Culinary Cues

AUGUST 28, 2020

Shake off the dust of complacency, press the wrinkles out of that chef coat, polish those shoes and face the challenges straight on. Send out information about your current offerings and your future plans through effective email blasts. BE PRESENT. YOU NEED TO BE PRESENT! You can do this! All of this still counts!

Social Media 447

Social Media Communication Loyalty Program Training 447

Modern Restaurant Management

MAY 8, 2020

Marketing messaging must shift to encouraging already loyal customers to come out for contactless access to food, drive-through speediness or free delivery charges. Moving beyond one-upmanship competitive marketing for consumer traffic, QSR brands must figure out creative ways to up the frequency that consumers will choose them.

Marketing 442

Marketing Franchise Franchising Social Media 442

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

So, take a deep breath, kick a few empty five-gallon buckets around the kitchen (make sure they are empty), release a string of expletives if it makes you feel better, and take a few ibuprofens to address that constant headache. We are all ready to own our lives again and enjoy the simple things – like going out for a meal.

Food Supply 445

Food Supply Employee Relations Kitchen Safety Social Media 445

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 412

Kitchen Safety Guest Recovery Uniforms Food Safety 412

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

Pointing out what an employee does incorrectly can be positive if it is reinforced with training to correct the problem. When an employee feels that the opportunity for expression is present – then they will feel engaged and appreciated. The chef must also seek out those “teaching moments” whenever they arise. BUILD PRIDE.

Loyalty Program 582

Loyalty Program Communication Training Coaching 582

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 15, 2020

My intent is always to present my opinions, as my opinions and never assume that they are or should be yours. Take it for what it’s worth: Working hard is exhausting, but invigorating. Whatever goal I set for myself can be achieved in the food business if I set my mind to it and make the commitment to do what it takes to get there.

Uniforms 341

Uniforms 2000 Consumer Goods Small Business 341

Culinary Cues

MARCH 29, 2021

Take the analogies for what they are worth to you. Anger and finesse are evident in the intensity that takes place as a cook attacks a relentless list of preparations for service. The contradiction of anxiety and peace seems to be present in every kitchen that reaches for the butterfly.

Uniforms 441

Uniforms Presentation Take-out Café 441

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

Push it out, how many covers, lock, and load, finish strong, over the hump, wrap it up: this the language of the kitchen during service, these are the timestamps like the number of quarters in a football game or innings in baseball. Give your cooks a chance, now and then, to dine out front. Did they sense that the value was there?

Customer Service 376

Customer Service Customer Experience Point of Sale Presentation 376

Restaurant Engine

FEBRUARY 5, 2025

Take your time when taking your Instagram photographs and make a plan first. Plate presentation matters. Your success is also about presentation. You know that presentation inside your restaurant is key, but did you know its also key in the social stratosphere? This is essential to effectively showcase your dish.

Social Media 52

Social Media Presentation Website Management Customer Experience 52

Culinary Cues

JULY 6, 2020

Your principles, and those of the cooks who proudly wear the uniform of the kitchen, are your stakes in the ground. Professional cooks avoid pointing fingers and when wrong – they take responsibility. Professional cooks are always seeking out excellence. That sounds better – the Principles of Being a Professional Cook.

Kitchen Safety 520

Kitchen Safety Uniforms Presentation Café 520

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? Not a clip-on name tag, a part of the uniform.

Uniforms 397

Uniforms Article Café Small Business 397

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

This is a topic I have presented numerous times and it seems as though whenever I travel it rises to the top of my thinking. Unfortunately, dining out and finding the right place to work is oftentimes a wishful roll of the dice. Find out everything you can about your guests and potential guests. I wonder why this is the case.

Fine Dining 421

Fine Dining Front of House Customer Service Customer Experience 421

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 30, 2022

Okay, so there are certainly employers out there who probably don’t deserve good employees, and, in those situations, I can understand some level of discontent, but not to the extreme of stating that being a cook is a dead end. Invest, push yourself, learn, grow, and take a chance – this is the formula on which great careers are built.

Workshop 393

Workshop Article Take-out Uniforms 393

Modern Restaurant Management

AUGUST 14, 2023

Let’s talk about the steps that restaurant owners can take to transform their business through branding. It’s also important for restaurant owners to include any hard nos, ensuring your team has a clear understanding of how not to present your establishment. And hey, have a little fun with it, too!)

Social Media 419

Social Media Book Customer Experience Design 419

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

The labor pool is a true challenge, the pressure to earn a profit is relentless, the fickle nature of guests can be frustrating, the shear number of daily decisions required of the job is mind-numbing, and the need to put yourself out there with each plate of food that leaves the kitchen can be – frightening. Take it for what it’s worth.

Seating 572

Seating Uniforms Take-out Communication 572

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 25, 2019

It could be that transition from the lack of any taste 6 x 6 box of tomatoes that are out of season, to your first heirloom tomato, and then eventually picking a tomato off the vine that was sun sweetened in the month of July – taking a bite and realizing what a gift a tomato can be – but, again, there is a moment.

Fine Dining 422

Fine Dining Food Order Back of House Uniforms 422

EATER

JULY 2, 2024

Bug Robbins Cheesemaking requires a willingness to take risks and trust the process — just like navigating queer existence When I was little, I loved to group things. Turns out, I wasn’t the only one. While the ambiguity in my presentation certainly warranted the question, I was completely caught off guard.

Document 341

Document Back of House Presentation Take-out 341

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

That they are to present themselves as ladies and gentlemen, serving ladies and gentlemen (The Ritz Carlton Credo). The property should invest, and the employee should seek out the opportunities to learn.

Training 383

Training Customer Service Uniforms Leadership 383

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 10, 2024

The tables are full, and he is having a difficult time keeping up but makes a mental note to address that once the dining room clears out. Suddenly, he remembers the cobwebs and thinks: “I’ll take care of that in the morning”. Seek out the details and then prioritize corrective action. It’s never too small to worry about.

Uniforms 393

Uniforms Small Business Dine-in Training 393

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 4, 2022

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. I continue to see good restaurants lose a step with their food preparation, flavors, and plate presentations and shrinking menus that no longer inspire. Toynbee (author and historian).

Front of House 358

Front of House Back of House Coaching Customer Service 358

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

They fear the look of disappointment or an abrasive comment; they fear the plate of untouched food, the half-eaten entrée they wrestled through heat and intensity of the kitchen to prepare and present, and they fear the role they may play in the success or failure of the restaurant. You see a little out of sorts, what can I do to help?”

Employee Relations 413

Employee Relations Training Take-out Fine Dining 413

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 17, 2021

Consider two worst-case scenarios: A customer orders extra guacamole but your restaurant is all out of avocados or, on the other hand, you've just walked past a crate of rotten, unusable (and expensive!) That's why we're presenting you with all you need to know about inventory's essential steps, best practices, and helpful resources below.

Inventory 370

Inventory Management Management Point of Sale 370

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 25, 2021

This is also a great comparative process to use when seeking a new career opportunity – a chance to note if taking a different position aligns with your beliefs or if it causes you to compromise. I would encourage you to think about this and take the time to write down your beliefs as a “manifesto” and then use it as a guide moving forward.

2021 429

2021 Point of Sale Take-out Reference 429

Culinary Cues

JULY 14, 2023

Interestingly, it goes even further because if you take this approach, you quickly understand you can always do that task better tomorrow. If you are just starting out as a dishwasher, then seek to become a world-class dishwasher. So, the mantra sets the stage for the drive to constantly improve.

Cash Management 329

Cash Management Uniforms Food Supply Café 329

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 31, 2019

Owners and operators expect it, peers expect it, staff demand it, and customers just have a feeling that the chef is always present. He always gave the job his all, spent time studying and practicing the techniques that gave him confidence, following the lead of the executive chef, and wearing his uniform with pride.

Reference 346

Reference Uniforms Take-out Social Media 346

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 14, 2024

The media went from bowing their heads when a chef walked into a room to seeking out the angry and disgruntled, the outliers and the pundits, the cooks who are unworthy of the uniform and the tattered and worn who are simply burned out from aligning with the wrong operations. I wonder, why?

Uniforms 331

Uniforms Book Article Café 331

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022

Yet, within this calm there are lights on in kitchens across the country and the smell of sourdough breads, breakfast pastries, and bacon waft through the air, even making those dedicated runners slow down and take it in. It was 1am before the dishwashers finally turned out the lights and locked the kitchen door behind them.

Fine Dining 414

Fine Dining Uniforms Dine-in Food Order 414

Culinary Cues

MAY 16, 2022

But when this occurrence takes place with a team, the results can be magical. Tom quickly washed his hands, tied on an apron, adjusted his uniform and set-up his workstation. She had to handle eight different menu items on those cherry red flat tops and high BTU burners and called out orders to each station on slower nights.

Café 377

Café Front of House Point of Sale Back of House 377

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 30, 2019

Some have their feet planted firmly on the ground with a system that is time tested and solid, while others tend to drift in and out of consciousness. Even when the owner is present – he or she must depend on the consistent interactions between customers and the restaurant’s employees.

Cash Management 287

Cash Management Point of Sale Leadership Website Management 287

7 Shifts

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

What documentation to give out and collect during onboarding. Give them an overview of what they will learn and do during onboarding, and how long the process will take. Here’s an example of an onboarding overview: Day One Orientation: Learning about the restaurant’s culture and history, meeting coworkers, and receiving a uniform.

FOH 307

FOH Food Safety BOH Customer Service 307

Culinary Cues

MAY 20, 2024

How is your kitchen organized, how much time are you willing to invest in training, how do you (the chef and owner) present yourself as a leader and mentor, how serious are you about the right way to cook, how open are you to sharing, and how effective are you at building a team of professionals who look and act the part? ” Enough said!

Hotels 297

Hotels Front of House Fine Dining Back of House 297

Restaurant Engine

DECEMBER 25, 2024

Take some time to write down your answers to these questions. The dishes you offer, their presentation, where you get your ingredients, and how you lay out your menu. The style of customer service you offer, the uniforms your staff wear, and how your team interacts with your customers. Do you have a distinctive ambiance?

Social Media 93

Social Media Customer Experience Email Marketing Customer Service 93

Culinary Cues

JUNE 16, 2020

Dining out was unavailable and we got by, we re-introduced ourselves to cooking at home and dusted off those skills that had been dormant, or added some new ones that had here-to-for not existed. Cooks and chefs drifted out of the limelight and now even those career cooks were likely questioning their choice of jobs.

Social Media 302

Social Media Entertainment Email Marketing Customer Experience 302

Modern Restaurant Management

APRIL 7, 2020

“ “Many of us quickly shut down our businesses and paid our employees’ health benefits out of pocket because it was the socially responsible thing to do. Small actions like buying a gift card, ordering take-out, or leaving a review can make a difference. " EZ-Chow Completes Funding Round.

Tip Distribution 426

Tip Distribution Healthcare Hospitality Food Supply 426

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019

And some are cooks and chefs who take the skills that have been developed over years and apply inspiration, vision, and even a bit of chaos to a canvas and create something that is totally unique – a benchmark for others to follow. We are the same, yet we are much different.

Uniforms 182

Uniforms Food Order Presentation Fine Dining 182

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Have you established a uniform and grooming standard in your restaurant and is it equitably enforced? Are you meticulous about changing the oil in your deep fryer, or filtering out the smell of carbon build up on burner grates and broiler grids? How much time and effort are placed on this?

Fine Dining 347

Fine Dining Dine-in Front of House Design 347

7 Shifts

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

If an employee withholds tips from the tip pool, employers are not liable to make up the amount lost to an employee who missed out as a result. a four hour shift), take a two hour break between 3 and 5 p.m., Additionally, you may not require employees to pay for or maintain required uniforms. until 3 p.m. (a to 10 p.m. (a

Restaurant Law 283

Restaurant Law Cash Management Article Uniforms 283