restaurants are inherently unsustainable, even more so since the pandemic. They are a bad investment, and notoriously prone to failure. Yet, so many continue to open at a breakneck place. What is the reason for this contradiction?
How many "chefs" in this subreddit think that aioli is just a fancy word for mayonnaise? C'mon, folks. You gotta do better.
I am getting downvoted on another post over this! Lol
Hey reddit! I need some help my boyfriend is a chef but I know very little about cooking. I can do basic stuff and cook for us but this year I want to do something super special for my boyfriend. I have 2 months to figure out the perfect present and a great meal for this man. Please help!!
So my first goal is a gift I need help I know he would want one of two things, a knife or a wok. Or a Rolex but I can't afford that so knife or wok lol. I don't mind it being expensive I can afford up to like $1500 so please give me some ideas. I know for a wok the burner matters. So we have a gas stovetop but I think you can buy a small portable stove setup. I did a little research but I don't know if those work well or not. I have no idea what is best.
Now the meal I have dessert covered with double chocolate cake is his favorite and I make it every year. The main course though I'm having some trouble. I'm not a great cook but if I have a recipe in front of me I do well. I know blasphemy. Just wondering if anyone has something they make for family or friends? That's special? I'm looking to steal ideas sorry lol. He doesn't like turkey and chicken is not his favorite. I know he likes fish (as far as I know he enjoys all fish) and would be happy with lamb. I would appreciate help on things that pair well for an appetizer. He likes veggies as long as they are fresh.
Anyways ask me questions I really want him to feel special. He works really hard and I know how tough it can be going into work every day. I want him to know he matters. He loves serving people so I'm hoping to serve him for just one day. A low stress day where he can play video games and have a nice meal would be a big deal for him.
Currently I'm working in corporate but would love to start working as a chef. I can cook but not anything to write home about. What would you think I should know before applying?
Question from a non-chef to the chefs of Reddit. It seems that chefs are faced with a couple of goals which are seemingly in tension. At least some dining establishments seek to provide a familiar, comforting experience to its guests, cooking dishes exactly the same way over the years in order to keep its customer base happy, respect tradition, etc.
And yet chefs also seek to improve their craft, innovate, and refine their dishes. How are these goals, which are apparently disparate to at least some degree, reconciled? Is it by keeping a handful of familiar "comfort foods" on the menu for established diners while using specials (and perhaps family meals) to test drive certain ideas which later may become an established entree? So, a certain proportion of the menu is kept relatively constant, while other parts change? Or do chefs really just need to seek out a different job altogether if they truly wish to innovate?
Small fine dining spot, tasting menu. Turns out getting your own kitchen means inheriting the invoices, the costings, the stock counts after close.
Got fed up last year and started building my own fix on days off. Few months in and my kitchen basically runs its own back office now. Food cost updates itself. I haven’t typed out a recipe since.
Genuinely curious what everyone else does for this stuff. The generic pos, Excel and a WhatsApp group? Or has anyone found something that actually survives a real kitchen?
I am working on improving my skills for cooking basic meals at home. Is there one bit of advice that has helped you most with your cooking?
Is 28 too late to become a chef? I was a graphic designer by trade, but ever since AI took off the industry has been really rough, And Culinary has always been a passion of mines and by pure luck I applied and got accepted with a scholarship to attend a culinary school in Mexico for 3 years and at the orientation they explained that in the first year they send you to a national internship of 3 months in a Michelin kitchen at any state of your choosing Id go OAXACA, A well respected culinary staple in Mexico, on the second year you do another 3 month internship but this time Internationally at a Michelin kitchen of your choosing and im thinking Peru but i also would love to have studies in France on my resume as it is held at the highest regards but I’m terrified about the language barrier. On the third year you focus on what you want to specialize in pasty chef, butcher chef, etc etc.
I'm Mexican and fluent in Spanish, so I feel like this is a pretty unique opportunity that would set me apart as a chef as not just anyone can study in Mexico and learn Mexican cuisine directly from the source without knowing Spanish. But the thing that really makes the school unique is its connections throughout Mexico's culinary industry. The school regularly brings in respected chefs from different regions of the country to teach classes, share their techniques, and introduce students to the unique flavors, traditions, and cuisines of their regions.
My question is, does the industry actually care about something like this? Or would I be better off doing a quick 8-month program at ICE instead? If it wont help as much in the industry. Am I too old to be starting this career at 28? Is spending 3 years in culinary school too much time compared to just getting into the industry and working my way up? Or would this school make me more “valuable” or open more doors, since Mexican cuisine is so respected around the world. I'd really appreciate hearing from people who work in kitchens.
Ps. Just to clarify, The schools doesn’t only just specialize in Mexican cuisine. Id earn a bachelors in culinary with a masters in Mexican cuisine but the school also covers international cooking techniques, pastry, wine, hospitality, and even includes globally recognized certifications like WSET, Operates as a Brigade de cuisine and uses all the fancy french words like mirepoix, roux, sautei, Bouquet garni, chiffonade, veloute etc are still used and respected.
Really wanted to post this on confidential but I'm a long time lurker and have no karma.
Anyways, quit my chef job and now I'm working the line at a sports bar while i go to school. I try to just keep my head down and do things the way they want, but theres one thing thats getting under my skin, for the sandwiches here, they put garlic "aioli" (mayonnaise) on the buns before they toss them on the grill. I don't do this, the garlic burns and the mayo breaks, so the buns get soggy and bitter- at least i think so. Today the shift lead got on my ass about it and i said that its just better my way and explained my reasoning. He got super mad and basically said that I'm trying to tell eveyone that they've been fucking up. I am not but for some reason I just cant do it their way. Never seen it done that way in my 16 years. If it was just oil or butter, I'd get it.
So yeah, I just looking for some advice here. Am I tripping? Should I back down? It just bugs me. It smells bad dude.
Edit: for clarity, we're talking about a normal grill, a gas broiler.
My husband a chef and I wanna get him a new knife roll for his birthday. I dotn really know is material matters when it comes to knife rolls, I would appreciate maybe some insight or suggestions in good quality knife rolls
For context: I live and work in a country where high end japanese food is almost non existent.
I have always been passionate about Japanese cuisine and always been making it for friends and family. Over the years my skills got better and I got to find nicer ingredients to work with.
One day at my job, one of my client tells me that I talk a lot about Japanese food and challenge me to prepare some for him and his family. As I accept he tells me he'll invite friends over as well.
That night was chaotic as I was basically at his place, trying to make an omakase for 6 people with ZERO experience. However they actually had a good time, so much so that the next day I received a call from a woman that was at the table asking me to cater for a dinner the next weekend. I thought f*ck it and accepted.
From there, due to social media, it blew up and I started basically working two full time jobs, designing menu, exchanging with suppliers, catering for 2-3 days a week, it was exhausting but it was fun.
After a year I got my first gig as a consultant to develop a menu for a Handroll Bar which allowed me to get a glimpse of a professional kitchen setup.
It's been two years now, I dialed it down a bit, but honestly it's a fun game and the direct interaction with people at the table, them enjoying the food etc. That's a nice feeling!
Every now and then I'm thinking of moving to somewhere nice (where I live has one of the worst climate in the world) and just work as a private chef, but every post on this sub give me a reality check. It's not an easy ride when you depend on it.
Enjoy some of my work, not looking for criticism or opinions, just sharing some art to inspire my peers, if you’d like descriptions just comment the picture number and I’ll be happy to provide composition and as much detail as I can recollect. Keep cooking chefs.
Hey friends,
My husband and I are taking a trip to Boston in August and would love to find chef supply stores,unique/artisinal grocery stores, ethnic food stores, etc.
We both love cooking new recipes with different cheeses, spices, veg, etc. but we live in a very limited area and never get to browse in person. We are hoping to find some great specialty grocery stores or kitchen supply stores. Any help is appreciated- thank you!
(Examples: we recently discovered mitica sottocenere al tartufo cheese which is sexy as hell, and my husband got a tortilla press awhile ago to help with making conchas and tortillas.)
Edit: I am also gluten free and we would not oppose any eating out recs either :)
I've run kitchens before and am confident in my ability to do so but being a working owner adds another dynamic into the mix. My business partner will be handling the bar side of it so thats not an issue. However I dont want to fall into any holes thinking I know everything and limit myself the business or my staff.
For my staff ive worked on rotating rotas for every two weeks keeps things fresh for them and guarantees they get two days off a week. To do this I have to limit my time off to once a week and work 58 hours a week so any optimisation tips to make life easier would be amazing.
P.s. any deli chefs gonna be making pastrami how do you guys work hot smoking into your haccap risk assessments?
Hi all! Just a quick background- I’ve been in food/bev for over 20 years, I started as a teenager in a pizza shop in 2005 and have done just about everything. Mom and pops, Michelin & James beard, corporate etc. I now own my own super small company as a private chef/small caterer.
I work part time but have won a few of those food network shows so I can charge a good amount for a couple days work a week (like a ten person pasta class could pay my mortgage and doesn’t take much work on my end). I chose this route for this time in our lives because we have a small kid and I wanted to be home most of the time.
Now that she’s getting older and starting pre-k I’m thinking ahead to when she’s in school full time and what I could do. Like many of us on here, I’m looking to make a bit of a change but I still love food and can’t imagine doing something else. I am at a crossroads of either building my business back up or switching completely. The idea of being back on the line pushing forty and definitely being the primary parent (how would I handle school pick ups/kids being sick etc) makes my stomach drop. Running my small company does have good profit sometimes, but I have a big event coming up and I am barely breaking even with the cost of shit lately.
I have always really loved the idea of being a nutritionist and now that I have a kid I think it would be great do focus on pediatric nutrition. Has anyone made this switch? If so how did you do it? Thanks!
Im looking for group chats on Facebook or really anything that I can talk to other chefs wondering if anyone knows of anything