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chef, cook, cooking, culinary, culinary program failure, Culinary program success, Culinary School

There has never been a more important time for culinary schools than right now. Sure, I know how much the restaurant/foodservice industry is suffering and how many operations are shutting their doors as a result of avoiding decades of challenges brought to a head by the pandemic, but believe me when I say that this will change. Everything will change for the better if we (the food industry and the culinary schools that provide the talent) change as a collective group.

Just as the restaurant industry evolves, so too must the industry of education. When this change does not occur then the strong shall survive and the weak shall perish. There are ample examples of culinary school failure over the past ten years with the lion’s share since 2016. If you understand that one way to avoid failure is to know why others wave the white flag, then a course might be set to do just the opposite: succeed.

So here are my 20 observations pertaining to why culinary schools fail:

ENROLLMENT DEPENDENCE/ENROLLMENT DECLINE

All culinary schools are businesses as well as altruistic institutions for the betterment of mankind. This means that the top line drives the bottom line (more students equals the ability to continue providing their products and services). When enrollment declines then colleges must make decisions to trim services, increase class sizes, eliminate content, reduce investment in supplies, or shut their doors. Programs need to either find ways to stabilize enrollment or come up with some other source of funding to support their efforts. When schools seek to solve the challenge by lowering standards to attract a broader base of incoming students then the entire system begins to crumble.

LACK OF COHESIVE MISSION

What is the program’s purpose? What are they trying to accomplish and what are the standards that they insist living by? How will they measure their success as aligned with these standards or objectives? If this is not clear then the organization is left without direction – a surefire way to fail.

LACK OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE BUSINESSES THEY SERVE

Do you really connect with restaurants, hotels, resorts, food manufacturers, retail, food research and development and other groups to make sure that your program is in line with their needs? If not, how will you be able to create a clear career path for your graduates? The businesses that will hire your students need to be vested in your effort – this is how success is defined.

STUBORN ADHERENCE TO THE WAY IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN DONE

When program administrators and faculty believe that they have all of the answers, when they design a culinary program to match the way that they learned or the way that everyone else delivers a culinary education – then those stakeholders are missing out on the natural evolution of the craft and the people who are inclined to seek a place in the system. What the industry needs today is different than a few years ago and the young people entering the trade are different in the way they learn and what their priorities might be.

POORLY DEFINED BRAND

Who are you? How do potential students, businesses, the community, current students, faculty members, and program alumni perceive your program? Perceptions become reality and how you support these perceptions defines your brand. Make sure that it is clear and positive.

LACK OF REALISM

Is what you are teaching real? If you teach in a live restaurant environment on your campus is it operated with five times as many cooks in training as would be possible in a real restaurant? If so, what are students learning about cost effectiveness, efficiency, speed, and effective menu execution? How will they be able to function when faced with that first job? If your teaching kitchens are filled with every cool piece of kitchen equipment on the market how will graduates function in a real kitchen when there are not limitless supplies of combi-ovens, sheet pans, Robot Coupes, Vitamix blenders, and sous vide circulators? Until students realize that the one kitchen Robot Coupe must be shared by the entire crew – they will never learn how to communicate and work as a team.

LACK OF AWARENESS ON THE PART OF FACULTY

A chef instructor’s learning curve does not end when they accept the job. Yes, even faculty members need to continue to engage in the learning process. Volunteer for a stage at a great local restaurant, take an occasional sabbatical to re-enter the industry, attend conferences and workshops, take a class on a new method of preparation, and belong to professional organizations. You can’t teach what you don’t know.

NOT ABLE TO TEACH A SENSE OF URGENCY

One thing that I hear constantly from chefs who are asked about their opinions of culinary school graduates is that young cooks do not understand “sense of urgency”. They must be able to multi-task and complete work at the highest level of quality with speed and dexterity. When there are 100 reservations on the books – you don’t have the luxury of spending three hours to turn six-dozen potatoes. No matter what – you need to be ready!

LACK OF REPETITION

How do you get better at any task in the kitchen: knife skills, making stocks, filleting fish, trimming beef tenders, shocking oysters, or peeling shrimp? The answer is simple: you invest the time in doing the task over, and over, and over again. When a program spends two days on teaching classic sauces – the student will never become competent at making any of them. When a stock is something that you do in week number four of Foundations of Cooking, then you will never be confident and competent at making stocks. Exposure is nice – repetition is how we really learn.

UNWILLING TO REALLY STRESS THE FOUNDATIONS

The foundations are only relevant if they become habits. A recipe that takes two pages of dialogue to explain how to braise a veal shank does not make a cook a master of braising. When we stress methods and practice them constantly then they become habits and all that a recipe need do is direct the cook to “braise”. Everything else is imbedded in a cook’s subconscious.

INABILITY TO TEACH STUDENTS TO THINK

What drive chefs crazy are the foolish questions that abound when cooks are not taught to think things through. Give a young cook a list of six tasks to perform in a shift and watch to see how many will prioritize those tasks by the amount of effort required and the time involved in their completion. Ask a student to follow a recipe and watch to see how well they think through the organization of their workstation to accomplish the task. Think before you act – this is what builds confidence and ability.

INABILITY TO TEACH STUDENTS TO PROBLEM SOLVE

What happens when an emulsion breaks? How can it be fixed? What can be done if a particular ingredient fails to arrive in time – can it be replaced with something else? How will you act if one of your fellow cooks fails to show up to work – do you just ignore his scheduled work or do you accommodate that into your production? Your sauté pans are sticking – do you wait for someone to walk you through the process of polishing those pans, do you ask the chef to solve the problem for you, or do you take the initiative to make it work?

LACK OF DISCIPLINE

What are the most primal expectations that a chef has of any cook? Most would say: show up, be prepared, listen, work well with others, work fast and efficiently, and work to the standards of excellence that are established for the business. These are disciplines that rank very high on an employers list, yet do we adequately emphasize them in our programs?

INABILITY TO TEACH TEAMWORK

Our students will more often than not – seek to earn the best grades for their individual work. When we set the stage for students to strive for that grade we oftentimes lose sight of the fact that individual effort on the job will always pale in comparison to the team effort. It is much more difficult to learn to depend on others and support them than it is to put forth the best individual effort. Cooking is a team sport!

LACK OF COST CONSCIOUSNESS

Restaurants are businesses that operate on profit measured in pennies. Every product that a student handles in class should carry a price tag. What are the raw costs of the materials, what is the production costs associated with seasoning, oils, flour for dredging, etc. What would it cost, from a labor perspective, to produce that dish and what selling price would need to be attached to maintain a reasonable profit? Aside from taste and appearance – this is what we should be teaching.

A POORLY DEFINED OVERALL EXPERIENCE

Are you building in experiences that complement the learning curve? When you talk about the beautiful raw materials that a cook is able to use in restaurants – the meaning of that becomes much more vivid if it is accompanied by a visit to a farm, dockside fishing vessel, cattle ranch, or cheese making facility. This is an essential part of learning in schools that have “success” as part of their vocabulary.

NOT COMMITTED TO THE LONG HAUL

Schools that put a timeline on an education are missing the chance to embellish their brand and help support a graduate through the stages of his or her career. Developing and presenting ways of enhancing their degree through continuing education, on-line resources, short training videos, and other communication pieces such as blogs and a resource center that students might contact once they graduate is a great way to become a partner in student success.

LACK OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH INDUSTRY

Developing internships and externships that are measureable, training chefs how to continue a student’s education while on a work program, inviting chefs and restaurateurs to visit the campus, speak with students, work alongside them in classes, or present a demo will build partner relationships that are bonding.

INABILITY TO EXPLAIN VALUE

When a guest leaves a restaurant and is most concerned with how much the meal cost – then the restaurant has failed to demonstrate value. When a student graduates from a culinary program and spends years complaining about the cost of his or her education – then the school has failed to demonstrate value. Know what it is that you uniquely offer to justify the investment of money and time.

NOT PREPARED TO BE A COMPLETE RESOURCE FOR INDUSTRY

Finally, schools will have a difficult time succeeding if they do not find ways to support the needs of the businesses that hire graduates. This might mean simply serving as an information resource, offering refresher courses for their employees, or even providing consulting services that will help food businesses survive the ups and downs of serving the public.

Those schools that “get it” will find that the years ahead will be very bright and students, employers, and alumni will want to connect with them and become a part of their success.

PLAN BETTER –TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

CHEF OF THE COLD KITCHEN

09 Tuesday Mar 2021

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chefs, Cold Kitchen, cooks, culinary, Garde Manger

We have all heard the phrase: “If you can’t stand the heat – get out of the kitchen”. To many it defines what it is like to work in a restaurant kitchen – toiling over cherry red hot flat tops and char broiler flames that rise up to surround steaks and chops seeking those perfect grill marks, a deep fryer spitting hot oil back at the fry cook, and pans so hot that they would polish the palms of a cook if touched without a proper dry towel. Those who have held a station position on the line know what it’s like to feel sweat run down your back, chef hats soaked at the end of the night, feet swollen from the heat, and dinner plates almost too hot to handle. The temperature in front of the sauté station is likely in excess of 150 degrees and the broiler even higher. Ovens are cranked up all the way during service so that opening and closing of doors does not drop the temperature too much, and if you have a wood fired oven for pizza it is likely tipping the scales at over 700 degrees. It’s hot!

But….there is another part of the kitchen where this is not so. A part of the kitchen that is home to cooks and chefs who are just as hard working and just as talented as those on the line. This is a place where the pressure of the clock still exists, where orders off the POS seem to stream just as relentlessly, and where impatient servers tap their shoes and stare just as mercilessly as they do on the hot line. This is the home of Garde Manger, or pantry, or simply – the cold kitchen. This is where cold appetizers, salads, terrines, pates, cheese plates, and likely desserts are presented with a high level of artistic expression and where, in many cases, the profit in restaurants reside.

Don’t dismiss this area of the kitchen. While the hot line may be home to the adrenaline rush and the machismo associated with a bit of suffering to accompany the excitement – the cold kitchen is a place of a methodical approach towards design and structure. The person who is dedicated to the cooking methods used and the complexity of design will find that the cold kitchen is a place where cooks learn about ratios and formulas, the exactness of flavor building that is sometimes replaced by an educated palate on the hot line, and where the layout on the plate can be comprised of an inventory of flavors that are both separate and unified akin to planning out what clothes you might wear signifying the uniqueness of each piece and the symmetry of the whole package.

When an appetizer is planned appropriately it is a vivid introduction to a meal, a piece that starts the process of leading up to the entrée and foretells what the guest can expect. The flavors should be full and tempting causing the person to both salivate and anticipate what will follow. The garde manger must be conservative with portion sizes while affording the greatest impact on the dining experience. Additionally, the cold appetizer that arrives from the garde manger must be so striking as to cause the guest to stop and admire the dish from different angles before experiencing the flavor, aroma, and texture. Finally, the cold appetizer should be such that the guest is hoping for more, but knowing that the stage has been set for subsequent courses to complete the package.

If it is a pate, terrine, or galantine; rillettes, plate of canapés, or even the before the meal amuse bouche – the Garde Manger must understand composition, the role of and ratio for fat to meat, the impact that temperature has on the flavor profile of the item, the best way to use space on the plate, the right complements or sauces that will enhance the flavor of the item while not attacking the palate leaving it unreceptive to the next course. It is a fine line to walk – one that requires the planning of the menu to be such that all courses are designed to marry with others. Chef Grant Achatz of Alinea Restaurant in Chicago refers to it as “Flavor Bouncing” where everything on a plate marries with every other ingredient and every dish on a menu does the same with other dishes.

When the Garde Manger approaches salads- he or she does so with the same enthusiasm that a Sauté Cook or Grillade does with a dish from their station. There can be no “utilitarian” salad in a true garde manger department. The salad, even one described as a “side”, should be able to stand alone in terms of its flavor blending, and visual presentation. Salads from this department are designed to accent the components of construction to include a base, body, garnish, and dressing. Nothing on the salad plate is superfluous – everything has a purpose. The ingredients must reflect the height of freshness, the colors and flavors of the season, the application of height and breadth on the plate, the textures that excite the palate, and a dressing that is noticeable, yet reluctant to hide the natural flavors of the primary ingredients. In a true garde manger department the salad dressing is applied by the cook, not by the server, and the dressing used is specific to the integrity of the dish.

Oftentimes the cold kitchen is also the place where the work of a pastry chef or baker is assembled for the guest. The ingredients of gelato, sorbet, cakes, tortes, pate au choux, Bavarian, mousse, coulis and hippenmasse, and tuilles and savarin may have been prepared earlier that day, but the Garde Manger at night is assigned the responsibility of pulling everything together in an orchestra of color, height, structure, texture balance, and exciting flavor. This is, after all, the end of the meal and a memory that guests will carry with them.

On buffets it is the Garde Manger who stands tall and steals the show. Those platters of charcuterie, relishes and chutneys, exotic cheeses presented as if someone measured the precise distance between pieces and placed them as a river might flow within the boundaries of its banks. Standing tall on risers, or tilted toward the guest as if waiting for a camera to capture the art, these platters signify the commitment to quality that exists in the kitchen and how proud every cook is of the work done.

The first course and the last course are in the hands of the cold kitchen and as such become the basis for memories of the dining experience. It is this combination that affords the restaurant an opportunity to earn a profit. Those items that guests need not purchase, yet if presented properly are highly desired, are the ones that signify whether a restaurant will be able to remain viable or not. This is the role of the garde manger and the value of the cold kitchen. Don’t underestimate the importance of the person who calls this area of your kitchen – home.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

A CHEF’S MANIFESTO – 2021

25 Thursday Feb 2021

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chef, chef's beliefs, chef's manifesto, culinary, restaurant

An exercise that I have found to be really helpful is to occasionally state/re-state what you believe in as a chef. Every now and then this can serve as a “checks and balance” activity to keep you on the right path and assess where and why you might have strayed from those “stakes in the ground” that are important to your core. This is also a great comparative process to use when seeking a new career opportunity – a chance to note if taking a different position aligns with your beliefs or if it causes you to compromise. I would encourage you to think about this and take the time to write down your beliefs as a “manifesto” and then use it as a guide moving forward.

Here is my manifesto as a chef. Full disclosure – I have drifted from these beliefs at times and have generally regretted doing so.

[] RESPECT:

All people are different – they bring their own set of baggage to work and to life. They may not agree with you or you may not agree with them but they deserve to be treated with respect as human beings. You can disagree, even disagree strongly, but they deserve the opportunity to look you in the eye and know that you do not feel superior because of that disagreement.

Respect for the place where you work, those who own and operate the business and the physical property for which you are responsible is paramount. Just as is the case with the first paragraph – even though you may not agree with the actions of the business or those in charge – you should always respect that you work for them. You can disagree, take a stand, make your point, continue to have a unique opinion, but in the end – it is their business. If this violates your manifesto of beliefs and cannot be altered then look for another place to work – do not slip from your commitment to respect.

[] COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE:

Anything worth doing is worth doing well; in fact it is worth doing at a level that lives up to your potential. Whether the task is washing pots, cutting vegetables, or setting up the most intricate plate presentation – that commitment to excellence should prevail. Writing a memo? Do it with excellence in mind. Preparing a menu? Excellence is the standard that you must follow. If you are taking inventory on a Sunday night – approach it as if it is the most important task imaginable.

Excellence should never be a goal for which you strive – excellence is a habit that is impossible to break.

[] FAIRNESS:

There will always be decisions that you will need to make as a chef; decisions that impact people (as most decisions will) – decisions that will not sit well with some. Such is life and as hard as those decisions might be – just make sure that those who are impacted are treated fairly and justly.

If you are in a position to reward performance – make sure you are fair in how you decide to reward. If you need to punish for actions taken, make sure that you are equitable in your approach so that it is not perceived that you play favorites. In general, people can accept your decisions, but they cannot accept them if they are done with bias.

[] EMPATHY:

Remember, everyone has baggage that they carry with him or her to work. The old adage: “When you come to work – leave your personal problems at home” is simply not feasible. As the chef you are charged with helping your employees give a good days work for a good days pay, but to do that effectively you must understand the environmental factors that impact this work. This does not mean that you should expect anything less that good work, but you should always try to understand what might be getting in the way.

On occasion you may need to make adjustments so that an employee can work through their challenges (schedule adjustment, change assignments, send them home, offer advice, refer them to someone who might help, etc.). Employees that know that you care are always more determined to try their best and less willing to disappoint you or their co-workers.

[] TRUST:

Trust is something that goes both ways. If you expect your employees and co-workers to trust you and the decisions that you make then it is imperative that you trust them first. If employees are properly trained to perform a task then you need to trust them to do it. Some refer to this as delegation, but behind delegation of duties must lay a willingness to trust. Trust that is given leads to trust that is gained.

The irony of trust is that it is rarely given without experience and it is quickly lost when violated even once. Be consistent with your approach towards people and situations so that others can predict and depend on how you will act.

[] TRANSPARENCY:

When you hide things from employees and/or co-workers then trust will quickly erode. Obviously, there are some things that are beyond the purview of others, but make it clear when that is the case. In fact, wherever possible try to share more than people would expect. You will be surprised at how much they appreciate it.

If you have a need to better control costs then begin by sharing figures and challenges with your staff. Let them know about sales, food cost, labor cost, changes in vendor prices, increases in utilities, mortgage or lease arrangements, and how profitable or unprofitable the restaurant is. What will often be surprising is that your staff members will have great ideas on how to save money and increase sales. Bring them into the fold and they will rise to the occasion and feel ownership for the challenges as much as you do.

[] LISTEN:

Sometimes it is far more important to listen than to talk. As the saying goes – the best leaders listen more and talk less. Don’t pre-judge a situation until you have heard all sides. Don’t approach a challenge with a predetermined conclusion or action without inquiring into all of the factors involved.

Give your employees a forum for expressing their opinions, observations, and ideas. This can be regularly scheduled staff meetings, 10 minute post shift wrap-up sessions, or an open door policy where they feel comfortable approaching you one-on-one. Even if you don’t act or even agree – the fact that you were willing to listen is a big step in the right direction.

[] STAY TRUE TO THE FOUNDATIONS:

You started out as a cook and did so because you focused on learning the right approach toward cooking. The right way to hold a knife and cut vegetables, the right way to fabricate meats and fish, the right way to organize the kitchen and a work station, the right way to apply basic cooking methods, the right way to prepare a stock or a soup, the right way to purchase and control the quality of ingredients, etc. Don’t ever lose sight of this in favor of short cuts that might interfere with quality or a consistent end result. “If you don’t have the time to do it right the first time, when will you find the time to do it over?”

[] QUALITY and VALUE:

These two factors are inseparable. Quality is what built your reputation and quality is what will help to keep it. Quality quickly becomes the expectation of all involved and reputation is built on it. When quality is sacrificed then value is diminished and reputations with suffer.

Always remember that the reputation of the restaurant and the reputation of those who work there (including yourself) are based on everyone’s reliance on quality and value. Once lost, a good reputation is hard to recover.

[] THINK FIRST – THEN ACT:

There is a major difference between action and reaction. The factor that gets in the way of good decisions is the emotion that you allow in. Reaction is poisoned by fear, anger, hate, revenge, and misunderstanding. Take a moment, breathe deep, and ask why did something happen that requires action, who was responsible, what is an appropriate action, and how should it be implemented and relayed to others. It is that brief moment of reflection that will make all the difference in how successful you action is.

[] PLANNING TO ELIMINATE MISTAKES:

Mistakes, more often than not, are avoidable if you take the time to plan. Murphy’s Law is always applicable: “If something can go wrong, it probably will”. Your role as a chef is to think ahead, to run through scenarios that might occur, to take the time to organize thoughts and build a strategy, and then to implement all of that in an effort to eliminate the need to deal with challenges or minimize the impact of those challenges.

Ironically, there are rarely decisions made that do not impact others. Reaction without planning will uncover numerous other challenges that you failed to think through. Take the time to plan.

[] OWN IT:

Everyone makes mistakes – this is inevitable. In fact, many people believe that the best overall decisions come from lessons learned from failure. Failure weighs heavy on those who realize their mistakes, but even heavier on those who fail to take responsibility. Co-workers, employees, and even customers will forgive your mistakes if you admit them and then work like hell to make sure the same mistakes are not made in the future. You screwed up – so what! Own it, ask for help, and learn how to recover.

[] IF YOU ARE NOT SERVING THE GUEST DIRECTLY THEN SERVE THOSE WHO ARE:

As a chef your plate is always full. You can’t be everywhere thus you must rely on others to step up and “do their job”. Ultimately, it is the guest who must walk away satisfied, and hopefully impressed. You can’t order, organize, plan, cook the food, plate the dishes, and deliver everything to a waiting guest – so one of your primary tasks must be to properly train and provide the necessary tools for others in your organization to attend to the details and bring about customer satisfaction. “What do you need, what can I do, and where can I be to best support you” goes a long way toward achieving those goals.

[] KEEP IT ORGANIZED:

Mise en place goes way beyond your personal work area. As a chef it is imperative that you set the tone by creating an organized kitchen – everything has a place and everything is in its place” is a theme that sets the stage for success.

[] LOOK THE PART, ACT THE PART:

Finally, a chef must always stand out as the example for others. A clean pressed uniform, an organized office, a person who carries himself or herself as a consummate professional, a person who acts in a manner that is beyond reproach, a person who is consistent in how situations are handled, and a person who makes sure that everyone is treated fairly and respectfully is a model for others to emulate. Be that person.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

https://cafemeetingplace.com/cafe-podcasts

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

CHEFS – VALUE and the TOP LINE DRIVE the BOTTOM LINE

23 Saturday Jan 2021

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chefs, culinary, RESTAURANT PROFIT, Restaurant Top Line, Restaurant Value, restaurants

In the restaurant business there are really only two ways to view profit: a very small amount of profit balanced by very significant volume, or a significant amount of profit on far less volume. How you approach the design of your restaurant in this regard will determine nearly everything else. How you approach profit will determine what your physical plant will look like, the scope of sophistication in your kitchen, who your vendors will be, how many employees you will hire and the depth of their experience, where you advertise and how much you invest in that, your table top appointments, and even your hours of operation. So, if you are in the process of ideation with regard to a restaurant – then start with one simple question: “How do I want to measure profit?”

In those restaurants where profit is measured in terms of smaller numbers with significant volume then concerns such as food cost percentage are of paramount importance. When profit is measured in more significant profit from fewer sales then I will make a statement that may cause many chefs scratch their heads in disbelief: “Food cost percentage is far less relevant – it’s all about contribution margin.” In both cases it is sales (the top line) that sets the stage for success.

So what is contribution margin? Simply stated it is what a menu item contributes to the financial success of a restaurant. This can be direct (the menu item itself contributes working funds) or indirect (because the item is present on the menu – other items are more likely to sell). So let’s look at this through an example or two:

Chicken Saltimbocca vs. Beef Tenderloin with Wild Mushroom Demi Glace.

The Chicken breast (6 ounce flattened) may cost in the neighborhood of $3, the additional slice of Prosciutto, Provolone Cheese, and sauce reduction another $1.50, and complementary vegetable/starch combination another $.75 for a total plate cost (not actual costs, but fair estimates) equals around $5.25. The baseline formula for determining selling price using an acceptable food cost percent of 30% would be:

SELLING PRICE SP) = PLATE COST (PC)/FOOD COST %(FC%)

SP = $5.25 / .30

SP = $17.50

The available funds left (contribution) = $17.50 – $5.25 or $12.25

________________________________________________________________________________________
The Beef Tenderloin might look something like this:

Beef Tenderloin (trimmed) (8 oz.) at around $18/pound = $9.00, the wild mushroom demi from stock to finished reduction around $1.25, mélange of wild mushrooms (chanterelles and morels) at approximately $2.00, and a standard vegetable/starch combination at $.75 for a total plate cost of around $13.00. If we use the same baseline formula for determining selling price:

SP = $13.00 / .30

SP = $43.33

The available funds left (contribution) = $43.33 – 13.00 or $30.33

Now the first question is: Can you sell this steak at $43 or does this exceed what the market will bear?

If we chose to use 50% as the desired FC% then the result would be:

SP = $13.00 / .50

SP = $26.00 (A price that guests would be more willing to swallow)

The available funds left (contribution) would be $13 or $.75 greater than chicken at 30%. But now the contribution potential goes even further if we consider general psychology and human behavior.

1. It would not be a stretch to consider that a steak person is different than a chicken person (behavior considerations are generalized). The steak person may very well be less “price sensitive” and more willing to listen to recommendations by the server for adding appetizers, desserts, and even a nice bottle of wine. The chicken person might be of the same mindset, but could be considered more cost conscious and a tougher sell. So, in this example – even though the steak (at a 50% cost) falls outside of the norm for food cost percentage, it stands to contribute more in terms of available gross profit as well as the ability to encourage ancillary sales of other items.

If, in fact, you understand that the success of a restaurant leans on the ability to generate sales, then it becomes obvious that getting all wrapped up in food cost percentage pales in comparison to driving the “top line”.

2. The “soft issues” that go beyond measurement of dollars and cents point to a more robust overall “dining experience” when a guest is able to enjoy a broader spectrum of dishes and complementary beverages. When the “experience” is driven by turning tables to reach a desired volume then something will likely be missing. It should always be the restaurateur’s goal to encourage return business and ambassadorship when happy guests recommend what you have to offer to others.

Now, what about those operations that rely on a smaller amount of profit enhanced by some serious volume – can they create an experience that is worthy of a return? Absolutely! But, in this case you need to rely on the uniqueness of an atmosphere that also encourages shorter dine in times, signature items that create excitement and buzz (think Chick fill-A chicken sandwich), systems throughout the operation that are geared for speed (think about the order/delivery system at Panera), and the ability to maintain a high level of volume.

In the higher profit/lower volume model there will be a requirement for higher levels of skill from both front and the back of the house, a greater understanding of ingredients and their source, cost appropriate table top items (more expensive china, flatware, and glassware), and a level of finesse that rises to the level of the menu pricing.

At a time when pandemic restrictions dramatically impact typical top line initiatives for both methods of measuring profit, it is easy to see just how challenged restaurants are to find a profit scenario that works.

BRING VALUE INTO THE FORMULA

The magic of a great restaurant and one that yields profit potential for the operation lies in those factors that go beyond costs and selling price determination. These are the elements of a food experience that create “value”. Every restaurant should embrace, as part of its goal structure, a feeling among its customers of: “That was well worth what I spent.” Whether it is a $5.00 quick service meal or a $100 fine dining evening – there is always room to create experiences and in turn – great value. The most common components of the value approach are:

UNIQUE, MEMORABLE FLAVORS

It may very well be that one item or a few signature menu choices that just knock people’s socks off. Excitement around flavor is one of the most compelling reasons to support a restaurant. People come from all over the country to New Orleans with a clear commitment to stand in line at Café du Monde for their beignets.

A SPECIAL LOCATION

Those restaurants that are fortunate enough to physically sit in proximity to a breathtaking view, a center of exciting activity, or in a community of other restaurants will always enjoy a steady flow of value seeking customers. The Union Oyster House in the middle of Quincy Market – Boston; The Slanted Door on the edge of San Francisco Bay; or Spiaggia overlooking Chicago’s Magnificent Mile and a view of Lake Michigan are all prime examples of locations that create an experience for diners.

BEAUTIFUL FOOD PRESENTATIONS

A chef knows that he or she has succeeded in engaging a guest and creating visual value when the presentation of a plate of food causes the table to stop, focus on the beauty before them, and pull out their cell phones to take a few pictures to remember.

TRUST IN CONSISTENCY

Those restaurants that consistently create food flavors that are expected, presentations that are anticipated, and service that lives up to previous experiences will always be viewed as a place that offers special value.

REAL SERVICE

There certainly is value in proper technical service, but it will always be those restaurants that offer that warm sincerity, the welcoming attitudes, and those friendly connections with guests that build the most important reasons to return.

COMMUNITY RELEVANCE

Finally, when a restaurant is engaged with a community, supportive of neighborhood efforts and causes, and there to make a difference – true value becomes incredibly obvious. Why would guests patronize any other operations when yours is part of the neighborhood family? This is value.

In the end, creating compelling reasons for guests to patronize your restaurant is complex, but it can be narrowed down to building value. Building value will always lead to healthy top lines (sales) for restaurants.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Create Value Experiences

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

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THE 2021 CHEF SKILL SET

08 Friday Jan 2021

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2021 chef, chef, chefs skill set, cook, culinary, professional kitchen, restaurants

It is always safe to say: “things change”. Change is an inevitable part of life and as we all know if we fail to recognize that and adapt – we can become obsolete. Throughout history there are countless examples of those who ignore or seem paralyzed by the need to change as their industries or specific job descriptions evolve. This is reality, a reality that is quite predictable although the pace of change is now much more rapid than in the past. Think about the technology sector as a prime example.

Sometimes the change curve can be mapped out allowing ample time to gear up with new skills, new products, new methods of production, and a laser focused marketing strategy, while on occasion, something environmental takes place that forces a more immediate response. Such is the case in 2021.

We all knew that the restaurant industry was in need of a structural overhaul, we (those of us affiliated with the business) were well aware of the cogs in the chain, and the years of rust that had accumulated on systems and organization, but it took the pandemic of 2020/21 to shout out: THE TIME IS NOW!

So here is the good news: there will be ample opportunities in 2021 and beyond for chefs, cooks, managers, and service staff who recognize the immediacy of the challenge and the new skill set that will be required of successful players and leaders in the field. Let’s take the position of chef as a prime example – here is a list of skills and aptitudes that will set todays and tomorrows chef apart from those who are in a state of change paralysis:

[] EFFICIENCY

Doing more with less will be the name of the game. The labor-intensive environments that have been typical in kitchens are nearly impossible to maintain. Chefs who are able to develop systems of production that work with fewer people will find a gold star on their resume.

[] STREAMLINED MENU PLANNING

To go along with efficiency – the new chef will need to find ways to develop creative menus that rely on fewer ingredients, are fluid enough to change as the market demands, cost effective, aligned with seasonal ingredients at their peak of quality, and just as exciting for customers and cooks as those expansive models used prior to 2021.

[] ANALYSIS

Chefs who are able to generate, assess, and use analytical data in their decision-making (menu trends, cost trends, daily labor analysis, market prices, etc.) will have the upper hand when it comes to securing those prime job opportunities.

[] SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY

Marketing no longer belongs to a department – marketing is every person’s responsibility. With the increasing relevance of social media as the primary method of getting a restaurants message out – chefs who are social media savvy (astute at using Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, YouTube, and Twitter) will be at the top of the “hire” list for prominent restaurants.

[] TEACHING/TRAINING

Of course chefs have always been trainers, but be aware that this will now become a “must schedule” part of their job. Chef’s who are able to progressively teach cooks and even service staff about the ingredient, preparations, flavor profiles, pairings, and presentations of the food that is designed and produced in the kitchen will be in high demand. With all of the challenges that culinary schools are also facing in this changing business environment, restaurants cannot depend on graduates as their primary source of trained cooks.

[] LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT

Assuming that after the pandemic customers will return to a semi-predictable pattern of traveling to your restaurant is a bit naïve. Chefs who are experienced in multiple ways of connecting customers with their food (catering, food trucks, pop-up restaurants, delivery, take out pick-up, etc.) will find themselves in the winner’s circle.

[] FLEXIBILITY

My way or the highway may be difficult to maintain as a chef’s method of operation. Bending to the market, changing in an instant, adopting other people’s ideas, and seeking out new ways of preparing and presenting food will become the new norm. Can you leave your old habits behind?

[] SANITATION ADVOCATE

As important as sanitation and food safety is already, look for this to become the most important signature of a chef’s repertoire. Ultra-clean and safe will be a very important way that a restaurant markets itself and the chef who has the tallest toque.

[] LABOR LAW SAVVY

If you don’t have a restaurant law course in your background, now is the time to sign up. In a world where the employee will continue to have an upper hand, owners will want a chef on board who will protect them against litigation, not one who creates litigious situations.

[] HR ROLE MODEL

How the parent acts is how the child will also act. The same holds true in a kitchen: how the chef acts will become the standard of operation for everyone else. Throw out all of the stereotypes of belligerent, egotistical, pan throwing, demeaning chefs – they can no longer exist. If this is your M.O. then it’s time to retire.

[] SUPPLY CHAIN NEGOTIATOR

Everything, every service, every price, every vendor relationship is negotiable –especially when it comes to buying local and regional. Picking up the phone to place an order without talking about those details and negotiating the best option for the restaurant is not acceptable in the new restaurant world. A negotiation savvy chef will win the day.

[] IDEATOR/PROBLEM SOLVER

Finally, more than ever before the restaurant will look to the chef for new ideas and solutions to problems. A 2021 chef must be the go-to person for that next great idea and must have the experience and confidence to find instant resolutions to the plethora of challenges that arise every day in a kitchen and restaurant.

In case you didn’t notice – I failed to mention anything about cooking skills – the act that attracted a person to the kitchen in the first place. It will always be assumed that the chef in any operation has impeccable cooking skills, understands ingredients, is a master of preparation and presentation, and owns a palate for creating flavors that draws a steady flow of customers through the restaurants doors.

This is quite the package. How does your bag of tricks fit the profile?

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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WHAT CUSTOMERS DON’T KNOW ABOUT RESTAURANT WORK

17 Tuesday Nov 2020

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chefs, cooks, culinary, kitchens, restaurant life

More difficult than you may have thought, more chaotic than you might expect, more poetic than you realize, and more fulfilling than you would understand: this, to me, describes the environment of the professional kitchen that few customers are able to view or experience. It is this dichotomy of experiences that draws people into a career behind the range and keeps them there for decades. This is a behind the scenes look at the place and the people that bring a plate of food to the guest’s table.

TEN THINGS YOU DIDN”T KNOW ABOUT A RESTAURANT

An organizational structure that attempts to keep things under control

There is a long history of how kitchens and restaurants are structured. Although executed at different levels – this structure is something that all those whom work in restaurants can depend and lean on. It is our comfort zone – a place and an organizational structure that makes sense and attempts to keep a lid on a long list of independent work before and during service.

In the kitchen – work responsibilities are divided into oversight and action positions – the number depending on the scope of the restaurant menu and the size of the operation, but basically there are chefs, cooks, and support staff. Each have specific duties and all have some shared responsibility. The chef will likely be the most experienced culinarian with responsibility for the financial operation of the kitchen, menu planning, ordering and inventory control, training, and quality control. He or she may not spend as much time cooking as a typical guest might think. The cook is the action person – this is the individual who actually brings ingredients together, responds to customer requests, and prepares your plate of food. The support staff members include those dishwashers, and cleaners who keep the ship afloat during the chaos of prep and assembly.

The front of the house is typically separated into those who interface with guests directly and walk them through the ordering process to those who set the stage and support the work of the primary server. This includes back waiters, bus personnel, and bartenders. The strict alignment to table stations, training, development of a wine list that complements the food menu, and the smooth oversight of intense chaos so that it seems to be controlled rests on the shoulders of the dining room or restaurant manager.

Regardless of the restaurant type – this is a standard structure that anyone working in the business can expect and adapt to.

Independence in a manufacturing model that defies logic

To walk through a kitchen prior to service you will see a number of cooks and support staff going about their respective work with seemingly little connection to a master plan. Each will have their own list of prep that relates to either a station or event and with rare exception they are allowed autonomy in how they approach the work. Underneath the façade of independence lies a system that keeps all of this personal activity integrated into a bigger picture. This may never become apparent until these same cooks are setting up their stations for finish work once the dining room doors open to the public.

A cluster of artists accepting control

Every seasoned cook struggles with controlling a desire to flex his or her artistic muscle and modify a dish to suit his or her style. At the same time, each cook is fully aware that consistency and adherence to the standards of excellence that defines the restaurant must win in the long run. A smart chef will provide opportunities for creative expression through nightly features and a cook’s input on the next wave of menus. Any long-term attempt to keep artistic expression under wraps will result in constant replacement of cooks after frustrated ones leave for an operation with more freedom.

Chaos that leads to symphonic orchestration

There are two different kitchens, two different restaurants that might be observed by an interested guest. The kitchen before service is alive with independent, sometimes stressful work scattered throughout the space. Each cook is struggling against the clock to get his or her prep in order before setting a station for service. Once service begins there will not be any time to take care of prep that was not completed in advance. To view this, one would certainly use the word: chaos.

Once each line station is set for service, the mise en place is well appointed, the side towels are folded, pans stacked in the ready, menu reviewed, and ingredients are in place; once the orders start to tick off the printer and the expeditor raises his or her baton to signify the start of the nightly score – the chaos turns into a beautiful piece of music. Cooks pivot and turn, pans ring as they hit the stove top, tongs click in rhythm, plates clang in unison as they are set in the pass for pick up, and cooks chime in with yes chef when directives are given by the expeditor. You can put music to this dance that is very poetic and fluid.

Improvisation that is kept in check

Although cooks will have a chance to express themselves through nightly features and an occasional pitch of an item for the next menu – when the restaurant doors are open on any given night – their job is to make sure that each dish is prepared consistently, looks and tastes the same, and follows the established design that the chef has put his or her stamp on. There can be no deviation from the established norm. Cooks know that “buy-in” to this game plan is essential if they hope to keep customers coming back time and again.

The chef who rarely cooks your food

This may be a shock to many guests, but the chef in your favorite restaurant is probably not the person who cooks your meal. As previously mentioned each person has specific responsibilities and the chef’s are at a different level than those who finish the food you order. It is, however, the chef who is responsible to train those cooks how to prepare the dishes that the restaurant puts its signature on.

A culture of family that defies logic

All of the typical highs and lows of being part of a family exist in a kitchen. Team members know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and compensate accordingly. They may be highly critical of each other, but don’t ever assume that someone outside of the “family” has the right to do the same. When in trouble – the team will help a member of their group – without question. There is a brotherhood or sisterhood that is just as real as if there was a biological connection between them.

Service staff that have other careers

The majority of those restaurant servers that a guest connects with have other jobs – sometimes jobs that are their chosen careers – they just don’t pay enough, or they don’t provide the challenges and stressful excitement that comes from being a pleasant server, psychologist, counselor, and menu expert for those who fill dining room tables.

A gathering place for castoffs and square pegs

The dynamic of the restaurant employee (especially in the kitchen) is flush with those who don’t fit in, are not inspired by typical 40 hour work weeks, find comfort in chaos, never flinch at cuts and burns, and do what they do out of a love for the art they produce and challenges that uncertainty brings every day. Restaurant employees are part of a culture that doesn’t fit anywhere else.

Adrenaline junkies who are gluttons for punishment

When you step back and watch all of this, when you discover that cooks in particular live on the edge of disaster on any given day, when you see how they kick into gear when the job becomes impossible, and when you see them return the next day for a repeat of the same punishment, then you will begin to understand that the heat, the stress, the uncertainty, and the shear craziness of kitchen life is driven by the adrenaline rush. Unless you have been there and felt it, you can’t understand.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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**Check in to CAFÉ Talks Podcast this Wednesday – November 18 for an interview with Chef Jeremiah Tower.

IT’S ONLY FOOD

10 Monday Aug 2020

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chefs, cooks, culinary, food, food history, restaurants

chef

You know I have occasionally heard this statement, or at least felt that it was implied: “Don’t get so wrapped up in it – it’s only food.” Well, I am here to state unequivocally that this just isn’t so. Of course, there are restaurants and home cooks who seem to view it as such – sustenance, a way to fill an empty stomach, and there are loads of people – both preparers and recipients who are content to define it that way, but their perception is shallow. “It’s only food” discounts all that goes into the understanding of a dish, a process, an ingredient, and the numerous people and systems that sit behind the steps in bringing that food to a plate.

A plate of food is a culmination of so many factors: the farmer and the soil that nurtured a crop, maybe a crop that originated in a country far from our borders and was brought to America during those early days of exploration and expansion; a crop that had been historically integrated into family pantries as a staple in home food preparation, or maybe appeared in those early European taverns as a comfort food for vagabond travelers and then eventually worked it’s way into a traditional preparation that became a signature item defining a culture. Maybe that signature item found its way to the New World and with the addition of some indigenous ingredients in America it morphed into something different and was adopted by those early settlers as something new, but something familiar. Quite possibly this comfort food found its way onto American restaurant menus as a familiar dish that was prepared well and reminded people of their family heritage. As the profession of cooking was raised to a new level – that same dish evolved into something more refined and elegant, paired with great wine and served on fine china, presented with finesse and revealed as something new and fresh.

me at dinner

The chef and the cook who prepared that dish is now representing the farmer who grew the crop, the rancher who raised the animal, the fisherman who spent treacherous hours out at sea trying to bring home a reasonable catch, the history and traditions that went back to those early days in a peasant European home and brought to America for a few generations of transition, and the respect that the chef or cook has for all other cooks who took part in the evolution of that dish. It’s not just food – it is all of this and more.

The cook or chef who stands tall in front of a range, proud in a uniform that draws its energy from hundreds of years of hard work and tradition; the cook or chef who has spent years developing those unique skills that allow he or she to wield a knife with precision, multi-task while keeping the five senses tuned in to a variety of preparations and timings, exercises that database of preparation techniques that result in consistently delicious food, and works in a highly stressful environment that relies of teamwork to bring everything together at the right moment – can’t accept that “it’s just food”.

Think about it for a moment: that bowl of pasta that graces your place setting in a restaurant came about from ancient preparations in Asia that date back thousands of years ago and even though many believe that it was Marco Polo during his world travels who brought noodles from China to Italy, that can be disputed through historical references that show the combination of flour, egg, water, and salt to make pasta was present in Italy before Marco Polo undertook his travels. Noodles, in some form, are present in almost every culture and with its preparation promote tradition and loads of stories to support its importance to a population. In Poland we find pierogi, Germany promotes spaetzle, Orzo in Greece, Dumplings in Vietnam, Wontons in China, and pasta in all its forms is by far one of the most important comfort foods in Italy and the U.S. So, that simple plate of pasta that is rolled and mounted on your restaurant plate is quite historical and as simple as the ingredients are, the perfect preparation through technique and understanding can be quite difficult. It takes skill to make great pasta and it takes understanding to build it into a memorable dish. It is, after all, not just food.

That professional cook or chef is much more than a preparer of food, far more significant than someone who deals with “just food”, he or she is:

A HISTORIAN who has an opportunity to protect and promote the background of a dish or an ingredient
AN AMBASSADOR for the cultural influences that brought a dish to the public
AN ADVOCATE for the farmer, the rancher, the fisherman, and the producer who provides the ingredients that allow a dish to come together
AN ARTIST who views the ingredients and the history behind them as paints to create a feeling or portray that history on the plate – the chef’s canvas
A PROTECTOR of time tested methods that took a simple dish to a new level of excellence
A SCIENTIST who understands the methods used in cooking that extract or change the flavor of an ingredient through the application of chemistry
A CONDUCTOR who orchestrates the symphony of collaboration that takes place on a kitchen line as all of the above factors come together to replicate what a dish means – time and again.

It’s not just food to many and as long as this is true there will be restaurants, there will be chefs and cooks bringing a dish to life, there will be a connection between the consumer and all of those stakeholders in the process, and history and tradition will continue to flourish through the hands of those who know just how important food is and how significant the process of cooking can be.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

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WHAT RESTAURANTS HAVE LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC

03 Monday Aug 2020

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chefs, cooks, culinary, restaurants, restaurants and the pandemic

Painted in Waterlogue

As restaurants rally to try and meet the requirements of the new protocol for operation – distancing tables, reducing customer volume, enforcing mask wearing, deep sanitizing of surfaces, moving to on-line menus or single use documents, removing anything from table tops that could carry the virus, and trying to calm the fear that both customers and employees share – they are even more concerned with the inability to convince employees to return to the job. From coast to coast restaurants that are open at some level are paralyzed by a lack of staff. This might seem counter-intuitive when one considers that unemployment rates have skyrocketed – but it is the reality.

As restaurant owners and chefs scratch their heads trying to figure out what’s going on – it might be helpful to look at the lessons that are before us. Restaurants have been struggling to attract and retain employees for years, but never at this level. Typically, when unemployment is high – people line up to find those open positions, but not now. So here are some thoughts:

TEN LESSONS LEARNED:

[] PASSION FOR COOKING IS FRAGILE: Those of us who cook because of a love of the craft, the pride in the history of the profession, the joy of creating, and the energy derived from working with a team of like-minded people may not fully understand this – but there are many others who enjoy cooking, but discovered that their enjoyment was dampened by the reality that the work conditions, commitment of hours, and meager wages and benefits are hard to ignore. Passion is not blind forever.

[] THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS IS EVEN HARDER THAN WE THOUGHT: The pandemic has demonstrated to owners/operators just how very fragile their business is. Obviously, revenue is critical to any business, but most others have the capacity to ride a storm for a period of time. Restaurants, like the employees who work for them, cannot survive more than a handful of weeks without sufficient revenue. Four months of lockdown is the end of the road for most restaurants, in fact one month was all that it took for the grim reaper to knock on their door.

cooks

[] WE ARE THE POSTER CHILDREN FOR ECONOMIC DISASTER: Take note of the amount of press that restaurants have received as economists point to the devastation caused by the pandemic economic disaster. According to ABC news – more than 16,000 U.S. restaurants have permanently closed as a result of the pandemic and the numbers are growing – thousands more are hanging on by a thread. Yes, other businesses in numerous sectors have closed, but none at this rate. Low profitability, inconsistent business volume, and the inability to create an emergency nest egg have been at the root of this problem.

[] THE SUPPLY CHAIN IS TENUOUS: The domino effect became apparent early on as meat processing plants were impacted by Covid outbreaks, farms found it difficult to attract harvesters, transportation systems were cut back as restaurants closed, and consumer hoarding made it difficult for businesses to keep their stock levels where they should have been. Suddenly, those items that were simply a phone call away from supplier to restaurant are faced with inventory shortages. As a result, normal menus have been challenged and restaurant storerooms are looking pretty challenged. All of this happened within a few weeks of a significant bump in the road.

dumonde

[] COMFORT AND SERVICE RULE THE DAY: Restaurants and chefs have long portrayed the quality of food, uniqueness of menus, and signature of the chef as being the key to success. The pandemic has shown that the fear of exposure has directed consumer attention to a much simpler formula: good tasting, comfortable food, prepared and served safely, and packaged in a convenient manner so that the guest can minimize exposure to others. This may put a different spin on what restaurants look like in the future.

[] TRAINING REALLY IS IMPORTANT: The pandemic has made it acutely obvious that TRUST is at the core of success for restaurants. Trust must be evident to employees and customers and trust during the pandemic is based on training all involved about the necessary protocol to keep people safe. There has never been a more important time for employee (and management) training than right now.

[] GOVERNMENT DOESN’T UNDERSTAND: It has become abundantly clear that federal, and in some cases, state governments do not fully comprehend what the restaurant industry is facing. They seem to waver on unemployment for employees who typically live paycheck to paycheck, fail to understand that if a restaurant is mandated to be closed – they are unable to pay their landlord, fail to understand that PPP to cover labor cost is great, but if it comes with a mandate to keep everyone employed when protocol limits business capacity to 25 or 50%, there is a disconnect, and seem to believe that throwing money at restaurants is the long-term answer, when what small operators need is expertise on how to weather this storm and prepare for the next.

[] THE NATIONAL ECONOMY DEPENDS ON RESTAURANTS: We knew this all along, but now it is vividly apparent that the number two employer in the U.S., even though many of those jobs are close to minimum wage, has a significant impact on the economic health of the country. The restaurant industry needs serious assistance right now if it is to continue helping the national economy equalize.

[] IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SOCIALLY DISTANCE IN RESTAURANTS: OK, we can open (at some level), but the common sense protocols of masks and 6-feet of social distancing are quite impossible to maintain in a restaurant setting. Either we simply can’t open, or we need some very creative thought on how we can keep everyone safe and do it economically.

team

[] WE CAN’T IGNORE THE NEED FOR FAIR PAY: Finally, the pandemic has brought home, even more so, that there needs to be a systemic change in the restaurant business, a change that makes us more efficient, more profitable, and able to pay a fair wage to our employees and offer a basic platform of reasonable benefits that any worker should expect. When the federal government offered expanded unemployment benefits and a $600 per week stipend to all workers – two things occurred: first – these employees were, in some cases for the first time, able to pay their bills and enjoy the comfort that comes from keeping creditors at bay; and these same employees realized that they could make more money not returning to work than if they did in the highly stressful activity of being a restaurant employee. This is a challenging combination for restaurant operators to compete with.

Out of every disaster comes a bit of sunshine, or at least clear vision of what is wrong and what the potential solutions might be. Hopefully this will be the case for restaurants and all of the stakeholders who depend on the restaurant experience.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

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KITCHENS CELEBRATE DIFFERENCE

29 Monday Jun 2020

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celebrate differences, chefs, cooks, culinary, kitchen diversity, Kitchen equity, kitchens

Painted in Waterlogue

It has always been my experience that kitchens are the great equalizer. Sure, I know that the environment of a kitchen can sometimes be tough and abrasive, it’s hot, humid, noisy, stressful, fast paced, and somewhat unforgiving, but…..all that being said – the kitchen is a place where who you are and what you believe in is far less important than what you do and how well you do it. I always found it gratifying to walk into a kitchen and find diversity of color, ethnicity, language, age, gender, sexual orientation, and certainly culinary heritage. It is this melting pot that makes a kitchen buzz, that gives it personality and character – that makes each day an experience.

Personally, I have never understood blatant prejudice that is based on erratic and unfounded perceptions that an entire race, gender, nationality, age group, or for that matter any group of people identified as different can be problematic or not worthy of respect. Where does this come from? Is it based on geography, historic bias, generational bias, or isolationism? Is it based on one groups feeling of superiority over another? Or is it some level of genetic tendency towards hateful action?

My answer is: spend time working in a kitchen. We are all different and that is precisely what makes us interesting and important. In kitchen life is pretty clear – there is loads of quality work to be done, work that requires attention to detail, process, knowledge of ingredients, an educated palate, and a commitment to doing things right. You are either in tune with that, or you are not. If you are then no one cares about how different you may be, they care that you can do the work and do it well. Later on that “difference” can come into play as a real positive. It is that difference that brings history, traditions, cultural nuances, new flavors, and great systems ideas to make a restaurant kitchen function better and continue to exceed customer expectations.

angry chef

Spend a day in the kitchen and learn how those differences won’t separate you, but rather bring you together. To all chefs and operators – know that it is important to promote and support the environment where differences are celebrated and the unifying factor remains: can you do the job, are you willing to do the job, are you willing to learn how to improve, and will you strive for excellence in executing that job. Know that there are limitless opportunities to create a learning organization when we celebrate differences.

[] HIRE COMPETENCE AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE

I know that this is already your method of operation, but it’s always an important reminder that what matters is their ability to do the job, willingness to learn how to do the job, commitment to excellence, and their all-in positive attitude. Everything else really doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if they are black, white, or brown; it doesn’t matter if they are young or old; it doesn’t matter if they are male or female, gay or straight; it doesn’t matter what their ethnic background is; it doesn’t matter if they are Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative; it just doesn’t matter – they are all part of the kitchen team and united they stand, divided they fall.

[] BUILD A WORK ENVIRONMENT OF RESPECT

As a chef or restaurant operator you set the tone for how the team treats each other. When you show respect for all people, regardless of how they might be different in some people’s eyes, then your team will emulate that approach. If some try to poison that environment of acceptance, inclusion and respect then they really do not belong on your team. There should always be the expectation of excellence, but never tolerance for exclusion or disrespect.

[] TRAIN TOWARDS, INSIST UPON, AND SUPPORT EFFORTS TOWARDS EXCELLENCE

Some may try to cloud your approach by inferring that your respectful approach towards all is somehow a sign of weakness, but when you show respect while still building an environment of excellence then, and only then will you be able to build a winning team. Be respectful, but never drift from that insistence of excellence, that commitment to training toward excellence, and that support for all who view that as their obligation and motivation.

chuck and mickey

[] BE FAIR AND EQUITABLE IN YOUR APPROACH

Respect begins with being equitable in your approach towards others. Again, when you focus on – can you do the job, are you willing to learn how to do the job, are you passionate about excellence, and do you view this commitment as your stake in the ground, and when you measure everyone on these attributes – then you will have built a real team.

[] DO NOT TOLERATE DEMEANING INTERACTIONS IN YOUR KITCHEN

You are in control of the environment that people work in. When you tolerate ANY disrespect towards others, when you turn your eyes away from inappropriate, or hurtful behavior towards others, when you write it off as “that’s kitchen life”, or “you need to toughen up”, then the team will begin to crumble. Stay in control, teach and observe, call out poor behavior, and demonstrate through your own actions what the right approach should be.

[] LISTEN TO DIFFERENCES AND BE WILLING TO LEARN FROM THEM

When you build an environment where people in your organization feel comfortable talking about their differences in a positive manner, when they are willing to share and you are willing to listen, then so much can be gained. We each bring powerful history, traditions, observations and ideas to the team if the team is open to what is presented. Build that environment and the whole organization can benefit.

changin

You know how this can work, if you have been in a kitchen you will understand the outcomes of both a positive and negative work environment, you know that the responsibility starts at the top, and you know that a person’s attitude and behavior is, to a large degree, a reflection of his or her environment. Set the stage for excellence, inclusion, and opportunity.

For those who struggle with acceptance – I encourage you to work in a kitchen – a place where a melting pot of differences helps to create a perfect dish.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

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EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE IN SHORT SUPPLY

01 Monday Jun 2020

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chefs, cooks, culinary, culinary leadership, restaurant leadership, Restaurant Survival, restaurants

I am a concerned spectator at a time when everything seems to be in question and every one of us lives on the edge. We fear, we adjust, we cope, and then there comes a time when our coping mechanism comes into real question. This is when leadership is most needed.

Leadership is always important, but seems to be in critical need when we are in time of crisis. This is when people turn to either those with the title or those with a history of leadership. Leadership, real leadership comes from four actions:

* What we hear

* What we learn

* What we say

* What we do

The issue of proximity comes into play, because it is difficult, if not impossible to lead in situations or lead people when a person has not walked in those shoes, does not know the people in need of leadership, or has not felt their desperation. It is not possible to truly lead those with whom you can’t relate. This is true of any situation, individual, or group. In situations where this proximity is not possible then a person with the title of leadership must engage people who can relate and then hear, learn, speak, and act in a manner that respects the knowledge of others.

This is true of leaders of companies, organizations, geographic areas, communities, or populations. It is true of mayors, governors, Congressional members, presidents, law enforcement, and judges, just as it is of those in the clergy, and the classroom. Proximity and history are important when it comes to leadership with positive results.

WHAT WE HEAR and LISTEN TO:

– Who are “leaders” listening to? Are they listening to people with the background to know, with insight that is based on experience, or with the talent to find solutions? If not, what are leaders basing their decisions on? Doesn’t it make sense to listen (not just hear) to those individuals in a position to understand what is before them?

WHAT WE LEARN:

– Effective leaders convert listening to learning and invest the time to build a level of understanding that factors in proximity and relies on experience and facts. When this is done then decision-making will more likely result in effective outcomes.

WHAT WE SAY:

– Effective leaders coach their words and base them on what they have learned – backed up with facts and input from those “experts” that they have effectively listened to. WORDS ARE POWERFUL – WORDS MATTER.

WHAT WE DO:

– Finally, effective leaders take actions that are calculated, inclusive of expert understanding, and based on collaboration and strategic thought. There is never a guarantee for success, but this process is far more likely to reach that end result while earning respect and support.

At this critical time in our lifecycle (on the macro scale) we crave effective leadership in all areas. We look for leadership to guide us through this health crisis, we look for leadership to keep our priorities in line, crave leadership to help us build a strategy to work through a deep economic crisis and build confidence in that strategy, seek leadership to help our businesses survive and thrive again, pray for leadership to bring our country through a time of hate, anger, and despair; and seek leadership to bring our communities and nation back to a time of integrity and strength.

On the micro level, let’s look at the restaurant industry, an industry that is truly in a crisis situation. We are all aware, at some level that this is an immensely important industry, and at the same time – a very fragile industry. Unless a leader has “proximity” then he or she cannot truly understand the level of fragility and despair. We hear of major restaurant companies that struggle, but pay far less attention to the small business, the independent restaurant that represents the largest segment of the industry and the most fragile. If these operators are unable to recover from the worst health and economic challenge in our lifetimes, then the future of the restaurant industry is truly in jeopardy. Unless our leaders have proximity or build proximity into their decisions, then it is very likely that those mom and pop operators will fall. It is that simple. That local café or diner that has been part of your quality of life for years is in jeopardy. That local pizzeria that makes the best pie around is in jeopardy. That chef owned fine dining restaurant is in jeopardy. That world-famous bar-b-que joint that has been around for generations is in jeopardy. And that coffee shop where you greet your favorite barista on the way to work or use their tables as a temporary office to support you on-line business is in jeopardy.

Unlike that corporate restaurant firm with dozens or hundreds of outlets offering consistent product and service, your independent operation does not have the advantage of a marketing department, human resource officer, significant lines of credit with a bank, or leverage with vendors to gain better pricing through volume. Those chains are far more likely to gather their collective minds to find a way out of the storm and survive a period of business downturn. That independent operator measures their ability to survive in terms of a few weeks without sufficient business revenue.

Here is the reality: PPP loans that turn into grants don’t work for most independents when the conditions associated with that loan to grant remain inflexible. Allowing those operators to open with a restriction of 25% or 50% capacity does not help a business that depends on filling their seats and turning tables once or twice on a weekend night. It doesn’t help those restaurants if their bar operation is unable to accommodate revelers who seek to mingle with friends and buy a few rounds. It doesn’t help those independents when customers remain fearful of being in an environment where people cluster. It doesn’t help those independents when there are no clear answers to the questions above.

When the President’s Council for economic recovery only includes CEO’s from major restaurant chains and a few very high-end operations and shuns representation from mom and pop restaurants and shops – then any solution found will avoid listening to, learning from, speaking to, and acting upon a base of knowledge that really reflects the restaurant industry in America.

Where are the knowledgeable leaders who share proximity with the operators most clearly impacted by decisions that are supposedly designed to help restaurants recover? Where are the knowledge leaders who understand that this is an industry of diverse individuals who are on the lower end of the pay spectrum, and who try to get by without baseline benefits? Where are the knowledgeable leaders that understand the cliff that these restaurants live on without the benefits of help that exist within those restaurant chains and high-end operations that may be more flush with cash?

The best ideas for these independent operators cannot come from an assumption that throwing a bit of money their way and simply encouraging them to find their own solutions is enough. Leaders need to understand that the majority of these independent operators are good at two things: making consistently good food, and providing real service for guests that they work hard at knowing and caring for. They are not marketing experts, social media aficionados, financial planners, systems analysts, physical plant designers, or strategic planners. They are good at what they do and need real help with everything else. Remember – they are not responsible for this crisis – they are living with the necessary decisions that others made to protect public health.

How about boosting the breadth of assistance that the SBA offers to include building recovery strategies for small restaurants? How about financially supporting the SBA to recruit hundreds or thousands of regional restaurant/business consultants to roll up their sleeves and work on site with independents on recovery plans? Why not invest government spending in aligning small restaurants with culinary and business schools to provide additional training leading to recovery action? Why not subsidize local banks to cover some of their concerns about lending money to community restaurants in need? Most small restaurants know that a meeting with their bank to seek a larger line of credit or low interest loan to make physical changes to their operation in an effort to maximize sales while supporting social distancing will lead to a “sorry we can’t do that” response. This is where these independents need help. These are the type of solutions that can come from leadership that relies on proximity, listening, learning, speaking the truth, and acting accordingly.

Restaurants need real help and they need it now! If these restaurants fail so too will our economy. As the second largest employer of people in the U.S. – the restaurant industry (mostly independent operators) needs real help, not just a handout. These are proud people who have given everything they have to the businesses that they operate. These restaurants are their dream, their life, their purpose and we should all be conscious of how much they mean to the communities where they hang a sign that reflects this.

Where is the leadership?

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER
Harvest America Ventures, LLC

*PHOTO: The proud Mirror Lake Inn Culinary Team 2006

COOKS: A CALL TO ARMS – DON’T SETTLE!

10 Tuesday Mar 2020

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ambition, chef, cooks career, culinary, success

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.

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?

[] 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

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

28 Tuesday Jan 2020

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chef, cook's stress, cooks, culinary, heat of the kitchen, kitchen, line cooks, restaurants

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.

restaurant-food

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

A CHEF WHO GETS THE MESSAGE RIGHT

11 Saturday Jan 2020

www.chefcharlescarroll.com

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Chef Charles Carroll, chefs, Communication, cooks, culinary, kitchens, Podcasts, restaurants

chuck

Two of the most significant issues facing businesses today are RETAINING good employees who are so difficult to find and MAXIMIZING the productivity and efficiency of those same employees. Ample research has been done pointing to the most significant culprit behind these issues – POOR COMMUNICATION! According to Big Picture Learning – “A 2014 survey by About.com found that the top three reasons for leaving an organization were communication related: a lack of direction from management, overall poor communication, and poorly communication constant change.” Furthermore, they concluded that: “People look for new opportunities elsewhere when they are not engaged with the vision and the mission of their current employer.”

Sometimes the fault lies with a lack of desire to communicate, oftentimes the problem is the incorrect use of communication, but the majority of time the challenge is that leadership has no idea how to effectively communicate a message in a succinct, timely manner.

We live in a world where numerous communication tools are available and where an overload of ineffective communication abounds, confuses, and even irritates those on the receiving end. Newsletters, bulletin boards, payroll stuffers, email blasts (the average person receives nearly 120 emails every day), and tweets and texts seem to attack our senses with reckless abandon. How are employees going to decipher what is important, what needs immediate attention, and what is simply useless fodder that has little relevance to the work in front of them? Additionally, where is the opportunity for those same employees to engage in the conversation, offer their own input, and see the results of their involvement?

There are many clues to more effective communication that include making your message clear and concise, creating a vehicle for feedback from employees and demonstrating that you actually pay attention to that feedback, and being more strategic so that communication overload is kept to a minimum. But, the most effective way to improve this connection with employees is to communicate through storytelling. When communication is interesting and fun, then it’s relevance is more likely to be realized.

I recently spoke with Charles Carroll – one of America’s more successful chefs and business leaders, about an initiative that he has been engaged with for the past few years. Carroll is the Executive Chef of the River Oaks Country Club in Houston – one of the most prestigious, and busiest, clubs in the country. His accomplishments in the culinary arts are far too broad to review here, but this new project takes his many talents far beyond the kitchen. As he stated in our interview: “This system that we have been developing is a game changer!” Chef Carroll is now engaged in a project that is applicable to any business, of nearly any size. This chef has taken on the challenge of communication and may just have found the answer that business leadership has been looking for.

These are the highlights of our interview:

So with everything that is on your plate as Executive Chef of one of the busiest clubs in America, author, public speaker, and ambassador for initiatives within the American Culinary Federation and the World Chefs Association – why did you take on the monumental task of developing a Podcast?

“After writing my third book The Recipe – a story of loss, love, and the ingredients of success, my book partner John David Mann recommended that we connect as a guest on a total of 60 podcasts to promote the book. I was willing to do whatever it took, so we did. After the fifth or sixth interview I was thinking – this is pretty cool I think I want to develop my own. Two months later – The Recipe Podcast, Celebrity Secrets – was born.”

What are your goals with this medium of communication?

“Well, it started as a hobby, but soon gained a lot of attention. We did four on location shows to include two ACF Conventions and the World Chefs Congress in Malaysia. After that we started to attract sponsors as it became more serious. We now have a very cool studio that has allowed us to stream the shows on YouTube.”

Who do you see as your audience?

“We have two different shows: The Recipe Celebrity Secrets, and The Recipe Unplugged which is more on the comedy side with guest comedians. So we capture many chefs and people in the hospitality field as well as individuals who just want to kick back and laugh.”

How will you measure success?

“We can monitor how many listeners we have so we work hard with promotions to keep the audience numbers high. It is important that our sponsors are happy. Also, with all of the interesting chefs that we have as guests, we are able to expose them to sponsor products – many of our guest chefs have, as a result of the show, hired or contracted with our sponsors. It’s a win, win.”

It is my understanding that you are going to use this model to create a communication tool for businesses of all types as they seek new ways of interacting with their employees. How will you translate a culinary business model to fit in other types of environments?

“YES! We are so excited to have started a service called: My Company Radio. I was involved in consulting for a company that has 4,000 employees in 14 states. They asked me how they could communicate and educate them on a weekly basis. That was what started the wheels turning. So, we developed a system where we take messaging from top level leadership and surround it with motivation, inspiration, education, employee recognition, and turn the message into an entertaining show sent to their entire team. Now, the weekly message, full of pertinent information, is entertaining as well as informative. Employees can’t wait to hear the next show.”

What is your vision with regard to this?

“We currently have several clients including private clubs, an oil company, and distribution vendors. We are also engaged in conversations with hospitals, police and fire departments, resorts and large hotels. The beauty of the system is that there are only two qualifications: 1) You need to have at least 50-employees, 2) you genuinely care about your people. That’s It!”

“Let’s face it, when there is a challenge or mistake in our business, the vast majority of time the source comes down to a breakdown in communication. Now, we are making communication fun, attractive, convenient, and easily accessed through your smart phone.”

It has been said that the most common complaint by employees in any business is a lack of, or lack of accurate communication between leadership and employee. Is it your goal to present a way to fix this?

“Absolutely, Our system is so easy to use and downloads on any smart phone. We have some of the most sought-after experts contributing to the shows with topics pertaining to motivation, inspiration, celebrity fitness, Fortune 500 consultation, meditation, and Human Resource Management. Also, another feature we are excited about is allowing employees to have direct communication back to top leadership through the show. Now, front-line employees have a safe environment and conduit direct to the decision makers.”

Put on your future glasses and talk about what this business model might look like in five years considering all of the lightening fast changes in technology.

“To be honest, I think this system is a game changer! The days of employee newsletters that nobody reads, email blasts that never get opened, or teleconferencing that only a few can take part in are over. This system allows employees to listen on their time, while at the gym, driving to work, grocery shopping, or boarding a plane. Most of all – with our company inspirational presenters, we consider the show a gift of enrichment. I believe this model can become a standard of communication for any company, no matter how technology allows it to evolve in the future.”

At a time when so many companies struggle with finding, motivating, and retaining employees – it only makes sense to invest in the appropriate tools that will connect staff members with management and leadership in a way that is honest, timely, and effective. It may just be that Chef Carroll has found the answer.

To connect with Chef Carroll and his portfolio of contemporary communication tools – use the following links:

MY COMPANY RADIO

www.mycompanyradio.com

THE RECIPE PODCAST, CELEBRITY SECRETS

and THE RECIPE, UNPLUGGED

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant and Culinary School Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com – BLOG

A COOK’S NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

25 Wednesday Dec 2019

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chef, Cooks Resolutions, culinary, kitchen, New Years resolutions, restaurants

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

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

05 Thursday Dec 2019

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chef, Chef reflections, cook, culinary, culinary career, kitchen work, restaurants

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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

WHEN COOKING BECOMES MORE THAN A JOB

25 Monday Nov 2019

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chef, cooks, culinary, kitchen, restaurant

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:

You are proud of the uniform that you wear.
When you get excited about that new restaurant cookbook that is being released next month and pre-order it through amazon.
When asked what your most prized possession might be, and you answer: “my chef’s knife”.
When almost all of your friends are also cooks.
When you try to convince your family and friends to tighten up their mise en place.
When you are walking down the street and constantly shout out “behind!”
When you wake up in the middle of the night and break out in a cold sweat thinking about your prep for the day.
When you call in, or stop in to work on your day off to make sure everything is in order.
When your preferred gift list is a link to Extreme Culinary Outfitters. https://extremeculinaryoutfitters.com/
When you get excited about visiting a farm, cattle ranch, commercial fishing boat, or flourmill.
When you own more than three fishing tackle boxes filled with personal culinary tools.
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.
When you start complaining about people who work normal hours as “part-timers”.
When asked – you can recite the names of the chefs who head the ship of the best restaurants in town.
When you start building that “bucket list” of restaurants around the world where you must dine before you die.
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.
When you accept that great technique requires discipline and practice.
When you know that dependability above all else, is the trait that is important in the kitchen.
When even when you didn’t agree with the chef you know that: “Yes Chef” is important.
When pride is directly connected to clean plates returning from the dining room.
When you feel that every plate presented in the pass carries your signature.
When letting down your fellow cooks would be the most egregious sin.
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

A COOK’S ANXIETY – A MOMENT IN TIME

08 Friday Nov 2019

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chefs, cooks, cooks anxiety, culinary, dinner rush, kitchen life, line cooks

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It’s 5:15, 120 degrees in front of the battery of ranges, and sweat is pouring down every cook’s back, dripping off their foreheads. This is moment in time, like the starting line for an important race, when adrenaline is pulsing through a cook’s veins, fingers are tingling in anticipation, knees are a little weak, and that 5-minute cold sandwich that was inhaled while standing over a garbage can isn’t sitting too well. Time to pop back another espresso, click those tongs a little faster, bounce from foot to foot while trying to keep the knees limber, and fold and refold those side towels again. It’s game time!

Sometimes we put on a good face – cool and calm – totally in control, but underneath we are stressed out most of the time. We can’t really ignore the adrenaline – to do so would stall out the engine, cloud our concentration, and lead to mistakes. “Slow” is the curse for a line cook. Idle time results in a loss of focus – a dangerous situation in the kitchen. Stress, at some level is an essential element – this is the edge of the knife, the seasoning of a sauté pan, and the blue flame from a char-grill. Stress is the spice that makes it all work.

Just like over-seasoning of a dish, or moving an item from perfect caramelization to burn – too much stress can turn the beauty of team symmetry and the confidence that comes from preparation-to chaos, loss of direction, and disaster. Total system collapse in a kitchen is always a few steps away from fine-tuned orchestration. Line cooks live on this precipice every day.

Those fleeting moments before the rush are filled with over-thinking, nervous energy, tingling fingers, throbbing back muscles, and multiple head games that push a cook to think about everything that could go wrong. Every serious cook lives by the rules of Murphy’s Law: if something can go wrong – it will.

The line cook looks to the right and left and gives a thumbs-up and fist bump to each team member. This is both a sign of readiness and a signal that the team is in this together. “I have your back – you have mine.”

The first orders start to trickle in at 5:15 – the early birds have arrived. Cooks like this short build up – it gives the line a chance to adjust, to build their rhythm. Much like a quarterback in a critical game – the expeditor can use this time to adjust a game plan and even audible on the line. Planning is critical, but so is the ability to problem solve and adjust.

A few steaks and chops, trout meuniere, pan seared duck breast, a few orders of diver scallops and a smattering of apps from the fry station: so far – so good. Cooks are loosening up – the cadence of work is accented by the staccato of clicking tongs, and the banter of “ordering” and “yes chef”. Everyone is on his or her toes – they know what is coming next. Each line cook checks and double checks his or her mise en place, touches each part of his or her station, re-folds side towels one last time, and wipes down their counter space.

It’s 6 p.m. now and things are about to change. The host peeks her head in the kitchen and says: “the dining room just filled –hang on, here it comes!” BAM! Just like that – the POS starts spitting out tickets faster than the expeditor can call them off. Now the team is energized, the slow build up allowed them to dot the “i’s” and cross the “t’s”, so confidence is pretty high. That adrenaline will be put to good use now as pans start flying on and off the flat top, flames from the char-grill leap 4 inches high, and the smell of great cooking fills the air. Sweat is pouring off the foreheads of everyone on the line and soaking the rims of their skullcaps. There is a bounce in everyone’s step as they pivot from the range and grill to the service line. “Pick up on table 34!” The answer from all in unison is: “Yes chef”. “Order/fire on that deuce that just came in.” “Yes chef”. “Jake – how long on that medium well veal chop (ugh)?” “Probably 8-minutes chef”. “Sue, I need a re-fire on that trout meuniere – he wants it very well done!” “Yes chef”.

The line is peaking right now. The board is filled with tickets and the expeditor is waiting on a table of 10 that is already 15-minutes late. This really pisses off the chef – the guest is always right, but few understand how tight everything is and how a late reservation can throw everything off. The host just tapped the chef on his shoulder and said that the 10 top just arrive, but now its 14. Great – right in the middle of the rush. “Heads up! We have a 14 top coming in soon – let’s try and clear some of the board before then.”

By 7:30 most of the dining room is served and the 14 top entrees just went out. The chef sent out an amuse bouche to buy some time and the table ordered a pile of apps – everything is working out. The dining room will partially fill again by 8:30, so it’s time to replenish mise en place, clean up every station, kick back a few more espressos, have each cook splash some water in their face, and take a quick accounting of everything.

By 10 p.m. the last few orders are leaving the kitchen. Only two returns tonight for re-fires, and almost 200 served. It was a good night. Lots of high fives to go around, then the last charge of adrenaline to get through cleaning, station breakdown, labeling and dating, filling out prep lists for tomorrow, and chilling down sauces. The chef strains the veal stock that has been simmering since late morning, and immerses the 5-gallon pot in an ice bath. He pulls everyone together for a 10-minute review and recognition for a job well done.

The cooks leave by 11:15 and head for the local bar for an after shift drink or two as the chef inspects the kitchen, shuts down the hood fan, and turns off the lights. The kitchen will go to sleep now – at least for a few hours. The baker arrives at 4 a.m. and prep cooks by around 7. Then it starts all over again. It takes cooks a few hours to bring themselves down from the adrenaline rush – a feeling that they both look forward to and dread at the same time.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER
Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

BODY, MIND AND SOUL – COOKS ARE IN IT TO WIN IT

23 Friday Aug 2019

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chefs, Cooking from the heart, cooks, creativity, culinary, improvisation, line cooks, Miles Davis, Soul cooking

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It was 1959 when the late great Miles Davis released “Kind of Blue” one of the great jazz albums of all time. Over his creative career – many of the most accomplished musicians of a generation got their start or at least their inspiration from playing with or listening to Miles – he was, to many, a genius.

The greats and soon to be greats were attracted to Miles and built their careers around playing with this creative genius. Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Ron Cater, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, and Joe Zawinul of Weather Report all had their start playing with Miles. Hundreds of others including Carlos Santana, Prince, John Legend, John Mayer, and Jimi Hendrix reflected on how Miles Davis influenced their own creativity and style. He was their Yoda.

“I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning…every day I find something to do with my life.”

-Miles David

Miles was fully engaged with his body, mind and soul and as a result – his music was an extension of the person that he was. The very best cooks are Miles Davis protégés, even if they are unfamiliar with his music. It is the creative energy of body, mind and soul that is at the center of great cooking whether you are a line cook, prep cook, or chef.

Our industry has it’s own Miles Davis Pied Pipers: Thomas Keller, Alice Waters, Joel Robuchon, Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, David Chang, Grant Achatz, Dominique Crenn, Stephanie Izard, and hundreds of other talented chefs are driven individuals who attract others – drawing energy from their body, mind and soul. Serious cooks are in constant search of, and in real need of that something that separates cooks from great cooks. Nobody knows what that something is until they become part of it.

“Anybody can play. The note is only 20 percent. The attitude of the musicians who plays it is 80 percent.”

-Miles Davis

To paraphrase Davis: “Anybody can cook. The recipe is only 20 percent. The attitude of the person who cooks is 80 percent.”

Miles would have understood and appreciated the regimented exactness of Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud because even with his improvisational style there was a foundation of discipline. He might not have understood the free form nature of Grant Achatz and Dominique Crenn, but their beautiful creative thought would have inspired him. He would have responded with enthusiasm to the seemingly loose style of David Chang because it is cooking that comes from the soul. Miles was the perfect example of ambassador for body, mind and soul.

tony and I

Serious cooks are truly connected with their craft, the tools that allow their application, and the food that they have an opportunity to interpret. Like Miles, they thrive on the creative connection to body, mind and soul that cooking provides. They have little patience with those who fail to see how important their work is and with those who simply view the job of cook as a process and a means to an end resulting in a paycheck for hours worked. They don’t understand and certainly don’t appreciate those who demean the profession and the privilege of being a cook just as I am sure Miles Davis would have little patience for those who simply read the notes on a page and play without a connection to body, mind, and soul.

So, here is a primer on being a chef with that connection to body, mind and soul:

[] BODY

Cooking is such a physical endeavor. There certainly are many other physical careers, but few that use the body in such an all-inclusive manner. The cook who is in tune – is in tune with every ounce of physical interaction in the kitchen environment and with the food and he or she touches. The finger tips can distinguish rare from medium, the hands control the flip of vegetables in a pan; the legs, feet and back are in constant motion as a cook bends, turns and lifts throughout a 10-12 hour shift; and the tinge of heat on the brow, arms and face is intense and ever-present. A cook is “all in” physically and as such – totally in touch with his or her environment.

[] MIND

The nerve ends in a cook’s brain are firing in rapid succession. The charged directives from the expeditor: “ordering…fire…pick-up…in the pass…” represent a cadence, a beat – similar to the pace orchestrated by Miles Davis as he led his musicians through a difficult arrangement. The cook’s brain is busy categorizing orders and their timing, referencing the sub-conscious database of cooking steps, and activating his or her flavor memory through the process of taste, season, taste. The eyes are ever focused on scanning the signs of cooking (caramelization, reduction, grill marks), the status of fellow line cooks, the details of an order, and the condition of station mise en place. All of these images are sent to the brain for analysis and action every nano-second. When the mind is alert and fully engaged then the magic of a functional kitchen appears to be beautiful and as smooth as a piece of improvisational music – organization out of impending chaos.

Painted in Waterlogue

[] SOUL

Miles felt his music – he felt it deeply – much deeper that physically and mentally – he felt it in his soul, his essence, his reason for being.

“Music is an essential part of human existence. Listening to music leaves a major impact on each one of us. It can boost your mood, reduce stress and improve your health and overall wellbeing.”

-Norbert Juma

The same can be said of passionately prepared food. “Food is an essential part of human existence. Enjoying food leaves a major impact on each of us. It can boost your mood, reduce stress and improve your health and wellbeing.”

Those who play passionate music are feeding your soul and expressing theirs, just as those who cook passionately feed your soul and express theirs. There are so many parallels.

Miles music was a reflection of who he was, what he was feeling, and how he was connecting with people and the environment around him. Whether it was his instrument, the superbly talented musicians who surrounded him, or the audience mesmerized by his creativity – what occurred was a soul connection. In a kitchen filled with talented cooks who feel the power of what they do, have the skills that define great cooking, and are connected with fellow cooks, and the charged environment of the kitchen – the result will always be soulful food. Thomas Keller’s perfectly executed French cuisine is soulful, Dominque Crenn’s uniquely creative interpretations and controlled improvisations are soulful, and David Chang’s representation of culturally influenced flavors is deeply soulful.

When cooks prepare food with soul it is because they understand the ingredients, they are in tune with the history of the culture behind a dish, they appreciate the farmer, the fisherman, and the rancher who brought the ingredients to his back door, and they respect the process of cooking – moving those special ingredients from their natural state to a plate in the pass. Soulful food is not a given – it comes from dedication and passionate connections.

“I believe, from reading biographies, that the great musicians have also been great cooks: Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach. I think I’ve worked out why this is – unsociable hours, plus general creativity.”

-Jamie Cullum

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Be a Cook Connected with Body, Mind and Soul

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

WHEN IT COMES TO MENUS IN 2019 – LESS IS MORE

20 Tuesday Aug 2019

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Tags

chefs, cooks, culinary, menus, restaurant success

restaurant-food

So…to fail to change is a surefire way to fail. When everything seems to be against restaurant success – those who strategically stand tall and change direction are the ones who win. Just look at the current picture for restaurants:

[] THE LABOR POOL: Quite possibly the worst labor situation for restaurants – ever! It is not only hard to find great employees – it’s even difficult to find ones that a few years ago you would never, ever hire.

[] COOK RETENTION: Hanging on to competent, dedicated, and passionate cooks is even more difficult since they live in a sellers market. If they are good, they are in demand. When they are in demand – operators are willing to pay the price and offer more comfortable work schedules. You can’t blame the good ones for leaving.

[] OVER THE TOP COMPETITION: For some strange reason, even with the increased level of challenges and the likeliness of failure – more and more restaurants continue to open. This flood of competition is focused on gaining market share and as a result they work overtime to cut into your piece of the pie. In the end, everyone seems to lose.

[] INCREASING PRICES OF INGREDIENTS: Your vendors and their suppliers show no mercy. This flood of competition places greater stress on the supply-chain, which in turn opens the door for increasing prices. Whatever the market will bear rules in this type of business environment.

[] LEASE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE NO LONGER REASONABLE: It has always been the case that restaurants lead the way in gentrification efforts to bring downtrodden areas back to life. Restaurants create energy, interest, and business as the innovator crowd throws their support to foodservice operators who create a buzz. The area comes back to life, business comes on strong, and the entire area becomes energized. As soon as this becomes apparent – new landlords smile and raise rents so that they can cash in on the changes – oftentimes pushing restaurants into a corner where small profits turn into no profits.

[] PRICING YOUR PRODUCTS BEYOND CUSTOMER’S DESIRE TO PAY: In response to all of these conditions – restaurants are inclined to maintain the excitement of their menus and service and simply raise prices again and again to compensate for out-of-control expenses. At some point restaurants inevitably price themselves out of the market and create a perception of price gouging.

[] MINIMUM WAGE HIKES: Yes, our industry has a reputation for lower than average wages and minimal, if any, benefits. It is a tough, labor-intensive business that is quite unforgiving when it comes to profit, so the employee is often on the short end of the stick. Rather than collectively seek fair solutions, we wait until the government feels that they must intervene on behalf of the employee and insist that wages go up while none of the factors that keep wages low are addressed. Should employees receive a living wage? Of course, the answer is yes – but without finding solutions to rent, ingredient costs, low profitability, etc. the only result is restaurant failure.

How do we (those who own, operate, or hold the position of chef in a restaurant) adapt and survive when there are so many reasons why we should fail? The answer is likely quite complex, but here is one partial solution that is within our grasp – CREATE MENUS THAT CAN ADAPT TO THESE CHANGES.

[] SMALLER IS BETTER

In the current business environment, large menus don’t cut it. Too many choices lead to inconsistency, especially with a shallow labor pool. Large menus mean larger inventories of expensive ingredients with short shelf lives, more equipment to support a larger number of hands to do the work, and less focus on doing what you do exceedingly well. Keep it simple, keep it seasonal, buy the best ingredients you can, and execute preparation at the highest level.

[] MAKE IT CONNECT

Smaller menus allow restaurants to connect to a cuisine, a culinary focus, and natural complements between appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

[] MULTIPLE USES OF INGREDIENTS

Take your time to weave cross utilization through the entire menu and production system. Total elimination of waste may be too optimistic, but great menu planning can help to bring you close to zero.

Painted in Waterlogue

[] PLAY TO THE SENSES

It is still about creating food experiences and the best restaurants will invest the time in planning for full integration of sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. The best menus will be hard to resist if these connections are made.

[] STEP BY STEP

Giving chefs poetic license with food may seem like the best way to encourage passion in cooking, but this does little to build consistency in appearance, flavor, and cost. With a labor pool that is less passionate, and fewer in numbers, it seems time to build a system with your menu that walks cooks through every step in production and plating. Some may cringe at this and proclaim that it inhibits creativity, but there is a reason why many of the chains still remain profitable in tough times.

[] BUILD IN PRIDE

Now comes the balance – “How can we create a step-by-step system of production and create a sense of pride for cooks and chefs at the same time?” Consistency and pride are not mutually exclusive. Pride comes from a job well done, beautiful food, ingredients that are cared for properly, cooks that are cognizant and protective of the source of those ingredients, flavorful food that is always on mark, happy guests, and a restaurant that is popular and financially viable.

Painted in Waterlogue

[] BE THE BEST AT SOMETHING – MAKE IT YOUR SIGNATURE

Why should a guest choose your restaurant over another? Marketing firms invest countless hours and financial resources to answer this question, when oftentimes it comes down to this simple reality – is there something truly unique, truly special, and exceptional in quality that can only be found in your restaurant. What will it be? Is it a particular dish made in a way that sets you apart? Is it your personalized service? Is it the theatrics around a food presentation? Do your due diligence and work on finding that “something special” and play it for all that it’s worth. To Morton’s it was their roast beef cart, to the Palm it was their incredible steaks, to Wolfgang Puck it was a unique approach to wood-fired pizza at Spago, to Joel Robuchon it was his whipped potatoes that were half butter, to Outback it was the Bloomin Onion, and to Katz’s Deli it was the hot pastrami on rye – find your signature.

[] CHICKEN LEGS OR WAGYU FILET

It is hard to make a profit on high cost ingredients when selling prices have a ceiling. The talent in cooking a steak (certainly still an art to do it right) is less pronounced than making a leg of chicken just as exciting – yet how many restaurants take the time to figure out a way to bring the chicken leg into prominence. The chicken leg is profit waiting to happen – invest in it.

[] SMALLER PORTIONS OF PROTEIN, MORE INTERESTING VARIETY ON THE PLATE

We continue to surrender to the feeling that bigger is always better. Bigger when dealing with proteins either shreds away profitability or drive restaurants to charge obscene prices. Work on building the whole plate with interesting variety – well prepared vegetables, relishes, chutneys, reductions, etc. and keep those protein portions under five ounces. No one needs that 18-ounce strip steak, or five-pound lobster – work on making the plate interesting, of real value, and avoid putting customers in a position to regret their indulgence.

[] FEWER STAFF, HIGHER QUALITY, BETTER COMPENSATION

If the menu is planned correctly then restaurants can maintain operation volume with fewer hands. “Less hands” place a restaurant in a position to find more talented individuals and pay them well. When the formula of efficiency, quality, pride, and good pay is packaged, then a restaurant might actually be able to ride the storm and come out on top.

[] BREADTH OF PRICING OPTIONS FOR GUESTS

I am not inferring that restaurants should eliminate that delicious steak, or maybe some seasonal halibut or beautiful diver’s scallops, but when they exist on a menu for premium prices, make sure there are ample lower priced, just as special, items on the menu to create opportunities for guests to find value that fits their pocketbook.

[] OPEN FIVE DAYS ONLY IF YOU CAN SWING IT

Last, but not least, this may not be a menu issue, but a stressed out labor pool has made me think clearly about operating hours and I believe that, if you can generate enough sales to stay afloat – five days per week is a real solid answer to success. This gives the operation a time to rest, every employee some predictability in their lives, the chance to keep your “A-Team” together whenever you are open, and relieve some of the stress from trying to find adequate numbers of employees to stay the course.

Food for Thought!

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

INVENTION, RE-INVENTION, A FRESH LOOK

24 Monday Jun 2019

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chefs, cooks, culinary, reinvention, restaurants, restaurateurs

LBC

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 steps towards anything that resembled significant change. Today, change happens quickly, and those operators who fail to not only watch for the warning signs, but even more importantly – fail to do their homework and anticipate change before it is ever evident, find it very difficult to maintain and even survive.

Restaurants, hotels, resorts, culinary schools, and food manufacturers must make change preparedness a priority and become change advocates or lose market share, through a lack of reinvention readiness. This preparation is a way of life in an era when everything shifts so quickly. No business can afford to get too comfortable – the market will not allow it.

“People (or businesses) who cannot invent or reinvent themselves must be content with borrowed postures, secondhand ideas – fitting in instead of standing out.”

-Warren Bennis

Here are some re-invention preparation thoughts:

[] KNOW WHO YOUR MARKET IS

Technology allows us, whether your business is food preparation and service, or food service education, to know more about a market and/or potential market, than ever before. The more you know, the more you are able to direct your attention where it counts the most. Knowing whether your market is determined by age, socio-economic factors, education levels, geography, profession, ethnicity or even gender will help with the qualification of product, service, and expected outcomes. Your marketing efforts should zero in on your intended market, but will only be effective if you truly understand what is needed or desired by that market group.

[] PAY ATTENTION TO PERCEPTIONS

It is likely that your perceptions of your business will drive how you approach product and service. It is also likely that your perceptions and those of customers, potential customers, competitors, and the marketplace in general will differ. Understanding these differences and adjusting, accordingly, to how you operate – is an important element of business success.

“Perception is reality. If you are perceived to be something, you might as well be it because that’s the truth in people’s minds.”

-Steve Young

[] LEARN TO BE FLEXIBLE

Change is inevitable. Failure to change when necessary will likely lead to business failure. Thus, flexibility becomes a critical element in a business operator’s bag of tricks.

[] STUDY THE MARKETPLACE

The marketplace is impacted by so many different factors: national and local economics, demographic shifts, unemployment, education, politics, weather and seasonal shifts, transportation, competition, and consumer habits. It is important that operators, and chefs, pay attention to what is going on in their immediate universe and adapt to changes that do, or might impact the marketplace. If it were only just about preparing food, life would be so much easier.

chef

[] LOOK FOR WARNING SIGNS

Action vs. reaction: if a business is in reactive mode then they are constantly using crisis management techniques that almost always result in challenges with their market base, their staff, their reputation, and the expectations that people have of the business. When operators are tuned into what is taking place in the market then the warning signs can trigger action and preparation before problems arise. National dips in employment, drifting customer counts, lower check averages, difficulty in finding students or employees to fill a program, changes in the housing market, and dramatic shifts in the stock market and consumer confidence will ultimately trickle down to restaurant profitability. The best operators pay attention to the signs and take proactive measures to stay ahead of the challenge.

[] DON’T GET STUCK ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BELL CURVE

The product lifecycle bell-curve points to the stages that products or services typically go through from inception, through steady growth, peak performance, and then decline. The most successful businesses are introducing the next product, service, or re-invention while the current product or service is hot. So during the growth phase – the next iteration is building interest. If you wait until the start of decline then you are always playing catch up baseball. This inevitably leads to poor decision-making out of crisis mode.

[] BECOME A CHANGE AGENT

Lead, follow, or get out of the way. Change will happen with or without you, so it only makes sense to prepare for it, embrace it, and push forward with enthusiasm.

“If you don’t like change, you will like irrelevance even less.”

-General Eric Shinseki

[] THINK BIG

Gone are the days when an occasional tweaking of what you offer is enough to keep your business vibrant. Effective businesses are not only looking at how they might fit in the marketplace, but rather how they can take the lead. Discover what is needed to forge ahead and take action.

[] PLAN THOROUGHLY AND TAKE EDUCATED RISKS

Risk taking is a positive process if it is well thought out and there appears to be a greater chance of success than failure.

[] KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW

You may think you have it all figured out – the right formula, the right product or service, and the right people to make it work, but unless you are willing to accept that there is much more to learn, and unless you are willing to invest the time and effort in building your base of knowledge, then your success may be short-lived.

Painted in Waterlogue

[] TALK IS CHEAP – ACTION IS WHAT COUNTS

Ideas without action are very shallow.

[] USE YOUR NETWORK OF INFLUENCE

Solicit, accept, and act on the feedback that you solicit from those stakeholders who are willing and able to offer their observations and recommendations.

[] KEEP YOUR RIGHT FOOT ON THE GAS AND YOUR LEFT ON THE BRAKE

Readiness is always enhanced with a touch of “eyes wide open” caution. Move forward but always stay alert for hungry sharks around the corner.

[] LEARN FROM OTHER’S MISTAKES

Be observant of others and take lots of notes. Stay tuned to environmental factors that are impacting operators (even outside of the food business) and pay attention to how they react. Take advantage of their learning curve.

“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”

-Eleanor Roosevelt

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

CHEFS CHASING THE OWNERSHIP THING

15 Saturday Jun 2019

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Tags

chef, chef owner, cook, culinary, restaurant, restaurateur

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

Restaurant Consulting and Training

LINE COOKS WHO TAKE THE LEAP

13 Thursday Jun 2019

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chef, cook, culinary, kitchen, restaurants, What it takes to be a great cook

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

Restaurant Consulting

IS COOKING LOSING ITS COOL IMAGE?

22 Friday Mar 2019

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chefs, cooks, cool chefs, culinary, kitchens, restaurant work

rest 2

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 work, or they fell into the kitchen out of necessity and grew to love it. Then the 1980’s happened and suddenly it became “cool” to put on those starched whites and apron, sharpen your overly expensive Henkel knives, brush off the dust from that fresh culinary degree, and walk into a kitchen as if you owned it.

Loads of people and events led up to this – the advent of the Food Network, the rise to glory of “celebrity” chefs, an abundance of cookbooks and tell-all novels about kitchen life, and the exponential growth of both restaurants and culinary schools were the culprits. Suddenly cooks were not overlooked, but revered by the press and the dining public. Knowing a chef was a feather in your cap, and celebrating young people pursuing a degree in cooking was a common pastime. Society glorified the position, supported this attention with the tools of the trade, and applauded schools that built beautiful, yet unrealistic kitchens to help young cooks justify the expense of a degree.

By the 1990’s there were somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 culinary schools, free-standing restaurants in the U.S. exceeded 1 million, and the restaurant industry quickly became one of the top employers from coast to coast. Television sought out storylines about kitchens – showing in many cases, the jaded underbelly of working in front of a range, and suddenly Americans were spending 50% of their food dollars in some type of restaurant. What a great time to be a cook.

Fast forward 30 years and things begin to change. As the economy grew stronger and unemployment numbers dropped significantly – young cooks who jumped in for the fame and glory found that they could earn more money and pursue a more reasonable lifestyle outside of the restaurant business. The pirate’s life of the kitchen warrior became less appealing; the temperamental chef who may have been talented, but had no business leading others was suddenly faced with “hostile work environment” lawsuits, and the all in commitment that could lead to success was suddenly far less attractive.

Still there were some who entered this business for the right reasons. They weren’t in it for fame and fortune, they didn’t have the funds or see the need to invest tens of thousands in a culinary education, and they were perfectly happy to work at keeping an edge on that $50 Chicago Cutlery French knife. They joined the kitchen brigade because they simply loved to cook, they enjoyed the heat and the sweat, they were passionate about building flavors, they were fine with the commitment as long as they had a chance to work with their team, and they would never call out when they knew that the team depended on them. They were in it to have the opportunity to cook and place a beautiful plate of food in front of the guest. Even if they stumbled into kitchen life because they needed a job – many of them soon discovered that this was what they were meant to do.

In 2019, we find ourselves in a confusing position. Restaurants continue to open in record numbers and guests are dining out, as a part of their lifestyle, at a rate that no one could have anticipated. At the same time, fewer and fewer people are taking the leap into kitchen life and many who did so initially for fame and fortune are changing direction. Much of the culture of the kitchen that focused on a love of cooking and a sense of purpose through teamwork is being tested and restaurants find themselves scratching their heads, blaming a younger generation, scrambling to find an answer, and at a loss with regards to how they will get the job done.

Will this cause the restaurant industry to plateau and move from growth to decline, or will the industry change its methods of operation to accommodate a diminishing labor pool? Is this possibly a good thing? Maybe being a “cool” profession is far less important that being the right profession for those who find it part of their genetic code.

As is the case with many other industries there is a time for correction and adjustment, and in some cases dramatic shift. As an industry we certainly need to reflect on what changes are essential – changes that will recognize and reward those passionate team members who are choosing a career in food for all the right reasons. Change is essential, but many aspects of the business will remain because of the nature of the work. We might think twice about over glorifying hard work and pointing to some of the seedy past associated with the kitchen as something to be proud of.

Culinary schools are going through a major adjustment phase as their numbers diminish, costs are re-evaluated, and their method of delivering a culinary education is scrutinized. Restaurants are faced with similar challenges as they deal with a changing audience, dramatically increasing costs, challenges with lease arrangements, and the monumental challenge of finding, training, and retaining good employees.

Being cool was fun for a while, it helped to increase awareness of the work, and in many cases emphasize the value and talent of those who are serious about cooking. Let’s return to a focus on the food, on fair pay, on attracting people who are truly serious about the craft, and creating a work environment that inspires.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com

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INNOVATE AND CHANGE OR GET OUT OF THE WAY

19 Tuesday Mar 2019

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Tags

change, chefs, cooks, culinary, Innovative restaurants, restaurants

hen

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, cook the same type of food as in the past, live with the level of service that has defined your restaurant for decades, expect the same level of commitment from your staff as had been the case as long as you can remember, and still find guests lining up to support your restaurant just like they have forever – then think again. Things are not going back to the way they were, the way that you feel comfortable with, or the way that your operation has depended on. Welcome to the new restaurant reality.

So what is changing, why is it changing, and what can you do about it?

WHAT IS CHANGING:

[] BRICK AND MORTAR RESTAURANTS ARE A PROBLEM

There are many reasons for this statement, but one thing stands very clear – if you have to depend on customers coming to you in today’s world of anytime/anywhere – your operation is at a disadvantage. Brick and mortar isn’t going away, but mobility is always an advantage.

[] YOUR LANDLORD MAY NOT BE AS NICE AS YOUR THINK

One of the greatest challenges facing brick and mortar restaurants today is exponential increase in lease requirements. Watch out when that lease comes up for renewal.

[] FOOD PRICES ARE GOING UP

Prices never seem to go down, even during peak availability of raw materials. Additionally, for the small restaurant there is always the challenge of minimum requirements for delivery and tighter requirements for payment cycles.

[] FINDING GREAT COOKS, SERVERS, AND CHEFS IS BECOMING IMPOSSIBLE

It appears that every restaurant in the country is looking for and failing to find sufficient numbers of staff to get the job done. When unemployment is below 3.8% there isn’t much hope for a solution in the near future.

[] FORGET WHAT YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT MARKETING – IT DOESN’T WORK ANYMORE

If you don’t have someone affiliated with your restaurant (preferably under the age of 25) that is truly tech savvy and able to understand and manage a flurry of social media platforms, then you simply don’t have a marketing strategy. Traditional advertising is becoming less and less effective as the days go by.

[] CUSTOMERS AREN’T AS LOYAL AS YOU THINK

The days when a two-mile radius of loyal customers lined up to enjoy their neighborhood restaurant is fading fast. There are far too many choices, way too many interesting opportunities, and an increasing number of ways to buy.

[] YOU REALLY CAN’T AFFORD THAT MODERN KITCHEN

Equipment has become much more sophisticated and efficient over the past ten-years or so – everything comes equipped with the bells and whistles that provide controls and analytics that can help you perform better – but profit margins have not budged. The price tag to build out and open a restaurant kitchen today is truly scary.

[] PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO WANT TO DRIVE TO YOU ANYMORE

Keep an eye on what Detroit is doing. Rapid turnaround strategies are banking on fewer people owning cars in the future, more car sharing opportunities, and sophisticated urban mass transportation will potentially be quite painful for restaurants – especially those that depend on curb service and drive thru.

[] LEGISLATION IS GOING TO CHOKE YOU

Local, regional, and national legislation will continue to focus on ways to protect the health of the consumer. Even though most of us might agree with this initiative – it will force restaurants to make uncomfortable changes. Everything from new food safety requirements, equipment mandates, nutritional data listing, increases in minimum wage, and controls on single use disposables will pinch profit margins.

[] CASH FLOW IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROFIT

The top line drives the bottom line mantra will take on a more important role as narrowing restaurant margins become less important than how fast cash is coming in and going out. Cash flow management will become a primary role for managers and owners.

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

THE THRILL IS GONE

The 30-year sizzle of starting a career in the kitchen has been replaced with the reality of the physical and emotional nature of the work, the meager wages paid, the lack of benefits, and the impact that a career in food can have on quality of life.

I CAN’T AFFORD TO COOK ANYMORE

The passion to cook that many of us share is being interrupted by the reality associated with wages vs. expenses.

GREED IS ALWAYS A FACTOR

While some owners may eventually reap the financial benefits of operating multiple outlets, that success never seems to trickle down to the people working behind and in front of the range.

LOOK OUT FOR UBER EATS, BLUE APRON, AND AMAZON GO

It seems that overnight – people have been presented with multiple new ways of receiving the food that they prepare and eat. Every one of these options represents an additional slice of the pie that doesn’t make its way into the restaurant till.

YEP – CLIMATE CHANGE IS REAL

Eventually, everyone will feel the pain of climate change. If prediction hold true – climate change will continue to impact farmers, transportation, shoreline communities, and prices. We will all pay the price.

3.8% UNEMPLOYMENT IS NOT GOOD FOR THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS

Isn’t it great – everyone who wants a job can find one? This is certainly always a goal of our representatives – but the downside is that finding employees is increasingly difficult, the employee is truly in control, and rates of pay increase will continue to make it difficult for restaurants to survive.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

[] FOCUS ON THE EXPERIENCE

Producing great food and service is no longer enough. The experience becomes an important way to draw and retain customers. The experience might be interaction with cooks, visual food preparation, connections with farmers and producers, education, entertainment, interesting take-aways, membership, pop-up concepts, etc. The experience must be foremost in the minds of owners and operators.

[] BE NIMBLE, BE QUICK

Rapid change is always important, but now operators will need to strategize on becoming a change agent before there is a definitive need. You must be in a position where other operators look to you for the next shift in concept and dining habits.

[] PUT ASIDE THOSE TRADITIONAL MENU ITEMS _ THINK DIFFERENT

Everybody loves a steak, but when the cost of that steak drives restaurants to charge prices that shock, then it is time to look at alternative ingredients and ways to make them as exciting as that 12 oz. Black Angus filet.

[] KEEP IT SIMPLE- DO IT WELL – CROSS UTILIZE

Big menus create big challenges. With a workforce that is hard to find it will become more important to work smaller and train to execute limited menus well. With the cost of ingredients skyrocketing it will become even more important to control inventories. Small doesn’t have to mean uninteresting. The role of strategic menu planner becomes even more important.

[] YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO BE COMPLACENT

At the blink of an eye your restaurant can become irrelevant. You must stay ahead of the game – always researching, always watching the competition, staying in touch with your guests, challenging vendors to work with you, and analyzing what is happening with sales and costs everyday.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

**Picture – The Hen of the Wood Team – Burlington, VT

THE INFLUENCE OF WOMEN CHEFS

09 Saturday Mar 2019

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Tags

chefs, cooks, culinary, restaurants, Women chefs, women in the kitchen

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 seems senseless to categorize chefs as male or female, in fact that distinction helps to perpetuate issues of inequality in pay, respect, and recognition. So for the balance of this article I will simply point to chef’s – many of whom happen to be women. If you have the skills, the passion, the commitment, responsibilities, and the work ethic necessary to hold the position then you are a chef.

Thinking back – many of us would absolutely credit our desire to cook for a living to our experiences with our mothers and grandmothers who joyfully cooked over the family stove. So why should we ever find that women working in professional kitchens is unusual. Across the country more and more professional kitchens are operated under the direction of highly competent and talented women.

So in celebration and recognition that is sorely lacking – I wanted to point to just a few of the thousands of great women professional cooks and chefs who are on equal ground with their male counterparts and who have, and continue to make, a tremendous difference in the restaurant business.

Edna Lewis

[] EDNA LEWIS:

A champion of Southern Cooking and daughter of an emancipated slave – Edna Lewis brought a history of black America to the restaurant table. Her political activism aside, Chef Lewis made her mark at many restaurants including the famous Gage and Tollner in Brooklyn, New York. She was a chef, restaurateur, teacher and cookbook author. I had the pleasure of meeting her and enjoying the robust flavors of her food many years ago at the James Beard Taste of New York.

Lynch

[] BARBARA LYNCH:

Listed in Time Magazine as one of the most influential People of 2017 and James Beard Award Winner as Most Outstanding Restaurateur in 2014, Lynch has made her mark on the American Restaurant scene. Her organization – Barbara Lynch Gruppo includes an array of restaurants including No. 9 Park, B and G Oysters, and Menton.

Silverton

[] NANCY SILVERTON:

Chef Silverton was awarded the 2014 designation as the James Beard Most Outstanding Chef in America – an award that she humbly thought she didn’t deserve. Early in her career she opened Wolfgang Puck’s groundbreaking Spago Restaurant as Pastry Chef where her desserts became the most sought after ticket in town. Later, with chef husband Mark Peel they would open the critically acclaimed Campanile. They then opened La Brea Bakery as an unpretentious outlet for Nancy’s fabulous breads because they weren’t able to find decent bread anywhere else in the Bay Area. Her passion for bread helped to re-invent bread baking in America and as La Brea grew exponentially so too did American’s expectation for this type of product elsewhere. When it became too large and impersonal for her – Chef Silverton sold the bakery name and took a sabbatical back in Italy to study her roots and refresh. She now operates Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza where she personifies simple, delicious preparations paying homage to the importance of the ingredients used.

Traci

[] TRACI DES JARDINS:

Chef and Restaurateur Chef Des Jardins owns a French California operation called Jardinière as well as a Taqueria, Sports Pub, and other operations in the Presidio of San Francisco. A champion of local/sustainable ingredients and farming – she is a strong voice in helping to constantly define California Cuisine. She has appeared on Top Chef and Iron Chef America.

hamilton

[] GABRIELLE HAMILTON:

Chef/Owner of the famous 30 seat – Prune Restaurant in Brooklyn, New York – Hamilton’s mastery of simple food done well has won her critical acclaim. She is the author of Prune Cookbook and a novel titled: Blood, Bones, and Butter – a portrayal of kitchen life. Her Masters Degree in Fine Arts – Creative Writing along with her experiences on the line has made for storytelling at the highest level.

Lidia

[] LIDIA BASTIANICH:

Part of a highly influential restaurant family – Lidia started her restaurant career in a Manhattan pizzeria. She and her husband went on to open their first restaurant in 1971 in Queens, New York. Felidia, as it was named, opened to national acclaim.

She studied Italian Cooking as a sous chef at Buonavia Restaurant leading to her eventual reputation as an authentic ambassador for traditional Italian cooking. She wound up with her own PBS series on Italian Food, authored multiple cookbooks, built a restaurant Empire in New York City, became co-owner with her son Joe, of Eataly properties in America, put her stamp on a line of cookware, and opened Bastianich Vineyards in Maremma, Italy.

images

[] ALICE WATERS:

Of course no article on the influence of women in the restaurant business would be complete without talking about Alice Waters. Influenced by her time in France, Alice – a child of the San Francisco 1960’s culture, would open Chez Panisse – a free form Berkeley restaurant that even today continues to define California Cuisine. She became the patron saint of organic, natural, local ingredients and cooking. She remains a champion for farmers and political causes that have their roots in the food that we eat. Many of the country’s most prominent chefs had their start working for and with Alice – including Jeremiah Towers. She is an author, TV celebrity, chef, restaurateur, and advocate for improving our lives through food.

child

[] JULIA CHILD:

Julia may not have been a chef, but it was her love of good food and desire to show everyone how to cook well that rocketed her to fame. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris while her husband served in the American Diplomatic Corps, she was determined to bring the French style of Cooking to every American home. Through her TV series, cookbooks, and gregarious personality – she made cooking fun and centrally important to all. Her love of chefs and professional cooks helped to propel the profession to where it is today.

April

[] APRIL BLOOMFIELD:

A British chef of renown – her time at the famous River Café and later chef/owner of the Spotted Pig and The Breslin made Chef Bloomfield a household name. She studied American Food with Alice Waters in San Francisco as a precursor to opening the Spotted Pig and in 2005 was awarded 1 Michelin Star – one of the first such recognitions in the U.S. April went on to open other restaurants in New York City and San Francisco.

crenn

[] DOMINQUE CRENN:

Dominique landed in San Francisco from France and worked with Jeremiah Towers at his restaurant “Stars”. Later she would move to Campton Place and on to InterContinental Hotels in Indonesia. After returning to America she served as chef at the Manhattan Country Club, and Luce at the InterContinental where she earned a Michelin Star. She opened Atelier Crenn in San Francisco to national praise where she won Two Michelin Stars and most recently her Third Star. She is the first women chef in America to earn this honor. In 2016 she was recognized as the best female chef (Still not sure why this designation – she is the BEST CHEF – period.) and appeared on Season 2 of the series – Chef’s Table.

Izard

[] STEPHANIE IZARD:

Chef/owner of two extremely popular Chicago restaurants: Girl and the Goat, and Duck, Duck, Goat. It is always impressive to watch her line of focused, almost entirely young women cooks. She won the James Beard award for Best Chef – Great Lakes and has participated many times on Top Chef as well as defeating Chefs Flay, Symon, and Morimoto on Iron Chef Gauntlet. I love her restaurants!

spicer

[] SUSAN SPICER:

In New Orleans, Susan Spicer’s name carries as much weight as Emeril Lagasse, John Folse, and the late Paul Prudhomme. He time in France at such world renown restaurants as Louis XVI in Monte Carlo, set the course of her French influenced restaurants in the Big Easy. She now operates s cluster of restaurants in her home city making Chef Spicer one of the greatest ambassadors for New Orleans Cuisine – a melting pot style of cooking with connections to French, Southern Black, Spanish, African, and Haitian cuisines.

This is, by no means, a complete list – there are many women who inspire others and bring a level of excellence to the restaurant business. They, as well as the short list above, have never received their due respect – this falls on all of our shoulders. Chefs are chefs and if a person owns the characteristics and abilities of the position, they are, and must be on equal ground. This pertains to how they are respected and recognized and how they are compensated. On this International Women’s Day let’s stand tall and support all chefs who make a difference.

For those interested in more about the on-going influence of American Women Chefs and Restaurateurs – please click on the link to WCR – Women Chefs and Restaurateurs – the leading organization for the promotion of women in professional kitchens.

www.womenchefs.org

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

BECOMING A MASTER OF YOUR CRAFT

13 Wednesday Feb 2019

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chef, cook, culinary, Master chef, restaurants

Painted in Waterlogue

I just finished watching a YouTube video clip of Jeff Beck and Stanley Clarke performing their incredible music at a jazz festival. I watched the clip four times in a row until I knew that I had to get back to work. These musicians are masters of their craft. There was something truly magical about watching them perform – it wasn’t simply their incredible skill (Jeff Beck, in my mind, has always been the most spectacular guitarist around), it was much deeper than that.

As I watched in awe of the precision and the spontaneity of their performance, I began to think about this term mastery and how there are so many common denominators of those individuals who have reached this pinnacle. I know how fortunate I have been to know and work with chefs and cooks who are true masters of their craft and through these associations I have narrowed down many of those common denominators. Whether you are a musician, painter, writer, sculptor, programmer, plumber, electrician, surgeon, athlete or chef – here is the list of traits that lead to mastery:

[] WORK ON THE FOUNDATIONS

Every master has enormous respect for the foundations of his or her craft. Musicians must understand scales, tonality, tempo, positioning, musical memory, and how a musical piece is built. Plumbers and Electricians must understand the impact of flow, resistance, and capacity. Surgeons must have a complete memory of the body’s systems, structure of muscles, location of organs, and the inter-relationship of every part of the human system. Chefs must understand and appreciate the methods of cooking, the science behind the application of heat, the nuances of flavors and how they marry together, the impact of ingredient maturity and seasonality on how a dish will look and taste. The foundations are always present and at the heart of mastery.

[] PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

A person may be born with an aptitude for a certain craft, he or she may be blessed with great taste buds, an ear for music (perfect pitch), a unique sense of rhythm, or the ability to throw a baseball at 90 miles an hour, but even the most naturally talented individuals must practice relentlessly to reach a level of mastery. Practice does make perfect, but true masters are never satisfied with perfect – their practicing pushes them beyond what others would accept as excellent.

[] PRIDE

Masters are incredibly proud individuals – many times to a fault. Mediocrity is not part of their repertoire and even their best work will always receive a marginal score from their own critique. If they are called upon to perform a task they will totally immerse themselves in a process of producing at a level that will allow them to feel comfortable putting their name to it.

[] SELF-CRITIQUE

Masters are their own worst critics. What others may say about their work will always be taken to heart, but in all cases the master already knows where there is need for improvement. Watching Jeff Beck perform I became aware that although there was an audience – he was playing for his own benefit and critique. The audience was on the receiving end of a work of music that was being critiqued while a person who was the absolute best at assessing the quality of that work was playing it.

[] CONNECTIONS

Masters connect with everyone around them without even knowing that it is taking place. They are wired to connect with those they are working with, those who watch or listen, those who enjoy the food prepared by the chef, or the builder who sub-contracts to the electrician or plumber, and peer performers who view them as a benchmark within a trade. These connections bolster the master’s skill and performance.

tony and I

[] REMAIN HUMBLE

Although there are many examples of those who flaunt their own fame and skill – the real master is above that. The real masters are those who do what they do because they must for their own peace of mind, for the love of what they do, and for the satisfaction of getting better at it every day. True masters are humble when everyone else knows that they could stand on a pedestal and enjoy the praise.

[] FLUIDITY

When you are a master of your trade you are flexible and possess the ability to express excellence in the moment even when the environment, the ingredients, the tools, or the supporting cast may fall behind the standard that you expect. Masters have the ability to go with the flow and make adjustments as needed, while never slipping into mediocrity. Jeff Beck was playing with Stanley Clarke – one of the most versatile bass players around, and a cast of extraordinary support musicians. He certainly played from the structure of an organized piece of music, but what was most impressive was his ability to move around that piece as he connected and interplayed with others – the music was performed in a unique way and will likely never be played the same again.

Painted in Waterlogue

[] DEDICATION

Masters of a craft are committed to their field, to their craft, as well as their desired outcomes and are able to push everything else aside while they pursue excellence in every moment.

[] DISCIPLINE

Master chefs, musicians, craftspeople, or athletes are able to stay on course sometimes even at the expense of everything else around them. Hendrix seemed to always have a guitar in his hands (some say he even slept with his guitar). As free flowing as his music was, he was disciplined to stay connected – always. Tiger Woods was often taunted by his father while practicing so that he would learn to stay in the zone and not let distractions around him take him away from the task at hand. Watch a master chef while cooking and you will see that same total focus on what needs to be done in the moment. This is discipline.

[] HARD WORK

There is no substitution for hard work. Mastery never comes easy. Talent is far too often wasted on those who are unwilling to put in the effort and time to perfect a skill and take full advantage of the talent they may have been born with.

frank

[] BE WILLING TO SIGN YOUR WORK

Masters know that in the end they must stand up and face others – put their work out there for the enjoyment and sometimes ridicule of others. When mastery is near then the individual is willing to stand up and let others in to view their interpretation of excellence. They are willing to sign their work. This does not mean that they are satisfied, in fact even after a master puts his or her work out for others to see, it is rare that he or she will feel as if they have produced their best.

In the later years of his life – Picasso was not allowed to walk, unaccompanied, through many museums where his work was on display. He had the frustrating habit of walking up to his paintings with brushes in hand and attempt to adjust what he was suddenly unhappy with in a painting.

[] OF COURSE – TALENT HELPS

Some may say that talent is the key to mastery. There is no doubt that natural talent is a major key that unlocks the goal of mastery, however, there are ample examples of those who, without the advantage of exceptional talent, have still reached an extraordinary level of excellence by practicing the attributes stated above.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

SET A COURSE FOR MASTERY AND CONNECT WITH OTHERS WHO FEEL THE SAME

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

**PHOTOS: Chef Anton Flory – Certified Master Chef and my mentor: Rest in Peace

Chef Herve Mahe – Chef/Proprietor Bistro de Margot – Burlington, VT

Chef Frank Costantino – Program Director – Monroe College

***JEFF BECK – Guitar master

THE CHEF – DECISIONS EVERY 30 SECONDS

09 Saturday Feb 2019

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Tags

chefs, chefs decision making, cooks, culinary, kitchen, restaurants

mick and joe

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 were sharp and your station clean and organized, being sharp and alert, and taking those extra few seconds to make sure that plate presentations were spot on? Now you are a chef and everything is different.

You are in this new position because others trust and expect that you will be a consummate planner, a strategic planner, a problem-solver, the person who has the answer to every question, and the solution to every challenge. Decision-making takes on a new dynamic when your jacket says: “Chef”. Most chefs relish those rare times when they can tie on an apron, take on some prep, fill in for a time on a line station, orchestrate through the expo station, or even run a few trays of dishes through the machine. It is the weight of decision-making that takes its toll on chefs and the feeling that the chef must be there when those decisions are called for – thus a primary reason for the excessive hours on the job.

So, what decisions are now on a chef’s desk that might not have been there before, and how can the challenge be met- head on?

[] MENU DECISIONS

Although one of a chef’s most pleasurable tasks – menu planning is on going, and sometimes – relentless. Decisions with regards to menu must factor in the desires of the guest, the financial viability of a menu item, the availability of the right ingredients, the ability of the kitchen team, the right equipment to pull it off and whether or not the choices are reflective of the restaurant brand and philosophy of the chef. Each item must be tested and proven workable and then executed consistently. Menu decisions should never be taken lightly.

[] VENDOR SPECIFICATIONS AND TRUST

Selecting vendors must go beyond their ability to provide the ingredients ordered – the chef must make decisions based on service, price, payment terms, and most importantly – trust that the vendor will live up to the purchasing agreement standards.

[] HIRE RIGHT

A chef will (and rightfully so) spend more time with hiring the right individuals who will complement the kitchen team, than anything else. Hire right is more complex that simply finding cooks and other team members who have experience – it involves team chemistry, professionalism, dependability, commitment, and passion. The wrong decision with hiring will cause a ripple effect through the organization.

[] INDIVIDUAL APPROACH WITH EMPLOYEES

One over-riding reality in any business is an understanding that every employee is different. As a result, the most effective leaders (in this case- the chef) must learn how to treat every employee the same (standard performance requirements), yet everyone differently (discovering and reinforcing individual strengths and providing the right support to correct or complement weaknesses). Every interaction with an employee involves a decision that will prove to be either effective or ineffective. Chefs wrestle with making the right choice.

[] BUDGET AND CONTROL

Cooks may know that they are responsible for controlling waste and as such impacting the financial success of the restaurant, but it is the chef who has to build and live by the budget and make the sometimes tough decisions that lead to meeting the demands of his or her projections.

[] PRODUCTION DECISIONS

What a chef wrestles with is a balance in decision-making that considers a commitment to quality, an understanding of time and deadlines, the abilities of the kitchen team, storage space, and efficient use of kitchen equipment.

[] SCHEDULING

Scheduling may seem like a lock-step process – but it’s not. Demands on position schedules can change daily in restaurants with the ebb and flow of reservations, last minute bookings for banquets, and the never ending call outs that need to be filled. On top of this, the chef may try to accommodate special requests for days off, vacations, etc. Scheduling decisions impact every individual and the operation as a whole.

[] SCENARIO PLANNING

The worst feeling in the world is to be caught with a situation that you have never planned for. Effective chefs are planning in advance so that crisis decisions can be made from a well thought out advance process. Power outages, snowstorms, late deliveries, coolers breaking down, the dish machine off line on a Saturday night, a wave of sick employees calling out, etc. One thing for certain – all of these situations (and many others) will occur at some point. Plan in advance so the decision is easy.

[] BRAND RELATED ISSUES

Sometimes chefs need to make decisions to enhance or at the very least – protect the brand of the restaurant as well as his or her personal reputation. These issues are never easy and require a strong will, a determination to not sacrifice those stakes in the ground, and do what is right vs. what may be most expedient.

SOLUTIONS FOR THE CHEF:

[] ENGAGEMENT

The more you engage your staff members in the decision making process, the more they are in tune with what is going on and what your expectations are – the easier those decisions become. When you don’t have to stop and explain why, or even worse simply drive a decision without apparent consideration for the employee – the less likely you are to encounter resistance.

[] TRAINING

Training is always the key to fluid decisions. When your crew is well trained, the more likely they are to not just support the restaurant leadership, but also oftentimes rectify a situation before the chef is required to intervene with a decision.

[] DELEGATION

The most effective managers are great delegators. However, this delegation is only effective if employees are well trained with regard to the task that is passed on to them.

[] EMPOWERMENT

Well-trained employees can and should be empowered to make their own decisions. When they understand how their decision impacts others then they are much more likely to act in the best interest of the operation. The caveat is that empowerment reaches beyond responsibility – empowerment only works when the authority to make a decision and support for their decision is firmly in place. Responsibility without authority is useless and ineffective.

[] MEASUREMENT

Part of every employee’s evaluation should be how well he or she executes this empowered responsibility and the additional duties that the chef delegates. What gets measured – gets done well. When this happens then the chef will have the ability to shed some of the stress of decision-making.

[] TRUST

Trust happens when delegation is supported with training, responsibility, and authority. Trust is one of the most powerful motivators and the key to a chef winning the ability to be most effective in his or her position.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

*PHOTO: Chefs Michael Beriau and Joe Faria

IN THE KITCHEN – SKILLS ARE THE DRUG, CONFIDENCE IS THE HIGH

03 Sunday Feb 2019

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adrenaline, character, chef, cook, culinary, kitchen, team

Many have pointed to the abuse of drugs and alcohol that seems far too commonplace among restaurant employees. It may be part of the culture, possibly a release from the accentuated stress that exists in kitchens, and it may simply be more visible yet just as prevalent in other careers. This does not take away from the reality of use and abuse. What those who point their finger fail to note are the non-chemical drugs that are just as commonplace in kitchens and a source of pride and very positive outcomes.

Some cooks and servers may choose to lean on drugs and alcohol to help them escape, forget, or celebrate, but in reality it is the achievements in life, the process of learning and growing, the chance to work with others, and the act of giving back that provide the greatest adrenaline high. Here are some thoughts on the best ways to feel good about you as a cook.

“One of the greatest pleasures of my life has been that I have never stopped learning about good cooking and good food.”

-Edna Lewis

[] THE DRUG OF SUPERB SKILLS

Some may view the accumulation of skills as a requirement of the job, and they certainly are correct, but, as a cook builds his or her skill level, so too does that same cook build confidence. Every time that cook adds something new to his or her bag of tricks there is a rush of adrenaline that is a direct result of that confidence. Whether it is a technique, speed, efficiency, or an added flavor profile – the cook is invigorated by competence. This feeling of competence is as intoxicating and addictive as caffeine – after a period of time the cook needs to feel the rush, so they continue to build on what they know and are able to do.

“Skill and confidence is an unconquered army.”

-George Herbert

[] THE DRUG OF SERVICE

Sure we talk about service as being the core of what we are about and a noble objective, but until a person really feels this they cannot measure the impact that service has on how they feel. True service providers – those who believe what they do helps to improve a person’s life, are invigorated when they are able to do so. Does the service of food help to improve a person’s life? Well – yes it does. When what you do puts a smile on a guests face – then life is improved. When what you do brings a little sunshine to another person’s challenging day – then life is improved. When you dedicate your time and skills to helping a person feel alive and well – then life is truly improved. This feeling of service to others is also addictive. When we give successfully, we are inspired to do more of the same.

[] THE DRUG OF TEAM

I would dare say that anyone who has been a part of a team knows the feeling of being on the same page, working together for a common goal, accepting each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and doing whatever it takes for each person to be successful. Winning as a team is a real adrenaline rush, losing, as a team can be humbling, but unifying in a different way. Similar to the work of a competitive football, basketball. baseball, soccer, or hockey team – being part of a kitchen crew that functions in unison is so invigorating that it draws cooks back day after day for a grueling battle on the line.

cooks

“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.”

– Amy Poehler

[] THE DRUG OF GIVING BACK

“I am a huge believer in giving back and helping out in the community and the world. Think globally, act locally I suppose. I believe that the measure of a person’s life is the affect they have on others.”

-Steve Nash

As I have previously pointed out – the act of giving need not involve extensive amounts of time or effort, or monetary donations to help a worthy cause. More often than not – giving back can be as simple as showing another cook how a task is done properly, taking a moment to thank someone else for an effort they made in your behalf, donating a small amount of time to prepare a meal for someone in need, or offering an attentive ear to someone who simply needs a person to listen. There are few things in life that are more rewarding, more invigorating, and more important than giving back.

“It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed.”

– Napolean Hill

[] THE DRUG OF ORGANIZATION

Good cooks are obsessive when it comes to organization. Mise en place isn’t a task; it is a way of life. Cooks understand full well that their success is very much dependent on the ability to organize and plan and when their mise is spot on then a smile comes into play, confidence is riding high, a sense of readiness and accomplishment over-ride the fear of the unknown once the printer starts ticking off orders, and good things do happen as a result. Mise en place is more than this – to cooks it becomes their philosophy, a way of life – how they interact with others and a definition of how the world must be to make them feel right. When they are organized, they are good.

“Everything has a place and everything is in it’s place = confidence and happiness.”

-Me

[] THE DRUG OF WINNING THE BATTLE

There is no substitute for being part of a winning initiative, of winning the game, the battle, the project, or the goals that are set. When a cook finishes service and finds pride in the number of guests served, the satisfaction of great food from his or her station, a complement from the chef or paying guest, and the knowledge that his or her station was totally on fire (in a good way) then the feeling is physically, mentally, and emotionally charged.

When it comes to the work that we do as cooks and chefs – then much of what Coach Vince Lombardi said during his career holds true:

“Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.”

-Vince Lombardi

It is that desire and the effort that accompanies it that makes us all feel proud to cook and willing to do the hard work necessary to accomplish goals. This attitude is our second cup of coffee, our feeling of purpose, and the spark of enjoyment that brings us back tomorrow.

[] THE DRUG OF REPUTATION AND CHARACTER

It is always important to an individual that his or her reputation is strong among allies and foes. That feeling that we are good people is always more significant than being good at what we do. Others respect us and give a thumbs up to our reputation when we are of strong character and never falter from those stakes in the ground that define the kind of person we want to be and that we are. Above everything else – this is the fruit of our labor.

“The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.”

-Socrates

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant and Culinary School Consulting and Training

*Second Photo: Part of the team at Quail Valley River Club

GENEROSITY IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COOKS AND CHEFS

27 Sunday Jan 2019

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Tags

Charity, chefs, cooks, culinary, Generosity, kitchen

team copy

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 decades. I went on a culinary journey with these chefs as we found ourselves in the competition arena at the 1988 Culinary Olympics. As exciting as this moment was, it was the process of learning about team, accepting each other’s strengths and weaknesses, pushing us to constantly improve, and thoroughly enjoying the years of preparation that became the most important. Since that time we have continued to follow, support, and learn from each other as our careers moved forward.

On the surface, this time together in Vero Beach, Florida was a celebration of our friendship and our accomplishments as a team, but more importantly it was another opportunity for each of us to give back. This opportunity to work together was made possible through the efforts of Chef Joe Faria and Amy Haase-Hughes, the event coordinator at Quail Valley River Club. The event, recognized our team, but more significantly was an opportunity to raise funds to support charity efforts in the Vero Beach area.

Behind the scenes this time together was also an opportunity to work with and share what we know with the fantastic team of young cooks who are part of Chef Faria’s kitchen crew. The Quail Valley culinary team is a microcosm of backgrounds and nationalities that is representative of the wonderfully diverse foodservice industry. We had the pleasure of working with aspiring cooks from Kenya, South Africa, Portugal, and various parts of the U.S. Under one roof we felt the oneness that is possible and the responsibility that we all have to listen, understand, and support others with the generosity of our time, expertise, and uplifting words and thoughts. Following the dinner – Chef Faria sent me a letter that he received from one of his kitchen employees who masterfully pointed to how fortunate we are, how unaware we might be of the challenges that others face, and the importance of giving. I could not say it better so I thought that I would share these words with you.

A letter to Chef Joe Faria:

“Humanity is a blessing to some extent, we wake up to a beautiful sunrise, rub off the sleep from our eyes and stare at the beauty of nature around us, make plans for our day and go on with our daily business. To many it’s a routine that they have known from young age but to others bearing a smile on their faces in the morning is a gift. It’s a gift since it only comes about in rare occasions. Spend a lifetime fighting illness, go through a day without a meal, wake up in the morning and pray the sun never sets since you don’t have a sheet or for much better option a blanket to shield you from the ugly cold stare of the night, oh and not to mention you pray and hope that the trash will not be moved from that corner in the street so that you may dig in and maybe find some left overs that will be your dinner then lean your head on the trash can and hope to see another day. Who knows it might be raining in the morning, might be sunny or freezing cold.

We live in a society where all these is present and everyone plays their part equally both rich and poor, sick and health, old and young, deaf, blind, crippled, you name it. The question arises as to what we all do for each other. The sick will seek the doctors help, the jobless will knock on every employers door just to land a job that will drop a dollar or two in their pockets while the healthy ones break their sweat trying to figure a way on how to improve the society and make sure every living being is happy and safe at the end of the day. Be it directly or indirectly we all live by a code: “push and pull”. The successful one does his or her best to pull up the poor while the poor ones appreciate the effort and work hard to push up the effort showed to them. I believe in it, do you?

Let’s take a walk into the recent charity event that took place at Quail Valley River Club. Charity, to me, is not just about helping the needy, its more than just holding the hand of the weak -to me, charity is a chance one gets to give a sense of purpose in another person’s life, it’s a chance to help another person hold a bright smile on his or her face, it’s a chance we get to give someone else a reason to fight for tomorrow. We all work at aiming to improve our lives, and earn better pay at the end of the day, but what if we took a time off the daily routine and work hard not just aiming to improve ourselves but to uplift someone else’s life? Quail valley Golf club provided the platform for this to happen. I felt so humbled to be a part of the team that put the effort together to make that dinner a success. Having a chance to practice your passion and serve a group of guests just to achieve a target at the end of the day which is to build someone else’s existence, what an amazing feeling it is just knowing that your effort is focused on a motive for which there is no monetary value.

Chef Joe, a man that I hold great respect for, played a big part in ensuring that a strong team was in place that held hands with no compromise and ensured that perfection was attained on each single plate that the service team took out of the kitchen. Mistakes? Oh yes plenty of mistakes were made whilst preparing the meal but he always ensured that every mistake was rectified. He brought together a team of three of his longtime friends together to help build a scrumptious dinner, the love, the energy, and the hard work all put together with a common goal of ensuring that the big vision was attained.

When everyone left the club that night despite being tired, we all had smiles in our hearts knowing that someone’s future will have a strong foundation as they stand a better chance of receiving a good educational background made possible by every ounce of sweat broken by the strong, happy and loving team at Quail Valley Golf Club.”

To my culinary colleagues: Let us not forget how important it is for us to listen and support others. Let us never put aside our responsibility to teach and to share what we know with others. May we never lose sight of how blessed we are to live in this country with all of its flaws. May we always remember that America has always been, and hopefully will continue to be that shinning light of hope for others and that we hold true to our generous nature to help others in need.

Thank you Chefs Faria, Beriau, and Zuromski for taking the time to support, share, teach, and celebrate what it means to be a chef. Thanks to our other teammates who are always part of this giving team spirit but were not involved in this particular event: Chefs Johansson, Higgins, Carroll, and Varano, and Allen-Miller. Thanks to our team members and supporters who are no longer with us physically, but whose giving attitudes will always be within us: Chefs Flory, Connolly, Czekelius, Carroll, and Corelli. And thanks to every cook and chef who knows that giving is an essential part of our job.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and training

A COOK’S EVOLUTION OF SKILLS AND VALUE

16 Wednesday Jan 2019

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chefs, cooks, cooks career, culinary, kitchens

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 you might feel a bit slower, plagued by aching muscles, and struck with the realization that certain tasks are not your strength anymore. However, those who have a vision of the future know that those tasks that seem less a part of your wheelhouse are now replaced with new skills and knowledge that are likely even more important. Youth has its advantage, but so do age and maturity.

Let’s stop for a moment and place this thought on your mental bulletin board:

“Becoming and remaining a chef can be a lifelong career. Age need not be a deterrent, but rather an advantage.””

Let’s take a look at the ten evolutionary stages of a cook’s skills and value:

[] STAGE ONE: ACCLIMATION

The professional cook begins with a leap into the kitchen. It will likely begin at the sink learning how to keep dishes and pots clean and at the ready. This stage is filled with intrigue and cursory observation of technicians and craftspeople that demonstrate what is possible with time and practice. Many may view this as simply a paycheck and are clear that this is NOT what they want to do with their lives, while a few are instantly attracted to the environment and the people. This, to many, is a pivotal experience that leads to some type of apprenticeship or even an interest in culinary school.

[] STAGE TWO: TRANSITION

Those who move through acclimation will likely find a somewhat structured transition from observer to commis. Likely, the individual in transition will begin as an assistant to a breakfast cook, or maybe an apprentice to the prep cook. The person in transition will learn how to care for, and use knives, become acclimated to the equipment at his or her disposal, start the process of ingredient identification, learn how to follow a recipe or procedure, and begin the process of multi-tasking and acclimation to speed and efficiency. Transition cooks discover the importance of and reason for processes that surround sanitation and safety.

[] STAGE THREE: FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS

Following the introduction to process, cooks – overtime, learn not just what to do, but even more importantly – why they do it. When this occurs then a process becomes a skill, and with time they become confident with those skills. At this stage the cook becomes a true asset to the operation – his or her value is based on an understanding that each cook can be trusted and depended on to perform at a certain level while meeting the quality standards that an operation defines as essential. The movement of the cook at this point might be from prep and commis to a key position on the line – the place where cooks can become center stage players – finishers of those dishes that define the restaurant – a position of honor and pride.

cooks

[] STAGE FOUR: SPEED AND EFFICIENCY

Repetition is as critical to a cook’s value as is the knowledge of the skill itself. Time is money and the quality of food is always dependent on the time factor. When a cook is able to meet the quality standards of the operation and perform with speed and efficiency – then others view him or her as essential to the effective operation of a restaurant.

[] CONFIDENCE: STAGE FIVE

With time and effort, and with the development of speed and efficiency – comes confidence. Confident cooks allow the operation to further trust that they will be able to thrive in their position. In many cases – cooks at this level are ready for promotion that may lead to roundsman or even sous chef level roles.

[] EXPERIENCE WINS: STAGE SIX

The most universally valuable skills are drawn from experiences (both positive and negative). The longer that a cook is working in restaurants, the more situations they are familiar with. Each time that a cook transitions through an experience – he or she adds a valuable tool to his or her essential kit. Experience, and in particular – experience in quality operations, add real value to a cooks resume. Employers place value on the experiences that will serve their operation well.

[] KNOWLEDGE WORKER: STAGE SEVEN

There is a difference between skill and knowledge. Skill relate to the ability to complete a task with speed and efficiency as expected by those involved. Knowledge provides an opportunity for the cook to truly understand how and why the skill results in a positive outcome, and how to identify what to do when that result is not what is expected. As an example – when a cook understands why a particular ethnic cuisine includes a traditional process or ingredient then he or she is in a better position to replicate the flavor profile and experience of producing a dish. Knowledge workers are those who can move from sous chef to chef. This is a skill that is expected of that position.

mick and joe

[] PLANNER & PROBLEM SOLVER: STAGE EIGHT

As a chef, the individual must be an astute manager of what is taking place today in the kitchen, but even more importantly a person who can effective plan for tomorrow, be able to think in terms of how to promote the restaurant brand, how to build a product (menu) that defines how the restaurant will be perceived, and know how to act and react when anything threatens the expectation of that brand and product.

[] TEACHER/MENTOR: STAGE NINE

To ensure that the restaurant holds true to the defined philosophy, the expectations of the brand, and the financial performance that is required – the chef’s value comes from hiring the right staff, training and teaching those cooks in a manner that is consistent and measureable, and comfortable in the role of employee mentor and role model. The most talented cooks may not serve the operation well as a chef if they are unable to perform appropriately as a teacher/mentor. Chefs are highly competent cooks who have the ability to lead others into battle. When a chef performs contrary to the rules of competent leadership then the operation will eventually crumble from within.

walter

[] RACONTEUR & PROTECTOR: STAGE TEN

As a chef transitions to the twilight of his or her career, the role that he or she plays – matures. The role of the near retirement, or retired chef is that of storyteller, and protector of the traditions, standards of excellence, service attitudes, and commitment to sharing that define the senior guard. It takes many decades of work to acquire the knowledge that is required of the raconteur (storyteller). This is the time when a chef becomes a sage.

Along the way, cooks acquire new skills and may find that their effectiveness at some previous skills diminish. The cook’s knowledge of why and how continues to improve, and the experiences that are part of the process continue to build confidence and competence. The value of a transitioning cook to constantly increase and should never be viewed as a process of diminishing ability, but rather the adoption of new skills and knowledge that could only result from this consistent career movement.

PLAN BETTER –TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training