janetdwms

Before we head down the "bad ole rich chef" road, just so you know, this event benefits the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. The chefs do not receive any of the proceeds. In fact, the Liasion Hotel is donating the space, Chef Art is donating most of the food (with the other chefs donating the rest), and a South African wine maker is donating the wine.

Relative to other large charity events, the price is reasonable, and this one features the talents of a number of popular chefs.

This event, in addition to a very small fund raiser to be held in NY is the major source of funding for the NMCF, USA this year. 100% of the proceeds after expenses will benefit the lives of children through various programs including working with children with disabilities, developing leadership and excellence skills and improving the lives of orphaned children. The Fund strives to support the overall wellbeing of children.

Please do not turn a charity event for a very worthy cause into something sorrid.

You may have talked with them already, but another local, and absolutely rock star, resource is the American Society for Training and Development.

Several threads on their discussion boards relate to training in a restaurant or hospitality environment. They might even have sub-chapters or committees devoted to such topics. If nothing else, as a clearinghouse for adult learning strategies, they may be able to point you to related research or practices that would boost your efforts.

Thanks, they are very helpful!

I'm looking to hear about the experience of restaurant professionals as it pertains to server and bartender training.

I wonder if you'd be willing to lend a hand with a project I'm working on? I'm compiling data about training practices, beliefs and assesment procedures used within restaurants. We don't have a lot of data in our industry regarding general practices and needs, and I believe that just a bit of data could be helpful in taking our industry to more effective training levels.

I have created a questionnaire that takes less than 10 minutes to complete regarding this topic. Would you mind taking a few minutes out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions about server and bartender training in the restaurants you've managed? In return, I'd be glad to send you the results of the survey when we're done, if you'd like.

Thank you in advance for participating. Please feel free to pass the survey on to other owners, managers or trainers you know. Please connect to this link:

http://TrainingBeliefsAssessment.questionpro.com

I look forward to hearing what you think!

Warmest Regards,

Janet Williams

I need your help! We are at a disadvantage when it comes to viable data about best business practices for our industry, especially when it comes to training. I'd like to change that, but need your help.

I am compiling data about training practices and needs in restaurants. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey at: http://TrainingBelie...questionpro.com

Thank you in advance for helping me with this very important work for our industry.

I've been around a few markets of late and haven't seen them yet.

Has anyone seen fresh strawberries? I pop into the Takoma Park market every Sunday but no luck yet.

Yesterday: Green & Black's white chocolate and strawberry ice cream (a little hangover cure)

Today: leaning toward homemade scones with some of that Irish butter Cathal likes so much...

Same restaurant, trainee fry cook didn't understand gravity very well and misplaced the pot he was dumping the old (and still 350ish) fry grease into. Instead when he opened the valve, he drained it right onto his leg. Last day we were allowed to wear shorts, like pants would have helped.

I've also seen some doosies (rather, don'tsees) in restaurants over the years... One involved a stunningly brilliant line cook who thought it'd be a great idea to invert a flat hotel tray over the cooling grease pit so he could stand on it for the purpose of cleaning the hood..... right. Pants didn't help. That was one nasty nasty mess.

At home, my first priority is trying to stay alive, no matter what creation is being whipped up in the kitchen, but things happen. I've got this gas bbq grill that is so old and such a hazzard that it really does need to be condemed. I foolishly continue to use it, even though lighting it requires a blow torch and a lot of courage. I'm still growing back eyebrows...

no-shows do not cost anything, OpenTable runs a report, sends it the restaurant, and from there you go back over the months report and denote any no-shows.

I'd have to disagree here. No shows cost the restaurant a great deal... As a courtesy, many restaurants hold reserved tables anywhere from 15-45 minutes. The table sits empty waiting for the guest with the reservation to arrive. In the meantime, there could be any number of potential diners waiting in the bar, or (even worse turned away) that could be sitting at the table, enjoying a meal and generating revenue for the restaurant.

Unfortunately, the practice of not calling or showing up is one that can really hurt a restaurant and subsequently, diners. The restaurant will eventually have to make up the lost revenue in some way, most typically through higher prices.

Just one word: "Oink!"

Janet,

Policies are set in place so the guest is informed very honestly of what we are trying accomplish. Of course, we break policy from time to time, but if no "policies" are never put into place, we have no starting point for working as we do at a "read and react" kind of pace. There are way too many human elements involved in the restaurant business so things NEVER go as planned. We know this already.

Dave,

Please know that I completely understand the need for clear and concise policies in not just restaurants, but all businesses. My point was more about the ability of managers possess the depth of judgement that allows them to know when a policy should be overlooked for the sake of a greater business need. I agree that without strong guidelines by which we operate, day to day operations would be absolute chaos!

Mark & Dave:

I think the greater point here is that as restauranteurs, we cannot become slaves to policy. Certainly we put policies in place for the purpose of reasonable and fair governance. However, instances will always occur that bring the veracity of a policy into question. I'm sure you've both been in situations where a common sense decision is made to the detriment of a policy. For instance, I recently worked on an opening for a very busy downtown restaurant that has a "no employees allowed to drink at the bar as a guest, ever" policy in place. At the same time, this establishment encourages employees to dine at the restaurant (in the dining room) with friends and family. The restaurant is incredibly busy. When an employee recently showed up for his reservation with the restaurant on a 30 minute wait, the manager had to make the critical decision to either ask the employee and party to wait at the bar (and break the policy) so that he could catch up with seating full ticket paying guests, or stick to the policy and seat the employee while having full fare guests wait. Policies must be developed based on what makes the best operational sense most of the time, with leadership's willingness to make allowances for what happens some of the time.

Much has been offered by way of thought, so I'll be brief. It was simply bad business for the restaurant not to have seated the incomplete party. The guest made every effort to inform the restaurant in advance of the not so special request. The onus was on the restaurant to communicate the requirement to the front door staff in order to avoid the ordeal that actually took place. Systems such as Open Table and other reservations databases make it quite easy to leave notes for special requests on a reservation record. Quite frankly, to accommodate your simple request was "Hospitality 101" and the restaurant failed miserably. Next time, make a point of speaking to the highest ranking manager.

NO.

4 oz flour

4 oz buttermilk

1 egg

1 oz melted butter

Eyeball:

Maple syrup/sugar

Baking soda

Cinnamon

Combine all ingredients.

There's your Batter Blaster. Tastes way better than anything you will find in a mix or spray can and takes fewer than two minutes to throw together.

Not only that, but where the Batter Blaster you need to go out and BUY, everything for from-scratch pancakes you should have on hand (with the possible exception of the buttermilk*).

*If you don't have buttermilk, try adding a tsp or so of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to plain old milk and let it sit for a few minutes. Or, forget that and just use regular milk, plain (but replace the baking soda with baking powder).

THE KITCHEN IS NO PLACE FOR MEDIOCRITY!!!

So I figured. Thanks for the easy recipe, I'll give it a try. Guess what? I happen to have buttermilk on hand from the scratch cake I made the other day. I agree...the kitchen is no place for mediocrity!

Warmest,

I drove by Open Kitchen last week, and it looks like they're gearing up for a Summer, 2009 debut. It's going to be a bistro and a wine bar, but also a commercial-grade kitchen available as a timeshare rental to caterers, bakers, etc. Based on previous postings on this website, I'm certain there's a demand for this; the only question is how much of one.

Here's their website ... click.

(What does everyone think?)

Hi Don,

It seems like an interesting concept that truly offers "something for everyone". Of course, something for everyone sometimes translates to an excellent experience for no one. We shall see if they have a winning formula in place. Who are the principals, by the way?

Warmest Regards,

Hi All,

I'm new to the blog world, been spending too much time making wine in Virginia. Barrels don't have computers, yet.

I have heard some good things about this site, and looking forward to reading about your thoughts on making the Virginia wine industry better.

Alright, left myself open to enough one-liners to fill a book, but will continue to fight for this cause. 30 years ago, New Zealand and California were in the same place.

Give me your best shot.

Chris,

I visited your winery on one of our annual VA wild wine tour limo bus parties a couple of years ago. We had an absolute blast, and I purchased as much of that yummy Chard as I could carry and then hoarded it and served it only to people that I truly like. Your winery was certainly the highlight of our trip. Bravo! I'll make sure that you top the list for this fall's trip.

Warmest Regards,

Hello DonRockwellians-

My name is Logan Cox...

long time reader of the site but have posted just a few times...

Figure it was time to come out of the anonymity.

I am the executive chef of New Heights restaurant in Woodley Park, DC.

This is the first site I read when I get home from work every night...

can't get enough, one of the best food sites around.

Thanks Don and all righteous posters out there!

Hi Logan,

This site is quite special and unique, isn't it? I've been a loyal patron of New Heights for as long as I've lived in DC, and there is such a fine legacy of chefs there... Allison Swope, David Hagedorn, John Wabeck. Umbi does a great job of recognizing talent! I saw him recently having a late night, at the bar dinner at a newly opened hot spot in DC. Please send him my hello, and I look forward to dining at New Heights again soon!

Warmest Regards,

If you're too lazy or flumoxed to just add water and shake

You can simply press a nozzle

Are those any good? Especially the "Batter Blaster". I recently saw it at Whole Foods and am wondering....

The more kitchen gadgets I buy the less I use.

I share that sentiment... For years I wanted a mandoline, oh how I wanted it! I imagined all the fancy garnishes I could make to amaze and impress dinner guests...the possibilities were endless! As it turns out, I've had the (top of the line, French) mandoline for 4 years, and have used it exactly once! I'm so intimidated by the thing that I can't bring myself to use it!

Rising Star Chef of the Year: Nate Appleman, A16, San Francisco

Thanks for posting the results... sorry not to see my DC favorites, but kuddos to Nate of A16, which is always on the "must visit" list when in SF.

Hello!

I'm excited to finally join this online community. I'm a 20 year resident of Washington DC, a restaurant consultant by trade and an avid food and wine enthusiast by practice. I look forward to sharing information and musings with all of you!

Warmest Regards,