “rite of passage” in the local newspaper inspired an “aha” moment and the impetus for these musings. http://www.madfeed.com/2015/culture-of-the-kitchen-jason-hammel/ Jason Hammel I live in the Adirondacks of… Continue reading

  • CHEFS and RESTAURANT STAFF – THE IMPORTANCE OF PERFECTION

    What drives people to obsess about seeking perfection? Is it a disorder to be scoffed at or is it simply meant to confuse others? With all of the attention being paid to a relatively small segment of the restaurant market,… Continue reading

  • “YES CHEF” – WHAT THE LINE COOK REALLY MEANS

    Since the days of Careme, Point, and Escoffier, there has been a military approach to how a kitchen is run. We have learned, rightfully so, that this type of order and control is essential if cooks are able to accomplish… Continue reading

  • HOW CAN RESTAURANTS HANG ON TO EXCEPTIONAL COOKS

    I have read and listened to a never-ending stream of concerns about the shortage of cooks and each operations unique perspective on the reasons for this significant concern. Thoughts range from culinary schools not doing their job, to the continued… Continue reading

  • BE AN EXCEPTIONAL COOK & THE OPPORTUNITIES WILL COME YOUR WAY

    We have all read about the current dilemma in the restaurant business – the challenge of finding cooks to fill shifts.   This is a cyclical problem driven by fluctuations in the economy paired with the continual American dependence on restaurant… Continue reading

  • DO LINE COOKS SYNC THEIR BRAINS WHEN THE RESTAURANT IS HUMMING?

    I read an interesting article in Fast Company Magazine, entitled: “Guitarists Can Sync Their Brains with Other Players, Forming a Giant Hyper Brain.” In this article based on a scientifically researched study, it was implied that when guitarists are jamming… Continue reading

  • A COOK TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF 9/11

    Another year has come and gone bringing us back to 9/11, “A day to remember”, as it has been called. The rest of the year we try to forget, because we are good at that. Forgetting is a defense mechanism… Continue reading

  • FARM TO TABLE IS NOW AN EXPECTATION – WHAT’S NEXT FOR RESTAURANTS?

    There was a time when stating that your restaurant had strong ties to local farmers and producer’s was an exciting marketing advantage. This was a statement to the public that the chef and the restaurant were concerned with quality, support… Continue reading

  • A COOK’S LETTER TO RESTAURANT GUESTS

    OK, I get it; restaurant guests don’t really need to know what makes a line cook tick, nor should they care. After all, cooks are in the service business and our primary job, just like that of the service staff,… Continue reading

  • A WOMAN’S PLACE “IS” IN THE KITCHEN

    I could start this article by simply asking: “Why is this even a topic for discussion?” The truth of the matter is that we shouldn’t need to identify people by gender in a professional kitchen. Chefs and managers shouldn’t hire… Continue reading

  • WHERE HAVE ALL THE LINE COOKS GONE?

    How often have you heard stories like this: “Jake and Carla have worked for years to get to this point. Both are culinary school graduates, both spent the past ten years working in great restaurants as they built their skill… Continue reading

  • BEING A LINE COOK SPOILS YOU FOR OTHER JOBS

    Whatever the reason, some find themselves working behind the range – a place that is unique to most any other. “Why am I here” may be a question that line cooks ask themselves on occasion, but for the most part,… Continue reading

  • WHY ON-LINE RESTAURANT REVIEWS ARE A BAD IDEA

    There was a time when dissatisfied restaurant guests voiced their concerns with staff or management. These guests expected consideration and resolution of their complaint. There was also a time when guest expectations of restaurants were not very high, so a… Continue reading

  • COOKS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES

    That’s a pretty big opening statement, but I know that it is true on many levels. Certainly, cooks make a difference in the lives of restaurant guests who are looking for an experience, a reward, a mind-blowing meal, or just… Continue reading

  • COOKS ARE UNITED – ENOUGH WITH THE SCREAMING CHEF!

    How many times have you heard, “This is the way I was trained, so this is how I will train you.”? Physically and emotionally battering cooks is no longer a realistic approach towards managing a kitchen crew. Just because it… Continue reading

  • WHAT COULD COOKS AND RESTAURANTS LEARN FROM THE GRATEFUL DEAD?

    Certainly, by now, everyone on the planet knows that the Grateful Dead just completed their “Fare Thee Well” tour that celebrated fifty years as a band (far too many of those years without Jerry Garcia). Yes, I was, and still… Continue reading

  • A COOK’S LIFE IS ALWAYS A NOVEL IN THE MAKING

    I know that I spend an inordinate amount of time analyzing those of us who spend or have spent a hefty portion of our lives working in kitchens. Maybe I tend to over-think what it takes to be a kitchen… Continue reading

  • CHEF – DOES YOUR RESTAURANT TELL A STORY?

    There are over 980,000 freestanding restaurants in the United States. This does not include business and industry operations that service offices, plants, hospitals and schools. Do the math: that’s one restaurant for every 300 people in the United States. While… Continue reading

  • AN OPEN LETTER TO LINE COOKS

    There are certainly some negative aspects to life in the kitchen; however, those who have enlisted in the cause of great cooking will typically demonstrate a true passion for their choice of careers. Some may reflect on the physical demands,… Continue reading

  • WITH COOKS, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FIRE

    There is a unique bond between the Zen of fire and the character of a cook. We have had a fascination with controlling fire both literally and conceptually ever since the first human rubbed two sticks together. Some archeologists claim… Continue reading

  • WHY DON’T RESTAURANTS GET IT?

    There is no question that the restaurant business is challenging, very hard work, and plagued with low profitability.   Those of us who have made this our life understand all of this quite well. What really makes me scratch my head… Continue reading

  • THAT FORK IN THE ROAD – TO BE A COOK OR WHAT?

    I have quite a network of cook and chef friends. All of them are part of that special club of people who have been there and truly know what it means to be a kitchen warrior. Everyone is unique, yet… Continue reading

  • IS THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS JUST AS GOOD AS A CULINARY DEGREE?

    This is a question that weighs heavy on the minds of many who are contemplating a career in the food business. With the requirement of time without pay, and the high cost of tuition, many people have mixed feelings about… Continue reading

  • ARE MOST GOOD COOKS INSECURE?

    I remember reading a story about Eric Clapton who in the late sixties was referred to as a “guitar god”. With all the accolades being tossed his way, you could understand how he might be pretty strong willed and confidant.… Continue reading

  • IS IT TIME TO PUT AN END TO MEDIOCRE FOOD?

    There are many encouraging signs. Things are beginning to change. Are we in the midst of a real paradigm shift in eating, both at home and in restaurants? Whenever I become encouraged, I run into far too many examples of… Continue reading

  • COOKS, CHEFS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUST

    “We need people in our lives with whom we can be as open as possible. To have real conversations with people may seem like such a simple, obvious suggestion, but it involves courage and risk.”  Thomas Moore When a cook… Continue reading

  • WORKING IN KITCHENS – THE WAY IT WAS, THE WAY IT IS

    Nostalgia is an interesting phenomenon. When we reflect back, the tendency is to somehow ignore the ugly and focus on the good. Basic Training in the military, ah…what a great time that was. Tradition, physical conditioning, new friends, common goals,… Continue reading

  • BUILDING A COOKS PALATE

    Setting aside the role that a restaurants ambience plays in the dining experience, minimizing the significance of plate presentation, and even disregarding the value of exceptional service, the core reason that guests flock to a great restaurant is the flavor… Continue reading

  • WHY DO WE COOK – CHEFS WITH INTEGRITY

    I know that there are some who cook just for the paycheck. There are plenty of opportunities for cooks without that life-commitment to the craft, and in many cases they are pretty good at what they do. There are, however,… Continue reading