Culinary Cues

MARCH 3, 2024

You were either part of this or feeling left out because you weren’t. Can you tough it out? We even boast an informal initiation period where new employees are given conflicting directions, inaccurate details on the work to be done, or even sent on wild goose-chases just to embarrass them and see if they can take it.

Leadership 382

Leadership Restaurant Law Social Media Sports 382

7 Shifts

APRIL 30, 2021

Employees may clock in early to help out or leave a few minutes early on a slow day. For a healthier business, it's important to flush out any time theft that's happening now and create preventive measures to keep it from creeping up. When an employee clocks in or out for another employee, this is known as “buddy punching.”

Restaurant Law 370

Restaurant Law White Paper Cash Management Small Business 370

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 22, 2022

Bigger is less predictable and much more difficult to control and bigger takes cooks and chefs away from what they love to do, what attracted them to the trade in the beginning – to cook from the heart. Instead of thirty-gallon trash cans spread out through the kitchen, there were two much smaller cans, a recycling bin, and tubs for compost.

Seating 452

Seating Front of House Back of House Cash Management 452

Culinary Cues

APRIL 15, 2023

My town leaders, bless their hearts, try to figure out ways to strum up cash flow for small businesses. In small private entrepreneurships it is common for owner/operators to not take a steady salary so they might meet payroll or pay a vendor for recent deliveries. Please don’t ask us to take it on the chin. We would love that.

Seasonal Menu 461

Seasonal Menu Café Point of Sale Social Media 461

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 11, 2022

If you are a cook who is happy working just for a paycheck – more power to you, but you can probably save some time and not read this article. We can always find things to disagree with and people who frustrate us, but very little good ever comes out of this approach. Just when you think you are there – push it out a little further.

Leadership 395

Leadership Fine Dining Workshop Training 395

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 26, 2020

So, as we close out on 2020 – here are some reflections and outcomes in the past that we might learn from. [] A DRAMATIC EVENT, BEYOND OUR CONTROL HAS SHUT THE DOOR ON RESTAURANT BUSINESS. Our purpose, and our passion have been devastated over the past 9-months and we know that it will still take time before things truly begin to improve.

Fine Dining 482

Fine Dining 2008 Kitchen Safety Customer Experience 482

Culinary Cues

APRIL 24, 2020

Yesterday, I read an emotional, well-written, soul-crushing article by Gabrielle Hamilton – chef/owner of Prune Restaurant in New York City. It was an emotional experience reading this article and knowing that thousands of other chefs and restaurateurs across the country could have written a similar one.

Article 319

Article Point of Sale Take-out Dine-in 319

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 20, 2024

There’s a reactionary movement that I keep seeing in restaurants; a movement that assumes the answer to the restaurant bottom line is to take more and give less or give too much to justify raising prices. This is compounded when a restaurant doesn’t even take bread seriously. Help them out. Do it right!

Fine Dining 402

Fine Dining Food Truck Back of House Pricing 402

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 10, 2023

When we sign our work, we take full responsibility for it. “I Think about it for a moment – would you be willing to put yourself out there and take ownership for work that is less than stellar, less than the best you can do? Make excellence the rule and send mediocrity out the back door. I did this, this is my work”!

Seminar 368

Seminar Front of House Back of House Workshop 368

Culinary Cues

JULY 15, 2024

This is a disease that lies dormant in many people just waiting to take over their every being if those in positions of leadership allow it to. It is apparent in the classroom, the local grocery store, your doctor’s office, the gym where you work out, car dealerships, airports, subways, hotels, and yes – restaurants.

Leadership 390

Leadership Food Truck Employee Relations Training 390

Culinary Cues

MARCH 4, 2022

I would assume that many chefs who read this article – at least the ones from my generation have reflected on where they are, what they have done, and what they are still able to do. We read the articles and listen to chefs and restaurateurs desperate to fill positions of line cook, sous chef, chef, manager, etc.

Coaching 473

Coaching Training Fine Dining Article 473

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 8, 2023

It’s the fire in the belly waiting to take charge, the anxiety being held in check, cold sweat running down your back even though it’s 120 degrees where you stand, and the nervous chatter of tongs clicking to the beat of a cook’s rhythm. In and out before the crowds, this is what they like. What else do I need, what am I missing.”.

Fine Dining 474

Fine Dining Back of House Front of House Food Order 474

Culinary Cues

JUNE 3, 2024

It may not look the same and they may have never written it down, but this is their method of operation. [] LOOK THE PART Take pride in your appearance and the sharpness of your uniform. Becoming GREAT takes serious dedication and lots of repetition. Seek out every opportunity to learn something new every day.

Uniforms 347

Uniforms Point of Sale Coaching Small Business 347

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 3, 2022

I shout while frantically rubbing my calf trying to work out that Charlie horse pain. I spend 15 minutes on the stationary bike still trying to work out that leg cramp, rush through50 sit-ups, take shower and shave, and down two more cups of coffee. I swear by it and never waver from taking the time to touch base with everyone.

Back of House 349

Back of House Hotels Front of House Book 349

Culinary Cues

JUNE 13, 2023

I need a job” however becomes a sense of urgency that steps away from the negative and shouts out how important a job is to your survival. They work me to the bone”, must mean that a person feels like an indentured servant with no way out. I got the job!” Of course, I could go on and on. you can do better than this’”. -Dr.

Article 321

Article Social Media Blog Café 321

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 22, 2021

It also requires money to open a restaurant and build it out, buy equipment and finance the operation until it reaches break-even. In this article, you'll learn how to get a business loan for your restaurant so you can make your dream of starting or growing your restaurant a reality. Marketing Plan : detail your pricing structure (e.g.,

Document 393

Document Cash Management Small Business Take-out 393

7 Shifts

AUGUST 10, 2020

Taking the time to set up a restaurant organizational system is an investment – but it’s one that will certainly pay off in the form of more efficiency. Here are some reasons why you may want to carve some time out in your schedule to reorganize your working space. Don’t have the budget for any filing products?

Document 351

Document Restaurant Law Book Point of Sale 351

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 17, 2023

Others – peers, parents, or even teachers might label you as not having what it takes which was incredibly painful. Would you take care to make sure it was prepared perfectly? Would you take that extra few seconds to make the presentation of ingredients was beautiful? Now, this is not literal, I’m just making a point.

Uniforms 378

Uniforms Article Café Small Business 378

7 Shifts

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

In this article, we’ll take a look at how Tayler Book, co-founder of Beechwood Doughnuts, evolved her restaurant digitally and physically to get where they are today—making thousands of doughnuts a week for the Niagara region. I was fresh out of university. We opened the store when I was 22 years old. was a pain. “I

Operations 370

Operations Book Small Business Communication 370

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 21, 2023

Beginning with a few flamboyant artisans like Jeremiah Tower, Paul Prudhomme, Wolfgang Puck, and Alice Waters – the chef came out from behind the curtain as the star of the show, the person responsible for over-the-top food that wowed and inspired people of all socio-economic backgrounds. Economic Blips: The economy is somewhat cyclical.

Back of House 400

Back of House Food Supply Government Dine-in 400

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 11, 2022

Before you turn and run away or write me off as unaware of how you have the perfect formula for success, just hear me out. We do know it will be different and the Baker’s Dozen list in this article will be only the start for those who think they are ready to take the leap.

Customer Experience 380

Customer Experience Café Hospitality Customer Service 380

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 4, 2023

This may seem like a strange topic for a blog focused on the restaurant industry and the world of food but hear me out. You can see it moving in and taking up lodging in our social media streams, in books that are published, articles in the news, music that is written, and a change in what we find on our televisions.

Social Media 361

Social Media Food Safety Retail Small Business 361

Culinary Cues

JULY 29, 2024

The good times, the challenges that we overcame, the team building that took place, and the joy of putting out countless delicious plates of food?” We no longer repair worn shoes- we throw them out and get new ones. If it makes you smile, even though it seems a bit corny, then take the next step – EMBRACE THE POSSIBILITIES!

Back of House 368

Back of House Take-out Café Blog 368

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 29, 2024

It is human nature to try and push those out of our minds, but given a moments pause, it’s easy to remember them. It takes time for people to push aside tradition, habits, and yes – fear, that accompanies change. Change will happen, in fact it already is, but as we all known – change is not something that is embraced with open arms.

Kitchen Safety 395

Kitchen Safety Guest Recovery Uniforms Food Safety 395

Culinary Cues

MAY 12, 2022

Of course, there is a handful of masterful chefs and restaurateurs who can charge crazy prices to sold out audiences. It takes so much effort, time, and money to pull customers in for that first visit – we want to make them feel good about their investment and book another reservation soon. So – what is the answer?

Pricing 365

Pricing Consumer Goods Training Customer Experience 365

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

SUDDEN LACK OF DEPENDABILITY: When an employee who had always been a rock of dependability – always on time, ready to work, interested in taking on more responsibility, always able to complete tasks as expected, suddenly fails to meet those expectations – then it’s time to pay attention. You see a little out of sorts, what can I do to help?”

Employee Relations 396

Employee Relations Training Fine Dining Take-out 396

Culinary Cues

MARCH 3, 2021

In a recent article about Danny Meyer – NYC restaurateur extraordinaire, he talks about his epiphany over the past year – an opportunity he had to truly assess everything about his restaurants and the accepted approach towards operation. ” -Danny Meyer – Union Square Hospitality.

Dine-in 427

Dine-in Small Business Seasonal Menu Café 427

Social Hospitality

MARCH 27, 2020

Let’s focus on steps you can take to market your hotel or restaurant during the coronavirus crisis. There’s still an audience out there that will eventually re-engage with your brand; the key is to connect with them. With so many employees out of work, now would be the perfect time to reward their loyalty.

Hospitality 454

Hospitality Marketing Travel Hotels 454

Culinary Cues

MAY 13, 2023

Those who are serious about holding the chef title some day; the ones who are “in it, to win it”, are always wondering what’s the best path to take. Remember that being “the chef” will take you away from much of the day-to-day cooking, the adrenaline rush, and the team excitement that drew you to the kitchen in the first place.

Hotels 440

Hotels Point of Sale Cash Management Training 440

Culinary Cues

JULY 31, 2022

That’s a load of negativity to digest – no wonder the title to this article makes some people believe that it’s true. For the Restaurateur: Are you willing to take a hard look at your business model and change how you attract, train, invest in, compensate, and evaluate your staff? PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. Restaurant Consulting.

Food Supply 405

Food Supply Training Supplies Café 405

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 9, 2023

Now consider the heat and steam that create the atmosphere where this takes place. At the end of a shift cooks are drained (not even considering the mental and emotional toll that will be addressed in subsequent articles). Cooks walk out the back door sore and exhausted only to return the next day and start the process all over again.

Article 423

Article Take-out Café Customer Service 423

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

Maybe the driver is distracted with a cell phone, engaged in a discussion with a passenger, or simply spacing out – but regardless of the reason, you see the impact before it happens, and you are unable to move out of the way. So, if this sounds like you, then take a deep breath, shake it off, stand tall and listen.

Coaching 310

Coaching Take-out Café Management 310

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 18, 2023

Sure, luck can be involved, but luck is rarely something to depend on or take credit for. Every plate is perfectly executed, no returns or re-fires, the roast is a perfect medium rare, the grill marks are well-defined, that fish fillet is caramelized beautifully, and you never run out of prep. The list goes on and on.

Back of House 392

Back of House Front of House Education Café 392

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 28, 2023

I am tired of the media focusing on the stories of exception, drooling about zealous articles that point to unacceptable kitchen environments, glamorizing the negative through their “reality” shows and movies, and then following up with dramatic writing about how hard it is for restaurants to find help and survive in such a fragile marketplace.

Entertainment 376

Entertainment Back of House Consumer Goods Recruiting 376

Culinary Cues

JULY 23, 2023

This does not excuse chefs who lash out, who wear their strong emotions on their sleeve and point the finger at those who do not follow their intended steps towards greatness. Chef, one of your most important jobs will be to train the next outstanding person to take your position if you ever move on.”

Guest Recovery 411

Guest Recovery Seasonal Menu Presentation Customer Experience 411

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 26, 2024

If you are anything like me, the anticipation of a really good restaurant experience is at the top of my list when traveling, or just taking a break from cooking at home. This is a call out to all who make, sell, and earn a living through food to self-assess and ask a basic few questions: 1. It really hurts me to say this.

Dine-in 369

Dine-in Training Seasonal Menu Sports 369

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 23, 2023

Some of us know that winning takes loads of hard work, conditioning, and focus, while others hope they can win without the effort. Reaching for that carrot may be enough to keep you going, reaching that carrot will help to fulfill you, and pushing the carrot even further out will either inspire or frustrate you.

Coaching 387

Coaching Sports Point of Sale Take-out 387