THAT FIRST NIGHT ON THE LINE ALL OVER AGAIN

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One thing is for sure – we will be back. We don’t know exactly when, or what it might look like, but we will be back. A year has gone by and most cooks have now forgotten what it was like to have a full dining room, to feel the anxiety of the wait for those first tickets, of feeling that you don’t know how things will turn out. It has been a long year of uncertainty that has pulled you away from what you do best; a year that maybe even made you question whether or not this “cooking thing” is what you want to do any more.

It was the exercising of your skills, relying on your competence and confidence, of getting ready for battle and conquering the beast that made you want to crawl out of bed in the morning and face another day of craziness. With all of it’s speed bumps, curve balls, and relentlessness – this job is something that you were good at, something that brought excitement along with a touch of fear, a job that made you feel alive and pushed you to your limits. It has been far too long since you felt all of these emotions.

One day it will all return. One day customers will fill those restaurant seats, look at your menu with anticipation, test your abilities and sometimes your patience, and give you reason to click those tongs with anxious anticipation. I don’t know if it will come this summer or fall, but I do know that the day will come and I hope that you will be ready.

Consider this to be the off-season for cooks, a time to relax a bit and shed some of the stress, but also a time to get into a new rhythm of conditioning. This is the time to build your physical strength, hone your technical skills, exercise your mental acuity, and dig into more of the “why” that you cook a certain way. This is not a time to forget and lose a step, this is a time to get ready for the real season to come, and it will come.

I am certain of this because people need us, our communities need us, the economy needs us, growers and producers need us, and we need to do what we do best – it is our calling to cook. People crave the opportunity to gather again, to laugh and cheer, to break bread and tell stories, to raise a glass and toast to today and tomorrow. This is human nature and it cannot be denied forever – restaurants will rise again as soon as they are able. The time is getting near; if we all work to contain this virus and stand ready to receive the vaccine – the time will come soon.

So here are a few reminders for cooks immersed in the off-season – we are about to enter spring training camp – a time when we put aside what we have lost and bring ourselves into competitive condition.

[] PHYSICAL STRENGTH

You remember – don’t you? Pulling a 10-12 hour shift off is physically demanding. You will be on your feet for most of that time, always lots of movement – turning, lifting, bending, stretching to reach, using your shoulders and back, and gripping and flipping filled sauté pans allowing the food to dance with the syncopation of orders coming and going. You will need to be ready for this. You will perform best if you are in condition. This is the time to immerse in a physical exercise regiment. Walking, running, weight lifting, sit-ups, push ups, chin ups, hand exercises, stretching and good nutrition will be the keys. Keep that weight down and hone your diet to that of one most aligned with an athlete. GREAT LINE COOKS REALLY ARE ATHLETES!

[] MENTAL ACUITY

Being able to think clearly is essential if you are to win the battles on the line. Remember – those orders will come at you with relentless rapidity. The expeditor will challenge your retention skills, the steps in cooking that differ from dish to dish will test your memory, your flavor memory will be your friend once again as you taste-season-taste, and your ability to problem-solve when things go sideways will be your saving grace more times than you can imagine right now. Take time every day to walk through those steps in cooking that made you superb at your job; run through all of those problem scenarios that came your way in the past and jot down how you solved (or failed to solve) the problem, and push yourself to multi-task in your current environment – fill your head with too much to do and try like crazy to work your way through the list.

[] SKILL TUNING

It will be the foundations again that save the day, that will make you valuable to an employer, that will separate you from those who don’t quite have what it takes. Knife skills, mise en place, sanitation, and speed and dexterity are all part of your bag of tricks. Practice them at home or work even when business volume doesn’t demand it. Keep your knives sharp, organize yourself every day, and keep your lists of things to do (even if not related to cooking) – all of this will pay off when that day arrives.

[] KNOWLEDGE

Read professional cookbooks, study the cuisine that you are focused on, and make a list of those processes that you followed in the kitchen – “because that’s the way you were taught” – and commit to finding out “why” those processes are important. Commit to being more knowledgeable when business returns – the more you know the more confident you will become.

[] TEAM BUILDING

I know it’s hard to work on team skills when the team is not together, but what you can do is to mentally walk through scenarios in the past that can help to drive your “team savvy” approach in the future. Think about those actions of yours or others that drove a wedge between team members and think through ways of avoiding that in the future. Write down those “team defeating” actions that drove you crazy in the past and commit to working through them in a more positive way in the future. Think about “why” things might have gone sideways in the past and how honest sharing with the team can help to work through those events in the future. Don’t let correctible problems raise up their ugly head in the future and put a damper on the effectiveness of a team.

[] RE-COMMIT TO YOUR COMMITMENT

Most importantly, this is a time to ask yourself a very important question: “Now that I have been forced to step back or step away from the life of a cook – do I want to jump back in when the opportunity arises? Am I willing and able to re-commit what it takes to be GREAT at what I do?” If the answer is “no or I’m not sure” – then this is a perfect time to start thinking about your next career choice. If the answer is “yes” then roll up your sleeves and get to work on your conditioning. The time WILL come when restaurants are back in full swing.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

CAFÉ Talks Podcast

COOKS – GETTING BACK INTO THE ZONE

06 Saturday Jun 2020

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chefs, cooks, cooks in the zone, Kitchens after Covid-19, line cooks, line work, restaurants

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Take a deep breath as you walk through those back doors, back into the kitchen that was so familiar, back to a place that you have missed for the past three months. Somehow you are nervous – why is that? You’re not as nervous about the virus as you are being able to hit the ground running. This is a job that has always required you to be on your game, to be able to zig and zag, solve those little problems that crop up every day, finding your pace, organize your station, and respond with syncopation and confidence when those orders start to roll off the printer. How will you be able to perform – that is the question that is churning in your stomach, that brings beads of sweat to your forehead, and that clouds your vision as you make that first step into the kitchen.

Things are certainly different as you pull on your N-95 mask, nod to your teammates while trying to keep a safe distance, scrub your hands for the first of 25 times today, sanitize your work area and your tool kit, grab your station prep list and start to work. The chef has some background music playing from his iPhone as a way to lighten the tension, and although the conversation is less engaged as it once was, people begin to throw around some of the typical banter. “Hey, I hope your knife skills didn’t get any more pathetic than they use to be”, “ I hope the chef stocked up on extra band aids now that you are back in the kitchen”, and a few other slights that are a bit more graphic. Somehow, the banter makes you feel relaxed, relieves that knot in your stomach, and brings hope to quell those fears that you have about your ability to adapt.

ine-cook

Soon the cadence of work lightens the mood and that muscle memory kicks in as you charge through vegetable prep and begin to trim tenders and strip loins, cut steaks, peel and devein shrimp, clean Divers scallops, flatten chicken breasts, and fillet various types of fish for your station.

You nick one of your fingers with a boning knife and it bleeds like a bastard. Trying not to let others see your sloppy mistake you wrap it in a side towel and make a stealth move towards the rest room. You wash and dry the cut (damn, it’s on the tip of my index finger where it is impossible to stop the bleeding) wrap it tightly with three band-aids and double up your gloves hoping that the blood won’t give away your misguided knife handling. Back to work – the only thing hurt is your ego.

“Hey Jake – you cuttin steaks or fingers the rest of the day?” Damn – busted. Of course, now you will be the butt of everyone’s jokes for the next couple hours. The chef walks past you and just smiles. Well, at least you broke the ice.

Everyone is trying hard to bring back some semblance of “normal”, but the air is heavy, as each cook knows that nothing is normal anymore. The chef had sent everyone a list of new protocols before they arrived, so routines of old were out the window.

You notice a delivery truck arrive with supplies – even this is part of the change that the virus has brought to the restaurant. The driver is no longer allowed to simply wheel in supplies and unload them in coolers, freezers, and dry goods storage. Items are received at the back entrance where boxes will be opened, cardboard immediately discarded to outside recycling bins, and each item is wiped with bleach cloths before transferred to storage. This is an all hands on deck process that eats away at time that would have normally been spent on prep. No one is happy about this added process, yet everyone feels that sense of responsibility for everyone’s safety and wellbeing.

Back to prep, that is after scrubbing hands again, re-sanitizing your work station, adjusting your mask that has begun to cause a rash on your face, and turning in your apron for one that is fresh and sanitary. Now that sense of urgency returns, the knowledge that there is more work to complete than there is time – you dive into the details for your station. Time to clarify butter, blanch and shock vegetables, reduce stocks for sauce work, mince herbs, refill bottles of wine and olive oil, prepare garnishes, season your pans, fire up the grill and salamander, and fold your side towels as you always had in the past. Thirty minutes more and that POS printer will begin to talk once again.

Now things begin to seem right. Comfort and confidence overtake angst and doubt as every cook instinctively falls back into his and her pace. This is what they are trained to do, this is their calling, this is that point in time when their skills point the way and cooking becomes part of their reflex. Cooks mark steaks and chops at their chargrill and fall back into a comfort zone of knowing degrees of doneness. Sauté quickly remembers how to multi-task: hot pan, clarified butter, scored skin on the fish fillet hits that screaming hot pan, keep the pan in motion so it doesn’t stick, sear to a golden brown, baste the fish, hit it with a touch of salt and deglaze the pan with white wine – push the pan aside until pick up. Another hot pan – no two, two orders of tournedos on the fly. A quick sear of salted meat – both sides. Deglaze with a touch of Madeira and a splash of demi. A spin of fresh cracked pepper and then remove the meat. Finish reducing the pan sauce, add some chopped parsley and return the meat to coat. Plates up – toast medallions, fillets, sear two cut pieces of foie gras in a dry hot pan (it only takes a few seconds) sear both sides and top off the fillets – mask with sauce madeira and a few shavings of black truffle – four pieces of perfect asparagus and two baby carrots tossed in butter – slide the plates into the pass. “Give me an all day”: the expeditor calls out: one more tournedos – rare, three shrimp, two Dourade fillets, four chicken picatta, and one vegetable tart – all have apps coming up first – fire the first Dourade right now!

The pace continues to quicken and everything seems to slide into that slow motion groove of a cook in control. All he hears is the commands from the expeditor and the ticking cadences of the printer. Everything is under control as his mental state is total focus on the work. This cook is there, he is back, he feels the adrenaline coursing through his veins, and sees things clear again. This is what he missed over the past three months. All his uncertainty is put aside – he is back.

At some point the board is almost clear – he looks to Janis to his left on apps and Greg on the broiler. They both have smiles on their faces. They too overcame their fear and rose to the occasion. No one struck out or lost his or her poise – the night was winding down and the day was won. The expeditor gives them a thumbs-up and the chef simply nods. Good cooks don’t forget, it’s like riding a bike – it only took one push to adjust to the new normal and get their confidence back. A few high fives and then it’s back to cleaning and making notes for what tomorrow will bring.

This time of uncertainty has left everyone shaken. Cooks and chefs in particular rely on protocols and systems and uncertainty never sits well with them. The time will come when restaurants will be back and cooks find their groove once again. The swagger of line cooks will return and the gratification of plating that perfect dish will bring a smile to their faces. It will happen soon enough – be patient.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

We are in this together

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

OUR DAILY BREATH: TAKING THE KITCHEN OUT OF THE COOK IS PROBLEMATIC

24 Tuesday Mar 2020

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adrenaline, chefs, cooks, line cooks, restaurants

ine-cook

We have all heard the phrase: “You can take the cook out of the kitchen, but you can’t take the kitchen out of the cook.” While there is certainly some merit to this statement, the current isolation is pushing the envelope in that regard. Why is it so hard to take the kitchen out of the cook?

I am sure that this reality applies to other fields and trades, but I do believe that it is much more pronounced with cooks. Here is why:

Kitchen work is a way of life, similar to career military. To meet the needs of the consistently inconsistent environment of the kitchen – chefs need to apply a level of discipline and organization that rivals that of a military platoon. Because of the level of multi-tasking required and the speed with which cooks need to act and react – organization must be as structured as the checklist that a pilot walks through every time he or she enters the cockpit. And – due to the level of split second communication that takes place throughout a kitchen day – these operations develop their own language that is a cross between French, Italian, and street-smart urban English. We (cooks) look a certain way, act a certain way, talk a certain way, and interact a certain way – all for the good of the tasks at hand. Without this structure the kitchen would surely go astray.

Cooks and chefs learn to plan effectively, run through various scenarios so that planning takes all potential curve balls into consideration; they need to walk through their production check list and prioritize items based on their timing and complexity; they need to remember a thousand different steps that distinguish one product preparation from another; they must have a photographic memory of how each plate is assembled; they must be able to multi-task and make split second decisions regarding the sequence of cooking and plating; and they must do all of this with minimal steps and an acute level of concentration.

When everything gets intense during a meal rush – the cook’s adrenaline is pumping at breakneck speed while each step, in the cook’s mind, seems to slow down and become crystal clear. This is when the cook is in the zone – a special place that is driven by adequate preparation, loads of experience, and heightened awareness.

When the shift is over – a cook’s heart is still beating hard, that adrenaline is still coursing through his or her veins, the cook’s mind is still racing, and thoughts of tomorrow are already creating a package of anticipation and high anxiety. At the end of a shift – the cook cannot turn this off, this feeling of accomplishment, exhilaration, pride, and a sense for the exhaustion that is about to set in.

So, now the cook’s restaurant is closed. There are no longer any prep sheets, the requisite uniform is no longer required, no need for those knives to be sharp, no impending doom if his or her mise is not in order, no tickets ringing off the printer, no unison chants of “yes chef”, no plates to artistically assemble, and no delicious food to see, smell, and taste. There is a serious vacuum in a cook’s life, a sense of being incomplete, an absence of adrenaline highs, and a serious absence of the interplay between team members that brings that cook back to work, seeking more enjoyable punishment and impossible tasks once again. This is not a joke – this is a physical, mental, emotional, and even at some level – a spiritual letdown.

While we wrestle with all of the issues surrounding the fear of Covid-19 and the potential impact on personal health and financial stability – let’s not forget how deflated those cooks from your operation are. How lonely and despondent they probably are – lost without the discipline and logic behind the work that they normally do. Cooks need to work – they need a purpose, a purpose that the kitchen oftentimes fills.

Chefs and restaurateurs need to stay in touch with those cooks and where possible, engage them in some level of work with a deadline. This is important for the cook’s wellbeing. Is there a need to produce free meals for a local soup kitchen, an opportunity to work on recipe development in their homes, is their some long-overdue maintenance or painting work to be done in your restaurant while still practicing social distancing? At least they can feel at home in the kitchen even if there aren’t any orders to fill. This is important for a cook’s mental and emotional health.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

We’re in this together – Don’t 86 us

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

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

28 Tuesday Jan 2020

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

Staring at the POS printer, waiting for those orders to start their tap dance building to a crescendo in an hour or so, clicking a pair of tongs by your side, shifting weight from one foot to the other, and beads of sweat beginning to roll down your back and collect under that scull cap that fits just a bit too tight – is this one of those moments when you begin to wonder what in the world you are doing?

Physical work is stressful and gratifying at the same time. Sweat and aching muscles is uncomfortable, yet somehow a sign of work worth doing. Building beautiful, flavorful, aroma filled, satisfying dishes for people every night is a result of this hard work, this sweat, and these aching muscles. These tangible works are also a result of an intelligent approach to a process, constant reference to flavor memory, and a level of mental and physical organization that is parallel to that of an architect, a pilot, or a surgeon – this is work that is far more complex that many give it credit for. There is also the emotional part – putting it all out there for others to critique leaving the cook wondering: “what did they think?” We sweat not just due to the heat, not simply because we are physically all in, but also because cooking is draining intellectually, emotionally, and even spiritually. Being a cook is complicated.

You know that those orders are coming – in just a few minutes that printer will push out that relentless sound of more orders than you think you can handle. This is the most stressful time – let’s get on with it! You remember a couple quotes that stick in your brain:

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”

-Stephen King

Ok, you can understand that for sure. You think that you have some talent as a cook, but you KNOW that you put in the effort and then some. You wonder: “Is there a difference between talent and hard work when you come down to it?” How many successful people do you know who work hard without talent? Maybe their talent is knowing what they don’t know and finding ways to get things done anyway. Anyway – soon enough those orders will fill that space in your brain that is wandering right now. Then there was that other quote:

“It’s not so much whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”

-Grantland Rice

Right….try telling that to the chef or the owner. You are part of a line team – there is no room for failure. If you fail, so will the rest of the team. One mistake can lead to chaos on a busy night. This is not the place or the time to learn from your mistakes – NO MISTAKES, NO MISTAKES! “Damn – let’s get these orders in before I start to over-think everything.”

Maybe, just maybe, this sweat and these aching muscles, maybe the nervous energy that is obvious from my dance of anticipation, maybe all of this is fuel for the job ahead. Stay calm, stay calm. I sure hope that my mise en place is tight enough. Did I mince enough shallots, clarify enough butter, flatten enough chicken breasts, and peel enough shrimp? Let me check those scallops again – did I clean them properly? Where are my backups on vegetables, extra bottles of white wine for deglazing? What is the temp on those sauces in the bain-marie? Let me draw my knives over that wet stone one more time – can’t afford a dull knife. You look to the expeditor and tell him to grab you a few more side towels – can never have too many.

restaurant-food

The sweat is starting to pool up on your back, feet are hurting from inactivity, and hands are cramping up from nerves. Come on with the orders already! You stack and restack plates, move your pan handles a few degrees to the right, and fold and refold those side towels. You drop your tongs – CRAP! Run over to the pot sink and wash them quick. Grab another pair as a back-up.

You grab another energy drink and kick it back like it was that after shift first beer. You look to your right and look to your left. Acknowledge the rest of the team and share a few fist bumps. It is coming – you can feel it. Then, the sound you were all waiting for – the printer spits out that first early-bird deuce. Both items for the grill – nothing for you – damn. A few seconds later – a four top – all yours. Here we go. You grab four pans and slide them onto burners – make sure the pans are hot first. Two orders of Diver Scallops, a Chicken Piccata, and Tournedoes Rossini mid-rare. An ounce of clarified butter for the chicken (dredge it in flour and give it some great caramelization – keep the pan moving), a touch in the pans for the scallops (sear them on one side and pull away from the heat for finishing later), and a little more heat in the pan for the tournedoes (this item will be done last minute). The expeditor had called the table as an order fire (no appetizers – ready to rock) – but you know that it is best to wait to finish until the server is standing on the other side of the pass. Two minutes is all it will take to finish this four top.

Pull the caramelized chicken breast and put it aside, add sliced mushrooms to the pan and a touch more butter. Caramelize the shrooms and deglaze with white wine, and fresh lemon. Sweat is pouring freely down your back now. Two more orders just came in – a few items from your station that can wait until this four top is gone. The server appears and the expeditor calls out – pick up on that four top. “Yes chef”! Chicken back in the pan – the flour from the dredged chicken blends with the white wine and lemon and the sauce comes together. A few capers and chopped parsley and this dish is ready to go. The scallops return to a fresh hot pan to finish the sear, hit the pan with a touch of wine, salt and pepper and done. While you and the middleman plate up the first three dishes – the tournedoes hit the very hot pan for a sear along with two slices of foie gras. Flip all items quickly – cooking only takes a minute. Deglaze the beef with Madeira and demi-glace and assemble the dish on toast medallions – top with some truffle shavings and off it goes to the pass. Four top complete. Move on to the next order.

You wipe your brow, take a drink of water and start with fresh pans. The orders keep coming. Now the expeditor is in control of your world. He tells you what to start, what to finish, and what to plate. Every few moments you ask for an “all day” (a review of what should be working on your station), and back to it. No time to chat with others – an occasional look or nod is enough of a signal. Plates are flying now – you turn to plate up an item and the dish is there ready with accompaniments. Only one re-fire so far (you hate that, but try to push it out of your mind).

For the next three hours – this is the frantic pace of the line. Those 180 minutes go by in a flash. You stay on top of your station cleanliness and are relieved to see that your mise en place is holding up. A few little finger burns from hot pan-handles, nothing you can’t work through, and one dropped item to replace – not bad. You haven’t screwed up any orders or messed up your teammates thus far. You are now working like a well-oiled machine. Your brain works through processes, your palate is fine tuned, and there is real economy of motion in the steps that you take.

When 9 p.m. rolls around – the board is almost clear. Just a couple deuces to finish up and that inevitable table that arrives 15 minutes before closing, but you breathe out knowing that you made it through another night.

Painted in Waterlogue

By 10:30, it’s all over. You breakdown your station, scrub your area, chill sauces, label and date items, make out your prep list for tomorrow and a friendly note to the morning prep cook. The sous chef points his finger and gives you a “thumbs up”. The mental and emotional stress is over – the physical pains will take a few hours to come to the surface, but you know they are there. Hey, it’s good pain – an honest days work. The heat, sweat, and hard effort feel OK. This is what you do, and this is how it is suppose to feel.

Tomorrow is another day.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

WORK HARD, SWEAT A LOT, AND SMILE WHEN IT IS OVER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

WHEN A COOK IS TRULY IN THE ZONE

23 Thursday Jan 2020

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chefs, cooks, in the zone, kitchen, line cooks, restaurant kitchens

cooks

In the zone is a phrase commonly used to describe a musician, athlete, or even a cook who experiences an “everything going right” situation, and when the person, or persons, involved are totally focused on the task at hand– but, being fully in the zone is really so much more.

When a musician is in the zone – he or she becomes one with the instrument – feeling, sensing, and intellectually connected as the instrument becomes an extension of who that person is. The audience can see and hear this phenomenon as real magic occurs. I have witnessed this with some incredible musical talent: Stanley Jordan, the incredible jazz guitar genius can close his eyes, block out all that is around him, and offer his uniquely original style of plucking with both hands and expressing through his instrument what he is feeling inside. Aurelien Pontier, a world-class French pianist finds his heart, soul, and fingers in total sync as he perfectly executes all of the nuances of a Rachmaninov piano concerto – some of the most difficult music to feel and play. And, the late Al Jareau could seem to drift off the stage while every inch of his being was engaged with scat vocal interpretations of jazz instruments. These great musicians were able to float into the zone and release more than music; they were facilitators of a musical experience.

Michael Jordan defied gravity when he was in the zone; Steve Kerr made it seem as if hitting three-point shots was inevitable; Simone Beal tumbled through the air and stuck a perfect landing as if the mat, bench, or parallel bars were simply there to accent her perfection; and Joe Montana and Jerry Rice were in such sync that no defensive player was ever able to disrupt another touchdown. These athletes were able to switch on their relationship with the zone, at will.

Every line cook and chef has experienced those nights when things go right. Timing is perfect, plates are beautiful, food is prepared as it should be, and service staff appears the moment that plates are put in the pass. To all of us who have been there – this would seem to describe a “zone” event. But that out-of-world experience that truly defines being in the zone requires much more. A cook in the zone feels the joy of a perfect palate for seasoning, the ability to hear, see, and smell when an item is perfectly done, all other line personnel are able to sense what needs to be done next without being told or asked, the plate is ready to receive an item from the grill before the line cook needs to request it, and a simple nod or cursory eye contact from the chef or expeditor is enough to signal what must be done next. Being in the zone is a total sensual experience, and intellectual connection, an emotional alignment, and a physical melding of activity that is a fluid and tight as a perfectly synchronized symphonic orchestra. The experience is rarely planned or anticipated; yet without organization, skill, planning, and confidence it will never happen.

Have you been there? The planets are aligned – those orders clicking off the POS seem to suddenly move in slow motion. Every nuance of understanding is there as the cook assimilates what the expeditor calls off, organizes those orders in his or her head, and begins the structured process of starting a sear, deglazing a pan, reducing a pan sauce, and grabbing pans that are at the ready and hot so that the process is not delayed. You taste, season, and taste and your flavor memory bank kicks into motion as adjustments are made to each pan making sure that the end result is a consistent product. Plates are meticulously assembled so that they look exactly like that picture in the cook’s mind and when the chef calls fire and pick-up, those pans are returned to the stove for finishing and assembled plates are slide into the pass where the expeditor adds an herb garnish and wipes the plates edge. It all seems so easy tonight, so natural, and so much in sync with everything and everyone. Have you been there?

Are you in the zone – really? If you are – is it good luck or something else? So, how does a cook or chef set the stage for “in the zone” experiences? Here are some essential elements:

[] SKILL MASTERY

It would be impossible to experience the scenario portrayed without having mastered those foundational skills that are part of a cook’s bag of tricks. Superior knife skills, a full understanding of all the cooking methods, flavor memory, impeccably tight mise en place, time management, and a deep understanding of each ingredient, its flavor profile and how it acts and reacts under certain conditions and in combination with other ingredients. Being in the zone is no accident.

[] ORGANIZATION

Take a moment to observe an excellent cook’s station. It is precise, always clean, perfectly spaced, and always so even during the busiest time of service. Don’t mess with a cook’s station – it is exactly how he or she needs and wants it. The cook can point to everything in that station – blindfolded. Back-ups are ample and are labeled and easy to access. Towels are folded a certain way, every plate is checked for cleanliness, water spots, chips and cracks. Nothing is left to chance.

[] TEAM DYNAMICS

When zone work is realized it is because every member of the team knows his or her job and is equally prepared, and every member of the team also knows every other station and can step in at any time and function with the same level of efficiency and passion as the person who typically owns it. It’s all about team.

[] PRACTICE COMMUNICATION

Just as best friends, brothers and sisters, spouses and significant others know what the other is thinking or about to do, so too must team members on the line have the ability to anticipate the action of others, use verbal and non-verbal communication techniques, and function, as a result, as one cohesive unit. Have you been there?

Painted in Waterlogue

[] RESPECT

Respect and Trust are one and the same when it comes to preparing for “in the zone” work. When the magic happens it is because every member of the team is aware of strengths and weaknesses of others and respects what can be done and what needs to be done to make sure actions are seamless. Respect must be earned daily on these teams and it is easy to see that the last thing that a cook would ever do is to allow that trust to wane. Have you been there?

[] PRACTICE

If you are waiting for luck to create those beautifully orchestrated service events – you will be waiting a long time. Whether it is a sports team, a band or orchestra, a military platoon, or line team in a restaurant – practice does make perfect. Every service is another opportunity to fine tune, to discuss those things that are not yet right, and practice ways to bring them there. Individuals or teams that are “in the zone” got there through meticulous practice.

travis

[] UNDERSTANDING

Michael Jordan knew everything about the ball, the court, the game, and his competition. He understood how to approach a game. Aurelien Pontier became Rachmaninov when he sat at the piano to play one of his compositions, he understands muscle memory, how to accent a certain phrase in a piece, how high to lift his hands, and how strong or soft to lay his fingers on the keys. A great cook must understand everything about the menu, the ingredients, the cooking process, the flavor profile, the history and traditions behind the design of a dish, colors and textures, and even how to lay out a plate to emphasize its uniqueness. True understanding is behind every “in the zone” experience.

If you have truly been in the zone, then you understand the depth of satisfaction that comes from control over that experience. When you are ready then that experience can be predicted and expected. When others are able to witness this in the works then the chaos of the kitchen seems to flow like a well-orchestrated piece of music, or a perfect game. Great teams can somehow make it look easy, but in reality it is nothing more than great planning, meticulous work, loads of practice, and un-compromised levels of confidence in this process.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Prepare yourself for the ZONE

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

Aurelien Pontier plays Rachmaninov

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMkfIx5Hy4Y

Stanley Jordan plays Eleanor Rigby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4M22XWM2qbo

Al Jareau sings Step-by-Step

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AA1C-_OfQY

When Air Jordan was born

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mny1kAxF2zQ

Simone Beal on the balance beam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7LzYjEsu-w

Montana to Rice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH4_zSPB7XQ

The dance at a Michelin starred restaurant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0yisRiLwGA

HERDING CATS – THE MAKEUP OF A KITCHEN LINE

03 Friday Jan 2020

Posted by culinarycuesblog in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooks, kitchen team, line cooks

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Chemistry is by far, the most important ingredient in building a successful kitchen team. When a chef is able to bring a group of seemingly opposing forces together into a functional, well-orchestrated team then great things happen. This, however, is no easy task given the different dynamics that exist among the players.

Kitchens tend to be extraordinary melting pots that attract a wide array of characters who, despite their differences, seem to rally around a few common traits: they like food, they are somewhat competitive, they enjoy the adrenaline rush, and they are a pretty proud group.

So, in giving some thought to the different types of individuals who stumble or rush head first into a kitchen career, I came up with ten categories of cook types (you may have a few others to add on your own) – see where you fit.

PIRATES

Ah…the kitchen pirate. These are seasoned veterans of the line with all the battle scars to prove it. They have fantastic stories to tell (some of them might even be true). The pirate is crusty, seemingly uncaring about anyone who doesn’t tie on an apron, impatient with others, and always ready to walk out if things start to go sideways. On the other hand – these are the battle veterans who can pull you out of a jam when the team would otherwise crash and burn. They probably won’t stay with you very long, but they will make their mark while they are with you. They have likely worked at nearly every busy restaurant in the area and are known to all.

MYSTERIOUS UNKNOWNS

Most cooks are pretty transparent – they tell you more than you really want to know about their past, present, and future; who they like and why, and who is not on their Christmas Card list. The mysterious unknown is different. They are quiet and reserved, no one in the restaurant seems to have a clue about them and as a result there is no shortage of illicit theories of shady pasts, possible criminal records, and worries about when they might snap. Ironically, they are usually there when they need to be, prepped and ready, and consistent in their work – so, we gladly hire them (whomever they might really be).

CULINARY CAREERISTS

Usually, a recent graduate or a current school intern with starched white uniforms, polished shoes, and perfectly sharpened knives. They want to do the right thing and are quick to tell more seasoned cooks how to “do the work properly.” What they know is untested, and speed is typically not their forte. They have lots of books, know all the hot chefs, have a well thought out career path, and want to be the star. Typically, the more seasoned staff will find ways to temper their unbridled enthusiasm, prod them when they get behind, and even try to get them to stumble and become humble. They mean well, they just don’t know any better. They will learn from their mistakes and unless they lose that enthusiasm along the way – will probably reach the position of chef some day (it just doesn’t seem like that is possible right now).

DEPENDABLE LONERS

Always at work on time and ready to go, always properly prepped, and always on top of presentations – the dependable loner is an important part of every team. When another cook calls out sick – the chef knows that he or she can call in the loner to cover a shift. They do not socialize with the rest of the group, they rarely engage in conversation, they never have a joke to share – but they do their work, and do it well. Who knows what ghosts are in their closet.

ANNOYING PERFECTIONISTS

Obsessive/compulsive cooks seem to find their way into every kitchen where I have worked. They are usually great cooks, and very dependable. Their base of knowledge is typically better than most, and their execution is flawless. Their methods evolve around very structured approaches to the work, an exactness that they try and impose on others, and obsessive behavior that works in strange ways. Their mise en place is precise and they will correct everyone else’s if given the chance. When they see something out of place they can become distraught and even unraveled. If that towel isn’t folded just so, the knife placed in the right location each time, the handles on pans pointed in a particular direction, or plates assembled precisely each time – they can become abusive to others or at least to themselves. They are a strange lot, but in some respects – the standard bearer for others.

THE CHEF’S PET

Occasionally, “yes chef” goes beyond a simple communication that everyone understands, and a sign of respect for the position – sometimes “yes chef” comes from that individual always seeking extra attention from the chef and being needy for recognition. Cooks deal with them, but roll their eyes.

SIMPLY CONTENT TYPE “B”

The simply content are just solid cooks. They know their work, they can do much of it without even breaking a sweat, they are astute technicians, and they are always there when scheduled. Type B’s have the ability to work their shift, immediately decompress from the chaotic adrenaline rush of a busy restaurant, and forget about the job until they tie on an apron tomorrow. They have little interest in hanging around to laugh about a good service, have no interest in working an extra shift, and have little to no desire to move up the kitchen career ladder. They just want to do their job well, receive a paycheck, and go home.

IN NEED OF ANGER MANAGEMENT

You know them – every restaurant has at least one. The cook in need of anger management walks into the kitchen with a black cloud above his or her head. Their eyes are steely and cutting, the frowns are pronounced, and the aura around them says: “don’t mess with me today.” After a while other cooks, and even chefs tend to just avoid them and hope that they can get through another shift without an incident. The black cloud cook can grate at the chemistry that holds a team together and create negative work environments for others. Even if they are very good at their job – this type of cook may need to go for the good of the team.

EVERYBODY’S CHEERLEADER

Then there is the person who tries to be the sunshine in everyone’s day (sometimes successfully). The cheerleader enters the kitchen with a smile and a good word, looks for every opportunity to give a high five or a fist bump, complements others for quality work, and gets excited when the team tops another record for covers served, or check averages beat. When things get tough, the team looks to the cheerleader for a little encouragement.

DEEPLY PARANOID

The conspiracy theorists are alive and well. Whatever the reason is for a change, they are uncomfortable with the methods used and leery of anyone who makes a decision. When someone pays them a complement, their reaction is: “why are you complementing me?” They are always looking over their shoulder for someone to find fault or something to go wrong. They look at every successful night as one more where they didn’t face disaster.

Ironically, this is what I have always enjoyed the most about working in kitchens. The chance to work with, and find common ground with all of this diversity is fun and invigorating. On the surface it may appear that synergy is impossible, yet with common goals and a chef who understands the complexity – chaos can turn into harmony.

What kind of cook are you?

**By the way, if you are one of those cooks enrolled in a culinary program and wondering what course will be of greatest benefit to your career – try psychology and sociology.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

A COOK’S ANXIETY – A MOMENT IN TIME

08 Friday Nov 2019

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER
Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

LINE COOKS ARE THE STUDIO MUSICIANS OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS

02 Wednesday Oct 2019

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chefs, cooks, line cooks, line cooks and musicians, restaurant work

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When we listen to a catchy song by Steely Dan we think of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen – the founding members of this iconic group. Yet, Bernard Purdie probably played that laid-back rhythm that defines their songs on drums. Purdie, a studio musician, was responsible for the Purdie shuffle that made hits of dozens of songs by well-known groups over the years. Or maybe you were entranced by the tight guitar riffs on albums like Countdown to Ecstasy or The Royal Scam. There is a good chance that they came from the guitar of Jeff “Skunk” Baxter who sat in with a handful of bands in the 70’s and 80’s. That driving drum phrasing on Steve Miller Band albums like Fly Like and Eagle, and the brush work on Van Morrison’s Moondance – was from Gary Mallaber who toured with these groups, and others for a time, but made a career as a studio – sit in. Billy Preston played keyboards for the Stones and the Beatles, Tower of Power horn section was behind many of the iconic songs by the Band, and Nicki Hopkins was every bands keyboardist of choice for a few decades. All of these incredible musicians were not in the limelight – they rarely took bows on the stage, and only received cursory recognition on the albums that they helped to define – yet, their role in creating lasting songs is unquestionable.

Now think about the role of these studio talents and apply the concept to successful restaurants. It is the chef, after all, who makes the newspapers and magazines, receives the applause from happy customers in the dining room, is respected and feared by all who knock on the kitchen door to make a sale, and is given credit for the restaurants success by managers and owners. Yet, on any given night, it is the cadre of line cooks (the restaurant industry’s version of studio musicians) who cook those meals, adjust the seasoning, and paint beautiful pictures of enticing food on Italian bone china plates.

The chef may write the songs, or design the menus, but it is the line cook who makes it happen, who pulls together the chef’s thoughts and executes a dish in a consistent manner, hundreds of times each week. The chef may step in now and again, probably expedite the flow of preparation and service, adjust plates and add a garnish, and certainly work to make sure everything is in place for the cooks to succeed, but it is the line cook’s steady hand, clear mind, fine tuned technique, and well-educated palate that brings everything to fruition.

Talk with the members of a successful band and they will point to the chemistry among their members as the most critical part of success. When this chemistry exists, then there is interplay, symmetry, creativity, discipline, and a common voice. We have all witnessed the magic that happens when a band is in the zone. The exact same thing happens in a restaurant when those line cook studio musicians, who have exceptional skills and timing, connect with everyone else on the line. A line comprised of those extraordinary technicians and artists who do not typically live in the lime light, will consistently impress and inspire all who witness their magic.

Some restaurant chefs make the connection and realize early on that their success is tied directly to the unified approach of those talented line cook studio musicians. When they are brought to the range and orchestrated properly then a restaurant will earn the accolades that are sure to come.

The Similarities Continue:

[] Studio Musicians are highly competent technicians who understand the foundations of organized music and can apply technique in a masterful, consistent manner. Competent line cooks are highly competent technicians who understand the foundations of organized cooking and can apply technique in a masterful, consistent manner.

[] Studio Musicians understand the importance of timing to the integrity of quality music delivery. Competent line cooks understand the importance of timing to the integrity of quality food delivery.

[] Studio Musicians are able to play a variety of musical styles, and do it very well since they never know what artist they are going to work with next. Competent line cooks are able to work with a variety of cooking styles and cuisines, and do it very well since they never know what chef they are going to work for next.

[] Studio Musicians are extremely well organized and know that every tool they use has a place and must be in its place for seamlessly great music to result. Just look at how a drummer sets up his or her kit or a keyboardist arranges the various pieces of equipment to be used in a performance. Competent line cooks are extremely well organized (mise en place) and know that every tool they use has a place and must be in its place for seamlessly great food to result.

[] Studio Musicians understand what is behind the music – the cultural influences, the feelings of the writer, the environmental conditions that were present when the music was first played, and the anticipation of the listener. It is this understanding that allows the musician to feel the music and portray it as it was intended. Competent line cooks understand what is behind the food – the care that the farmer places in growing ingredients, the feelings of the menu planner, the environmental conditions and ethnic influences that fed the original preparation of a dish, and the anticipation of the diner. It is this understanding that allows the cook to feel the preparation and portray a dish as it was intended.

[] Studio Musicians know their place and can tow the line when it comes to following the directives of the songwriter or prominent musician in a group, but have the ability to add their unique signature to any piece of music if the opportunity arises. This is one of the primary reasons why bands in the 1960’s and 70’s hired Nicki Hopkins to play keyboards on their records. He could fill the subservient role, but just as easily take on a lead part in defining a piece of music. Competent line cooks know their place and can tow the line when it comes to following the directives of the chef, but have the ability to add their unique signature to any dish if the opportunity arises.

Show appreciation for the skill, confidence, and chemistry that line cooks provide. It is their ability to “sit in” that helps a restaurant cross the bridge from good to great. A chef is only as good as the team of studio musician line cooks that stand firmly behind him or her and perform exceptionally well, day in, and day out.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

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

23 Friday Aug 2019

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

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

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

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

-Miles David

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

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

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

-Miles Davis

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

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

tony and I

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

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

[] BODY

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

[] MIND

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

Painted in Waterlogue

[] SOUL

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

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

-Norbert Juma

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

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

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

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

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

-Jamie Cullum

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Be a Cook Connected with Body, Mind and Soul

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericaventures.com

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

WALK A MILE IN A RESTAURANT WORKER’S SHOES – PART ONE

05 Friday Jul 2019

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dishwashers, kitchen unsung heros, kitchens, line cooks, prep cooks, restaurant work

rest 2

Sure – every person’s job can be challenging at times and the good, the bad, and the ugly is a fair way to describe nearly every career choice, but looking in from the outside rarely gives and outsider a realistic view of another person’s challenges. As a whole – restaurant work is difficult. At times restaurant work can be discouraging and heartbreaking, while other times many would agree that it’s the best job on the planet.

It is unfortunate that some people who lack an understanding of “what it takes” may view what we do with a shrug of the shoulders and even a demeaning thought, but it is even more disheartening when those who work in the field cast a word or thought of distain or even contempt for others who share similar space within the restaurants walls. Thus, I feel that it is important to paint a more accurate picture of each person’s job, the skills required, and the challenges faced.

PART ONE:
LINE COOKS, PREP COOKS, AND PEARL DIVERS:

The kitchen hierarchy was established long ago based on the military model of rank and responsibility. The lower the rank, the lower the level of respect. A private is an entry-level person who gets his or her feet wet by doing the tasks that no one else cares to do. In the chain of command, the private is looked upon as a lower skilled individual who is an easy target for anyone with even the smallest amount of additional seniority or rank. This is the space occupied by the dishwasher in most kitchens, making he or she the brunt of nearly everyone’s poor attitudes and lack of respect. Yet, isn’t it interesting that when a dishwasher fails to show up for work – the kitchen seems to be in disarray? Here are some “walk in my shoes” reflections from a typical dishwasher:

second cook

“My job is a dirty, thankless one that places me on the bottom of the restaurant pecking order. Everyone thinks they can do my job better than I can; yet no one really wants to take it on. I work in an environment that is just as hot as working on the line with the addition of serious humidity. I work in everyone’s dumping ground and all of that talk about mise en place seems to not apply when they avoid scraping or properly stacking pots, pans and dishes. Line cooks may help each other out, but they rarely grab a stack of clean plates and move them to their home.

The incredible camaraderie of the kitchen ends when it comes to the dishpit. You never see the dishwasher invited to grab a beer after work with the team. In fact, I can usually walk into work and never hear a hello or receive a high five for a job well done. Most will never view my job as important to the guest dining experience, but try serving your beautiful food on a plate that doesn’t sparkle, or pouring that $100 bottle of wine in a glass with water spots. There isn’t (or least it doesn’t feel that way) any real respect for what I do and yet you scratch your head and wonder why there is so much turnover in the dish area of a kitchen. Keep in mind – given the opportunity, most dishwashers would enjoy learning something about food, moving into prep some day, or even building the skills necessary to work the line at breakfast or lunch and beyond. Dishwashers are your next generation of cooks waiting to be trained. Oh, and by the way – we are responsible for one of the most expensive pieces of equipment in the kitchen and one of the most valuable inventories (china, glasses, flatware).”

PREP COOKS:

Prep cooks, for some reason, lack the sparkle of admiration for their work – yet, in many cases they are involved in more serious cooking than the most proficient line cook. The breadth of knowledge required to be an exceptional prep cook is nearly as expansive as that of the sous chef or chef. Prep cooks are the ones who make it possible for line cooks to shine, and as such, should be revered by the line as their best support team. Yet, far too many restaurants fail to give real credit to the prep cook and his or her skill set. Her are some “walk in my shoes” reflections from a typical prep cook:

Kris

“I show up to work each day – maybe sometime close to the arrival of the breakfast cook. I pull down my prep list clipboard and shake my head at the breadth of work, and mind-numbing quantity of mise en place. I set-up my cutting board, prepare a sani-bucket for cleaning, sharpen my knives and get to work. Sometimes I even impress myself with the knife skills that I have mastered. I challenge any line cook to beat my accuracy and speed. I look at the list and prioritize my work based on the effort and time required of each task. Browning bones and caramelizing mirepoix for stock (need to start this early on), trimming shanks and short ribs, and searing and starting the braise that will take most of the day to prepare; cutting, portioning, and trimming steaks for the line; fabricating whole fish for fillets and saving the bones from whitefish for a fumet; preparing tonight’s soup du jour, and making numerous salad dressings; trimming and blanching vegetables; turning potatoes; preparing prime ribs for roasting; making popovers and au jus for accompaniments; peeling and deveining shrimp; pushing pommes frites through the grid; and clarifying butter for the sauté cook – oh, and receiving deliveries, rotating stock, dating and labeling everything, and checking orders for quality and quantity. This is my typical day.

LINE COOK:

As a line cook you receive much of the glory – yours is the position that everyone loves to watch. You swagger in at 2:00 for your intense display of symmetry and grace, but it is my work that makes your moment of glory possible. How often do you take the time to thank us, give a thumb’s up, reflect on the skills that prep cooks have, and marvel at how much we get done? How often do you simply complain that it wasn’t enough, or you could have done it better? You probably could do our job, but it would mean that your adrenaline rush would be put aside, your swagger would be diminished, and your self-described status in the kitchen might suffer. I respect your organization, speed, fine-tuned palate, and artistic plate presentations, but know that without us, you would never shine as bright.”

cooks

Early in the afternoon, line cooks arrive. These are the visual rock stars of the kitchen – the cooks who have the opportunity to finish menu items, show their artistic skills with beautiful plate presentations, and fine tune seasoning to meet the expectations of the chef. They often times have better tools than anyone else, talk the language of the kitchen, and enjoy the dynamic of teamwork leading to victory every night. Sounds like a great gig – but what you see is not always rosy.

“Why does every guest think that the chef does the cooking? Customers are in awe of the chef in his or her pristine whites walk through the dining room, talk with tables about the menu, and offer a suggestion for a complementary wine or a great dessert. For some reason, they envision this same person putting together each plate for a bustling dining room. Hey, I’m the one who executes the chef’s ideas, I’m the one with the fine tuned palate that knows how to bring out flavor, and I’m the one who put that work on art on the plate. The chef might wipe the rim of the plate and add a fresh herb as it leaves the kitchen – but, in reality, it’s all me.

Things may seem calm in the dining room, but in the kitchen we work in a pressure cooker of time, heat, cadence, flames, sharp objects and a fragile symmetry that could go off track at any moment. The sound that the POS printer makes is like water torture with each drip driving deeper into our skull. No one else in the kitchen feels the looming fear of the unknown (which station will get pounded tonight, when will the dining room fill up and flood us with orders, how long will my mise en place last, how many orders can I keep organized before I lose it?). If something goes wrong – we get the blame – not the prep cooks, not the servers, sometimes not even the chef. All fingers point to us. Have you ever lost control of your situation – you know, that point when you become the deer in the headlights without any clear idea of where you are and what you are doing? Well, I have felt that way many times and it’s not a comfortable place to be. When it works, the job is invigorating, exciting, dynamic, and fun. When it goes sideways, this is a soul-crushing job. Walk in my shoes.”

You bet – your job is challenging and I certainly would admit that I could not do what you do, at least not at the same level, but before you point fingers and chastise my role in the dining experience – walk a mile in my shoes.

The next article will focus on service staff and restaurant management – walk a mile in their shoes.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

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A LINE COOK’S VIEW OF SUMMER MONTHS

11 Saturday May 2019

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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

WHEN LINE COOKS ARE IN THE ZONE

15 Thursday Nov 2018

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Painted in Waterlogue

On November 16, 1962 Wilt Chamberlain – center for the Warriors, scored 73 points against the New York Knicks and 78 points in 1961 against the Lakers. But, it was the Warriors game against the Knicks earlier in 1962 that stands out above all others. Chamberlain scored 100 individual points cementing a win – he was in the zone. Tiger Woods was able to turn off the distractions that surrounded him on numerous occasions during his prime and make drives, chip shots, and putts that made everyone else scratch their heads – he was able to place himself in the zone at will.

Actors become one with the person or situation they are presented with and as such are able to push aside their own reality and assume the character of another. Writers occasionally find that the ideas and words are effortless and musicians frequently play with a dynamic that seems otherworldly. In a critical playoff game during the early 1990’s, the Buffalo Bills were behind by 30 some odd points at halftime. They returned to the field “on fire” where everything went right and it seemed that nothing could go wrong. They won the game and went down in the records as the greatest comeback of all time. Tom Brady has demonstrated time and again that he can turn on a supernatural performance almost at any point. Teams know that a lead is never secure if Brady has even a few minutes left to pull out a win. In all cases these individuals and teams were truly in the zone.

So what does this mean and how does it happen. Psychologists have referred to this as the “optimal performance state” – a time and place where individuals or even teams are totally immersed in a performance, totally in control, focused and confident, and able to even lose awareness of time in the process. Their mental and physical being is in total sync.

When we watch these occurrences we are likely taken aback, wondering what might be going on, scratching our heads in total awe of the situation at hand. It is hard to fathom, difficult to explain, but crazy fun to watch.

Those of us who have been part of the pleasure and pain of working the line in a busy restaurant, or one of those impossible large catered events of a few thousand guests know that these miraculous “zone” events can and do take place. Those times when orders are flying off the printer at breakneck speed, the expeditor is barking out orders in rapid succession, pans are flying on and off the flat top, steaks and the flames they create are lapping around the arms of a grill cook, and a seamless progression of finished plates are slid on to the pass while rims are wiped clean and servers arrive at just the right moment. Everyone is in sync, the work seems effortless, and line cooks are laser focused on what is right in from of them.

From the moment that the rush begins until a few hours of relentless cooking and plating occur and end, the cooks and servers are 100 percent with it – confident, skilled, and in control. We have all been there, we have all felt the adrenaline rush, and we have all ended those few hours of synchronicity wondering where the time went. Everything seemed to happen in a flash.

Like any athlete who has been in the zone we have also felt the endorphins that push our hearts to beat faster, allow our vision to be acutely focused, calm our nerves, provide that necessary rush of energy, and give us the chance to push everything else out of our mind and vision so that we can perform at a level that didn’t seem possible a few hours before. We have also known how hard it is to turn that energy level off at the end of service and even more difficult to try and recreate that zone performance the next day.

So, are these events simply an anomaly or can we set the stage for zone performance on a more regular basis? Although the planets may not always align (pace of orders, specific foods ordered, everyone in the right state of mind), there are some key elements that can set the stage for otherworldly performance. Successful athletes, talented musicians, accomplished writers, and excellent cooks and chefs share in the same preparation techniques:

[] SKILL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PRACTICE:

Michael Jordan shot 100 free throws just before every game, Tiger Woods played at least 18 holes of golf almost every day, Tom Brady is meticulous at studying film from other teams and other games, James Patterson writes constantly, and great cooks are always working on improving their skills through practice and repetition. The confidence that you can do the impossible comes from skill competence and practice.

[] HONEST SELF-CRITIQUE:

The most important critique that exceptional players and cooks receive is the one that they generate themselves. BE YOUR OWN WORST CRITIC! Athletes review film of their previous performance so that they can improve, even if just a little bit, every time they hit the field, the course, or the court. Artists look critically at their own work so that the next painting, piece of music, or article is a step ahead. Take those few minutes at the end of each service in the kitchen to jot down the things that could have gone better and how you intend to improve upon them tomorrow.

[] PHYSICAL CONDITIONING:

Cooking is a physical, emotional, and mental contact sport. We are no different than a professional athlete who understands that in order to perform at peak level, he or she must stay in great physical shape. Eat right, exercise, get enough sleep, and visit your doctor even when you don’t think it is necessary. When you take care of yourself you feel better. When you feel better you perform better.

[] MENTAL CONDITIONING:

Do things to exercise your brain – to teach your brain to push aside distractions and stay focused. Read, spend time in the woods, go for hikes, ride a bike, or simply add a mile walk to your daily routine. If you can’t push aside those things around you – performance will be challenging.

[] AWARENESS:

Play some “what if” scenarios through your head. What could go wrong if this or that occurs? Watch those workers who surround you and become aware of their own state of mind, and how well they have prepared for service. Have some solutions to inevitable problems that might arise – don’t be caught off guard – have your backup plans.

[] UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAM:

As much as being in the zone is an individual phenomena, chances are less likely that it will occur without the help of others. Everything is important, everyone is important. There is little doubt that a football team can’t win without a zoned in game plan. Tiger Woods may seem to be totally in control, but he depends significantly on his caddy for guidance. Michael Jordan always depended on a team members screen, a great pass from Scotty Pippen, or the opportunity to pass himself to Steve Kerr. Being in the zone is a team effort.

[] MISE EN PLACE:

Every cook understands that everything else may be critical, but unless you are prepped for crazy business, you will always fall short. Cooks also realize that if your mise en place is really tight you can handle just about any amount of business. This can never be over-emphasized.

[] CONFIDENCE AND PATIENCE:

When a quarterback feels that he can pull the game out at the last minute then the rest of the team feels confident in the same. When a musician feels that as the band works through those opening songs then the energy of the concert will lead them to a memorable performance. If confidence is lost, if doom and gloom sets in because the clock is ticking, then goals will never be achieved.

BEING IN THE ZONE:

“It was almost as if we were playing in slow motion. During those spells I could almost sense how the next play would develop and where the next shot would be taken.”

-Bill Russell – the Boston Celtics

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

THE LINE COOK COUNTERCULTURE

28 Sunday Oct 2018

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From that first job as a dishwasher in 1966 when I was 16 years old – I knew I was part of something interesting. Who knows what struck a chord – it might have been the pace, the banter between employees, the time spent helping out the breakfast cook during a rush, or even the young college girls who worked as servers – but there was something that made me think that this was work that I was going to enjoy. Working in restaurants remained a part of my life for the next fifty years, but initially it never occurred to me that the job, as enjoyable as it was, was part of anything larger than my interaction with the people where I happened to tie on an apron.

Somewhere along the way this changed. There must have been a moment when I realized that I was a part of the population who knew the positive and negative aspects of kitchen work and who felt compelled to stand tall and proclaim their connection to all whom would listen. The job became a career, and with that career came a connection to a somewhat underground population of folks who worked through the heat, the burns, the cuts, the heavy knees and swollen feet, the abusive nature of some egotistical chefs and owners, people who felt the stress associated with the unpredictable onslaught of orders every day, and that feeling of winning and losing that accompanied a typical week behind the range. I never stopped to think about it, but I had joined a special club – maybe more than a club – this was as significant as ethnicity – a family that went beyond the place where I worked – it extended to anyone and everyone who worked in nearly any type of restaurant. We were one.

I’m not sure exactly when it went to the next level – maybe it was Anthony Bourdain with his tell-all book: “Kitchen Confidential”, or maybe that was just the most vivid example. At some point working in a kitchen was an application to a counter-culture, not too dissimilar to that counter-culture of people in the 1960’s who separated themselves from the norm, felt compelled to express themselves in dramatic ways, and who knew they were part of something bigger than one – they were a movement.

Cooks and other restaurant employees are different. They look, act, feel, and talk differently than many other groups in society, and they are proud of it. They are unified in their difference, they tend to look at the unrealistic demands on their time, the physical nature of the work, and the strain on emotions as martyrdom – something that they hold as a badge of courage even though they might complain about how it impacts their lives.

Here are some aspects of this counterculture that cooks now own, relish, and love to hate all at the same time:

[] SELF-EXPRESSION:

There are many ways that line cooks tend to express themselves today. Some are subtle while others are straightforward. It is hard to find a cook today without multiple tattoos. These are, from my experience, forms of self-expression and in most cases the choice of tattoo tells a story about the cook. It might be detailed ink depicting knives and other tools of the trade, specific ingredients, depictions of demon dreams, or not so subtle logos of brands. In all cases, it seems like the tattoo is part of the modern kitchen culture. Aside from the physical appointments – each line cook worth a grain of salt is expressive on the plate or in the pan. Sometimes it is a signature marking on a steak, the way that their station is set, the motions of a pan in sauté mode, or how a plate is assembled – each cook thrives on finding a way to make their personal statement.

[] A SOMEWHAT UN-NATURAL LINK TO THE BRAND OF “COOK”:

Most line cooks and chefs identify with the title almost as much as to their own name. I haven’t physically worked in a kitchen since 2012, yet most people I know (even some of my family members) call me “chef”; for some reason I haven’t tried to convince people otherwise. The same is true with all who take their role in the kitchen seriously – we all like the brand – it has meaning, it exudes pride, and helps to explain some of our quirky actions and habits.

[] THE BROTHERHOOD/SISTERHOOD OF THE KITCHEN:

There is a real connection between all cooks, a connection that extends to anyone, anywhere who shares the battle scars and stories of fire, sweat, and nights when demand exceeded capacity.

[] RESPECT THROUGH PAIN:

I have mentioned this before and still I find it hard to explain, but those cuts, burns, swollen feet, and beginning stages of carpel tunnel syndrome are looked upon as a right of passage, battle scars that come with a story, things that are almost bragged about. We all have them, we all talk about them, and most of us tend to exaggerate the stories behind them. Many cooks, like me, had a special relationship with doctors and nurses in the local emergency room.

[] CONFUSION OVER “NORMAL” JOBS:

After years of working 60 or more hours per week, going sometimes weeks on end without a full day off, watching schedules change multiple times in a week, and missing out on those family holidays and special events – cooks tend to scratch their heads when trying to relate to people with “normal” jobs. The thought of working 40-hour weeks with two days off is often referred to by cooks as a part-time job.

[] ADDICTED TO ADRENALINE:

It’s all about the rush. As hard as it is to work in a busy restaurant, as nervous as every cook tends to get just before the floodgate of orders start ticking off the POS printer, and as much as self-doubt creeps into their lives with a disappointed look from the chef – when the machine starts to flip into full-gear, and that adrenaline kicks in, every cook stands tall, clicks his or her tongs, wipes his or her brow, chugs another espresso and proclaims: “bring it on”. This is what we wait for – that adrenaline rush of excitement and call to arms.

[] THE UNDERGROUND LIFE CLOCK:

Maybe more than anything else – cooks live in a world that is separate from most others outside of kitchen work. They sleep later (unless a breakfast cook), and then crawl out of bed for a waiting cup or two of coffee, shower and bound off to work. They typically work 10-12 hours a day, more often than not – 6-days per week, and find that after that peak hour adrenaline rush and continued work until closing – there is never a desire to simply call it a night. A few hours of celebration after work with fellow cooks and servers brings them to their bed well past most reasonable persons threshold. After a late night with little sleep it’s time to start all over again. The life clock of a cook is socially isolating – thus they work and hang with the same people, the only ones that there is time to meet, and the only other people they understand.

[] A MUTUAL RESPECT FOR ORDER:

Cooks learn early on that order (mise en place) is the most sacred of processes and must become the standard by which they approach everything in life. Without order there is chaos, and chaos is the ruin of any good cook. Just watch with fascination how a cook sets up his or her station – the preciseness, the symmetry, and the attention to detail.

[] A MILITARY LIKE RESPECT FOR THE CHAIN OF COMMAND:

Cooks may complain on occasion about the chef and his or her relentless level of expectation and sometimes unreasonable attacks on anything that doesn’t fit into the plan – but, they respect the chain of command, they respond with a resounding “yes chef”, and know that to entertain any other approach will lead to kitchen disasters.

[] INNATE ARTISITIC TALENT:

All cooks are frustrated artists who are always seeking ways of expression and subtle moments of approval for their work. The plate is their canvas.

[] STAGE PRESENCE – STAGE FRIGHT:

When set – the line cook is in character. He or she is ready to perform and in full control of their script. At the same time, just like actors in a play, those last few moments before the printer starts to tick off orders is filled with self-doubt, anxiousness, and near fear of what might lie ahead.

[] A RATHER STRANGE LOVE OF THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE:

This is something that outsiders learn very quickly – a cook’s knives are the most sacred possession to them. They treat them with respect, care for them, keep them sharp and ready, gingerly place them in their roll bag, and always keep them close to their side. Anyone who makes even the slightest attempt to touch them without permission or use them inappropriately will witness the wrath of the cook.

[] A CRUSTY EXTERIOR WITH A FRAGILE INTERIOR:

Every cook has a crusty exterior persona. Sometimes they bark with contempt when someone messes with their system, and oftentimes he or she expresses himself or herself with colorful language in the process. Those who know these cooks usually realizes that this is a façade and underneath the cook is a warm, and oftentimes fragile being looking for approval and harder on themselves than any outsider might attempt to be.

This is who cooks are– unique persons who are members of the kitchen counterculture that only they can truly understand and appreciate.

“Our confused society badly needs a community of contrast, a counterculture of ordinary pilgrims who insist living a different way. Unlike popular culture, we will lavish attention on the least deserving in direct opposition to our celebrity culture’s emphasis on success, wealth, and beauty.”

-Phillip Yancey

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Respect the Counterculture

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericaventures.com

DAY ONE IN THE KITCHEN – WHAT TO EXPECT

13 Wednesday Jun 2018

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line cooks

Starting a new job is always un-nerving – even more so in a kitchen where production is expected, even on day one. Whether you are totally green and walking into a kitchen environment for the first time, transitioning from culinary school to a live kitchen environment, or simply moving as a cook from one restaurant to another – the first few days can be tough. How do we prepare for these challenging few days of acclimation?

Here are some suggestions that are universally important whether you are starting in a diner, family restaurant, fast food operation or fine dining establishment.

[] GET THE LAY OF THE LAND

It is your responsibility as a cook to find our where and how items are stored, how the equipment works, who to go to for specific needs, how needs are relayed to the person responsible, and the general system of operation that a kitchen relies on day in and day out. This doesn’t mean that you can’t ask questions, but your learning curve should be quick. After a day or two the last thing in the world you should do is ask the sous chef or chef where they store the butter or fresh herbs.

[] UNNECESSARY QUESTIONS ARE NOT WELCOME

There is a commonly used adage that “no question is a dumb question”. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Any question that could be figured out independently by the person asking, any question that contains the obvious answer in its context, and any question that has already been answered before is a dumb question. Take notes! “Chef – do you want those chiffonade vegetables cut the way you showed me yesterday?” Now that’s a dumb question. “Chef, since I have 100 chicken breasts to prepare for service do they still need to be caramelized first?” – no comment.

[] PERSONAL TOOLS ARE VERY PERSONAL

This still remains one of the most important rules in the kitchen to learn – a cook or chef’s personal tools are his or her personal tools. These tools allow that cook to perform at a certain level, they have history, they are an investment, they are cared for and sharpened with a passion typically reserved for relationships with people – DON’T TOUCH THEM, DON’T LET OTHERS TOUCH THEM, DON’T EVEN ASK – STAY AWAY! If you touch another cook’s tools you will encounter the rage of a person who acts as if you inappropriately touched a friend or partner. Respect other’s tools.

[] IT’S ALL ABOUT MISE EN PLACE

Others in the kitchen will judge you on how organized you are, how set your station is, and how well thought out your work system might be. Everyone in the kitchen knows that mise en place is the foundation for success and those who are not organized, not ready – will bring down the rest of the group.

[] CLEAN AS YOU GO

Efficient cooks work clean. You can look at a cook’s station and know immediately if they are capable of handling a busy, stressful night. Good cooks work clean and they take pride in this fact. Whenever there is a spare minute, a good cook is tidying up their station, washing down counters, sanitizing tools, refolding aprons, and taking a visual inventory of their set-up. This is how efficient cooks roll and how they maintains calm during the busiest times of a service shift.

[] WASTED MOVEMENT WEARS THIN ON EVERYONE

Back to mise en place. The best cooks set-up their workstation so that only a pivot step is needed to reach pans, mise en place, towels, wines for reduction, plates, seasonings, and POS tickets. Wasted steps wear your out – plan to avoid them.

[] LET THEM KNOW WHERE YOU ARE

Kitchens are busy, even chaotic at times. Although people should never run, they are walking as quickly as they can. Cooks rarely walk empty handed, so as they move with determination they probably have something fragile, sharp, hot, or wet. Professional cooks always announce their presence to avoid collisions: “behind, corner, hot, heads up, lifting, or knocking when entering or leaving a walk-in cooler – all of these cures are critical steps in keeping a kitchen safe.

[] KNOW YOUR INGREDIENTS

It is the cook’s responsibility to know the ingredients he or she works with. Know what they look like, where and how they are stored, what their purpose might be, what their flavor profile is, how to determine level of freshness. Blank stares when a cook asks how to determine the difference between a top round and 109 rib, broccoli from broccolini or broccoli raahb, or cilantro from parsley are a forewarning that anger and disgust are not far behind. Study and inquire early on, but make sure that product ID becomes your new language.

[] KNOW YOUR COOKING METHODS and PROCESSES

Sure recipes are important and should be part of the control systems in an operation that help to ensure consistent costs and quality, however, it is not that difficult to memorize and consistently use cooking methods, as they should be. If you know how to braise- you can braise anything; if you know how to grill-you can grill anything; and if you know how to finish a sauce monte au beurre – then it is second nature to do so.

[] PRIORITIZE YOUR WORK

When given a series of tasks to perform – a competent cook begins by determining the time it takes for each product and/or step, and which item feeds into another preparation. Set your prep sheet up in this manner – make it a habit.

[] RESPECT EVERYONE’S SPACE

People, in any situation, require enough space to perform or feel comfortable. Those same people will fill that space in a manner that works for them. If their space is infringed on then they become less efficient and frustrated and the result is tension and less than stellar performance. When a cook identifies his or her work area then respect it and stay behind your own line of demarcation.

[] WORK FAST, BUT DON’T SACRIFICE QUALITY

One of the critical skills in a kitchen is a “sense of urgency”. There will always be too much work to accomplish in too short a period of time – it still needs to get done. The solution is to organize, prioritize, and learn to work faster. At the same time there can never be a slip in quality or acceptance of mediocre work. Cut faster; learn to multi-task, work from lists, set goals, hustle, hustle, and hustle. Nine times out of ten chefs will state that one serious shortcoming of culinary school graduates is that they don’t know how to multi-task or hustle. Act like your life depends on getting everything done.

[] LEARN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND

The kitchen chain of command (brigade) dates back to the days of Escoffier. The system developed in the 1880’s is still appropriate today. Of most importance is that cooks understand and respect the chain of command: who does what, who is responsible, who to go to in certain situations, and above all else know that in the moment: “Yes Chef” is the only answer.

[] TRUST IS EARNED – IT IS NOT A GIVEN

As a new cook keep in mind that you have yet to earn the trust of established members of the team. It may take time for this trust to occur, but it will only take a second to lose. Trust is based on how you act, perform, and respect others in the moment. Trust must be earned again, and again – every day. Without trust the kitchen comes to a standstill.

[] TAKE NOTES – REMAIN A STUDENT

Keep a small spiral notebook in your pocket. Write down what you learn every day – no mater how small – write it down. How many eggplants does it take to make parmigiana for 150 guests? How much stock does it take to make a quart of demi? How does the chef want the salmon portioned? How is that new menu feature plated? What is the shelf life of fresh round fish on ice? How did the chef determine what to charge for that feature? What does the station map for sauté look like?

[] EVERY PLACE DOES THINGS DIFFERENTLY

You should always assume that what you learned in school or on the job at another operation is a correct way of accomplishing certain tasks, however, “When In Rome – Do as The Romans Do.” A new operation, a new chef, and a new manager – these individuals have their own way of accomplishing tasks, preparing items, and plating dishes. Know that in this operation that is how it should be done. As time goes by you may be able to offer your personal ideas and experiences, and then – feel free. But today you are working in Rome.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

Also: check out my articles on the American Culinary Federation Official Blog: www.wearechefs.com

and… articles for culinary educators on the website for The Center for Advancement of Foodservice Education (CAFÉ) – Gold Medal Classroom – Think Tank

www.cafemeetingplace.com

CHEFS PLANTING SEEDS – THE RETURN OF TRAINING ON THE JOB

09 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by culinarycuesblog in Uncategorized

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Chef mentors, chefs, cooks, kitchen labor challenges, kitchen training, line cooks, restaurants

chuck and mickey

Here we are – seven or eight years into a steady economic recovery in the U.S. leading to the admirable statistic of a 3.9% unemployment rate (granted this is not qualified with regard to those who have stopped looking or those who are working at less than full time) – a figure that a decade or so ago would have far surpassed what is referred to as “full-employment” (all who want to work are doing so). Feels great America! Of course every silver lining has a bit of a crusty exterior, in this case an exterior that is making it increasingly difficult for the restaurant industry.

I know – you have heard this story played out countless times over the past couple years, but the fact remains that the challenge is still there and, in fact, growing in severity. Restaurants can’t find talented, hard-working, passionate cooks and servers. This is true from coast to coast and in every sector of the food business. In recent travels I encountered quick service restaurant concepts without order takers and menu concepts that are becoming more and more automated. This is the answer that more and more restaurant operators are turning to – if they can’t find and retain workers then it must be time to streamline and automate. Another full-service restaurant had a fairly large sign out front that proclaimed: “Looking for Awesome Employees”. Good luck with that – most restaurants are looking for anyone who might show up.

THE ROBOTIC KITCHEN – Is this where we want to be?

http://www.grubstreet.com/2018/05/video-spyce-restaurant-opens-in-boston-with-a-robot-kitchen.html

So maybe it is OK to take one more stab at a partial solution to the challenge. We all know the reasons that go beyond full employment: low pay, weak benefits, damn hard work, battlefield working conditions, lack of upward mobility, the need to truly “serve” if you want to be part of the restaurant family, and far too many managers and chefs who fail to understand how to effectively lead and manage. Yes, these are real issues that the restaurant industry must wrap its arms around and approach as a systemic issue, but isn’t there some place where the average restaurant can start in the meantime?

From 1980-2001 or so, culinary and hospitality schools were flourishing. The overhyped excitement of working in the restaurant and hotel business drew young people by the thousands to these centers for career development. Swashbuckling, starched uniformed chefs were center-stage role models for young aspiring cooks who now carried kits of Henkel knives, Birkenstock clogs, Bragard chef coats and Thomas Keller’s latest food porn cookbook to classrooms from coast to coast. This was the career of a new generation of cooks with visions of grandeur and hopes of owning their own Michelin restaurant.

For a few, this dream became a reality; for a percentage a career in food lived up to the hype, but for a significant group the reality hit when kitchen jobs failed to be quite as glamorous as they had hoped, and the pay didn’t even come close to covering the burden of hefty college debt. Fast-forward to today and it is pretty easy to assess why we are facing such a shortage of energetic, hard-working, passionate restaurant employees.

How do a chef and the restaurateur unravel this complex problem and build a cadre of cooks and service staff who share in the enthusiasm for a restaurant concept and the art of cooking great food? Maybe, just maybe, it is time to turn back the clock a bit and identify when and why things went a bit sideways.

I would dare say that the vast majority of chefs today who are over the age of 40 probably became interested in the profession because of a chef or fellow cook who inspired them on that first job. Maybe it was washing dishes, or if you were lucky – working as an assistant on the breakfast line, but surely your initial passion for a career in food came from that first experience working with an individual with admirable skills and a willingness to take you under his or her wing. This may have been your first experience with a mentor – a person with the ability and desire to commit to you and your success. This was (I know it was for me) an exhilarating feeling that even surpassed the encouragement that your parents and teachers may have provided. It didn’t always take the form of a person who patted you on the back and told you great things about your promise as a cook; in fact, it might have been the opposite. This might have been the person who rode you incessantly; a chef who never let you take a shortcut, always told you that you could do better, and always insisted that you work harder than you thought was possible. This is, after all, what true mentors do.

tony and I

The chef/mentor never let a day go by without showing you how to do more, explaining why things were done a certain way, and/or showing disappointment when you failed to live up to his or her expectations. On occasion, the chef might say – good job, but compliments were never given freely unless they were duly earned. You wouldn’t think of coming to work with a $300 French knife or any tool that was beyond your level of expertise. Tools were important, but just like position in the kitchen, they needed to be earned. On the other hand, this same chef/mentor wouldn’t allow you to step foot in the kitchen if you were not properly groomed, your uniform clean and pressed, and your shoes polished. If you wanted to be treated like a professional then your mentor would insist that you look and act like one. Maybe it’s time to look back in time and reinstate the rigor of mentorship and the honor of training.

Not everyone can afford the go to culinary school. There was a time when it was a luxury, not a right of passage. When one can’t afford the cost of tuition then the degree becomes as much of a burden as an opportunity. The chef, however, has within his or her power – the ability to teach, train, share, mentor, and demand excellence from those who have the passion but not the resources to take the college route to a career. If you can’t find the talent from outside then maybe it’s time to return to “training your own” and realize that the first and most important job of the chef is to “pass it on” and build those with desire into competent cooks with the ability to rise to a chef position in the future.

When you invest in others then you create a dynamic that far exceeds the importance of other immediate forms of compensation. Without the burden of college loans, many of those passionate young cooks might just be able to tough out those formative years before responsibility and compensation fall into line.

Here are some basic rules of mentorship that might be best served as part of the modern chef’s bag of tricks when it comes to building and keeping a team:

[] BE A BEACON OF EXCELLENCE

People may select a job for various reasons: money, location, type of work, lifestyle, flexibility, etc., but they typically leave a job because of the person they work for or the people they work with. When the chef or restaurateur defines the standards of excellence in quality of work and how others are treated then there are far fewer reasons to look for opportunities elsewhere.

[] NEVER ACCEPT MEDIOCRITY

The chef should set the standard, by example, for excellence and never waiver from that standard. Excellence is contagious and as such it will become a source of pride.

[] PUSH OTHERS TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS

Although there are certainly exceptions to the rule – many people rise to the occasion when it is assumed that expectations will always be met or exceeded. The chef should always push members of the team to constantly improve and strive for exceptional results.

[] CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT OF RIGOR

There is something truly gratifying about working hard to achieve results. Whether it is physical, mental, or emotional – when a restaurant environment is created that challenges employees to accomplish more than they felt was possible, then the bar is constantly raised. “The difficult we do right away, the impossible takes a little bit longer.”

[] DO THINGS RIGHT

Look at the truly extraordinary restaurants and you will quickly note that no matter what detail – the operation is totally focused on doing the job correctly. This is not a goal; this is simply the way that everything is approached.

[] HONE YOUR SKILLS AS A TRAINER AND A TEACHER

Once a chef understands that his or her primary job is to “pass it on” and spend the time necessary to properly train, teach, and develop employees then the operation takes on a brand new energy that can be quite intoxicating.

[] SET THE STAGE FOR TEAM

Concentrating on the individual will only go so far – the goal is to ensure that those individuals bond to form a cohesive, like-minded cohort that moves in unison, thinks collaboratively, and acts as if they are one. This happens when the chef is able and willing to create an environment of inclusion, focused excellence, self-critique, discipline, and results oriented effort. Great communication, high expectations, superb training and teaching, and active critique will help to build this environment.

This is certainly not the “one answer” to the restaurant industry’s labor challenges, but maybe it is a start. Invest in people and they will tend to invest themselves in you and your business.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

Restaurant Consulting and Training

**See other articles of interest in The American Culinary Federations Official Blog:

www.wearechefs.com

**PHOTOS: #1: Chef’s Charles Carroll and Michael Beriau (two incredible influences in my career), #2: Chef Anton Flory, CMC – my mentor

THAT’S HOW COOKS ROLL IN THE KITCHEN

27 Friday Apr 2018

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line cooks, the cooks profile

Many have written about the make-up of line cooks– what makes them tick? What is evident is that the best cooks are complicated characters, yet fairly easy to generalize. Having worked with a wide array of individuals filling the ranks of cooks I feel comfortable making some generalizations. This does not attempt to look at the many other individual character traits of each unique cook, but rather looks at the common denominators.

Standing on the line with the intense heat of a cooking battery behind them, tongs in hand, bib apron tied, pans lined up and hot, flames licking from the grates of a char-grill, and eyes zeroed in on the tickets clipped to the dupe rail – all line cooks seem to share in these common denominators.

WHEN THE DINING ROOM BEGINS TO FILL – LOOK INTO THE EYES OF THE COOK. THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL LIKELY SEE:

[] STRENGTH:

Tall, short, young or old, male or female, large or small – all line cooks have a physical strength, out of necessity, that allows them to meet the demands of the job. Cooking is a sport with all of the demands of any other physical job. Lifting, bending, reaching, stretching, being limber on their feet, and having the grip of an arm wrestler are all traits of the cook that are absolutely necessary and universally present.

[] MENTAL ACUITY:

Being “sharp as a tack” is a phrase made for the line cook. There is a multitude of tasks and processes to keep at the forefront of a look’s mind. The brain is constantly assessing, categorizing, reviewing, and making decisions based on the ability to keep everything in order. Problem solving happens countless times during a shift as a line cook moves through the demands placed on his or her ability to “think”. You can see it in a cook’s eyes, in his or her deliberate motions, and how well the hands respond to the decisions of the brain.

[] EMOTIONS IN CHECK:

Yes, line cooks may have reputation of being crusty, but in essence they are all driven by emotions. When it comes to those moments when a cook is faced with an onslaught of orders and the need to make those instantaneous decisions – he or she must be all business – the emotions are pushed aside, but remain only dormant until the end of a shift. Anger, despair, love, hate, fear, anxiety, and pity are all just a few inches below the surface. This pushing aside of emotions is not very healthy, but necessary in the moment.

[] RESILIANCE:

Cooks don’t often forget those things that bring emotions to the surface, but they are able to bounce back and allow the need for efficiency and quality work to take the lead. Resilience is a tool in every cook’s bag of tricks that can be turned on in an instant when the situation demands that they get back on their feet. This resilience, however, does dissipate in short order and can weigh heavy on a cook’s psyche.

[] A PERSON CRAVING VALIDATION:

Cooks are extremely proud people. If they view the job of cooking as a calling, then just like anyone else, they thrive on the validation of their skills by others. Whether it be the chef, owner, or guest the line cook secretly craves acknowledgement that they have done a good job. Above all else it is the nod of approval from their peers that trumps reigns supreme. Of course, cooks like to see clean plates come back from the dining room, and they certainly appreciate a pat on the back from the chef, but a “thumbs up” from a peer allows the cook to feel validated.

[] NERVOUS CONFIDENCE:

When the doors to the restaurant open and those tickets start clicking off the POS, every line cook must feel ready, they must be ready, their mise must be tight, their mental state must be on high alert, and their connection with the team surrounding them must be electric. On the surface this is the image that they want to portray, that they must portray; but underneath there is always that understanding that it won’t take much for things to go south. It is this understanding that oftentimes drives a cook to push for the right amount of prep and do what needs to be done to be “on his or her game”.

[] OBSESSIVENESS ABOUT DETAILS:

In the kitchen, especially on the line, everything is a detail that jockey’s for position as a priority. Watch line cook’s during that final 30-minutes before service to understand how they sweat the details. “Are my pans hot with handles pointing in a specific direction, are side towels folded just so, is the pinch pot of salt and pepper built from the correct proportions, are oil and wine bottles filled, is there enough chiffonade of parsley, have I hydrated enough, did I monte au beurre the sauces in the bain – everything is critical to a successful service.

[] READY FOR BATTLE:

Look back to those eyes, to the concentration, to the nerves on edge, the bounce in their step, the relentless wiping down of a station, and the pacing within their triangle of space – these cooks are ready, chomping at the bit, anxious to get on with it, but most importantly in a position to exceed even their own expectations. The battle is near and the troops are prepared for action.

Line cooks are the Gentle Giants of the kitchen. This is the crew that makes or breaks a kitchen, that defines how well received a chef’s menu will be and how successful a restaurant can become. This is how line cooks rolls in the kitchen. Not dissimilar to a professional football team – when the kitchen line is on their game you can feel it in the air, the chef can sense greatness in the making, and the customer knows that they are about to experience something memorable.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

LINE COOKS GOING THE DISTANCE

20 Friday Apr 2018

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line cooks

Emmer 1

Jake woke up with a pounding headache. It was only 7 a.m. and he was already sweating from the July humidity or maybe it was from those last two shots of tequila just a few hours ago. As was the case on most nights after a busy service – he found his way to the local bar with a few other cooks for that end of night reward. Just one drink turned into a few more than he could remember. He stumbled back to his lonely apartment and crashed – still in his hounds tooth chef pants. Jake dragged himself to the Keurig coffee maker on his kitchen counter, grabbed the bottle of Ibuprofen and shook four brown pills into his palm while waiting for that first cup of coffee to brew. This was going to be a rough day.

Being a line cook is damn hard work – it is physically, mentally and emotionally draining, yet once a cook is in the zone the job is almost intoxicating. Jake knows that it will be a struggle to brush the cobwebs from his foggy brain and get over the first couple hours of payment for last nights indiscretions, but he is confident that he will rise above the challenge. A quick shower, another cup of coffee, and a few half-hearted minutes of exercises and he is out the door by 9 a.m. ready for whatever the kitchen might bring today.

So what draws people to this craziness, this repeated abuse (some of which is self-inflicted), and the environment that can beat a person up – especially in the summer months? Jake asked himself this same question nearly every morning as he walked the ten blocks to the back loading dock. His inventory of answers looks something like this:

[] I’M GOOD AT WHAT I DO

After years of working in kitchens Jake knew that his skills could rival anyone’s, especially when it came to organization, speed, flavor and presentation.

[] IT’S NEVER BORING

Although there is a routine in the kitchen – every day brings new challenges and unpredictable twists – this keeps it exciting.

[] THE TEAM ENERGY

Every line cook knows that this is a team sport. Individual talent pales in comparison to unity and focus as a group. The team is only as good as it’s weakest link.

[] THE ADRENALINE RUSH

When the line is cranking full tilt, the adrenaline rush is similar to the endorphin experience that runners have when they get that sudden burst of energy.

[] THIS IS WHERE I FEEL CREATIVE

Jake loves the fact that every dish created on the line is a work of art and personal expression even when the plate design is prescribed by the chef. Line cooks take pride in pushing that plate through the pass – it is as if they are able to sign their work each time.

[] EVERYONE IS ACCEPTED

No matter what baggage a cook might bring to the table – it is their work that counts in the kitchen. Everything else is unimportant when the work meets expectations.

Jake walked through the back door of the kitchen – head still pounding and that typical uneasiness apparent as he wonders what challenges lie before him. He slides into a fresh, starched chef’s jacket, ties on an apron and tucks his hair into a skullcap. He splashes some cold water in his face, switches his running shoes for polished black kitchen clogs and grabs his knife kit – “Here we go”.

Before any greetings – Jake grabs another cup of coffee and snatches two pieces of bacon from the steam table. With something in his stomach he now walks the kitchen and says good morning to the breakfast crew. Grabbing a wet side towel and cutting board he sets up his work station, lays out his knives, and snags the clipboard with the prep sheet that he set-up last night before the end of his shift. Last night was busy so he will need to rework most of his station mise en place – thus the reason for coming in early.

The list is long: reduce stock with mirepoix for a demi, peel and devein 10 pounds of shrimp, clean 15 pounds of U-10 scallops, 20 portions of filets for tournedos, fillet 30 portions of seven-ounce salmon, pound out 24 chicken breasts for schnitzel, mince 3 bulbs of garlic, chiffonade 4 bunches of Italian parsley, puree 1 quart of shallots, clarify 10 pounds of butter, etc., etc. The list was long and a bit intimidating, but Jake knew from experience that time invested in building a tight mise en place will be the key to a successful service. Tonight will be very busy.

An hour into prep and Jake was starting to feel better. He took ten minutes to top off those two strips of bacon with a respectable breakfast and another cup of coffee – back to work. His only other break was to stop and help to check, unpack and store the deliveries that arrived starting at around 9 a.m. Jake, unlike some of the other younger cooks was methodical about the coolers and storeroom. Everything was checked, labeled and dated, and rotated on shelves. Whole fish were packed in crushed ice, produce was transferred from boxes to Lexan containers, fresh herbs were covered with damp paper towels, and meats for tonight were removed from their packaging, quickly rinsed to rid them of the Cryovac funk, lightly oiled and stored in the coldest part of the walk-in, and dry goods were rotated and stored with labels facing out. This is where mise en place begins.

By 2 p.m. Jake was done with prep and able to help other members of his team until it was time to set up his station. The stock was still reducing for a rich demi glace, and a fish fumet was underway from the halibut bones that arrived with the fish order. Jake helped the sous chef finish off the veal shanks that were braising for Osso Bucco and portioned Wagyu strip steaks for the grill cook who was a bit behind. At 4:00 he switched over to his station set-up making sure that each ingredient was in its assigned location, herbs for garnishing were snipped, sauté pans were seasoned and stacked in the oven to pre-heat, clarified butter and sauces were set in a bain marie, and his towels were perfectly folded. Jake even went through the stacks of plates that would be used to make sure that they were spotless – this was his canvas.

Emmer 2

At 5:15 the chef walked through the line to double check set-up and taste sauces, relishes, and sides before the first orders ticked in at 5:30. Jake was ready. His mise en place was perfect, those pre-opening knots in his stomach were ever-present, and those beads of summer sweat were beginning to run down his forehead and back. One more cup of coffee (this time espresso) and then he would switch to water for the rest of the night.

The chef gave everyone the thumbs up as the first orders ticked off the POS. The line cooks looked at each other with a nod, shared fist bumps, and had that look of readiness for battle. The time had arrived – bring it on!

“Ordering – three scallops, two strips mid-rare, one Bucco, and a tournedos rare! “Yes chef” was the response from the team – here we go.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

**PHOTOS: The kitchen team at Emmer and Rye in Austin, TX.

NOTE: For more stories of Jake and life in the kitchen – don’t miss reading:

“The Event That Changed Everything”

Click below to order your copy today from Amazon.

www.amazon.com/Event-That-Changed-Everything-Relationships/dp/1491755105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524226317&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Event+That+Changed+Everything

OWNERS/OPERATORS – VALUING COOKS AND CHEFS

07 Saturday Apr 2018

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chefs, cooks, line cooks, restaurants, valuing cooks

Painted in Waterlogue

It is certainly true that those who work in the kitchen are not the only reason why a restaurant may be successful, but it is certain that if the back-of-the-house team is not competent, is unable to function as a cohesive unit, or lacks the passion to take pride in their work then the restaurant is destined to fail.

With the ever-increasing challenge of finding enough of the “right” people to work in restaurant kitchens we are all aware that it is time to take a hard look at the individuals who choose to wear the uniform and represent the restaurant industry. Some may point to changing norms and attitudes about the work and maybe even a lack of commitment on the part of a new generation of cooks, but I tend to take a different approach. Before we (those in positions of authority in restaurant settings) point the finger at others as the source of the problem it might be wise to look at ourselves first. What is the attitude and approach that owners and operators, even executive chefs, take towards those who prepare the food that restaurant guests pay for?

Not to sound like a broken record, but the shortage of eager employees and the restaurant industry’s poor track record with retaining good cooks continues to be the number one challenge facing this important, growing industry (see the following link). www.nytimes.com/2018/04/05/dining/labor-shortage-restaurants-employment.html?smid=fb-share

Here are some thoughts on how we might consider approaching cooks and young chefs who will establish how our industry is perceived for the next few decades:

[] RESPECTING THE SKILL IT TAKES

Good cooks are not interchangeable parts. To be a certifiable cook requires a unique set of skills that takes time to develop, and in some cases natural talent. A good cook is organized, able to multi-task, comfortable with a wide range of cooking methods, gifted with a finely tuned palate, disciplined, confident, able to problem-solve, and fast. In other professions this breadth of skills and aptitudes would be well -respected and compensated. In the kitchen there is a tendency to view these as common and not worthy of the respect they are due.

[] UNDERSTANDING THE PASSION

There is a point when these good cooks look in a mirror and acknowledge that this job is their career choice, that food and everything about it is something that is worthy of their full concentration, and that continually learning how to improve their skill set is not just a requirement of the position, but more importantly, something that gives them pleasure and purpose. This is when the job of cooking becomes their passion. When a cook reaches this point the mental, physical, and emotional connection to food is so strong that it impacts on how they view themselves, their interaction with others, and their feelings about how their work is accepted and respected. Cooks become very sensitive when it comes to how others perceive the quality of their work.

[] PROVIDING THE TOOLS FOR SUCCESS

Tools do not necessarily make the cook, but the tools provided signify the respect that owners/operators and chefs have for the passion that cooks demonstrate for the craft. The right tools make the job of cooking more fluid and enjoyable. The right tools send an important message to the cook that their work is important.

[] PROVIDING A VEHICLE FOR COMMUNICATION

Assuming that “Yes Chef” (an important part of showing respect and accepting responsibility in a kitchen) means that a cook cannot have an opinion, or is incapable of contributing new ideas, is no longer acceptable. Owners and chefs need to learn to listen to those cooks who have the passion and subsequently need a forum for communicating concerns and ideas. This is one of the easiest steps that operators can take in improving recruitment and retention of good cooks.

[] INVESTING IN THEIR ON-GOING EDUCATION

The goal should always be to attract those cooks with the greatest potential as contributors to the success of the business and then work hard to keep them. One of the best ways to show respect for the position and demonstrate how cooks are valued is to invest in their growth. In-service training, sending cooks to workshops, making connections for cooks to stagiere with other great chefs, or sending them on educational food adventures is a surefire way of accomplishing these goals.

[] FAIR COMPENSATION

This is the “of course” way to demonstrate appreciation and build an environment for cook retention, however, as a whole; restaurants have not taken the time to figure out the “how to” with the issue of fair compensation. What is “fair”? Is it fair that a person with the skill set previously mentioned cannot make enough money to support him or herself or a family? Is it fair and reasonable that a majority of cooks do not receive any form of healthcare from their restaurant employer? Is it fair that most restaurants do not provide vacation or sick time for those cooks who hold an important key to the restaurants success? I think the obvious answer is “no”, even though we can easily come up with an array of answers as to why restaurants do not provide these fundamental benefits of employment. If the answer is “no” then we need to figure out a way to address the challenge, to modify the business model, and to look at new efficiencies that will allow restaurants to be successful and care for their most important resources in the process.

[] HELPING THEM WITH BALANCE

Just like many who are reading this article – I too worked the unpredictable, somewhat absurd hours that are required of cooks and chefs. I did so because I understood that this is what it took to be in the kitchen. Just like you, I worked through holidays and family events and knew that my schedule was always fluid – subject to change without notice. Just like you, my family and friends grew to accept this because “This is the way it is in restaurants”. Yep, I did this like many of you and at times looked upon others who did not make the same commitment as being somehow less dedicated to their work than I. Guess what – because we accepted it doesn’t mean it was right.

We will probably never see a dramatic change in the spontaneous and sometimes excessive demands of this service business, but as owners/operators and chefs we can learn to be more responsive to a cook’s needs outside of work and help them to find ways of creating a level of balance. Way beyond the meager compensation packages typically offered, it is this overly demanding lifestyle of a cook that drives them away at some point and changes those passionate cooks into bitter, tired and discontent employees.

[] HOLDING THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE

I always think that it is important to finish with this point: good people want others to have high expectations of them. Good cooks want to be great cooks and they are fully aware that to get to that point takes considerable effort on their part, sometimes over and above what they are scheduled to do. Good cooks enjoy being pushed to get better as long as they know that their effort along the way is appreciated. Good cooks relish the rigor of a kitchen that never accepts anything but the best from each and every employee. When a chef and a property holds a cook’s “feet to the fire” it is a symbol of respect and an indication of knowing that with the right level of encouragement every good cook can aspire to be great.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

“Be something special – be a serious cook.”

QUOTES TO LIVE BY FOR LINE COOKS

15 Friday Dec 2017

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chef quotes, chefs, cooks, culinary, line cooks

Painted in Waterlogue

Well-crafted thoughts and words are, at least to me, fuel for the soul, energy for the body, and thought provoking for the mind. I often find that certain quotes from people who have attained a level of success in life can have meaning for others and as such serve to help “self-motivate”. As 2017 comes to an end, I thought that it might be beneficial to share some of my favorite quotes with line cooks, aspiring culinary students, and accomplished chefs. These quotes would often find their way onto my office door as a reminder to myself and to others. Hopefully they can do the same for you.

* “Fire in the belly of a cook is very important. If you don’t have it – your cooking tastes old.”

–Barbara Tropp (Legendary chef/restaurateur of San Francisco’s China Moon and celebrated cookbook author)

That desire and innate need to push forward, learn more and more, build your palate, execute a perfect dish, constantly improve, and create a dish that is filled with that “Wow” factor is essential if a person is to be that cook who inspires others and excites the guest. Cooking to this type of individual is not a job, but rather a calling and an opportunity to strive for excellence.

* “If you strive like crazy for perfection – an all out assault on total perfection – at the very least you will hit a high level of excellence, and then you might be able to sleep at night.”

–Charlie Trotter (Iconic chef/owner of Trotter’s Restaurant in Chicago)

Perfection is the carrot that always remains just a few inches out of reach, yet those who have this in their sights will jump out of bed each day with a mission. The Japanese refer to it as “Kaisen” a state of mind that drives a person to constantly improve. Charlie Trotter was a prime example of a chef who was never satisfied, who always pushed the envelope and who expected nothing less from every person who worked with and for him.

* “For me, it’s the satisfaction of cooking every day; tourneing a carrot, cutting salmon or fabricating a tenderloin – the mechanical jobs that I do daily, year after year. Maintain the passion for the everyday, that’s what cooking is all about.”

–Thomas Keller (One of the world’s most accomplished chef/restaurateurs owner of The French Laundry, Per Se, and Bouchon)

Seasoned cooks will tell you about the comfort that comes from the routine of doing everyday tasks at the highest level of excellence. The curve balls that are thrown at cooks every day will drive adrenaline through the system, but it is the cadence of a routine that brings the greatest satisfaction and a sense of calm within the storm and organized chaos of the kitchen.

* “People are more important than tools. If you don’t believe so – put a good tool in the hands of a poor workman.”

–John Bernet (One of America’s greatest railroad men who saved the industry)

I have a story that relates well with this quote – it zeros in on a head scratcher for me. After decades in the kitchen and much of that time in culinary education I always shook my head when an 18 year old freshman student would arrive in the kitchen on day one with an $800 set of Henkel knives or an equally awe inspiring $400 Shun French knife. At this point they had never diced an onion or drawn a knife blade across a wet stone – yet, their tools were far superior to that of the most accomplished career chef. I also recall, many years ago, seeing Judy Collins in concert in Buffalo, New York. She started her show by saying that this was the 10^th time that she had performed at this particular venue and the first time that they had allowed her to use the good piano.

People and the proven skills that they own, the attitudes that they carry, and the trust that envelopes their interactions with others will always trump the tools that they have access to. The best tools are often a reward for all of those “people factors”. We have all witnessed exceptional cooking come from kitchens that were very substandard and far too many mediocre meals that came from a state-of-the-art environment. People are the key.

* “Good attitudes among players do not guarantee a teams success, but bad attitudes guarantee its failure.”

–John C. Maxwell (Author of numerous self-help and management/leadership books)

The best rule of thumb for chefs is to hire positive attitude first – you can always build the skills over time, but it is nearly impossible to change the stripes on a tiger once they are of a certain age. Design your interviews and tryouts to bring out any underlying attitudes and then make your decision to hire or not. If those poor attitudes (glass is always half empty) rear up their ugly head after the hire then point them out, counsel, and if necessary point them in the direction of the back door. The team cannot survive in the presence of a bad apple.

* “Restaurant profit is found in the peel of the onion, not the onion and in the lobster shell not the lobster itself.”

–Marc Meneau (Now retired, Chef Meaneau was chef and operator of L’Esperance one of France’s great Michelin 3 –star mecca restaurants)

The delineation of responsibility in a kitchen can be far too literal. The lines that separate duties are always grey except in the case of quality and cost control. When all cooks understand that the life of a restaurant and the success of those who work there is measured in pennies and that they have the opportunity and the responsibility to keep those pennies intact, then financial goals can be met. Otherwise, if the role of ensuring profit rests solely on the shoulders of the chef – then success will always remain out of reach. Marc Meneau was able to run a kitchen where waste was never an option, where total use of everything available to the cook was the rule, and where every person fully understood that they shared in this responsibility.

* “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime – you just might get what you need.”

–Mick Jaggar

I am directing this famous line from a Rolling Stones song to every young apprentice, culinary extern, and culinary school graduate. The carrot that they all desire, the position of chef, will take time and can only be realized if they look squarely at the task at hand and complete it with 100% dedication towards excellence. I once had a young cook tell me that she wanted to work the line in a Michelin Three-star restaurant, but the chef would only allow her to wash and peel mushrooms. I asked how she felt about peeling mushrooms and her response was: “I hate it – it is a waste of my talent and experience.” My response was: “How can you expect the chef of a monumental restaurant to allow you to touch the food that will become his restaurants signature when you can’t even respect the simplest task for its importance and relish the beauty of those mushrooms?” If you want the position then do what is front of you at the very highest level and in time the carrot will be yours.

* “Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.”

-Philip Stanhope (The 4^th Earl of Chesterfield England)

I know absolutely nothing about Philip Stanhope, but remember this quote as a man who, at the time, owned the most expansive record store in Buffalo and all of Western New York used it. The first time I visited the shop I was amazed at the size of the collection – there must have been nearly every record available on the market within the walls of this massive store. Many of those titles would never find a buyer, but if one existed, he or she could find it there. I asked the owner – “Why would you carry such an inventory knowing that a portion of it would never sell.” His response was classic: “My father always told me two things – first: Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well, and There is always room to be the best – plenty of businesses settle for mediocrity.”

Hopefully, as 2018 arrives you can find inspiration in some of these quotes – I know they will always have meaning for me.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Happy Holidays

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

***NOT TOO LATE FOR THAT LAST MINUTE GIFT for a line cook, culinary student, or chef. Click on the link below to order your copy of “The Event That Changed Everything” a novel about chefs, cooks, and restaurants written by a chef who has been there.

http://www.amazon.com/Event-That-Changed-Everything-Relationships/dp/1491755105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513349929&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Event+That+Changed+Everything

MacGyver SURVIVAL SKILLS FOR LINE COOKS

03 Sunday Dec 2017

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chefs, cooks, line cooks, MacGyver in the kitchen

chef

Many of us remember the original MacGyver series in the 80’s where Angus MacGyver, a rogue scientist who worked for a fictitious government agency, used his uncanny problem solving skills to get him out of some pretty hairy situations. Sometimes with a paper clip and gum wrapper he was able to disarm nuclear weapons or stop some vise clamp walls from crushing him like a pancake. Many people looked forward to watching each week and storing up some survival ideas “just in case”.

Every career, especially those that involve tactile skills, has discovered those few “hacks” that can be pulled out of their bag of tricks when the moment requires some immediate problem solving. Cooking is no different than any other field in this regard, so I thought it might be useful to point to some of the hacks that line cooks use to save a potentially out of control situation or simply get through a busy night. The key with all of these is to survive without sacrificing the quality of work or the integrity of a dish.

If you have worked the line for any length of time then you are probably aware of most of these, but just in case here are a few that might save the day:

[] KEEP YOUR PANS ON THE READY

Line cooks who work the sauté station are acutely aware that their pans must be screaming hot before a protein hits the surface. Even with flames at full throttle this can take a minute or so and slow down the action. A simple trick is to store your sauté pans in a hot oven so that they are ready whenever you are. This saves a few seconds and can help a cook to keep the pace of cooking.

[] SAVING A BROKEN HOLLANDAISE

A hollandaise is a sauce that is comprised of the fewest ingredients, yet if prepared incorrectly or stored inappropriately will fail consistently. If that sauce begins to “break” (clarified butter separating from egg yolks) there is a quick hack to bring it back. Add a few drops of boiling water to the broken hollandaise and whisk with reckless abandon. If that doesn’t work try adding another egg yolk while whisking.

[] 60 SECOND HOLLANDAISE ON THE FLY

It’s brunch and your Eggs Benedict station has been hit hard – turning to that bain holding hollandaise, the line cook notes that there are only a few portions of hollandaise remaining for an ever-growing number of orders. Have no fear – clarified butter is likely already on the line, eggs are readily available, and lemon wedges are at your fingertips. If you have a blender then hollandaise can be made in 60 seconds. The same method: egg yolks, a few drops of hot water and blend until the yolks turn pale yellow and fluff, turn to medium speed and gradually add the clarified butter in a steady stream, finish with a pinch of salt, fresh lemon juice and a few drops of Tabasco – voila! The only difference is that with this method you will need approximately twice as many egg yolks – the flavor is slightly richer, but otherwise just like the product made by hand.

[] TRICK THE NERVES IN YOUR HANDS

Handling very hot products from a water bath or slicing a roast can be painful and sometimes an impossible task. Keep a bowl of ice water at the ready and dip your fingers in between handling the product and trick your brain into thinking that the heat doesn’t matter. It works!

[] FORGOT TO SOAK THOSE BEANS

Of course we all have done this – you forgot to soak those dried beans overnight for a cassoulet, and here it is 3 p.m. with service looming at 5. Sort, rinse, and add your dried beans to enough water or stock with a teaspoon of baking soda. Simmer (don’t boil) and the baking soda will break the structure of those beans in no time. Make sure you don’t boil the beans or they will tend to blow up and lose their integrity with this method. Next time – plan ahead!

[] FAST AND EFFICIENT SHALLOTS

Cooks love using shallots as a full flavored, yet sweet and mellow alternative to onions – especially on the line. Instead of slicing or mincing the shallots – puree them in a blender. The shallots actually melt in the pan and are less likely to burn or add harshness to the dish.

[] AVOCADOS READY OVERNIGHT

You need some avocados for service tomorrow and they arrive from your vendor – hard as a rock. Keep them intact, cover them with flour, and store at room temperature overnight. The next day they are soft and ripe.

[] HOT COFFEE TO COOL DOWN

The heat on a busy line can be unbearable. Standing over a battery of open burners cranked to “10”, flames leaping from a char-grill, or a 760 degree open hearth oven can actually leave a cook with what resembles a few too many hours outside in the July sun. Dehydration is a real problem among line cooks and it is common to find a cook losing a couple pounds of weight in sweat after a night on the line. Keeping hydrated and finding some form of relief from heat that is intense enough to cook a person is of primary importance. Some might think that cold beverages are the answer, but in fact, a steady stream of warm drinking water or even hot coffee will provide even more relief in the long run.

[] PAR POACH EGGS

Back to brunch and that steady stream of Eggs Benedict orders – timing is essential and this dish requires a variety of different cooking steps: poach the eggs, toast the English muffin, grill the Canadian bacon, and brown the hollandaise just before pushing the finished dish through the pass. Any step saving method will help. Eggs can be pre-poached (about 80%) and better controlled if done in advance. Poach the eggs with simmering water and a touch of vinegar, transfer to ice water to shock and stop the cooking, transfer to refrigerated pans, and wait for the orders. When needed, transfer the pre-poached eggs back to a water bath for 20—30 seconds, just enough time to warm them through, and they are ready for assembly.

[] SIMPLE – KNIVES NEED TO BE SHARP

This is not a hack, but rather the most basic of time saving methods in a kitchen – keeping a cook’s knives sharp is an absolute. Right next to every cooks knives should be a steel and clean towel for wiping down knives that are constantly attended to.

[] MEMORIZE YOUR STATION MAP – KEEP YOUR ORGANIZATION

Next on the basic time saving methods is to have a well-designed station map that defines exactly where every ingredient and every tool is placed. Just like a pilot memorizes his or her array of controls and meters, so too must a line cook memorize where everything in a station is placed. You should be able to grab for anything without even looking. The follow-up is to make sure that everything is always returned to its place on the map no matter how busy you are.

[] WORK CLEAN – NO MATTER HOW BUSY YOU ARE

An efficient station is ALWAYS clean and cooks are always cleaning as they go. When station cleanliness begins to slip then the cook will start that slow and steady demise that eventually leads to chaos.

[] BLANCH – SHOCK – REFRESH

Again, the trick is to look for ways to save a few seconds here or there without any compromise to quality. One such method employed in most restaurants focuses on vegetables. Par blanching vegetables and shocking them in ice water, drying them and keeping them ready for a quick refresh when needed helps with timing, helps to maintain their nutritional value, and keeps them looking bright, crisp and fresh.

There are dozens of quality hacks that cooks use- always making sure that quality is never sacrificed. These MacGyver methods can help to keep a kitchen humming at peak efficiency and help to save the day when a curve ball is thrown as a surprise.

What are your favorite problem-solving techniques in the kitchen?

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

THE LINE COOK’S ADRENALINE RUSH

11 Saturday Nov 2017

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adrenaline rush, chefs, cooking, kitchens, line cooks, restaurants

Painted in Waterlogue

What is it about working the line in a busy restaurant that is so attractive to cooks? Why, with all of the challenges that a career in the kitchen brings are people, especially those who are younger, willing to set those challenges aside for the experience of standing in front of a battery of full-throttle ranges? The answer goes beyond the enjoyment of creating, beyond the pleasures derived from cooking, and far beyond the experience of working in a team – the answer is the adrenaline rush.

“A feeling of excitement, stimulation and enhanced physical ability produced when the body secretes large amounts of adrenaline in response to a sudden perceived or induced stress situation.”

-Collins Dictionary

Those who have worked in this environment in the past or who tie on an apron today know exactly what I am referring to, but to those who are scratching their heads – here is a depiction of what it is like for many line cooks.

THE WAKE UP

It would be nice to say that cooks can separate their work from the rest of their lives, but the intensity of line work typically weighs pretty heavy on those who take on the role. Knowing the shear amount of work required to “get ready”, the unpredictability of how the night will go, and anticipation of the pressure that unfolds as tickets start spitting off the POS printer is difficult to push out of your mind. Wake-up brings with it an active mind as well as a few knots in a line cook’s stomach.

PREP AND ANTICIPATION

The adrenaline begins to build on the way to work as a line cook wrestles mentally with what might lay ahead. Walking through the back door and changing into hounds-tooth pants and white jacket a cook begins the quick pace of station prep. Staple items were likely prepped during the early shift: stocks, clarified butter, braised items, roasts in the oven, vegetables peeled, shrimp peeled, steaks cut, etc. What is left is all of the finish and detail work: sauces, mincing herbs, blanching and shocking vegetables, seasoning pans, blanching pommes frites, picking scallops, trimming steaks, setting up station maps – details, details. The line cook likely arrived before the shift began just to stay ahead of the game. The 3-4 hours before service fly by quickly as anxiety builds. The last hour is when the adrenaline kicks in allowing the cook to pick up the pace and feel that high similar to when those endorphins kick in for distance runners.

CLUTCH TIME

Those last few minutes before the dining room opens are filled with a mix of doubt and gratification: “Will I be ready? Yes – I’m loaded for bear and ready to rock out!” That mix of angst and being set is likely similar to what a professional football or baseball player feels just before running out on the field.

PRE-MEAL TENSION

Those last few minutes are taken up with the chef checking stations and tasting sauces to those last minute questions from service staff during pre-meal. Line cooks that are ready can sense a bit of calm come over them while those who still have details to attend to are really on edge.

THE GAME BEGINS

Watching a line at this point is interesting – cooks are on their toes, maybe pacing or bouncing a bit, tongs are clicking together, large amounts of water or Gatorade are being consumed, and side towels are folded and refolded. Everyone is waiting for the sound of the printer tapping out those first orders. A few minutes after the restaurant opens the orders begin to trickle in – the line is ready, on it, locked and loaded, anxious, willing and able. Everyone knows the pace will quicken soon, but that adrenaline friend is waiting just below the surface, ready to kick into full battle mode.

THAT IMPOSSIBLE WINDOW

Typically around the 7 p.m. mark restaurants are really humming. This is prime time, the real deal, a time when all hell breaks loose and every cook knows that there is a fine line between a well-orchestrated evening and disaster. Adrenaline is a requirement now – remember – the cook has already put in a good six hours in of non-stop work. Line cooks are sweating, the expeditor is calling out orders at a frantic clip, cooks are responding back with order acknowledgement, flames are leaping from pans and lapping around steaks on the grill, sauté pans bang on the range top, oven doors open and close constantly, and plates are assembled, moved up to the pass and finished by the expeditor always looking for servers to move items out to tables. There it is – Mr. Adrenaline kicks in! Suddenly the fog seems to dissipate, the cook’s focus is pinpoint perfect, all extraneous conversation is blocked out, and the line begins to resemble the efficiency of an assembly line and the grace of an orchestra reaching the pinnacle of a piece of music. Muscles are back to peak performance, heartbeats increase, those aching feet seem to be fine at the moment, and despite the intensity of service a smile comes over the cook’s face. This is what the cook lives for – this is the action that brings a cook back every day.

WINDING DOWN IS IMPOSSIBLE

As the witching hour passes, as the printer seems to kick into slow mode and the expeditor turns over the reins to the other side of the line – every cook feels almost more nervous than when the line was over-extended. This is actually when mistakes are made because the body and mind are still working at 7 p.m. chaos speed not willing to try and slow down. Cook’s start to fill in spare seconds with a little prep for the next day, cleaning, and self-assessment of tonight’s performance. It will likely take a good hour or so after the dining room closes before the line cooks punch, at the same time Mr. Adrenaline keeps whispering in the cook’s ear that he is not ready to pull back on the energy. This is why cooks typically continue the action at a local bar for the next couple hours to try and put the body’s gasoline to rest. They have little choice – the fire is still burning and it will take time to whimper out.

DECOMPRESS AND A CLEAN SLATE

An hour into after work activities every line cook begins to decompress, put water on the fire, and pass the time with stories about the night’s service. For the first time today the line cook is able to stop stressing about what will come and relax just a bit. Mr. Adrenaline can be put to bed for another day. The cook knows that the work was made easier with this assistance and depends that this friend will arrive on time again tomorrow.

REWIND

Finally the cook crashes to bed and maybe a few hours of sleep – tomorrow will be more of the same and with the help of adrenaline another high-energy night will be a success. As tired as the cook might be he or she continues to relish how this energy-laden window of time on the line provides a sense of satisfaction – something to seek out again, and again.

This type of cooking is as much sport as it is art, as much borderline high anxiety as it is discipline – this is the flash of excitement that pulls cooks to the kitchen line.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

Restaurant Consulting and Training

WHEN LINE COOKS CONNECT WITH THE FOOD

29 Friday Sep 2017

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chefs, cooks, heart and soul, line cooks, passion in cooking, soulful cooking

It’s the chef’s cuisine after all – right? The role of the cook is to prepare what the chef tells him or her to prepare in the manner prescribed, because that’s what the cook is paid to do – right? Well, this approach omits two very important components of a successful restaurant that serves delicious food: heart and soul. It is very difficult to find the heart and soul in cooking that is demanded rather than felt. Marco Pierre White expressed it well:

“As I’ve always said, cooking is a philosophy it’s not a recipe…….so therefore it’s not just teaching them how to cook, it’s sharing your philosophy and your vision with them. It’s as simple as that. A good chef is a pied piper, they (line cooks) follow him (or her).”

-Marco Pierre White

(Thanks to Chris Hill for sharing this quote)

For that magic to happen in a restaurant, the magic that presents itself in terms of taste, texture, smell, and the visual elements of beautiful food – line cooks must feel the cuisine – they must feel it in their hearts and souls. These invisible elements of cooking come from a deep understanding of the ingredients, the process, the flavors, and all of the nuances that make a style of cooking and specific dishes feel important, feel as if they are connected to each cook in a manner that is difficult to describe but understood when it is there.

The chef may have a philosophy that is strong, appropriate, interesting, and unique; but if that philosophy is not shared by line cooks, then the execution will suffer. To this end it is safe to say that cooking goes beyond technique, although technique is critical. Technique can be robotic; it can suffer from a sterile execution that is somewhat void of emotion. It is the emotion in cooking that makes it memorable. This is no different than the craft of painting or sculpting, or of music, theater, and dance. In all of those art forms there is a difference between the discipline of technique and the emotion of connection.

It is difficult to describe how a person feels the first time that they stand within a few feet of an original Monet, Picasso, or Van Gogh; but when presented with this opportunity anyone will feel the connection and experience the heart and soul of the painter. Without experiencing a connection it might be easy to discount certain types of music. Until you sit or stand within eyesight of a talented musician you can certainly marvel at his or her technique, but when you look at a musicians face, when you experience the full range of emotions that he or she expresses in connection with an instrument – you will be moved. Acting is acting until you witness an actor who becomes the role, who morphs with the character and feels whatever it is that the writer has built into that character. It is no different with cooking. When those line cooks fully understand and appreciate the philosophy of cooking that is an extension of a chefs being, when those cooks put their heart and soul into the execution of that technique – the food will sing. This is when memorable dining, regardless of the type of food, occurs.

Marco Pierre White has it right – it is the responsibility of the chef to hire, train and teach, but it is also the responsibility of the chef to create an educational environment that allows the cook to truly understand and feel the philosophy of the cuisine. Heart and soul are the difference.

This process is, as you would expect, very difficult because it requires a serious commitment on the part of the chef and the cook. There cannot be any weak links when it comes to heart and soul. You can compensate for a cook’s technique by having others pick up the slack, but heart and soul are a different matter.

So, how does this occur? How might a chef create this environment and what will it be like for the cook who comes along for the ride? Here are some thoughts:

[] COOK FOR THE RIGHT REASONS

It was Mark Twain who offered the most profound words of wisdom:

“The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.”

-Mark Twain

Purpose in life is incredibly powerful. Until we find our purpose for existence we tend to wander around, window-shopping for a way to fill the void. Now there are two distinct categories of purpose: professional and personal and it’s up to the individual to establish which one will prevail as most significant. When a cook takes the leap and decides that professionally his or her purpose is to express heart and soul through cuisine, then there is a transformation. Hopefully, these individuals will also find personal purpose that is much more substantial (family, helping others, faith, etc.), but professionally that transformation is critical when building a restaurant that becomes memorable.

When we cook for the love of food, for the passion that accompanies belief in a food philosophy, when there is a connection to the roots of a cuisine, and when that philosophy is shared by all who work in front of the range, then a great restaurant is born, born of heart and soul.

[] CONNECT WITH THE CULTURE OF FOOD

A deep understanding of the ingredients, their historical significance to a cuisine or a dish, the lifestyle of the people associated with it, and the environmental factors that led to the development of a style of cooking that is to be represented on a restaurants plates is critical to the maturing process of a cook. The chef’s job is to provide the forum for this understanding.

[] MOVE BEYOND PAINTING BY THE NUMBERS

The recipe is shallow without understanding. The recipe is an essential guide, but the depth of a dish cannot rely on measuring and following steps alone. A dish takes on character and life when the cook applies all of those understandings that give it soul and heart. A cook must understand how a dish should look and taste at various steps in its preparation. This knowledge will allow the cook to make adjustments that are critical to success. What was the intent of this dish, how should it feel to eat it, what are the objectives that tie in with a chef’s philosophy and how should this impact on the guest experience? Ten people may follow the same recipe with the same ingredients and end up with ten different looking and tasting dishes. The one that shines is the one prepared with a depth of understanding.

[] EVERY MOMENT IS A TEACHING MOMENT

The chef must realize that his or her philosophy is the roadmap that must become essential for every line cook. Throughout every day it is critical that the chef provide the opportunity for cooks to learn and understand more about how to use that map and why a specific route is important. The chef, first and foremost, is a teacher and a guide.

[] EVERY MOMENT IS A LEARNING MOMENT

If a line cook is committed to being true to a chef’s philosophy then he or she must be willing and able to view every opportunity to learn as essential. Getting beyond the “job” these cooks invest the time and energy in building this depth of knowledge.

[] STAY TRUTHFUL TO THE FOOD

Once a cook feels the essence of a cooking style and the importance of truly knowing the how and why, then he or she can never set aside that connection – not for convenience, not for speed, not for the demands of scheduling or even the absence of enough help. Don’t sacrifice heart and soul for technique, but never lose site of the foundational importance of solid technique.

[] DISCOVER THE SECRET INGREDIENT

There was a small privately owned restaurant in the Adirondacks of New York called the Blue Gentian – a European/American style restaurant that served home- style, fresh, and full flavored food in a quaint but comfortable restaurant setting. People literally lined up around the block for the restaurant’s “blue plate specials” every day that they were open. In this small community the Blue Gentian was always full. When asked what the owner’s secret ingredient was, she responded: “Love! I love the food I work with, I love the opportunity to cook, I love the people who work with me, and I love the people who stand in line to buy a plate.” The owner approached her food with heart and soul. This is the ingredient that is lost on far too many restaurants, far too many chefs, and far too many cooks.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Approach cooking with heart and soul and build a deep understanding of the food, as well as the philosophy behind a cooking style, and make it the ingredient that you rely on.

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

Restaurant Consulting and Training

“Be Something Special, Be a Line Cook with Heart and Soul.”

LINE COOKS – TOUGH AS NAILS – USED AND ABUSED, DRIVEN AND CONTENTIOUS

26 Wednesday Jul 2017

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

Painted in Waterlogue

We are who we are or – are we defined by what we do and the environment that we function in? Look into a person’s eyes and you can determine quite a bit. A cook’s eyes are focused, tired, often bloodshot, determined, aware of what is happening on the periphery, wanting, questioning, confident and a bit fearful at the same time. These are the eyes of a complex being – a person who is fully aware of what he or she must do, but not always certain about who they are or whom they could be. A cook’s eyes are challenging yet subservient; open, but cautious; sharp yet blurred to those things that might pull them away from a designated task; in search of excellence, yet knowing that excellence is something that might never be reached; and alert, but oblivious to everything but that pan or pair of tongs in their hands.

Servers might view some line cooks as cold and calculated, crusty and ego driven, confident and unwilling to admit mistakes, and abrupt and even sometimes obscene. The fact is all these characteristics can be dispelled by looking into a cook’s eyes. All of these surface traits are but a façade that allows a cook to be successful in the moment, suffer and enjoy at the same time, avoid the looming anxiety that comes from a hundred mistakes waiting to rear up their ugly heads, and the loss of confidence that is inevitable when those mistakes come to light.

Let’s look at the haze of existence that is the cook’s life, the factors that sit on a cook’s shoulders waiting to nip away at confidence, and the reason why most line cooks build a wall of protection around their being.

[] APPEARING TOUGH AS NAILS IS A SURVIVAL TOOL

The business is difficult, the work is physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging, the hours are brutal, the heat is intense, and the stress is everywhere. If a cook is to rise above the fray and make it through a shift then he or she has to at least appear to be unwavering and in control. This tough as nails persona is truly a survival tool.

[] THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF THE JOB IS HARD TO IMAGINE UNLESS YOU ARE THERE

Of course there are many other careers that are just as physically difficult, but somehow the line cook’s job seems to be a bit more relentless. On your feet for 10-12 hours without much release, constant lifting, reaching, bending, grabbing, and then morphing into a detail artist painting on the plate is hard to describe.

second cook

[] LONGING FOR ACCEPTANCE

Cooks, as tough as they seem, crave that occasional thumbs up, pat on the back, or simple “great dish” statement from a peer, sous chef, chef, or guest. Even more importantly, these cooks want to belong to the club of acceptance. The club that seasoned cooks and servers are card carrying members of, the club that welcomes a line cook for his or her proven abilities.

[] SKILLS ARE ALWAYS IN QUESTION

Whether it comes from the chef, the guest, a fellow cook, or the cook him or herself, there is always a questioning eye bearing over shoulders seeking an answer to the question “Is a cook’s work good enough tonight?”

[] IF THE MAGIC IS LACKING THEN WORKING HARDER IS THE ANSWER

Some cooks have it, but many do not – that something special, a gift – the palate that can distinguish nuances of flavor and the knowledge to be able to adjust preparations to reach a certain flavor goal. Those who have it are special, those who don’t – feel the need to put in more effort, work even harder to try and compensate.

[] ONLY AS GOOD AS THE LAST MEAL

Hero today – failure tomorrow – cooks cannot rest on an occasional compliment, they must always remain aware that their effectiveness and worth to the operation depends on great work and excellent food every time. There is little margin for error.

[] PUTTING THEMSELVES OUT THERE

I remember a concert that Joni Mitchell gave once where she admonished the need to constantly present the same songs over and over again in a manner that attests to a singer’s brilliance. Her quote was: “No one ever asked Van Gogh to pain a Starry Night Again!” Yet in a kitchen, every time a cook prepares a dish – often the same dish he or she has built hundreds of times before, he or she is expected to do so with brilliance and consistency. Each dish carries the signature of a cook’s reputation. Each dish carries a silent message that states: “Here it is- this is my work – this is the best that I can do”.

[] THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS MIGHT BE IT

There is a comfortable knowledge and a fear that comes from being a professional cook. The knowledge that each day in the kitchen a cook becomes more adept at the craft and his or her skill level becomes more pronounced is a comforting thought. “I am good at what I do” is a very rewarding understanding. At the same time, each day that passes ensures that this job is what a cook may likely do for many years to come. “Is this what I really want?”

line 2

[] THE FEAR THAT NOTHING ELSE WILL FLOAT THEIR BOAT

As I have stated before, when you reach a level of competence in the kitchen you become spoiled for any other type of job. The adrenaline, the creativity, the dependence on team, the predictable unpredictability of the position, the heat, the intensity of the work, and the connection to a time honored process of cooking can be quite intoxicating. The love/hate relationship with cooking makes it apparent that there are few other jobs that can pull a person in so many different directions.

[] NEVER LET DOWN THE TEAM

Cooking is a team sport. If nothing else – every cook learns quickly that his or her role is essential to the success of every other team member. The last thing that any cook would do is let down the person to his or her right or left.

[] MAKING EVERY ATTEMPT TO HIDE EMOTIONS

Many would not understand that emotions run very high in a kitchen. The desire to please and represent their own work as well as that of the restaurant will keep most cooks on edge as they struggle to keep their emotions of fear, passion, anger, happiness and despair in check every shift. That drink or two at the end of the shift serves a purpose of bringing those emotions back under the umbrella of constraint.

[] ANGER IS A WAY TO AVOID LOOKING INWARD

Some will point to those cooks who are quick to anger – the visual display of what appears to be contempt or the lashing out with dragon eyes becomes the way that some might describe those who work in the pressure cooker of the kitchen. In reality, this anger is many times an inappropriate tool used by some cooks to avoid looking at their own missteps, a way to deal with their lack of preparedness or organization. This is not to excuse their behavior, but rather to separate the cause from the effect.

[] KNOWING THAT TOMORROW MUST BE A FRESH START

Tired, hot, emotionally drained, pleased with results or self-loathing over a less than stellar job, embarrassment when they let down a team member, or that occasional dissatisfied guest comment – cooks know that somehow they must put all of that aside by tomorrow. Each day a cook will start fresh with equal opportunity to succeed or step awry.

[] NO EXCUSES IS THE RULE

In the end, cooks know in their heart that excuses are just excuses and bare no relevance to the end goal. Don’t point fingers unless the target is you. Maligning others or wallowing in the impact of mistakes will get the cook nowhere. No excuses – fix it and get the job done.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

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WHAT DRIVES A LINE COOK CRAZY

07 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by culinarycuesblog in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooks, kitchen, line cooks, restaurants

ine-cook

Recently, I pointed to the things that drive a chef crazy, but line cooks share a list of actions or lack thereof that push their buttons as well. Some of these actions are real and correctable while others are simply a result of a lack of understanding. In all cases, if they allow it to, cooks will find that these perceptions and realities can get in the way of a smooth running kitchen.

The list is not meant to rally cooks around common frustrations, but rather put them on the table for cooks, chefs, managers, servers, and customers to recognize, ponder, and in some cases correct.

To all the line cooks out there – this is a partial list, I am sure that you have others that you connect with.

[] EQUIPMENT THAT IS IN DISREPAIR

The job is hard enough without faulty equipment- slicers with dull blades, cracked vita mix containers, un-calibrated ovens, gas jets that don’t fire, oven doors with busted springs, sauté’ pans that are belled from excessive exposure to heat – and the list goes on and on.

[] ITEMS NOT RETURNED TO THEIR PROPER HOME

Just as a pilot must be confident that his or her gauges and levers are imbedded in his or her memory, a line cook depends on pans, mise en place, sizzle platters, small tools like tongs and whisks, and side towels to be exactly where there should be. Wasted time looking for key equipment is highly inefficient and incredibly frustrating.

[] USING A COOK’S KNIVES WITHOUT PERMISSION

As has been said countless times before – a cook’s knives are his or her most treasured possession. They are cared for and protected like a first-born. Grabbing a cook’s knives to use for something that they were unintended for and doing so without permission is parallel to stealing that first born. Do so at your own risk.

[] SPILLS THAT ARE NOT ATTENDED TO IMMEDIATELY

Your spill may be my fall (or someone else’s). If you spill it then clean it immediately before it causes someone else harm.

[] GRABBING A DISH ONLY TO FIND THAT IT IS NOT CLEAN

The cook just spent time, energy, and passion creating tasty, beautiful food. Assembling that plate in the pass is comparable to an artist passing a paintbrush over a canvas and signing his or her work. A plate that is not pristine and free of dings and cracks is an insult to the cook. It wastes time and shows how little someone else cares about the quality of work being presented.

[] FAILURE TO PICK UP FOOD IN THE PASS WHEN IT IS READY

The waiter waits for the steak, the steak never waits for the waiter. Every second that a finished dish sits under the heat lamp robs it of quality. When the dish is ready it must move quickly to the waiting guest. Line cooks steam when a well-prepared plate of food is prisoner to the ticking clock.

[] FELLOW COOKS WHO ARE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT THEIR WORK

When a cook takes pride in his or her work then it is essential that others in the operation support this effort. The weakest link will always bring down the team and the work that is done.

[] CHEFS WHO CRITICIZE RATHER THAN CRITIQUE

Some chefs still believe that motivation is demonstrated through pointing fingers, yelling disapproval, and belittling a cook into submission. It doesn’t work! Critique involves highlighting the positive, pointing to areas where improvement is necessary and showing the cook how to improve. Criticism is in their face condemnation with malice and without the objective of making things better.

[] CONFLICTING STANDARDS BETWEEN CHEF AND SOUS CHEF

When the chef and the sous chef can’t agree – how can a cook decide how to proceed and whom to follow? Get your act together!

[] MISTAKES IN ENTERING ORDERS IN THE POS

The cook can only produce what is clearly called for. Mistakes happen and both front and the back of the house need to understand this and get over it, but when these mistakes are repetitive and done so without understanding the implications to the line and the system of delivery – then chaos is the result.

[] CHEFS WHO DO NOT SUPPORT THEIR LINE COOKS

“All for one and one for all” has always been the battle cry of teams. A chefs job is to set standards, train, and monitor that those standards are met. The chef should also realize that when this system fails it is ultimately his or her fault for not fulfilling the job requirements. When mistakes happen the chef should be expected to own up to it, support the team, readdress training, and set a new course as the leader of the crew.

[] RESTAURANT OWNERS WHO FAIL TO UNDERSTAND A LINE COOK’S VALUE

Time and time again line cooks will point to the meager wages paid for the unique expertise of those who prepare most of the restaurant’s food. Inferior wages and viewing cooks as interchangeable parts does very little to inspire loyalty and push a team towards excellence.

[] CHEFS AND OWNERS WHO NEVER GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

The chef is the face of the restaurant – we get it. It is the chef’s cuisine that sets the tone for the operation, but it is the line cook who has to follow through and ensure that everything is prepared and presented correctly. On occasion it would be nice for the owner and the chef to acknowledge this.

[] SERVERS WHO BLAME THE KITCHEN FOR THEIR OWN FAILURES

OK – things occasionally go sideways. Timing is off, a dish is lacking a component, the degree of doneness is not what was intended, or the flavor profile doesn’t quite match the description. Pointing fingers never solves the issue. Whether it was the fault of the kitchen or the fault of a miscommunication from a server is not the issue – the issue is how to salvage the situation and take corrective action. Cooks hate it when that finger is always pointed their way.

[] OTHERS WHO BORROW FROM A COOK’S MISE EN PLACE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Don’t even go there. A cook’s mise is the comfort that allows for efficient and focused work during service. When a cook’s mise en place is appropriated without knowledge then disaster looms around the corner. Yikes – this is the quickest way to unleash a line cook’s wrath.

Go ahead – add your own pet peeves.

PLAN BETTER _ TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

www.harvestamericaventures.com

Attention Line Cooks: Be Solid, Give it Your All

26 Monday Jun 2017

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chefs, cooks, line cooks

This is my first commissioned article for San Pellegrino’s blog – finedininglovers.com. I am honored to have this opportunity to share topics with their international base of followers and bring to light some of the challenges and opportunities that face those who chose a life behind the range.

For me to continue offering such articles with this audience I will need to demonstrate that cooks and chefs have an interest in these topics and this forum. Please click on this link and SHARE the article with your network of culinary professionals and those who have an interest in “life in the kitchen”.

Thanks.

ARTICLE: Attention Line Cooks: Be Solid, Give it Your All.

http://www.finedininglovers.com/blog/points-of-view/paul-sorgule-line-cook-role/

ROCK SOLID – A COOK’S PROFILE

13 Tuesday Jun 2017

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chefs, cooks, kitchen, line cooks, restaurants

A chef posts job openings for a restaurant kitchen “Looking for line cooks – dependable, experienced, strong work ethic”. These three descriptors summarize what most chefs are looking for. The resume is simply an elaboration on the critical traits of good employees – cooks who have the raw materials needed for success. Is this enough or is it simply the bare bones attributes that will result in a job offer?

At a time when finding kitchen staff is quite possibly the number one issue facing restaurants have chefs become jaded as to what they should insist that cooks bring to the table? What separates an employee from a “rock solid” cook who will help the restaurant become successful? Have too many restaurants and chefs lowered their expectations of new hires and in turn diminished the importance of those critical employees?

If we begin with an understanding that cooks are the individuals in a restaurant who execute the vision of the chef, if we come to the realization that great cooks equal a great menu and that it is rare to find a chef in a property who actually prepares the meals that define a restaurants’ reputation, then we might pause for a moment and rethink how we approach filling those critical cook positions. Dependable, experienced, and a strong work ethic are certainly a baseline used in hiring, but without the real specifics behind those words it would be difficult to build a team of rock solid individuals.

So, what does “Rock Solid” really mean?

[] DEPENDABLE

On the surface a chef might consider “dependable” to mean that the cook will consistently show up at the scheduled time, but isn’t dependable far more important than this? Rock solid cooks will show up ready to work, enthusiastic and passionate about food, professional in appearance, committed to the philosophy of the operation, prepared to consistently execute the preparations and presentations defined on the menu, consistent in how they approach others, focused on efficiency and cost control, and flexible enough to zig or zag when necessary. The chef and the operation need to depend on a cook’s commitment to all of this and more, this is what rock solid cooks are made of.

[] EXPERIENCED

What does experienced really mean? Is all experience equal? What are the traits and characteristics of an experienced cook and are those characteristics different depending on the type of restaurant seeking them as an employee? Does experience simply refer to a cook’s ability to work fast and efficiently, or does it include specific skill sets, understanding of certain cuisines, an educated palate, grace under fire, time tested experience working within a team, or even the ability to problem solve? Rock solid cooks bring all of these specific experiences to the job – way beyond fast and efficient.

[] STRONG WORK ETHIC

Amelia Jenkins referred to five components of work ethic in a recent Small Business article. She goes beyond the traditional definition that points to work ethic as being synonymous with “working hard”. She believes that a strong work ethic involves the following:

*Integrity:

Rock solid employees build trust, have high moral and ethical standards, and accept and provide useful feedback. Most importantly, the rock solid employee is consistent with all of these attributes.

*A Sense of Responsibility:

Rock solid employees take personal responsibility for their work, for their attitude, and for their effort each and every day.

*Emphasis on Quality:

Rock solid employees are willing to sign their work. They believe that their work is an extension of who they are as a person and put pressure on themselves to always strive for excellence.

*Discipline:

Rock solid employees are focused on given goals and completion of those goals at the highest level. They are dedicated and committed to contributing to the restaurants success.

*Teamwork:

Rock solid employees understand that they are part of the whole. They understand that what they do impacts on others and vice versa. Working together is an important part of their work ethic mantra.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/5-factors-demonstrate-strong-work-ethic-15976.html

-Amelia Jenkins

So here we are – the chef is posting a job opening with the intent of filling a gap in scheduling. He or she is focused on finding an individual who is dependable, experienced, and hard working, but knows in his or her gut that to be successful what is needed is a rock solid cook. In a narrowing market of workers, how does a chef identify people of this caliber, convince them to work in his or her kitchen, and keep them working as committed staff members?

It is safe to say that although everyone has the potential to be rock solid, a much smaller number actually reach that goal. Those cooks who fit this profile are certainly in demand making it increasingly difficult for a chef to fill his team with the best of the best. Here are some thoughts that will first require the chef to stop being jaded and give up the belief that it is important to fill slots on a schedule – this will never yield the results that are needed.

BECOME AN ADVOCATE FOR EXCELLENCE IN WORK

Creating an environment in support of the best employees includes insistence on the very best work results. Chefs who want to create a positive work environment must have the very highest expectations of excellence – they never, ever accept mediocrity. Ironically, this is exactly what the best employees want as well. The best want to work for the best.

RECOGNIZE HOW IMPORTANT THE COOK POSITION IS TO A RESTAURANTS’ SUCCESS

Chefs must advocate for the cook, praise their work when they seek excellence, and publicly recognize the critical role that cooks play in the success of the restaurant. The best chefs give credit where credit is due.

CREATE A SUPPORTIVE “INVESTMENT” ENVIRONMENT

In an effort to attract and retain the best – chefs must be willing and able to invest in a cook’s growth. In-service training, helping a cook build his or her network of influence, and creating outside opportunities for cooks to build their skill set are all investment opportunities that will pay back tenfold.

RESPECT A COOK’S OPINIONS AND IDEAS

Seeking out a cook’s opinions, providing a forum for soliciting those opinions and ideas, and when possible- acting on those opinions and ideas will help a cook feel like an important part of the business beyond his or her immediate job.

ENGAGE COOKS IN THE WHOLE PICTURE

The chef must create a situation where the cook wouldn’t think of working anywhere else. Sharing as much as possible about the business and everyone’s role in the restaurants success demonstrates how much the chef values each and every employee.

HELP THOSE ROCK SOLID COOKS HAVE A LIFE

The old school (of which I am a part) felt that a cook must dedicate his or her life to the kitchen. There is a new reality that truly makes more sense – when in the kitchen it must be a person’s 100% focus, but there must be time to have a life outside of food. It is the responsibility of a chef to help every cook realize this through reasonable scheduling and compassion when it comes to family responsibilities. This is how you help to create and retain rock solid cooks.

PAY THEM FAIRLY

I can’t stress this enough – when we pay cooks $10/hour we are clearly stating that they are interchangeable parts. How much is that rock solid employee attitude worth to you? If the cook is your most important asset then he or she should be treated as such. Yes, I know how small the margins are in restaurants, but if we stop and take a look at inefficiencies in our systems and the fact that well cared for employees might actually work harder and help to grow the business, then there is a way.

HELP THE COOK BUILD HIS OR HER PERSONAL BRAND

Finally, every chef must understand that no matter how well you treat a cook there will come a time when he or she will move on. Part of a chef’s responsibility is to help prepare cooks for this reality. Sit down with them and talk about their long -term goals, where they see themselves in 10 years and help them create a roadmap to get there. This investment attitude will serve the chef well and help to create a long list of great cooks seeking an opportunity to work for him or her.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

WHAT LINE COOKS BELIEVE – FACTS AND ALTERNATIVE FACTS

06 Tuesday Jun 2017

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

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:

http://www.amazon.com/Event-That-Changed-Everything-Relationships/dp/1491755105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496759782&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Event+That+Changed+Everything

A COOK IN THE WEEDS

04 Thursday May 2017

Posted by culinarycuesblog in Uncategorized

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chefs, cooks, in the weeds, line cooks, restaurants

ine-cook

What does it feel like to be part of that downward spiral situation on the line referred to as being in the weeds? This is different, a far cry, from just being buried in orders on a busy night. This is more than a situation – it is a condition, a condition that feels like drowning – going down for the third time without anyone nearby to pull you back. This is a situation that makes a cook feel helpless.

The Urban Dictionary definition of “In the weeds” is:

“Completely overwhelmed with diners’ orders and unable to keep up with the pace”, and/or “Overwhelmed with problems, troubles, or difficulties.”

Although these definitions are true they fail to look at the underlying cause and the physical, mental, and emotional state of the person who is facing this situation. Anyone who has worked in a restaurant kitchen has experienced the condition of being “In the weeds” and knows how debilitating the situation can be. Cooks do everything in their power to avoid the situation and spend many anxious hours worrying about the next time that they will face this unhealthy condition head on.

Let’s take a look at some of the probable causes and try for a moment to feel the state of helplessness that line cooks and chefs dread.

A TYPICAL SCENARIO:

It is a Friday afternoon at the bistro when Jake arrives late for his shift. The chef is not happy and makes his displeasure known to Jake who should have arrived at least an hour earlier for this anticipated busy night. Jake was not in his best physical shape today – it might be the start of a cold or it could be a result of those few extra drinks with friends the night before. Whatever the cause – Jake had a pounding headache, suffered from a lack of sleep, and ached all over. “It will be fine once I get started” thought Jake to himself. He had been here before and had worked his way through preparation for a busy night thousands of times before. A few cups of coffee, a little sweat from the heat of the ranges, and he would be back to normal (at least maybe 80%).

Everything seemed a bit more difficult today. His knives didn’t seem to respond to his hand directions like usual, he had a tough time focusing on more than one task at a time, the repetitive tasks that he was certainly familiar with felt a bit cloudy, and damn – his head hurt. Knowing that he was already a good hour behind, Jake tried to shake it off. He was sweating much more than normal even though the heat of the kitchen was the same as it always was and he was faced with some mild hand tremors that made it challenging to keep his knives on point. It didn’t feel like the expected results of a slight hangover – this was different. He plugged along trying hard to stay on task and check off items on his mise en place list.

By 4 p.m. the other line cooks were winding down with their final prep list details while Jake was feeling the pressure of a list that seemed to never end. He wasn’t sure how he would be able to finish by 5:30 when the doors opened to the restaurant and a steady stream of orders began to click off the printer. Being a proud, seasoned cook, Jake refrained from asking for help – this would be an admission of weakness. He picked up the pace as best he could.

An ill-placed knife found his fingers and a gash began to spread blood on his cutting board. “Crap!” He stepped aside and found the first aid kit, washed his wound, and tightly wrapped a few bandaids over the cut (probably not deep enough for a stitch, but still bleeding like a bastard) and then pulled on an extra latex glove. Jake washed and sanitized his cutting board and went back to work while his finger throbbed from the gash.

It was nearly 5:15 when he started to set-up his station knowing that his mise en place was still a bit light: “I can keep doing some prep during service as long as my station isn’t hit too hard”, thought Jake. Unfortunately, right at 5:30 the orders started to arrive and Jake’s station seemed to be the favorite. For the next 30 minutes he kept up quite well, but then as his mind was swirling with the multiple preparations before him while his head continued to pound, Jake grabbed a sauté pan from the oven without a towel. It only took a brief second to realize that he just seared a mark across his palm and inside of four fingers. He dropped the pan, shouted in pain and ran to run the hand under cold water. The orders kept arriving.

That profuse sweating during prep turned into cold sweats even as the temperature on the line exceeded 120 degrees. The color in Jake’s face was turning snow white and his headache converged with a bit of dizziness and an inability to stay focused. He continued to push on. At this point the others on the line began to notice that Jake was not right. This well-seasoned line cook was starting to look like a deer in the headlights. Jake stopped mid-stream, tongs in one hand and a sauté pan in the other and simply stared at the dupe rail. When his teammates asked him if he was ok – Jake failed to respond. Items already in pans were starting to burn and a full oven left unattended had some looming food casualties in its grip. Jake leaned on the chef’s table and lowered his head – he was in the weeds.

Responding as any team would (every other cook had been where Jake was a few times themselves) they pulled Jake off to the chef’s office, sat him down with a tall glass of water and returned to his station to try and make sense out of the growing mess before them. The sous chef who had been expediting on the other side of the line jumped in and took over one of the stations while orders were double-checked, and in some cases re-fired. It took them a good half hour to pull it together, but the relentless stream of Friday night orders would make this service seem like it would never end.

Jake was done for the evening. After a few minutes in the chef’s office he stepped outside for some fresh air and then returned to the back kitchen to do some cleaning while he tried to straighten out physically, mentally, and emotionally. He washed dishes and pots, swept and mopped, drank lots of water, ran errands for the line cooks, and made it through the night. At the end he apologized to the team as he was filled with shame and remorse. The sous chef did not acknowledge Jake’s apology and simply said that they would talk tomorrow. Jake felt that he had let everyone down, that he was a failure.

Now, if this scenario sounds familiar – join the crowd. Again, I don’t think that I know a single cook or chef, myself included, who has not experienced the same in his or her own career. It happens, but it can be avoided. Here are some common ways to keep you out of the weeds:

[] MAKE SMART CHOICES

Those extra drinks always come with a price. The temptations are all around – cooks like to play as much as they like to work hard. Keep moderation in mind especially when you have to work tomorrow.

[] KNOW THAT COOKING IS A PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL GAME

Take care of yourself. Stay physically fit, get enough sleep, find your way to relax, and find a friend who can be your ear when you need to vent. Don’t keep things inside – if something is troubling you it will be important to share it with someone who will listen and give you a dose of honest advice.

[] NEVER BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP – LEAN ON YOUR TEAM

You know early on when things are not going well, when you are behind, when your mise en place is not tight. Restaurant work is built on team – so never be afraid to say: “Hey, I’m running behind, can someone give me a hand?” If you fall down because of poor mise, then the entire team will suffer. It is in their best interest to lend a hand.

[] KNOW WHEN IT IS TIME TO SIT IT OUT

If, for whatever reason you are not going to be a positive contributor to the line, then know when it is time to let the chef or sous chef know. This is not to give you an excuse for bailing on your team, but rather give others a heads up so that adjustments can be made. In the end it is the group effort that wins and the team cannot allow one person to drag them down.

[] NEVER FORGET THAT YOUR MISE EN PLACE WILL SAVE THE DAY

Even when a cook is having a difficult physical or challenging mental health day – if his or her mise is tight then it is very likely that he or she can pull it off. If your prep is shallow then the results will almost always be devastating.

[] TAKE A BREATH AND FIND YOUR FOCUS

When you start to have that deer in the headlights feeling – stop for a second, take a breath, collect your thoughts, and ask the expeditor to change the pace for a moment or two until you can catch up. This is how a team works and this is how an expeditor manages the stress of the line.

[] LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES – DON’T MAKE THEM TWICE

Again, every cook goes through this and probably will a few times in his or her career. At the end of the shift make sure you assess what went wrong, discuss it with the chef and your teammates, make a point of committing to correcting your mistakes, and then let it go – move on. Write this one off as a painful learning experience and make sure that you are prepared to avoid these mistakes in the future.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericaventures.com

Restaurant Consulting and Training

WALKING IN A LINE COOK’S SHOES – The Good, The Challenging, & The Ugly

10 Monday Apr 2017

Posted by culinarycuesblog in Uncategorized

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Tags

chefs, cooks, kitchen, line cooks, restaurants

restaurant-food

While television and even some books might portray the life of a line cook as exciting, edgy, competitive, and even dangerously glamorous, few really demonstrate an understanding of what it is like to walk in a line cook’s shoes. Start to finish, if a portrayal is to be realistic it must focus on one very important fact – it is damn hard work.

When the media presents views of restaurant kitchens as powder kegs with shouting, demeaning chefs attacking the innocent line cook with “deer in the headlights” looks, they do a huge disservice to the industry. Environments like that, although there may be some left, are no longer tolerated – nor should they be. When books and movies paint a picture of the freedom of creative license in kitchens that look like laboratories with dozens of cooks – each with their one detail oriented task, they present an unrealistic image that can only be replicated in a very small percentage of operations around the world. The vast majority of kitchens and cooks work with a budget strained, limited number of line cooks who are fully dedicated to their craft, incredibly hard working, multi-tasking, team oriented, and focused individuals who would never tolerate an environment such as is portrayed in the media.

This being said – what is it like to work in a busy, professional restaurant kitchen? What are the challenges, disappointments, and winning feelings that permeate most of the more than 1 million restaurants from coast to coast?

Let’s work backwards from the Ugly and the Challenging-

THE UGLY

BURNS WILL HAPPEN:

Open flames, cherry-red, super-heated flat tops, glowing broiler coals, convective steamers, sizzle platters for steaks, deep fryers that resist even the smallest amount of water before they spit back, and heated service plates that could easily cook an egg, are around every corner, just waiting for an unsuspecting hand, forearm, or elbow. Line cooks will always sport a baker’s dozen of welts, blisters, and lingering burn marks. It happens.

STITCHES ARE INEVITABLE:

Some cooks may claim that they never cut themselves – they are in control. I find that hard to believe. When a cook is handling razor sharp knives every day – French knife, bird’s beak, cimetar, boning knife, or the deadly serrated bread knife, there is always the chance that an edge will find a finger or a palm. Ironically, cooks are not as afraid of cutting themselves, as they are of the embarrassment that comes from everyone else knowing that they weren’t careful. Cuts will happen and stitches are inevitable.

FEET, KNEES, BACK, AND LEGS

Standing on your feet for 10-12 hours per day, even in a great pair of shoes with rubber mats on the floor as a buffer will eventually take a toll. The sudden pivot movements on the line are cumulatively as damaging to your knees as running up and down a mountain slope. Lifting pots and pans, bending down to pull an item from an oven, stretching to grab that hanging sauté pan, carrying 50 bags of onions over a shoulder, and pulling a strap pan from the oven loaded with two 22 pound beef rib roasts will cause immense back strain. A dog may be a man’s best friend, but a chiropractor is close second.

THE STRESS IS REAL

Everything needs to be done now! The clock is always ticking and there is never enough time. Those first orders will tick off the printer soon enough and if the cook isn’t ready then he or she is screwed. The chef has standards and even if he or she is not inclined to yell like those on TV, it is always apparent to the cook when the chef is not happy. Customers simply don’t care about your challenges and problems – they order and they expect results – quickly. The stress is real.

THE HEAT IS ALMOST UNBEARABLE

I don’t know of many jobs as hot as working on a busy line. Maybe installing a metal roof on a house in the middle of July would be comparable, or working in a steel plant, but there are very few that compare. If the ambient temperature on the line is over 100 degrees, standing over the char-broiler with flames leaping at the hair on your arms, or the intensity of sauté work over a flat top will likely add another 20-30 degrees of ambient heat.

THE CHALLENGING:

KEEPING IT ALL STRAIGHT

Unlike what you might see on TV, line cooks are never relegated to one dish. They will have multiple menu items coming from their station. Each item will likely have a different approach, certainly different ingredients, and it’s own unique plate presentation. Watch the ticket rail in a busy restaurant at 7 p.m. when there will likely be 20 plus tickets each with multiple items waiting for the cook’s touch. “Ordering, Order Fire, Pick up, Give me an All-Day” are the phrases that line cooks focus on as they try to keep multiple preparations and timings straight. If they lose it then the night will be downhill from there.

SWEAT AS FAST AS YOU HYDRATE

That intense heat produces loads of sweat – this is your body’s method of air conditioning as it tries desperately to keep your internal organs from crashing. Dehydration can creep up until the body shuts down. The cook has a personal responsibility to hydrate constantly throughout a shift. If they don’t it can be seriously dangerous. Drink even if you don’t want to.

A CACOPHONY OF SOUND

The only thing that a cook should focus on is the directives from teammates, the chef, or the expeditor – yet all around them is a cacophony of sound: servers barking out orders and requests, banging pots and pans, the clink of glasses and plates from the dishpit, slamming oven doors, and the sound of food in pans and on the grill. If a cook is unable to block out those sounds then their attention to the task at hand will suffer.

GETTING KICKED IN THE ASS

It happens – at crunch time there comes a point when no one is quite sure how he or she will ever get through a service. The line starts to get behind on orders as the rail fills up, the dishwasher is faced with a never-ending stack of plates and fails to keep the line stocked, mise en place starts to come into question, service staff is on edge, spills on the floor take too long to address and the threat of falls increases dramatically, a tray of glassware hits the floor and shatters into a thousand pieces, and that table of eight that was suppose to arrive before the rush now walks through the door right at the peak of service. Yikes- the difference between calm and meltdown is in the hands of the expeditor and dining room manager. If they have it together and communicate effectively then the storm might be averted. If not, then everything will domino out of control.

TIMING IS INSANE

“How long for table 34” is the call from a seasoned server. “Three minutes” is the response from the line. The seasoned server knows that this is unrealistic and factors that what is really meant is “I’m not sure- maybe ten minutes or so”. The novice server will take it literally and become impatient. On the other hand, when the table is ready it is plated and driven to the pass – the server needs to be there at that moment. The waiter waits for the steak, the steak never waits for the waiter.

TOTAL DEPENDANCE ON MISE EN PLACE

You can’t say this enough – the challenge to a cook in preparation for a successful night lies with tight mise en place. There is no time or room for running out of prep. THERE IS NO TIME OR ROOM FOR RUNNING OUT OF PREP!

CREATIVE PAINTING WITH A CATTLE PROD

Cooks are expected to be artists when it comes to plate set-up. The chef has carefully planned the design and he or she expects that execution will be perfect regardless of how busy the restaurant is. Painting on the plate is something that takes patience and finesse – yet; on a busy line the expectation is art with the cattle prod of time. “Make it beautiful but get it up in the pass.”

THE GOOD:

THE DYNAMIC OF TEAM

Unlike the portrayal of line work on shows like Hell’s Kitchen where team members are critical of each other, unwilling to help those in need, and always looking to undermine the weakest player, in professional kitchens it MUST BE all about working as a cohesive unit. The beauty of working on the line is the thrill of working together with a team that has each other’s back.

THE DANCE

When it works, it flows. Seeing that line work well – mise en place is tight, communication is focused, confidence is high, expeditor/cook relationships are on point, front and back of the house are respectful of each other, the door is managed well out front, and plate presentations are on point is comparable to experiencing an orchestra execute a perfect piece of music. It is the dance that gets cooks excited about their work.

THE WINS ARE EVIDENT, THE LOSS IS SHARED

Back to the team – when the environment of working together is fostered then just like in professional sports, the unit that works together wins or loses together. There is no finger pointing – all for one and one for all.

CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT

Every day that a line cook finishes a shift he or she can point to something new that he or she has learned, or a current skill that has improved, or a tool of organization that has been enhanced. Cooks continually get better at their craft and can feel it like in very few other professions.

You can never truly understand what it is like to be a professional line cook until you have done it. The media has no idea how to portray this profession as it is, maybe because they feel that conflict is more interesting to viewers. Conflict doesn’t work in the kitchen and if it does exist then decent cooks will quickly look for a new venue.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

*All hail the line cook!

If you are interested in stories of the kitchen, then you will want to order your copy of “The Event That Changed Everything” today. Click on the amazon link below to order yours:

www.amazon.com/Event-That-Changed-Everything-Relationships/dp/1491755105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491830039&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Event+That+Changed+Everything

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

01 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by culinarycuesblog in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

chefs, cooks, kitchens, line cooks, restaurants

Painted in Waterlogue

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. Somehow, in kitchens, we make the latter work, but not without challenge.

Professional kitchens are fairly dangerous environments with more opportunities for crisis situations than most people could imagine. As cooks we are trained to respect and appreciate the danger and learn to view these challenges as necessary to the performance of our jobs.

Although seasoned cooks may not stop to think about it, every day that they walk through those kitchen doors there lies the possibility of danger through action or re-action. Those who have been around long enough have probably witnessed or experienced the results of a lack of focus on this possibility. I don’t know the national statistics, but I would say that emergency rooms probably know many cooks by first name. Accidents don’t just happen, they are usually the result of people not paying attention, not being aware of the danger, not caring about their own or others safety, or simply being careless and thoughtless.

For all of the cooks out there and wannabe cooks thinking about this career choice – here are some tongue and cheek observations and rules to live by:

THERE’S DANGER AROUND EVERY CORNER

[] THE POINT IS TO NOT GET THE POINT:

Knives are a cook’s best friend and a novice’s worst enemy. Knives are everywhere in a kitchen waiting for the opportunity to inflict pain on those who fail to respect their potential or properly care for these tools. Dull knives are dangerous and inexcusable in a professional kitchen. The wrong knife for the job is also a red flag for anyone working in hounds tooth pants. The first rule that any line cook must take to heart is to learn how to care for and respect these essential tools.

There are many other valuable, yet highly dangerous sharp tools in the kitchen – each carries a set of rules that dictate how the cook must address them. Open electric slicer blades, cleaning that same slicer without unplugging it from power, the Buffalo chopper without the blade guard secure, a meat grinder worm that is fed meat without using a safety tube plunger, the all-mighty mandolin that has seen many cooks sacrifice finger tips for the sake of perfect julienne or waffle cut potatoes, the box grater that stands in waiting for exposed knuckles, and even the simple serrated cutter on a box of film or foil can easily take a cook out of active commission while they wait for stiches or cauterization of the finger tip or thumb.

The point is always to NOT get the point.

[] SMOKE AND FIRE:

Where there is smoke, there is fire and in a professional kitchen there is plenty of both. Cooks crave the flame. The sound, smell, look, and intensity of the heat that comes with the turf as steaks and chops caramelize and release their intoxicating umami, scallops sear in a pan over a deep blue flame, a hollandaise browning evenly under a salamander broiler, and peppers of all sizes char while they rest on the grates of an open burner – this is what every cook loves. The heat is intense, even more so over those dancing flames. The ambient temperature on the line may hover around 120 degrees, but standing over the char broiler with 6 inch flames, or catching a hot pan on fire when deglazed with wine or brandy, can drive that temperature well past the point where a cook begins to feel like the steak on the grate. The sweat pours down a cooks back, easily soaking whatever chefs jacket or shirt he or she chooses to wear, and the hair on a cook’s arms quickly retreat from heat driven combustion. At this point, the heat becomes the motivation, the smoke keeps a cook focused, and the flames dare the line cook to get even closer to peril.

[] BACK OFF – I’M IN THE ZONE:

Attitude inevitably kicks in when the energy on the line is matched by the danger. While some may take offense at the abrupt demeanor of line cooks during service – few can understand how close to physical and mental meltdown they might be. Sometimes others simply need to accept a nod, or single word response from a cook in this state, or even understand that they are not intentionally ignoring you – it is just the moment of intensity that demands full attention. Failure to stay in the zone can result in problems with the food or “accidents” because attention was diverted.

[] TWENTY LEAGUES BELOW THE SKIN SURFACE:

There will be burns from the flames, shriveled arm hair, even a callus or two from grabbing pan handles that are way too hot for even the most seasoned cook. There are bumps into broiler handles that will result in a blister, and splatters from that sauté pan or deep fryer that will leave a mark that takes months to subside, but nothing compares to that deep, below the surface burn from hot water or steam. Grabbing that pan from a 500-degree oven with a damp side towel will spell trouble that burn ointment can’t touch. Opening that convective steamer door before all of the steam has dissipated will yield a facial burn to rival the worst summer sunburn, and spilling a 180 degree sauce or a 220 degree pot of boiling water on your forearm, or thigh will result in excruciating pain that is only compounded throughout the night under the intense heat of line work.

[] PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK:

It would not be too far fetched a thought to have a “proceed at your own risk” sign at the entrance to the kitchen, just like the “no lifeguard on duty” sign at many hotel pools. This doesn’t excuse the business from liability for a cook’s injuries, but rather warns the individual that if they don’t stay focused, all of the time, then the odds of injury are pretty high. Lifting without bending your knees, failing to dry mop spills on the floor, placing heavy items just out of reasonable reach, keeping flammable liquids like clarified butter or alcohol too close to an open flame, working with dull knives, or failing to protect your hands from the anxious blades of a sharp knife or mandoline, will all lure a cook into the realm of danger. It is the cook who allows an accident to happen, accidents don’t occur on their own, nor are pieces of equipment capable of malicious thought to do harm.

[] IF SOMETHING CAN GO WRONG IT WILL:

Ah, Murphy’s Law once again – funny how it always seems to hold true. Being on your game is an absolute in the kitchen. There are literally hundreds of things that can go wrong on any given day, and many of them could result in injury to you or someone else. To this end, there are rituals that have become common law in most kitchens – all designed to pay respect to Murphy’s Law. When a cook is walking up behind another it is always expected that he or she will shout out “behind”. When he or she is carrying a hot pan, pot full of stock, or sauce, a sizzle platter, or even a stack of plates direct from the 180-degree rinse, the cook will call out “hot stuff”. When leaving a walk-in cooler, the cook will knock on the door to warn anyone nearby that the door is about to open, and the list goes on. Everyone in the kitchen is always on guard, always cognizant of what could go wrong, always aware that a false step could spell disaster.

[] I AM THE CONTROL:

All of this tension can stimulate that aggressive monster that resides inside many line cooks and chefs. To some, it doesn’t take much to wake up the beast and pass on his wrath to everyone and anyone in close proximity. There are some who seem to take joy and pride in displaying this beast on a regular basis (a way to mark the cooks territory just like a wild animal), while others struggle to keep the monster inside and under lock and key. It is this battle to be in control of the beast rather than the beast being in control of the cook, that many face constantly.

[] LET THE BATTLE BEGIN:

Even those in control of the beast can use its energy and instinct to fight when faced with insurmountable odds during a super busy service. It is at this time that the job demands everything that a cook has to give, a time when everything gets put on the table and a super-human effort is necessary. This is when the cook and the chef say with great confidence: “bring it on!”

[] WORDS ARE MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD:

The final master tool at the cook’s disposal can be used for positive results or it can tear a team apart; this is power of words. Words are comforting or they can be incredibly destructive. Choosing the right words to relay understanding, frustration, acceptance, disappointment, happiness, anger, approval, or dismay, are essential parts of a cooks brand. Those who take the time to choose them wisely will grow to become leaders while those who allow emotion to form words that do nothing to encourage and everything to destroy will rarely reach the pinnacle of their career.

Every cook has this arsenal of tools and every cook has the ability to decide how those tools will be used. As Yoda said in Star Wars: “Choose wisely.”

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting and Training

Harvest America Ventures

~ harvestamericacues

Tag Archives: line cooks

THAT FIRST NIGHT ON THE LINE ALL OVER AGAIN

Featured

COOKS – GETTING BACK INTO THE ZONE

OUR DAILY BREATH: TAKING THE KITCHEN OUT OF THE COOK IS PROBLEMATIC

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

WHEN A COOK IS TRULY IN THE ZONE

HERDING CATS – THE MAKEUP OF A KITCHEN LINE

A COOK’S ANXIETY – A MOMENT IN TIME

LINE COOKS ARE THE STUDIO MUSICIANS OF THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS

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

WALK A MILE IN A RESTAURANT WORKER’S SHOES – PART ONE

A LINE COOK’S VIEW OF SUMMER MONTHS

WHEN LINE COOKS ARE IN THE ZONE

THE LINE COOK COUNTERCULTURE

DAY ONE IN THE KITCHEN – WHAT TO EXPECT

CHEFS PLANTING SEEDS – THE RETURN OF TRAINING ON THE JOB

THAT’S HOW COOKS ROLL IN THE KITCHEN

LINE COOKS GOING THE DISTANCE

OWNERS/OPERATORS – VALUING COOKS AND CHEFS

QUOTES TO LIVE BY FOR LINE COOKS

MacGyver SURVIVAL SKILLS FOR LINE COOKS

THE LINE COOK’S ADRENALINE RUSH

WHEN LINE COOKS CONNECT WITH THE FOOD

LINE COOKS – TOUGH AS NAILS – USED AND ABUSED, DRIVEN AND CONTENTIOUS

WHAT DRIVES A LINE COOK CRAZY

Attention Line Cooks: Be Solid, Give it Your All

ROCK SOLID – A COOK’S PROFILE

WHAT LINE COOKS BELIEVE – FACTS AND ALTERNATIVE FACTS

A COOK IN THE WEEDS

WALKING IN A LINE COOK’S SHOES – The Good, The Challenging, & The Ugly

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

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