Harvest America CUES BLOG

chefs

  • FINE FOOD WITHOUT FINE DINING AND WITHOUT OBSCENE PRICING

    Sometimes I wonder if we (those of us in the restaurant business) are pricing ourselves out of business. Sometimes I wonder if many chefs and restaurateurs live under the illusion that great food experiences are reserved only for those who… Continue reading

  • WHY I LOVE TO CALL MYSELF A COOK

    I haven’t walked through those professional kitchen doors for quite some time now – my tenure as a chef ended a few years back. Even though I am not clocked in – I still cook every day and still reflect… Continue reading

  • ADDRESSING THE DEVIL THAT PLAGUES COOKS

    When we are young, we are invincible. Very little thought is given to the effort required to prevent aches, pains, and serious health problems in the future. Cooks tend to work hard and play hard – their energy level is… Continue reading

  • THE KITCHEN COMMANDMENTS

    The minute we accept a position in a professional kitchen, we accept the functional rules of operation, the guiding principles that allow every cook, and every chef to be a productive, and trusted member of a team. These rules may… Continue reading

  • A DIFFERENT KIND OF WAKE UP CALL FOR ALL OF US

    Well, people may be on different sides of the “save the planet” discussion, so let’s put aside the debate and just settle in on a few undeniable facts (especially as they pertain to the food business): Recycling has taken a… Continue reading

  • I’VE LOOKED AT PRIDE FROM BOTH SIDES NOW

    Pride is an alluring enigma, an intoxicating challenge to our peace of mind, and a dangerous mistress that can pull us away from good old common sense. At the same time, pride is the fuel of success, the underlying standard… Continue reading

  • HEY CHEF – WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

    It’s hard to believe that time can be such a tease; when looking back is far more consuming than looking forward. Where did the time go? It wasn’t too long ago that the future seemed endless – an exciting enigma… Continue reading

  • CHEFS – IT’S NEVER GOING TO BE THE SAME AS IT WAS

    I was depressed watching the news about the new political climate where the fringe on both sides is slowly chipping away at tradition and accepted norms when it finally dawned on me – this applies to everything – this applies… Continue reading

  • INVENTION, RE-INVENTION, A FRESH LOOK

    There are few examples of businesses that can continue to thrive without change. Not too long ago, the need for change was gradual – giving owners/operators a chance to assess, research, test through trial and error, and slowly take baby… Continue reading

  • CHEF OWNERSHIP – SCENARIO #1

    This is the first of three chef/ownership scenarios drawn from last weeks initial article on that “OWNERSHIP THING”. Jeremy’s Southern Cuisine: Jeremy has paid his dues. He started as a dishwasher, worked his way through prep, breakfast cook, line cook… Continue reading

  • COOKS AND CHEFS – BELIEFS AND INITIATIVES THAT SHOULD UNITE US

    Lately, I have read quite a few posts from angry cooks and chefs as they lament the job requirements, poor wages, lack of life balance, questionable work ethic of young cooks, and demands placed on them by inconsiderate bosses. Like… Continue reading

  • THE CHEF TITLE EARNED – GETTING IT STRAIGHT

    You cannot call yourself a nurse simply because you are generous enough to care for people, nor can you be rightfully called a doctor simply because you work in a healthcare facility. A master plumber is not a self-appointed title,… Continue reading

  • MASLOW’S HIERARCHY STILL APPLIES TO RESTAURANT WORKERS

    I continue to hear the arguments: “Young cooks don’t want to work hard, they aren’t dependable, they lack passion, and they simply don’t have what it takes.” I have been there myself – touting many of the same woes about… Continue reading

  • THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRE TO A COOK

    Fire has so many meanings, but to a cook – it is essential. Cook’s exist because of fire; it is the one ingredient that they cannot work without, the critical ingredient that brings everything together, the literal fuel of the… Continue reading

  • HEY CHEFS AND RESTAURATEURS – WE HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT OURSELVES

    Maybe it’s just because I am in the twilight of a career that I am very thankful for, but aware of my own connection to the problems that restaurants face. Maybe it is because now, as a consultant, I see… Continue reading

  • THE IMPORTANCE OF GRASSROOTS COOKING IN RESTAURANTS

    Some refer to cooking as art, while others are committed to the process as science – I tend to view it as a cultural portal. Art plays a role because food can be beautiful and even reflective of what a… Continue reading

  • A COOK’S BALANCE – HARD WORK, PASSION, LIVE

    I was listening to some older music the other day and reconnected with a then super group – Blind Faith. When you put Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Steve Winwood together – great music is bound to happen. One song… Continue reading

  • IS COOKING LOSING ITS COOL IMAGE?

    Maybe, the old adage: “what goes around, comes around” is true in the case of cooks and chefs. There was a time when individuals worked in kitchens for one of two reasons – they were either destined to do this… Continue reading

  • INNOVATE AND CHANGE OR GET OUT OF THE WAY

    Take a deep breath, sit down, grab a couple Ibuprofen, tighten your belt and pay attention. EVERYTHING IS CHANGING AND THERE IS NO TURNING BACK. If you think that you can simply continue to do business the way you have,… Continue reading

  • THE INFLUENCE OF WOMEN CHEFS

      On this International Women’s Day I am enthusiastic about supporting this years theme of “Balance for Better”. Specifically, I want to point to the numerous accomplishments of women chefs who are making a difference in the restaurant business. It… Continue reading

  • ANGER AND THE SELF-DESTRUCTIVE CHEF

    Most chefs have been there – that point of exasperation when something isn’t going as planned, when a staff member didn’t follow through, when that order came back for a re-fire, or when a vendor sent disappointing products to your… Continue reading

  • TALENT, PASSION, DISCIPLINE, AND HARD WORK

    If you could imagine a formula for success in any field it would certainly stem from these four factors: Talent, Passion, Discipline, and Hard Work. When all four are in place – incredible results are inevitable, but ironically talent becomes… Continue reading

  • COOKING MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT LIFE SKILL

    As members of an advanced society we stress over many things – to most the skills necessary to survive, thrive, and contribute to society rank above all else – some might even say that learning how to make a difference… Continue reading

  • THE CHEF – DECISIONS EVERY 30 SECONDS

    Ah…the good old days when it was just about cooking. Remember those days when your stress, considerable as it may have been, was focused on your mise en place, keeping orders straight on your station, making sure that your knives… Continue reading

  • GENEROSITY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COOKS AND CHEFS

    This month I had the pleasure of working in the kitchen with three of my most treasured friends. These consummate professionals represent, to me, the most vivid reason why I have truly loved working in the food business for five… Continue reading

  • A COOK’S EVOLUTION OF SKILLS AND VALUE

    Physically, mentally, and emotionally – professional cook’s and chef’s offer different levels of value as time goes by. To some, there is that uncomfortable feeling that accompanies an aging body – you know – that point in a career when… Continue reading

  • SERIOUS COOKING / COOKING SERIOUSLY

    There are cooks and there are cooks – such a profound statement. My experience has shown me that there is a place for numerous levels of skill and commitment in our profession. People do need to eat, and in this… Continue reading

  • KITCHENS – WHEN THINGS START TO UNRAVEL

    I imagine that every night that the cast of a Broadway play watches the curtains open, there is a feeling that the performance will either be great or terrible. When the most organized and well-seasoned band hits the stage for… Continue reading

  • NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PREP COOK

    Chefs are acutely aware of the importance of their line crew and care is typically taken to hire those who have a complementary chemistry and skill set – team is critical to success. But, how much similar effort is placed… Continue reading

  • AND WE CONTINUED TO COOK

    I just watched Bruce Springsteen on Broadway and was deeply moved by one of my generation’s great storytellers. Unless you were fortunate enough to be able to afford a ticket when he was live on Broadway, watching it on Netflix… Continue reading