Old Timer

Thanks to all for the many great suggestions.

Thanks to all for the input.

First some background. I chef for an upscale cafe in a small resort community. We currently do about 200 covers a day and are well known for our innovative menu. Our clientele is primarily Chicagoans who own second homes here. We also do a liitle catering and monthly tastings of gourmet products we stock in the retail section. Here is our dilemma. On August 1st The Four Winds Casino will be opening their doors. They are located 5 minutes away from us. This facility will boast 6 top quality restaurants. They plan to age their own beef and smoke their own salmon in addition to offering a Vegas style buffet, deli, cafe, and a hamburger joint all on site. They anticipate 15000 customers a day there. Our community depends on the summer trade to compensate for the winter slowdown when the Chicago people go home.. I am looking for ideas that will keep our customer base coming. Recently, I introduced sweet and savory crepes to the menu, which is going strong. However, I don't see crepes as the glue that will bind us. A recent article in the area newspaper indicated that local eateries will have to raise salaries and offer benefits to keep key employees. Actually, the whole foodservice community is very concerned because the Casino needs 700 foodserive workers and the starting wage for entry level is $10 hr. Far more than locals can afford. Any good marketing ideas or menu suggestions?

Actually, I find that Paula Deen can teach her simple dushes quite well. She has that down-homey approach that does not intimidate nor assume the student is an idiot. Sometimes her schtick gets a little thick, but hey, who wouldn't want an "Aunt Paula" in their family? I also applaud her for overcoming the many personal issues she has had to contend with. At the other end of the spectrum, whenever I hear Sandra Lee's opening monologue "My name is Sandra Lee, and I have been cooking and entertaining for years!" I get the same feeling as when someone grates their fingernails across a chalkboard and I can't move fast enough to change the channel.

Aside from Jag, the only "chef" I would watch from that group would be Tommy. He carries himself like a Soprano's wanna be. He could do an Italian themed show and pull it off nicely. Too bad the "Dinner And A Movie" concept is already taken. Tommy would be a natural for that show. The others are merely cokkie cutter versions of everything the FN already has.

I don't assume it is all the contestants fault, but I don't understantd the rationale behind this series. Does FN really think viewers (especially professional chefs) wish to see a housewife or auto mechanic be given a gig on their network? For most of us in the industry, cooking is a passion encompassed with pride in our work. We are driven by the love of what we do. I see nothing but fear among the contestants. No passion, no drive, and certainly no confidence. The only bright spot is the guy called "JAG". You can tell he's been in the trenches a time or two.

Good Lord! What a motley crew they are foisting upon unsuspecting viewers. Not one of them could muster anything that looked like a wedding cake? Plain icing and a simple shell border would have probably sufficed to win that one. Then the wedding challenge. "Tommy" makes polenta using "chicken broth' at a vegan wedding. To top it off, the gay guy from the other team catches the error, but...says nothing about it! The foreign girl makes a salad that looks like several cans of "stuff" were emptied into a bowl and calls it done. The short guy's stuff was the only presentable product on the tables. TFN must have footed the bill for the real wedding reception, as what passed for the televised version surely would have generated much anger for ineptness at all levels.

Two comments I'll add. I understand that people have medical conditions that cause them to gasp, snort sputter, hack and even fart. I would not suggest that they not be allowed to dine out. On the other hand, why should people who go to a nice place be expected to simply sit by and have their meal disrupted. If it were me with the condition, I would ask to be seated in a quieter part of the restaurant, so as not to offend nearby diners, and not take the attitude that its a medical condition, so deal with it. The next happened just last week.. I'm busy in the kitchen and this young server comes back and askes if we can make an egg white omelet. (Ordinarily we do not, offering Egg Beaters instead). The server informs the customer, who in turn tells her , and I qoute.. "You WILL make me the omelet, I want two egg whites and one whole egg, and do not make it dry"! The server comes back nearly in tears, not wanting to offend the customer and lose a potential tip. I relent and tell her, okay I'll make it.

Don't waste your money on a bunch of gadgets right off the bat. A decent Chef Knife and a maybe a smaller knife for when the big knife is impractical. Cooks Illustrated has rated the Victorinox Fibrox 10" chef knife as equal to the best of them. Cost $25.00 brand new. I would start in a hamburger joint or something similar to get your feet wet in a rush environment. Why waste all the money only to find out it ain't what you really like? A good restaurant does not expect their cooks to provide their own tools. Just your favorite knife.

Ah...for the good old days before political correctness. The manager did everything possible and still the patron was not satisfied? The customer is usually always right, but if he became verbally abusive and threatened to defame my establishment, I would go toe to toe with him and tell him to get the hell out and do not come back. What do you have to lose? Maybe you can get him to take a swing at you. Then, there's the Vinnie solution. "Mr. Patron, we have done everything we could to resolve this problem. The only thing left is to turn it over to our customer service manager Vinnie. "Yo Vinnie, we got some jamoke here who says he's gonna trash our rep, would yoose have a chat with him?" "Please sir, would you and your coat accompany my associate to the back room?"

My few cents... Potato Cheese Pierogi's are best cooked this way. Boiled for a few minutes in salted water to cook them. Sauteed in butter along with onions until golden. Served hot with a good chunck of Kielbasa. As far as lasagna, I always use Bechamel as a base as it keeps the bottom from drying out. Usually I put about a half inch in the bottom and proceed as usual.

That is a very nice looking pie. When you hit Chicago, by all means seek out a Giordano's Pizza. Voted "Best Pizza in America" by the Today Show. Here is a link to their site, but be forwarned, once you experience their pizza you may never go back! www.giordanos.com For alternatives try Pizzario Uno or Gino's East.

Only if he's trying to make deep-dish, which he apparently wasn't. I make both deep dish, and thin crust... and they're both real good, but two completely different animals. Can't apply methods of one to the other... just won't work. BTW... I think I'm going to lobby for changing the name of "Chicago deep-dish pizza" to something a bit less confusing... like "Chicago casserole", as that seems like a more appropriate name! Just kidding! __Jason ← Thin crust? Oh that's easy! Simply spread canned tomato sauce on top of cardboard, sprinkle with imitation mozzarella Add TVP sausage and pop it into the microwave. There you have it.

Doctortim, Chicago style deep dish (the only pizza worth gracing your palate ) is prepared thusly. Hand form you dough in a deep-dish pan. Brush with olive oil. Layer the mozzarella cheese on the dough, then add other fillings in layers. Sausage, mushrooms, etc. Next, smooth the sauce on top and bake. You do not need a 500 deg. oven. 350-375 will do. You are baking too hot. Its a no-no to put the sauce on the bottom as everything else will slide on it and the sauce will not cook evenly, which seems to be the problem you are having.

Assuming you can flatten it a little, how about a kicked-up version of Eggs Benedict, topped with some finely diced chives.

Depression Spaghetti Fry a pound of bacon then dice. Add it (grease and all) to cooked spaghetti Add a large can of stewed tomatoes Add several chunks of Velveta Cheese Stir to partially melt cheese Salt and pepper to taste.

Cornbread lends itself well to sausage, particularly breakfast sausage. I would look into making a sausage gravy and serving it either over the cornbread or on the side. Jalepeno Cornbread has a little bite, which adds a nice flavor under the rich gravy. ← Yes, but this is something you would serve for high tea in Alabama, not Afternoon tea. Afternoon tea is dainty sandwiches, mini quiches, scones, clotted cream, jam and delicated mini cakes and tarts. ← I agree. But neither does cornbread have a place in Afternon Tea. I wa only offering a suggestion if cornbread were to be on the menu.

Chunks of fresh roasted Polish Sausage served with pierogi, hard boiled eggs, a good dark rye bread and plenty of horseradish. Maybe a bowl of rich veggie soup on the side.

Cornbread lends itself well to sausage, particularly breakfast sausage. I would look into making a sausage gravy and serving it either over the cornbread or on the side. Jalepeno Cornbread has a little bite, which adds a nice flavor under the rich gravy.

The problem may be the potatoes. If you are using a Russet or Yukon gold, the high starch content in them is what causes the sticking. Try using "New" potatoes like smaller reds. These are low in starch and what starch they do have has not fully developed. After you shred them, rinse in water and pat them dry as best you can. Dip basets in oil before filling with shreds.

If your intent is to just do a few puree's and emulsify soup, then the cheaper one's will work fine. The KitchenAid comes with a whisk attachment that makes quick work of egg whites and a chopper attachment that finely chops herbs, nuts, and even coffee beans. The variable speeds come in handy for me when I blend omelet mix, marinara sauce, and I have even used it for crepe batters. Here is the product link from KitchenAid. http://www.kitchenaid.com/catalog/product....eeb056c4b2e1f54 For the extra $20-$30 you get a lot more versatility and great warranty.

If I recall, the Cuisinart is a two speed model, which limits its usability. How is the warranty? Personally, I prefer the KitchenAid KHB300WH Immersion Blender. It has full range variable speed and is quite powerful. 300 Watts, I think. It comes with several attachments Sugg. retail is $129.00 but if you check out price comparison sites like shopping dot com or shopzilla you can buy it for a lot less. There are a few sellers on eBay who offer new units for $50-$60 as well. In addition, the KitchenAid comes with a 1 year, no questions asked, free replacement warranty.

Some of these are pretty nasty. Here is my contribution, and as I remember it, it was quite tasty. We looked forward to this for many a Christmas as children. I large juicy dill pickle hollowed out lengthwise and stuffed with a candy cane, held firmly in hand with mouth planted leechlike on the end extracting that lucious sweet/sour nectar from same.

I had a unique opportunity a few weeks ago. Blues legend Corky Siegel was doing a show at a local Theater and I was invited by the theater owners to attend. Being that this is a resort area, there are not a lot of restaurants open late at night in the middle of winter. One of the theater owners approached me and asked if knew anyplace open that was close. Well there is nothing within 10 miles as far as I knew, so I invited everyone back to my place and offered to grill some burgers. (I was closed at the time, so had to turn everything back on.) Anyway, here we were sitting in a dimly lit dining room with Corky Siegel and his band chomping on burgers and drinking several cool ones. I tried to comp the meal to them but they would not hear of it. The manager dropped me a hundred and said my favorite words..."keep the change".

The bottom line is customer satisfaction and getting them to come back. I understand the "rite of passage" but 1 stringy hair cooked into the mashed potatoes will cause a lot of damage to yours andyour restaurant's rep. When we are not real busy, I put on a fresh apron and go into the dining room to greet the diners. I inquire as to the quality of their meal and thank them for patronizing my establishment. I want them to see that their chef has on a head covering. I do not allow any facial hair either. Its all psych but it will help to bring them back.