Saturday, December 18, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Chef for Wounded Heroes
Please visit www.chefsforwoundedheroes.com for details. You know what chefs for famous people do,right. We do the same for our heroes. We prepare a dinner, " I mean a dinner " at the host home for up to 12 people. Chefs donate their time and effort. Sometimes we buy the food ourselves , other times is given by sponsors. This is a very interactive time with our heroes and family. A very rewarding experience for all. A small way to recognize their effort. I hope you join me in this effort.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
FOOD COST, is really simple
FOOD COST
I hear often the question about food cost How to arrive at it. Is simply a question of methods and procedures. Here is a short guideline.
Before you tackle food cost you have to decide on your menu…..
FOOD PURCHASING SPECS
This is a written detailed description of the items you are purchasing, Packaging is included on this since it affects the yield, live of a product etc. This is where you want no deviation
PRICE CHANGES- FLAG THEM
Once you determined the price keep that information handy.
Don’t worry about miniscule variation that don’t really affect your cost, Do worry if it will impact you
SEASONALITY- Anything develops better at the right time and most of the time they are cheaper. Do you rather eat a homegrown tomato or something that taste like cardboard.
Your customer will always know
SPECIALTIES- Here is the place to show off and shave your food cost. You can turn celery into a steak by using the right technique !! Well, you know what I mean.
PRODUCT YIELD-RAW
This includes fresh , can , dried, frozen >>>>>You need to know what you are getting out of a product. This affects your quality and cost ( yield )
MENU SPECS
Here you are deciding of size of portion . By way of recipe you are addressing cooking methods, station, plate layout, presentation specs among a few.
MENU PRICING
I do pricing after I decide on my specs. There are raw cost and prepared cost of main items. Don't forgett the accompaniments and the additives ( which is the cost of set up-brake down , waste ( not the one that goes into the trash can )
PRODUCTION FORMAT
Another essential in which you need a forecast ( as accurate as possible ) Imperative to have the right popularity index/ sales mix or you are prepping by chance. You might as well get a wiggi board. Weather, special events…… affect your numbers. Random check and reconcile what you sold against what you prep.
BANQUET COUNTS
This is extremely important as you need to prep for the guarantee but allowing for xs to comply with contract. Why cook what you won't sell and hurt your cost.
PRODUCT USAGE- There is no need just to lock the steak if you sell a few and leave the coffee out in the open ( when you use a few hundred pounds ) Pay attention to both
SECURITY
It don’t really matter if you get the best prize and the stuff disappears. Have a good key control and pre-determined hours to get what you need out.
PHYSICAL STORAGE & quality safeguard
You obviously need to mark rotate products. They need to be storage properly .Fish that is swimming in water is worthless and so is meat drowned in blood or.. Get the drift
PARS
You need to have enough food to cover your production and not more. Helps with the rotation and you don’t tie lots of $$ in inventories
INVENTORIES
You can’t order from the office. You need to take a physical inventory to know where you are and not the needed cash
EQUIPMENT
Well if your slicer is kaput, your fryer out of whack, knifes are not sharpened. Your yield is ruined. Yield is as important as price.
FOOD HANDLING
Once it leaves the storage is in someone hands .right. You have to be very specific here too or you can ruin a dinner and a customer before you even get started
ACCOUNTABILTY- From a to z someone needs to be held accountable. The z is when that food leaves the dining room
TRAINING- hard to hold someone accountable if you have not trained them > training is ongoing.
LINE AND EXPEDITING- Set up and break down are crucial. Everything you have done before comes together at this point. A la carte or banquets.
NOW- If you let someone expedite that does not have any authority all your hard work have gone to waste. This is your last check and balance. You can use assemblers to pull plates as long as you or your sous chefare there to bless the plates
CHAIR RENT-Food cost is extraordinarily important. I work with chair rent when I do my specs. In essence is a $$ contribution of every items I sell. Where do I make the most money from ? That is what I push.
ASK ME WHAT FOOD COST I RUN
My answer is whatever I need to run ( always lower )
I hear often the question about food cost How to arrive at it. Is simply a question of methods and procedures. Here is a short guideline.
Before you tackle food cost you have to decide on your menu…..
FOOD PURCHASING SPECS
This is a written detailed description of the items you are purchasing, Packaging is included on this since it affects the yield, live of a product etc. This is where you want no deviation
PRICE CHANGES- FLAG THEM
Once you determined the price keep that information handy.
Don’t worry about miniscule variation that don’t really affect your cost, Do worry if it will impact you
SEASONALITY- Anything develops better at the right time and most of the time they are cheaper. Do you rather eat a homegrown tomato or something that taste like cardboard.
Your customer will always know
SPECIALTIES- Here is the place to show off and shave your food cost. You can turn celery into a steak by using the right technique !! Well, you know what I mean.
PRODUCT YIELD-RAW
This includes fresh , can , dried, frozen >>>>>You need to know what you are getting out of a product. This affects your quality and cost ( yield )
MENU SPECS
Here you are deciding of size of portion . By way of recipe you are addressing cooking methods, station, plate layout, presentation specs among a few.
MENU PRICING
I do pricing after I decide on my specs. There are raw cost and prepared cost of main items. Don't forgett the accompaniments and the additives ( which is the cost of set up-brake down , waste ( not the one that goes into the trash can )
PRODUCTION FORMAT
Another essential in which you need a forecast ( as accurate as possible ) Imperative to have the right popularity index/ sales mix or you are prepping by chance. You might as well get a wiggi board. Weather, special events…… affect your numbers. Random check and reconcile what you sold against what you prep.
BANQUET COUNTS
This is extremely important as you need to prep for the guarantee but allowing for xs to comply with contract. Why cook what you won't sell and hurt your cost.
PRODUCT USAGE- There is no need just to lock the steak if you sell a few and leave the coffee out in the open ( when you use a few hundred pounds ) Pay attention to both
SECURITY
It don’t really matter if you get the best prize and the stuff disappears. Have a good key control and pre-determined hours to get what you need out.
PHYSICAL STORAGE & quality safeguard
You obviously need to mark rotate products. They need to be storage properly .Fish that is swimming in water is worthless and so is meat drowned in blood or.. Get the drift
PARS
You need to have enough food to cover your production and not more. Helps with the rotation and you don’t tie lots of $$ in inventories
INVENTORIES
You can’t order from the office. You need to take a physical inventory to know where you are and not the needed cash
EQUIPMENT
Well if your slicer is kaput, your fryer out of whack, knifes are not sharpened. Your yield is ruined. Yield is as important as price.
FOOD HANDLING
Once it leaves the storage is in someone hands .right. You have to be very specific here too or you can ruin a dinner and a customer before you even get started
ACCOUNTABILTY- From a to z someone needs to be held accountable. The z is when that food leaves the dining room
TRAINING- hard to hold someone accountable if you have not trained them > training is ongoing.
LINE AND EXPEDITING- Set up and break down are crucial. Everything you have done before comes together at this point. A la carte or banquets.
NOW- If you let someone expedite that does not have any authority all your hard work have gone to waste. This is your last check and balance. You can use assemblers to pull plates as long as you or your sous chefare there to bless the plates
CHAIR RENT-Food cost is extraordinarily important. I work with chair rent when I do my specs. In essence is a $$ contribution of every items I sell. Where do I make the most money from ? That is what I push.
ASK ME WHAT FOOD COST I RUN
My answer is whatever I need to run ( always lower )
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
You won't find poses in many restaurants but...
This one is with shredded carnitas, avocado and a bit of queso fresco over a strip of banana leaf. It looks great as an appetizer. Great flavor, aroma, taste. Toppings are endless although I rather stay true to the origins.
I just started playing with Poses.
They are basically masa cakes with an edge. You pinch the sides to create that effect. I use them as appetizers but here is a lunch specialty.
Shredded Chicken Pose with Pinto Beans and Chorizo in a Tomatillo Avocado Salsa ( I should have added some tomatoes for looks only- well balance as it is )
Saturday, August 21, 2010
A necessary ingredient.................
Everyone knows I had a lot of talent, lot of brains too.If you knew me you could tell I was street wise with much resiliency and had plenty of heart
Most people don't know how hard I worked into the night.
Is just like a formula !!
I am a biscuit, don't forget me. Please.
Buttermilk Biscuits, Chive Biscuits, Cheddar Cheese, Parmesan and Dill Biscuits with Smoked Salmon is something I work with throughout the years. Not for breakfast only. I include them in my bread basket with just about any function, including receptions and. You can't beat the fragance, aroma and texture of these babies..........
Friday, August 20, 2010
Is hard to say no to SWEETS !!
I call this one my carrot cake muffin
I love to do caramel apples, caramelized above are my favorites. Try some coconut and many other. Use them in cookouts. Also at Christmas on trees. Call me, tell you how
I love to do caramel apples, caramelized above are my favorites. Try some coconut and many other. Use them in cookouts. Also at Christmas on trees. Call me, tell you howClassical Lava cake with a twist
Pear Torte with homemade marzipan. Another dimension
Great line up. Coc0 Loco, Berries and Guava as sauces. My tableside brulee
Pear Torte with homemade marzipan. Another dimensionMy flan.Use guava sauce and cocoanut sauce primarily. Little dab will do you
Great line up. Coc0 Loco, Berries and Guava as sauces. My tableside brulee
plain or with fruits is a real attention getter
Some of my catering Pictures !!!
Lots of hard work and dedication from everyone in the team. This is their show .
A few more below.
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