No attitude issues

No alcohol abuse

No drug abuse

Just a committed,  professional, culinary manager for summer seasonal resorts, ranches, and restaurants.

TemporaryChef is here.

No alcohol abuse

No drug abuse

Just a committed,  professional, culinary manager for summer seasonal resorts, ranches, and restaurants.

TemporaryChef is here.

However, I  dislike sweet sauces with my duck and detest orange sauce in particular so when I came across Sandy D”Amato’s article Braised and Sautéed Duck with White Wine, Garlic and Thyme I was delighted.

But wait, there’s something very nifty here.   This story features a really amusing tale about a  Duck Press.

One doesn’t often come across this dining room implement, but the following video will give you the idea.

I’ve got a generator to power my heater fan.  Three old oil lamps.  A box of candles.  The larder’s stocked with cheese, sardines, crackers, canned tuna & chicken, beans, apples, peanut butter, and other goodies.

There are plenty of books to read, ( the dark humor from the amazing  mind of cartoonist Gahan Wilson is perfect ) and a new volume of The New York Times crossword puzzles to work on thanks to my step-father Billy.

There are heaps of websites providing advice on coping with power outages.  Barbara Brown, a food specialist at Oklahoma State wrote this one.

The Ontario Ministry of Health  proffers dark wisdom here.

My favorite was written today in the Concord Monitor by Hillary Nelson, and was the spark for this post.    No Electricity Needed – simple meals for when the power goes out. Check out the open fire basket of fingerling potatoes, cipollini onions, and rosemary  -   That just plain made me hungry.

Tiffani Miller and her husband were impressed with their first meal at Jonathan’s The Rub (9061 Gaylord). Not so with the second one. Her group of six all requested the Black and Blue, a filet mignon with blue cheese sauce.

Everyone at the table ordered it medium rare,” Tiffani Miller says. “My husband added ‘emphasis on the rare’ to the server. When dinner came, my husband cut into his steak and we both noticed that his was much closer to medium than he likes. He very politely called the server over and let her know that his was a little too done. He asked to have another steak and told her to just send back the same sides with it. Another staff member returned immediately with the same plate and said, ‘Chef says that this is how he does medium rare. If you wanted it raw, you should have requested that.’

“She put the plate back down in front of him. Everyone at the table was so dumbfounded by this remark that we were briefly speechless. We decided to avoid further embarrassment, swallow our pride and address it another time. Two of our guests showed us that their steaks were more rare than my husband’s had been and even offered to switch with him.

“We never saw the server again until she presented the check with all charges included. She even asked if my husband wanted to take his untouched food home with him. It was never mentioned again by anyone on the staff.

“Obviously, we will not go to Jonathan’s again. I made a point of letting everyone know what a great experience we had the first time and many of my friends went on my suggestion. I will now tell twice as many people about this experience. Apparently, even in a recession, the customer is not always right at Jonathan’s The Rub.”

In the comments section, many people came to the restaurants defense with tales of much better experiences. 

My response:

1.  The term “BLACK AND BLUE“  is universally accepted to mean, charred outside / rare inside, another term, “PHILADELPHIA-STYLE” is synonymous.

2.   Alienating customers will result in closed doors.

3.  “Blue”  should be  “Bleu” denoting the use of cheese.

Obviously Susan enjoyed her experience, but unknown to her and most of the patrons of great restaurants is the unbelievable ballet that is taking place in the back of the house while the symphony plays in the front.

Imagine for a moment that we are in such a restaurant.  You are with 3 friends for a dinner that promises to be exquisite and exiting.  There are many other tables with 2, 4, 6, or maybe 8 people, some just being seated, some leaving.

In the kitchen the Chef is accepting orders from the back waiter, and communicating them to the line staff to begin execution.  Most orders for each table are for different entrees, with varying cooking times and requirements.

The Chef is simultaneously calling for the appearance of the next order to be presented for delivery.

As the warm plates are set on the plate rail,  ready to receive the entrees and accompaniments, the ballet begins.

The grillardin is placing broiled meats on the proper plates,  the poissonnier is doing the same with the fish, the friturier is adding fried items, the entremetier adding the vegetables, just so,  and the saucier is coming with sauteed entrees.  Finish with sauces; add the garnish, and place in the window for Chef’s inspection.

Many arms reaching over and around each other,  movements coordinated with no talking,  perfect plates delivered,  -  for hours on end.

This is the ballet of the kitchen.  It is an amazing thing to behold these professionals at work, ( should you ever be invited),  and is even more fulfilling to those of us that have the privilege to perform this unheralded dance nightly.  It is what we live for.

Chef Lenny Russo,  proprietor of Heartland Contemporary Midwestern Restaurant & Wine Bar in St. Paul,  wrote about a recent trip to New York City,  a lawsuit supported by  the Center for Science in the Public Interest,  and a lawn mower incident,  to make a point about the role of personal responsibility in the choices we make.

Read the article, I Ate Too Much; I’m Suing You.

“At Heartland, we have a standard procedure when we take a reservation.  We always ask the question, “Do you have any dietary concerns or constraints that we need to be aware of?”  We need to know if someone is lactose intolerant or has a nut allergy or, for that matter, is on a sodium restricted diet. Why do we do this?  We do it because we care about the health and well being of our guests, and we make a concerted effort to respect their food choices.”

Compliments to the Chef !!

I got a call yesterday from a restaurateur who was experiencing problems with erratic behavior by the Chef they had hired for the summer season.

I’ve also spoken with the owners of seasonal ranches and resorts,  all facing similar problems in finding reliable and knowledgeable Chefs to lead their kitchens.

The most frequent response is the desire to have a Chef that can lead and manage the kitchen, giving the proprietor, the freedom to concentrate on the rest of the business.

Other issues include the ability to administer proper ordering and portion controls to maximize profitability,  a full season commitment,  a sober  personality without drama,  and the talent to consistently produce attractive and flavorful meals.

Surprisingly, considering the consequences of an episode of food borne illness, seldom mentioned is the need for the individual to be knowledgeable about food safety, allergies & sensitivities.,

Many of these operators told me they are paying between $4oo.00 and $600.00 a week, some including room and board.

A professional Chef salary, as reported in a 2005 survey on StarChefs.com, starts at a low of $60,000 a year and tops out around $87,000.

When considering the above issues, the most important of them is that of food safety.  The result of an outbreak of food borne illness can result in a serious loss of business and a host of attendant problems.

These problems can be addressed by hiring a professional Chef that has the training and dedication to guide your culinary endeavors.  It is,  indeed,  a bit more expensive,  but,  the cost of  not having a pro can be steep.

The Chef is a key component of the over-all management team and is well worth the extra investment.

Two Worlds Same Guy

(I’m not at all long winded so this piece, heartfelt as it may be, is gonna be concise.   I’m not real good at this kind of writing, but here is a little something…..   [ We disagree with the  "not real good" comment. Ed] )

In the past thirty years, I’ve cooked in many worlds.  The two that I will take us to tonight are a hotel at Yellowstone National Park, and a wonderful summer estate in the Lake District of New Hampshire.

Yellowstone is an extraordinary place to cook, and to be a part of.  It is so awesome that it is indescribable.  The cooking at almost 8000 feet is a little different.  Water boils at about 208 degrees and pate au choux can be a bit vexing.
One thing I’ve learned over the years, however,  is that a good chef can work anywhere at anytime.

The thing that sets this job apart from the others was the great sense of teamwork.  As  Kitchen Managers, our mission was to perfect the menu for the summer, to train the staff, many of whom had never cooked
before, and to assure quality and consistency of service.

Since we all lived in the park, most in a dormitory situation, we had ample time to get to know one another.  Not everyone got along, but a vast majority of our coworkers developed a healthy respect for their teammates.
Everyone had different interests, but in the kitchen, all interests became one, quality service for our guests.

This happened every night to a completely full house.

The words ‘me or I’ were never spoken on the line.  It was always we.  That was astounding.

************

I am presently working as a private chef for a wonderful family in the Lake District of New Hampshire for the summer season.

Even though I work alone, we still have a team.  The family is the team.  We rarely confer on a menu, except for important parties, but we have an understanding of what the job entails, the needs of the family, and how it should be done.

The clients are so warm and welcoming that I feel as if I am part of their extended family.  The love and warmth flows in both directions, and the results are very satisfying indeed.  I would not give this up for anything in the world.

Here is the point.  Teamwork is the essence of our business, whether there is a team of forty, or a team of one.
It is important to be confident in your skills, but equally important not to get carried away with one’s talents.

Perhaps this is why I’ll never be one of those celebrity chefs.  Its better to be happy.

Thanks…….see ya

Robert

Robert is a top notch professional and a charter member of the  TemporaryChef.com crew.

“The kitchen is a country in which there are always discoveries to be made.”

Grimod de la Reyniere, 1758-1838

Personnel retention,   year to year continuity,   and competence deficiencies are three of the biggest issues.

TemporaryChef.com offers a solution.

1)  Reliable full season commitment.

2)  Mature career Chefs experienced in purchasing and menu management.

3)  Year to year continuity to maximize quality and  guest satisfaction.

4)  Experience with ethnic cuisines, dietary restrictions, and vegan menus.

5)  Pre-screened veteran professionals with even temperaments that will provide total professional attention to your operational needs resulting in a positive End of Season picture.

Your seasonal solution is only a phone call away.  Let’s Chat.