Latest Posts
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THE IMPORTANCE OF WINE TO THE CULTURE OF FOOD
It could be a cyclical phenomenon in the marketplace, maybe a trend towards healthier lifestyles. One might consider the role that legalized marijuana plays in creating an alternative. Or it could be possible that craft beers have captured part of… Continue reading
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KITCHEN WINS AND LOSSES
I love to watch sports, especially football. I am a true-blue fan of my team and know that their performance sets the tone for my week. I reluctantly accept that sometimes, a loss occurs and although it stings, after a… Continue reading
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CHEFS – HOW COMMITTED ARE YOU?
On a scale of one to ten there are levels of commitment to any career and in some cases, there is a place for individuals at each of those levels. One does, however, get out what they put in. So,… Continue reading
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A COOK’S HOLIDAY
It’s a common question with an anticipated joyful answer: “So what are your plans for the holidays?” To most, the answer involves gathering with family and friends, long tables with more than ample food, kitchens full of wannabe family cooks… Continue reading
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EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING ARE CRITICAL SKILLS FOR CHEFS
It might be the cockiness of an accomplished cook, the well-rehearsed smile from a seasoned server, the rough and tumble arrogance of a tattooed grill cook, or the quiet demeanor of a dishwasher who shows up and does their job… Continue reading
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RESTAURANTS – DON’T ACCEPT WEAK BUSINESS
The last few days have been slow – business is off from last week as well as the same time last year. Our weekly ad in the paper is consistent, and we posted our specials for the week on Monday.… Continue reading
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RESTAURANT CONCEPT CHOICES
You wake up in the middle of the night with a flash of inspiration. There is so much uncertainty in the job market, you’re not happy with your current situation, your mind craves a career that excites you, and now… Continue reading
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DOES YOUR RESTAURANT HAVE A CHANCE AT SUCCESS?
For generations, opening a restaurant was viewed as a fairly easy way to become an entrepreneur. Start with a concept idea (obviously, one that no one has ever thought of before-‘satire’), find a good location, invest every penny you have,… Continue reading
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CHEFS- THE IMPORTANCE OF BOREDOM
Our lives are hectic, complicated, overwhelming at times, and filled with anxiety. We program ourselves to be overbooked and when we have a spare minute, we immediately look for something else to fill that space. The first reaction is to… Continue reading
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MAKING YOUR DENT IN THE UNIVERSE
Eighty years or so goes by way too quickly. When we’re twenty, the world is an open book, a highway with plenty of side roads to choose from. The direction you take early on can determine the quality of your… Continue reading
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ARE YOU EXCEPTIONAL?
What does it mean to be exceptional? What does it take to get there? How does one measure exceptional performance? Are some people born to be exceptional? Is it a genetic gift or, is it possible that we all have… Continue reading
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COOKING FROM JOB TO PASSION
It started in an unassuming manner – you needed a job, a local restaurant was hiring, and it just seemed to fit the bill. Maybe you began as a dishwasher or counter person in a quick service operation or an… Continue reading
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CULINARY CONTEXT AND TRADITION
“Wax on, wax off.” Most people over the age of fifty are familiar with this instruction from Mr. Miyagi, the karate master in the seminal movie – the Karate Kid. This discipline helped to prepare the student for the flow… Continue reading
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CHEFS – IT’S DIVERSITY THAT MAKES US INTERESTING
(Llyod the Jamiacan Sous Chef and Frenchie the Butcher (1971) I’m a bit puzzled by those who somehow consider diversity, a problem to be dealt with. I fully understand the need for legal parameters to control entry and citizenship but… Continue reading
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ENGAGED IN LIFE
As a consultant I was often faced with the challenge of determining what is missing. Why isn’t a particular business successful when their location was great, the product was well prepared, the facility was attractive and clean, and pricing was… Continue reading
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A CRYSTAL BALL LOOK AT THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS OF TOMORROW
Restaurants, in some form, have been around since the days of the Greek and Roman Empires. The modern version had its roots in models built in hotels during the time of Carême to sophisticated free-standing operations under the helm of… Continue reading
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CLICK TWICE BEFORE COOKING
What is that secret ingredient in a special restaurant; you know, the one that everyone clamors to score a reservation at? Who are their vendors? Do they have arrangements with an exclusive fish monger, a farmer who grows exceptional vegetables… Continue reading
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RESTAURANTS THRIVING IN A COMPETITIVE WORLD
Operating a restaurant is a brutal undertaking filled with uncertainty, tough reality, highs and lows, and sometimes unwanted reckoning. If you are already running a restaurant, you fully understand this and if you hope to operate a restaurant you have… Continue reading
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CHEF’S – PROTECT THE CRAFT
The temptation of convenience can be very strong in a world where success is measured solely in dollars and cents and the labor pool is as challenging as it is today. Don’t misunderstand me – profit is a noble pursuit… Continue reading
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A CHECKLIST TO RESTAURANT EXCELLENCE – Part One
A friend once told me that operating a restaurant is not rocket science. I’m sure he meant well, although my initial reaction was to get a bit defensive. We all know that running a restaurant is enormously difficult, thus the… Continue reading
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PROMISES MADE; PROMISES KEPT
Harvest America Cues Blog is back! I hope you enjoy this first article after a two-month respite. As a cook or chef, what is your promise to yourself? This may seem like a strange question unworthy of investing time, but… Continue reading
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CHEFS – BE A ROLE MODEL
Finding your purpose, making a difference, and creating your legacy are underlying goals that every chef seems to hold close. How important is this and in the big scheme of things, does it really matter? We invest so much time… Continue reading
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“SHELTER ME, I WILL SHELTER YOU”
So many times, throughout my life in the kitchen, I would watch in wonder at the patchwork of honest, fragile, determined, sociopathic, caring, hardworking, sensitive, brutal misfits (I mean that in the best way) people who tie on an apron… Continue reading
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THE CHEF’S SECRET INGREDIENT – CONTEXT
Memorable food, exceptional experiences, a perfect evening…these are the types of reviews that every chef hopes for and every restaurant strives for. Is it possible to set the stage for these reactions? What would it take for guests to rave… Continue reading
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STEPPING INTO PROFESSIONALISM
There are kitchens and there are kitchens. Painting the environment that surrounds cooking with the same brush is unfair and quite inaccurate; yet many do. Those operations that resemble the caldrons of hell filled with arrogance, bullying, unprofessional behavior, and… Continue reading
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SUMMER IS PURE TORTURE FOR COOKS
Since we were able to walk – summer has represented a time of freedom, fun, blue skies, dipping our feet in the ocean or a neighbor’s pool, and great music to sooth the soul. Well, if your career path focused… Continue reading
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ODE TO A CULINARY GRADUATE
To every graduate of a culinary program – the world is now your oyster. You are in control so don’t waste the opportunity to be someone special, to make a difference, to find happiness and fulfillment, and build a future… Continue reading
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CHEFS – MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIP WITH INGREDIENTS
Is our profession becoming a victim of circumstances? There is a deeper price to pay when looming issues like the labor shortage, rising costs of operation, an eroding passion for careers in the kitchen, and diminishing profits haunt our everyday… Continue reading
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YOUNG COOKS – CREATE YOUR FUTURE
How eager are you to reach that position of chef? Are you hungry enough to do what you need to do, to build a plan and stick with it? Are you serious about cooking, creating, coaching a team, and contributing… Continue reading
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THE LINE COOK’S DANCE
I vividly remember being 10 years old, standing outside a diner window in downtown Buffalo, New York with my mother as I stared in amazement of the short order cook in full display. I only recall snippets of experiences from… Continue reading
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THE CRAFT OF COOKING
Talent is a word that inspires some and scares away many more. The word artist falls into the same category. In both cases there is an assumption that you either have it or you don’t, that talent and artistic ability… Continue reading
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WHAT WOULD ESCOFFIER SAY
It’s been 89 years since Escoffier stood in front of a range for the last time, yet his presence is still felt by professional cooks and chefs. One could claim, and rightfully so, that he had the greatest influence on… Continue reading
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THE BREAD BAKER’S LIFE
It’s 2 a.m. and you’re wide awake knowing that in sixty more minutes your workday begins. It’s been this way, your routine, for more than a dozen years now. The sun won’t even break the horizon for a few more… Continue reading
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CHEFS – DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE CRAFT
I was listening to a person the other day who was involved in the restaurant business. He was making a point about how we (those of us who work or have worked in kitchens) need to embrace more technology and… Continue reading
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EYES WIDE OPEN, EYES WIDE SHUT
There is a real dichotomy in understanding, a gap in understanding between the employer and employee and how each views the work at hand. I’m sure it’s true in many industries, but let’s just focus on the business of restaurants.… Continue reading
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CHARGING FOR BREAD -SERIOUSLY?
A new word has been bantered about over the past few months, a word that ticks off consumers and demonstrates either greed or an inability to understand the public’s perception of “value”. “Shrinkflation” is a descriptor for reducing the size… Continue reading
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ACCOMPLISHED COOK – WHEN COMPETENCE ECLIPSES A LACK OF CONFIDENCE
Most of us have been there at some point. You know the feeling and you shake your head thinking back to those moments. You thought you were good, a solid line cook or prep cook, a couple years of experience… Continue reading
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MY HEART ACHES
I’m angry and my heart aches for the seven World Central Kitchen volunteers who were killed in Gaza. Of course, we all feel for the thousands who have been killed in this war and the dozens of other conflicts that… Continue reading
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THE KING IS IN THE HOUSE
Is there any real value to nostalgia? How clear is our memory and how often do we tend to embellish on the positive and diminish the negative? Looking back can provide us with context and content for making future decisions… Continue reading
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RELISH THE CRAFT
Craftsmanship – it truly is something to admire. You see it, if you look, in nearly every small town and village, in those homes that are a century old, in those hard-to-find mechanical watches, in handmade guitars, violins, and cellos,… Continue reading
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CHOOSE TO BE GREAT
When you walk into your kitchen today, what do you see? When you watch finished plates slide down the pass ready for service, what do you see? When you walk through the dining room and observe service and interactions between… Continue reading
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KITCHEN GROUPISM VS. TEAM
We all remember them from high school days – those cliques of conformity based on a desire to “fit in” – right? The cool people with whom you would do or say anything just to be accepted. Be mean, hurtful,… Continue reading
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CHEFS – REMEMBER, REFLECT, RELISH, AND SHARE
There was a time, maybe not too long ago, when you knew very little about food and cooking. There was an initial moment, maybe as a young guest in a restaurant, or possibly as a “first job” dishwasher, when the… Continue reading
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SWING FOR THE FENCES BUT RESPECT THE FUNDAMENTALS
Look around you and try to dissect those businesses and individuals who are successful at what they do. Chances are, these are the players who refuse to lock themselves into the groove of always playing it safe. Playing conservative may… Continue reading
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WHY NOT BE EXCEPTIONAL
It’s a choice that we all have. A daily fork in the road to choose being great or mediocre, being average or noteworthy, world-class, or just getting by. Which will you choose? Yes, choose is the defining word. We all… Continue reading
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RESTAURANT EYES
So, here’s the thing – knowing how to operate a restaurant is not difficult – executing the steps is a whole other story. The work is relentless, the unpredictability is insanity, the never-ending attention to detail is mind-numbing, and timing… Continue reading
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THE PLATE AND THE PASS
I am the canvas on which the cook paints, the frame that draws the viewers eye to the image drawn. I am the plate – too often disregarded except by those who understand the importance of the canvas and the… Continue reading
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KITCHEN RESPECT
Yes, I have been preaching the need for change in restaurants. Changing how we view our concepts, menus, pricing structure, our staff, marketing, and the list goes on has never been more critical. Change, however, does not infer that we… Continue reading
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THE RETURN OF HARVEST AMERICA CUES BLOG
Yes, it’s back! After a two-month respite and a chance to assess how Harvest Cues can be of service to those who choose to read the articles offered, my blog will return in August 2025. The look will be different… Continue reading
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THE RETURN OF HARVEST AMERICA CUES BLOG
Yes, it’s back! After a two-month respite and a chance to assess how Harvest Cues can be of service to those who choose to read the articles offered, my blog will return in August 2025. The look will be different… Continue reading
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TO COOKS, CHEFS, AND ALL WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF FOOD
You are the salt of the earth! I started Harvest America Cues Blog in 2013 at the encouragement of Chef Curtiss Hemm. The blog was meant to parallel the start-up of Harvest America Ventures Consulting. At the age of 63… Continue reading
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TIRED OF THE NEGATIVITY
It’s the proverbial glass half full or half empty scenario. How you approach life is typically evident in everything you do from caring for your health, to relationships, to your work, and even your purpose. Do you seek sunshine or… Continue reading
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CHEFS – TRUST THE PROCESS
As in the case with many professions, there is a process, sometimes built around tradition and often, proven effective over time. This process is methodically built on results and, as such, is acknowledged by those professions as being effective. The… Continue reading
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CHEFS – SIMPLE AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL
For generations – excellent meant complicated, intense, all-consuming, and sacrifice. Kitchens of great renown are staffed with dozens of talented young cooks, some even there as a stagiere – working just to learn and build their resumes. Meticulously clean kitchens;… Continue reading
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CHEF – WHAT’S YOUR LEGACY?
I just finished watching the latest beautiful episodes of Chef’s Table – Legends. As always, they are remarkably well-done featuring stories about Jamie Oliver, Jose Andres, Alice Waters, and Thomas Keller. Although the food photography and storyline about each chef’s… Continue reading
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