Culinary Cues

JANUARY 19, 2025

Many have praised him as one of the finest chefs to have graced the American culinary scene while some may push aside tradition and classical ways as outdated, but none will deny that he represented all that is good about professionals, all that the white uniform represents, and how important it is to be kind and giving, a great man.

Uniforms 344

Uniforms Education Waste Blog 344

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 8, 2020

It is easy to blame money, non-traditional work hours, unrealistic training in culinary schools, and the younger generation as a whole – but even if we (the industry as a whole) were able to snap our fingers and fix these issues, it is likely that team building and retention would still be challenging. TEACH AND TRAIN. Richard Branson.

Loyalty Program 582

Loyalty Program Communication Training Coaching 582

Culinary Cues

JUNE 3, 2024

It may not look the same and they may have never written it down, but this is their method of operation. [] LOOK THE PART Take pride in your appearance and the sharpness of your uniform. Treat the job as something enormously important and the uniform as a symbol of everything that is good about the profession.

Uniforms 434

Uniforms Point of Sale Coaching Small Business 434

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

JANUARY 15, 2022

Remember the feeling of belonging you experienced when you wore a clean, pressed, white uniform and apron? You were part of a team and an extension of a long history of tradition and accomplishment – that uniform meant something – it meant someone recognized your potential. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER.

Uniforms 450

Uniforms Front of House Food Safety Healthcare 450

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 17, 2023

What if you, with your name stitched on the face of your uniform had to deliver that plate of food to the guest and introduce yourself in the process: “May name is Jack Jones, and I prepared this dish”? Not a clip-on name tag, a part of the uniform. For this to work, that chef/operator must instill that importance in their staff.

Uniforms 462

Uniforms Article Café Take-out 462

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 20, 2021

For this to happen you need to get a lay of the land, button up your uniform, determine the state of work, the breadth of responsibility on a shift, and grab that first cup of coffee before the “start” button is hit. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com – BLOG. Learn by doing. Harvest America Ventures, LLC.

Front of House 491

Front of House Uniforms Back of House Kitchen Safety 491

Culinary Cues

MARCH 26, 2022

Once established – do not sacrifice what you have invested the time in developing. [] FAILING TO INVEST IN TRAINING. Training ALWAYS pays back in dividends. Train to your standards and be very clear. Every employee needs to be trained and most relish the opportunity to learn and get better at what they do.

Cash Management 462

Cash Management Social Media Restaurant Law Communication 462

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 29, 2024

We have labored over the effects of this change but have been very slow to reinvent the way that we do business – to once again, create an environment where individuals relish the opportunity to learn and grow as cooks, exhibit passion about the craft, wear their uniforms with pride, and feel great about saying: “I’m a cook!”

Kitchen Safety 448

Kitchen Safety Guest Recovery Uniforms Food Safety 448

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 28, 2021

At some point their work stations will be better organized, their uniforms will look a bit more pristine, their knives will be sharper, their attitude toward others will be brighter, and their acceptance of mistakes or slips towards mediocrity (from themselves or others) will not be tolerated. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER.

Uniforms 450

Uniforms Fine Dining Small Business Customer Service 450

Culinary Cues

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

You set the tone for others to emulate. [] TEACH AND TRAIN. Right down to their station set-up, organization of pans, cleanliness of cookware, uniforms, the way they cut vegetables and fillet a whole fish – excellence is a habit – make it so! [] SHOW NO TOLERANCE FOR MEDIOCRITY IN ANYTHING. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER.

Customer Service 439

Customer Service Customer Experience Point of Sale Presentation 439

Culinary Cues

MARCH 10, 2022

Here are some great rules to live by when it comes to dishwashers: [] Hire great attitudes. [] Pay a fair wage and offer ample opportunities to scale up every few months. [] Provide a clean, crisp uniform that parallels what you offer your cooks. [] Make sure new dish washers are properly oriented and trained. Restaurant Consulting.

Front of House 450

Front of House Back of House Uniforms Hiring 450

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 15, 2020

Take pride in the chef’s uniform. The uniform represents a proud history of exceptionally committed professionals who made it possible for the restaurant industry to be such an important part of people’s lives. When you wear that uniform you are paying respect to them. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. Be a proud cook.

Uniforms 417

Uniforms 2000 Consumer Goods Small Business 417

Culinary Cues

MARCH 21, 2022

When a chef talks about those minute details of placement, process, timing, and uniformity – keep in mind what the intended result will be. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. It is majestic, inspiring, and almost effortless when organization is the rule that everyone follows.

Front of House 443

Front of House Back of House Point of Sale Food Order 443

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 4, 2022

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. I continue to see good restaurants lose a step with their food preparation, flavors, and plate presentations and shrinking menus that no longer inspire. Now is the time to renounce apathy and commit to excellence. Let’s do this before it’s too late. Restaurant Consulting.

Front of House 429

Front of House Back of House Coaching Customer Service 429

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

DISSHOVELED APPEARANCE: When a once professional looking (well groomed, uniform clean and pressed, shoes clean, station in impeccable order) cook begins to look like he or she simply doesn’t care any longer, then it’s time to pay attention. TRAINING: You can never train too much.

Employee Relations 449

Employee Relations Training Take-out Fine Dining 449

Culinary Cues

APRIL 30, 2023

Involve other team members in the interview process, hire them conditionally for a few weeks and then assess how well they integrate before solidifying the position. [] TEACH, TRAIN, CREATE FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITIES, IMMERSE IN THE TEAM CULTURE, MENTOR, AND MEASURE.

Employee Relations 503

Employee Relations Sports Pricing Hiring 503

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 15, 2023

If you happen to pass a soldier in uniform – don’t simply smile and say “thanks for your service” – take a moment to ask where they are from, where stationed, and how much longer will they be serving. Wish them a safe and happy holiday and your hope that they will be home again soon.

Hospitality 448

Hospitality Travel Uniforms Blog 448

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 29, 2022

In the right kitchen, led by the right chef, every cook looks in a mirror before starting a shift, adjusts his or her uniform, makes sure that the name tag is positioned properly, maintains his or her knives with real pride, insists on working clean and organized, and approaches every task with enthusiasm. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER.

Uniforms 450

Uniforms Café Training Operations 450

Culinary Cues

DECEMBER 30, 2019

Every restaurant must constantly invest in training. [] PUTTING ALL OF YOUR EGGS IN THE CHEFS BASKET. Make sure that owners retain ample ownership of the concept, standardize as much as possible, and constantly train a strong bench of people who can step up to the plate if the chef departs. [] FAILING TO ASK THE CUSTOMER.

Cash Management 359

Cash Management Point of Sale Leadership Website Management 359

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 25, 2021

If employees are properly trained to perform a task then you need to trust them to do it. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. If you expect your employees and co-workers to trust you and the decisions that you make then it is imperative that you trust them first. Be that person. Restaurant Consulting.

2021 486

2021 Point of Sale Take-out Reference 486

Culinary Cues

JULY 14, 2023

Make sure the tables are level, windows in that station clean, tablecloths even, silverware and glassware spotless, menus clean and pristine, back-up supplies in perfect order, your uniform impeccable, and know the menu and features inside and out including correct pronunciations and beverages that pair perfectly with food.

Cash Management 400

Cash Management Uniforms Food Supply Café 400

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 12, 2020

Convince your restaurant to organize a softball or pick-up basketball team, or even install a few pieces of weight training equipment in the basement of your business. Yes – a well-trained and educated employee has the ability to move elsewhere, but that is what makes you and your restaurant attractive to a steady stream of new cooks.

Education 390

Education Consumer Goods Training Back of House 390

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. We need to encourage the positive to drown out the naysayers.

Uniforms 401

Uniforms Book Article Café 401

Culinary Cues

MARCH 29, 2021

It is the nature of the person who chooses to be both that tattooed crusty individual underneath with the finesse of the butterfly in crisp, clean white uniform that signs every plate leaving the kitchen. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. Reach for the butterfly. Harvest America Ventures, LLC.

Uniforms 450

Uniforms Presentation Take-out Café 450

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

Do I wear the uniform with pride and am I committed to learning and growing as I master the craft?” Look in a mirror and ask the question: “Am I representing all that a professional cook can and should? Do I not only realize but also act out the importance of the position and the impact what I do has on the profession? Be that force!

Consumer Goods 473

Consumer Goods Uniforms Café Blog 473

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. When the cook looks sharp (clean, pressed uniform, neat grooming, clean shoes, etc.) PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. then he or she is more inclined to act professional.

Kitchen Safety 520

Kitchen Safety Uniforms Presentation Café 520

Culinary Cues

SEPTEMBER 15, 2022

Seek out individuals who like to serve others, who relish doing great work, who you can depend on to be exacting every time, and who exude a positive approach. [] TEACH AND TRAIN EVERY DAY. From the parking lot to the restrooms, carpet, walls, tabletop, and uniforms, stay on it! [] MATCH THE AMBIENCE TO THE CONCEPT. Do it right!

Fine Dining 449

Fine Dining Front of House Customer Service Customer Experience 449

Culinary Cues

JUNE 26, 2021

We know that a slow cook oven will reduce cook shrink on roasts by 15-20% and produce a much more uniform product. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. Yet, operators seem content to use their erasers on kitchen design and disregard what we know and simply move to save some money up front.

Design 446

Design Fine Dining Uniforms Waste 446

Culinary Cues

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Yet tomorrow morning you will wake well before sunrise, put on that starched, white uniform, walk through those kitchen doors and face the challenges of a chef once again. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. There will always be the missed family events, the 5 a.m. BE SOMETHING SPECIAL, BE A CHEF.

Seating 572

Seating Uniforms Take-out Communication 572

Culinary Cues

MAY 16, 2022

Tom quickly washed his hands, tied on an apron, adjusted his uniform and set-up his workstation. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. Today, he was just 15minutes early and this made him a bit nervous. The rest of the team was already settled in and hard at work. Here we go! Restaurant Consulting.

Café 439

Café Front of House Point of Sale Back of House 439

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 24, 2023

You were taught how to fold your socks, the right way to make a bed, how to polish your boots so they shine like a mirror, the proper way to wear your uniform, the exactness of a salute, marching in step, breaking down your weapon, cleaning it, and reassembling in the right order – everything has a place, and everything is in its place.

Back of House 419

Back of House Front of House Food Order Definition 419

Culinary Cues

OCTOBER 16, 2019

START DEPENDABLE – STAY DEPENDABLE: Once you are employed make sure that you are at work, ready to go, full of energy, smile on your face, uniform in order, and 15 minutes early. First wash your hands, make sure your uniform is sharp, and say hello to everyone you work with – then put that edge on your knives.

Uniforms 323

Uniforms Equipment Small Business Customer Experience 323

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 12, 2021

Professionalism was expected from the starched chef uniforms that were maintained by the on-site laundry, the cleaning regiment that everyone participated in, the adherence to classical techniques, and the respect that was shown everyone who became part of the team. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG.

Seasonal Menu 474

Seasonal Menu 2005 Hotels Customer Service 474

Culinary Cues

JUNE 16, 2020

Order new uniforms with the brand name front and center, print a bunch of T-shirts to give away or sell during those initial re-opening days: “RESTAURANT SO AND SO IS BACK”, “WE SURVIVED FOR YOU”, “THANKS FOR WAITING”, “BE PART OF OUR EXPERIENCE”, etc. [] FOCUS ON THE REWARD. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER.

Social Media 366

Social Media Entertainment Email Marketing Customer Experience 366

Culinary Cues

AUGUST 31, 2019

It goes beyond the job description: hiring, training, menu planning, quality control, cost control, representation, leadership, purchasing, image building and so on. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. Now his day had come. Would he eventually take the same road as his predecessor?

Reference 346

Reference Uniforms Take-out Social Media 346

Culinary Cues

JANUARY 3, 2020

Usually, a recent graduate or a current school intern with starched white uniforms, polished shoes, and perfectly sharpened knives. PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER. www.harvestamericacues.com BLOG. CULINARY CAREERISTS. They want to do the right thing and are quick to tell more seasoned cooks how to “do the work properly.”

Uniforms 419

Uniforms Presentation Hiring Book 419