3c reflections

You know it is funny, how life works. You have one door closes and another one opens. I have heard from so many people, "with your talent, and who you have worked for you find a job so quick!" Here is the problem I see though, I have not been the most stable of employees. I have either let my pride, money, or loss of my job hamper my resume. One of the questions that the task force chef asked me was that " you sure haven't stayed in a position for a time, you have jumped from one place to another", my response was, one that was politically correct, "well, the country club was a constant fight between corporate and the membership, I have to much pride to serve inferior product to any guest!". Is it really a resume that gets you a job? How many of you know your job, know the in's and out's but you don't get that opportunity to sit in front of the person who says nah or yea? I walk into food service places and notice things right off the bat, walk into a local Starbucks and notice 5 light bulbs out, notice an employee without hair restraint behind the counter, improper sanitation practices as well. I know I drive people crazy with pointing out all of these things, but it is my blood, it is me, it is who I am. This is not my career, it is my life, I only want o e thing, to cook. I want to be the best that I can be, no one else has to tell me (don't get me wrong, it is great to see your name in the paper or magazine) that I am great at what I do. It comes down to how many seats can I fill in the restaurant? How many times can I flip (table turns) the dining room? A restaurants true worth is the staff and how well it works together. It is the first impression that the guest sees. Who is this person? Usually, a very young inexperienced girl. Don't get me wrong but there is a position that's good for that person, but not in my restaurant. The host or hostess is the tempo or heartbeat of the restaurant. If they do not know how to sit the dining room, there goes the kitchen, down in a blaze and not of glory! If you flat seat a restaurant and your kitchen is designed along with th menu to handle 40 covers max, your dining room holds let's say 300, and they sit more than the 40! You see the math, it's like a suicide, instant death. I do not care how good your kitchen is you are going down, point said!

I feel like a race car drive, waiting for that green light so I can race off to the finish! I just want to work, and working for me is not working at all it is my hobby, my true love, my passion! I truly do feel so alive when I cook! I have some that have watched me cook and have told me that it is truly amazing watching how things come together. I have, on several occasions have had that pure uforic moment, like in Caddyshack! That perfect golf swing, you swing and just know as soon as you make contact! Do not ask me why I just to golf I have no idea why. Most of the people I have met in the industry, have fallen into because they needed money, or the life style that it let's one have. As with other chefs that have written about this field, the "pirate" like appeal that this industry has can consume people. I have worked with people that have had "meth" problems, cocaine problems, drinking issues or they know nothing else to do with their lives. They have just done this for so long they no nothing else. They're a select few that "make it" in this industry, truly a select few. This occupation, has the highest divorce, drug addiction, alcohol abuse and suicide rates. There are only a couple of other occupations that can say that, police and denist. I have my own stories that I have done, but that is not for here. I have never been addicted to drugs nor have I really experimented with them as well. I do not have a drinking problem, nor have I had suicidal thoughts. The only thing I have on that is divorce. And it was the best thing to happen to me. Not because I dislike my ex, it is because I have grown so much since then, both as a man and as a cook. I remember one thing my ex told me, she said as we signed the paper "now, you can travel and become a better chef, you do not have me to tie you down anymore!" Like I said at the opening line, one door closes and another one opens, how that rings so clearly now. We all plan our future and g-d laughs. There is a reason why things happen, we just do not know at that time why! We sit a try to wonder why it happened or try to figure out the why, and all the time we do that, we loose out! We loose out on what it is right in front of us. This time that I have been off has been emotional at best. Trying to keep my head up, trying to remain positive! Trying to find out the why, but I realize that I was burning myself out, slowly killing myself at work. Now, I get to work on my blog, work on receipes, see family, read or just do absolutely nothing at all.

I have been refreshing my culinary knowledge, you just never know when I friend is going to call you for a life line on a game show right? I keep asking myself, how many cooking techniques are there? What are the mother sauces? What is a basic pasta dough recipe? Is it that I do not know or remember? No, it is the fact that we do not use these things in our every day cooking. Like cooking techniques how many different ones are there, look it up on google and see how many different ones you get. But, here goes, dry heat like roasting broiling or sautéing; moist heat, like braising, steaming or poaching. It then can be broken-down into slower sub categories as well, like pan searing, deep fat frying, or sous vide (don't even get me started on that one), infrared cooking, induction, grilling, smoking. Well, is your head spinning yet, cause, mine is. Think about this, as a chef we need to know what cut of meat is used in what cooking method. What cooking method is the best to cook, ball tips, or flank steak or top round. What are primortal and sub primortal cuts. We need to learn the new ways that the butchers are cutting steaks, like prime rib fillets, that is a prime rib or rib eye that is cut into a circle to look like a fillet. The price, and it is so funny to hear the salesman say, oh it's not bad. My response is, what's not bad, he says $32 a pound! Hmmm, wonder what he is smoking. It seems horrible, that price not what I said back, but here is what we have to do as chefs. We have to breakdown the cost, if you serve an eight ounce portion, that's $18 on the plate! Mind you that is it, no potato, no garnish no side, no cost include for that "free" salad or how about that bread and butter. As in dragnet, just the facts! A restaurant cannot charge a huge mark up. I have a friend that sells ties and he told me his mark up, I also have a cousin that cuts shoes for a major shoe seller and he told me his mark up. You would be amazed at what the mark up is in a restaurant. The profit they say, those experts, say if a restaurant is taking between 5 to 10 percent you are doing well. Think about that for second, 5 to 10 percent. If your sales are let's say your sales are a million five, what do you think your take is? Not much at all. You have so many costs that influence that bottom line number. You have fixed cost and adjustable cost or controllable costs. Fixed costs are insurance, business licenese, electric, rent, salaried employees, water, sewage, garbage, grease trap removal, sales tax(not as much, it may go up or down but you still need to pay), payroll taxes, benefits (if you offer them), payroll costs if you have a company do them and the list goes on. Controllable cost, labor and food, done end of story that's it, well maybe advertising! Most owners stop advertising because they think they are saving money, but if your guests do not know you are there then how do you pay all thatvother stuff. Oh is my head just spinning about all of these things, why do I worry, this is how a chef keeps his job! It is not just about cooking and creating. It's about controlling your costs, all that are involved. When the profit is only between 5 to 10 percent then there is little margin for error. Order to much of oil, then it sits on your shelf collecting dust as well as tie your money up for use somewhere else. Oh, and lets not forget about maintaining your equipment, repair costs are HUGE! Companies that come to you to fix your broken fryer ot oven don't charge you for the parts and labor, they tact on the travel time to get to you as well, it robbery at it's best!

With me, I treat every restaurant like it is my own. I have to, my reputation depends on it. Here, the next job that comes, I have now had a month or so to grow, to make the choice of what chef to be. Who am I, what kind of chef do I want to be? How to motivate my next team? How to get the best price, the best quality of the supplies? How will I treat my team? I have been in a position of management for more then seventeen years now, but I still think, how can I improve? Where do I need to improve? I am constantly thinking about becoming better, better as a person and as a chef. I miss my old team, they were a great group of people. I hope I touched there lives with knowledge, passion for food, humor and respect. I just know that I need to keep evolving, I need to keep pushing myself to reach what I think is perfection. I know this, there will be no hazing in my new kitchen. Everyone, including myself will treat everyone with respect! Those that know me, know that is going to be my biggest task for me. I have no filter, I say what I want to say when o think it. How can you develop a team, if you make fun of them? I have, for the most part, kept my cool in the heat of battle. I do not yell or scream at my cooks. They only concentrate on what you yelled at them, not what you were saying, and that does not help. Lead by example, no cursing either which, again, for those that know me will be a HUGE task, but I have to. During service, it is all about service, no bs, no "hey what are you doing after your shift" when we are 8 or so tickets deep! During service it is all about fire table....picking up....walking in....and the only thing heard back from the line, heard! It has to run like that, it is all about consistency, timing and respect. There is a time and a place to have fun, during prep and that's about it. Our business is 99 % preparation and 1% perspiration, you don't finish the first you end up with the latter of the two. It is a tough business, and I only want to go into "battle" with those who are serious about their jobs! Those that just don't join the ranks because it is easy money for college or so. Not saying that is a bad thing, but I am lifer, and I want lifers next to me! It makes your job that more easier to do! I spend a lot of time with my staff, they become my family, funny how a team becomes a family, but that is what happens. When someone is "off" we help them our, that's what we do. At least that is who I am! It is not wither or not I get a job, it is a matter of when I get the job! I am ready, ready to make a name for myself, and have that crew behind me to help me achieve that ultimate goal. Watch and see, it is about to happen, I can smell it!

Live to eat

Cheffrey