|
Food & Business Tips
A Brief History Of…
Alexis Soyer
Alexis Soyer was a French chef who became famous in Victorian
London in the 1830‘s. He was born February 4th 1810 at Meaux-en-Brie on
the Marne in France. Soyer‘s parents were grocers but the family had fallen
on bad financial times by the time of his birth. At the age of nine he moved to
Paris to live with his brother Phillipe, an established chef.
Young Alexis was a quick learner and by the time he was 17 he had
become a celebrated chef with 12 chefs under his guide. However, by the
time he was 31, Soyer left for England to join his brother who was now
working for the Duke of Cambridge. In 1837 he became chef de cuisine at the
famous Reform Club in London. Soyer became well known for his kitchen
designs and innovations, including cooking with gas and ovens with adjustable
temperatures. In 1938,his salary was 1000 pounds a year….more than two
thousand dollars, and his Lamb Cutlets Reform is still on the menu at the club.
Soyer took a leave from the Reform Club to help with the plight of the Irish
during the potato famine of 1847. He invented a soup kitchen and was soon
serving over five thousand meals a day. He also started soup kitchens in
London feeding the poor. After reading of the poor conditions in Crimea, near
the Black Sea, Soyer volunteered to go there and assist. He worked with
Florence Nightingale and also invented the Army Catering Corp and Soyer‘s
Field Stove.
Alexis Soyer was not well when he returned to London from Crimea and
died in August ,1858. Unfortunately this great chef and philanthropist was not
ever rewarded or honored for his great accomplishments and very few of his
writings are known to exist today.
Chef Jules Pernell; CEC, FMP, CCE
A Brief History of……
Chef Friedman Paul Erhardt…”Chef Tell”
Chef Erhardt was one of the first chefs to gain widespread popularity on
American Television. While many of us remember him for his guest
appearances on QVC and other shows of this type it should be known that
Chef Erhardt was a highly skilled culinarian.
Born in Stuggart, Gremany in 1943, he was the son of a German
Newspaper publisher. After playing the part of William Tell in a play, the name
“Tell” would become his moniker. At the age of 14 young Paul entered into a
strict training program for chefs. He earned the title of Master Chef while in his
twenties, the youngest to ever do so. Also he received a Masters degree in
cooking from the University of Heidelberg, won several culinary competitions
and was named Germany`s Chef of the Year.
Chef Erhardt moved to the United States when he was 28 years old to take
a position at Philadelphia‘s Marriott Hotel. He gained notoriety when he landed
a 90 second cooking short on a local T.V. show “Evening Magazine” which was
nationally syndicated. He later hosted a show for public television and was
known for using humor in his cooking shows. Chef Tell‘s popularity and
German accented personality earned him a place in American pop culture. He
was a regular on Regis and Kathie Lee and was often parodied on Saturday
Night Live. In addition to television Chef Tell owned several restaurants in
Philadelphia in the 1970‘s and 80‘s. He also owned a restaurant in the
Cayman Islands.
Chef Tell died at age 63 in 2007 of heart failure. He was also diabetic and
had written several cookbooks including one for diabetics. Chef Tell spent the
last two years of his life as a culinary instructor at The Restaurant School at
Walnut Hill College.
A Brief History of…
Nachos
Adriana Orr was a library researcher for the Oxford English
Dictionary and had been asked the origin of the word “nacho.”
Through all of her research, the only definition she could find
meant “flat-nosed,” but she was quite sure the modern
meaning of the word had not come from this derivative. Over
time, she continued to hit a brick wall until a young girl
overheard her discussion of the problem and told Ms Orr that
Nacho is short for Ignacio, a man who lives in her village in
Mexico.
Adriana went to the small village of Piedras Negras, and met
Chef Ignacio Anaya, chef of the Victory Club, who told her he
had served the dish to a group of ladies on a shopping trip who came by the restaurant after it
had already closed.. He made the dish using available ingredients and named it Nachos
Especiales.
An interesting side note is that a
waitress by the name of Carmen
Rocha, a waitress at El Cholo
Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles
in the late 1950’s is credited for
making Nachos popular. Jack
Nicholson remembers her as a
friendly outgoing lady that loved to
make this special snack
for special guests that was not
even on the menu. It spread like
wildfire and she is credited for the
fire.
BUSINESS SENSE
Controlling Employee Theft
None of us want to think that we are working with a kitchen full of thieves, but there are times
when product suddenly starts missing. How can we, as chefs, control our inventory without
seeming too much like Big Brother? This month, we’ll take a look at some simple controls to put
place which will help curb any runaway supply lines you may have going out the back door.
First, we have to realize that there is always going to be some theft. It would be naïve to think
you can clamp down on everything. The truth is, many of us don’t even realize how much theft
goes on right in front of us: over-portioning a sandwich for a co-worker, dropping some extra fries
to munch on, adding side dishes to a plate but not charging, etc….There are two main ways to
keep theft in check; don’t set yourself up to be an easy target, and two, don’t make your employees
feel like they need to steal. These are very simple ideas, but they are effective. Let’s examine
each:
Don’t be an easy target. The staff needs to see you doing regular inventory, weighing
products, counting your shelves, filling out requisition sheets, etc. so that they are aware that items
are being inventoried correctly. If you never see a manager count anything, it’s pretty obvious they
don’t know how much product they actually have. Keep your canned goods in neat lines, and,
when possible, keep them all in the same counts. When you do this, a manager can instantly see
when a product has been taken. This may seem silly, but actually show your employees different
ways to steal and then ask for their advice on how to stop it. Showing employees that you know
how the game is played really leaves an impression that they can’t pull the wool over your eyes.
Also, by encouraging them to show you how to prevent theft, allows them to take ownership in the
process being successful.
Keep a daily inventory on likely theft items such as meats and alcohol. The final count should
be compared to an opening count to make sure theft isn’t occurring after the counts are made.
Remember-everything should match up, if not, there is a reason and it needs to be addressed.
Don’t give your staff a reason to steal. If you work in a restaurant, you are going to have an
employee meal, regardless of whether or not one is provided. If you don’t offer a meal to your staff,
and I recommend it should be free, then they are going to eat somehow, but on your tab. Usually,
the meal they take will be worth much more than the one you would have given away. Even if you
charge for a meal, staff typically makes sure it’s bigger than normal just to make sure everyone
gets their money’s worth. You don’t have to give away everything, but just making sure they are
fed and treated fairly goes a long way in protecting against theft.
Chef William Knapp; FMP, CEC, CCA, CHE, MIHTM
DID YOU KNOW?
The original filling in Twinkies was banana. It was replaced with vanilla
cream when there was a banana shortage in the US during WWII.
If Jell-o is hooked up to an EEG, it registers movements identical to an
adult’s brain waves.
Cheese closes the stomach and should only be served at the end of the
meal.
Dry wine is a wine which has been fully fermented, meaning that only 0.1%
sugar remains.
Pineapples are classified as berries.
Watermelons grown along the Tigris River can weigh up to 275 pounds.
Food & Business Tips
BUSINESS SENSE
Cutting the budget? Start in advertising!
What?!?! Cut the advertising budget!?!?! I know-every person that has gone through marketing 101 knows that if you cut your advertising budget because of money concerns, you are only going to be in a worse position. If you aren’t making sales, then how can you expect more money by not advertising?
First, don’t confuse advertising with marketing. We have talked before about using smart marketing; using Twitter to alert current customers about nightly features or emailing people who signed up for the service a few coupons. Think of advertising as vinegar and marketing as honey—well, which one attracts? We live in an age where people can say anything and post it for everyone to see. Because of this, people have become very wary of claims made by even the most respected of businesses. Every commercial has paragraphs of disclaimers on the bottom, so you automatically think they aren’t telling the truth. No, my friends, placing a big ad in a magazine or newspaper just isn’t worth the money. So how do you let people know about you? The answer: public relations and marketing.
Does your restaurant have a unique story? Do any of your employees have a special story? Have any of your chefs earned a new certification? Get the information out there by dropping notes of special interest to the life style writers in the newspaper, write to the food critics, find special interest writers for not just the mainstream newspapers, but also the smaller (usually younger crowd) papers. Let them write the advertisement for you in the form of an article. Not only is it free, but it everything you claim is now taken as true—a reporter wrote it, so it must be true. Plus, these reporters are easy to find, their e-mail address is at the end of every column they write! Put your guests to work by giving them a stack of coupons redeemable for maybe a free appetizer, and tell them they get a free dinner when you get back five coupons with their name on it. Anything that leaves your restaurant should have your name on it for others to see. Make what used to be a throwaway item a keeper: sports schedules or calendar of events at your place can be placed on to go menus, give your employees free travel mugs with your logo; the more they travel, the more your name is shown. Uniform tops have your logo already? Sell them to customers, you make a profit and they become walking sandwich boards. In any of these cases, you are not spending anything extra on advertising, you are just making better use of your current products.
Traditional advertising is irrelevant in today’s marketplace. Full page newspaper ads, billboards, mass communication, are just not interactive enough to capture a new customer; you need a combination of advertising, personal connection, and verifiable claims. Remember-other people will market you, just give them a reason and the tools.
Chef William Knapp; CEC,
CCA, FMP, CHE, MIHTM
Food & Business Tips
DID YOU KNOW?
Besieged by customer requests, Cleveland restaurant owner Hector Boiardi
decided to bottle his famous spaghetti and meat sauce. With local success came
an offer national distribution, but, fearing that Americans would have trouble
pronouncing his Italian last name, he marketed and sold his food under the
phonetic spelling, “Boy-ar-dee.”
The original filling in Twinkies was banana. It was replaced by vanilla-flavored
cream during World War II, when the United States experienced a banana
shortage.
A raisin dropped in a glass of fresh champagne will bounce up and down continually
from the bottom of the glass to the top.
The canning process for herring was developed in Sardinia, which is why canned
herrings are better known as sardines.
Food & Business Tips
Business Sense
One of the bigger problems facing the hospitality industry, specifically...
One of the bigger problems facing the hospitality industry, specifically restaurants, is the huge turnover
in our staff. Many of us just accept it as a cost of doing business, but it doesn’t need to be that way. We all
hear about how much it costs to lose an employee, but many chefs really do not understand how it is a true
cost to the restaurant, so let’s clarify this oft-repeated phrase with some tangible costly situations, and then
explore some things you can do to make work fun (and profitable) for your employees.
Remember, for this article, we are not discussing turnover which is the result of employee termination.
This month, we are focusing on losing employees to other restaurants simply because they are leaving for
better working conditions, job pay, or job security. Although chefs will argue that losing a long-term is
actually beneficial because a lower-waged employee can be brought in, or that a new worker can be trained
without the negative habits of the previous employee, these are actually excuses. Any employee developing
poor work habits should be dealt with immediately; that is the crux of being a manager. Secondly, wage
does not explain costs alone. The cost of a new employee (over and above wages being paid) include, but
certainly are not contained to, fees for advertising the position, orientation pay, additional pay for other
employees to help in training, and additional costs for mistakes (improper portioning, variances in recipe
production, meals returned). Multiply these costs by each lost employee and the numbers become
staggering. So how do we help ensure our staff is not looking to greener pastures? One of the easiest and
fastest solutions is to help out their wallet…….while still adding to the bottom line! Consider these ideas:
1. Sell five bottles, get one free—Want to see full bottles of wine sales rocket? Have a standing
rule that for every five bottles a server sells, they get one free (the cheap stuff of course!)
2. Menu sales promotion—pair all your kitchen and waitstaff as teams and tell them to push one or
two items (it doesn’t have to be the special, it may just be a menu item that you need to get rid of) and the
server selling the most gets $20 along with the kitchen personnel they are teamed ($40 is much less than the
cost of wasted food.)
3. Floating $20—Pick an item you want sold, and as soon as a server sells it, they get a $20 bill
(along with the kitchen pairing). As soon as the next server sells that item, the $20 goes to them. Whoever
has it at the end of the night, keeps it!
These are just very simple ideas, but you can see how to keep a shift upbeat and really get everyone
involved. The small outlay in cash is nothing compared to the huge increase in upselling or focused
marketing.
Chef William Knapp; FMP, CEC, CCA, CHE, MIHTM
Alexandre Etienne Choron (1837-1924)
Choron was best known for inventing the Choron sauce.
This, of course, is the béarnaise sauce enriched with
tomato concentrate before reduction. Recipes will be
included at the conclusion of this article.
Perhaps his menu selections while chef de cuisine
at the famous restaurant Vosin are most intriguing. On
September 19, 1879 the Siege of Paris by the Prussians
began. During the siege, Parisians were forced to eat
animals such as cat, dog, and rat. The bourgeois did not
want to dine this low on the food chain so demand at deluxe
restaurants remained high. Since food reserves were getting
more and more scarce, chefs had to improvise. Choron soon
started serving exotic animal from the local zoo, and for the Christmas meal of 1870,
served stuffed head of donkey, elephant consommé, roasted camel, kangaroo stew, bear
shanks roasted in pepper sauce and several others to include antelope in truffle sauce.
The famous wines served included Mouton –Rothchild, Romanee-Conti, and Chateau
Palmer.
Choron was famous for his elephant dishes and he used many from various Paris
zoos for his cuisine at Voisin purchased at 15 francs per pound. When elephant meat ran
out, horse meat was substituted. So the next time you order exotic game or other not so
common menu items, think of Alexander Etienne Choron.
Choron Sauce recipe source Escoffier, The Complete guide to Modern Cookery.
Sauce Bearnaise Tomtatee, also called Sauce Choron:
Prepare a sauce Bearnaise omitting the final addition of chopped tarragon and chervil
and keeping it fairly thick. Add up to a quarter of its volume of tomato puree which has
been reduced, in order that the addition will not alter the consistency of the sauce. It is an
essential accompaniment for Tournedos a la choron.
Chef Jules Pernell, CCE, CEC, FMP
The Culinary Institute at Carolina
As another class rotation begins this month, let me take a few minutes to
explain some of the changes which are coming to the institute, and to reemphasize
some of the policies already in place.
With the addition of Blackboard, instructors can now post any
handouts, recipes, links, or any other ancillary materials to the
web which students can then download and print for
themselves. Using Blackboard effectively allows for much easier
communication with students, and relieves costly bulk printing at the McCutchen
House. Blackboard also allows us to post grades from any tests given throughout the
program.
All classes will have a final test given in class, graded, and posted. As of now, there
are no steadfast rules as to whether a student can receive a certificate without passing
this test (except for ServSafe©), but it will become the rule soon; especially
considering that we will eventually apply for accreditation through the ACF.
Syllabi are being reworked for cohesiveness, minimum standards, and for CHRIE
approval. There will still be some room for instructors to add additional recipes and
techniques, but we must maintain a strong foundation.
A houseperson will be on property through the duration of a culinary class to assist
instructors with any issues which may arise during the evening. They will be able to set
up anything you may need before class (such as mixers or pull food), but they have a
number of duties to tend to that evening as well. They will be there to make sure the
kitchens are closed down correctly at the end of class also.
Let’s all remember that culinary skills build upon earlier foundations, so continue to
emphasize things like proper knife cuts, sanitation, and proper technique as the students
go through all the classes. When possible, try to have the students use previously
learned skills in later classes, i.e. if they have already had a baking class, then the
students should make their own tart shells in later classes.
Overall, the culinary program has come a long way since its inception, and we are
always trying to make it better. All the time and effort from our instructors has certainly
not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.
Food & Business Tips
Business Sense by Bill Knapp
Don’t panic!
Even though these are tough times economically, don’t fall into the mistake that
so many restaurant owners make when there is an downturn: cutting corners. Simple reasoning explains
why this would be the biggest mistake anyone could take at this time. Our customers are feeling the
pressures of lower income, or income that does not have the buying power it once had, so why would they
continue to frequent a restaurant that is charging the same price for a dish which had been done better in the
past? There is no easier way to upset regular guests then to keep a price of a menu item, only to cut
portion size, use a lower grade of ingredient, or take away previously included side items. Taking away
even small amenities such as the after-dinner mints or the complimentary snacks at the lounge bar may not
seem like enough of an issue to make a person no longer come to your property, but look at it from their
point of view, “Hey, if these guys are hurting so bad they can’t put pretzels on the bar, what the heck else
are they slashing back in the kitchen?” Honestly, the customer makes a valid point, and once that seed has
been planted, you can never recover your regular customers who not only can make your business through
word-of-mouth, but can also break it. So how do you cut costs and, at the very least, keep your level of
service and quality the same?
The answer lies at the foundation of why got in this business; the excitement of learning. However, this
time, you are the teacher. I listen to chefs talk about how they cut maybe five $10/hr kitchen staff from 40
hours to 30 because of the downturn in business, and now they are far more efficient. Well, to that I say
“You’re not thinking like a chef…you’ve become an accountant.” Bring them back full-time! Stop buying
preportioned steaks and teach them how to break down primal cuts, same with seafood, same with
vegetables (broccoli florets! chopped lettuce! sliced mushrooms! C’mon!) Teach your staff how to break
down some chickens instead of buying 8-cut, try making your own bread, throw your toque into the dessert
arena. By doing this, what have you now done? You are building a much more loyal staff (cutting hours is
the fastest way to create turnover—and consider the costs of hiring and training), you are creating a sense
of excitement in the kitchen, you are giving back what was given to you, namely an education and the tools
to succeed. By buying the products unprocessed, you will be saving much more on the food costs than you
can on labor. You must have staff there when the doors are open, so give them the time to hone their skills
while saving you money. In fact, many times you can actually begin to offer better dishes of higher quality at
the same price points. What a wonderful thing to do for the image of your restaurant; giving the customer
better food for the same price during terrible economic times. You have increased customer satisfaction
and counts, while energizing and teaching your staff (and maybe yourself) making for everyone in the front
and back more loyal and appreciative of you. Now that is being a chef.
William Knapp; CEC, CCA, CHE, FMP, MIHTM
Food & Business Tips
A Brief History...by Jules Pernell
A BRIEF HISTORY OF…
ALAIN CHAPEL
Alain Chapel was regarded as one of the finest
French chefs. Born in Lyon in December 1937, he
received his early training by working in the kitchen
of his Father’s bistro and inn. After training in other
local shops, Chapel worked with Fernand Point at
“La Pyramide” in Vienne. In 1967, he returned to the
family bistro, now a restaurant, and gained it a
Michelin star. Upon the death of his father in 1970,
Chapel opened the inn as a hotel and in 1973 he
received his third Michelin star at the restaurant. At this time only 19
restaurants in France had received this highest of honours.
Among his most famous dishes were stuffed calf’s ears with parsley and
truffled-stuffed chicken in pork bladder .This was cooked in a rich chicken
reduction stock. New York Times food writer, Craig Claiborne praised Chapel’s
“gateau de foies blonds” as “one of the absolute cooking glories of this
generation”. For the unfamiliar, this dish consisted of pureed chicken livers and
beef marrow with a mousse-like lobster cream. A seven course meal was not
uncommon. While these dishes do not reflect nouvelle cuisine as many chefs
now think of it, a closer look at the cuisine and cooking methods of that era may
be food for thought. The Gault Millau Guide to France described a meal at Mr.
Chapels restaurant as like a “symphony”.
Alain Chapel died July 10,1990 of a stroke. At the time he was planning to open
a restaurant in Florida and was a frequent visitor to the United States. His wife
Suzanne and his sons kept the hotel open after his death. Chef Phillip Jousse was
elevated to head chef and had full charge of the menu under the condition that
Chapel’s classics were featured.
In the 1950’s young French chefs Bocuse, Guerarrd and Chapel invented what
was to become nouvelle cuisine. This style replaced some of the heavier sauces,
featured small portions and large plates with food featured as art. Today, French
cuisine is often a combination of the two.
Jules Pernell; CEC, CCE, FMP
Food & Business Tips
The Culinary Institute by John Lindower
Networking, Partnering, Sustainable, Going Green
All buzz words of the decade but how do we really incorporate them into our
daily operations. In years past at CIC we have practiced the 80-20 rule, meaning
80% of our products come from one supplier and 20% came from everyone
else. In years past this meant Partnering with one main supplier that best suits
your service level needs, quality level, HACAAP controls, and cost controls.
This also helped your Green Efforts in reducing the number of deliveries, trucks
on the road, paper work reduced, along with reduced labor efforts. One of the
down falls in the past of this system is Chef’s might have to give up getting a
locally grown or produced product or choice of cost over sustainability. This is
seemingly becoming less and less of an issue, as I have noticed suppliers
carrying organically produced chicken, South Carolina grown produce, South
Carolina produced spring water, as well as a host of other local sustainable
products. The questions becomes, are the customers ready for such products,
and are Chef’s ready to support these programs before they fade away into the
past. This is the time for the industry as a whole to jump on board with the
program that your supplier offers and that fits your operation, lord knows we do
not want to return to the days of having a choice of only one green bean. Letting
our customers know our Collards come from Lexington County, or our eggs
come from North Carolina is just one more step you can help with to build a
food service distribution system we can all live with. If your suppliers of choice
are not talking about these choices then you need to start asking the questions, is
it really in your best interest to support the shrimp industry in China, or could
you get shrimp from Louisiana? As the industry begins to pull back from the
over sized portions of the 80’s and 90’s this is our chance to offer quality over
quantity, local over imported, and sustainability over irresponsible.
John Lindower
Food & Business Tips
A Background Check for:
Butter
Butter has been around for at least the last 4000 years. The word butter
comes from the Greek word “bou-tyron” meaning cow’s cheese. In the
ancient world, butter may have come from the milk of many different animals
including yaks and camels.It is believed the origin of butter may come from
someone having filled an animal skin with milk before a journey and agitating
the skin so much along the way that by the time the traveler had reached his
destination he discovered a skin full of butter. This practice is still in use in
some parts of the world; skins are filled with milk and swung on tent poles until
the butter is churned.
We find references to butter throughout history including ancient Egyptian
artifacts and throughout the Bible. While we may associate garlic butter with
the cuisine of Italy, one of the most common archeological finds throughout
Ireland are barrels of ancient garlic butter buried in peat bogs. Some of these
ancient barrels go back over ten centuries and could weigh as much as a
hundred pounds.
Even in this country the standards were set for butter by congress in 1886
and have not changed much since. Although the making of butter was looked
upon as a process taking place in most homes, around 1860 machines were
put in place to industrialize the butter industry. France had a reputation for its
fine butter especially from Normandy and Brittany. In the 1860’s the demand
was so high Napoleon III offered a reward for a butter substitute to make up
for the short fall. This led to the invention of margarine which was originally
beef tallow flavored with milk, but that is another story……
Robert Stegall-Smith; CEC, ACC
Food & Business Tips
Business Sense by Bill Knapp
As mobile marketing becomes more and more like a science fiction movie where you are
addressed by name as you walk into a store, we must begin looking at the technological side of
attracting customers and stop relying on marketing strategies from the 1920’s.
I am sure all of you have seen television ads asking you to text to a number and receive deals
or promos. The companies doing that kind of advertising get your cell number when you text,
and use that to target you for future promos and store you in their immense data banks of
consumer profiles.
Until recently, nobody in the food service industry was thinking about applying some of these
new technologies to the end game of improving sales and customer retention.
All of that is now changing, and one of the agents of change is Fishbowl Inc, a technologybased
marketing company for the food service industry. This company has built e-mail and
internet marketing campaigns for over 30,000 restaurants and has the endorsement of the
National Restaurant Association. Currently, they are getting into the mobile marketing side of
advertising, which is proving a boon for many of their clients. Some examples:
Scotty’s Brewhouse in Indiana increased to-go orders placed on the internet by 500% with
a two-for-one promo that went out via email and applied only to those internet orders.
Smoothie King chain restaurant locations offer a free smoothie in exchange for a text
message from customers. The cost of the smoothie is a fraction of the value of having that
customer on an email and text list for future promos, and sales are up on promo days by
24%.
Jack-in-the-Box has even experimented with placing a small computer chip in special promo
posters that communicates with mobile devices and alerts customers to local store locations
and deals.
Building email and text number databases of customers will help connect customers and
businesses and allow restaurants to improve sales in slow periods and maximize customer
retention.
Advanced marketing methods should not be enjoyed only by the largest companies; we can
take advantage of technological advances in our restaurants by thinking outside the box and
understanding what is out there to help us. As our customers become more techno-savvy, we
need to stay on top of the game and give them reasons to keep coming back.
Chef William Knapp; CEC, CCA, CHE, FMP, MIHTM
Food & Business Tips
A Brief History...by Jules Pernell
A Brief History of….
Marie-Antoine Careme
Careme was born in Paris in 1784 of destitute parents. He
was abandoned at age ten and forced to make his own
way in the world. It is thought that he had as many as
twenty or more brothers and sisters, perhaps explaining
his cruel fate.
Careme found a job at a Parisian chophouse, working there for room and
board. He was recognized by the patisserie Bailly for his talent and drive and was
given employment. While working with Bailly, Careme became known for his
elaborate centerpieces and the invention of gros nougats and other confections. He
opened his own bake shop until 1813 at which time he began to expand on his many
culinary endeavors.
The famous French diplomat and gourmand Talleyrand-Perigord hired Careme as
his chef de cuisine when Careme was just twenty one years old. He soon extended
his skills to main courses which led to his inventions of new types of cuisines and
many culinary advances. Among his many exploits was the invention of the five
“mother sauces” as well as the chef’s toque and many more too numerous to
mention in a brief article.
Careme was indeed the most famous chef of the post-Revolution France, having
worked for Napoleon, the Rothchilds and Czar Alexander. Careme became wealthy
from the sale of his books which included perhaps thousands of recipes, French
history, kitchen design, and instruction. It is said that Careme literally gave his life
for Gastronomy. He died in 1833 at the age of 48 from carbon- monoxide poisoning
due to inhaling the toxic fumes he inhaled from the charcoal he cooked with.
Unfortunately, he was buried in an unmarked grave and no one attended his funeral
due to a cholera epidemic. Careme was known as “The King of Chefs, and the Chef
of Kings” and considered to be the first celebrity chef.
Food & Business Tips
The Culinary Institute by John Lindower
Culinary Institute at Carolina
May marked the graduation of another culinary class, and this was the
largest class to graduate in our history! Having that number of graduates is
encouraging from the standpoint of realizing that the incoming students are
committed to our program and feel they are getting a thorough and useful
certificate. The program is still dedicated to earning accreditation through
ACF or another institute, and to that end we remain optimistic that the cold
kitchen will have a full makeover before the end of the year, resulting in a
facility more geared for teaching and training.
The new rotation will be the first with internet access by using the
University’s Blackboard system. For those of you not familiar with
Blackboard, the basic principle is that we can now post any information we
need to share with the students, which they can then access with their
account. During the course of a subject, their syllabus can be made
available, handouts or worksheets can be posted, along with homework,
even testing can be done online. Blackboard is a wonderful way to get
information out to all the students without having to print numerous copies to
handout. We can also alert them to changes in the schedule without having
to contact everyone individually. For any of you wishing to learn more about
this system, contact Bill Knapp at knappw@mailbox.sc.edu, and he will be
more than willing to give you a quick primer on the program.
The Institute is also emphasizing some of the managerial aspects of our
industry by offering certificates of completion through the National
Restaurant Association’s ManageFirst program. Students will receive
certification in ServSafe, inventory, cost controls, human resources, and
hospitality management. The program is certainly becoming more rounded,
and as always, a special thanks to all of the instructors who have helped to
make the CIC a growing and improving culinary program.
Food & Business Tips
A Background Check for:
Worcestershire Sauce
Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce is probably the
most well-known product produced in Worcester and was
first produced by two chemists, John Wheeley Lea and
William Perrins. If you look at the bottle today, there is still
the message of “…from the recipe of a nobleman of the
country”; but who exactly was this nobleman, and where did he get the
recipe?
According to historians, Lord Sandy was a local aristocrat who had been
the Governor of Bengal at one point in his life. In 1835, he went to the two
chemists and asked if they could replicate a recipe he had discovered in
India. Taking on the challenge, they eventually duplicated the taste to the
nobleman’s content, and actually kept a few extra jars for themselves.
However, they tasted the concoction and could not find a way for
themselves to actually enjoy the new dish, so they took their jars and stored
them in the cellar in case they had to replicate the sauce again for Lord
Sandys. They forgot about the jars until some time later and decided to
retaste the vinegar, just to see if it had become more palatable. To their
surprise, the vinegar had mellowed wonderfully, and they decided to take
the product to market in 1837.
To this day, the ingredients are listed on the bottle, but the exact recipe
has never been revealed and remains a closely guarded secret by only a
few of the Lea and Perrins employees. Their initial success led to a
number of other copycat manufacturers, leading them to a court case, trying
to restrict the use of the name “Worcestershire Sauce.” The court decided
that anyone could use the name, but only Lea and Perrins had the right to
call theirs “Original and Genuine.”
Food & Business Tips
ACF Chef & Child Foundation Partners with
Clemson University to Provide Free Nutrition Articles
From "Vegetarian-Friendly" to "Downsizing Calories and Portions,"
articles are valuable resource to chefs, foodservice professionals and
the public.
St. Augustine, Fla., May 4, 2009-The American Culinary Federation's Chef
& Child Foundation and Clemson University have partnered to offer a
series of monthly "Culinary Nutrition News" articles. Written by
experts, articles will bridge the nutrition gap for chefs by providing
up-to-date research information. Articles will be posted on ACF's Web
site the first Monday of each month. Download the inaugural article,
"Culinary Nutrition News: Vegetarian-Friendly," today.
"Our partnership with Clemson University to promote research in the
ever-changing scenery of nutrition information will help the Chef &
Child Foundation fulfill its mission, which is to educate children and
families about proper nutrition," said Elizabeth Mikesell, CEC, AAC,
chair, ACF Chef & Child Committee, and chef-instructor at Pima Community
College, Tucson, Ariz.
Topics to expect in 2009:
* May: Vegetarian-Friendly
* June: Allergen Awareness
* July: Fiber-Rich
* August: Calorie Countdown
* September: Healthful Cooking Techniques
* October: Downsizing Calories and Portions
* November: Demystifying Lipids
* December: Diabetic Menu Makeover
Experts in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department at Clemson
University will utilize research teams, its research kitchen and its CU
CHEFS(r) (Clemson University's Cooking and Healthy Eating Food
Specialists) program to bring the most important nutrition research to
the public and the foodservice industry.
Food & Business Tips
Business Sense
by
-William Knapp; FMP, CEC, CCA, CHE, MIHTM
The most common question I get from chefs, restaurateurs, students, and just people interested in the environment is: What is sustainable seafood and how do I know if I am using it? Unfortunately, that is a difficult question to answer because there are no clear-cut answers for many of the seafoods. This month, however, I will try to give you some guidelines to follow for the most common fish we use.
To begin with, sustainable seafood is seafood from either fished or farmed sources that can maintain or increase production in the future without jeopardizing the ecosystems from which it was acquired. This means it is seafood we are not harvesting faster than the population can be replenished, or the farms we are harvesting from are not destroying other systems. It is extremely hard for us to know exactly which fish are being caught correctly, but let’s go over some of the more common fish:
American catfish, tilapia, trout: Farmed is the way to go with these fish, but try to use farmed in the United States vs ones farmed in China. The Chinese use many pollutants which hurt nearby waters.
Crabs: Blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay will be completely gone in the next few years. Try using Oregon and Washington dungeness, as they are the model crab fisheries for the world.
Salmon: Wild Alaskan salmon is the best bet here. A lot of people think that if the salmon is farm-raised, it must be sustainable, but that is not always true. Farm-raised on the East coast uses so many chemicals and pollutants, that they are destroying the neighboring eco-systems. Over fishing in the Atlantic is also becoming a problem. If you can’t get wild Alaskan, at least use wild or farm-raised from the West coast.
Scallops: Farm raised is the only way to go here (unless you can get true diver scallops). Wild scallops are harvested by dredging the ocean floor, which destroys other ecosystems. Also, use a dry pack to avoid have scallops pumped full of sodium tripolyphosphate.
Shrimp: This is probably the hardest to determine because of the pollutants being used in the farm raised, and the by-catch waste being destroyed in wild catch. Personally, I think the best option is to use farm raised in the US, and especially if it is labeled as organic-simply because there are not so many chemical contaminants. At the very least, avoid farmed shrimp from the Far East.
Definitely avoid Atlantic cod, grouper, orange roughy, Atlantic swordfish, and red snapper. As a general rule, anything from the Atlantic is being overfished or over-contaminated in farms; and the same is happening in the Far East, especially China. I know that it easier to say, “What is the difference if I use a couple cases of grouper, it’s not going to change anything.” Well, if we turn our heads to the destruction of our foods, future generations will never know the wonderful tastes and experiences we have enjoyed and, unfortunately, taken for granted. Let your staff and guests know why you will not use certain seafoods, and they will respond with more respect and loyalty to our restaurants and industry.
-William Knapp; FMP, CEC, CCA, CHE, MIHTM
A BRIEF HISTORY OF…
JEAN ANTHELME BRILLAT-SAVARIN
by
-Brillat-Savarin Chef Jules Pernell; FMP, CEC, CCE
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a French lawyer and politician, was born in 1775 in Bresse, a region well known for food and wine. He was among the first to write about cuisine and gained fame as an epicure and gastronome. A brilliant individual, Brilliat-Savarin studied law, chemistry and medicine in Dijon. As a politician he was first elected magistrate, then mayor of his town. He was forced to flee the country after the French Revolution, eventually making his way to New York where he supported himself by teaching French and giving violin lessons. He met Thomas Jefferson and persuaded him to part with his wild turkey recipe while visiting Philadelphia. Brillat- Savarin returned to France in 1776 where he was a judge and writer. The rest of his life was spent entertaining friends and dining at the finest French restaurants. A prolific journalist, his gastronomic memoirs filled many pages with recipes and anecdotes.
Brillanr –Savarin is most well known for his work, The Physiology of Taste, published in 1825, and the book has not been out of print since. The most noted English translation was done by M. F. K. Fisher, food writer and critic in 1949 and is held in high esteem by all noted culinarians. He was so well respected that a cheese, an omelet, and a salmon dish all bear his name. Often considered the father of the low-carbohydrate diet, he may be better known for his famous quotes such as “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are”. He died in 1826 just one year after completing The Physiology of Taste.
“A dessert without cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye.”
-Brillat-Savarin Chef Jules Pernell; FMP, CEC, CCE
A Warm and Icy month at The Culinary
by
John Lindower The Culinary Institute at Carolina Interim Director
As the truck rolls up to the campus at the University of South Carolina, you can feel the excitement in the air, well, in between the rain drops. Seventeen blocks of ice are delivered to the Horseshoe as the Culinary students begin to gather with a mix of chainsaw heaven and fear painted across their faces. Chef Jeff Quasha, Banquet Chef from Ruth’s Chris and our instructor for advanced Garde Manager, goes over the safety instructions and ice carving advice. Students from USC begin to stop by to see what is happening which is the perfect end to a class full of sausage stuffing, pate confusion, and more hors d’oeuvres then you can shake a gherkin at.
Rotation 22 now begins their last class of advanced baking and pastry with Chef George Bozko, from the Embassy Suites hotel. One student was heard to say as they were tasting chocolate caramel sauce, sabayon sauce, and pastry cream, “Wow this is really great —I am going to need to run an extra ½ mile a day.” In this world of fantastic frozen pre-made desserts, I believe it is important to maintain at least one in-house dessert selection, or we may lose the art of pastry altogether.
Rotation 23 has just tourne’d their way out of vegetable and starches right and go into the sauté pan of meats and proteins class. For any one that has completed the program in the last seven years, knows what a heartless instructor this class has. From land to sea with a whole lot of food costing, math and more math, every student will need a mental health day after it is over.
Tax day has come and gone, but for me it will always be the day six Culinary students gave their time beginning at 5:45 am (that’s when the sun is in the east) to help the ACF midlands chapter at Harbison West Elementary school. We fed around five hundred kids a nutritional, hot breakfast, and then for the next 3 hours taught them about healthy living habits, sanitation, and nutrition. I can not stress enough the importance of giving back to the community that has given all of us so much, and I heard more than one student say they wanted to be a Chef when they grow up. I personally think it is the power of the paper toque.
John Lindower The Culinary Institute at Carolina Interim Director
Business Sense
by
-William Knapp; FMP, CEC, CCA, CHE, MIHTM
I know we have all been made aware of the “greening” of the restaurant industry and society in general. I am also aware of all the excuses for not implementing any of the ideas; “It costs too much…”, “We’re too etc, etc… I know the excuses, because I, too, have used them. The truth of the matter, however, is that this is neither some passing fad, nor does it have to be a burden to you and your staff. Just a few new ideas, implemented as new standing procedures, will really begin to have a positive effect on your current costs. In the next few newsletters, we’ll easy ideas to start this very day, and let you know what our hospitality association is working on for state “green” certifications.
One of the fastest, easiest things to do is to stop using disposables for employee meals and drink. A few plastic cups that are washed at the end of the shift will save you hundreds of dollars at the end of the year; the McCutchen House switched to re-usable plates and cups from the Styrofoam, and our paper expenses have already dropped two to three hundred dollars a month! Now I understand that we have many more people going through our kitchens than almost all of you, but take notice of all the cups your employees are throwing away and to see what I mean; especially if they are also using disposable silverware and plates.
The obvious suggestions of turning off lights when not in use has been discussed ad nauseam, but remember that lighting costs can be saved in other ways: Slow night? Close off a section or banquet rooms and shut them down; replace old bulbs with energy efficient ones (they cost more but are changed less); only turn on necessary dining room lights for opening and clean-up—you don’t wipe down salt and pepper shakers! Outside signs may not need lit during the daytime-especially in the summer, exit signs should be LEDs, vending machine lights can be turned off, especially those in employee break rooms.
We’ve only touched the surface of we will continue to look at different procedures that are not only eco-friendly, but friendly to our bottom line as well. Remember, restaurants use 5 times more energy per square foot than commercial buildings; we need to become leaders not only in our industry, but role models for other industries as well.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF…..
Fernand Point
by
Jules Pernell; CEC, CCE, FMP
The French restaurateur Fernand Point (1897-1955) was the father of modern French cuisine and considered by many to be one of the greatest chefs ever.
His restaurant “La Pyramide” was located near Lyon, France in a small town. From this remote location he earned the three star Michelin Award and trained a generation of French Master chefs including Paul Bocuse and Alain Chapel . Point opened his restaurant shortly after World War I and pioneered many of the aspects of nouvelle cuisine.
As a small boy, he was introduced to cooking by his mother and grandmother, both cordons bleus cooks at his father`s restaurant. Cordon bleus originally referred to an award given to women chefs .Point moved to Lyon in 1922 to pursue his culinary endeavors. He built on the foundations of la grande cuisine and was the culinary and cultural intermediary between Escoffier and nouvelle cuisine. He would often work from five o`clock am until 11 o’clock hand.
Married in 1930, his wife Mary-Louise became an intricate part of the restaurant. She was in charge of service and attended to most all details associated with the business. This allowed Point time to concentrate even more on his remarkable cuisine and the expansion of his restaurant, although he was adamant about limiting the number of seats to fifty.
Fernand Point is not very well known today but his book Ma Gastronomie is an undisputed culinary classic and a “must read” for any serious culinarian.
The Culinary Institute at Carolina
Big Trouble at The Culinary
by
John Lindower Interim Director
The Culinary Institute at Carolina
Of course it is the kind of trouble everyone in foodservice wants to have: too many customers. We began a new class in January with 20 students, with more on the waiting list then we have ever had. When you have that many students and one Chef/ instructor all in a kitchen designed for 12, you can imagine the kind of territorial battle for working space that will happen. Even with the redesigned kitchen classroom and the new stainless steel from floor to ceiling we have out grown our space. The silver lining in all this, even with all the uncertainty in the finance world, the culinary arts are as strong as ever. As a side note, the next class beginning in July is already full and the next class beginning January 2010 is filling quickly.
We welcome Chef Dave Grillo as a new instructor in the Soup, Stocks, and Sauce class. Dave stirred things right in with rewriting the syllabus with more focus on classic sauces and knife skills. I notice some students already complaining about the cooks’ callous from holding their Chef’s knife correctly, go figure.
We also have the pleasure of welcoming back Chef Ed Chinners CEC, CCA. He has just finished taking the students on an around the world trip in International Cuisine featuring dishes from every region of the world. Chef Chinner’s practical was a two-hour, on your own, culinary test topped off with wine parings from 7 different countries, I wonder how the wine from Romania tasted?
I wish to thank US Foodservice for allowing some of our students to help with their recent food show, as well as the ACF Midlands Chapter for allowing 6 students to help with the culinary competition. The Culinary looks forward to many partnering opportunities in the future.
I wish to welcome in advance all alumni of The Culinary Institute at Carolina to an alumni reception hosted by McCutcheon house and The ACF Midlands Chapter on May 4th. I hope you all will be able to visit the new kitchen classroom and hear of all the future improvements planned for the program. Information will be mailed to you in the next coming weeks.
Food for Thought
Halogen lamps
Halogen lamps are the latest innovation to simplify the cooking process. These lamps provide heat that bakes broils, browns, roasts and grills. Halogen ovens are now available with 240-volt electrical power receptacles or counter top receptacles. The 240-volt ovens cook up to eight times faster than conventional ovens.
Food for Thought
SODIS
The Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS)
process is a simple technology used to improve
the microbiological quality of drinking water.
SODIS used solar radiation to destroy pathogenic
microorganisms which cause water borne
diseases.
SODIS is ideal to treat small quantities of
water. Contaminated water is filled into
transparent plastic bottles and exposed to full
sunlight for six hours. Sunlight is treating the
contaminated water through two synergetic
mechanisms: Radiation in the spectrum of UV-A
(wavelength 320-400m) and increased water
temperature. If the water temperatures raised
above 50*C, the disinfection process is three
times faster.
Food for Thought
Secret Island where wild Key Limes
grow
Located somewhere in one of Florida’s secret
sanctuaries is a small island (key) that still
has its original Key Lime grove. The island,
located a few kilometers from the mainland,
still has about 30 – 35 producing Key Lime
trees that were originally planted many years
ago. Only a few lucky local natives know the
exact location of the grove and make periodic
voyages to gather this succulent fruit.
Tip of the Month
THE MIDDLE EAST Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt
The diet of the Arabs consist for the most part of dates, bread and mutton, supplemented on festive occasions by the meat and the milk of the camel; this remains the essential menu of the Bedouin throughout the Arab world.
Tip of the Month
Thai
In Thailand, soups usually stay on the table throughout the meal. They can serve as a sauce for rice or dishes that have no sauce of their own. Some soups, such as Hot & Sour Fish Soup, are very light and can be served as a first course, whereas others are more substantial and may be served as a light lunch or supper dish. Finger foods, particularly when sold on the street, is very popular in Thailand. Items like Spring Rolls or Hot Chili Relish with Crudités can be served as an appetizer or as a party food with drinks. Chilies are an essential ingredient in many Thai dishes, and if you are not used to them, add them with caution.
Tip of the Month
The Key Lime Tree
The Key Lime tree (actually a large bush) is
easy to identify. If the branches have thorns...
then it is a true Key Lime tree!
The most favorite bar drink using real fresh
Key Limes is the Margarita.
Many women claim that hair shampoo made
with Key Limes produces the best and longest
lasting sheen.
Key Lime trees are extremely cold sensitive
and cannot be expected to survive in freezing
temperatures, but a small Key Lime tree can
be grown inside.
Calculating Food Cost
When interviewing for a job, calculating food cost, food cost percentages and sales price can be key questions to success.
Food Cost =
Sales Price x Food Cost% (FC = SP x FC%).
Sales Price =
Food Cost / Food Cost % (SP = FC / FC%).
Food Cost % =
Food Cost / Sales Price (FC% = FC / SP).
ENSURING FOOD SAFETY
1. Controlling Time and Temperature: Microorganisms cannot survive or reproduce outside certain temperature ranges.
2. Practicing Good Personal Hygiene: *Proper hand washing *Enforcing rules regarding eating, drinking and smoking *Preventing the ill from working with food *General cleanliness.
How healthy are healthy foods?
Yes some foods may fight diseases and prolong life, but we often forget just because a food is healthy doesn’t mean it’s calorie-free. We often eat too much of a healthy food and that cancels out the benefits it provides.
Food Facts
FOOD HISTORY 101
“Stick your finger in a Peach and live a long time ”
Taoist Philosophy
by Brandon Velie
The history of Peaches is a rather
interesting one and I have to
admit I was surprised by it a
little. I always think of Peaches as
a southern staple and have
always just assumed they
were a product of the
Americas. In fact peaches
were the first fruit crop
domesticated in China about
4000 years ago and had
a lot of religious significance to
the Chinese. Peaches were believed
to be a symbol of longevity and
tranquility. It was said that
Mother Hsi Wang Mu ’s peach
garden appeared only once every
3000 years and the resulting fruit
was used to make the gods elixir of immortality.
From Asia the peach made its way
to Ancient Greece and Rome where
it was believed to be an
aphrodisiac. The peach was the
fruit of Venus and also symbolized
truth, a peach with a leaf
attached was believed
to represent the union of
the heart and tongue,
hence truth. As with many
historical topics it is
debated when the peach made its
first appearance in the Americas,
some say the mid to late 1600 ’s and
others say not until the early 1700 ’s.
Either way I am glad it is here and
glad to be living right near
Edgefield county which
is now the peach capital of the world.
TIPS of the TRADE
by Bill Knapp, FMP
Effective Management
We often become callous to just how dangerous a kitchen can be as a workplace. How many other “offices” require employees to work with scalding pots, sharp knives, or slippery floors? As managers, we can never allow ourselves to become complacent when it comes to the safety of our employees. Proper training and internal feedback are keys to establishing a safe work environment.
By following a few simple rules, and authorize employees to make sure the rules are followed, kitchens can become both safe from injury and less physically demanding as well.
Rule #1: Form and empower a safety committee
The best way to discover possible safety hazards is to simply talk to the employees. The people working in the kitchen know firsthand any area or action that may be hazardous. Every employee recognizes dangerous activities or occurrences that put them at personal risk. Allow them to voice their concerns and listen. Work together to establish new safety rules, without dismissing these actions as being too inefficient or toocostly. Think of the costs involved should an employee become injured. Also, empower any employee to stop any action or situation that is dangerous. There is no excuse for putting a co-worker at risk of injury.
Rule #2: Allow the committee to work autonomously
The safety committee should be formed of employees representing all areas of kitchen personnel and front of the house, also. Management should not act as the group leader, but more in a consulting role. The reason for management not directing the safety team is to establish that the employees are in charge of their safety, and that management is not purposely overlooking any safety concerns because of cost to correct them. Once the committee makes recommendations, it is management’s duty to make the situation right. Failure to do so makes the committee meaningless.
Rule #3: Train employees in all aspects of safety
Kitchen safety is not limited to eliminating horseplay. The first type of injury thought of in a kitchen is a cut, but slip and fall is the number one type of injury in a kitchen, followed by muscle pulls/strains, burns, and, finally, cuts. Employees need to understand the importance of a dry, non skid floor. They need to know how to use equipment safely. First aid and the use of fire extinguishers should be taught. Proper lifting techniques are also important. Correct use and storage of a knife is not enough; how to sharpen a knife is equally important because dull knives cause more injuries than sharp knives. Take the time to teach employees how to work smarter and safer.
Rule #4: Always complete and file accident reports
Unfortunately, no matter how much attention to safety your kitchen adheres to, there will be times when an employee gets hurt. No matter how minor the incident may seem at the moment, take the time to fill out an accident report. Small cuts can become infected. Minor slips can result in strains or pulls. By documenting all these accidents, not only can a manager determine any certain problem areas that exist, but they also have documentation for any future claims an employee may make. By having all incidents reported, insurance companies can handle claims correctly.
Rule #5: Be vigilant
Once an unsafe condition or action is discovered, act immediately. Correct the action on the spot and explain why the act is unsafe. If you encounter an unsafe condition, immediately take the proper steps to have the situation fixed, either by internal maintenance crews or by calling an outside company. The key is to act swiftly. Remember, you can never put a cost on employee safety.
Safety concerns should never be taken lightly. Showing true concern for the well-being of your employees not only helps with insurance concerns, but it is also the right thing to do. If anyone has any more questions, please feel free to contact me at 777-2380.
Chef Bill Knapp, FMP
TIPS of the TRADE
by Bill Knapp, FMP
Effective Management
Over the past two months, we have discussed hiring employees and involving them within the restaurant. This month, we will focus on the unpleasant task of disciplining errant employees.
Remember, disciplinary actions should be viewed as an opportunity to reinforce company rules and to recognize any lapses in our training programs. Sometimes we can get caught up in the day-today operation of the restaurant and find it easier to simply accept an employee’s no-show or chronic tardiness with a “don’t-let-it-happen-again” speech. Unfortunately, some employees will take advantage of our laissez-faire attitude and continue the unwanted behavior until we are forced into a corner. Proper and timely action will help build a stronger understanding and respect for accepted behaviors.
No manager should boast about the number of employees they have fired. The failure of an employee to become an asset to the company is also the failure of a manager. At some point during the employee’s association with the company, the manager shirked their responsibility to the employee. They may have slipped in the interview process, they may not have kept the employee abreast of company rules, or they may have projected an unreasonable image. In any case, there are certain rules a manager must adhere to in order to make the disciplinary process effective.
Rule #1:
Terminate the employee at the beginning of a shift
Unfortunately, I have worked under many chefs who never obeyed this rule. Knowing that they were going to fire an employee, some chefs will allow them to work the shift; assigning them the worst possible tasks to be completed. This is completely unprofessional and unproductive. As a representative of the company, you must always act in a professional manner, even if you don’t feel the employee did the same for you. Even if an employee does something inexcusable during a shift, send them home immediately. When they next arrive for work, then you should let them go. Allow yourself a cooling down period before acting. Sometimes, a deeper problem may be discovered when we have time to think through a situation.
Rule #2:
Document! Document! Document!
Can I say that one more time? Document every instance of an employee breaking company rules. I know it is very easy to give one of your better employees a second chance, but where do you draw the line between the same acts being recorded or not recorded? You never want one employee to feel like they are being singled out, or that others are getting special treatment. If your company decided a rule was important enough to be written into an employee handbook, then it is important enough to be followed.
Rule #3:
Make sure the employee is aware of any wrong actions
If an employee is issued a written warning, then they must also sign off on it. Give them space to write if they agree or disagree with the warning, which is fine, but they must be made aware that a disciplinary action has been taken. If an employee is unaware that they have done something wrong, there is no reason for them to stop the offending action.
Rule #4:
Have a clear line of disciplinary progression
Whether the progression is: verbal warning, written warning, then termination, make sure the employee is aware of the next step. If you issue a formal verbal warning, let the employee know that the next action will be a written warning, and then dismissal. Whatever the steps are for your company, you must follow them. How many employees are still on our payroll that are on “double-secret probation” or we have told, “…and this time, I’m serious!” If we don’t follow the prescribed progression, then the entire disciplinary process becomes ineffective.
Rule #5:
Make a termination away from the staff, but include one witness
Never fire someone in front of the entire staff. Some managers seem tothink that letting someone go in front of everyone sends a strong message.This may be true, but the message being sent is not one that you want. In the eyes of your employees, you are simply showing off. The actual dismissal should be done in the office, with another member of the management team present. By having one other person there, the employee can never come back and accuse you of letting them go for some reason other than what was noted in their file.
No one should enjoy firing someone. Being a manager means helping your employees succeed, and when they don’t, then we are the ones who have failed. Sometimes there are circumstances that we were completely unable to foresee, but the majority of the time, a problematic employee is the result of our poor management. We must be fair in disciplining employees, but when we have someone stumble, we have to examine whether or not we may have been the cause. If anyone has any more questions, feel free to contact me at 777-2380.
by Bill Knapp, FMP
TIPS of the TRADE
by Bill Knapp, FMP
The best hiring process is to promote from within. This not only creates goodwill within the operation, but also preserves the corporate culture and reduces training costs. However, the position that was vacated will also have to be filled, and the following are just some of the many suggestions for an effective hiring program. Adhering to these rules may be difficult because no one wants to be understaffed for very long, but patience will definitely pay off in the long run.
--Rule #1: Set specific times to accept applications
If you run a help wanted ad, state that applications will only be accepted at certain times on a few dates. It is much easier for staff to have applications and pens already waiting for the applicants than to constantly be called away to do this. Also, only those applicants who are truly interested in the position will make the effort to set aside time in their day to apply, as opposed to people who will come in at their own convenience.
--Rule #2: Conduct a phone interview
After screening the applications, conduct a phone interview with potential employees. The purpose of this interview is to answer basic questions, such as: are they well-spoken, can they work the hours required, do they meet all bona fide requirements, etc. This simple interview may eliminate some applicants early, and remember, if you can’t reach them by phone now, how difficult will it be when they are hired?
--Rule #3: Schedule interviews in a timely manner
Try to interview potential employees soon after the phone interview. Do not wait too long, because they may find another position while waiting for you. Also schedule the interviews close together so that you may set aside a block of time from your day to focus solely on interviewing.
--Rule #4: Check former employers
We have a habit of hiring employees without checking on their former jobs. The only questions that need to be asked are: position held, dates of employment, and eligibility for rehire. Anything else may result in a biased answer, or may be illegal.
--Rule #5: Make a formal offer both verbally and in writing
When you hire a new employee, also write a contract stating the position title, start date, salary, and expected hours of work. This is a very simple guarantee against a new employee suddenly informing you they cannot work to closing, or any other myriad of excuses we have all encountered. Documentation and redundancy are a manager’s best friends.
--Rule #6:
Be wary of employees that don’t give notice to their current employer
We may need an employee to start immediately, but it is common courtesy to give a two-week notice of resignation to an employer. If a prospective employee will not demonstrate that courtesy to their former supervisor, there is a good chance they will do the same to you.
Although we all recognize that the hiring process is of utmost importance, we tend to disregard sound business procedures and hire on a first-come, first-served basis. Do not be afraid to juggle some schedules around for a little bit of time in order to find that perfect fit for your establishment. The few weeks of additional work and longer hours will pay off generously in the end. If anyone has any more questions, feel free to contact me at 777-2380.
Chef Bill Knapp, FMP
|
