Local restaurants serve up healthful kids meals
As a culinary consultant and father I applaud these restaurants for not thinking that parents are content with shelling out $10.00 for for processed chicken fingers, bad crayons and a colorful plastic cup as a healthy choice. Kids have paletes just as much as adults. If we teach our kids about good food choices now they will be our future customers who appreciate the great food we strive to produce in our foodservice establishments.
Local restaurants serve up healthful kids meals.
Writing Recipe Names is a Process Not a Random Act
If you are using a computer based recipe management system or thinking about setting one up. You need to think about how you name a recipe. 
Over the last ten years I have been involved in setting up, organizing and creating recipe data bases for my own company as well as many catering companies and independent restaurants. It is not as easy as you think. Generally there are scenarios that occur when setting up or cleaning up a recipe data base. The first is the organizing of written recipes that had been created over the years in some digital format for example with wordprocessing software or for those who were more advanced a spreadsheet as they felt energized to do the costing at the same time. The second which is a typical scene in a smaller operation a collection of photo copies, handwritten notes or a downloaded recipes from the internet all sitting in a folder on the kitchen shelf collecting that thin grease film so common in a commercial kitchen. Both of these systems are not inter-related and are only as effective in supporting sales or creating consistency in your kitchen if they are continually updated or uniformly documented. (more…)
Do Descriptive Menu Labels Influence Customers?
I spend alot of time writing menus and menu item descriptions. What process do you use? I believe that the clearer the description in a prescribed order without the influence of fluff has always been the best approach. Here is some research that may say otherwise. I think there is a balance but over use is the worst position. If you need help with your menus, contact www.customizedculinarysolutions.com
Do Descriptive Menu Labels Influence Customers? | isantemagazine.
Restaurant patrons value social responsibility
Interesting story. Menu writing and serving meals are not just about dollars and cents. It’s about why you do what you do and how you do it. So next time you throw out that dated milk, think about buying less.
Restaurant patrons value social responsibility – Related Stories – ProChef SmartBrief.
Need Expert Cooking Advice? Let American Culinary Federation Chefs Answer Your Holiday Kitchen Questions
Here is another example of why it is important to speak to an ACF affliated chef. John Reed CEC, CCA, ACE and Customized Culinary Solutions is listed in the Chefpertise Guide.
My Chef needs help!
This is a common message among food service companies today. This sentiment among owners, general managers and decision makers is not limited to mortar and brick restaurants. The need for companies in and around the serving of food are asking for the same help. Catering companies, school food services, contract dining and even food ingredient producers have been challenged to have a competitive food edge. Over the last couple of years, economic conditions have put strains on the kitchen staff and the menus being served. In order to survive a general sentiment took hold, “If it is not broke, don’t fix it”. Chef’s and owners alike buckled down and cut costs by cutting menus, changing specs, adding more convenience products to the inventory and shaving staff.
One of the major fall outs was that executive chefs who ultimately made decisions but not necessarily created revenue by making food on the line were eliminated. Production orientated chefs were the preferred choice of leadership as they produced, kept things going and were affordable. They moved into leadership positions. Kitchens operated on thin margins and maintained as best they could. The thought process of innovation, creating new ideas and incorporating other products fell flat. This was especially true in many of the companies offering catering services. Catering sales dropped as they were seen as a luxury and a luxury that could be easily eliminated. Menus were trimmed and cut. Restaurants wanted to increase sales by adding catering, caterers wanted other revenue options. The process of menu writing and creativity fell upon the sales staff who were inundated by clients who didn’t want to settle for the same old thing that everyone else was offering. Kitchens may have lagged behind due to the tight reigns. Now the times are changing. Hence “my chef needs help”.
Companies are moving forward, smaller companies are emerging and younger and less experienced chefs are running kitchens. These chef’s know their kitchens very well and make consistent food as is has been expected of them through these unprecedented times. However there are some gaps and the voices are saying
“Plate presentations are not sharp”
“I wish they would make things from scratch instead of ordering already made”
“We need something different”
“The kitchen is just missing that extra edge”
“We haven’t seen anything new in a while”
“I only sell the old stuff because its easy and I know it”
Well there are solutions. There is help out there. It can come in many forms, from training, mentoring, continued education etc. Executive Chef mentoring is an inexpensive way of investing in your kitchen and your culinary staff. Hiring an on-call executive chef mentor is an alternative to expensive singularly focused continued education classes, dining out programs and cost of finding, hiring and training an executive chef from somewhere else. Is this the right way to pay back your chef for the last few years of hard work.
An Executive Chef Mentor can be hired to work hand in hand with a chef and culinary team to change attitudes, teach new leadership skills, re-enforce company policies and bring in a fresh set of eyes that is focused on a clear set of objectives. A chef mentor is an experienced culinary expert who has the skills, experiences and demeanor that a company wants running their kitchen or culinary program. The advantage is that you only need them as you need them. Having that skill set at the end of a phone call or e-mail is a great advantage. How does it work? There are several basic steps
- Contact a Culinary Consulting Firm with a Chef Mentoring Program
- Meet and discuss the opportunities
- Agree upon a set of clear objectives
- Set a schedule based on your budget and time commitments
- See your kitchen grow.
If you have questions and would like to a contact a Culinary Consulting Firm go to
http://www.customizedculinarysolutions.com/contact.php
About Us
John Reed is a professional chef with over 30 years experience. John has extensive knowledge of culinary techniques, ethnic cuisines, food history which he applies to present day menus by using strong organizational skills, leadership, problem solving and the appropriate use of technology. His understanding of the culinary arts comes from experience in the following: A la carte Dining, Off-premise Catering, Corporate Dining, Conference Catering, Hotel Foodservice Connections
The Stew – chicagotribune.com
- Kellogg-Achatz mystery solved; recipes legit, agreement expired
- Chicago Craft Beer Week: a roundup
- Healthful foods not really more expensive than junk food, says USDA study
- Logan Square Kitchen announces closing, citing burdensome city regulations
- Tony Hu adds to Chinatown empire; Spring World to become Lao Yunnan
- Fake Grant Achatz recipes appear on a Kellogg's site
Recent Comments