Complacency, and The Need For Change

I am just throwing this out there, though I have said it many times in my blogs...

The restaurant and pub industry, especially my town of Penticton BC, needs to drop the complacency and expect more from the restaurants and pubs serving the community.

Too many times we the public are offered the same style food, everywhere they go. the same old beef dips, the same old generic burgers, the same old bowls of pasta. Too many places have lost their passion for creating works of art through flavoring; instead they just do things similar to the pub or restaurant a few blocks away. And when they do create something different and it is a hit they don't progress forward with it , they just keep it on the menu for years on end so that everyone else can copy and make slight modifications to make it their own.

I want addictive flavour profiles, I want thinking outside the box, I want unique and stylized food that makes me say "Wow I never thought of that!",  I want menu changes to be seasonal to reflect the changing flavors of each season, not a full menu change but a good 25 to 30% at least. I want these places to focus on service and consistency, I want these places to train well and constantly even after initial starting of an employee. 

Training is one of the biggest keys to success, by utilizing a pre-shift meeting to discuss one menu item, teaching first the kitchen staff the techniques of cooking the dish with details of the ingredients and why they are used to detailing the cooking techniques. By picking a different dish everyday and going through the ins and outs of the techniques and ingredients you instill the passion behind the products you accentuate the importance of the rendering of the fat or the sear of the steak, you teach about the reason you create that dish in a certain way so that your kitchen staff know all aspects of perfecting the dish on a consistent base.

Then you take that dish that was created and do a pre-shift with the front of the house so that they know what is in the dish, how it is prepared and how it should look. By teaching them about the flavours, teaching them about the ingredients and explaining why it is created in a certain way they will be better tooled with the information and  will be able to show the guest the passion they have for the food by displaying their knowledge and detail of the dishes. 

By doing this simple training daily you reinforce the importance of knowledge and consistency, and it only costs you a couple of dollars. I must suggest that when doing this training that the trainer make a dish in front of the kitchen staff then pick one team member from that group to re-create this dish. Have the team taste the one dish that was made, it not only is it a nice reward for the team but lets them identify flavor with the cooking process and bonds the training with the knowledge given. Use the second dish  that was made for the service staff  food orientation.

I openly challenge all restaurants and pubs to push themselves to be better, I challenge them to break out the complacency with the status quo and to educate the public on becoming a foodie. I ask all owners and restaurateurs to elevate their businesses and utilize the amazing ingredients grown in the Okanagan and use those ingredients to create dishes that instill passion and create memories for the guests.  This industry of ours is a very social industry, people go out to eat to celebrate birthdays and positive events in someones life, to escape a tough day and not wanting to cook, to entertain friends and bond over the big game or a promotion, to find comfort and solace with friends after a break up or loss of a close friend or family member, to come together during good times and sorrow; so it is on us to help associate those events and memories with great food.

Somedays I regret not pursuing harder the opportunities to become an owner of a restaurant or pub; or even just staying in the industry as head chef of a pub or restaurant, I got burned out and thus bitter at the industry and have been on a 4 year break. The passion is in my blood and that will never change

Expectaions of the Modern Restaurant Business

I have been reviewing a few places now and I want to be clear in explaining my views and expectations.

Since the mid 90's there has been a massive food knowledge explosion. As TV grew from 13 channels as I remember it to now being 1000's of channels available plus other media through facebook, youtube, websites, TV reality shows and its own Food Network Channel. Society has grown in knowledge of quality and flavor of food and meals, be it from the frugal gourmet  (from the 80'son PBS) to Emeril Live! , to Hell's Kitchen or Diners Drive Ins and Dives to MasterChef to whatever is in between.. we are all being educated on food and it's quality and the expectations we should have. 

The time of generic food is over, we want our burgers to be juicy and flavourful; we want our steaks seared and seasoned to perfection; we want layered flavors that come from subtle simplicity. Why use garlic when you can use roasted garlic? Why use ground beef when you can use kobe beef? We expect more for each bite and morsel you make and we want it to be unique. We can go anywhere and get a burger or a beef dip, what we want is something unique to make us comeback over and over again since no one else makes that beef dip as good as you! I firmly believe that people will pay a higher price for quality if you provide them with exceptional flavor and service. 

Think outside the box. I want to hear people describe your food as "...it's like a (fill in the blank) but on steroids!". I want to see people describe a restaurant as the "best place I have ever been to" when describing their favourite restaurant. No more generic slop on a plate pasta places that call themselves Italian Ristorantes or Mediterranean Restaurants that 95% of it is greek, where is the Libyan food of the Egyptian, Spanish or French cuisine on your menu? 

There is nothing wrong with having a beef dip on your menu, just doing something special with it! I mean come on how hard is it to braise it in red wine first? Or slow roast it with a nice stout? Or serve it with gorgonzola buttered bun? Or Roasted garlic frites? Or have it come with some home made pan jus instead of the powder crap, or better yet a cross between some hunter gravy and pan jus, or more of a traditional flavoured french onion soup type dip? 

Just use some imagination people!

 

I understand that some of the Penticton population may not want so many "fancy flavoured" foods, and I am not going against their wishes but the truth be told there are more people like me who expect more than there are of those who want their plain ham sandwich with a broth soup for less than $10! Be the house of yes and be willing to have those plain or generic possibilities as an option if you carry all the ingredients to do it but push the envelope and the expectations to a different level.

I was chef at a golf course in Kaleden and I had one golf course member who everyday just wanted his plain ham sandwich while 99% of the others loved and appreciated the bold flavours of my Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla, or the home made beef burger made from ground beef and italian sausage to give it a great meaty flavour that was juicy as well. I always told my staff that I will always say yes to any customer that wants something not on the menu as long as I have the ingredients, and the only thing the servers had to explain is that the request may cost a bit as we would price it to something comparable on the menu and that as it is a special request it may take a bit longer to make.

Case in point is my wife went to the Hooded Merganser once and wanted a vegetarian option for a rice bowl they had on the menu, she very politely asked no chicken extra vegetables please and were told "NO", that "it will screw up the kitchen to add 4 pieces of broccoli"... OMG seriously?????

A coat of paint to your establishment won't change or cover up what your menu lacks, take pride in your product and don't try to be like everyone else. Push the expectations, think outside the box, constantly strive to bring something new to the table and don't settle for less than what your potential can be. The results will increased sales, more return guests and a less stagnant menu which regulars and tourists will all enjoy.