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OUR DAILY BREATH: HEY AMERICA – THIS IS WHY RESTAURANTS ARE IMPORTANT

15 Wednesday Apr 2020

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me at dinner

It seems that we have reached a point where acceptable casualties is a consideration in so many decisions. Whether it is the environment, the postal service, senior citizens, global partnerships, healthcare, or restaurants – there is a tendency to set aside or forget just how important these businesses, global responsibilities, and people truly are to our existence. Let’s take restaurants as an example – one might assume that these businesses are a luxury since cooking at home is always a logical alternative. But, what those who hold the decision-making power might overlook is that restaurants are more than a vehicle for preparing food and passing it on to those willing to buy.

Throughout history – restaurants have been integral to civilized communities. This dates back to the Renaissance, through this time of enlightenment, the growth of human intellect, during times of conflict and war, struggling through recession and depression, when the structure of society and its government seems to falter and of course, when times are great and life seems to glow with optimism. Restaurants are more than places where we can fill our stomachs – so much more. Let’s take a look:

[]         RESTAURANTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE GROWTH OF SMALL TOWN AMERICA

From the days of prohibition to the opening of America through the Eisenhower initiative to build the highway infrastructure of the U.S. – restaurants were always one of the first signs of community spirit. Restaurants could be found wherever roads intersected and people began to build their homes. The America Diner and the Speakeasy represented the presence of promise and the existence of the institution of neighborhoods. Every town – regardless of size, needs its centerpiece restaurant.

[]         RESTAURANTS ARE CENTERS FOR INTELLECTUAL DISCUSSION

From the early coffee houses of Europe to the Brasseries and Cafes of France, the Trattorias of Italy, the Pubs of England and Ireland, the Cantinas and Taquerias of Mexico, and to the corner American diners, taverns, pizzerias, and hotel dining rooms – mankind has relied on restaurants to serve as a destination where people of all backgrounds and beliefs could gather and discuss or argue their beliefs, strategies, and conclusions. This forum has been essential as people from all over the world developed their philosophy of life and ethical/moral standards.

service team

[]         RESTAURANTS ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF REWARD AND RECOGNITION

People crave some level of recognition and reward. It may be as simple as allowing friends a chance to say congratulations, an opportunity to recognize the bond between two or more people, the ability to gather and recognize the accomplishments of a group, toasting wins and commiserating a loss, celebrating a departed friends life, or simply a pat on the back for a hard days work – people desire and need those opportunities. Restaurants have always been the logical place where these activities take place and restaurant people are born to provide those opportunities.

[]         RESTAURANTS ARE THE GATEWAY TO CAREERS

Pick a professionally successful individual, or maybe a few who you see as highly successful in their careers – ask them about their background and most importantly – what was their first job. It is highly likely that many would say that their first introduction to work for pay was in a restaurant of some type. It may have been quick service, or probably a position such as dishwasher, counter server, or bus person, but I have a high level of confidence that the first job was in a restaurant. Some stayed with it, but many took the work ethic and entry level skills they learned and created a road map for their own careers moving forward. That restaurant experience set the stage.

[]         RESTAURANTS ARE THE PORTAL FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

If, in fact, the great American Dream is to own a business and chart ones own path towards success, then it would be impossible to ignore how important the restaurant business is to that dream. People migrated through Ellis Island from countries all over the world in search of this American Dream and many chose the path of restaurants. With their history and traditions in hand they came from Ireland, England, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Russia, China, Japan and dozens of other countries and took their small savings to open that corner ethnic restaurant from New York to San Francisco. The restaurant industry in America was born of this melting pot of ethnic explorers – it continues to be this opportunity that makes our country diverse, unique, and great.

Nearly 70% of all restaurants in the U.S. are private entrepreneurships and 80% of owners started their careers in entry-level foodservice positions.

[]         RESTAURANTS PROVIDE A ROADWAY FOR BUSY LIFESTYLES

Americans work, American families work, and these families need two incomes to thrive and support the lifestyle that inspires them – thus, restaurants are a necessity to support incredibly busy lives. Where dining out just fifty years ago was considered a luxury that was reserved for special occasions, it is now an absolute necessity.

[]         RESTAURANTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR ECONOMY

According to the National Restaurant Association – 2020 projections (before Covid-19 struck) included expected national sales of $899 billion, in more than 1 million freestanding restaurants that would employ 15.6 million workers. This defines the restaurant industry as one of the top employers in the U.S. Of course, all of these projections will now change as a result of the current crisis, but this picture of growth and influence has been evident for decades.

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[]         RESTAURANTS PROVIDE A FORUM FOR EXPRESSION

One of the common traits of restaurant careerists – especially cooks, chefs, and restaurateurs is an inherent need to express their art through work. To the chef – the canvas is their plate and to the restaurateur it is the art of hospitality, making customers feel welcome and special. No other art form allows the craftsperson to approach all five human senses as they develop a connection with each guest who walks through a restaurant’s doors.

[]         RESTAURANTS ARE THE ULTIMATE CONNECTION BETWEEN GROWER AND CONSUMER

When we enjoy a plate of food we are indirectly recognizing the hard work and passion of the farmer, fisherman, rancher, cheese maker, brewer, wine maker, distiller, and distributor. That restaurant plate is their collective chance to showcase their work as much as it is a canvas for the chef.

[]         RESTAURATEURS AND CHEFS ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION

Although some may deliver an education without realizing it – restaurateurs and chefs are providing opportunities each day for consumers to learn about the source of food, the people involved in the distribution chain, the ethnic background of the chef and his or her cultural influences, the styles of service passed down through generations, the warmth of spirit that the restaurant owner lays out every day, and the traditions of an industry that is rich and diverse. Every guest walks away from a restaurant experience with a new piece of knowledge every time he or she invests in the experience.

[]         RESTAURANTS ARE A MAGNET FOR URBAN RE-DEVELOPMENT AND GENTRIFICATION

When neighborhoods are focused on growth, when tired communities are committed to resurrection or transformation, and when people within a neighborhood are ready to create a new level of positive spirit – it is a restaurant that holds the key to that energy. Time and again we find this to be the case. Urban renewal begins with restaurants first, then shops and residences, parks and recreation, and so on.

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[]         RESTAURANTS PROVIDE COMFORT, SUPPORT, AND HOPE

Restaurant people are some of the most generous to be found anywhere. Community leaders and essential organizations look to restaurants for help in supporting their causes, and restaurants always respond. We have come to rely on this generosity and know that those incredible chefs and owners are part of the heart and soul of a community.

[]         RESTAURANTS ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT VEHICLES FOR APPRECIATING DIVERSITY

America gives lip service to creating diversity in the workplace and even attempts to formally or informally dictate that this happens. Diversity has been natural in the restaurant business since it’s beginning. Walk into any restaurant in America, even more so in urban centers, and you will find a plethora of ethnicity, race, gender, and belief. It is refreshing and natural.

[]         RESTAURANTS DEFINE THE CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS, TRADITIONS, AND FLAVORS OF A COMMUNITY

People tend to flock to the things that make us alike. City centers, in particular, find a natural gravitation to micro communities of ethnic background and at the center will be restaurants that portray the cultural similarities and traditions of that group. If you want to know something about a neighborhood- look to its restaurant scene.

team

[]         RESTAURANTS ARE THE SOUL OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY

As the world moves past the Coronavirus at some point – it will be the travel industry that defines how quickly the economy recovers. Whether for business or pleasure, people have a need and desire to travel by plane, train, and automobile. Every travel destination relies on its restaurants to help create its uniqueness and attractiveness. Travel and restaurants are an important partnership for economic growth and the wellbeing of a society.

This is a time to understand and appreciate the significance of the restaurant industry that is devastated right now. Those in the industry understand and support the need for isolation – we must work together to defeat this invisible viral enemy, but we must realize that many of the restaurants in the U.S. and beyond will not survive the impact of mandated closure. This is a wonderful industry with very tight profit margins, and an industry made of small private entrepreneurships without cash reserves – they are hanging on by a thread. When they are able to return, the ones that are able to hold out that long, it is important that we all find ways to support them. In the meantime they turn to the U.S. government – not for a handout, but for assistance and understanding.

SIGN THE LETTER TO HELP SAVE INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS

www.saverestaurants.com/letter

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

We are in this together

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

 

OUR DAILY BREATH: POST COVID KITCHENS – GET READY

13 Monday Apr 2020

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me

Restaurants will get the green light at some point. When the data demonstrates that the virus is somewhat under control – whether that is the end of May or later, we all know in our hearts and minds that things will be different. Guests will not likely flock back to our operations, there will still be a considerable amount of trepidation, especially since pre-vaccine life will still include the threat of virus transmission. We also know that the health and safety regulations for restaurants will change significantly as we make every attempt to keep the public and our staff safe and at ease.

Along with giving serious thought to how restaurant concepts, menus, and methods of delivery will need to change – we must prepare for the regulations to come. Preparation for this inevitable change is the best way to set the stage for post Covid success. Here are some of the likely changes (I don’t have a crystal ball- but I would be willing to bet that these will come to fruition):

[]         VENDORS AND DELIVERIES

There is little guarantee that the product that is received at the backdoor of our restaurants is free from virus. It has already been stated that Covid-19 can live for a period of time on the surface of cardboard and there are numerous opportunities for asymptomatic individuals to come in contact with food before packaging (especially produce and animal protein). Let me be clear that there is NO INDICATION at this time that the virus can be spread through food.

It would surprise me if there were not an effort on the part of the Public Health Service and state Departments of Health to require, or at least strongly urge, restaurants to discard all cardboard packaging and thoroughly wash and sanitize received food products before they enter the production kitchen of restaurants. Lexan containers will be in high demand, as restaurants no longer store food supplies in the boxes they were delivered in.

[]         PRE-STORAGE AREAS REQUIRED IN NEW KITCHENS FOR WASHING AND SANITIZING OF INCOMING PRODUCTS

I would anticipate that new kitchen construction code will eventually require a “pre-clean/sanitize” area in receiving areas with sinks, adequate stainless table space, storage for Lexan containers and dry racks to be used before food items as well as floor and wall surfaces that can be pressure washed and sanitized frequently. This only makes sense to help control future outbreaks.

[]         RECORD THE PROTOCOL

It is very likely that the Public Health Service will contemplate development and implementation of product and people sanitizing before entering production kitchens. This may take some years before fully implemented, but I can envision similar protocols to what is found in industrial food production facilities – think meat processing plant processing along with the record keeping of these standards.

[]         A NO CARBOARD REQUIREMENT FOR KITCHENS

We have become use to recycling our cardboard on a daily basis, but it may soon be required to eliminate that packaging before food and other supplies enter a food production space or storage.

[]         EMPLOYEE ANTIBODY TESTING AND VALIDATION

All indications are that it will be some time (at least until a vaccine is developed in 12-18 months – hopefully) before we can safely move about without the level of concern and preparation that is in place now. The only surefire way to move back to a more normal life is to verify that individuals have the antibodies that will allow them to do so. Dr. Fauci has already stated that an antibody test will likely be available in a week or so and will be ramped up to produce the quantities needed. Is it too much of a stretch to envision a federal, or at least state-by-state requirement for people to have some type of validation that proves they have the antibodies that would deem them relatively safe – especially for healthcare and foodservice workers? In some states it is already a requirement that foodservice employees have a validated test for Tuberculosis before they are allowed to handle food.

[]         PERSONAL TEMPERATURE CHECKS AND LOGS

Just as probable will be a requirement in certain industries for employees to have a validated body temperature check before they enter a place of work and that these records be maintained or even submitted to a higher authority on a regular basis. This only makes sense (already required in most healthcare facilities).

[]         SERVESAFE REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES

In some states – ServeSafe or something comparable is required of all foodservice workers. Wouldn’t it make sense that this becomes a requirement of all foodservice workers? How long before this becomes a Public Health Service mandate?

[]         MASKS REQUIRED

It is highly likely that the first requirement once we are allowed to re-open restaurants at some level are that all food handlers (maybe even service staff) wear a protective mask. Of course, we need to have enough masks available to purchase first.

[]         HAND WASHING TRAINING

“Wash your hands” has always been a mantra in restaurants of all types but have we been thorough in our training? Do people know and practice the 20-second aggressive wash protocol every time they wash their hands? Do they use gloves when required and do so properly? Do they feel too confident with gloves to invest enough time washing their hands as well? Hand washing will become an even more critical standard in restaurants.

[]         REQUIRED OUTSIDE LAUNDERING OF UNIFORMS

Many restaurants require uniforms but leave it up to employees to launder their own, many wear their uniforms to work rather than change on premise, and many restaurants fail to have any consistent sanitary uniform policy. Expect that this will eventually change (for the better) and expect that outside laundering and sanitizing services will be expected (except where restaurants have their own laundries). Gone will be that favorite T-shirt as a uniform of choice, unwashed shoes, baseball caps, or cargo pants and shorts.

[]         WORK SURFACE SANITATION PROTOCOL AND TESTING

In kitchens of a certain size it may make sense to develop a new position that focuses on pre-cleaning and processing of food before it enters the production space, strict oversight of hand washing and sanitizing of work services and equipment, employee personal temperature testing and documentation of all of the above, maintaining antibody validation records, etc. Basically, you may want to make future plans for an infection control person on your staff. Is this a stretch? I don’t think so.

[]         VERY STRICT HACCP ENFORCEMENT

HACCP (time temperature tracking) has been creeping up on restaurant operations for a few years and will become the most critical safety/sanitation issue in the future. Those logs and follow-through must become second nature.

[]         NEW PROCEDURES FOR CLEAN DISHES, FLATWARE AND GLASSWARE

How will we ensure that the service ware that restaurants use is free of contamination before menu items are plated and delivered to a guest? Someone will push for stricter controls on this – be prepared to see a plethora of new equipment designed to accomplish this goal.

[]         MORE FREQUENT HEALTH INSPECTIONS

We can all expect an annual, unannounced health inspection (more if there is a registered complaint or previous issue), but in the future there will likely be a push for more interaction with your local health department. It could take a variety of forms – one full inspection, and others to check on critical issues, or required periodic classes that at the very least – chefs and managers will need to attend.

[]         WORKSPACE REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW KITCHENS THAT FOCUS ON SAFE DISTANCES BETWEEN EMPLOYEES

The typical design of a restaurant leads to the smallest amount of kitchen space to accomplish the job – leaving more space for revenue generation out front. It is likely that code requirements in the future will state that a certain amount of space per anticipated kitchen employee is standard. This could allow for future distancing of employees to prevent asymptomatic spread of a virus.

[]         UV LIGHTS IN COOLERS AND STORAGE AREAS

At some level, ultraviolet light does help to control the growth of bacteria. This may become a standard lighting requirement in food storage areas.

[]         A NEW VERSION OF SANITIZERS FOR POT SINKS AND DISHWASHERS

Bleach or iodine solutions are the standards for sanitizing pots, pans, and work surfaces in kitchens. I would anticipate a new family of sanitizing agents that can protect against bacterial transmission as well as current and future viruses.

It would seem likely that some or maybe all of these changes are in our future. It won’t happen overnight, but we all realize that the health and safety of our guests and employees is (should be) our primary concern. So – it makes sense to plan for change in this regard.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

 

OUR DAILY BREATH: HOW WILL WE RE-CREATE THE CULTURE OF DINING OUT?

09 Thursday Apr 2020

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Painted in Waterlogue

There are few things in life that vividly define the culture associated with a group of people more than dining out. Food is connected to nearly every aspect of life, family, and the art of living. A culture is a collection of life essentials including art, drama, literature, religion, music, food preparation and traditions, history, language, politics, etc. and as such – collectively define all levels of civility.   Food, as part of this formula, also interacts with each of those other components of culture – so it might be said that it is a common denominator.

As one of the oldest professions known to mankind – cooking is a noble endeavor that serves as a portal for all that a culture means and restaurants are the vehicle for delivering this to and sharing culture with people of all ethnicities, race, genders, and beliefs. Since the days of early merchant travelers during Medieval and Renaissance days – restaurants have been integral to societal development and the sophistication of people. As Julia Child once stated (and I paraphrase): “Every great transition of the human race has paralleled a remarkable change in the way that we grow, harvest, process, prepare, serve, and consume food.” The restaurant table is the canvas on which every person involved in that process has an opportunity to paint and tell a story.

When we close a restaurant we lose that canvas, when we shutter all of those restaurants we lose a significant piece of humanity. Yes, we will move through this challenging time and there will be a restaurant business on the other end of Covid-19, but how can we re-create that canvas that will allow society to tell the story of a culture?

Think about the important aspects of our lives that have relied on restaurants as a vehicle for people to get together. We celebrate our sporting teams wins and losses over food and drink – without the restaurant there is less opportunity for this to define our tribes of support. We celebrate the union of two people through marriage over a plate of food and as such raise our glasses in love and support of their commitment. We bring intellectual conversation to a larger audience while we break bread around a common table. We discuss and sometimes resolve our political differences with fork and knife in hand. We laugh and revel in our friendships after a hard week’s work by clinking glasses in that neighborhood restaurant that serves and pampers us. We look that life partner in the eyes over a well-prepared plate of food, get on one knee in front of an audience and propose that two lives become one. We even rely on that restaurant to pass along bad news in hope that the environment will temper the emotions that accompany that message. Restaurants are absolutely essential to our way of life and the way that we communicate our feelings and emotions. Life without this common table would certainly be a bit empty.

Will the culture associated with dining out automatically return or will we need to re-learn what it means to break bread in public, raise a glass, and celebrate being alive? What must a restaurant, or the larger restaurant community do to ensure that it, once again, becomes a central part of life?

If we simply view the role of restaurants as a manufacturer of food for consumption, then we will miss the point and lose the café, bistro, trattoria, or diner’s true role in society. It is the experience of dining that is most important and it is this experience that allows a restaurant, or for that matter – the restaurant industry to flourish. As we prepare for the return to a “new normal” we must keep the larger role of restaurants in mind. Here are some thoughts:

FOOD IS THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

[]         NO ONE INDEPENDENT RESTAURANT CAN SOLVE THIS CHALLENGE:

For the culture of restaurants to return – every operation must collaborate with others in their community to build an atmosphere of common purpose. Individual restaurants succeed when all restaurants succeed. When neighboring restaurants understand their importance to the restoration of a positive cultural climate – then the atmosphere of hope and celebration becomes apparent. All for one and one for all should be the standard of operation.

[]         KNOW THE MESSAGE – TELL THE STORY

The restaurant that knows the story behind the business and the community and tells that story in a heartfelt manner is the restaurant that will build relationships around the table. Customers may walk through the door initially because of the food, but will return time and again because of the story that the owners and staff tell.

[]         THINK GLOBAL – ACT LOCAL

We are truly in this together. Every restaurant must think in terms of how do we help the entire industry rise again.   At the same time it is how the operation expresses this goal in their local community that will ensure a steady flow of supporters. Become active in helping the industry rebuild itself, change where necessary, and polish its rough edges while at the same time do everything possible to collaborate with local vendors, organizations, farmers, and complementary businesses to show how essential the restaurant is to the culture of a town or neighborhood.

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[]         IT’S ALL ABOUT SERVICE – IT’S ALL ABOUT FOOD

When restaurants return they must understand that service and food are equal in importance to the guest. Great food without great service is shallow just as great service without great food is never a winning combination. Defining what each means is unique to every operation.

[]         PEOPLE FIRST – RELATIONSHIPS FIRST

When all is said and done it is the people who work in a restaurant that paint the picture of success on that canvas and it is the relationships that are built between those staffers and guests that make all the difference between a successful restaurant and one that is simply biding time.

[]         TREAT EVERYONE THE SAME AND EVERYONE DIFFERENTLY

One of the more challenging aspects of running any business, and particularly restaurants is that every customer walking through that door is unique and expects to be treated as such. We obviously need to have standards of operation, but if we are not prepared to adapt frequently to the needs of each guest then we may never reach a consistent level of success.

[]         REMEMBER THE TDE

Finally, it is essential that every quality restaurant (regardless of the style, type of food, or price point) should learn that the restaurant “experience” is one that appeals to all of the human senses. Great restaurants appeal to the sense of smell by accentuating those positive aromas of the kitchen, the sense of sight through well appointed, clean and attractive restaurants and plate presentations, appropriate and complementary sounds whether they be the sounds of the kitchen or music that complements the experience, knowing that the physical sense of touch applies to the comfort of the chair, the weight of the flatware and glassware as it matches the type of food and price point, and the right textures of quality food on the plate, and finally the sense of taste – food must be consistently prepared in such a manner that causes the guest to pause and truly savor every bite. This is the Total Dining Experience (TDE).

The way to bring back the restaurant industry is to bring back its importance to the culture of a community and society. We can and must play our role in making sure that this is at the heart of our decision making process.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Remember the TDE

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

OUR DAILY BREATH: A CHEF’S WINDOW TO THE WORLD

29 Sunday Mar 2020

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It’s day 14 of a Covid-19 voluntary lockdown. Aside from a trip to the grocery store and an isolated morning walk now and again, I have been a prisoner of my home. The same is true for my family in different parts of the Northeast. We communicate daily either by text or FaceTime – once per week via Zoom Meeting. The rest of the time is spent finding things to fill in the gaps. All of my consulting client work is on hold since they are closed and also on lockdown. It is starting to sink in – this is going to be a long road – hang on.

I stare out the front window on occasion and watch the sporadic cars go by on a once fairly busy road through town. I wonder – “Where are they going?” Do these drivers have a destination, are they healthcare essential workers, police on the way to a shift, firefighters, grocery store employees, pharmacists, government officials, or are they simply claustrophobic residents driving around town just to see something different? What are they missing most, where would they be today if not required to shelter in place? My how the world has changed over these past two weeks. How long will this last – will we return to normalcy or is this what we can expect for a season or more?

I miss the kitchen. I haven’t worked there in some time, but the four decades that I did have burned lasting memories into my subconscious. I remember the routine – I relish it now. I remember the crazy, dedicated, passionate people – I miss them always. I remember the organized chaos, the adrenaline, the stress, the uncertainty, the dinner rush, and the arguments with vendors – I miss all of that too.

The sounds of a morning kitchen coming to life – the buzz of compressors, the clank and whir of the exhaust fans, the driving staccato of knives hitting cutting boards, the sizzle of steaks on a char-grill, and the sound of fish searing in a sauté pan – these are sounds that stimulate all of the senses at once. I miss the bark of the expeditor, the demands of the service staff, the rough and tumble language of the line cooks, the sound of an occasional wine glass hitting the quarry tile floor and smashing into hundreds of pieces, and I even miss the ticking of the POS printer as order, after order adds to the anxiety of the cooks. What I truly miss is the smells of the kitchen: the smell of fresh brewed coffee, a veal stock simmering in the prep kitchen, bacon pulled from the oven, fresh baked artisan bread, the intoxicating aroma of steaks on a grill, and the constant background smell of onions and garlic – this can’t be replaced.

It’s funny how the intensity of the kitchen would allow every cook to forget, at least temporarily, all of the outside life challenges that they face. The kitchen was (is) a safe zone from life’s problems. At least when you are in the heat of it, you are able to concentrate on what is in front of you – this is comforting, and even with the pace of the kitchen, it feels safe.

Only those who live it will understand what I say. Only those individuals who find that the people of the kitchen are brothers and sisters will know that this place of “work” is really a safe place for them, a place where they find purpose, find like-minded individuals, and find the strength that is sometimes hidden behind those life challenges faced otherwise. This is where cooks and chefs belong and they know it. This is their home away from home, a place filled with craziness and confidence, a place where they can be comfortable in their own skin and proud of what they are able to do. I miss this.

Staring out the window – I wonder what other cooks and chefs across the country are doing right now. Without the pressure of absurd timelines, without the need to perform magic on a grill, in a pan, or plating on the line; and without the demands of a full dining room – what are these cooks and chefs doing right now?

The missing paycheck is looking over their shoulders, the empty refrigerator and pantry is gnawing at their conscience, and the uncertainty of tomorrow is very frightening – but, what they are likely most concerned with is the separation of team and missing a kitchen space that can no longer be their safe haven. I look out the window and wonder.

My time in the kitchen as a chef is long gone although my work continues as an active consultant, but when my business slows to a halt I turn my thoughts to cooks and chefs who depend on those kitchens to make them complete.

We all feel that this will end, we don’t know when, but we bide our time by thinking about a return to life as we knew it, life in our kitchen safe havens. If only we had an understanding of when. Looking out the window can be depressing, but hope springs eternal as they say, and that feeling that it will end and we will return keeps us going. When I see those cars driving by I wonder how many are filled with cooks and chefs coasting through town and waiting for the day to come when they can walk through those kitchen doors and hear, see, smell, touch and taste the life that they relish once again.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

The Day Will Come – Keep the Faith

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

OUR DAILY BREATH: LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP

27 Friday Mar 2020

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chef

There has never been a more important time for leadership – not the job title – the act of leadership and the positive actions of those who rise to the occasion. It is human nature for the vast majority of people to look to a person or persons to show the way, to set the tone, to be honest and to give hope through action. Each day brings more grave predictions for what is to come and in the midst of this we receive mixed messages from those who either hold the title of leader or exhibit leadership qualities through their actions. Whom do we trust – whom should we listen to and follow?

There are people who selflessly step up and do what they believe is right, even in the absence of real leadership. Those doctors, nurses, healthcare staff members, first responders, firefighters and police, utility workers, and yes – grocery store employees who respond to their designation as “essential workers” – and put themselves in harms way to help others. At the same time – they crave leadership direction. A few governors are doing the right thing and filling the leadership void with frank, honest, organized, and consistent messages and we clamor to listen to them as we do those epidemiologists and virologists who have the historical credibility to tell it like it is, but we still feel a bit lost and confused as overall consistent leadership lags behind the curve.

Restaurant workers are typically people who rise to the occasion and respond to a need. Whenever there is a crisis – food service workers and restaurant owners start the conversation with: “What can we do?” This willingness is our nature, this is hospitality during crisis – it happens with hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, fires, and floods – we can count on it. When people in crisis need to be fed – the restaurant industry responds without giving thought to the cost or even the danger – this is what we do.

We are in a crisis situation that could never have been imagined. It is a crisis that impacts everyone throughout the world. Everything else has disappeared from the world dialogue. We no longer talk about differences between world leaders, oil prices, pockets of terrorism, the pending presidential election, or other “breaking news” scenarios that filled the news cycle just a few weeks ago. Today we are unified in our common fear of an invisible enemy that threatens human survival, world economies, and the stability of governments. This is our common mission – to survive and defeat this invisible enemy.

When we see giants of leadership rise up, we breathe deeper, and even foster a smile knowing that someone is showing us the way. Who would predict that a chef, a vacuum cleaner manufacturer, a computer geek and philanthropist, and even average Americans with sewing machines would become the leaders that we need. Each one of us, especially those who have positions of authority can step up and fill the leadership void. This is a call to arms – a call to those who can take on the role that they should. Business owners, chefs, social media managers, writers, musicians, and others with a voice can be the strength that America and the world need right now.

Tell the truth; help people to understand their role, give opportunities for the average person to make a difference, unify, communicate effectively, and set the example for others to follow. Sometimes leaders rise out of necessity – they may not be appointed, elected, or hired to take on this role – they just know that it is what is required.

Here are a few that give me hope:

andres

Jose Andres – chef extraordinaire and exemplary humanitarian:

https://time.com/collection/apart-not-alone/5809169/jose-andres-coronavirus-food/

dyson

James Dyson – inventor and vacuum cleaner designer:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/26/tech/dyson-ventilators-coronavirus/index.html

gates

Bill and Melinda Gates – one of the original computer geeks/entrepreneurs and incredible humanitarian:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracywang/2020/02/05/billionaire-philanthropist-bill-gates-announces-100-million-commitment-to-fight-coronavirus-global-health-crisis/#4a6977a020be

Certainly we need sufficient personal protective equipment for our healthcare workers, more hospital beds, additional doctors and nurses, ventilators, and a population willing to isolate themselves to reduce the spread, but at the top of the list is a dire need for real leadership in all areas to coordinate and drive this effort, to set the example and tell the truth, to bring us all together and make it clear what we can all do to help. It might very well be that the most important thing we can do is to stay put and flatten the curve of infection.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Look to those in leadership roles- step up if you can -do your part

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

OUR DAILY BREATH: AS OUR KITCHENS SLEEP

26 Thursday Mar 2020

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There is no one to turn on the lights, fire up the ovens, start the groan of hood exhausts, and no one to fill the dish machine tank and three bay sink. Vendor deliveries have ceased, floors remain clean and untouched, and the clock on the wall suddenly sounds off with the ticking of time. The POS printer hasn’t come to life for a week or so; there is no smell of coffee brewing, bacon fresh from the oven, sauté onions and garlic, stock, or 109 ribs being pulled from the slow cooker. Kitchens across America are asleep and waiting to be awoken.

Kitchens without cooks to bring them to life are wastelands of stainless steel. The coolers may be empty, but it won’t take much to fill the void with meats, fish, fresh produce and dairy and charge forward. Every kitchen awaits the opportunity to play their part.

As cooks we can all close our eyes and envision the smells, sounds, heat, and organized chaos that define a busy kitchen. We crave the banging of pots and pans, the staccato of knives as they strike a cutting board, the sizzle of ingredients as they hit a scorching hot pan, the clink of glasses and china, the bark of the expeditor, the banter of cooks and the spiciness of their language, and the “yes chef” response when a directive is given. A quiet kitchen just does not seem right. We miss the cases of ingredients waiting to be rotated and stored, filleting fish, kneading dough, trimming tenderloins, peeling onions, garlic and shallots, and the whir of a VitaPrep blender and Robot Coupe. These sounds and their associated smells represent our lives, our culture, and the world where we are most comfortable.

Sure we complain about the hours, the intensity of the work, the stress, the heat, and even the slow work of those who are less committed – but we miss it. A cook’s life is a sensual experience – each human sense is poked and prodded throughout the day and now that it has been taken away, we feel less whole.

Pulling a strap pan from the oven with two 109 ribs weights over 50-pounds – we miss that. Lifting a 5-gallon pot of stock from the stove, sixty or more pounds of scorching hot broth and vegetables is a dangerous act – we miss that. Flipping sauté vegetables in an 18-inch pan is an acrobatic process as the ingredients climb into the air and then gracefully tumble back in place – we miss that. The tedious process of peeling and deveining a case of U-15 shrimp is something we also miss. Peeling onions and potatoes, pulling the skins off of garlic, mincing parsley, shucking clams and oysters, portioning steaks and marking them on a cherry red grill, caramelizing Diver scallops, or salmon fillets, and plating up a few hundred covers on a Friday night – we miss all of that.

Joni Mitchell, the magical songwriter of the 60’s and 70’s once wrote: “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone?” That statement sure sums things up today – doesn’t it?

We have too much time to think about what we are missing, too much uncertainty about what may come, there is too much anxiety over our own health, and far too much sadness about what is missed. We miss the camaraderie of our teammates, the stress of a sometimes-impossible job, the pressure of a full dining room and the impatience of servers waiting for their order, and the stare that could kill from the chef when we screw up an order and need to re-fire.

The first couple of days in isolation were a nice pause from the pace of everyday in the kitchen – after that, the silence and the lack of focus was, and still is, painful. Cooks need to cook, cooks need the pace of the kitchen, cooks thrive on the stress, and cooks need their kitchen back.

Know that if we act the way we need to act to stop the spread of this virus, if we remain aware that others are feeling the anxiety of being complacent and bored, and if we do whatever we can to be there for our co-workers, family, and friends – this will end and we will return to those kitchens that lie in waiting. It won’t be the same at first, but once we step through that back door, turn on the lights, fire up the ovens, and flip the switch on the exhaust fans – it will begin anew.

Patience is a virtue that Type A cooks have little of – this is something that we will need to learn. Patience and diligence will win this battle. First things first – defeat this invisible enemy, remain diligent with our new normal, learn from the experience, and return to our kitchens with a new sense of understanding.

Restaurants are important to our society, to the lifestyle that Americans have become accustomed to, and to our national economy, but know that restaurants and the life associated with working in them is important to cooks, chefs, servers, bartenders, dishwashers, vendors, farmers, fisherman, and ranchers as well. We are all feeling the darkness of a kitchen that is currently asleep.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Be patient – Be diligent

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

Joni Mitchell – from Big Yellow Taxi

OUR DAILY BREATH: IS THE AMERICAN DREAM IN JEOPARDY?

25 Wednesday Mar 2020

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To me, there is nothing more soul crushing than to see a restaurant closed and for sale. Behind the sign on the front window is a story of a person’s dream, an all out life change to become an entrepreneur, an investment of every personal penny, financial support from family members and likely loans to supplement. Behind that sign are years of blood, sweat and tears, and a team of employees: cooks, chefs, servers, bartenders and dishwashers who show up every day to work and who depend on those meager paychecks and tips to pay their bills and support their families. Behind that window sign is a bank that reluctantly gave that risky start-up loan, a cadre of vendors who will likely have to wait for a portion of the money that the restaurant owes, a landlord with an empty building and back rent that may never come, and many loyal customers who have lost their favorite place to meet and dine. The sign tells a story that is deep and troubling – a sign that represents the end of a dream, an indication of failed ideas, and the fear of uncertainty moving forward. That sign truly is soul crushing.

The American Dream has built this country, a country of immigrants who saw this as a land of opportunity where anyone with an idea and a few dollars in his or her pocket could find a space, raise the capital, and open their doors to a bright future. This is a country where the majority of jobs are affiliated with small business, where every city is filled with storefronts that represent those dreams and people who buy into them.

“Over 99 percent of America’s 28.7 million firms are small businesses. The vast majority (88 percent) of employer firms have fewer than 20 employees, and nearly 40 percent of all enterprises have under $100k in revenue. 20 percent of small businesses are employer businesses and 80 percent are non-employer businesses.”

-J.P. Morgan Chase

According to the National Restaurant Association – 70% of American restaurants are single-unit operations (privately owned small businesses) and 90% have fewer than 50 employees. This is the life-blood of the American economy and this is the heart of the American Dream.

Why restaurants? Restaurants, although banks are hesitant to invest in them, are still one of the easiest businesses to start (yet some of the most difficult to operate). Most people, even those without any professional restaurant experience, have a food concept idea that they toss around constantly – so it is ever-present. People rely on restaurants – so to many, it only makes sense that a restaurant has the potential to be great. Unfortunately, it just isn’t that easy, in fact it is damn hard to convert that idea into something that can age, grow, and be successful. So, when a restaurant leaps over the obstacles and reaches a level of success and then needs to close its doors – the pain is palpable. This is where we are.

Successful restaurants, all restaurants, are faced with a lockdown and an inability to pay their bills, keep their valuable employees on the payroll, and see light at the end of the tunnel. One week of closure can be navigated, two weeks are a challenge, and a month is the kiss of death.

As I walk down the street for my daily exercise (without contact with people) and stare into restaurant windows – chairs inverted on tables, lights out, a light layer of dust starting to collect and windows not as clear and clean as they once were – I feel that hollowness that comes from loss. I grieve for these folks – the people that I spent my professional life working beside, learning from, focused on serving the public, building skills, perfecting plate presentations and flavors, and laughing about our mistakes – I grieve for them.

The American Dream will survive, but many of these restaurants will not. Chef/Operator Tom Colicchio believes that 75% will not survive – I don’t know if we can accurately project that, but there is no doubt that many will never reopen and their dreams will come to an end. I do know that restaurants are essential to our way of life, they are there to service our physical, emotional, and mental needs and will once again become those neighborhood gathering places once we are able to do so. I do know that although some dreams will be shattered, there will be others to take their place. Restaurants are like that – they open, they grow, they close, and others are there in waiting to take their place.

It will take time, but dreams never die, they simply get put on the shelf until opportunity knocks. Opportunity will knock again and people will return to the comfort of those small privately owned restaurants – it will happen. In the meantime we must try to keep those dreams alive and help your favorite restaurant where you can, encourage them and if they fail – lift them up. These operators are the heart and soul of America and their staff members are the centerpieces of our economy. When the next generation of dreamers comes along – encourage them, help them, direct them, and counsel them. When they open – support them and hail the beauty of the American Dream.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

We will get through this together

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

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

24 Tuesday Mar 2020

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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

 

OUR DAILY BREATH: FOOD, SHELTER, CLOTHING, HEALTH, FAMILY, COMMUNICATION, and TRUST

23 Monday Mar 2020

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This is where we are today. If we push aside much of the chatter and get down to the necessities in life that are food, shelter, clothing, health, family, communication and trust that rise to the top of the priority list.   We tend to look at job and money as the root of concern, and reflect on how we miss social interaction and the trappings of consumerism, but that is a cover for the results of the absence of those components of our existence.

Let’s face it – restaurants, like almost every other type of business, are in deep, deep trouble. In the immediate – they are, for all intents and purposes – closed, leaving hundreds of thousands of employees without work, and without a paycheck. This equates to a level of fear that has not been part of our culture since the Great Depression. What people fear is a lack of food, loss of shelter, concerns about their health and the safety of their families, insufficient communication and communication that is not honest and complete. What can we do (we referring to those whom others depend on for solutions)?

FOOD:

There will be an increasing need for sources of emergency food to support a growing number of individuals and families that find their refrigerators and cupboards empty. If you have it – share it. Check in with your neighbors (by phone or email) and share your excess if they are in need. Contact those furloughed employees who live from paycheck to paycheck and do the same. Drop off dry goods to your local food pantry if you have more than you need. Food is an immediate need in times of crisis.

SHELTER:

Let’s trust that landlords and banks will show empathy and defer or even forgive some payments in the immediate future. If not, we have an even bigger crisis on our hands. Help where you can while remembering that social distancing must still apply.

CLOTHING:

With time on your hands – take a look at your closet and if there are items of clothing that no longer fit, or have not been worn for quite some time – donate them! Someone can put them to good use.

HEALTH:

With millions of Americans still without healthcare or poorly covered – there will be those who ignore the symptoms of Covid-19 and fail to take necessary precautions or even avoid emergency care if needed. If you are an employer who has recently told employees that their job is on hold – at least try to maintain their healthcare for a period of time. Others, who still may be working, may shy away from staying home to self-quarantine for fear of losing a paycheck – employers need to do what they can. And, by all means – call out those healthy individuals who ignore the shelter in place directives and in doing so endanger all of us in the process.

FAMILY:

One of the hardest things to do during a biological crisis is to stay physically removed from family members. Since most households do have a computer or at least a smartphone – there are answers. FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom are available to help family members to stay in touch and do so with the aid of a visual connection. Separation is a very difficult think to accept and if not addressed can lead to depression and heightened anxiety. Employers should invest the time to guide their furloughed employees through the process of using these tools.

COMMUNICATION:

Ironically it is not the content of a message that is driving anxiety as much as it is the frequency and accuracy of the communication being offered. In the absence of trustworthy, accurate, and complete information from our government – there is an opportunity for operation owners and leadership to fill in the gaps. Develop a vehicle for relaying the RIGHT INFORMATION to your employees, friends, and neighbors. Talk with them honestly about what you know, how it impacts them, and how it impacts your company. Be frank, but be compassionate as well. If you haven’t watched the attached message from the CEO of Marriott Hotels, then I encourage you to click on the following. This is how the truth can be passed on to people with clarity, honesty, and empathy.

Marriott CEO:

https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/marriotts-ceo-shared-a-video-with-his-team-its-a-powerful-lesson-in-leading-during-a-crisis.html?fbclid=IwAR1w_85_W_2FYER4p1Pn_ZLW8Zo_9PxF0xoCcmGkaaCV2SbEtfYlsW5-2y8

Remember – we are all in this together. Do what you need to do and understand what we are all going through. Help each other out as much as you can. This is the right thing to do.

“That is America. That is America. Those bonds of affection; that common creed. We don’t fear the future; we shape it. We embrace it, as one people, stronger together than we are on our own.”

Barack Obama

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

We are all in this together

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

RESTAURANT SURVIVAL MOVING FORWARD

19 Thursday Mar 2020

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Painted in Waterlogue

We have never seen anything like this. Everyone in the restaurant industry is petrified beyond today – they immediately think about how impossible it might be to dig themselves out of the hole being created. I have communicated with many who are crushed with fear, a sense of loss, and helplessness after telling employees that they can’t keep them on and there is no indication of when things might return to normalcy.

The National Restaurant Association predicts that the industry could lose 5-7 million jobs as a result of the Covid – 19 virus and subsequent required closings.

There is no question that the restaurant industry, one of the largest employers in the country, an industry that is important for the nutrition, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of the population, and a business that has become an integral part of the American lifestyle, is in need of help. Here are some thoughts:

[]         Small, privately owned restaurant operators, chefs, and cooks, bartenders and servers are proud people. They are typically under compensated for their work and under-appreciated for their commitment, but they remain proud. These proud people are not looking for a handout – what they want is a fair shot at remaining in business and being successful.

[]         Government intervention through provision of 0% short and long-term loans to help these restaurants survive and rise up when this crisis is over is a fair shot.

[]         Rent forgiveness or timed payment delay for the next few months provides them with a fair shot.

[]         When a portion of a city starts a process of renewal one of the first businesses to get the ball rolling is typically a restaurant. When the restaurant draws a base of customers then other aspects of renewal fall into place. Rent control for these initial business risk takers gives them a fair shot.

[]         A $15/hour minimum wage gives employees a fair shot and as long as restaurateurs are given guidance on how to adapt to increased wages then the operation also has a fair shot.

[]         Extended and expanded unemployment insurance will give employees a chance – they do pay into this.

[]         Why not energize a partnership between the SBA and Culinary, Hospitality and Business Colleges? Keep in mind that everything will change as we eventually claw our way out of this crisis. This change will impact restaurants and all of those businesses that feed into it, including colleges. A federal initiative to mobilize these experts to provide additional guidance, training, and consultation to restaurants as they seek to find ways to survive and come through this – prepared to succeed is a fair shot for restaurants and an opportunity for colleges. This is a perfect time to focus on training.

Additionally, colleges, especially private ones, will likely face a significant drop in applications and enrolled students as America seeks to regain confidence and rebuild their financial stability. This training partnership with the SBA could provide an opportunity for schools to shift their focus and business model – at least for the time being.

[]         As part of any increase in unemployment insurance without the prospect of finding work elsewhere – why not redirect the initiative for free tuition to free on-line training for workers in specific fields. Set aside the need to focus on degrees and push for training in fields that will need a better-prepared workforce in the coming few years.

[]         There are, and there will be even more Americans who are nutritionally disadvantaged. School lunch programs, unemployed workers, senior citizens, and the homeless will face incredible food hardships. Why not engage our country’s food logistics champion and appoint Chef Jose Andres to head up a nationwide and government supported initiative to end hunger in America. Working with restaurants, the millions of cooks from coast to coast, and restaurant organizations this could be one of the most important initiatives to rise up out of the current crisis.

We must, obviously, put our full effort into fighting the threat of Covid-19 and building renewed confidence in our ability to keep the population safe and healthy, but we know that at some point soon, the economic perils that we face will be just as significant. We must plan quickly on how to do more than simply throw money at the problem and avoid being focused on just today. Tomorrow will come much too quickly.

The restaurant industry is only one of many that will face a troubled future, but we do know that real recovery must include emotional and mental health that restaurant experiences play such an important role in addressing. We will know that a new normal has arrived when our restaurants are once again full of people enjoying each other’s company, a great plate of food, and a chance to laugh again.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Restaurants are Essential

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

http://www.harvestamericacues.com

THINK GLOBALLY – ACT LOCALLY

16 Monday Mar 2020

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We find ourselves in very troubling times. A time when we are asked to socially isolate, to work remotely, to trust the words of those who have been untrustworthy in the past, and to simply wait and see. We are naturally skeptical, inherently frightened, and for the most part void of any real plan moving forward. Our first instinct is to introvert, to protect ourselves and those close to us – yes, to horde supplies and discount the needs of others in lieu of finding some comfort in preparedness. We want our government to step in, or someone to step in and tell us what to do, and when they fail in this regard – panic sets in. All of this, to some degree, is predictable, scary, and sad.

This may very well be a “re-set time”, a time for all of us to take a hard look at what we have become in recent years. We are a society bent on polarization of thought, a society that has all too willingly allowed ourselves to sit in our silos of belief and scorn those who think differently. We all know in our hearts that this is wrong, but have, nonetheless, allowed ourselves to stand in line with those polarized beliefs. Maybe this is a time to take a “time out” and rethink where we are and what we have become.

“Out of an abundance of caution” is a phrase that is used as commonly as “have a good day” and when those around us tell everyone to engage in social isolation – we easily agree knowing that it is, at this time, the right thing to do. As a member of the global community we have an obligation to do whatever is necessary to stop or at least slow down the spread of this virus. This is, without a doubt, essential. Yet, human beings are social animals. We crave social interaction – it is what gives us energy and joy, it is what makes us smile and what stimulates our emotions, it is what gives us life and a real desire to jump out of bed each morning and greet the day. To socially isolate is to give away all of those aspects of life that are physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually essential. We do this now, but know in our hearts that this will be the long-term danger that Covid-19 brings.

I am a willing part of an industry whose entire existence is based on the need for social interaction. The hospitality business, one of the most prevalent industries worldwide, is a business of people, by people, and for people. We exist to bring people together, to create environments for enjoyment and laughter, to heal and console, and to give our employees an opportunity to give of their talents and their passion so that others may express their joy for life. It is to me, and millions of others, an essential business.

Painted in Waterlogue

This essential business is, on the other hand, very fragile. What many outside of those who work in hotels, travel industries, restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops, do not realize is just how fragile this business is. You may realize that many hourly employees who work in these industries, especially those who wear the logo of those small mom and pop entrepreneurships, do so for meager wages, without benefits, and as a result live paycheck to paycheck. What you may not know is that the businesses themselves are in the same boat. A day of poor sales makes a restaurant or café cringe with disappointment. A week of poor sales makes that same business cringe in fear, and the thought of a longer period of time with weak or no sales bring about inherent doom and gloom. There are no contingency funds, no stash of money under the mattress, no fat savings accounts to tap into. Banks are reluctant, for good reason, to even build in a line of credit for fear of restaurant failure. So, social isolation and mandated closings strike real fear into the depths of an owner’s soul. They know that business collapse could be imminent and that this will mean that their loyal employees will face a lack of funds to pay rent, or money to put food on their table at home.

These are trying times and we must do what we must do for the health and wellbeing of our communities. There is no question about our responsibility in this regard. But, we must give some thought past our immediate safety to what lies ahead once the virus is under control. It may be a few weeks, but it could be months – no one seems to have a handle on that yet, except to point to our role in bringing this to an end. Yes, we must think globally at this time and do what is necessary to deal with a real crisis.

FOOD IS THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

Typically, when a national or world crisis such as this comes to life – the hospitality industry is one of the first to be impacted. It is also true that once we rise out of crisis mode the hospitality industry is one of the first to try and recover. Social isolation leaves a big hole in our lives and once the imminent danger subsides – we crave opportunities to come back together, re-connect, and bring a smile to our faces once again. It is the hospitality industry that gives people hope, renews friendship, and allows everyone to laugh and enjoy each other’s company. We depend on this and expect that it will happen. To this end, it is important that we act locally even during the peak of this crisis and help to shore up those restaurants, cafes, bed and breakfasts, small privately owned hotels, coffee shops, and deli operations who will struggle and may not have the capacity to survive.

There are things that we can do right now that will help. Here are some thoughts:

  • If you have the financial where-with-all then stop into your neighborhood restaurant, café, or coffee shop and buy a gift certificate for a friend or for your own future use.
  • This need not be significant amounts of money – a $10 gift certificate provides a bit of capital that will help that operation with cash flow over the next period of time.
  • If you are a landlord with a hospitality business in one of your properties then do the right thing and negotiate a way to spread rent out over an extended period of time or even open your heart and excuse one month’s rent to give them a fighting chance.
  • If you see your favorite waiter or waitress think about buying them a gift card that can help to pay their own rent or buy a few groceries to survive. Think about it as paying forward for the great service they will again provide once things settle down.
  • If you don’t have the funds to do any of this then at least take a moment to write and send a thank you card to that business or that employee noting that you understand their situation and fully intend to return as a customer as soon as it is possible. Hope springs eternal. When you do return – bring a friend who may have never experienced that business before.

pre meal huddle

This is a time to hit the re-set button, to return to life as usual once this crisis has passed and do so knowing that our differences are what make us unique and that a difference of opinion is just that. We can be friends and not agree on everything. We can take the time to think of others in our community as part of whom we are and celebrate that unity at a local hotel, restaurant, café, coffee shop, or deli. Socially isolate now for the good of the global society we live in, but never lose sight of how important our local community is.

Buy a book at your local bookstore and take that off your amazon list. Buy a cup of coffee at that neighborhood independent coffee shop and thank your barista at the same time. Encourage your visiting friends to reserve a room at the mom and pop bed and breakfast rather than a chain hotel, and by all means be there to support all of those local businesses who make your community special.

THINK GLOBAL –ACT LOCAL

Be part of the return to real greatness

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

CHEFS – THIS VIRUS IS A WAKE-UP CALL

12 Thursday Mar 2020

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As I find myself glued to the news that attacks everyone’s central nervous system, I am beginning to envision the chaos that the corona virus pandemic is about to inflict on the restaurant business. This is not the aftermath of 9/11, nor is it the same as the market crash in 2008 – this is likely going to be much, much worse. The other monumental events of the past 20-years were focused on fear and financial distress – this adds the element of critical personal health. In both of the prior events the restaurant business was devastated, but we did recover. With the addition of serious health concerns based on a communicable disease – I’m concerned that recovery may not be so dependable.

That being said, this type of crisis gives us all an opportunity to reflect on how we conduct ourselves and practice the normal precautions that every person must take to heart aThe immediate answers to slowing and stopping the spread of a virus are simply what we should be doing already – wash your hands frequently with soapy water for at least 20 seconds, cover a cough or a sneeze (not with your bare hands), avoid close contact with people who are obviously sick, and for those who are sick – stay home and away from other people. Makes sense – doesn’t it?

Let’s take a look at the behind the doors reality of the restaurant business in this regard:

[]         CHEF’S AND COOK’S VIEW SUFFERING THROUGH AN ILLNESS AS A BADGE OF COURAGE: How many times has it been said that chefs don’t get sick. The implication is that we simply tough it out and work through it as though the only concern is for ourselves. We may use the excuse that the demands of the business are so great that the business would suffer if we weren’t there. How self-centered is this?

[]         COOKS ARE EXPECTED TO WORK EVEN IF THEY ARE SICK: Although the chef may not say it, the hidden rule is that if you are sick you still work. The other side of it is that cooks cannot afford to miss a day.

[]         PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK: When hourly rates of pay in restaurants are below a livable wage then a day lost is a day closer to not paying rent or putting food on an employees table. So – you work regardless of how you feel, whether you cough or have a fever, or your muscles ache.

[]         NO HEALTHCARE/NO PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE: Ask your cooks when was the last time they went to a doctor when they were sick or scheduled an annual preventative physical exam? Ask them if they even have a family doctor. Without healthcare or the ability to pay for it, people will not take adequate care of themselves, which puts others in jeopardy as well.

[]         SANITATION IS PARAMOUNT: In the restaurant business we understand the importance of proper sanitation and food safety – yet rarely apply the same understanding to our own personal health. We post temperature logs, rotate product, sanitize table tops, use color coated cutting boards to avoid cross-contamination, wear gloves, and rapidly chill products before we put them in refrigerated storage. Yet, the basics of caring for our own protective hygiene are too often glazed over. Do we monitor how our employees wash their hands, whether or not they show signs of a fever, if they cough do we watch how they handle the protocol for this? Sanitation and food safety is an all-in process- you can’t follow procedure and not include personal health. One of the essential jobs of the chef is to ensure that his or her staff remain healthy and properly care for their wellbeing.

Our business is a fragile one. When crisis strikes – people eventually act in a conservative manner. They need to visit grocery stores to put food on their table, they need to work (either in person or on-line), and they need to handle banking, and pay their rent, etc. What they don’t need during a time of crisis is to attend events, dine in restaurants, visit the local tavern, go to movie theaters, or shop in retail stores. When necessity dictates people will not think twice about cutting out that dinner reservation.

This health crisis is likely to be devastating. All indications are that we are only seeing the beginning of something that may impact the health of one third of the U.S. population. That means that over 100 million Americans are likely to become sick at some level and the other 250 million will be scared to death about the same result. This is going to be very painful for a period of time – we don’t know how long.

Recovery will likely be very slow and drawn out. During that time restaurants will be cutting hours, in some cases closing, and certainly experiencing dramatic reductions in customer counts. There will be layoffs and some restaurants may not re-open. We can’t underestimate the significance of this time.

Maybe we will be lucky and it won’t be as serious as is projected – if that is so we should be grateful to those who work hard to stop the spread and those of us who heed the warnings, but indications are that we won’t be so lucky.

When we do recover, we must understand our role moving forward:

  1. Be prepared for even more stringent health codes and enforcement. This is inevitable and necessary. It will be even more apparent that our primary job is to protect the health and welfare of the public.
  2. We must address the need for healthcare for all – if not countrywide, at least among our own in the food business.
  3. On-going training and measurement of personal health must become the norm in restaurants.
  4. We must work to build in some level of paid sick leave for our employees.
  5. We must view our local health inspector as an important friend who helps to keep our staff and our customers safe and healthy.
  6. Personal health, sanitation, and food safety training has never been more important. All restaurants must require every kitchen employee to be ServeSafe Certified. It must become the price of admission.

Let’s hunker down and prepare for what is coming, but let’s also use the time to strategize how we will rise up as a newly committed industry as a result.

BE WELL – BE SAFE – WASH YOUR HANDS – AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

 

 

CHEFS FACING THE CHALLENGE OF CREATIVITY VERSUS BUSINESS DECISIONS

29 Saturday Feb 2020

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You know that every chef has wrestled with this – should the menu reflect a personal philosophy to move the bar or stick with time-tested standards? Chefs are, for all intents and purposes, inherently creative people who are always looking for a way to express that creativity and place their signature on the plate. That is in our DNA, we can’t really help ourselves. Without the avenue for creative expression we feel the weight of complacency. Most professional cooks feel the same way, knowing that working in a property that does not push the envelope does very little to build their resume.

To these individuals – the menu planning process is a license to think differently, study those chefs that they admire, experiment with different ingredients, and push their palates in the process of creating something unique and cutting edge. There is a percentage of the consumer population that responds very well to this. These “innovators” are constantly looking for the next interesting interpretation of food – the restaurant chef who teases them with food preparations that strike a chord, who makes them challenge how they think about food, and puts a smile on their face. To a chef, these are the people we love to cook for – they challenge us and keep us on our toes.

The problem is that this is less than 3 percent of the population of restaurant consumers. Yes, there are a slightly larger percentage of diners right behind them who are simply waiting for a nod of approval from the innovators, and yes, the press loves to focus on them, but the reality is that this population is fickle and they tire of a unique restaurant as soon as another innovator comes along. Restaurants survive and thrive on the “early and late majority” that represents over 60 percent of the dining population. These are the customers that keep restaurants afloat, tend to be loyal, and remain ambassadors for a restaurant for years to come.

We should understand that a major part of a chef’s job is to create and execute menus that address the majority and that are geared towards profitability. The chef’s ability to be creative and put his or her signature on a plate rests first on the ability to run a financially viable operation; thus the dilemma.

You have all experienced the menu pundit (sometimes the restaurant owner) who asks where the shrimp cocktail is. We roll our eyes, and try to explain our theory that this is far too “old school”. I can vividly remember a chef position at a fine dining operation that I walked into and faced planning my first signature menu. The cooks ribbed me for placing French Onion Soup on the menu, saying: “Chef that may have been appropriate in the 1970’s, but this is the 21st century.” Don’t forget the reluctant agreement to add prime ribs on the menu for a consistent Saturday night feature: “Really chef – prime rib? That’s what my grandfather would order.” Well – here is the answer: THEY SELL!

That operation with the French Onion Soup saw the item become the number one appetizer on the menu with rave reviews. The shrimp cocktail was consistently popular, and the Saturday night prime rib was not only popular – it took a considerable amount of pressure off the line on the busiest night of the week.

The initial reaction from a chef is to feel like he or she needs to apologize for being submissive to these “common” menu items, until it becomes apparent that those items give the chef the opportunity to run a profitable operation and find room for those highly creative features and rotating menu signature items.

I can remember the chatter about Gavin Kaysen when he was the chef at Café Boulud in New York when he featured his version of fried chicken on one of the more exclusive fine dining operations in the city. Daniel Boulud offered his massively creative burger on his menu to rave reviews, and Nancy Silverton had a cult following for her California Grilled Cheese Sandwich at Mozza. A chef’s pride should be focused on the care that is given to preparing any item exceptionally well, rather than if it is “off the wall” innovative.

So, how does a chef approach the dilemma of creativity vs. business sense? Here are some thoughts:

[]         EXCEPTIONAL IS ALWAYS CREATIVE

Gavin Kaysen’s fried chicken was a successful fine dining entrée because it was knock your socks off exceptional and people historically love fried chicken. Daniel Boulud’s burger was successful because it was adapted to a high end environment with the addition of foie gras and high quality, fresh ground meat, and because American’s were raised on burgers. Nancy Silverton created a cult following for her crunchy, butter rich, California focused rich cheese sandwich because who doesn’t love grilled cheese and very few operators do it right. When we focus on making the best of anything we have opened the creativity door to success.

[]         PUT YOUR SIGNATURE TWIST ON THE CLASSICS

When your cooks complain that an item is too “old school” then help them to put a unique twist on the classic standard. Offer that shrimp cocktail with a few ethnic twists – maybe a Thai, Spanish, or Japanese twist. The French Onion soup that I offered became a bar-b-que onion soup that was out of this world, and maybe the prime rib feature includes a sampling plate of sauces, a bleu cheese popover, and family style vegetable platter. Make it your own while maintaining the core character of a timeless dish.

[]         THEY ARE CLASSICS FOR A REASON

Classic rock is timeless, classic paintings attract viewers of all ages, and classic menu items will remain popular – always! Why? Because the flavor profile stimulates the palate, the item prods some memories that put a smile on a guest’s face, and familiarity is comforting. Why argue with these facts? Remember what is universally enjoyed and keep that in mind when you contemplate what items should find a home on your menu.

[]         PAY ATTENTION TO THE HISTORY OF A DISH

Know when and why a dish became popular. Study how it was developed and how it came into prominence. The story counts and adds to the validation of a product. Waldorf Salad is a 1960’s menu classic and is to some – past it’s prime. When you add the story about Oscar of the Waldorf and how the dish was originally developed, then the salad takes on a whole new level of significance. When Peach Melba is properly made and presented as a dessert created by Escoffier when he was the chef at the Savoy Hotel in London – then it peaks customer interest. It was created for the Australian soprano singer – Nellie Melba who he apparently had a crush on. That simple grilled cheese is just another sandwich until you point out that it was first developed by Otto Rohwedder who also designed the bread slicer. After all how many times do we reference something creative as the best thing since sliced bread? The story counts.

[]         FLAVOR FIRST

When it comes down to it, everyone responds best to food that tastes great. It is flavor that keeps customers coming back. Whatever the dish, whether it is cutting edge or a throwback to the 1940’s – if the flavor is there then people will order it time and again. Flavor first – flavor brings them back.

[]         IT’S ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

When you build an experience around a dish then excitement builds among employees and customers. Look at how any dish on your menu fits into that experience formula of appealing to every sense, when it stimulates interest through storytelling, and shines as being perfectly executed. Note these stories about Gavin Kaysen’s Fried Chicken at Café Boulud, Nancy Silverton’s Grilled Cheese at Mozza, and Daniel Boulud’s db burger.

Gavin Kaysen:

https://dujour.com/lifestyle/cafe-boulud-expensive-fried-chicken-trend/

Nancy Silverton:

https://www.foodandwine.com/travel/restaurants/nancy-silverton-grilled-cheeses-mozza

Daniel Boulud:

https://ny.eater.com/2013/4/15/6450049/daniel-boulud-on-the-legacy-of-the-original-db-burger

[]         MAKE EVERYONE FLAVOR ADVOCATES

If there are doubters among your stakeholder network then let the flavor be the spokesman. Have tastings with your staff, tell the story, and build your advocate base. When they are excited and convinced then they will pass that enthusiasm on to the guest.

Find that happy medium of understanding what sells and how to make it your own, and allow this understanding to set the stage for levels of creativity to follow. This is what a chef does.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

ARE RESTAURANTS FACING EVOLUTION OR REVOLUTION?

25 Tuesday Feb 2020

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me

Is it just another one of those cycles with a few new challenges or is it something else? It seems to me, once you start to connect the dots, you will note that the times they are a changing, and the alarm bell is about to ring. I certainly don’t want to be reactionary, in fact, what I hope to be is something more in line with being an advocate for change before change happens without us.

I don’t have the answers – they need to come from a consortium of restaurant professionals representing operations, organizations, education, ownership, and customers. I can, however, sound the preliminary alarm by demonstrating and connecting those dots, so that the picture becomes clear and telling. Here are some of the indicators:

  • The rise in support for PLANT FORWARD styles of cooking that demonstrates a healthier approach towards diet is apparent. Plant forward includes vegetarian, vegan, and a commitment to increasing fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, and decreasing the amount of animal protein. To fail to recognize this and adapt menus to accommodate EXCITING versions of the above is a serious mistake.

 

  • Increased popularity of non-alcoholic cocktails is either an opportunity for restaurants or a real roadblock to continued success.

 

  • WINE SALES are decreasing worldwide. While a short-term blow to the wine industry and restaurants that are wine centric there are opportunities to build in craft beers and hard cider as well as increase a less contrived approach towards consumer wine education. Pretention is fading in popularity. Don’t forget that the restaurant industry has supported itself on the back of alcoholic beverage sales – this has been our model for decades. Do we need to re-evaluate?

 

  • We have predicted the demise of fine dining at least a dozen times in the past 25 years – is it really happening now? Americans are spending nearly 50% of their annual food budgets in restaurants and indications that this can continue to grow – is fine dining the right answer? If 3% or less of the restaurant industry is fine dining and this is the segment that receives the most attention – what about the other 97%?

 

  • Is BIGGER ALWAYS BETTER? Who benefits from over-sized and super sized portions? Obesity is an epidemic in the U.S., so, larger than necessary portions is harmful to consumer’s health. Large portions stretch a restaurant’s ability to convert sales into profit, and large portions do very little to demonstrate any level of finesse that a chef might try to muster up. Is it time to stop using massive portion sizes to falsely demonstrate value? Is it time to move past the 18 oz. strip steak, the triple-decker burger with bacon and cheese, and the tomahawk pork chop that makes the diner feel like he or she owes the world an apology after forcing that last bite?

 

  • When did it somehow become dangerous or negligent to drink real milk, consume that delicious cheese, or spread a little butter on your toast? Well, whether it is for health concerns or a new philosophical resistance to consuming anything that originates from an animal – this is the new reality. What are you doing to modify menus, reduce portions of dairy, and/or educate consumers about moderation?

 

  • The conscience of modern chefs has been leaning toward farm to table for more than two decades. Artisan farmers have gravitated to small rural communities and transitioned to decentralized, sometimes specialized, organic farming to help to feed this growing interest and define their concern over the quality of ingredients and their impact on sustainability. This is great, however, those small farmers are finding it increasingly difficult to generate enough sales to offset the significant costs associated with farming. Can they survive? How do we stay true to the concept of farm to table and help these artisans make a living?

 

  • Young cooks are less inclined to sacrifice balance in their lives for the demands of the kitchen. Fluid schedules, holidays, 12-hour shifts, and all of the physical and mental demands of the job are no longer part of a life that they choose. These employees may resist initially, but then simply choose to find another line of work. This, above all else, paints a grim picture for restaurants of today and tomorrow, unless we find a solution and accept the need to change.

 

  • Once an exciting career that young people and those reinventing themselves were clamoring towards – becoming a cook and eventually a chef has lost it’s sizzle. The reality of the work and the commitment has finally over-shadowed the glamor that is falsely depicted on television. Enrollment in culinary schools has plummeted, and every restaurant from coast-to-coast is struggling to find new employees and keep the ones they have. Growth means very little if you can’t find the right people to execute the vision of a restaurant.

 

  • The government crackdown on immigration may seem right to some, but to those of us in the restaurant business it means that many of our most dependable, hard-working employees are gone. A reasonable resolution to the country’s immigration policies is critical and essential for the food business from farm to table.

 

  • With an increase in the number of food recalls, and serious questions about the source and the process of bringing food to market, there is a growing mistrust in the integrity of the food supply. This can only lead to a subsequent mistrust of restaurants and what they offer.

 

  • When a presidential candidate states that “Anyone can be a farmer, it takes a lot more grey matter to be in the tech business”, we know that the food supply chain is losing its importance in the eyes of the U.S. government. This will likely backfire at some point soon.

 

  • After all of these years of growth, the restaurant industry has yet to find resolution to the cause of many of its woes – restaurants return very little profit which cripples their ability to improve wages and work conditions, and do what is right vs. doing what they can afford to do.

 

  • The gentrification of neighborhoods, which seems to always begin with an influx of new, popular restaurants, eventually attracts new landlords who are greedy for profit. Increases in rent have driven restaurants out of business even when they are otherwise successful.

The list could go on and on – the bottom line is that as hard as the restaurant business has always been, it now seems to be leaning towards impossible. Necessity may be the mother of invention, but invention begins when people recognize the need and the opportunity for change. Isn’t it time for those of us in the restaurant business to recognize all of the signs and find a way to collaborate on real solutions?

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHY RUNNING A CLUB KITCHEN MIGHT BE THE TOUGHEST AND MOST SATISFYING CHEF POSITION OUT THERE

18 Tuesday Feb 2020

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travis

The tasks of the chef are fairly universal: planning menus, putting your signature on each dish, hiring and training staff, ordering product and building vendor relationships, controlling costs and adhering to budgets, maintaining a clean and safe kitchen environment, etc. etc. So, wouldn’t it be safe to say that if you can manage a kitchen – you can manage any kitchen? The answer is emphatically – no.

Sometimes the difference is the sheer scale of the operation. Some restaurants can operate efficiently with a staff of 10 or less, while others might require more than 50. An operation with one restaurant outlet is far different than one with several. Even the difference between restaurants that serve three meals per day vs. one that focuses entirely on dinner will be an entirely different ballgame.

That 1,000-room resort hotel will likely have three or more restaurants and a variety of banquet spaces plus full room service that can be available 24/7. Each presents the executive chef with a different set of challenges and opportunities. Does the chef take care of his or her own ordering or work through a purchasing agent or steward? In this size operation there will likely be a sous chef for each restaurant outlet and a banquet chef whose focus is large-scale events. There may even be an executive sous chef so that the executive chef can focus on future planning, communication, team building, concept development, and budgetary issues. Each property is unique – thus the job of chef is also unique.

Clubs provide an environment for chefs, which has come a long way from where it was just a few decades ago. Always a specialized space for members, the club setting maintained a market space for food that was based on tradition, classic preparations, and to a large degree a “food cost free zone”. In other words, for a very long time membership had little concern for the financial viability of the food and beverage department – this was simply a service for members that was expected to be there, in any shape or form that members wanted, when it was sought. So – what is different today, and why would I refer to this as maybe the toughest environment for a chef and one that also provided the greatest opportunity?

The club of today is a business where food and beverage plays a significant role in the financial viability of the operation. Restaurant outlets are expected to reflect what is happening in the greater food world in terms of product, ambience and service and each operation and event is expected to meet the same or similar profit goals as their counterparts on Main Street. The chef must be on his or her game – adept at preparing and presenting food that rivals the best free standing restaurants – even reflecting the most contemporary trends and techniques. At the same time the chef must be a savvy person who has a known history of effective business acumen.

Like their counterparts in exclusive resorts and quality restaurants – club chefs must invest considerable time in building a cohesive team of professionals who can execute experiences and events at the highest level.

On top of everything else – the club chef will likely report to not just the general manager and food and beverage manager of the club, but also be responsible to the food committee of the club board. The standard rule that an individual can only function effectively when he or she reports to one boss – simply doesn’t apply to the club chef.

mick and joe

On the positive side – the chef will find that his or her job is always challenging and always exciting. Every day brings a new set of challenges and a new set of unique opportunities to shine. In many clubs – if the chef needs a specific piece of equipment to be effective in the job – the membership will ensure that the order is placed. If it is deemed necessary to update or expand a kitchen – the membership will find a way to finance it. In many clubs one of the roles of the board is to take away reasons why the chef cannot effectively meet the needs of the membership.

With this complex list of unique responsibilities it is no wonder that only a select few meet the needs of the position. So – you want to be a club chef – what does it take?

[]         A STELLAR CULINARY SKILL SET

Safe to say – it is expected that a Club Chef will be a master of his or her trade. The skill set that he or she brings to the table will be as good as one might find in any segment of the food service industry. At the same time – the Club Chef will always seek to improve on and add to those skills.

[]         LIFE EXPERIENCES

A club chef will likely be a person who is fairly well traveled, a person who has been there – done that, an individual who over a period of time has built a network of influence that is there to support and assist the chef as is needed. This chef is an individual who can always fall back on those experiences in the process of facing a current day challenge or opportunity. Problem solving is always much more fluid when the chef can access the history of facing something similar in his or her career.

[]         FINGER ON THE PULSE

The club chef is an individual who knows what the current trends are and who is able to establish what the next trends might be. He follows what other chefs and operators are doing and when necessary – seeks to acquire the skills that will allow him to be competitive in that arena.

[]         BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE

Outside of physical skills – the Club Chef will truly understand a variety of cuisines, traditional and contemporary techniques, know flavor profiles and how to adapt cooking to achieve a certain goal, appreciate the differences in culture that exist in the kitchen, the dining room, and among the membership of a club and know enough about each to function effectively in their presence.

[]         A SPOTLESS BRAND

The brand of the club food operations and the brand of the chef are closely aligned. Club members are interested in a chef who at the very least can support the existing brand of the operation, but typically a person who can enhance that brand in the eyes of members and in the words of the press. The chef’s brand brings prestige to the club.

[]         SUPERIOR ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS

Considering the breadth of work and events that will take place in a club from golf outings, weddings and family events, multiple restaurant outlets, and food service offered, at some level, from sunrise to way past sunset – the ability to organize and facilitate is likely the Club Chefs most challenging, and absolutely essential skill.

[]         TRACK RECORD OF LEADERSHIP

The Club Chef is the conductor of the orchestra. He or she must be able to do the work required of any position, be adept at training others to become accomplished in those areas, and humble enough to realize that the chef’s job is far too complex to fail at delegation, support, training, and encouragement. This is what leaders do.

[]         PATIENCE

Unlike many other executive chef positions – Club Chefs are subject to far more scrutiny and advice (sometimes unwanted) than any other chef position that I am aware of. He or she must be comfortable with the realization that as much as a decision is best made immediately – there are many more channels to work through in this environment.

[]         UNQUESTIONABLE PROFESSIONALISM

The Club Chef, maybe more than others, is the face of the food and beverage department. He or she must look and act the part – all of the time, on the job and off.

chuck and mickey

[]         AN OUTGOING PERSONALITY

Club members expect to see the chef, they want to be on a first name basis with the leader of the kitchen, they expect that the chef will be there when they are dining, and they fully expect that they will be treated by the chef as if they are the most important person in the club at any given moment. The chef must be outgoing and sincerely enjoy interacting with members.

[]         A SUPERB COMMUNICATOR

The club chef cannot hide behind the kitchen doors. There will be loads of opportunities for the chef to make presentations, offer a cooking class or wine pairing event, interact with the press, write articles and newsletters, and talk with members about their special event.

[]         A TRACK RECORD OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

Today’s club food and beverage department must be financially viable. Membership may accept a solid breakeven performance, but will rarely tolerate a budget in the red. If you don’t have the financial bones to do the job, then club work is not for you.

[]         A VISIONARY

Club membership, particularly as younger members begin to fill the seats once occupied by an aging population of loyalists are anxious to align with a chef who has a high level of excitement about where food and beverage might go in the future and how to get there. New membership, in particular, want bragging rights about their chef and what is happening in the club’s food outlets.

[]         STRENGTH OF CHARACTER

The Club Chef, like any other professional culinarian, is expected to be honest beyond reproach, empathetic yet strong, consistent and trustworthy (a person of his or her word), and a truthful envoy of the kitchen.

[]         A PERSON WITH A SERVICE MENTALITY – ABOVE AND BEYOND

Whatever it takes, “yes” is the first response, “how can we make your experience special”, and “we would be happy to do that for you”, is the dialogue that members expect from the Club Chef. Going above and beyond is the norm. As has been said by US Armed Forces as the slogan for their method of operation:

“The difficult we do immediately, the impossible takes a little bit longer.”

Do you have the right stuff? Club Chef positions provide a fantastic career track, typically better than normal compensation and benefits, and extraordinary opportunities to sign your work and build your brand.

If you think you fit the mold – stay connected to David Meyers Associates website and watch for Club Chef opportunities that strike a chord.

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PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

David Meyers Associates, Ltd.

Club Chef Placement

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

CHEFS: BUILD A TEAM – KEEP A TEAM

08 Saturday Feb 2020

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Eamon

There is no issue more pressing, and no task more important than building a kitchen team and establishing a culture of retention. Yes, I do mean a culture of retention. A chef may be talented, have a great resume, be noted for his or her pronounced taste in food, and even be established as a person who understands how to earn a profit, but if a chef is unable to pull together a great team of focused cooks, build an environment of professional camaraderie, and determine ways to keep that team intact – then all else is irrelevant. It is the team behind the chef that makes a successful restaurant; it is the team that executes the chef’s vision; and it is the team’s focus that allows the chef’s cost consciousness to result in a financially successful operation.

In all of my years in the food business, I have never seen a time like now when these issues of team building and retention were more challenged. Every restaurant, of every level is finding it increasingly difficult to build a team with lasting power. It is easy to blame money, non-traditional work hours, unrealistic training in culinary schools, and the younger generation as a whole – but even if we (the industry as a whole) were able to snap our fingers and fix these issues, it is likely that team building and retention would still be challenging. Some chefs have made the news, as of late, for their bold approach towards shorter workweeks and even month long vacations, but there is no evidence that this alone will reverse the troubling staffing trend that plagues restaurants around the world.

My observation is that the solution, if one is to be found, is far more complex than just paying attention to the effects – it must be a comprehensive approach towards dealing with the cause. I have no scientific data to support my observation and theory, but watching those specific operations that are able to defy the common problem of staffing, I have built a model that may just be one effective solution.

BUILD A TEAM – KEEP A TEAM

This is the chef’s most important job – hands down.

  1. STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE

Every successful chef, and every successful restaurant must begin with well-defined standards that are never compromised. These standards must be second nature to everyone in the organization and must always be the performance measurement consistently executed in every aspect of the operation from how a cook’s knives are maintained, how vegetables are cut, how cooking methods are adhered to, how the cleanliness of the operation is maintained, and how all products are respected and handled. People respond well to excellence.

  1. BE CONSISTENT

Trust comes from consistent behavior whether it is how those standards of excellence are adhered to, how each employee interacts, or how the chef exhibits professional behavior. Without consistency – trust will erode.

  1. RESPECT

A culture of retention exists in a business where EVERYONE is treated with respect. This does not infer that expectations are ever put aside – it simply means that regardless of size, age, gender, race, ethnicity, or level of experience – every employee is viewed as a valuable person first. When this is not the case, then employees will always be looking for an opportunity to escape and find a position elsewhere.

“RESPECT is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.”

-Richard Branson

  1. CRITIQUE, DON’T CRITICIZE

Kitchens have a long reputation for harboring a culture where criticism is the common approach. Pointing out what an employee does incorrectly can be positive if it is reinforced with training to correct the problem. Additionally, the chef must always be careful to critique in private so that the employee is positioned to listen and learn and not feel embarrassed in front of his or her peers.

angry chef

  1. INVEST IN THEIR PERSONAL GROWTH

A culture of retention is greatly enhanced when the chef is always interested in helping an employee improve his or her skill set and base of knowledge.

“TRAIN people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”

-Richard Branson

  1. LISTEN AND LEARN

Chefs may hear their employees – but how often do they truly LISTEN? Listening is an active process of giving the person speaking your full attention, working to understand what their issues or ideas are, assimilating what is offered, thanking them for their thoughts, and taking some form of action – even if it is to disagree or turn down their ideas. When an employee feels that the opportunity for expression is present – then they will feel engaged and appreciated.

“One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.”

-Bryant H. McGill

  1. MEASURE, REWARD, AND CELEBRATE

What gets measured gets done. Employees are typically not opposed to being measured – they simply want to know what is expected and how that measurement will take place. Measure against your standards of excellence, make sure the employee understands what they are, work with them to have the skills necessary to live up to those standards, reward them simply when they move in that direction (a simply thank you, or pat on the back is typically all that is required), and celebrate your team when that measurement results in a level of success.

  1. HOLD PEOPLE TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS

Have very high expectations of your staff. Assume that they can and will exceed expectations and strive to always improve. You may just be surprised how they will rise to the occasion when excellence is what is expected of everyone – always!

  1. TEACH AND TRAIN

The chef, if he or she understands the role of team builder, knows that a portion of his or her time must be invested in teaching and training. The chef must also seek out those “teaching moments” whenever they arise. It might be as simple as calling everyone off their station for 15 seconds to taste a sauce reduction, or see a delivery of fresh whole fish, or have line cooks during a short lull in activity spend 5 minutes helping a dishwasher get through an onslaught of dirty dishes.

  1. BUILD PRIDE

Building pride in team is a foundational requirement of leadership and coaching. Pride in the restaurant, pride in the uniform that cooks wear, pride in a clean kitchen, pride in the quality of food produced, pride in the level of service offered, and pride in the financial success of the business will go a long way toward building that culture of retention.

team

  1. YES- PAY THEM FAIRLY AND CREATE A BENEFIT PROGRAM

Of course – I haven’t ignored the need for better compensation. The need is there for an assessment of fairness and worth, but at the same time the operation must figure out ways to make the business more profitable so that the operation can comfortably afford to increase compensation. This can be an incentive program that engages the employees in helping the restaurant reach its goals through efficiency, waste reduction, and a unified approach towards being entrepreneurial.

12.  EMPATHETIC SCHEDULING

It may just be unrealistic to expect restaurants to move towards an 8-hour workday or a 40-hour week, but chefs and restaurants can certainly understand that kitchen staff members have a life outside of the restaurant and that inconsistent schedules make it very difficult to manage families and friendships. Working towards some level of consistency and being cognizant of important dates and events in a cook’s life will go a long way toward creating retention loyalty.

  1. HAVE THEIR BACK

Supporting your team members and letting them know what your position is with this is critical. As long as they don’t cross that line in the sand that you establish then they should be able to trust that you will be there for them.

  1. BE THEIR EXAMPLE

Most importantly, you need to portray that beacon of professionalism that they want to follow. Never subscribe to “do what I say, not what I do”, because it never works. Walk the talk!

  1. COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE

Engage your employees – let them know what is going on, what your plans are, how the restaurant is performing, and what challenges lie ahead. You can never communicate too much – show them that you trust them with this information and you will go a long way towards building retention loyalty.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

*Cover photo – Thanks to Chef Eamon Lee

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

28 Tuesday Jan 2020

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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

 

 

 

IT’S ONLY MY POINT OF VIEW

15 Wednesday Jan 2020

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I always try to see things through other people’s eyes and not just my own. There are always multiple sides to every issue, and numerous factors that sway a person’s perspective one-way or the other. When it comes to work – there are some who view it as a necessary chore to earn a paycheck, while others may view the same work as an opportunity and something to look forward to. I accept that and know that the reasons for different perspectives are many and, in most cases, personal. Be that as it may, I can only truly speak for myself – I will always have my opinions and they may differ from yours. That’s OK, to each his or her own.

My intent is always to present my opinions, as my opinions and never assume that they are or should be yours. If my thoughts and perspective strike a chord and help anyone with the task before them, that’s great, and if not – well, it is only my opinion. I am entitled to mine as those perspectives have evolved over decades of work in the food industry with many fantastic people who come from a multitude of backgrounds, and who bring all sorts of issues and challenges with them. My opinions are rooted in experiences working alongside all of these people. You have your opinions based, I am sure, on your own experiences – it’s all good. So – here are some of my perspectives when it comes to the restaurant business. They are based on five decades of observation and interaction. Take it for what it’s worth:

  1. Working hard is exhausting, but invigorating. Hard work is one of the factors in life that builds character and respect for others.
  2. Whatever goal I set for myself can be achieved in the food business if I set my mind to it and make the commitment to do what it takes to get there.
  3. Not everyone is cut out to work in the restaurant business. Those who only work for a paycheck are not likely to find a fulfilling career with food.
  4. Talent is hollow unless the person is willing to apply that talent to his or her work.
  5. If you want respect – show respect. This applies to all who hold a position of higher authority, those who have entry-level positions, those who sell you ingredients and deliver them, and those customers who patronize the restaurant where you work.
  6. Yes is a word that will pave the way for your success – no can get in the way.
  7. If you don’t know – discover how. Take responsibility for your own skill development and base of knowledge.
  8. The minute you think that you are better than someone else, you diminish your own value.
  9. When in a position of authority, know that you must be firm, but empathetic at the same time. This is not a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength.
  10. Speak less, listen more. Granted this is hard to do, but what you learn in the process is valuable.
  11. Respect the ingredients that you work with in the kitchen. Every carrot, potato, fish, chicken, 109 rib, pork loin, bag of flour, and bottle of wine represents the hard work, passion, and talent of a farmer, rancher, miller, fisherman, or wine maker. They deserve your respect for the ingredients that they share.
  12. Your vendors exist because you buy their goods. Respect them, but make them work for you.
  13. Honesty and integrity are the basic raw materials of leadership.
  14. Celebrate your team – recognize them and pat them on the back when they do something exceptional. Let everyone know how much you appreciate his or her talents and work ethic.
  15. When your team members screw up – let them know what they did, how it impacts others, and how they can avoid making the same mistake again. Make sure they realize that it is their action that you are upset with, not necessarily the person that they are.
  16. Set the example – always. If you want your staff to be punctual, then be the example of punctuality. If you want your cooks to sweat the details in cooking and food presentation, then be that example whenever you hold a knife, a pan, or a plate ready for the pass. If you want your staff to treat others with respect, then always be that example through your actions.
  17. Your reputation, your brand, is of utmost importance to your career. Don’t let others sway you away from the kind of cook, chef, employee that you set out to be. Stay the course.
  18. Know that what you do as a cook is important – this is work that truly impacts people’s lives. Be a proud cook.
  19. Take pride in the chef’s uniform. This is not a silly detail. The uniform represents a proud history of exceptionally committed professionals who made it possible for the restaurant industry to be such an important part of people’s lives. When you wear that uniform you are paying respect to them. Make sure that uniform is complete, clean, pressed, and worn in the same manner as a policeman, fireman, soldier, postal carrier, doctor, or nurse wears his or hers.
  20. Restaurants need to collectively re-think how they approach their financial operations. Low profit, low wages, minimal benefits, cash flow challenges, and the need for a large labor pool to meet the needs of the operation paint a very bleak picture of the future.
  21. Small, personal, service oriented, regional purveyors are better positioned to be a vendor/partner for restaurants, but they are unable to compete with the convenience and pricing of the big box purveyors. Restaurants need to think beyond convenience and price if they are to be part of a business community.
  22. If the restaurant industry fails to address its employer image and change then they will find it increasingly difficult to attract and retain good employees. The ball is in their court.
  23. Restaurants and restaurant chefs have an obligation to consider the impact they have on consumer health and wellbeing.   With 50% of the average American family food dollar spent in restaurants – we need to accept that part of America’s health falls on our shoulders.
  24. If culinary schools are not effective in meeting the needs of the restaurant industry then the restaurant industry must partner with schools to fix the challenge. This is the best resource for restaurant staffing, but only if they are successful in attracting sufficient student numbers and creating kitchen ready graduates.
  25. The restaurant industry suddenly has an image problem. From the days between 1980 and 2000 – we were the exciting career choice. The thought of becoming a chef or restaurateur drove tens of thousands of students to culinary classrooms as they had visions of commanding a kitchen or owning their own operation. Since that time, the reality of what it takes, the challenges of difficult work conditions, the failure rate of restaurants, the payback of student loans, and low wages has reversed the trend of opportunity to a trickle of what it once was. Now restaurants are unable to attract enough employees regardless of their skill set. This is the greatest problem facing the restaurant industry today and it cannot be overlooked. This is a call to arms – organizations like the National Restaurant Association and the American Culinary Federation must lead a concerted effort to turn this situation around.

me

This is an industry that has been very good to me. I took opportunities when they came my way, I made the effort to improve my skills and base of knowledge, to make the right connections and build my network of opportunity, and to push myself to reach for those goals that I had. I truly believe that anyone could do the same. Luck has very little to do with it – success is a choice, opportunity only exists when you look for it, and in a business that continues to grow and evolve – those who want it can have it. That is my opinion.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG

 

 

 

A CHEF WHO GETS THE MESSAGE RIGHT

11 Saturday Jan 2020

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

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

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

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

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

These are the highlights of our interview:

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

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

podcast

  1. What are your goals with this medium of communication?

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

  1. Who do you see as your audience?

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

  1. How will you measure success?

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

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

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

  1. What is your vision with regard to this?

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

chuck and mickey

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MY COMPANY RADIO

www.mycompanyradio.com

THE RECIPE PODCAST, CELEBRITY SECRETS

and THE RECIPE, UNPLUGGED

www.chefcharlescarroll.com

 

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant and Culinary School Consulting

www.harvestamericacues.com – BLOG

 

 

 

 

 

STOP THE 100% TARIFF ON EUROPEAN GOODS

06 Monday Jan 2020

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White tower decisions without a grasp on the systemic impact of those decisions is a common flaw of leaders who are out of touch with reality. It happens in business, it happens in education, and it happens most often in government. Those who are proponents of systemic thinking know that even the smallest decision, especially one made in a vacuum, will domino and cause havoc on numerous fronts.

An example in the restaurant business is a new chef in a property who is determined to radically change a menu to reflect his or her style without paying attention to those who will be affected. When a menu changes, the vendors are likely to change to accommodate new ingredients, all cooks in the operation will need to be trained to thrive with new preparations and presentations, there is a chance that current kitchen equipment may need to be adjusted, china and glassware may need to evolve to adapt to revised presentations, someone will need to prepare and test recipes, photos of presentations will be taken, tastings will need to occur, the front of the house will need ample training to understand each dish, marketing may need to evolve if the concept is a radical departure, and the guests who have been targeted in the past will likely change to some degree. It is never as simple as just changing the menu. Thinking all of this through while engaging input from every stakeholder will make for a smooth transition, when a menu is changed at the whim of the chef then you can expect chaos.

The US government is notorious for making decisions to leverage some type of anticipated outcome without fully understanding the systemic impact of those decisions. In recent months tariffs have been used as a tool for both deal making and retaliation for some action or inaction by another government. Tariffs, however do not simply impact the government target, they impact a series of stakeholders who are innocent recipients of devastating actions. Tariffs on China resulted in China cutting off the purchase of American soybeans. Many American farmers, who always struggle to make ends meet, had converted their land to the production of soybeans because China was willing and able to purchase enormous amounts. So, although a tariff may have an impact on China’s economy – they took American farmers along for the ride, as reluctant passengers. There is a cost, and the government uses the livelihood of hard working American’s as leverage without even giving baseline consideration to the results. Sure, the government turned around and offered subsidies to farmers after the fact, but then who pays for that?

A short while back the U.S. imposed a 25% tariff on European wines and other perishable goods – this of course, was very challenging for European winemakers, but it also impacted importers in the U.S., wine shops, longshoreman, wine distributors, restaurants, and wine consumers. Some may look at wine as a luxury, but think of the thousands and thousands of people whose livelihood was impacted in the process.

There is a current proposal to increase that tariff to 100%. This would not only impact European Wines, but other products such as Olive Oil, Scotch, Whiskey, olives, and Imported meats and cheese. These “luxury items” are connected to farmers, artisans, wine makers, distillers, cheese maker’s, wine importers and exporters, wholesalers, retailers, transportation providers, restaurants, and other retail businesses. Keep in mind, that the Restaurant Industry in the U.S. is the second largest employer of people in our country. When we loosely toy with tariffs of this type we are playing with careers and businesses on both sides of the equation. Obviously, a tariff on these European goods would be met with a similar reaction to American goods moving to Europe. There is rarely a positive outcome as a result of tariffs, yet governments continue to use them as a tool for negotiation.

Painted in Waterlogue

We live in a global economy, an economy that thrives on the knowledge that anyone can produce a product and find a market for it on any point on the globe. This is an amazing benefit for all parties when trade is open and fair. Tariffs are not a fair ingredient in a global economy.

If the 100% tariff is imposed then there will be thousands of small businesses that will likely close their doors, tens of thousands of employees who will face the fear of layoffs, and a change to America’s global marketplace image that will be hard to recover from.

Maybe spending more time filling empty diplomatic positions within the State Department, investing in building and maintaining great relationships with global partners, improving trade deals rather than scraping them, and thinking decisions through by communicating with all impacted stakeholders would be a better approach.

If you want to help the countless American workers and small businesses that would be impacted negatively by these tariffs, then please take a few moments to connect to the link below and offer your comments before January 13 (the open comment period).

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/12/12/2019-26741/review-of-action-enforcement-of-us-wto-rights-in-large-civil-aircraft-dispute

Send, via the electronic form to the Federal Trade Commission.

PLAN BETTER -TRAIN HARDER

THINK DECISIONS THROUGH

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

Restaurant Consulting

http://www.harvestamericacues.com  BLOG