7 Shifts

OCTOBER 16, 2020

Social Media 459

Social Media 459

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

More difficult than you may have thought, more chaotic than you might expect, more poetic than you realize, and more fulfilling than you would understand: this, to me, describes the environment of the professional kitchen that few customers are able to view or experience.

Seasonal Menu 527

Seasonal Menu Back of House Customer Service Front of House 527

Embrace the Suck

JULY 21, 2020

We all want to get back to “normal,” whatever that means now. Honestly, normal wasn’t very normal in the first place so, let’s look at this as a plot twist! This time around is your opportunity to do things better than you did before. COVID-19 isn’t your fault, but how you ran your restaurant before is. Now, if that upsets you a little bit, then read on because there are a few things we must discuss.

Leadership 487

Leadership Hiring Take-out Events 487

Sante

DECEMBER 8, 2020

Here are the top five things to focus on when streamlining your kitchen operations to improve your restaurant experience and achieve your overall goal of making customers happy. Kaitlin Keefer, Editor/Square. Chefs and restaurant owners decide to start their business because of a love for food and a desire to bring that food to the mouths of people in their community.

Front of House 130

Front of House Operations Back of House POS 130

Advertiser: Paycor

In today’s fast-paced business world, effective workforce management (WFM) isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity.

Management

Social Hospitality

AUGUST 13, 2020

The hospitality industry constantly changes and evolves in the face of new industry and consumer trends. Unique socio-economic shifts also dictate the course of the market. Analysts and industry leaders continuously provide forecasts to give businesses a way to build their competitive advantage. The industry never stands still. Customer service is at the core of innovation and good business practices.

Customer Service 436

Customer Service Innovation Hospitality Hotels 436

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 19, 2020

To discuss this topic in more detail join “Restaurant of the Future: How to Take Advantage of the Digital Transformation,” a panel discussion about how technology spurred by COVID-19 will help shape the way restaurants operate, will take place on Thursday, Aug. 20 at 4 p.m. EST. Space is limited, click here to register. Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine asked restaurant industry experts to gaze into a crystal ball and re-imagine the future of dining.

Kitchen Safety 227

Kitchen Safety Food Safety Loyalty Program Technology 227

A Wine Story

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

Wine Business Trends 2020 - Wine Business Monthly. Man Ordering Wine Online - Wine Business Trends. Highlights from Technology and Financial Webinar. Are you curious about wine business trends 2020? Most of us know that e-commerce is booming in the US wine industry. Some wineries boast record sales, but others struggle. Why? What role does technology play into a winery’s bottom line?

Webinar 204

Webinar Website Management Online Ordering Customer Experience 204

Deliverect

FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Delivery isn’t simply an extra revenue channel – it’s also in high demand. But before you start packing your delicious meals in boxes and sending them out into the world, it’s best to begin with a strategy rooted in sound business and marketing principles. Here is a 6-step guide to set up a delivery operation with success. Don’t forget to download our practical checklist for getting started with food delivery!

Delivery 125

Delivery Online Ordering Social Media Transportation 125

Goliath Consulting

DECEMBER 12, 2020

In our last restaurant technology blog, we discussed COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the growth and development of AI voice technology and how it was quickly modernizing the drive-thru operations as we know it (1). The very same technology has been working on cameras, too. AI tech now enables cameras to perform designated tasks, recognize faces, and alert managers when issues arise in operations (2).

2021 167

2021 Kitchen Safety Food Safety Loyalty Program 167

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

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 int

Loyalty Program 582

Loyalty Program Communication Training Coaching 582

Advertiser: Paycor

Use these handy calendar templates to stay on top of payroll in 2025! Download them today to share with your HR team or post for employees. Whether your company has biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly pay periods, Paycor has you covered. Get your templates today!

2025

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

There are cooks and there are cooks – each has his or her list of responsibilities, required skills, and bag of tricks. Just because you are listed on a schedule as a cook does not necessarily mean that you are adept at filling every position under that designation.

Back of House 519

Back of House Dine-in Restaurant Law Ordering 519

Culinary Cues

MAY 18, 2020

First and foremost – congratulations on earning your degree or certificate. This is an accomplishment that over the course of your lifetime will reward you tenfold. Know that the degree or certificate is more than an acknowledgement of the skills and knowledge that you have gained – it represents your level commitment and discipline that will serve you well.

White Paper 520

White Paper Certification Food Safety Food Supply 520

Culinary Cues

APRIL 13, 2020

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.

Kitchen Safety 558

Kitchen Safety Uniforms Food Safety Employee Relations 558

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 20, 2020

It seems that every time I check my email or flip through postings in social media – there is another restaurant, food business, or culinary school preparing to close their doors. It is heartbreaking to read of life visions dashed and even long-standing, viable businesses choosing to throw in the towel. I am writing this to tell you that, in most cases, this does not have to be the storyline.

Social Media 502

Social Media Education Email Marketing 2008 502

Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

2025

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 18, 2020

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?

Beverage 498

Beverage Events Food Order Website Management 498

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 3, 2020

As restaurants rally to try and meet the requirements of the new protocol for operation – distancing tables, reducing customer volume, enforcing mask wearing, deep sanitizing of surfaces, moving to on-line menus or single use documents, removing anything from table tops that could carry the virus, and trying to calm the fear that both customers and employees share – they are even more concerned with the inability to convince employees to return to the job.

Government 492

Government Training Small Business Consumer Goods 492

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. Yesterday is easy to look back on – it gives us strength and a point of reference, it provides context and the ability to analyze our actions, and it provides hope since we managed to work our way through it.

Fine Dining 482

Fine Dining 2008 Kitchen Safety Customer Experience 482

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 17, 2020

There are a number of reasons why restaurants fail – some are predictable and avoidable, while others can catch a business off guard. None, however, are as devastatingly out of the operators control as this pandemic. Even the best operators are at a loss for solutions. There are short-term band aid solutions such as takeout, delivery, or even conversion into retail markets where wine inventories and local necessities take over space once occupied by diners, but they are not a replacement for a s

Uniforms 472

Uniforms Cash Management Brewery Consumer Goods 472

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Beverage

Culinary Cues

APRIL 8, 2020

Too much idle time leads to reflection and analysis. “What am I doing” is a question that some will ask: “What am I capable of”, is of equal concern. If you have been cooking at a professional level, if you have always been driven towards doing things right and have shunned mediocrity, and if you have approached your job in the kitchen with passion and commitment, then answering these questions can be straight forward.

Communication 471

Communication Food Supply Customer Service Small Business 471

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. 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.

Customer Experience 501

Customer Experience Customer Service Dine-in Sports 501

Social Hospitality

MARCH 27, 2020

As worldwide markets continue to feel the pain of COVID-19, companies of every size are suffering from the effects. However, no one understands the consequences more than the travel and hospitality industries. The impact of Coronavirus on restaurants and hotels has been insurmountable. . This pandemic has forced most companies to reevaluate their financial plans and marketing strategies.

Hospitality 454

Hospitality Marketing Travel Hotels 454

Culinary Cues

APRIL 6, 2020

Cooking for others is one of the oldest professions known to humanity. Since fire was first discovered – we have enjoyed and developed the skills to cook, eventually season, and finally plate prepared food to please other people. Cooking is one of the most admired and appreciated skill that allows the cook to express his or her history, traditions, ethnicity, and skill while engaging guests in a story.

Travel 451

Travel Back of House Customer Service Small Business 451

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Small Business

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 27, 2020

We are a blend of our experiences and the people whom we let in to our lives. Everyone and everything influences the personal and professional product that we become. It is important to note that to whatever degree we allow it to happen – influencers are all around us – shaping and molding the cook, chef, and person that others will see. If you were to write your story that answers the question: “ how did I become the cook or chef that I am today” – how would you answer?

Influencer 490

Influencer Hotels Education Hiring 490

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 28, 2020

Difficult times in business can never be addressed with complacency. This is the time to double your efforts rather than allow yourself to get caught up in the malaise. There is always opportunity beyond business survival for those who commit to moving forward. William Channing once wrote: “Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.”.

Social Media 442

Social Media Communication Loyalty Program Training 442

Social Hospitality

JUNE 22, 2020

Instagram has come a long way since its inception in 2010. The image-based social network now has a revenue of approximately $6.84 billion, which, in 2019, included $20 billion in ad revenue. . The restaurant and food industry is one of the many to take advantage of the marketing opportunities Instagram offers. Restaurants across the globe now use Instagram to advertise their wares and, many even create bespoke dishes which are designed specifically to be shown off on the platform.

Marketing 440

Marketing Social Media Advertising Influencer 440

Embrace the Suck

APRIL 26, 2020

As competition gets tougher and profits seem to slip slowly away, you need to analyze your data more than ever. In fact, the bars and restaurants that fail to capitalize on their data will find themselves in hot water. It’s been happening for a while—you just haven’t felt the heat yet. It’s like the story of the frog placed in a stockpot in room temperature water—it doesn’t notice the danger it’s in.

Cash Management 439

Cash Management Point of Sale Inventory Bar 439

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Food

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Let’s not confuse freedom with a desire to do whatever we want without a system of order or respect for the discipline of structure. We can both be free and still respect the need for that discipline that comes from organization. A well-run kitchen is not a free-form environment where every cook does his or her own thing or moves to the beat of his or her own drum.

Uniforms 468

Uniforms Airlines Food Order Fine Dining 468

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Create a Team Built to Win. When Coach Vince Lombardi said: “Winning isn’t everything – it’s the only thing”, he was not inferring that winning at all costs justifies the means, not was he inferring that somehow “losing” was the end of all hope – he was simply stating that the attitude of excellence and the goals that define it should always be a driving force within a person’s attitude or a teams mantra.

Fine Dining 421

Fine Dining Coaching Dine-in Café 421

7 Shifts

AUGUST 12, 2020

So far, 2020 has thrown marketing plans, advertising budgets, and restaurant growth out of the window. Whatever plans and forecasts you had for your restaurant are yesterday’s bread now. But as restaurants reopen and business starts to pick up again, it’s important you pick up your marketing plan too. There are only 4 months of 2020 left where you can push your restaurant’s marketing hard and set yourself up for success going into 2021.

Marketing 418

Marketing 2020 SEO Loyalty Program 418

Culinary Cues

JULY 12, 2020

They say we’re back. The kitchen lights are back on, deliveries arrive, the battery of ranges is fired up, and cooks (some of us) are welcomed back. Somehow, it just doesn’t feel right. After four months of idle time – time without a schedule, time without a chance to do what cooks normally do – this kitchen just seems vacant. Walking through the back door there is an uncomfortable feeling of emptiness, of fear and trepidation, and of caution that feels so foreign to anyone who remembers the ins

Front of House 417

Front of House Back of House Dine-in Food Order 417

Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson

Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.

Management