restaurants
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I COOK, THEREFORE I AM.
Everyone, at some point in time during his or her life, is in search of purpose. “What is it that I was meant to do? What contribution can I make with the natural tools I was given? What will make… Continue reading
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ATTENTION COOKS: APPRECIATE FARM TO GLASS
Allow me to paraphrase from a really great documentary I just viewed: “Whenever you open a bottle of wine you are introduced to a year of weather, generations of history, and thousands of years of biology and geology.” With all… Continue reading
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A CULINARY EPIPHANY
Most professional cooks will tell you that part of their reason for doing what they do stems from an “a ha” moment; a particular dish, ingredient, or drink that set their mind abuzz with enthusiasm, wonder, and undeniable electricity. If… Continue reading
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COOKS – IN SERVICE OF THE POTATO
It is very easy to take for granted the raw materials that we (cooks) work with on a daily basis. We are so removed from the source, that many of the incredible items we use in kitchens have become simple… Continue reading
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HOW A LINE COOK CREATES A NEW DISH
It is certainly true that the heart of a new menu in a restaurant rests in the hands of the chef. He or she has the ultimate responsibility for designing and creating the menu items that reflect the image of… Continue reading
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WHY LET RESTAURANT CRITICS DEFINE US?
There was a point in time when people relinquished their decision making to outside services and individuals. Deciding on a movie, automobile, record, school, bank or restaurant suddenly became someone else’s responsibility. Siskel and Ebert told us what movies to… Continue reading
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WHAT IS A GOOD LINE COOK WORTH?
The ongoing success of a restaurant depends on two factors: great food and great service. It really is that simple. Of course, the chef, manager, and owner play an important role in selecting the right location and concept, building the… Continue reading
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HELP TO SUPPORT THE RELEASE OF “THE EVENT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING”.
My second book, a work of fiction, entitled: The Event That Changed Everything” is currently with the publisher. After edits I anticipate a release some time later this fall (2014). There are advantages and disadvantages to self-publishing, even with an… Continue reading
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ARE SERVERS AND COOKS LIKE OIL AND VINEGAR?
There are many examples of love/hate relationships or classic feuds that are difficult to rationalize: the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s, Alexander Hamilton and Raymond Burr; Neil Young and Lynard Skynard, the Beatles and Yoko Ono, Democrats and Republicans, and, of… Continue reading
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ALL HAIL COOK’S APPRENTICESHIP
John was 16 and a junior in high school. He came from a family of modest means; dad was a carpenter, a pretty good one too; mom had her hands full taking care of John’s three sisters, his younger brother… Continue reading
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HAVE IT YOUR WAY – HAS THIS GONE TOO FAR?
I have wrestled with how to approach this topic for some time. It began with a request from a blog follower who was looking for an article on Gluten Intolerance and how restaurants respond. So after a fair amount of… Continue reading
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CELEBRATE CHEFS TODAY AND EVERY DAY
Today, August 16, is National Chef Appreciation Day, a perfect time to reflect on the importance of cooks and chefs to everyone. If you are a chef or cook, then hug your coworkers today, if you are not, then find… Continue reading
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WHERE ARE ALL THE WOMEN CHEFS?
While I was a part of culinary education at two prominent U.S. colleges, I was proud of how many women were entering and graduating from culinary schools. By the late 1990’s, nearly a third of all enrolled students were women… Continue reading
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COOKING IS THE ULTIMATE SENSUAL EXPERIENCE
It’s 7 a.m. as the chef walks into the kitchen. He grabs a cup of freshly brewed coffee even before opening the door to the office. Nodding to the breakfast cook who has been there since 5, the chef enters… Continue reading
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THE REAL KEY TO RESTAURANT SUCCESS IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND STAFF
Everyone seems to be free with advice on how to find and push the magic button creating a successful restaurant. There are certainly standard answers (ho hum) like location, product, atmosphere and service. These are certainly critical pieces of the… Continue reading
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LIFE IN A BOTTLE – DON THE BANQUET CHEF
It is a story, too often in the making. A person, too young dies from self-abuse. It happens frequently in kitchens, the question is why? Now Don, the banquet chef at a hotel where I worked in the early 70’s,… Continue reading
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CHEF ESCOFFIER STILL INSPIRES AFTER 160 YEARS
This framed picture has been hanging on the wall of my office through much of my career. It is a beacon of inspiration that requires me to self-assess and always ask, “Is what I’m doing right now, good enough for… Continue reading
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COFFEE, THE REAL MAGICAL BEAN
“I don’t know where my ideas come from. I will admit, however, that one key ingredient is caffeine. I get a couple cups of coffee into me and weird things just start to happen.” ― Gary Larson Isn’t that the… Continue reading
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CAN CHEFS GET OLD AND STAY RELEVANT?
I have often caught myself saying that cooking in a professional kitchen is a young persons game. Having left the kitchen for education and then returned at the age of 55, it was obvious to me that certain jobs… Continue reading
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DO YOU COOK TO LIVE OR LIVE TO COOK?
My son, a technical education teacher once said, “There are two types of workers in the world; those who shower before work and those who shower after.” I thought this was quite profound and a way to categorize the type… Continue reading
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TO BE A COOK – AN HONORABLE PROFESSION
Walking down the street in my hometown back in the late-1960’s; an old acquaintance stopped me to say hello; “So, what are you doing with yourself?” My response, “I’m a cook in a restaurant.” Uncomfortable pause: “Oh, so what are… Continue reading
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KITCHENS ARE THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING COMMON SENSE
It’s likely everyone is familiar with the statement by Voltaire, “Common sense is not so common.” From our personal experiences I know that you, like me, have found this to be true. People are not born with common sense; they… Continue reading
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DOES MUSIC BELONG IN THE KITCHEN?
It was inevitable. As cooks and chefs grew into the role of artist so too did they join the ranks of talented expressionists who use a multitude of mediums. If the chef is truly an artist, then it would make… Continue reading
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RENT, LEASE, OR BUY – THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RESTAURANT LOCATION
Was it Ellsworth Statler who, a generation ago proclaimed, “The three most important elements of success are location, location, location,” or was it the British real estate tycoon named Lord Harold Samuel who died in 1987? In either case, those… Continue reading
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CHEF’S – BE ACTIVE WITH ALL PARTS OF THE DINING EXPERIENCE
It would be accurate to state that there is more to do in operating a restaurant kitchen than most any chef can effectively deal with. Writing menus, testing recipes, ordering product, connecting with farmers and vendors, hiring, training and evaluating… Continue reading
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RESTAURANT STAFF MEAL – THE IMPORTANCE OF BREAKING BREAD
There are very few, if any other businesses that view a staff meal as not just a benefit, but rather a necessity. Labor laws do not mandate that a restaurant provide a meal for its staff, only that time for… Continue reading
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RESTAURANT FRIENDS ARE UNIQUE
Allow me to begin with a generalization: most restaurant cooks are introverts, viewed as different, sometimes odd and often times lacking in self-confidence. Now you might disagree from your experiences in the kitchen, but it is my theory that “the… Continue reading
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LET THE GAMES BEGIN – A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CHEF – Part Three
As the first tickets started to arrive from the dining room – Jake gave some fleeting thought to the time. It was 5:30, he had already been here for nearly 11 hours and the night had just begun. What was… Continue reading
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