Culinary Cues

APRIL 14, 2025

Connections give a dish special value, added importance, and character that goes beyond flavor and visual appeal. The same is true of chefs and cooks who countless times prepare a menu, a dish; arrange components on a plate, sauce the work, apply an appropriate garnish, wipe the rim and quietly celebrate the story behind it. Food for thought.

Fine Dining 343

Fine Dining Seasonal Menu Travel Presentation 343

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 24, 2025

The story made me think about what I did for a living and my zest for cooking delicious food, traveling to special parts of the world, working and dining in great restaurants, learning from exceptional chefs, enjoying incredible wines from the hands of vintners, harvesters, and wine makers.

Back of House 390

Back of House Travel Government Education 390

Culinary Cues

MAY 13, 2023

Oftentimes these properties boast a few a ’la carte restaurants, room service, special property events, banquets, weddings, buffets, and three meals a day in at least one of their outlets. As an example – garde manger really only exists in these types of properties where cold food can rule the day with banquets and special events.

Hotels 505

Hotels Point of Sale Cash Management Training 505

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 9, 2021

The answer is obvious – if those involved directly or indirectly with your team feel the magic of your operation, feel it in the same way that the guest does, then they will perform better, look forward to their work, engage better with others on the team, and feel part of something special. They can’t sell a product that they don’t know.

Front of House 474

Front of House Customer Experience Dine-in Workshop 474

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. This is the sign of true leadership.

Consumer Goods 292

Consumer Goods Presentation Leadership Dine-in 292

Modern Restaurant Management

DECEMBER 10, 2021

Train your staff to build other taking points. For example, you can create a blog to share the inspirations and stories behind your dishes. Provide Free Meals on Special Occasions. Nothing creates loyal customers like remembering their special days and offering them free meals on those days. Net result?

Marketing 567

Marketing SEO Front of House Website Management 567

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. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG.

Beverage 520

Beverage Events Food Order Website Management 520

Culinary Cues

MAY 8, 2023

The chef is responsible for hiring, training, coaching, evaluating, and scheduling employees keeping in mind their skill level, personal issues and responsibilities, demands of specific positions in the kitchen (not everyone fits in every role), and an ever-changing influx of customers with their own demands.

Kitchen Safety 492

Kitchen Safety Food Safety Coaching Training 492

Culinary Cues

APRIL 6, 2020

Far too often this does not exist in the workplace, or sometimes even in the home – restaurants fill this void through the reward of a sincere smile, special service, preparation of tasty and beautiful food, a pleasant atmosphere and appointed table, and in many cases recognition of return guests. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER.

Travel 542

Travel Back of House Customer Service Small Business 542

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 3, 2023

Customers would like up, sometimes around the block, hoping for a seat in her rather small restaurant where she featured, what we called – blue plate specials. I asked her what made her food so special? Hospitality is what makes the experience of dining special, and it is most definitely what brings people back. _Danny Meyer.

Hospitality 467

Hospitality Customer Experience Customer Service Small Business 467

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 27, 2023

They look for consistent, personalized quality commitments, a “yes” attitude when special requests are made, dependability, and a pricing that makes sense. To this end, cooks know exactly what to do and are trained to execute accordingly. Purchasing is a personal process typically done face-to-face with the chef and the vendor.

Hiring 449

Hiring Training Pricing Presentation 449

Harbor Touch

MARCH 18, 2025

Hire the Right People and Train Them Well Finding top talent is like casting a winning team. Training locks in that potential. The National Restaurant Association found well-trained staff stay 30% longer. Training builds a stronger team. If shrimp sits unused, swap it for wings or a seasonal special.

Management 148

Management Management Seasonal Menu Cash Management 148

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 28, 2021

There is something very special about working in a professional kitchen, something that is hard to explain unless you are there. As you pan your eyes through the kitchen you are able to take in the magic that had taken place before your arrival and know how important it will be for you to continue to teach and train.

Kitchen Safety 474

Kitchen Safety Front of House Fine Dining Back of House 474

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 31, 2024

When properly developed and integrated into your operation, the mission statement will impact who you hire, how you train, the products you develop and sell, the way you lead and manage, how employees interact, the way that guests are approached, and how the world perceives you (the business) to be. Choose wisely.

Customer Service 414

Customer Service Social Media Customer Experience Reference 414

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 19, 2022

These special days: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day were set aside as times to be with those we love – regardless of a person’s career obligations. Restaurants will be full and service staff will put on a smile and do their best to make your holiday special. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. Harvest America Ventures, LLC.

Hospitality 448

Hospitality Café 2022 Specials 448

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

The promise of something special adds unique value to a meal that elevates the experience beyond the transaction of product for price. PEOPLE: Independent restaurateurs can work with key employees in ways that larger chains would find difficult.

Pricing 415

Pricing Marketing Insurance Seasonal Menu 415

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 11, 2023

A Blue-Plate Special was a hearty meal that always included meat, potatoes, a vegetable, bread and butter, and ample amounts of coffee. We need more restaurateurs like Meta Bofinger and more appreciation for the neighborhood restaurant where hospitality was born.

White Paper 412

White Paper Hospitality Fine Dining Reference 412

Culinary Cues

JUNE 29, 2024

The service staff members have been well-trained and are enthusiastic about the restaurant concept. Create a spontaneous special event through this extra effort. Give them a special tour and introduce them to the line team. So, that should be it. Engage them with the cooks as well as the chef.

Dine-in 345

Dine-in Customer Experience Back of House Customer Service 345

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 1, 2019

The funny thing is that these small businesses – in this case – restaurants – cannot survive on that once-a-year recognition, or even the occasional special event. Don’t they understand how much more special the experience will be in this little bistro with two people in the kitchen, a bartender and two servers? Don’t forget it.

Small Business 490

Small Business Customer Experience Customer Service Seasonal Menu 490

Culinary Cues

APRIL 18, 2023

Restaurants need to zero in on finding out what they are really good at, buy the best quality raw materials, train their cooks to execute consistently great delivery of attractive and tasty food, and deliver it hot or cold as required. Plan, equip, train, evaluate, educate, and celebrate each and every employee.

Food Truck 387

Food Truck Back of House Education Training 387

Culinary Cues

MAY 1, 2023

There are times when a nod, closed eyes, and smile signified just how delicious a nightly special was – a dish prepared by a cook, from his or her heart. There are more stories than words to write, more memorable moments and instances when I simply shrugged knowing that this kitchen is a special place.

Front of House 474

Front of House Back of House Food Order Small Business 474

Culinary Cues

JULY 31, 2022

For the Restaurateur: Are you willing to take a hard look at your business model and change how you attract, train, invest in, compensate, and evaluate your staff? Are you willing to spend much more time working with and training your staff – building their skill set and showing them how to really cook from the heart?

Food Supply 449

Food Supply Training Supplies Café 449

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 20, 2024

Now, if the guest wants a particular “special vegetable” then, of course we charge, but to leave a protein source on the plate as a stand-alone, is not what we do. [] APPETIZERS ARE NOT A FULL MEAL Appetizers that are increased in size to increase the plate charge defeats the experience of dining. Do it right!

Fine Dining 449

Fine Dining Food Truck Back of House Pricing 449

Social Hospitality: Restaurants

MAY 18, 2020

Create Special Offers for Customers. Making special offers is one of the classic hospitality training tips that works for any type of business. Making special offers is one of the classic hospitality training tips that works for any type of business. Offer something special to a certain category.

Hospitality 309

Hospitality Marketing Social Media Hotels 309

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 5, 2024

There’s hardly any time to train – they’ll need to learn on the job. We find ways to tolerate the miserable and build special connections with the majority – that’s what we do. There are more restaurants per block than you might find in a large metropolitan area and the menus rarely vary from operation to operation.

Tourism 449

Tourism Café Hospitality Training 449

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 16, 2022

As long as restaurant owners and operators learn that recognition, training, supportive work environments, fair compensation, and concern about work-life balance are essential, then building a team of professionals who can answer the question: WHY DO YOU COOK will set the stage for a bright future and a successful operation.

Uniforms 447

Uniforms Hiring Consumer Goods Communication 447

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

TRAINING: You can never train too much. Training is a sign of respect and a perfect way to build pride, confidence, team dynamics, and comfort among employees. If they are trained to be competent then confidence will be the result. Sarah – that special you worked on was a home run.

Employee Relations 449

Employee Relations Training Take-out Fine Dining 449

Culinary Cues

APRIL 26, 2020

It matters not whether you are selling a Wagyu beef tenderloin or a fried chicken sandwich – what is essential is that your product is so good, so well prepared, so special that customers look at it, smell it, and take that first bite followed by a pause of surprise and a response that begins with “WOW”! PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER.

Guest Recovery 413

Guest Recovery Kitchen Safety Customer Service Food Safety 413

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 22, 2022

Since those early days as an apprentice and maybe even before as a 16-year-old dishwasher, I saw something special in restaurant life. Look around in your community and you will be able to pick out those restaurants with soul and special purpose that are part of that success formula as well as those that tend to forget why they exist.

Back of House 449

Back of House Transportation Café Food Order 449

7 Shifts

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

In this blog post, we will discuss suggestive selling and how it can improve your restaurant's bottom line. It's a tactic that can also take multiple forms, such as suggesting a limited special burger to someone who orders the usual signature every time. Have a new special with an awesome pairing? What is suggestive selling?

Loyalty Program 369

Loyalty Program Customer Experience Customer Service Point of Sale 369

Culinary Cues

JULY 23, 2022

We may not stop to think about it enough, but there is a special bond that exists between those who have jumped into the profession of food. If you have worked together in a kitchen, there is a special understanding. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. Harvest America Ventures, LLC.

Employee Relations 448

Employee Relations Workshop Events Social Media 448

Culinary Cues

JULY 29, 2024

When you find out how special it is to approach the day with energy and enthusiasm, then anything is possible. “No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.” — Martin Luther King Jr. There you have it. Agree or disagree, that’s your choice.

Back of House 458

Back of House Take-out Café Blog 458

Culinary Cues

MAY 19, 2022

Orders came in for rack of lamb, halibut (very popular), loads of hot apps to keep Tom on his toes, and a very special order for an elderly man who asked if he could have poached eggs. Some even sent back a message to the kitchen to “cook something special”, which might upset some teams, but this one enjoyed the chance to be creative.

Seating 448

Seating Dine-in Seasonal Menu Ordering 448

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 15, 2023

Gifts, special meals, travel, and most importantly – family time consumes the next few weeks. All the best in 2024 – Harvest America Cues Blog PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER – BE KIND AND GRATEFUL, OFFER A HELPING HAND – GIVE MORE THAN YOU RECEIVE.

Hospitality 449

Hospitality Travel Uniforms Blog 449

Culinary Cues

APRIL 15, 2020

Where dining out just fifty years ago was considered a luxury that was reserved for special occasions, it is now an absolute necessity. [] RESTAURANTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR ECONOMY. To the chef – the canvas is their plate and to the restaurateur it is the art of hospitality, making customers feel welcome and special.

Travel 464

Travel Small Business Point of Sale Back of House 464

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 22, 2022

Paul de Vance in southern France, or the walled in villages of Tuscany, the narrow streets of Oslo, Norway, and the typical hidden villages found in parts of historic Germany; places that were home to those special little restaurants that reflect the terroir of the region. PLAN BETTER -TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG.

Seating 474

Seating Front of House Back of House Cash Management 474

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 3, 2022

The hotel restaurant doesn’t serve lunch (except for special events) which gives us a chance to catch our breath. We review the bakery components on the special menus for the day and typical inventory of baked goods for restaurant service. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. Morning, Jack.”

Back of House 437

Back of House Hotels Front of House Book 437