Feast

The Feast prepared, the table set and the people are ready to eat! Happy Thanksgiving everyone

Communication

Communication is (to me) the most important thing in a kitchen, without it there is no order no structure and nothing would get done (properly at least). You can have endlessly creative chefs and a brilliantly designed kitchen but without proper communication it would never work. Some of the best kitchens border on complete silence during service but this is just a sign of great initial communication. The Chef has communicated well with his staff so they know their responsibilities exactly and can execute them properly.

One of my pet peeves is working in a new kitchen where there is poor communication, I can't stand continually asking for something to do after I finish a task. It's important not to be afraid to ask questions especially when doing something that you are not used to, however it's even more important to jump in and initiate tasks yourself.

Chefs and cooks are obsessive, sometimes sadistic and most of all control freaks, we don't like to ask or be asked the same questions multiple times. I like to border on annoyance when communicating, I'm from the school of "there can never be too much" when it comes to the C word. Whether I'm expediting, on the line, executing a catering event or prepping I make sure to over-communicate so that things run smoothly and nothing falls through the cracks.

Imagine the possibilities.

I will have to read more on Transglutaminase then see how I can use it effectively and not just for the sake of using it.

The Pantry

The Pantry at a restaurant is similar to a household pantry in more ways that I had previously thought. One generally will have dry goods such as cake and muffin mixes along with pickles and canned goods. While at work we’ve actually started getting into preparing items for the “pantry” for the restaurant. We’ve started to do more large batch canning of the fresh produce that we purchased from the farm down the road. The result is a designated shelf in the walk-in cooler that is steadily getting filled with canning jars. The jars contain from kimchee to cashew-ginger butter. The pantry is also a great for saving one’s behind when you need to come up with a quick condiment to go with a canapé or even that little extra something to incorporate into a dish to make it more complete. But whether it’s just a jar of simple pickles or a jar of reconstituted apricot in a curry syrup, it’s never a bad idea give a quick look at your pantry before you start writing your daily menu because you’ll never know what might transpired.

Success

What is success? How do you define it?

Like it or not we're all obsessed with success. Whether we want the be the best at what we do or just feel good within ourselves, success is what drives us, what keeps us moving forward. Success is the great motivator, what we strive for day in and day out. How will you be successful?