Harvest America CUES BLOG

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  • IT’S THE KITCHEN PEOPLE I MISS

    Looking back on five decades of kitchen life, what provides the greatest memories, and a feeling of fulfillment are the people I met and those with whom I had the pleasure to work alongside. There is a kitchen culture that… Continue reading

  • THE BOTTLE IS THE OCCASION

    Peter Gago, the former chief winemaker at Penfolds winery has frequently stated that we can get together to celebrate the bottle inferring that this applies to the meal, the place where we are, the sun coming up, or even the gift… Continue reading

  • EVERY PLATE TELLS A STORY

    The benchmark song on what was arguably Rod Stewart’s most artistic album proclaimed that “Every Picture Tells a Story” lamenting that there are memories attached to our experiences, mementos, or a work that we invest our time in. It is… Continue reading

  • A STORY TO TELL

    Oh, how our careers evolve. With a commitment to constantly learn, a willingness to step in different directions, and an open mind – where we start may not have much similarity to where we end up. That makes life interesting… Continue reading

  • THE NEXT GENERATION OF COOKS & CHEFS

    It’s a question on the minds of most chefs, restaurateurs, and culinary educators: What will the next generation of cooks and chefs look like? We (those who have invested decades in the business already) may complain about the current labor… Continue reading

  • ARE YOU READY?

    I know you’re busy. Every day brings new challenges to face, unexpected curve balls that throw you off balance. But you might want to stop now and again and reflect on a time, not too long ago. Think back to… Continue reading

  • KITCHEN LIFE & CAREER

    So much to learn, so little time. Where do you begin, what’s the best way to learn? What should you do, where should you turn? If you are serious about a kitchen career and have the focus to map out… Continue reading

  • THE GRAPES OF WRATH

    I find myself thinking lately of terms the common man, common woman, common child. I think of their (our) needs and desires, the simple ones that we all share. Some of us have the means, had the upbringing, enjoyed good… Continue reading

  • WHY NOT CHOOSE EXCEPTIONAL?

    There are many choices in life, one road vs. another, good vs. great, mediocre vs. acceptable, truth vs. lies – we choose to move towards one or the other and live with those decisions. In business, those choices can lead… Continue reading

  • WILL THE RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE BECOME IMPERSONAL

    There’s plenty of fear and loathing going on in the restaurant business. Every restaurant and restaurateur are struggling to figure it out – “how am I going to make this work?” This is not the normal amount of angst that… Continue reading

  • BEING CHEF ANDRE SOLTNER

    This morning, I found myself deep in thought about a lifetime in the kitchen, the people with whom I have worked, and those who I simply had the pleasure to meet. I was wrestling with what we contribute during our… Continue reading

  • CHEFS STARTING FRESH IN 2025

    No, this is not a list of New Year’s Resolutions since we all know how effective they are. This is a self-assessment of the job of chef, what we have learned in 2024, and how we can apply that “knowledge… Continue reading

  • THE WAY IT WAS, IS, AND COULD BE

    It seems like a lifetime ago, oh wait…it was a lifetime ago, that I stepped into my first professional kitchen. It was 1970 and the Statler Hilton kitchen in Buffalo, New York seemed like a complex, hard to wrap my… Continue reading

  • SO, GOD MADE A CHEF

    Adaption by: Paul Sorgule This article was written in recognition of the wonderful piece that was done by Paul Harvey paying homage to American farmers.  This version is a tribute to chefs and cooks who care for the crops and… Continue reading

  • COOKS & CHEFS PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, & MENTAL HEALTH

    I watched a show last night for the second time: Boiling Point. There have been many movies and shows that depict life in the kitchen but few that struck me with as much of a reality punch as this one.… Continue reading

  • ONE DISH AT A TIME

    Approaching the design of a menu should be a complicated process because it defines the restaurant and the chef. Every other aspect of the restaurant operation will, or at least should, stem from the proper design of the menu and… Continue reading

  • RESTAURANTS – POLI-ACTIVE / POLI-NEUTRAL

    Sitting in a neighborhood restaurant after the recent election I was struck by the balancing act that food establishments have played for hundreds of years. In the end, the restaurant’s purpose is to provide a forum for coming together and… Continue reading

  • BE EXCELLENT

    I have been thinking a lot about the word excellence, what it means, how it applies to each of us, and the impact that it has on everything. It is unfair and limiting to believe that excellence indirectly aligns with… Continue reading

  • CARPE DIEM, COOKS

    Seize the day! Ah…” when opportunity knocks, you can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy a ticket, in basketball or hockey you’ll miss every shot you don’t take, if you aren’t going all the way, why go at all,”… Continue reading

  • THE 21 KITCHEN RULES FOR EVERY CHEF TO FOLLOW

    Nearly nine years ago, during the first twelve months of Harvest America Cues blog, one of my articles went viral attracting almost 40,000 views in one day. The article struck a nerve with its focus on A Cook’s Kitchen Laws.… Continue reading

  • ARE INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS PRICING THEMSELVES OUT OF THE MARKET?

    Recent data published by USA Today suggests that the average upper middle-class couple spends around $200 per week on groceries. That’s 21 meals for two people over seven days. From my experience, it is difficult to experience a dinner for… Continue reading

  • CHEFS – BE A ROLE MODEL

    Finding your purpose, making a difference, and creating your legacy are underlying goals that every chef seems to hold close. How important is this and in the big scheme of things, does it really matter? We invest so much time… Continue reading

  • “SHELTER ME, I WILL SHELTER YOU”

    So many times, throughout my life in the kitchen, I would watch in wonder at the patchwork of honest, fragile, determined, sociopathic, caring, hardworking, sensitive, brutal misfits (I mean that in the best way) people who tie on an apron… Continue reading

  • THE CHEF’S SECRET INGREDIENT – CONTEXT

    Memorable food, exceptional experiences, a perfect evening…these are the types of reviews that every chef hopes for and every restaurant strives for. Is it possible to set the stage for these reactions? What would it take for guests to rave… Continue reading

  • STEPPING INTO PROFESSIONALISM

    There are kitchens and there are kitchens. Painting the environment that surrounds cooking with the same brush is unfair and quite inaccurate; yet many do. Those operations that resemble the caldrons of hell filled with arrogance, bullying, unprofessional behavior, and… Continue reading

  • YOUNG COOKS – CREATE YOUR FUTURE

    How eager are you to reach that position of chef? Are you hungry enough to do what you need to do, to build a plan and stick with it? Are you serious about cooking, creating, coaching a team, and contributing… Continue reading

  • WHAT WOULD ESCOFFIER SAY

    It’s been 89 years since Escoffier stood in front of a range for the last time, yet his presence is still felt by professional cooks and chefs. One could claim, and rightfully so, that he had the greatest influence on… Continue reading

  • CHEFS – DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE CRAFT

    I was listening to a person the other day who was involved in the restaurant business. He was making a point about how we (those of us who work or have worked in kitchens) need to embrace more technology and… Continue reading

  • CHARGING FOR BREAD -SERIOUSLY?

    A new word has been bantered about over the past few months, a word that ticks off consumers and demonstrates either greed or an inability to understand the public’s perception of “value”. “Shrinkflation” is a descriptor for reducing the size… Continue reading

  • THE KING IS IN THE HOUSE

    Is there any real value to nostalgia? How clear is our memory and how often do we tend to embellish on the positive and diminish the negative? Looking back can provide us with context and content for making future decisions… Continue reading