Expert insights. Personalized for you.
We all know the challenges facing restaurants right now – there is little benefit in reiterating the problems. The question is: “What’s the answer?” Of course the pandemic is the cause and the effects are either a direct result of that or the necessary restrictions that evolved from Covid. MORE
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. MORE
It is always safe to say: “things change”. Change is an inevitable part of life and as we all know if we fail to recognize that and adapt – we can become obsolete. MORE
Rest assured, at some point restaurants will rise up again, clubs and hotels will measure success based on occupancy and food service activity, and the position of “chef” will be center stage in driving sales and measuring profitability. MORE
Consider this – the menu is the most important component of a successful restaurant and once designed it can, and should, impact every other aspect of the business. MORE
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. MORE
Desperation has sunk in for those of us in the restaurant business. We know that closure is a reality for at least 30 more days and likely longer than that. The only adjustment that can be made is the heartbreaking decision to furlough employees or consider permanent closure of operations. Some try and paint a brighter picture by projecting that as soon as the quarantine is lifted – people will return in droves to their previous lifestyle and fill those empty restaurant seats. MORE
Our industry recently lost a giant of the professional kitchen. Chef Phil Learned stood tall in the kitchen of The Balsams Grand Resort in Dixville Notch, NH. MORE
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. MORE
Sweat was creeping down Alex’s back. The line was just 15 minutes into the 7 o’clock push and the board was full. The pressure was on, but Alex was on his game – he was wearing an ear-to-ear smile because he knew he was in the zone. MORE
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. MORE
Is it possible to narrow down the secret of greatness to one ingredient? What could it be? Is it really that simple, or in this case is simplicity really complex? MORE
When approached, as it should be – your position is very challenging, at times – almost impossible. MORE
There are a handful of very significant decisions that we make in life – decisions that involve tremendous commitments of time, effort, focus, and yes – money. MORE
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. MORE
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. MORE
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. MORE
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. MORE
There are chefs who have mastered the craft of cooking, chefs who have built a public brand that defines a region or exemplifies a cuisine; there are others who give to their community and as a result uplift those who call that community “home”; and there are those who push cooking in new and exciting directions. MORE
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. So, wouldn’t it be safe to say that if you can manage a kitchen – you can manage any kitchen? The answer is emphatically – no. Sometimes the difference is the shear scale of the operation. MORE
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. MORE
I am in the process of reading Chef Dominique Crenn’s autobiography: Rebel Chef. I have long been a fan of her style and passion for expressive cooking, but it is these three words that solidified, in my mind, how a chef should run his or her kitchen: Strength, Grace, and Dignity. MORE
Take a breath, hold on and think it through, turn on a dime, change or be changed, now is the time, don’t jump to conclusions, don’t forget what got you to this point, the past is the past – move on, the conflicting words of advice are swirling around us and restaurateurs and chefs are caught in the middle like a ship without a rudder. MORE
Every chef has experienced it and as a result he or she will relate to the content of this article. There are times, possibly many times, when you question your own skill – whether in cooking or presenting food, or even with the operation of a kitchen. MORE
The kitchen sensual army. There are many things that differentiate cooks and chefs, but none more important to the customer experience and the reputation of the restaurant than mastery of the senses. MORE
If you are a chef or restaurant owner I would like you to begin today with a significant question: “If I had to build this restaurant concept all over again, knowing what I know now, what would it look like – how would it be different? You may never have a better chance to ask and answer this question than right now. This is the beginning of IDEATION and the purpose of the process. There have been many days when you have probably said to yourself – “I should have done that differently.” MORE
For most people this will be a different Thanksgiving, a day without the traditional celebrations of large family gatherings, a day with far too much leftover turkey as we attempt to keep some semblance of normality through the bounty of the table. MORE
Joe is a single guy, young and well educated, quiet yet personable enough, incredibly talented as a cook, reflective, and a closet alcoholic. From the perspective of the chef who reigns in charge of the restaurant where Joe works – this young line cook is an ideal employee. MORE
. They say that hindsight is 2020 – that being so, there is plenty for us to reflect on and determine how we might have done things differently. The fact is, we can’t go back, but we can look forward. At this point we are all hoping that 2020 will just fade from our memories. MORE
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. MORE
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. “I I have spent years in the kitchen and now I am without a job. MORE
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. MORE
Anyone who has tied on an apron in a professional kitchen understands the physical nature of the work. We know about the aching muscles, the throbbing feet, the faltering knees, and the heat – did I mention the heat? MORE
Never Forget. Nineteen years later – what does 9/11 continue to mean to America and the world? This is a day that must give us pause, a day of unthinkable horror that will always be remembered by anyone born before 2001. MORE
Part of ideation is dealing with the challenges faced today as well as those to come. We may not be able to predict the future, but effective managers are always sifting through the “what if” scenarios and building a strategy for dealing with them. As we are seeing so vividly right now – when we fail to plan for the possibilities we will always wind up chasing the problems rather than moving past them. MORE
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. MORE
This is another time when we can rely on what we know about human nature and what keeps people whole: physically, mentally, and emotionally. I once again turn to the wisdom of Abraham Maslow as a guide through this difficult time, a crisis unparalleled in modern times. Those of us in the restaurant industry are in shock at the speed and severity of destruction to the core of our businesses. Everyone seems to be gasping for breath and starved for direction. MORE
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. MORE
I have been thinking quite a bit lately about a comment made by Chef Jeremiah Tower during our recent podcast conversation. He stated: “The restaurant industry needs an Einstein Moment.” MORE
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.
Culinary Cues
JANUARY 8, 2021
It is always safe to say: “things change”. Change is an inevitable part of life and as we all know if we fail to recognize that and adapt – we can become obsolete.
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Culinary Cues
DECEMBER 31, 2020
When approached, as it should be – your position is very challenging, at times – almost impossible.
Culinary Cues
JANUARY 12, 2021
Our industry recently lost a giant of the professional kitchen. Chef Phil Learned stood tall in the kitchen of The Balsams Grand Resort in Dixville Notch, NH.
Advertisement
Can you believe we are in 2021? 2020 was a challenging year for restaurateurs. Here at Restaurateur Connection, we have worked tirelessly to provide guidance and a sense of community for our readers. Restaurateur Connection’s many thought-leaders eased the physical distance between us by sharing their wisdom and empathy. Our goal is that through our site, we helped make 2020 as rewarding as it was challenging. We would love for you to share your experience about how our site has affected your learning, and also your thoughts on how to make it better. The total time to complete the survey is 3-5 minutes. To view the survey, click the “View Now” button.
Culinary Cues
JANUARY 18, 2021
There are a handful of very significant decisions that we make in life – decisions that involve tremendous commitments of time, effort, focus, and yes – money.
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.
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.
Culinary Cues
DECEMBER 12, 2020
There are chefs who have mastered the craft of cooking, chefs who have built a public brand that defines a region or exemplifies a cuisine; there are others who give to their community and as a result uplift those who call that community “home”; and there are those who push cooking in new and exciting directions.
Culinary Cues
OCTOBER 24, 2020
Consider this – the menu is the most important component of a successful restaurant and once designed it can, and should, impact every other aspect of the business.
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.
Speaker: Patrick Cottrell and Joe English
The restaurant industry has changed so dramatically in the pandemic era that it's time to redesign your business strategy. This requires us to take a look at our menus, inventory, staff, and even our seating strategy. Whether your state allows outdoor dining, takeout only, or a little bit of both, we're here to help. Join Patrick Cottrell and Joe English from Sculpture Hospitality, and fit your restaurant to thrive in face of pandemic restrictions.
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.
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.
Culinary Cues
AUGUST 31, 2020
Rest assured, at some point restaurants will rise up again, clubs and hotels will measure success based on occupancy and food service activity, and the position of “chef” will be center stage in driving sales and measuring profitability.
Culinary Cues
DECEMBER 4, 2020
Joe is a single guy, young and well educated, quiet yet personable enough, incredibly talented as a cook, reflective, and a closet alcoholic. From the perspective of the chef who reigns in charge of the restaurant where Joe works – this young line cook is an ideal employee.
Advertisement
Can you believe we are in 2021? 2020 has been a challenging year for restaurateurs. Here at Restaurateur Connection, we have worked tirelessly to provide guidance and a sense of community for our readers. Restaurateur Connection’s many thought-leaders eased the physical distance between us by sharing their wisdom and empathy. Our goal is that through our webinars, we helped make 2020 as rewarding as it was challenging. We would love for you to share your experience about how our webinars have affected your learning, and also your thoughts on how to make it better. The total time to complete the survey is 3-5 minutes. To view the survey, click the “View Now” button.
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.
Culinary Cues
SEPTEMBER 26, 2020
We all know the challenges facing restaurants right now – there is little benefit in reiterating the problems. The question is: “What’s the answer?” Of course the pandemic is the cause and the effects are either a direct result of that or the necessary restrictions that evolved from Covid.
Culinary Cues
DECEMBER 8, 2020
Sweat was creeping down Alex’s back. The line was just 15 minutes into the 7 o’clock push and the board was full. The pressure was on, but Alex was on his game – he was wearing an ear-to-ear smile because he knew he was in the zone.
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.
Culinary Cues
OCTOBER 19, 2020
Anyone who has tied on an apron in a professional kitchen understands the physical nature of the work. We know about the aching muscles, the throbbing feet, the faltering knees, and the heat – did I mention the heat?
Culinary Cues
SEPTEMBER 4, 2020
. They say that hindsight is 2020 – that being so, there is plenty for us to reflect on and determine how we might have done things differently. The fact is, we can’t go back, but we can look forward. At this point we are all hoping that 2020 will just fade from our memories.
Culinary Cues
SEPTEMBER 11, 2020
Never Forget. Nineteen years later – what does 9/11 continue to mean to America and the world? This is a day that must give us pause, a day of unthinkable horror that will always be remembered by anyone born before 2001.
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.
Culinary Cues
NOVEMBER 30, 2020
Is it possible to narrow down the secret of greatness to one ingredient? What could it be? Is it really that simple, or in this case is simplicity really complex?
Culinary Cues
SEPTEMBER 15, 2020
The kitchen sensual army. There are many things that differentiate cooks and chefs, but none more important to the customer experience and the reputation of the restaurant than mastery of the senses.
Culinary Cues
NOVEMBER 25, 2020
For most people this will be a different Thanksgiving, a day without the traditional celebrations of large family gatherings, a day with far too much leftover turkey as we attempt to keep some semblance of normality through the bounty of the table.
Culinary Cues
JULY 23, 2020
I am in the process of reading Chef Dominique Crenn’s autobiography: Rebel Chef. I have long been a fan of her style and passion for expressive cooking, but it is these three words that solidified, in my mind, how a chef should run his or her kitchen: Strength, Grace, and Dignity.
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.
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.
Culinary Cues
AUGUST 24, 2020
Take a breath, hold on and think it through, turn on a dime, change or be changed, now is the time, don’t jump to conclusions, don’t forget what got you to this point, the past is the past – move on, the conflicting words of advice are swirling around us and restaurateurs and chefs are caught in the middle like a ship without a rudder.
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.
Culinary Cues
APRIL 3, 2020
Part of ideation is dealing with the challenges faced today as well as those to come. We may not be able to predict the future, but effective managers are always sifting through the “what if” scenarios and building a strategy for dealing with them. As we are seeing so vividly right now – when we fail to plan for the possibilities we will always wind up chasing the problems rather than moving past them.
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. So, wouldn’t it be safe to say that if you can manage a kitchen – you can manage any kitchen? The answer is emphatically – no. Sometimes the difference is the shear scale of the operation.
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.
Culinary Cues
MARCH 22, 2020
This is another time when we can rely on what we know about human nature and what keeps people whole: physically, mentally, and emotionally. I once again turn to the wisdom of Abraham Maslow as a guide through this difficult time, a crisis unparalleled in modern times. Those of us in the restaurant industry are in shock at the speed and severity of destruction to the core of our businesses. Everyone seems to be gasping for breath and starved for direction.
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. “I I have spent years in the kitchen and now I am without a job.
Culinary Cues
APRIL 1, 2020
Desperation has sunk in for those of us in the restaurant business. We know that closure is a reality for at least 30 more days and likely longer than that. The only adjustment that can be made is the heartbreaking decision to furlough employees or consider permanent closure of operations. Some try and paint a brighter picture by projecting that as soon as the quarantine is lifted – people will return in droves to their previous lifestyle and fill those empty restaurant seats.
Culinary Cues
APRIL 2, 2020
If you are a chef or restaurant owner I would like you to begin today with a significant question: “If I had to build this restaurant concept all over again, knowing what I know now, what would it look like – how would it be different? You may never have a better chance to ask and answer this question than right now. This is the beginning of IDEATION and the purpose of the process. There have been many days when you have probably said to yourself – “I should have done that differently.”
Culinary Cues
JUNE 22, 2020
Every chef has experienced it and as a result he or she will relate to the content of this article. There are times, possibly many times, when you question your own skill – whether in cooking or presenting food, or even with the operation of a kitchen.
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