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Tag Archives: kitchen life

COOKS AND CHEFS – THINK ABOUT THE STORY BEHIND WHAT YOU SEE

04 Wednesday Mar 2020

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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chef, cook, cooks story, kitchen life, kitchen team

line

Some of you may be too young to know the band – The Moody Blues, but their lyrics always inspired me, especially during challenges that life occasionally brings. One such lyric asked us to view the story in peoples eyes – the truth behind the façade, the experiences, hopes, and dreams that lie behind a stoic or smiling face – to think beyond what seems to be common and sometimes misleading and find the story behind what you see. This applies to direct person-to-person contact as well as indirect contact through the things that they touch and create. When we pause for just a few seconds to try and understand the impact of those stories, then our perspective and our approach may change.

We are very fortunate – once we step away from the difficult nature of kitchen work and the demands that seem too often to be excessive, to work where we work, do what we do, and have the chance to interact with some damn interesting people. When we only see what is immediately in front of us then we can become jaded, pessimistic, and even angry at times. If we are not connected to the stories than our good fortune suddenly appears to be a burden.

It may seem unrealistic in such a high pressure, always changing, never predictable environment like a busy kitchen to say that it is important to pause and look for the story that lies behind everything, yet I am certain that you will find it rewarding, energizing, and helpful while you face todays challenges. It is the story that makes us who we are and it is the story that reflects the value that we bring.

I spend loads of time talking about the environment of the kitchen, and sometimes the plight of those who work in hounds-tooth pants and double-breasted white jackets, but not enough time revealing what might be behind that façade. We all talk about our passion for cooking and for creating interesting and flavorful plates of food, but not enough time about the struggles, hard work, and passion that go into the ingredients that make those dishes possible. Yet, to be a great cook or chef must mean more than dealing with what is simply in front of us – greatness comes from understanding the story in those eyes.

Painted in Waterlogue

What makes a person tick? Why are they the way they are? What brought them to this point or what holds them back?   What moves them and what haunts them? Once you know a person’s story you become part of it and as a result can impact their performance and their future. This is the core of what makes kitchen work so interesting and dynamic. This is what drives people to the profession and keeps them coming back for more.

Here is a sampling of some stories that I have grown to be a part of (names have been changed to protect their privacy):

  • DON THE BANQUET CHEF: On the surface Don seemed to be a wreck – physically unfit, a quiet alcoholic, crusty and void of any type of social decorum. But, he worked 80 hours a week, was always on time, could put together a function for 200 all by himself and could facilitate one for 1,200 like it was just another day at the office. To some chefs he was a person who should be fired, while to others he was an incredible asset. What made Don the person he was? What I learned painted an interesting picture: he had 10 kids (that’s right – 10), his mother-in-law also lived with his family and Don was the sole income earner. Don had the skills to be the chef in a property, but his life pressures, subsequent heavy drinking, and lack of care for his personal wellbeing kept that carrot out of his reach. He was overworked, stressed about home, angry about his career limitations, and unable to pull him out of bottle dependence – what we saw at work was a reflection of his environment. Once you understood his situation it was easy to at least find some empathy to override what was on the surface.

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  • PETE THE DISHWASHER: People tend to stereotype others based on what they see on the surface. In the case of Pete – he was a 45 year old, well-kept career dishwasher. While some might write him off as simply being lazy – I saw something else behind those eyes. Pete was very intelligent – in fact he would spend his break time reading the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. Conversations with him were always enlightening when you realized that he had a grasp on the world at large. As it turns out Pete had a bachelor’s degree in business, but simply grew to have a lack of trust in those around him, so he retreated into a job that allowed him to push aside this mistrust and angst about society and just live his life. He was happy.

 

  • TERRY THE OCD LINE COOK: We all know that good line cooks are organized and structured, but Terry was obsessive about mise en place, his station, the steps that he took, and his observation of others who were not as focused. He was an exceptional cook with great taste buds, a passion for exact plate presentations, and a willingness to work those extra shifts and longer hours as long as no one messed with his system. He made some people uncomfortable with his exactness and critique, but they all seemed to admire the quality of his work. On the surface he seemed over the top, but when you understood that he came from a family of doctors and lawyers and his decision to become a cook did not sit too well with the rest of his kin, you began to see a person who was focused on being as precise as a doctor, and looked upon as successful as a lawyer. He was always working to make others proud of his choices. Look into those eyes and you will be intrigued by what you see.

 

  • JUAN THE ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN CHEF: You have worked with others just like Juan – he had been employed by half the restaurants in town at some point. He always came on strong, oftentimes taking on a sous chef or chef role in a fast paced restaurant, and then would eventually start to falter and then wind up in front of the firing squad. Whenever a restaurant would hire him – others would roll their eyes – knowing what was coming all too soon. Juan had the right skills developed over a few decades of the school of hard knocks, but he never felt part of the pedigree. He came from the hood, was very streetwise, talked the language of the street and acted the part. Whenever he got close to breaking out of his environmental past he would revert back to his comfort zone and turn people off. When you got to know him it was easy to like him, even when he acted out of a scene from West Side Story. Juan wanted more for himself, but he always put on the brakes when he got too close. What Juan needed more than anything else was a mentor to help him over that hump.

 

  • SUE THE SINGLE MOM ENTREPRENEUR: There are far too few women chefs in properties across the country – something that Sue was all too well aware of. She wanted to break down those barriers. She was talented, smart, hard working, and creative yet constantly torn between parenthood and business. She became an entrepreneur and did a good job in this regard but lacked trust in her employees – especially male employees. She compensated by working more and delegating less. She wanted to give it her all and at the same time was stressed about her responsibilities as a single mom. The kitchen would often times experience meltdowns that were directly or indirectly related to her approach towards challenges. Employees would come and go because – on the surface Sue was just plain hard to work for. When you got to really know her you would discover a successful parent who never understood her desire to be a chef/owner and one who consistently criticized her for her style of parenting. She was always faced with this critique and her own self-criticism aligned with that. Once you looked past the façade there was a talented person who needed encouragement and guidance.

 

  • MARIO RETURNS HOME:   If you understand the Peter Principle you know that there is a core belief that even the best employees will eventually be promoted to their position of incompetence. Mario felt the weight of this reality. When I knew him he had been promoted to the position of Executive Chef at a large hotel property. He was still young, but what was most intriguing was that a dozen years prior he was a young line cook at this same hotel. He had moved on in the company to various other positions until the corporate office thought he was ready to take the reins. The challenge was that the employees of this hotel remembered him as a young upstart many years before and had a really hard time viewing him as the boss. He reacted, as a defense mechanism, by taking on the role of a hard nosed chef and insisting that everyone refer to him by title. His old time co-workers resisted by viewing him as a young kid with a big ego and rather than aligning with the new chefs directions, they did whatever they could to make the job even more difficult for him. When you looked into his eyes you would see a chef just trying to find a way to prove himself and avoid the Peter Principle.

 

  • STELLA THE ANGRY SOUS CHEF: Stella was quite a talent. She breezed through culinary school and outshone everyone else in her class. Her first position after graduation quickly bounced her from line cook to sous chef and then kitchen manager. She was organized, obsessive about how she wanted things done, hard working and willing to put in the hours. She demanded the same level of commitment from her coworkers and employees and as a result operated a swinging door for cooks that came and quickly left. She burned out all too soon and took a job at a corporate business account as a sous chef. The hours were better as were the pay and benefits, but the food was not the same. She worked hard to bring the food quality up and pushed her staff to take cooking seriously. Her temper would oftentimes rear up its ugly head as she lashed out at staff usually ending up as a human resource department meeting of the minds. Behind the crusty exterior was a person from a blue-collar family – she was the first to graduate from college, and the first to actually be in charge of a department. She wanted and needed to make her mark and felt that the best way to do so was to be strong and unbending. Although she was highly skilled at her craft, she was never mentored at being a leader. Look into her eyes and you will see a person who needs validation and just doesn’t know how to be the kind of leader that can find support rather than resistance.

Like most of you know from your own operations, these individuals became part of my story once I understood a bit more about theirs. What we see initially is not always the real truth. Taking the time to discover what is behind the façade is the only way to know how to act and react with others, and certainly the best way to learn how to serve as a supportive leader.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

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A COOK’S ANXIETY – A MOMENT IN TIME

08 Friday Nov 2019

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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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.”

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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

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

 

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WHY I LOVE TO CALL MYSELF A COOK

08 Thursday Aug 2019

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooking, cooks, kitchen life, professional cooking

me

I haven’t walked through those professional kitchen doors for quite some time now – my tenure as a chef ended a few years back. Even though I am not clocked in – I still cook every day and still reflect positively on my fifty years associated with the profession. Cooking is, and will always be, an integral part of who I am. The kitchen has always been my teacher, the environment is where I grew up and developed into the person I am. Many of my greatest life lessons materialized as I stood behind a range, over a prep table, huddled with fellow cooks during the design of a menu, in a heated discussion with a vendor, taking inventory in a walk-in freezer, chipping away at an ice carving, trying to regain calm through the eyes of an expeditor on a busy Friday night, or visiting tables of guests in the dining room. I am who I am because of my time in the kitchen.

Sure, we all have those moments when that question comes to the surface: “Why am I doing this?” There are ample examples of horrible days in the kitchen where everything goes wrong, or those times when the team just isn’t in sync. But, we quickly make up for it when everything is firing on all cylinders, when crazy busy is accompanied by fist bumps and tired smiles, and when you look at the food in the pass and know that it can rightfully carry your signature. Clean plates returning from the dining room are a source of pride that is hard to match.

In the end, there are far more memories of accomplishment and joy than disappointment and regret. The kitchen is an environment filled with energy and emotion, a place of complex feelings that would be difficult to find anywhere else. This is a special place that beckons a unique breed of individual who is just as complex as the environment where he or she works.

So, in reflection – what are some of the reasons why I can proudly say: “I love being a cook?”

[]         REPRESENTATION

There was always something special about putting both arms through a chef coat, buttoning up, folding up the sleeves, and looking in a mirror. As a chef I represented a proud history of talent, dedication, and service.

me

[]         SKILL

Every moment, every day, and every year – a cook enhances his or her skills, adds something to his or her repertoire, and becomes better at the craft. This is incredibly gratifying.

[]         CARETAKER

Cooks are the caretakers of the farmer’s work, of the fisherman’s dedication, of the rancher’s passion, of Nature’s bounty, and of the animal’s ultimate sacrifice. This is an honor and a tremendous responsibility.

[]         SURPRISE

Of course, there is a routine to cooking – yet every day brings something fresh, an occasional surprise and anticipation of what might be around the corner. It is the anticipation that makes the job of a “cook” exciting, invigorating, and sometimes unnerving. I miss that.

[]         DIVERSITY

Young, old, male, female; white, black, or brown; conservative or liberal; straight or gay; short, tall; and every religion, and every ethnicity – in a kitchen we are equal – we are one. We learn to accept, understand, and support every person’s right to be different.

[]         OPENNESS

Cooks tend to tell it like it is. Hidden feelings and opinions rarely exist. A refreshing transparency is the norm in most kitchens.

team MLI

[]         TEAM

Nothing is accomplished in a kitchen without team. It is comforting to know that the person standing next to you has your back. We win as a team or we lose as a team.

[]         ARTISTRY

What better form of art than cooking? No other art form appeals to all human senses. No other art form is critiqued so quickly – in the moment. A clean plate says it all. To a professional cook – the plate is his or her canvas, and every canvas carries his or her invisible signature.

[]         ADRENALINE

The rush is real. Unless you have functioned effectively on a busy line with tickets streaming off the printer, the expeditor calling off orders with a cadence, and line cooks responding with a succinct “yes chef”, then you don’t know what the rush feels like. Unless you have been on the edge of crashing with far too many orders bouncing around in your head, only to pull it out at the last minute – then you don’t understand the rush. Unless you have shifted your weight from foot to foot while clicking your tongs in anticipation of those first orders blasting through the kitchen at opening – then you don’t understand the rush. And unless you have experienced the feeling of that last order being placed in the pass after a record breaking evening with no returns – then you clearly don’t understand the feeling of adrenaline rushing through your system. This is the life of a cook.

[]         ENDURANCE

Forty hours is a joke to many cooks; standing on your feet for 10-12 hour shifts is a norm; bending, lifting, rapid knife work, burns and cuts, strained backs and carpel tunnel hands, swollen feet and pounding headaches from dehydration – this is what cooks endure on a daily basis. When it’s not there – it is ironically missed.

[]         HUMILITY

Just when you think you have it down, when everything is routine, and every day is a walk in the park – the kitchen will humble you with mistakes that should have been avoided. Cooks and chefs can never get too cocky.

[]         ACCOMPLISHMENT

At the end of the day when your food has been well received, when you can put that prep list to bed, when that rare customer sends back a “thanks for an incredible meal” note, or when you broke another record for customers served – there is a deep seated sense of accomplishment that can only come from work that makes you sweat, ache, and feel totally exhausted.   We did it!

angry chef

[]         SHARING and MENTORING

What we do in today’s kitchen is an open book. Showing someone else a new skill or a trick of the trade, watching that person adapt to this knowledge and succeed, getting that call two years later when he or she says: “Thanks for teaching me”, this is what makes it all worthwhile.

[]         MAKING PEOPLE HAPPY

We are not in the business of just filling stomachs – we are in the business of helping to make people happy – to put a smile on their face and to give them pause when your food is presented to them, and to introduce them to something memorable. Making people happy is our primary objective.

[]         LOOKING IN A MIRROR

When the day is done and we pull the jacket off one sleeve at a time, when we breathe deep and splash some water in our face, and when we look in a mirror – the cook in us can smile and say: “Job well done.” This is why I love being a cook – this is what I miss.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericaventures.com

www.harvestamericacues.com – BLOG

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A LINE COOK’S VIEW OF SUMMER MONTHS

11 Saturday May 2019

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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chef, cooks, kitchen, kitchen life, line cooks

cochon

It’s pushing 10 a.m. when an evening line cook finally rolls out of bed. The July sun is starting to really show its ability to bear down with penetrating heat and the humidity is bringing those first beads of sweat to the cook’s forehead. Ah…the start of another summer day. The primary role of the morning shower is to cool off and by the time a cook pulls up on both hounds tooth pant legs that sweat has already returned.

The walk to work is filled with angst about the job ahead, mise en place yet to be built, the unknown number of reservations for tonight’s service, and most importantly the heat and humidity of the kitchen.

As much as every cook would enjoy the ability to take part in what summer means to so many others, to the cook it is all about pale skin that rarely sees the sun as a vehicle for those deep bronze or brown tans. Too much sun for may cooks means the lobster red color of a burn. Walking into the kitchen is like moving from the frying pan to the oven. The curtain of heat hits every cook as an awakening for even more intensity to come.

One would think that water would be the most important beverage in the kitchen, but to a line cook it is likely to be hot coffee. Coffee seems to equalize the personal inner and outer heat that is so prevalent in the kitchen for the duration of the 12- hour shift ahead.

Soon the cook is into a rhythm. Knives cut through everything in their way, and the staccato of chopping and dicing sounds on cutting boards become the beat of the kitchen as the team pulls together their mise.   By now the flat top, chargrill and ovens are fired up to max and add rawness to the temperature in the stainless steel jungle. Once the dish machine kicks into play there will be the added intensity of humidity that soaks through uniforms, drips from the rim of kitchen hats and blurs the cooks eyes. Even the cook’s socks are wet from sweat.

The day is young and the looming anticipation of a busy night is starting to creep into everyone’s psyche. “Which station will be the most painful tonight? Who will feel the weight of an impossible number of orders? Will every cook be ready physically, mentally, and emotionally? The heat is ever-present and makes it ever more difficult to stay on task and put aside the lack of comfort. The kitchen could be a steel plant at this point – physical work in front of blast furnaces – pretty much the same as a kitchen – this is the closest thing to Dante’s Inferno that you will ever find.

Five o’clock hits soft with just a few early bird tickets coming off the printer. This is a good way to build up the energy and adrenaline levels in preparation for the first real push. Sweat is starting to roll down the cooks back, and every line cook’s skin feels like it is alive and able to detect every nuance of pain, heat, and that rush of hot adrenaline that is beginning to course through his or her system. Five-thirty: the pace is starting to pick up, a few more senior citizen deuces and the dining room is now a third full. The board shows a dozen tickets – somewhere around 30 people. This is still child’s play, but even at this pace the sauté station is filled with waiting pans and a significant number of steaks are being marked on the grill. Six fifteen and the first push has begun. The dining room is full and more waiting for the early birds to finish their coffee and open up another ten tables. All hell is about to break loose. Instead of the usual early deuces, the dining room is filling up with four tops and even a large table of ten off to the back. The bar is full with guests waiting for the next push that will happen around 7:45.

Back in the kitchen the heat has been turned up. Every sauté pan is either in use or being washed in ready for the next dish. The grill is filled with steaks and chops and the flames from the broiler are mixing with the fat drippings from meat creating four to six inches flames to leap out at the line cook in search of that last bit of hair on his arms. Some of the line cooks have complemented their skullcaps with bandanas to keep the sweat at bay. Everyone has been passing around the cornstarch to fight off chafe and shirts are now glued to everyone’s torso thanks to the rivers of back sweat that never seem to cease. There are a few hand burns to work through, some splattered hot oil from the deep fryers, and an occasional super hot pan handle that managed to find that part of a cook’s palm that wasn’t quite covered by a dry towel.

The grill guy nicked the top of his index finger with a super sharp Japanese carving knife – no time to worry about the throbbing pain – wash it, slap on some disinfectant, bandage the cut and throw on another latex glove. Maybe a stitch or cauterization is called for, but that can wait until later, or maybe never.

The expeditor is doing what he can to keep the line calm and flowing smoothly. Serving as liaison between front and back of the house – this kitchen expeditor is the peacekeeper, and grand communicator. He watches the eyes of each line cook, seeking out any sign of that “deer in the headlights look” that always precedes a meltdown. Caught early enough, a good expo can talk a cook down and bring him or her back into focus.

7:15: the calm before the storm. Suddenly everything seems all too quiet. Almost all of the tables have been served and thirty people are just finishing their coffee and waiting for credit cards to return. Once they leave, those tables will fill immediately and the push starts all over again. These are the serious diners – the ones with the highest expectations, the greatest demands, and the palates that warrant the full nine yards – appetizers, salads, entrees, dessert and lots of decent wine. There may only be another 30 or 40 guests sitting for this push, but it could result in well over 100 different plates of food. The team is seasoned now – they take this lull in the storm time to replenish depleted mise en place, tidy up stations, hydrate, and catch their breath. They look like a second line on a hockey team waiting for the coach to send them in the game. They bounce on their toes, stretch, bend their knees, click their tongs in anticipation, and wait for the printer to start ticking off another stream of orders. When it hits, it hits hard and everyone takes a breath and kicks it up a notch – this is the last real push for the night – bring it on.

By 9:30 it’s pretty much over. There are a few late night tables, mainly deuces looking for that romantic dinner, but for the most part it’s time to start consolidating and cleaning. It’s time to try and push the adrenaline down and bring your pulse back under 120. By the time it’s over, a typical line cook may have lost a couple pounds in sweat. Don’t worry though, they will add it back on in calories from after work beer, and maybe a greasy burger from Shake Shack or Five Guys.

The sun is down, but the humidity remains. The cool breeze from summer sunsets now tempers that kitchen sweat. Cook’s throw some water on their faces, finish cleaning up, change into street clothes, roll on some deodorant and drag a comb through their thinning hair. Time to unwind with friends – who by the way are the people you work with. Tomorrow is another day, but the night is still young. Cook’s will wake up again with a bit of a hangover, sore muscles, aching feet, those cuts and burns that were never properly attended to, and that skin color that never seems to deepen from the sun. Tomorrow will come quick enough.

The life of a line cook in the summer months: not their favorite season.

Stay cool.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER AND HYDRATE

HARVEST AMERICA VENTURES, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

 

 

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THE PERSONAL CHEMISTRY OF THE KITCHEN

18 Monday Jun 2018

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooks, diversity in the kitchen, hospitality environment, kitchen immigrants, kitchen life

me

I can only speak to my own experiences and as a result formulate and support my own beliefs about immigration and the value of diversity. As I have said many times before – I feel that the greatest advantage of a life in the kitchen is the chance to work with people of all different cultures, races, age, gender, and beliefs. As much as I have thoroughly enjoyed working with food and creating some memorable experiences for guests, it is this chance to learn about people and build friendships with them that pulled me back for decades of hard work.

From my time in the kitchen I can confidently state that the restaurant business in the United States is a melting pot of culture and could not exist at the level that it has without the diversity that is evident in food establishments from coast to coast. I feel compelled to just point to the wonderful mix of people that I have had the pleasure to work with, and learn from, beginning with my first job washing dishes in 1966.

With all of the dangerous, hurtful, and sometimes destructive rhetoric contrary to the core of what makes our country so great, we should all reflect on what America would be like without the diversity that has always been part of our history. I have worked with fantastic people from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Northern Africa, Iran, Israel, Greece, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Japan, China, Korea, England, Ireland, and Russia – this has been my great privilege over nearly 50 years in kitchens. The following is just a brief introduction to some of those individuals who were my co-workers and with whom, in many cases, I became friends:

Haddie, to put it simply, was a great cook. She was not finesse, fine dining cook, but rather a solid preparer of food for the masses. She was a production beast who came to America from the Dominican Republic – a person who taught me to be humble. Gina, from Puerto Rico, was a pantry cook making fabulous salads day-in and day-out with a smile and an opinion about nearly everything. She taught me to face the day with a positive outlook.

Lloyd was a sous chef at the Statler Hilton. He was Jamaican – a professional, even-tempered, competent, and demanding chef. He helped me to take control of my temper when I was young and reactionary. I visited his home and family in a rough section of town where fellow Jamaican families chose to cluster. I was welcome with open arms as if I were family.

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Frenchie also worked at the Statler. He was our butcher back when hotels had their own butcher shops. I never knew his real name, but everyone called him Frenchie. He came to the U.S. from Lyon, France and although he lived in the States for 15 or so years he maintained his French aura and language. He taught me the importance of caring for your tools in the kitchen. Patsie, worked in the pastry shop at the Statler (thus his nickname) – like Frenchie, no one knew his real name. Patise came from somewhere in Italy and brought to the Statler kitchen, his European commitment to doing things right. He made the best ice cream that I can ever remember and through my apprenticeship time I was able to build an understanding of how important the best ingredients were to great cooking. Angelo was another Italian who served as a saucier. Unlike others, he was very protective of his processes and time-tested recipes. I only picked up some of his technique through observation but in the process built an appreciation for stocks and the value of sauces in cookery.

frenchie

I worked with two chefs at the Statler Hilton: Francois and Rocky. Francois was a classically trained chef from France who built his chops as sous chef and chef at the Queen Elizabeth hotel in Montreal, Canada. He was the chef who hired me and gave me a chance to learn as an apprentice. Rocky followed Francois. He was a native of Italy who at a young age worked as a cook at this same Statler Hotel. Years later, and many new experiences under his belt brought him back to the hotel as Executive Chef. He showed me that hard work builds an entry-level job into a career in food.

Hiro was a Japanese student who was a classmate of mine in hotel school. This was his first time in the States and he was totally taken by the breadth of land and the beauty of nature – both of which are in short supply in Japan. His mastery of the English language was astounding to me since that level of discipline to become bilingual was not a priority in America. He was a top student, a great storyteller of his heritage and the history of Japan, and a person who appreciated the freedoms that Americans enjoyed. Hospitality, to Hiro, was not something that he needed to learn – this was imbedded in his culture and as a result he became the teacher of every native born American in the program. I learned the true meaning of hospitality from Hiro who went on to become one of the most important hotel consultants in Japan.

Johnson was a dishwasher. He was born in Kenya and longed to make his way to America. He spoke near perfect English attesting to the quality of the schools that he had attended. He was pleased to wash dishes because it gave him an opportunity to observe and learn about our culture from a baseline position. His reason for being in the U.S. was just that – to learn about the average person who enjoys, but maybe doesn’t truly appreciate the freedoms and the opportunities before him or her. I learned to appreciate dishwashers and never underestimate what lies beneath the surface. I learned to never judge a person by what they did for a living, but rather how they treated others. Johnson was a great teacher.

Eduado was a line cook from Mexico. I never knew whether he was here legally or illegally, and to be honest –I didn’t care. He was great at what he did. Always organized, great mise en place, forever calm even when the ticket rail was full, and totally focused on consistent quality – this was what Eduado brought to the table. He was fast and efficient, always happy, never complaining, and truly appreciative of the opportunity to work in the restaurant. He taught me that every job is worth doing to the best of your ability.

Katya and Helena were both born in Russia and came to the U.S. to find a better way and to discover what America was all about. They were different people but shared the same level of commitment to become good citizens. Both had fond memories of their home country and in conversation would often defend the people of Russia even though they had little use for the leadership of their homeland. Helena was calm, warm, and a bit reserved; while Katya was bold, strong willed, and outspoken. Underneath they were both kind individuals. They taught me to keep an open mind and avoid pre-judgment of a culture based solely on what is promoted in the press. I learned that what a country’s leadership promotes does not always reflect what the people of that country believe.

Barisha was an inspiration. He was a student who had escaped persecution and death that was prevalent in Bosnia – a country that over the past 400 years has survived countless devastating conflicts and wars. He was very intelligent, curious, and desperate to feel part of a family united under the banner of freedom. He was a cultural sponge and through sponsorship was able to absorb everything that school could offer including an internship in France. He went on to become an important world diplomat. Barisha taught me just how fortunate we are to live in a country that chooses freedom over oppression.

Mahlia was a wonderful, kind, smart, and cautious Muslim. Unlike what we may fear, it was obvious that Mahlia represented the majority of Muslims who are kind, good hearted people simply wishing to practice their faith as an integral part of their daily lives. She even temporarily set aside some of her doctrine to experience what she could and make her own personal decisions throughout her life – this was done with the blessings of her family. She taught me to not pre-judge, to be respectful of others lifestyle and beliefs, and to simply enjoy how we are all different.

Herve, Andre, Serge, and Michel are all chefs. Accomplished technicians in their own right and enthusiastic ambassadors of the culinary heritage of their homeland. They are, however, Americans now and love their new country as much as France. They relish the freedoms that they have including the right to express their opinions about everything from how we treat the profession of cooking to our political disagreements. They continue to teach me, through example, just how important it is to speak your mind (with some filters, of course) and never give up on the beliefs that define who a person is and what our country stands for.

chefs

This melting pot of kitchen personalities represents a taste of my personal passion for life in the kitchen. It is the emulsion of these relationships that holds together who I am and what I believe. I would not trade these experiences and these relationships for anything. As we formulate our opinions about America and the history of open door immigration opportunities, we should look no further than the history of diversity in industries like hospitality. We are a country of people ingredients that make a wonderful dish when combined – let’s not forget what makes America great.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Learn from each other and be kind

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

Restaurant Consulting and Training

 

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ANTHONY BOURDAIN – OUR STORYTELLER

08 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Anthony Bourdain, kitchen life

bourdain

I was beginning to write my weekly blog article when the news came regarding the apparent suicide of Anthony Bourdain. Shock would be an under-statement. I am still trying to digest the news and felt that it was maybe important to talk to you through this medium as a way to digest this sad event.

Those of us who work in the restaurant business and the many generations of cooks and chefs that came before had a very private, somewhat underground life before Tony Bourdain. We were part of a private club, so to speak, of hard working, downtrodden, somewhat abused workers who felt a sense of brother and sisterhood that was only known to those who wore the uniform. It was a life of sub-basement work in windowless environments filled with danger, heat, and unrelenting demands that were rarely, if ever, recognized. We had a story to tell, but no one was really interested.

All over the world there were professional and domestic cooks who were expressing their craft, protecting their cultural food influences, working under difficult conditions, nurturing the ingredients of that culture and producing delicious dishes that reflected history and time-tested talent. Food is, after all, a unifying component of life, a necessary product that in the right hands can be a statement of who we are and what we hold as important. Well-prepared food has the ability to break down barriers, set aside differences of opinion, give people pause, bring a smile to everyone’s face, and overcome differences in language. Food is the universal language. The only problem was that no one was really talking about it. We felt it, but we didn’t express it.

Then came Anthony Bourdain. A line cook and chef, a fast living, hard drinking, drug using, crusty kitchen pirate who although he passed through the halls of culinary education was, at heart, just an ordinary cook who lived the same life as tens of thousands of other line cooks with demons to control and stories left untold. Tony lived on the edge, but always maintained his passion for the environment of the kitchen and knew that his skills would help him to hang on and survive. He apparently enjoyed storytelling and writing and made a few attempts at being an author: “Bone in the Throat” and “Gone Bamboo” were both entertaining and refreshing mysteries that gave us a taste of kitchen life, but did not reach critical acclaim. I found them in the back section of a Barnes and Noble when visiting New York one year and picked them up simply because they were written by a chef (unheard of). I read them quickly and made note that I would certainly read anything else that came from the pen of this unknown line cook with a gift for telling stories.

Later an article of Bourdain’s was picked up by The New Yorker Magazine – an article that told a realistic, yet fairly shocking story of life in the kitchen (shocking to everyone except those of us who spent years in the kitchen). Why they picked the story up – who knows, but it struck a chord and lead quickly to the writing and publication of “Kitchen Confidential” in 2000. Some were dismayed at the telling of our secret kitchen life, others were cheering, but most importantly the book took off and by 2009 had sold well over 1 million copies. Since then he has authored a number of novels and cookbooks, has co-authored just as many, become a major television documentary personality, and an advocate for some necessary changes in the restaurant business.

What is most important is that he gave a voice to millions of cooks and chefs and brought to light some of the excitement as well as some of the serious flaws associated with life in the kitchen. Countless cooks and chefs have followed as writers – telling their stories, but none quite as effective as Bourdain. He was always self-reflective and pointed to many of the flaws in his character and the wrong turns that he took in his life. He never apologized for these wrong turns but simply used them as stepping-stones and lessons as he matured. What he was made him what he became and he always looked back at these bumps in the road with a level of fondness – something that we could all learn from.

As a TV documentary storyteller Anthony brought us to some of the great restaurants of the world, but more importantly to the neighborhoods and people who many misunderstood and areas where most of us would probably tend to avoid. He took us to the heart of the culture of many countries and to the real people who made up those cultures. We were guided through the most dangerous sections of Nicaragua, Beirut, Cuba, and Russia. We were introduced to the neighborhoods of Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Buffalo – places where TV crews would rarely venture. While there he became part of the people and exposed the fact that they are all just like us. They have families, history, desires, sorrow and joy, and importantly – traditional foods that bring them all together. Anthony was an ambassador for the culture of food and an advocate for people to break bread and set aside their preconceived ideas and bias. This was his greatest gift to us all.

Personally, I had the opportunity to meet Anthony Bourdain shortly after Kitchen Confidential hit the bestseller list. At the time he was the Chef at Les Halles in New York City and as I approached the now famous restaurant I saw him standing outside, one foot balanced against the wall of the restaurant, stained kitchen apron, cigarette in hand and beads of sweat on his brow. He was, like any other line cook – taking a break before the swell of tickets charged off the POS printer in the kitchen. We chatted a bit, shook hands, and he walked back to the range for another opportunity to get beat up during service. He was our storyteller – the person who let the world know about the joys and pains associated with a life in the kitchen.

Some took his book as an affirmation that working in restaurant kitchens was a cool job and that the life of a cook with drugs, alcohol, sexual exploits, and demeaning interactions was something that was admirable. I never looked at it that way – I always felt that Kitchen Confidential was a cry out, a way of saying the life of the kitchen is not always glamorous – it can be destructive and crude. I would hazard a guess that enrollment in culinary schools went up substantially as a result of Kitchen Confidential – it compared a career as a cook in the same vein as the rock stars that all 18 year olds wanted to become. Once many of these young, debt ridden cooks found their way into a steady diet of kitchen life they lost much of the sizzle and excitement that they had and realized that it is hard work, unrelenting work, and work that in so many cases that doesn’t pay well or treat people with the normal respect that they are due. Bourdain worked to try and bring attention to this and helped to begin the process of change that we see today. If the environment continues to improve, if wages continue to rise and benefits become something to expect then we can certainly thank Bourdain for starting that movement.

We may not find out what demons he held too close to himself, what finally drove him to take his own life and leave behind his important legacy and a family and friends who certainly adored him, but we do know that he tried to channel his energies toward bringing forth a message that is important. I think, in his own way, Anthony Bourdain made an impact – he tried to change the world of the cook and we thank him for that.

Rest in Peace chef – thanks for the stories, you will be missed.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

 

 

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CHEFS – HOW STABLE ARE WE – REALLY?

21 Thursday Sep 2017

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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Tags

chefs, cooks, kitchen life, restaurants

thinkerIf you are a chef I know that you have experienced it many times – people around you who shake their heads and wonder what’s wrong with you. They are astonished at the hours you work, the physical and mental stress of the job, the unpredictable nature of the position that never allows you to plan your life, and the frantic pace surrounding everything that you do. “Why are you doing this to yourself?”

So stepping back a bit and viewing the person you are, your habits, and your strange approach towards the world around you through the eyes of those who have chosen a “normal” life – this is what they see:

[]         A PERSON WHO’S WARDROBE IS LIMITED TO HOUNDSTOOTH PANTS, WHITE DOUBLE-BREASTED JACKETS, AND APRONS

[]         A PERSON WHO CARRIES AN ARSENAL OF KNIVES WITH HIM OR HER – ALWAYS CLOSE TO HIS OR HER SIDE

[]         A PERSON WHO TENDS TO EAT MEALS WHILE STANDING UP – PREFERRABLY OVER A TRASH CAN TO CATCH THE CRUMBS

[]         A PERSON WHO COMMUNICATES USING A LANGUAGE THAT IS FOREIGN TO ANYONE ELSE, YET IS UNIVERSAL TO THOSE WHO WEAR THE UNIFORM

[]         A PERSON WHO FREQUENTLY TALKS TO HIM OR HERSELF – USUALLY IN A WALK-IN COOLER

[]         A PERSON WHO HAS AN UNUSUAL FASCINATION WITH AND LOVE OF OPEN FLAMES

[]         A PERSON WITH LITTLE TO NO FEELING IN HIS OR HER HANDS – THE CALLOUSES ARE MULTILAYERED

[]         A PERSON WHO CONSIDERS BURNS AND CUTS TO BE A BADGE OF HONOR

[]         A PERSON WHO EITHER HAS NO TATOOS OR ONE WHO HAS VERY LITTLE VISIBLE BODY SPACE WITHOUT TATOOS

[]         A PERSON WHO YELLS “BEHIND” EVERY TIME HE OR SHE APPROACHES SOMEONE ELSE WHETHER IN THE KITCHEN, AT HOME, OR ON THE STREET

[]         A PERSON WHO CARRIES A PERPETUAL ODOR OF FISH, ONIONS, GARLIC, OR GRILLED MEAT

[]         A PERSON WHO HAS A DIFFICULT TIME HOLDING BACK CRITIQUE OF ANOTHER PERSONS FOOD – EVEN HIS OR HER MOTHER’S

[]         A PERSON WHO PREFERS TO BE CALLED “CHEF” ALL THE TIME, BY EVERYONE INCLUDING IMMEDIATE FAMILY

[]         A PERSON WHO HAS ALMOST NO SHORT-TERM MEMORY OF ANYTHING THAT DOESN’T HAVE TO DO WITH THE KITCHEN

[]         A PERSON WHO WILL LIKELY FORGET TO PAY BILLS NOT BECAUSE HE OR SHE LACKS THE FUNDS, BUT BECAUSE ANYTHING OTHER THAN WORKING IS NOT A PRIORITY

[]         A PERSON WHO MAINTAINS WAY TOO MANY BOXES OF CORNSTARCH WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION WHY (Only restaurant people will get this)

[]         A PERSON WHO OWNS MORE COOKBOOKS THAN COULD BE READ IN A TYPICAL LIFETIME

[]         A PERSON WITH A HEART OF GOLD AND A TEMPER LIKE AN ANGRY NINJA

[]         A PERSON WHO CAN EASILY EMBARRASS FRIENDS WITH HIS OR HER FIREY LANGUAGE FULL OF EXPLETIVES

[]         A PERSON WHO’S SWOLLEN HANDS AND ANKLES TURN HEADS AND MAKE OTHERS RATHER SQUEAMISH

[]         A PERSON WHO IS ROUGH AND CRUSTY, BUT GENTLE AND ARTISTIC WHEN IT COMES TO PLATING FOOD

[]         A PERSON WHO LOVES AND HATES HIS OR JOB AT THE SAME TIME

Does this sound like you? No wonder others look at us and scratch their heads. Chefs are difficult to understand, impossible to live with, yet interesting as hell.

BE SOMETHING SPECIAL – BE A CHEF

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

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COOKS FINDING THEIR PURPOSE

14 Monday Aug 2017

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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Tags

A cook's purpose, chefs, cooks, kitchen life

thinker

When all is said and done, when we push aside the challenges that face us as career cooks, when you take the time to brush aside those things that can be pointed to as “negative”, there is a common bond that allows serious cooks to smile and acknowledge that this work is their destiny. Maybe that’s a big leap to refer to cooking as a person’s destiny, but the evidence is there.   I had previously referred to the four basic types of cooks, but to make the distinction even simpler I could easily refer to two categories: those who are passing through and those who have found their destiny.

What I enjoy the most about working in kitchens is this environment that attracts, nurtures, develops, and feeds the soul of those individuals who are in the process of, or who have already found this to be their purpose. Feeling that “this is what I was meant to do” changes everything when it comes to a job. When a person, after giving serious consideration to all of the abnormal behavior and challenging anomalies that are attached to kitchen work, can look in a mirror and state, “I can’t imagine doing anything else”, then you know that a special connection has been made.

There are many other “callings” in life with similar rewards and challenges: doctors, nurses, law enforcement, veterinarians, the clergy, etc.; but few that can provide this same feeling of “purpose” that being a cook does. Let’s take a look at the field of individuals attracted to the kitchen and why working there can be so intoxicating (no pun intended).

WHO FINDS THEMSELVES DRAWN TO THE KITCHEN?

  1. LOST WITHOUT DIRECTION

Look around the kitchen and see how many wandering souls there are who found a haven of purpose in the kitchen, a sense of direction that may have been lacking otherwise. Look at your cooks and see how they stand a bit taller when that chefs coat is buttoned up, the bib apron tied in front, houndstooth pants belted with a piece of rope for a belt, and shoes with a dull polish. It is direction that all people seek in life – to many that comes from time in the kitchen.

  1. THOSE WHO TEND TO FIND TROUBLE AROUND EVERY CORNER

Some of the most deeply intelligent people around us find themselves in troubles way when they lack purpose and direction. The kitchen is a draw because direction is not only available – it is required. Trouble is only energy without direction.

  1. CREATIVE SOULS WITHOUT A CANVAS

So many cooks are inherently creative people. They might tinker with the guitar, keyboards or drums; dabble in drawing or painting; or even keep a journal of creative writing, but in the kitchen this innate talent finds a home and an audience. Every plate is a cook’s canvas.

  1. THOSE WHO LOVE TEAM SPORTS

There is an interesting mix of people in the kitchen who either love or hate sports, but universally crave the discipline of a team. You can certainly find a taste of former school football, basketball, baseball, and soccer players in the kitchen who miss the organization of team.

  1. THOSE WHO WERE THE LAST TO GET PICKED

You can also find a healthy dose of individuals who never quite made the cut on any of those teams and as a result felt left out and a bit angry over never getting “picked”. The kitchen provides a team environment for these individuals as well. The joy of team is everywhere in a professional kitchen.

  1. SMART AS HELL BUT LACKING A PURPOSE

Get to know a line cook and you will likely find a person with deep thoughts, well developed opinions, an understanding of the world around him or her, and a thirst to learn more. It may take time to dig under their skin and discover what’s inside, but it is there. Time on the range will make room for smart people to find a purpose.

  1. GLUTTONS FOR PUNISHMENT

There are always a few cooks that simply enjoy getting beat up every night on the line. The heat, the stress, the intensity, and the cuts and burns, are all part of a somewhat sadistic banquet that somehow demonstrates their strength and resilience.

  1. INTROVERTS WHO NEED TO FIND A NICHE

There is usually a reason why cooks tend to shy away from the dining room. As crusty and bold as they seem in front of a range, they are equally shy and nervous about interactions with those outside of the pirate alliance in the kitchen. The kitchen is a safe haven for many an introvert.

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WHY WORKING IN A KITCHEN IS FILLED WITH PURPOSE AND REASON FOR MANY

  1. GIVING A PATH FOR CREATIVE ENERGY

The kitchen is the most creative place on earth. No other art form is so complete that it allows the consumer to eat, smell, or drink the work of the artist. Additionally, where else can an artist receive immediate feedback for what he or she produces?

  1. TANGIBLE, PHYSICAL WORK

Cooks, like many other people, are tactile learners and workers. They enjoy seeing and touching the fruits of their labor. The kitchen allows a cook to produce a tangible example of their talent with every plate that leaves through the swinging doors.

  1. REALISTIC PROBLEM SOLVING ENIVRONMENT

Those highly intelligent employees with chef’s coats and aprons crave an opportunity to face a dilemma and come up with an answer. Every cook has an opportunity to make a decision through experiential problem solving every minute while on the line.

  1. STRESS THAT PUSHES PEOPLE TO THE LIMIT

For those who enjoy excitement and challenges, digging themselves into a hole or on the edge of the abyss and then scrambling to find a way out, and living on that edge every day at work, then kitchen life is really attractive.

  1. THE ADRENALINE FIX

Talk with restaurant cooks about what they do and why they do it and at some point in the conversation the adrenaline rush will come up. Like a runner who hits that point in a race when their body’s turbo chargers kick in, a cook on the line will feel the gas pedal to the floor at some point and this energy is quite intoxicating.

new-cooks

  1. THE BUDDY SYSTEM

Knowing every day that the person on your left and the person on your right is there as part of a team, a team that has your back, and a team that shares in a common purpose – this buddy system gives a cook a true sense of purpose – to be there for others.

  1. EVERY DAY IS THE SAME, EVERY DAY IS DIFFERENT

Cooks find satisfaction in knowing that there is a routine that is somewhat predictable, that there is a plan that can be executed consistently, and that this plan will usually lead to success is a comforting part of purpose. On the other hand, knowing that every day can also bring a few curve balls that will make a cook adjust, problem solve, and jump into the deep end of the pool is that sprinkle of excitement and danger that keeps cooks coming back for more.

  1. BEING PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN YOU

Just like identifying with an organization whose intent is to make a difference, the restaurant does have an altruistic objective – to help guests feel good, enjoy a part of their lives during the execution of a meal, bring them together with others as they break bread, and give guests an opportunity to pay homage to a cook’s ability to respect ingredients through cooking. This is a real purpose and a noble one.

  1. A CRAVING FOR ORDER AND THE CHAIN OF COMMAND

Finally, cooks – who tend to typically be somewhat distant from a semblance of order and structure, still crave a need to fit into a system. This system in the kitchen that was refined by Escoffier more than 100 years ago provides a unique sense of order whose only parallel might be the military. It is this sense of order that allows the chaos in the kitchen to work and unity to rise from craziness. This is the food that fuels the passion and the purpose that cooks seem to seek.

What a strange and unique field of work. It is no wonder that those who dedicate their career to time in the kitchen find the lifestyle uniquely theirs and quite purposeful.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

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CHEFS – TWELVE SUREFIRE WAYS TO LOSE GOOD EMPLOYEES

17 Saturday Jun 2017

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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Tags

chefs, cooks, employee retention, kitchen life, restaurants, ways to lose employees

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A common complaint from chefs and restaurateurs is that they can’t hang on to employees. The blame game always includes pointing a finger at those who leave claiming that they are ungrateful, lazy, uncommitted to their field, or just incompetent anyway. There are loads of articles and books dedicated to the way to keep good employees, but very few that point chefs in the direction of “How to lose good employees (something that many chefs are better at)”. So here you go – if you are one of those chefs who seems to constantly be in the market for new employees as others leave at a rapid pace, then this might serve as a bit of reflection.

HOW TO LOSE GOOD EMPLOYEES IN 12 EASY LESSONS:

  1. DON’T LISTEN

The chef, after all, knows more than anyone else in the kitchen and as the master of every answer there is little need to listen to the opinion of cooks or service staff. Chefs don’t pay employees to have an opinion even though listening is one of the attributes of leadership that most employees admire. Right?

  1. CRITICIZE OPENLY

Let’s face it – when employees make mistakes it should be brought to their attention immediately. To wait would mean that you somehow condone the error allowing it to eventually repeat. The most effective way to make an employee feel the weight of his or her error and commit to doing it right the next time is to criticize them in front of their peers. In this way the mistake will take hold and they will recommit to excellence. Right?

  1. DON’T PROVIDE THE TOOLS TO DO THE JOB WELL

Running a kitchen is difficult and very expensive. Buying equipment can be a real financial burden on the kitchen and may impact on a chef’s ability to meet his or her budgetary goals. The same goes for repairing equipment already in place. Employees need to learn how to adapt and find solutions that work given this reality. “Make it happen” is the best response when an employee complains about substandard equipment, a lack of pots or pans, blades that are dull, mixers that don’t work, or ovens that are not properly calibrated. If they are smart they will figure out a way around it. Right?

  1. DON’T CELEBRATE DIVERSITY IN THE KITCHEN

Chefs should have the right to hire those people with whom they identify. White, black, brown, yellow, straight or gay, tall or small, male or female, old or young, culinary graduates or school of hard knocks graduates, and every other point of difference doesn’t really work for some chefs. What benefits can be gained from creating a diverse work environment anyway? Oh….some may say that diversity is what makes a work environment really click and builds a team based on mutual respect while drawing positive energy from multiple backgrounds, experiences and points of view, but some chefs know better. Right?

  1. ASSUME

There are some things that chefs shouldn’t have to point out to employees. If a new hire has worked in kitchens before then he or she should know how to do certain things and do them well. Every chef should assume that cooks know how to follow proper sanitation and food safety procedures, they should know how to hold a knife and execute all of the standard vegetable cuts, they should be able to identify common kitchen ingredients, use all of the equipment, execute fundamental cooking methods, cook a steak to varying degrees of doneness, and work with reasonable speed and dexterity. This is an assumption that must be true because a chef doesn’t have time to review the basics of kitchen performance with everyone he or she hires. Right?

  1. TREAT YOUR STAFF LIKE PAWNS

Employees should be grateful to have a job and as a result the chef should have the right to schedule and use them as he or she sees fit. Work them seven days in a row, schedule them for twelve hour shifts, ignore their need to stop for 20 minutes and enjoy a meal before service, work on a line without proper air handling so the mean temperature hovers around 120 degrees, and even call them on their day off because you need them – no excuses. This is why they call it work. Right?

  1. DON’T PAY A FAIR WAGE

Back to the belief that they should be grateful for a job – just because they have demonstrated the skills necessary to be a competent cook doesn’t mean that they should be paid for those skills. Restaurants, after all, are not very profitable so they can’t afford to pay the kind of wages that a cook might attract from other non-cooking jobs. If a person wants to cook then they must accept the fact that they won’t be paid a fair wage, will likely never receive reasonable benefits, and no matter how much they invest in building those skills, the wages will remain as they are. This is just the way it is. Right?

  1. BE INCONSISTENT IN YOUR MESSAGE

Hey – a chef’s opinion and demands change by the moment – it’s a tough job. “I know I may have told you to do it this way yesterday, but today I want you to change that method entirely.” A chef may say that it is imperative that every cook takes the time to do the job right, but today is busy so we need to cut corners. This is called adapting to the situation. Right?

  1. DEMEAN AND DISCOURAGE AS A RULE OF THUMB

“This dish is crap! I thought you knew how to cook? I can’t serve this to a guest, are you trying to put us out of business?” Some chefs feel that this is the only way to get a cook to change his or her ways. Verbally slap them in the face and they will wake up and take a different approach. Later on in life they will thank the chef for this lesson. Right?

  1. BUILD AN ENVIRONMENT OF DISTRUST

Some chefs know that one way to run a kitchen is to play favorites and ask cooks to let them know what is really going on when they turn their backs. This steady stream of underground information is essential if the chef is able to know how to operate. Sure it makes everyone look over their shoulder to see who is watching and what they might be saying, but this level of fear is the only way to keep people in line and retain control. Right?

  1. AVOID EMPATHY AT ALL COSTS

“Leave your personal problems at home.” Someone made this statement decades ago and many chefs have adopted it as a call to arms. Your problems are your problems and they can’t impact on your work. The chef’s job does not include being a shoulder to cry on or a sage with advice on how to live your life. Focus on your job “I don’t really care about your kids soccer game, your car that needs repairs you can’t afford, a family members health, or those college loans that you are about to default on – not my problem”. Right?

  1. DON’T INVEST IN TRAINING

Some chefs believe that it is the individual cooks personal responsibility to improve his or her skills, to learn more about the ingredients they work with, to broaden their base of knowledge so that they can grow as a cook and maybe, one day, become a chef. “Why should the chef or the restaurant spend money or take time to teach cooks how to become more effective at their jobs.” Training is a personal responsibility. Right?

I guarantee if you follow this list – you will be very successful at driving good employees out the door and will spend most of your day trying to find replacements. If you want to get off of this treadmill then I would encourage you to simply do the opposite of everything on this list.

There are many chefs who do it right, who invest in their employees, who understand that cooks are people first and employees second, who know that given the right support most employees can be coached into becoming great. Be one of those chefs.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

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WHAT LINE COOKS BELIEVE – FACTS AND ALTERNATIVE FACTS

06 Tuesday Jun 2017

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooks, culinary, kitchen life, line cooks, restaurants

IMG_4669

At the core of every person is a foundation of beliefs. Some of those beliefs are based on facts and experience while others are somewhat hollow beliefs that are loosely based on perceptions rather than a deeper understanding. Perceptions left unanswered can become beliefs that are quite rigid and hard to change. So – what perceptions and beliefs do many line cooks have?

[]         NO PAIN, NO GAIN (PERCEPTION)

The culture of a kitchen seems to support the perception that if a line cook does not wear the badge of honor in the form of cuts, bruises, burns, swollen feet, or strained back, then he or she is somehow not ready for prime time. As much as this may be part of the reality of working in a kitchen some of the pain associated with a cook’s work can be prevented by using a reasonable amount of caution and protection that must be drilled into a person’s consciousness.

[]         BRING IT ON (BELIEF)

Once a cook is comfortable that his or her mise en place is spot on then the feeling is that he or she can handle anything. That feeling of comfort and confidence comes from experience and the knowledge that success is in a cook’s own hands and mental state.

[]         COFFEE WORKS (PERCEPTION)

Many cook’s use coffee or other caffeine laced drinks as fuel to keep their engine running at 10,000 rpms. There is a feeling that if focus and energy are at a low point then caffeine can be the savior. One of the problems with this perception is that with caffeine – what goes up must come down. The crash after too much caffeine is a price to pay.

[]         40 HOURS PER WEEK IS A PART TIME JOB (BELIEF)

Cook’s have been conditioned over time to feel as if they are part of a unique club that disregards what other industries have determined to be a full workweek. Cooks tend to shun those who have jobs that only require the 40-hour commitment. While it is true that most kitchen positions require that extra effort it is also true that productivity drops off pretty quickly once you get much past that 40-hour mark.

[]         MY STATION IS MY STATION – DON’T MESS WITH MY MISE (BELIEF)

The line station to a cook is no different than the cockpit of a plane or racecar. Once a cook has everything in the location that works for him or her (down to how side towels are folded, the direction of handles on ladles, and the location of pans and tongs), the execution of cooking is a process that happens with exactness. If someone interrupts that symmetry then things start to fall apart. This is 100% true and falls under the heading of “critical rule”.

[]         100 COVERS IS JUST GETTING STARTED (BELIEF)

There is a fair amount of machismo in a kitchen that will probably always be there. This feeling of strength and power comes from a high level of comfort with a cook’s own ability and the confidence that comes from solid mise en place. Sometimes it is felt that this façade is important even at times when a system starts to crumble. There should always be a bit of trepidation and caution when approaching service knowing that the unexpected is always looming around the corner.

[]         I COULD DO THE CHEF’S JOB BETTER (PERCEPTION)

Through the eyes of some line cooks the chef’s job seems less stressful, especially when younger cooks know that even though the chef might step on the line now and again, he or she will not likely be as fast or efficient as the person who holds that position every day. In reality, many cooks have little idea of the scope of a chef’s job until they find themselves in that role later in their career. The weight and breadth of responsibility is different even though the work of the line cook carries some of the same feelings.

[]         FIRE IS MY FRIEND (BELIEF)

Cooks love fire. Cooks relish the heat and claim to not only endure it but thrive in the environment that is hot enough to cook a man. Fire is what changes the farmer’s ingredients into that special dish that carries a cook’s signature. Fire induces the Maillard reaction that through caramelization brings out those wonderful flavors that are under the control of every cook. Fire is beautiful and dangerous at the same time and a cook is often times caught up in the power associated with being able to direct fire to positive results.

[]         I CAN PULL MYSELF OUT OF THE WEEDS (PERCEPTION)

Things happen that are sometimes beyond a cook’s control, other times those things are a result of a cook’s lack of preparation and planning. When it starts to fall apart we often refer to that moment as a cook being “in the weeds”. Especially when a cook knows that the situation is a result of their lack of preparation the inclination is to try and tough it out, rely on skill and experience, and pull through the situation alone so that others do not think less of him or her. The perception that a cook can resolve these situations independently is more often than not – erroneous.

[]         ASKING FOR HELP IS A SIGN OF WEAKNESS (PERCEPTION)

Tying in with the previous perception – line cooks in the weeds seem to feel that asking for help is somehow a sign of weakness or inability to be a problem solver. When this perception exists the problem will typically get worse resulting in failure on a larger scale, the whole line going down, and unhappy restaurant guests. Asking for help when needed is always the smart approach followed by an assessment of why things went wrong and a strategy for future solutions.

[]         I CAN HAVE A FEW MORE DRINKS AND STILL BE SHARP TOMORROW (PERCEPTION)

Ahhh… the after hours shift drink that is continued at a local watering hole. Cooks need to unwind after the adrenaline rush of a busy night on the line. This is what kitchen people do. You can’t go from 90 miles an hour to a complete stop – a cook needs to ease off the accelerator and slowly apply the brakes before he or she calls it a night. Cook’s tend to relish that first drink, appreciate the second, and sometimes start to convince themselves that a few more will be just fine. Typically, those additional cocktails become self-destructive short and long term. Short-term rears up its ugly head the next day at work and long term that dependence on alcohol medication can become all too familiar. Moderation is usually the best approach.

[]         COOKS WORK HARDER THAN SERVERS (PERCEPTION)

I’ll go out on a limb and state that most line cooks feel that server work is less difficult and more financially rewarding than working in the kitchen. From my experience this not the case – the jobs are different with different stressors and rewards. The cook’s position is physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging, but so is the position of server. Most servers would never choose to work in a kitchen and most cooks if required to do so would tremble at the prospect of actually facing a customer and their unpredictable requests and reactions. Both jobs are difficult and the reward system is different as a result.

[]         I AM OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID (BELIEF)

This is a belief that is based on the reality of many careers. It is likely that most people, regardless of their job, would say that they are overworked and underpaid. The rates of pay for all restaurant employees does not match the skill set or effort, but, to a large degree it is tied to the relatively low level of profit and high rate of failure among restaurants. It is an issue, maybe the most important issue that the restaurant industry, as a whole needs to address. This “overworked and underpaid” belief among cooks is real.

This is a taste of what cook’s believe or perceive. Some are valid while others are perceptions that need to be understood and addressed by the chef in charge. Perceptions left unchecked will become beliefs that are much harder to change.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

**Have you ordered your copy of “The Event That Changed Everything” yet?  Interested in stories of kitchen life, the trials and tribulations of running and owning a restaurant, and the challenges that do and might face our food ecosystem?  I know you will enjoy the read.

Click on this amazon link to order your copy TODAY:

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A CHEF’S THOUGHTS ON IMMIGRATION AND DIVERSITY

24 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooks, diversity, immigration, kitchen diversity, kitchen life

Painted in Waterlogue

Every day that I walked into a kitchen, from the time I was a 15-year old dishwasher with working papers, I saw something that made me feel special. It was the sense of camaraderie, the feeling that we were all in this together. I knew that most every day would be an opportunity to learn something new. Beyond the expected evolution of skills that come from time, repetition, and execution of the designated menu, there was always an opportunity to learn something unique from the diverse group of teammates that made up the restaurant. It might be the right way to make pierogi from Amanda who grew up in Poland, how to roll gnocchi from Dominick who came to the U.S. in 1973 from Firenze, Italy, the blending of more than 30 ingredients in the process of perfecting a true mole from Juan – a Mexican native, or that secret dry rub for brisket from Lloyd who grew in in Southern Georgia and immigrated from Cuba a decade before. Every day was a chance to learn more about food and the culture that impacted on how it was prepared.

“If you’re looking for a line cook who’s professional in his work habits, responsible with your food, dependable, a guy with a sense of humor, reasonably good character, and a repertoire of French and Italian standards, and who can drill out 250 meals without going mental or cutting corners too egregiously, chances are you’ll go to Carlos, your grill man” and ask him for a recommendation. And Carlos will have a cousin or a brother for you.”

-Anthony Bourdain

A Cook’s Tour

The most fascinating and rewarding aspects of spending a career in the kitchen is that I have had the opportunity to work with African Americans, Ethiopians, Venezuelans, Peruvians, Mexicans, Haitians, Ecuadorans, Cubans, Bulgarians, Russians, Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Rastafarians, Creoles, French, Brits, Irish, Germans, Swiss, Italians, Greeks, Turks, Spaniards, Romanians, Austrians, Norwegians, Swedes, Fins, Saudis and Eastern Indians, Pakistani’s and Nepalese, Canadians, Japanese, Chinese, Australians, New Zealanders, Koreans, Dutch, Gays, Straights, Tall and Small, Republicans, Democrats, Liberals, Conservatives, Independents, Male, Female, Aged Veteran Cooks, and Newbies fresh out of school, College Grads, High School Dropouts, Alcoholics and Recovering Alcoholics, Consistently Nice People and Raging Assholes, Wealthy and Poor, incredibly hard workers and lazy time wasters, and anyone who falls into another “category”. The reality is that, at least in the restaurant, we are all the same in many respects. We all have a job to do and collectively that job can result in dynamic teamwork and happy customers.

Angry bias – I don’t get it, I don’t support it, and I don’t have any patience for it. Everybody is unique, important, good at different levels, anxious to be respected for who they are, and valuable to the team. Show them respect and they will walk a million miles for you. The old adage of treat people the way you would like to be treated rings true ALWAYS. I love the kitchen for this – I have learned to always try to see the person inside, the one who has many of the same feelings and desires that I have, the one who when the restaurants doors open is standing beside me ready to perform.

It is very disturbing to think that what has always made our country great in the eyes of everyone else is this commitment to acceptance, the foundation of bringing people into the fold and providing opportunities for anyone who is willing to work hard – may be changing. If the world begins to no longer view America as the country willing to wrap its arms around diversity, then what are we left with?

“Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teaming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

-Emma Lazarus

* This is what is written on the Statue of Liberty – the symbol of our great country to the rest of the world. This is how we must continue to be viewed as the leader of the free world.

Yes, there are many people who come to our country illegally and we must figure out the right way to get this under control, but we should also consider why they are choosing to come here. We have been the land of opportunity, the place of refuge for those in need, the protector of those who relish freedom. I know that in the restaurant and hotel business (agriculture as well) we would be hard put to provide the services that Americans demand without this diverse workforce, yes – even those who are not here illegally. Are these people here to steal opportunities from those of us who were fortunate enough to be born in the U.S. or are they excited to become a part of what we are known for in the world. In many cases, these immigrants are excited to take on necessary jobs that many American’s are no longer willing to do. Just ask any restaurateur or hotelier and they will tell you the same thing.

We need better control, we need to screen effectively to keep out those who have harm in their hearts, but at the same time we should not lose sight of our role as the leader of the free world. I hope that our politicians can look at the whole picture, learn to appreciate the value that immigrants bring to our country, and remain compassionate as was the design of our forefathers (also immigrants), and continue to raise the flag of freedom for every other country to admire and respect.

Working in a kitchen has spoiled me – I look forward to working with people from every background so that I can learn to be a better person.

This is an issue in the election, an important issue, and one that should be taken on not with anger but with understanding. Please don’t walk away from your privilege to vote on November 8th – vote for the person(s) who you believe personify what has made us the greatest nation on earth and a beacon of hope for those who feel that they have none otherwise. If we lose this we become no better than anyone else.

This is not a partisan pitch for any particular candidate. Immigration and diversity are big issues that will play out over the next four years and as such should call for everyone’s study and attention. I know that I am going to vote from my heart with an understanding of how America has been viewed and how I hope it is viewed for generations to come.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Support diversity in America

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

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THE EVOLUTION OF A COOK

23 Wednesday Mar 2016

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooks, kitchen life, restaurants

IMG_0731

“It has taken nearly 15 years, but here I am – Executive Chef of a busy, quality restaurant in the middle of downtown Manhattan. Not too shabby, but maybe I could take a few moments to reflect back on what it took to reach this goal.” This is a reflection that many chefs have at that point in their career when it seems like all of the hard work has finally paid off. This is a frequent reflection, yet too many have failed to learn what their new role should be now that they have arrived.

We all had to start somewhere. It may have been in the dishpit (probably the springboard for most of us), maybe it was as a commis to the prep cook, or maybe it was that first kitchen job after graduating from culinary school. Now that you have a place in the kitchen – what’s next? Let’s take a look at what it is like at three different levels in your development, how you should approach each level in your career, and along the way sink your teeth into the lessons to be learned.

LEVEL ONE:   The Apprentice Cook

A word to the wise – at this point let’s assume that you don’t know anything, even if you think that you do. This applies to the individual who is holding a knife for the first time, an intern from a culinary school, a graduate from a culinary school, or a new recruit to this kitchen with a few years under your belt. You will need to acclimate to a new environment and prove yourself over the next few weeks or months. Here are some basic recommendations:

  • LISTEN – Pay close attention to what the chef asks for, what his or her standards are, and the expectations of each task that you perform. Listen to the sounds of the kitchen, the cadence of activity, the level of tension in the air, and that sense of urgency that typically heightens, as dinner hour looms closer and closer.
  • ACCEPT – You haven’t been here long enough to question or offer suggestions. In these early days it is important to accept the tasks that you are assigned, the schedule that you are given, the speed with which you are expected to perform, and sometimes even the disdain for the quality of your workmanship.
  • WATCH AND LEARN – The beauty of this level is that you will never have a better opportunity to absorb what is going on, to question with your eyes, to take notes, and to learn how everyone else who is more seasoned than you, approaches his or her job. The learning curve here should be very steep.
  • APPRECIATE – Show that you are grateful for the opportunity to learn something new each day. Take a few seconds to thank people who show you the way and demonstrate how grateful you are by burning these lessons into your subconscious and applying these new methods to your own work patterns.
  • BE HUMBLE – No matter what you know, what you think you know, how you were taught to do things at that last restaurant or in culinary school – put it out of your mind. What you don’t know is how it is done in this restaurant and how this chef wants each task performed. There will be time in the future for your input, ideas, and brilliant display of skill – just not yet.
  • RESPECT – You are fortunate to be here – this is, after all, someone else’s kitchen, pride and joy, and reason for existence. Show respect from day one for the space, the equipment, the people, the history of the operation, the menu, the signature dishes, the flavor profile that reflects on the chef’s reputation, the ingredients and their source, and the customer who spends money so that everyone in our new work home can receive a paycheck.
  • BE COST CONSCIOUS – You may not know this yet, but it is very difficult for restaurants to make a profit. Every piece of food that you waste or handle inappropriately will quickly eat away at the restaurants profit. Demonstrate right from the beginning that you are aware and care. Don’t waste, and make sure that you rotate, date, and handle all food in the fashion that the chef dictates.
  • COMMIT – Be there! Give 100% every hour of every day that you are on the job. Read about food on your day off and bring in a few questions for the chef so that he or she knows that you are taking this career seriously. Work extra shifts when needed and request opportunities to work extra when something new and interesting is taking place. If there is an opportunity to learn – you will want to be there.
  • BE PATIENT – This level will not last forever as long as you stay committed and demonstrate your serious approach towards cooking and working together with your team. That next opportunity will come when you are ready. Prep cooks become line cooks, become sous chefs and chef de cuisine, and eventually, when your skill set is balanced you just might become the chef in this or another property. The day will come – be patient.

woman

LEVEL TWO:  The Line Cook

You have paid your dues and earned a stripe on the day that the chef says that you will start shadowing one of the line cooks. A space will be opening up in the schedule and the chef wants to see if you have what it takes. This is the big league – the show. This is where the pirates roam and real cooking takes place. No longer relegated to recipes – now you are expected to “know” how to cook. What do I need to do to adapt?

  • BE READY – Line work is really all about mise en place. Do you have it together? You cannot, ever, run out of prep once those tickets start flying off the printer. Do or die – make sure you are tight and ready to go.
  • ORGANIZE YOUR HEAD – The chef begins to bark out the orders, line cooks need to zero in on everything that is said, categorize those thoughts, prioritize steps, keep track of the state of each dish, focus on seasoning, and be ready, always ready when the call is: “Picking up on table 34!” – Yes chef”.
  • BE FAST – The line is for speed demons. “Where is that shrimp dish? I have a blank space in the pass – get on it!” If you get behind, the night is over.
  • BE CONSISTENT – With all of this chaos there can be no room for crappy food or inconsistent product. Every dish, every time – the same flavor profile, the same look, the same plating. No excuses.
  • KAISEN – (Constant state of improvement). As good as you were at your station last night – make it better tonight. The bar will always be set higher and higher.
  • OWN IT – Your station, your menu items, your plating, your mise en place, your wins and your losses. Others may help to get you out of the weeds, but it is your responsibility – don’t ever point a finger at someone else.

chuck and mickey

LEVEL THREE:           The Chef

You made it. After a year of prep, three years on the line mastering every station, a whirlwind year as roundsman, and the past two at another restaurant as their sous chef, you have arrived. This will be your first gig as the person in charge. This is YOUR kitchen, YOUR crew, YOUR menu, and YOUR reputation to build and maintain. As a sous chef you had the opportunity to work with the chef on the business side of kitchen operation. You took inventories, planned menus, determined food cost, built weekly schedules, ordered food, and sat through your share of manager meetings. Thanks to the chef you feel fairly confident in the ability to succeed. So what did you learn over the past seven years that will allow you to feel the pride in success? As you sit in your office and reflect, this is what you come up with – what goes around comes around. Here are the abilities that will help you to make a difference:

  • LISTEN -Just as you listened as a young prep cook, now as a chef you must take the time to listen to your employees. Don’t just hear the noise            –listen to what they have to offer. This will build trust.
  • ACCEPT – Accept the fact that you don’t know everything. As a prep cook you needed to accept your role and your assignments, now it is your turn as a chef to accept a new role of mentor, teacher, trainer, and problem solver.
  • WATCH AND LEARN – You are the guide on the side, the one who trains but then lets the young cooks fly and find their own level. As a guide you will be amazed at how much you can learn from them.
  • APPRECIATE – Appreciate the opportunity that you have to express yourself through your staff and make a difference in their careers and lives. Appreciate all that you have learned over the past seven years and how much you will continue to learn.
  • BE HUMBLE – Just because you have the office and the title doesn’t make you any better than anyone of your employees. You are able to keep your position and build your brand because of those hard working prep and line cooks, dishwashers, and service staff.
  • BE COST CONSCIOUS – Now the buck stops with you. If you train your staff to care as much about the cost of goods as you do, then the restaurant stands a chance of making a profit. Set the tone.
  • COMMIT – You make the schedule, but the work ethic of others will be a shadow of the effort that you put in every day. To be the chef means that you will always be the hardest working person in the kitchen, the one who has committed him or herself to a life in the kitchen.
  • BE PATIENT – Finally, just as you were told to be patient, knowing that if you stay the course, then that chef job could be yours – so too should you be patient with the next crop of young cooks hoping to fill your shoes in the future. Work with them, teach them. Be their mentor, and push them to reach their potential.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN MORE STORIES ABOUT THE KITCHEN AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, THEN ORDER YOUR COPY OF: “The Event That Changed Everything”.

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BEING A LINE COOK SPOILS YOU FOR OTHER JOBS

03 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooks, kitchen life, line cooks, restaurants

Painted in Waterlogue

Whatever the reason, some find themselves working behind the range – a place that is unique to most any other. “Why am I here” may be a question that line cooks ask themselves on occasion, but for the most part, it is a role that a few unique individuals tend to enjoy. Now, from the outside looking in – the position may seem to have a bit of glamour, but to those who stand at attention with a pair of tongs in hand, beads of sweat dripping from their brow, arm welts from burns, cuts from razor sharp knives, and feet throbbing with the burden of far too many hours standing upright, this is one hell of a difficult job. Yet, we do it, and for some macabre reason we seem to actually enjoy it.

Why would anyone willingly choose to endure the demands of a job that puts them in front of blazing heat, stress from the demands of timing, the mental pressure of trying to keep multiple preparations organized simultaneously, and the emotional requirement to put your work in the public eye every day?

The transition that happens from the moment a line cook arrives at work (usually early to make sure his or her mise en place is ready) till the point when those first orders start to click in and the expeditor begins to bark out the timing, is amazing. That first step into the kitchen may include a mix of dread, anxiousness, uncertainty, and even a taste of fear (how busy will we be, how will I be able to get all of my mise en place together, will every team member show up today, what is the chef’s mood) to a driven sense of purpose and focus. Those last minutes before service, the cook feels the same anxiety that a football player experiences prior to the first snap, or the skier senses just before the gun fires at the start of a race. Adrenaline is running freely now as all of these players share the same level of angst. Once those orders begin their steady flow, the cook gets into a rhythm – a pace that can turn from dread to near elation when things go right.

Keep in mind that this is the routine every day, shift after shift, week after week without change. Every day the line cook is preparing to jump off that cliff, hoping that he or she has packed the parachute properly and it opens as planned before impact.

The other aspect to this job that separate cooks from others is that along with the pace, the demands, the uncertainty, and the preparation, comes the art. Yes, line cooks are incredibly hard workers, but they are also artists who have an opportunity each and every day to paint on the plate. Knowing how to select the right seasonings and cooking methods would be similar to a painter being able to pick the perfect combination of paint colors and brush for the optimum effect. Line cooks need to understand their tools as well as a musician can sense his or her instrument. It is the line cooks responsibility to ensure that every plate enjoys the proper flavor profile and visually represents the plate design that was meticulously created by the chef. This “art” is an acquired skill of expression that separates true line cooks from assemblers. The combination of assembly demands and the need for the art to remain would be similar to asking a painter to create beautiful works under the constraint of “in the moment” timing, or a musician to compose a masterful song every day. Skill and art flow through the fingers of every proficient line cook.

So, how does this job spoil cooks for any other type of work? Here are a few reasons:

[]         Adrenaline

This is the short-term answer. Cooks love the rush of working on the line. It is hard to replicate this in many other careers except maybe professional sports.

[]         Non-Traditional Work Hours

Cooks get use to working long hours, evenings, weekends, and holidays. We reach a point where we don’t really understand people who work predictable, 9-5 jobs with weekends and holidays off.   Although it sounds nice, cooks have a difficult time transitioning to those predicable schedules.

[]         Every Day is Different

Although the menu may not change, and the prep list looks the same – every day in the kitchen brings unique challenges and opportunities. Cooks thrive on the unpredictable.

[]         Tactile Work Inspires Cooks

Almost every cook I know is a tactile learner. They thrive on being able to make something, look at their work and see the tangible results of their effort. This is the old American dream of being able to make something great.

[]         Instant Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions

There are few jobs that provide the instant feedback that comes from cooking. Return customers, empty plates returning to the kitchen, a nod and a smile from the chef after tasting a cooks work – there is little doubt how well or poorly a cook has performed every day.

[]         Team Dependence

Cooking is a team sport and as such provides an opportunity for cooks to learn how to function well in this environment. All for one and one for all is the rule in kitchens.

“The kitchen really is the castle itself. This is where we spend our happiest moments and where we find the joy of being a family.”

Mario Batali

[]         The Chance to be Creative

Every cook, every day, appeals to all of the human senses. In the mediums of taste, touch, smell, sight and sound, cooks have ample opportunities to hone their skills, refine their art, and demonstrate their creative side.

[]         The Physical Nature of the Work

Those in the trades will often site how gratifying it is to finish a day’s work physically tired. This demonstrates that they have accomplished something. Kitchen work is very physical and at the end of a shift a cook’s body tells the story. Aches and pains demonstrate just how hard a line cook works every day.

[]         Cooks Love the Chaos

If you walk into any kitchen from 30 minutes before service until the last plate goes out, you would immediately sense that this is an environment that personifies organized chaos. At some points it appears to flow as if it were an orchestral piece being directed by the chef conductor, and at the next moment it appears like a runaway train destined to disengage from the track at any moment. Cooks love this ebb and flow.

“I accept chaos. I’m just not sure it accepts me.”

Bob Dylan

[]         Work That Matters

Although cooks may not always think of their work in this manner, what they do matters to the customer. A cook provides sustenance, excitement, entertainment and reward. A great meal might very well be the most important part of a restaurant guest’s day.

[]         Transparent Work Environments

Kitchens are certainly not void of politics and some level of friction among players, but in most cases those who work in a kitchen tell it like it is. You know where you stand with your peers and that can be very refreshing.

Find another career that can offer all of the above and you might be able to convince a great line cook to jump ship and try something new. Without attention to all of these needs (yes, after working in kitchens for a while these items become needs), a cook will quickly begin to doubt a decision to leave and dream of returning to the kitchen with all of its challenges and opportunities.

“I lived my whole life in the kitchen. Not only that, but it’s the passion, it’s the love for cooking and food. It’s dictated my entire life – every aspect of it.”

Grant Achatz

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

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SEEING THE WORLD THROUGH THE KITCHEN LENS

11 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by harvestamericacues.com in Uncategorized

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Tags

chefs, cooking is the solution, cooks, kitchen life, kitchens, solving the worlds problems

pre meal huddle

One of the worst mistakes anyone can make each day is to turn on the news. If there were good news in the world, you would be hard put to notice through the media. If there were a rise in depression in this country, I would have to point at least one finger at 24-hour news. If they believe that constant disclosure is healthy, I am at a loss to agree. Racial tension, political polarization, more wars than you can count, terrorist threats that would keep anyone up at night, Ebola, unemployment, sexual harassment, a sub-par educational system, product recalls, police shootings, forest fires, earthquakes, global warming, GMO’s, eColi, obesity, diabetes, cancer, missing airplanes and weapons of mass destruction – holy crap, is the world falling apart, or what? Is it really this bad? Is the media simply hyping situations to fill in 24 hours of programming, or is there a plan to keep the entire population on edge? Is it even possible to get a good night sleep anymore without waking at 3 a.m. with cold sweats?

Where can we go to get away from all of this high wire tension? Try working in a kitchen. What is so fantastic about working in a kitchen is that the focus has been, is, and always will be your assigned tasks. There is no time for wandering focus in the kitchen, in fact, when you work in a kitchen, your mind is 100% connected to the task at hand. The rest of the world and its problems will have to wait. Through the lens of the kitchen, there is no room for anything but total dedication to the product, the process and the plate.

As much as we all (those working with food) promote the intensity and difficulty of the job, it is, to most of us, therapeutic. Keep me away from the world problems – real or hyped, I need to tighten up my mise en place. My world as a cook is focused on the edge of the knife, the precise cut of vegetables, the cost conscious trim of steaks and flawless fillet of fish, the spot on flavor of sauces and perfect al dente blanching of vegetables. This is the world of the cook, this is home, this is time well spent, and this is our escape from the anxiety associated with media doom and gloom.

Truly, this is the reality of the kitchen, which brings me to a theory: what if everyone else took the time to simply appreciate what cooks appreciate. What is hate, but misunderstanding; what is war and conflict, but a lack of communication; what is an unhealthy body but simply a result of poor nutrition and a lack of knowledge or desire to cook with a conscience?

Cooks, for the most part, don’t care about differences, they don’t focus on what the world thinks of them, they don’t enjoy watching others suffer, and never whine when they might even have the right to – they simply cook. This is what we do, and yes, it is therapeutic.

So, what if we took a lesson from professional cooks and tried to solve our problems behind a range and at the dinner table. Cooks know that breaking bread is the great equalizer. Sharing a great meal and maybe a nicely balanced glass of wine or artistically brewed beer puts everyone on an equal playing field. Suddenly, it is all about the food, the history behind a dish, the craft of the cook, and the beauty of nature’s bounty. Great food leads to great conversation and understanding. Working behind a line demands great communication and teamwork. This is our life, a secret that until now has not been shared with the general public.

Maybe we should have world leaders work together in a kitchen, talking about their ethnic food preparations and collectively presenting a meal. Maybe Republicans should cook for Democrats and vice versa. Maybe Christians should sit down to a traditional Muslim meal and learn to eat their differences away. Maybe Muslims should spend some time on an American farm and learn about how the farmer cares for God’s bounty.   Maybe, we should forget about our differences and instead celebrate the uniqueness that is each of us. If food can be a catalyst for understanding, then use it.

DSC01116

Let’s have a good news network that talks about the great, kind, selfless, passionate, happy and helpful people who are really the majority of the world’s population. Maybe it can begin with cooks. Kitchens and the people who work in them don’t care about how people are different; they care about quality, dedication, passion, hard work and creativity. These are common denominators that bring people together. Actually, what makes people different is what makes a kitchen hum. It is the breadth of culture, ethnicity, and life experiences that helps to create that environment of bonding that makes a great restaurant.

One of the things about working in restaurants that has always made my day, is the diverse makeup of the teams who call the kitchen and dining room their home. I have happily worked with Haitians, Mexicans, French, Germans, Spaniards, Norwegians, Russians, Chinese, Japanese, Ecuadorians, Brits, African Americans, Italians, Irish, Polish, Iranians, Egyptians, and Vietnamese cooks and service staff. These are all some of the finest people I have ever known. In the restaurant we are one, we learn about each others culture and traditions, occasionally get to taste each other’s ethnic foods, break bread, toast the end of a shift with a drink, and get up the next day in service of the guest and respect for the food we get to work with.

This theory of food as a unifying medium may be a bit altruistic, but still worthy of consideration: just some thoughts.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

http://www.harvestamericaventures.com

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DIGGING DEEP: THE LIFE OF A LINE COOK

24 Thursday Oct 2013

Tags

chefs, cooks, kitchen life, kitchens, line cooks, restaurants

KCP_1263

I thought that I would re-post an old series that was presented through Harvest America Cues a few years back.  As I continue to marvel at the focused life of line cooks I was compelled to introduce this story (one that happens every day, in every kitchen across the country) as a tribute to kitchen warriors everywhere.

This is part one of a mini series of posts on the life of a line cook. The intent is to present the reader with a better understanding of the sub-culture that is a professional kitchen, the unique traits of people who make line work, in particular, their calling and to pay homage to those unique and sometimes troubled individuals who make up the kitchen brigade. This is NOT designed to be another “portrayal of the underbelly” of restaurant kitchens, but rather a study into the drivers that make some of my favorite people who they are. Throughout the series I will tell a story using fictitious names and operations to best define the environment and those who work in that environment.

It is noon on a Friday in November and John (Jake as his friends call him) is just waking up. His shift at “Plate Restaurant” doesn’t start for another two hours, but he keeps trying to live up to a commitment that he made in early January. “I need to start taking better care of myself, so I will begin to exercise every day, quit smoking, get a good night’s sleep, cut back on drinking and look for a relationship”. As Jake moved his feet to the floor he immediately reached for a cigarette, stumbled to the kitchen/living room in his two-room apartment and turned on the TV. He turned on his Keurig and inserted a K-cup for his first of many coffee’s for the day. As was the case every morning (or afternoon when he woke up) he gave thanks for the invention of the K-cup. As he smoked and drank his coffee while half watching the news, he pushed the whole exercise concept out of his mind and turned to a mental review of his prep work for the day at “Plate”.

After a long shower and haphazard attempt at shaving, Jake made another cup of coffee and decided he might as well go right to work since he had nothing else to do anyway. Fortunately, the restaurant was only 12 blocks away and he could walk (his only exercise for the day), since he had lost his driver’s license a few months back for a DUI. It really didn’t matter anyway since he couldn’t afford to keep a car in the city on his current salary.

The fresh air helped to clear the cobwebs from his brain, the residual effects of a few too many after work beers from the night before. As he walked he was beginning to form a clearer picture of the work ahead. It was Friday, so tonight would be quite busy. He vaguely remembered checking the reservation book before he left last night and there were already 120 on the books.

Jake’s station was sauté, typically the busiest in the restaurant and the most complex. He knew that he had to be sharp for tonight so even though the walk was just a few minutes long, he stopped at a Starbuck’s for a double espresso on the way. By the time he walked through the doors of “Plate” he was wide-awake, a little buzzed from the espresso, and ready to hit the ground running. Jake was once again grateful that the restaurant, as is the case with most, provided clean, pressed uniforms; he never had to worry much about doing laundry since the majority of his life was spent in cooks whites. He pulled on the hounds tooth cooks pants and crisp cooks coat, tucked his hair under the black skull cap that the restaurant provided, tied on a fresh apron and double-checked the polish on his Birkenstock’s (one of the few luxuries that he allowed himself). As a line cook your feet are by far your most important body parts.

As he walked through the kitchen offering a few fist bumps and high-fives, Jake said good morning to the chef (who had already been there since 7:30 that morning), and went immediately for the coffee machine. Another double espresso and Jake was ready to go. It was now 1:15 and Jake had 3 ½ hours to prepare for tonight’s onslaught of orders (hopefully balanced between stations – but he knew deep down that it would be all him on a Friday night).

Jake was now in his element. The kitchen is where he felt whole again, he had purpose, people depended on him, this is where he met up each day with his only friends, this is where he was meant to be. Slowly the cobwebs from this morning turned to a subtle smile and a sense of focus and contentment. Jake pulled down his mise en place clipboard, dampened a towel to keep his cutting board from sliding, removed his trusted knives from his own tool drawer, drew each blade across a water stone and steel and set out for the cooler. Today was going to be great!

Friday’s are always big fish nights so, as per notations from the chef, he immediately went to the ice bins and pulled out (3) 8-pound Pacific Salmon. Over the years (this was Jake’s 3rd year at Plate and his 8th working in professional kitchens) he had been able to master the process for filleting fish. Young apprentices who would come and go in this kitchen would always marvel at Jake’s speed and accuracy with any round or flat fish. His treasured knives would pass through the fish like butter, leaving only small traces of meat on the bone. If it was white fish like halibut or bass, the bones would be saved for fish fumet, if it were salmon – well they had not figured out any way to use the bones from this oily fish – yet. Within 20 minutes Jake had removed the heads, filleted the three sizeable salmon, tactfully pulled out the pin bones with tweezers and cut them into identical 6-ounce portions. The portioned fillets were neatly organized on silicon paper in hotel pans and returned to their ice caddy’s- ready for the line. Jake followed the same procedure with Red Snapper and Black Cod as well as tonight’s feature of Barramundi. He ended with removing the “boots” from (2) 8 pound tins of U-10 Diver Scallops, scrubbed down and sanitized his table, passed his fish cutting board on to the dishwasher and gently cared for his knives. It was 2:15 and all of his fish work was done.

Now it was time to move on to meats and poultry. The current “Plate” menu would require Jake to trim and portion venison tenders, Wagu beef tenders, Pheasant breasts and pre-braised lamb shanks ready for finishing. Once again, he prepped his table for a new cutting board, cleaned up the edges of his knives and went to work. Time was ticking and the anxiety of being ready for those first tickets was beginning to creep up.

More “Digging Deep” continued later this week.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

http://www.harvestamericaventures.com

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