cooks
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FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE CHEF & COOK SHORTAGE
The articles continue to flow pointing to a real dilemma that is facing the restaurant world. Everyone has an opinion on why this is so and many are free to point fingers at this potential cause or another. So, to… Continue reading
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GIVING THANKS FOR A LIFE IN THE KITCHEN
Like many in our industry, my first job was washing dishes at a diner. I was fifteen years old and eager to earn a paycheck, regardless of the job. Fifty years later, I am still actively involved in the food… Continue reading
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COOKING FOR THE SAKE OF COOKING
Many years ago, at an ACF Conference in Phoenix, Andre Soltner (in my mind one of the greatest chefs in recent history) spoke to an audience of enthusiastic members. He began by trying to downplay the hype that was building… Continue reading
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A COOK’S BATTLE SCARS
WARNING: The mental images portrayed in this article may be offensive to those who have not yet worked in a commercial kitchen and could tend to scare away would-be future cooks. The intent is not to make light of the… Continue reading
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HOW TO RECOGNIZE A LINE COOK OUT OF UNIFORM
I know that I seem to consistently promote that cooks are different from most everyone else, but most people would agree that identifying these line pirates from just about any other person is just as easy out of uniform as… Continue reading
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THE CHEF’S SURVIVAL LIST
There are many things in life that can only be prepared for if you have experienced them first. In other words, experience is truly the best educator. So..in an effort to help all those newly anointed chefs with a first… Continue reading
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A LINE COOK’S SKILLS ARE TRANSFERABLE
Over the years I have noticed how cooks and chefs can easily be grouped into one of three categories: 1. Excited and on the rise, 2. Content but realistic, or 3. Stuck. In all cases, once a person finds him… Continue reading
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A CHEF LAMENTS FOR FRANCE
We are all well aware of what is taking place in Paris and have deep concern for the people of France and for all free people who are directly or indirectly impacted by terrorist activity worldwide. Some have brought… Continue reading
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WHEN COOKING TRANSFORMS FROM A JOB TO A CALLING
The average worker spends 40 hours per week on the job, that’s 90,000 hours over a 45-year career. A professional cook who becomes a chef may spend 50-75% more time than that. In some cases that’s more time than a… Continue reading
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A COOK’S UNWRITTEN, BUT FULLY UNDERSTOOD, KITCHEN LAWS
Every profession has its respective “method of operation”; those understandings that every serious employee commits to if he or she plans on a future in that line of work. These “methods” can be viewed as unwritten laws that one quickly… Continue reading
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SHOULD CHEFS SPEAK OUT? LET’S MAKE FOOD ISSUES PART OF THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE AND PLATFORM
This is not my normal type of article, and yes it is a bit long, however, I think that the issues pointed out are worthy of consideration. There is no question that the breadth of issues facing our country is… Continue reading
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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
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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
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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
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“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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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A COOK’S LEGACY
It’s eight on a Sunday morning in August and I am out for my daily three-mile walk. The temperature is a comfortable 57 degrees, the sky is blue with just a few clouds to block the sun, and the lake… Continue reading
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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