Culinary Cues

JANUARY 8, 2023

The dining room opens in 15 minutes and the adrenaline is starting to churn. At 5:30 the dining room doors open, and early bird diners begin to arrive. Cooks are now bouncing from foot-to-foot waiting for the chime of the printer as orders in the dining room are being taken by servers who put on a show face that projects calm.

Fine Dining 474

Fine Dining Back of House Front of House Food Order 474

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

This is constant, unrelenting as the dining room moves from a few guests at 6:30 a.m. Unlike other line positions where there is a time allowance for preparation, pacing of courses, and the detail work that equates to a meticulously aligned plate presentation – the breakfast cook must be efficient and fast. The list goes on and on.

Back of House 519

Back of House Dine-in Restaurant Law Ordering 519

Culinary Cues

MARCH 3, 2021

Menus became encyclopedic, the skills to execute these menus were over the top, the equipment that allowed for this level of creativity was space age and expensive, the intensity and stress in the kitchen was as heavy as lead, and the number of staff members required to execute this complexity was painful. Magazine: [link].

Dine-in 427

Dine-in Small Business Seasonal Menu Café 427

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

The strict alignment to table stations, training, development of a wine list that complements the food menu, and the smooth oversight of intense chaos so that it seems to be controlled rests on the shoulders of the dining room or restaurant manager. Independence in a manufacturing model that defies logic.

Seasonal Menu 527

Seasonal Menu Back of House Customer Service Front of House 527

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 26, 2020

The most challenging part of difficult times is living in the moment. Today is what gives us the most angst since we live in uncharted territory with all of the unpredictable factors that align with it. Ah, but TODAY is the tough one. How will we get through this, what else can possibly happen, will we survive to see those brighter times?”

Fine Dining 482

Fine Dining 2008 Kitchen Safety Customer Experience 482

Culinary Cues

APRIL 9, 2020

There are few things in life that vividly define the culture associated with a group of people more than dining out. 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?

Customer Experience 501

Customer Experience Customer Service Dine-in Sports 501

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 20, 2024

It is important to always keep in mind that dining out is still a luxury, even though more and more families have built it into their lifestyle. Whether a quick service restaurant, family dining, food truck, or white tablecloth fine dining operation – there will always be some level of price sensitivity. Come on, we know this!

Fine Dining 402

Fine Dining Food Truck Back of House Pricing 402

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 28, 2021

Cooks are busy at work with their own preparations as breakfast orders from the dining room arrive at a harrowing pace. The cooks are in the zone as the orders attack the kitchen even faster now as the dining room fills and servers’ line up to make toast and refill silver coffee pitchers. This is magical.

Kitchen Safety 436

Kitchen Safety Front of House Fine Dining Back of House 436

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 21, 2023

Suddenly patrons were standing in long lines not just for the food and ambience, but to catch a glimpse of the chef in his (or noticed better late than never) or her starched chef whites wearing a smile and walking through the dining room like a member of royalty. People traveled cross country to experience these chef extravaganzas.

Back of House 400

Back of House Food Supply Government Dine-in 400

Social Hospitality

FEBRUARY 25, 2021

With the past year’s emphasis on contactless dining, it’s never been more important for restaurants to have an online menu that’s easy to find and simple to navigate on a mobile device. One of the best ways to get an accurate Online Menu easily is have it tied to your standard dine-in menu. That all changed in 2020. Delivery Apps.

2021 434

2021 Social Media Mobile Ordering Online Ordering 434

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 26, 2024

It was a poster in the employee dining room of a hotel that asked: “Would you be willing to sign your work?” NOT KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EATING AND DINING Eating is a process; dining is an experience. Fast food is process eating and will always fall short of dining. Ugh, frustration is setting in.

Dine-in 369

Dine-in Training Seasonal Menu Sports 369

Social Hospitality

JANUARY 5, 2022

Adjustments include single-use menus, disposable cutlery and plates, sanitizing tables and all areas open to human touch, allowing a limited number of guests for dining in, and others. How can restaurants switch from the traditional dine-in business to a business focused on delivery or pickup? Prioritize Health Concerns.

Mobile Ordering 459

Mobile Ordering Customer Service Food Safety Delivery 459

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

I know how heartbreaking it is when the dining room is nearly empty, and how invigorating it is when it is full. Nevertheless we have always been blessed with choice when it comes to finding a place to eat. These are the places where memories are built and where customers become friends, and friendships last from generation to generation.

Fine Dining 440

Fine Dining Employee Relations Front of House Small Business 440

Culinary Cues

MAY 18, 2020

Whatever your end goal might be: Executive Chef in a fine dining operation, Corporate Chef, Sous Chef, Restaurant Manager, Entrepreneur, Research Chef, or Consultant – where ever you hope to land in the future – put that goal in writing. The restaurant industry is being hit extraordinarily hard, unlike any other time in recent history.

White Paper 520

White Paper Certification Food Safety Food Supply 520

7 Shifts

OCTOBER 12, 2022

Full-service restaurant, fine dining. Tips paid to those who collect. Servers, sometimes other FOH staff. Incentivizes servers. Possibility of an uneven tip out and wage gaps. Even tip splitting. All eligible staff. Even and fair, provides camaraderie amongst staff. Some staff may not hold themselves to a high standard of service.

Tip Distribution 365

Tip Distribution FOH Fast Casual BOH 365

7 Shifts

JULY 22, 2022

Whether that looks like tables on the sidewalk or a rooftop bar, there’s no denying that outdoor dining brings new obstacles and challenges to the already complex life of a restaurateur or employee. Outdoor dining, bar, and event spaces that open in the summer come with an added scheduling challenge. Staffing for summer. Shift Pool.

Tip Distribution 391

Tip Distribution Certification Document Outdoor 391

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 23, 2021

In the restaurant business there are really only two ways to view profit: a very small amount of profit balanced by very significant volume, or a significant amount of profit on far less volume. How you approach the design of your restaurant in this regard will determine nearly everything else. So what is contribution margin?

Point of Sale 450

Point of Sale Front of House Back of House Customer Experience 450

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 8, 2022

Well, here we go. I haven’t slept much at all over the past few days and certainly won’t until the weekend is over. The anxiety building up to a full house in the hotel packed with a series of food events has made it impossible to relax. The preparation has been mind boggling, now we just have to execute. It is the chef’s job to set the stage.

Front of House 410

Front of House Back of House Seating Food Truck 410

Culinary Cues

JUNE 29, 2024

What would it take for guests to rave about dining in your restaurant? Work at it and the dining experience will improve exponentially. [] REMEMBER A GUEST’S PURCHASING PROFILE: There is no excuse today for failing to know the buying habits of your guest. Is it possible to set the stage for these reactions?

Dine-in 304

Dine-in Customer Experience Back of House Customer Service 304

Culinary Cues

APRIL 23, 2022

Now that I have your attention and you are back in your chair, let me explain. The margins are very tight, in fact they are so tight that most business savvy people would wonder why anyone would ever want to own a restaurant. So, if the cost of goods is not the chef’s responsibility, then where does the buck stop? First in, first out.

Food 395

Food Seasonal Menu Waste Point of Sale 395

7 Shifts

JUNE 20, 2022

While that popularity has generated excitement about the prospect of these dining room-less restaurants, it's important to remember that ghost kitchens aren't an easy thing to pull off. There's no dining room, no storefront, no servers, and in some cases not so much as a sign. Table of Contents. What is a ghost kitchen? Kitchen Pods.

Front of House 435

Front of House Food Truck Back of House Social Media 435

Social Hospitality

MARCH 27, 2020

With travel and dine-in demands at a low, your digital strategy must include adding more revenue from each booking or reservation. If you have a spa or dining area, these both offer further revenue opportunities with each booking. Assess the current impact of coronavirus on your particular business. Focus on Direct Perks.

Hospitality 454

Hospitality Marketing Travel Hotels 454

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

How powerful is a complete dining experience and what exactly is it? An owner for whom I worked years ago referred to it as the Total Dining Experience and I have held on to this concept ever since. Is your ventilation system designed to push positive kitchen odors to the dining room or outside the entrance?

Fine Dining 328

Fine Dining Dine-in Front of House Design 328

Culinary Cues

APRIL 15, 2023

All good intentions – they want to create full or partially full dining rooms for restaurants in need. We want to make a respectable living, but there are few aspirations of wealth – our reward is feeling good about the product we produce, the service we offer, and the joy that can be passed on to those who chose to dine with us.

Seasonal Menu 461

Seasonal Menu Café Point of Sale Social Media 461

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 30, 2023

Yes, it’s true – when the Michelin Guide decided to recognize some exceptional street food vendors with Michelin Stars, they broke the barrier of snobbery noting that excellence can happen outside of traditional fine dining. If fine dining is your objective, then make the commitment knowing what’s involved.

Fine Dining 367

Fine Dining Front of House Dine-in 2016 367

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

Unfortunately, dining out and finding the right place to work is oftentimes a wishful roll of the dice. It all matters – education level, income bracket, age range, frequency of dining, and food and wine preferences. [] KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO BE AND HOW YOU WANT TO BE PERCEIVED. Don’t try to be something that you are not.

Fine Dining 405

Fine Dining Front of House Customer Service Customer Experience 405

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 12, 2021

This place tucked away in the hills of the northeast represented the epitome of culinary arts in their American Plan dining room. This place tucked away in the hills of the northeast represented the epitome of culinary arts in their American Plan dining room.

Seasonal Menu 472

Seasonal Menu 2005 Hotels Customer Service 472

Embrace the Suck

JANUARY 20, 2021

Takeout, curbside, and delivery have become a lifeline for restaurants that had to suspend dine-in services. Some will be very apprehensive and a little scared to venture back into a crowded dining room, so have patience. This pandemic will create a shift in buying and dining patterns to which you must adapt.

Social Media 417

Social Media 2001 Online Ordering Take-out 417

Culinary Cues

JUNE 23, 2024

There are countless examples of kitchens where proper cooking is revered, people are treated with respect, professionalism is the standard, ingredients are handled with care, and pride is evident in the pass. So, how detrimental is this “bad press” and what can be done about it? Why is it that culinary schools are faced with declining enrollments?

Uniforms 388

Uniforms Front of House Back of House Food Supply 388

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

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.

Beverage 498

Beverage Events Food Order Website Management 498

7 Shifts

MARCH 25, 2022

They had streamlined menus, more digital presence than their full-service counterparts, and dining rooms weren't an integral part of the fast casual experience. Coming out of 2020, few restaurant types were better prepared for the new normal than quick service and fast casual. in sales per day. million in sales to more than $1.7

Fast Casual 370

Fast Casual Casual Front of House Point of Sale 370

Culinary Cues

MAY 20, 2024

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.

Hotels 282

Hotels Front of House Fine Dining Back of House 282