Harvest America CUES BLOG

kitchens

  • COOKS WITH DRAGONS IN THEIR CLOSET

    Make no mistake, the most enjoyable part of working in a kitchen will always be the interesting people who man that station or cutting board next to you. Of course we have a passion for the food – this is,… Continue reading

  • KNIVES, FIRE AND ATTITUDE – THE LINE COOK’S ARSENAL

    There are certain things that when viewed together just don’t seem to marry well: oil and water, bald tires and icy roads, puddles and live electric wires, and the typical line cooks arsenal of attitude, sharp tools and intense flames.… Continue reading

  • WHY CHUCK BERRY WAS IMPORTANT TO CHEFS AND AMERICAN RESTAURANTS

      As cooks and chefs we enjoy being part of an industry that has grown exponentially since the 1950’s. Prior to that time, restaurants were either applauded as a service for those who could afford the luxuries of dining in… Continue reading

  • HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL CHEF – A BAKER’S DOZEN

      This may not turn out to be my most popular article, but it might very well be one of the most important for a cook or chef planning on a long, successful career in the kitchen. If we take… Continue reading

  • THE YIN AND YANG OF BEING A CHEF

    I have always believed assessing a significant decision that you are about to make or reviewing one that is already part of your history is best served by listing the pros and cons. If there are more positives than negatives… Continue reading

  • SALUTE TO THE DISHWASHER

    Typically discounted, often maligned, frequently abused, and rarely appreciated (until he or she doesn’t show up) – the dishwasher is actually the most important employee in the kitchen. Cooks may scoff, chefs will dismiss, and owners have no opinion whatsoever,… Continue reading

  • LINE COOKS – WALK A MILE IN THEIR SHOES

    Many jobs are physically demanding and others push a persons ability to think clearly and problem solve. Some jobs can be emotionally draining while others are adrenaline driven and allow workers to ride high and weather the storms of stress.… Continue reading

  • COOKS – BLUE COLLAR AND PROUD OF IT

    There is something inherently gratifying about making things with your hands. Developing and fine-tuning a set of skills that have been passed down for generations help to build pride in a profession that is timeless. In my mind there is… Continue reading

  • THE FOUR TYPES OF COOKS – WHERE DO YOU FIT?

    We work – this is what people were meant to do, this is what helps to give us purpose, this is what shapes, to a large degree, the person that we are. How we approach this work, the type of… Continue reading

  • LINE COOKS – 90 MPH HEADED FOR THE WALL

    Line cooks know that there is only one speed – pedal to the metal, full-speed ahead, take no prisoners along the way. It is, after all, the nature of the beast when you work in a busy kitchen. There is… Continue reading

  • ADRENALINE IS A COOK’S WORST ENEMY

    It’s now day nine of eleven straight ten hour days in the kitchen, and Jake find’s it increasingly hard to get up and get his act together before heading off to work. He makes a mental note to turn off… Continue reading

  • THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS IN LIFE ARE MASTERED IN THE KITCHEN

    It’s quite fascinating to think about the level of interest that people have with the life of a professional cook or chef and what it is like to work in the kitchen. If you perform a quick Google search “Books… Continue reading

  • THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO GREAT COOKING

    Cooks may not understand the depth of truth to the title of this article – unless they have experienced the pleasure and the pain of working for a restaurant without compromise. What some may believe is only relevant in fine… Continue reading

  • A TALE OF TWO KITCHENS

    “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” -Charles Dickens- from a Tale of Two Cities It was Charles Dickens’ – A Tale of Two Cities that portrayed life in London and Paris during the times… Continue reading

  • ARROGANCE IS NOT AN ADMIRABLE TRAIT FOR A CHEF

      In recent months I have found numerous parallels in current events with the effective operation of a professional kitchen. Being competitive, innovative, focused on quality first, honest, supportive, and possessing the ability to truly listen to others are always… Continue reading

  • LINE COOKS – START YOUR ENGINES

    It’s Easter Sunday – yet another “holiday” that isn’t a holiday for restaurant workers. That’s OK – we’re use to it. Working when others celebrate goes with the turf, this is what we do. Don’t feel sorry for us, this… Continue reading

  • LINE COOKS – THE KITCHEN WARRIORS

      Every day, every night in the kitchen is the culmination of hours of preparation for battle. Similar to any pre-determined military skirmish or battle on the athletic field – preparing for service requires a definitive strategy, detailed organization, respect… Continue reading

  • HOW TO RECOGNIZE A LINE COOK OUT OF UNIFORM

    I know that I seem to consistently promote that cooks are different from most everyone else, but most people would agree that identifying these line pirates from just about any other person is just as easy out of uniform as… Continue reading

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

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

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

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

  • AN OPEN LETTER TO LINE COOKS

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

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

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

  • COOKS, CHEFS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF TRUST

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

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

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

  • STOCK IS THE LIFEBLOOD OF A KITCHEN

    There is something about a simmering stock that sets the tone for a professional kitchen. It is more than the basis for so many products and preparations; stock is the symbol of your commitment on so many levels and the… Continue reading

  • CHRISTMAS FOR RESTAURANT STAFF

    This was Jake’s 20th year in restaurants, and the 20th straight Christmas that he would be working. As the restaurant’s Executive Chef he knew how hard today would be for everyone in the kitchen and the dining room, but the… Continue reading

  • ANOTHER KITCHEN ADRENALINE RUSH

    A common response to the question: “Why do you work in a busy kitchen”, is, “I love the rush.” Those of us who have spent many hours, days and years behind the line have certainly experienced this, but few really… Continue reading

  • SEEING THE WORLD THROUGH THE KITCHEN LENS

    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… Continue reading

  • KITCHEN LIFE- HEY, IT’S HARD WORK!

    From the outside looking in, things always seem different than they are. This has always been one of my major concerns with young people anxiously applying to culinary school, believing only the fun and creative part of the job and… Continue reading

  • KITCHENS ARE THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING COMMON SENSE

    It’s likely everyone is familiar with the statement by Voltaire, “Common sense is not so common.” From our personal experiences I know that you, like me, have found this to be true. People are not born with common sense; they… Continue reading