Culinary Cues

APRIL 7, 2025

I dont have any secret inside information, only speculation based on decades of observation and working with cooks of all ages and backgrounds. Keep in mind the distinction between professional cook and those who fall into the kitchen work without real intent.

Kitchen Safety 302

Kitchen Safety Food Supply 2030 Healthcare 302

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 19, 2025

This morning, I found myself deep in thought about a lifetime in the kitchen, the people with whom I have worked, and those who I simply had the pleasure to meet. I was wrestling with what we contribute during our careers and what it meant to be good, or even great, not just competent at what we do.

Uniforms 344

Uniforms Education Waste Blog 344

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

The simple things of a piece of land to work, a roof over our heads that can move from house to home, food on our table, clothes on our back, a solid education, good health and a job that provides and gives us satisfaction. Well, it begins with awareness of the world we live and work in and the importance of what we do.

Back of House 386

Back of House Travel Government Education 386

Culinary Cues

MAY 15, 2025

Plain and simple the process works. I simply find it counterproductive to balk at a process that works and that, in the end, will give the cook or chef the skills and the freedom to become that rebel. This process is methodically built on results and, as such, is acknowledged by those professions as being effective.

Uniforms 223

Uniforms Coaching Restaurant Law Customer Experience 223

Culinary Cues

MAY 22, 2025

How you approach life is typically evident in everything you do from caring for your health, to relationships, to your work, and even your purpose. For decades I have listened to cooks, service staff, and even restaurant managers complain about the business that provides their weekly paycheck. Do you seek sunshine or darkness?

Food Truck 296

Food Truck Sports Education Influencer 296

Culinary Cues

MAY 18, 2020

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. 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

Culinary Cues

APRIL 8, 2020

I know that restaurants will return at some point, but am I stuck? Am I destined to work in the same career or do I have any real skill sets that can open other doors?” This has been at the core of the restaurant business forever. Too much idle time leads to reflection and analysis. Is there anything else I can do?

Communication 474

Communication Food Supply Customer Service Small Business 474

Culinary Cues

APRIL 6, 2020

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 539

Travel Back of House Customer Service Small Business 539

Culinary Cues

MARCH 15, 2021

Sure, I know how much the restaurant/foodservice industry is suffering and how many operations are shutting their doors as a result of avoiding decades of challenges brought to a head by the pandemic, but believe me when I say that this will change. Just as the restaurant industry evolves, so too must the industry of education.

Education 587

Education Food Supply Communication Training 587

Culinary Cues

MAY 13, 2023

Is it culinary school, working in well-known restaurants, finding an established chef to mentor them, or is it something else entirely? It is the decision of where to work, who to work for, and how you will invest in the opportunities that come your way that is most critical at this juncture.

Hotels 505

Hotels Point of Sale Cash Management Training 505

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 5, 2023

In other words – patience and persistence – it takes time to build the skills and knowledge necessary to get to your destination. You are enthusiastic, quick to learn, a little cocky, a bit overconfident, and extremely impatient. It shows you how the kitchen works and helps to qualify who the players are and what their roles might be.

Kitchen Safety 446

Kitchen Safety Food Safety Back of House Front of House 446

Culinary Cues

MAY 6, 2025

I have long touted the importance of breaking bread and using our skill as cooks to communicate at a different level with people who may agree or disagree with us, but who can find common ground over a well-prepared plate of food. They use their skills, their restaurants, and their brand to address a greater cause.

Consumer Goods 249

Consumer Goods Education Sourcing Training 249

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 3, 2024

Nearly nine years ago, during the first twelve months of Harvest America Cues blog, one of my articles went viral attracting almost 40,000 views in one day. What rules or laws are most significant for them and how might their commitment to them impact on those workhorse cooks, dishwashers, restaurant servers, and the like?

Coaching 447

Coaching Restaurant Law Article Training 447

Culinary Cues

APRIL 29, 2022

This is a direct message to all of those young cooks just starting out, dishwashers, culinary students, and seasoned veterans of the kitchen – you can go as far as you want to go in the food business as long as you are willing to put in the work, build a plan, and stick to the plan. Am I exaggerating? Yes, this is ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

Influencer 448

Influencer Small Business Book Take-out 448

Culinary Cues

JULY 29, 2024

So, when others invest so much time in bashing the field, restaurant life, owners and even customers, I get incredibly irritated. So, when others invest so much time in bashing the field, restaurant life, owners and even customers, I get incredibly irritated. Who wants the family heirlooms?” “Who

Back of House 456

Back of House Take-out Café Blog 456

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 9, 2022

It happens now and again, that question comes up on-line, usually from individuals new to a professional kitchen, or those who have little idea about how kitchens work. The chef must be the coach who recognizes strengths and weaknesses and builds consensus around common goals so that the machine works properly. [] A Teacher and a Trainer.

Restaurant Law 450

Restaurant Law Coaching Café Sourcing 450

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

It is the team behind the chef that makes a successful restaurant; it is the team that executes the chef’s vision; and it is the team’s focus that allows the chef’s cost consciousness to result in a financially successful operation. Every restaurant, of every level is finding it increasingly difficult to build a team with lasting power.

Loyalty Program 582

Loyalty Program Communication Training Coaching 582

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 27, 2025

” Jack Welch Welch, the visionary past CEO of General Electric points to the most important role of a leader (chef, manager, restaurant owner) which is to develop their staff, to mentor them, to teach and train, and feed their passion until they match or even surpass your own abilities. .” Inspiration comes in many forms.

Consumer Goods 290

Consumer Goods Presentation Leadership Dine-in 290

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 20, 2021

As a teacher, chef, cook, and initially – dishwasher, I have been witness to those with incredible natural talent, many extraordinarily intelligent individuals, and far more “Rudi” type individuals who compensated with plain old hard work and dedication. This is a must!

Front of House 491

Front of House Uniforms Back of House Kitchen Safety 491

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 19, 2020

Anyone who has tied on an apron in a professional kitchen understands the physical nature of the work. But we don’t often take the time to stop and pay attention to the intellect of the cook and the broader skills that few careers can boast. Yep, that’s right – cooks are adept at using math every day in the kitchen.

Restaurant Law 450

Restaurant Law Communication Café Take-out 450

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 18, 2021

So – you are a young (or not so young) person who loves food, enjoys restaurants, and finds the media depiction of becoming a chef to be exciting and rewarding. So – you are a young (or not so young) person who loves food, enjoys restaurants, and finds the media depiction of becoming a chef to be exciting and rewarding.

Customer Experience 450

Customer Experience Blog Café Education 450

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 26, 2024

There was an initial moment, maybe as a young guest in a restaurant, or possibly as a “first job” dishwasher, when the light bulb switched from off to on. Culinary skills were non-existent, but the possibility was there. “I You learned something that day, something that would stay with you for your entire life. Remember that?

Food Order 417

Food Order Presentation Café Waste 417

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 11, 2022

If you are a cook who is happy working just for a paycheck – more power to you, but you can probably save some time and not read this article. As is often said – learn to become a problem-solver and not a finger pointer, build people up instead of tearing them down, and reap the long-term benefits of a positive attitude.

Leadership 448

Leadership Fine Dining Workshop Training 448

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 12, 2021

The trials and tribulations associated with the restaurant business are many – it is not an endeavor for the faint of heart. I have occasionally been asked what is the composite skill set of the chef or what should a graduate of a culinary program be able to do? To owners and operators, the cook for all ages must be both.

Restaurant Law 470

Restaurant Law Education Definition Social Media 470

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 6, 2022

How many times has the job been referred to as “flipping hamburgers” or working in a “greasy spoon”? How many times has the job been referred to as “flipping hamburgers” or working in a “greasy spoon”? This was the first time that anyone actually referred to the kitchen as a great place to learn, grow, and get a foothold on a career.

Back of House 473

Back of House Reference Presentation Mobile Ordering 473

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 27, 2020

To my parents, who during my early teenage years, both worked – leaving me at home after school to finish dinner and get it ready for the family meal. To my parents, who during my early teenage years, both worked – leaving me at home after school to finish dinner and get it ready for the family meal. I took his advice.

Influencer 493

Influencer Hotels Education Hiring 493

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 29, 2024

What is most disturbing is the tendency to emulate the way that we learned the craft through the school of hard knocks and critical environments. If you’re a chef from my generation then you likely have concerns over the changing landscape in the kitchen. I hear, nearly every day, “things are not what they use to be.”

Kitchen Safety 448

Kitchen Safety Guest Recovery Uniforms Food Safety 448

Culinary Cues

JULY 14, 2021

They may have insinuated that they wouldn’t return, but let’s face it – working in kitchens, with all its rough edges, is invigorating and fulfilling. This is a career that affords anyone the opportunity to define their destiny, to work at it and move forward. Look around – they’re slowly, but surely coming back. It can be done.

Food Order 474

Food Order Café Ordering Inventory 474

Culinary Cues

MAY 4, 2022

This is a sentence that sums up the life’s work of these athletes, a culmination of talent, hard work, and perseverance. Your chef instructors dedicated themselves to passing on the knowledge and skills that you will need to reach for your goals; knowledge and skills that took them a career to acquire. Here you go!

2022 447

2022 Education Coaching Kitchen Safety 447

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 9, 2021

The goal of every restaurant and every chef is to create memorable experiences for the guest. Somewhere in our internal job description is a desire, and even a need to build an environment of WOW! Wow visuals on the plate and in the dining room, wow views from every seat, wow service, and of course – wow flavors on the plate.

Front of House 474

Front of House Customer Experience Dine-in Training 474

Culinary Cues

JUNE 16, 2023

Work in the diner was great. With a substantial savings from working all summer Shawn began to invest in a few choice cookbooks. On weekends there was still an opportunity to work in the diner, so he was able to stay fresh. On weekends there was still an opportunity to work in the diner, so he was able to stay fresh.

Kitchen Safety 414

Kitchen Safety Back of House Hotels Food Safety 414

7 Shifts

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

Working in a restaurant is something more than 11 million people in the United States do. It's one of the most hands-on jobs you can have - and equips employees with an abundance of restaurant skills as a result. Plus tips for writing a killer restaurant resume to get the position in the first place. Undercooking.

Front of House 370

Front of House Back of House Kitchen Safety Food Safety 370

Culinary Cues

MAY 15, 2021

Transitioning through this pandemic is one of those experiences, a life-changing time that offers a number of important lessons – but which of these lessons will result in real learning? The restaurant industry continues to be devastated – not just as a result of the pandemic but because the pandemic brought underlying issues to the surface.

Customer Experience 449

Customer Experience Cash Management Customer Service Front of House 449

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 3, 2023

I have long embraced this philosophy when it comes to restaurants, but it also can apply to any business. Let me explain: A few years ago, (50 years ago) I had a conversation with a wonderful woman who owned and operated a successful neighborhood restaurant. I said I was confused since the jar was clearly empty.

Hospitality 466

Hospitality Customer Experience Customer Service Small Business 466

Culinary Cues

MAY 16, 2021

Let’s put aside, at least for a short time, the antagonistic, woe is me, hard-nosed dialogue about the problems with staffing, the generation that doesn’t want to work anymore, the cheap employers that don’t want to pay a fair wage, and customers who refuse to respect us and let’s focus on what we do.

Dine-in 450

Dine-in Take-out Customer Experience Café 450

Culinary Cues

APRIL 5, 2021

By the time I graduated from high school I had worked at a few restaurants and found myself holding down a line position dropping fries and fish fillets into 375-degree oil. At this point working in a kitchen was all that I knew. I finally settled on attending school for hotel management – why not – right?

Take-out 448

Take-out Small Business Food Order Café 448

Culinary Cues

MAY 28, 2022

Preparing for school or work, welcoming friends, and relatives, solving challenges, celebrating the end of the day, and listening to those reflections on life that everyone needs to share – this is the role of the kitchen and the family table. Restaurants are very much like families, sometimes dysfunctional, but still family.

Front of House 421

Front of House Back of House Small Business Employee Relations 421