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Those operations that resemble the caldrons of hell filled with arrogance, bullying, unprofessional behavior, and a lack of respect for people, product, and process is the same as categorizing musicians, athletes, business leaders, and politicians under a unified profile. Not all kitchens are alike. Not all chefs are the same.
The kitchen is a place where those who are successful come to the realization that those later aptitudes are enhanced through experience – the more you do, the better you become. Some talented people are not the best cooks and chefs and quite often the most intelligent (using commonly referred to scales of measurement) are lacking in common sense.
At the very least, we know that the work right in front of us won’t change. Why do we sometimes treat dish washers as commodities – interchangeable and easily replaceable parts, when their role is so critical to the success of the restaurant (front and back of the house)? March 9 was National Dish Washer Day.
From first-in, first-out in the walk-in cooler to how you fold side towels and where your knives are placed – it is organization that allows a kitchen to run efficiently and keeps the mood and pace of the restaurant in sync. To some, it may seem less significant, but to seasoned professionals – this is the truth of the kitchen.
Name tags for front of the house employees work just as well maybe with the name of the town they are from, or the number of years they have worked in an establishment. Maybe, just maybe, that name on their uniform is the same as signing their work – something that the individual wants to respect with a “best foot forward”.
It is also this potential that allows teachers to change the direction of a young student’s life, a garden expert to beautifully landscape a home, a plumber to turn copper into a work of art, an electrician to properly wire a house, or a cook to prepare a perfect restaurant meal. Each person has something to offer and a need to do so.
People do care about value and once the splash of being able to get out of the house wears off, value assessment will be paramount once again. Well then – what will? Try apathy on for size. Maybe it’s me but I have seen a growing number of restaurants (certainly not the majority at this point) who are simply not trying that hard anymore.
You are not alone if the thought of putting your name on a restaurant awning has crossed your mind. One of the most tempting forays into entrepreneurship is the restaurant business. How hard can it be – right? Well, you have all heard the statistics about success and failure when food and beverage are involved, so I won’t repeat them.
You were taught how to fold your socks, the right way to make a bed, how to polish your boots so they shine like a mirror, the proper way to wear your uniform, the exactness of a salute, marching in step, breaking down your weapon, cleaning it, and reassembling in the right order – everything has a place, and everything is in its place.
Tom quickly washed his hands, tied on an apron, adjusted his uniform and set-up his workstation. As a cook or chef there are many days that go well and a few that challenge the best. Your dictionary. But when this occurrence takes place with a team, the results can be magical. It is beautiful to watch and energizing to experience.
Ironically, there is always room to be great and there is plenty of room to be mediocre. With more than one million restaurants in the US we can flip a coin and hope for the great, will likely step through the doors of good, and far too often settle into the mediocre. I wonder why this is the case. Plain and simple. What are they thinking?
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. In every office where I sat over the past 30 some odd years, has hung this picture of the master craftsman, leader, and ambassador of proper cooking and kitchen organization.
Have you established a uniform and grooming standard in your restaurant and is it equitably enforced? For the past six months I have been committed to an exercise regimen thanks to my Apple Watch. The commitment has become a habit that I don’t intend to break. The commitment has become a habit that I don’t intend to break.
Kitchen operations, in particular, frequently lag behind front-of-house innovations, causing issues like over-preparing food, poor inventory management, and struggles to meet high demand during peak hours. While many solutions simply check the boxes, we’re building the tools of tomorrow, today. The result?
Going to the front of the house. When you show up for your shift, wear clean clothing, not the same uniform from the day before. If your uniform or clothing gets heavily soiled or is in contact with raw meat , your employer should provide you with a replacement uniform. Hand Washing. Handling raw food.
Most multi-unit restaurant groups run each of their locations as a separate legal entity. Each entity and store has its own P&Ls and balance sheets. If all entities are held under a holding company, the GAAP financial statements can be consolidated to see the true picture of the overall business. Intercompany debt.
OK – so that doesn’t help much unless we have a plan, a plan that everyone buys into, and a plan that shows hope on both fronts. So the question is – where is the leadership in building such a plan? Where is the real leadership from professional organizations and from the communities where those restaurants reside?
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