Search results

Touching on what some ofthe others said, it actually hit franchise/casual dining worst since their customer base is mostly middle class consumers who are usually the worst ones hit in a crash. Fine dining restaurants cater to a clientele who is usually more insulated from the ebbs and flows of...

There's this lady at the restaurant I work at who refuses to communicate. She's a good cook from a technical standpoint, but horrible to work with because she is unwilling to talk. When she's assigned to do expo, she just throws the plates on the bar and doesn't keep them in order and won't...

When I worked as a butcher, it all became sausage or hamburger meat (usually sold as chuck regardless of actual fat content - which is why avoid chuck at most fresh meat markets unless you really know/trust your butcher). At the old place I worked, we made quesadillas or demi-glace with the trim.

I think you're misunderstanding my TV show theory. Cooking has always been a side-job/backup for me. Half of my career has been in broadcasting. I've seen it done enough times to know it's possible. I never said OP would have millions of viewers or never have to work again. Here's the gist of...

1. I think the core issue is that you had a certain expectation of the food industry (creating menus, exploring flavor profiles, trips to the local farms/suppliers), but the reality is that the majority of food service work involves repetitive, sometimes menial tasks. Culinary schools are good...

It's wet before you bake it or after? Are you baking it long enough? What type of bread are you baking, and how are you baking it? Just in my experience, I've always prefered an overnight proof in the walk-in with a 1-3 hour proof at room temp the next day over using a proofer box.

I think it goes back to balance employer/employee. I never go into a job with the mindset that I'm going to quit after X amount of time, but if an employer is doing me no favors or treating me bad, I don't see it that I owe them X amount of time. They hired me, but I have to work to maintain...

You're welcome. Same here, I've never been able to get a good dice with the French technique without going so slow that it makes it impractical in a restaurant setting. I use the same basic technique for tomatoes too, slicing down rather than side to side, to get thinner, even slices. Also, as...

I've always been surprised more people don't die from bean soups cooked in crock pots. Phytohaemagglutin is an undigestible protein found in beans. The body can't break it down, and it can cause kidney failure in very small doses (as few as 5-10 raw beans). It's not usually fatal in the...

I've always cut off both ends, cut in half (end-to-end, not side-to-side), placed each half flatside down, sliced each half into thin strips, rotated 90 degrees and cut the strips into cubes. It's safer and faster since you're never cutting towards your hand, wastes less onion and gives a much...

Good job - especially on the braids! Sealing them securely without smashing the dough can be tricky. I wish I had one now they look so good.

We use one for baked potatoes with good results, never tried it with fries though.

I would try to find an organic/natural version. I'm sure Whole Foods has something similar. The process of making process cheese is very old and not inherently bad/dangerous (it's just cheese, milk, a few dairy leftovers like whey and a thickener). I suspect most people's aversion is more to...

I like roux/bechamel for alfredo or pastitsio, but not mac and cheese. The roux changes the flavor profile and makes it less American mac and cheese and more Mediterranean pasta bake. Both are tasty, but only one is true mac and cheese.

I do it at home all of the time with meat I'm going to immediately consume, cook all of the way (165) and no more than 2 hours at room temp. In a restaurant kitchen, it's not worth the risk. If I get sick at home (unlikely but remotely possible), it'll work itself out in a day or two. If a...

Try jameed, a tangy Middle Eastern dried yoghurt (usually goat or sheep). Most Arab grocery stores sell dehydrated jameed cubes (as well as cans/boxes of reconstituted jameed - you need the cubes).

You're either not braiding tight enough or using too fat/too gently rolled "threads" which could be a result of using a no-knead recipe. Trying kneading the dough and make sure it's breaded very tightly. Another possible culprit is the fat. Challah is usually made with oil and no butter. Brioche...

You could probably do a weekly bake, freeze them all and thaw them daily with a quick pop in the oven to warm them up. They're naturally dense & chewy, so freezing shouldn't affect the texture. Also, if you add seeds, you need a glue (try a neutral tasting syrup like clear corn syrup lightly...

I remember in my late teens/early 20s when Larry the Cable Guy had his own brand of Mac n Cheese (along with beer bread mix, cornbread mix and a few other snacks). It was all horrible, but I couldn't resist trying every single product he had. I agree with Dr. Irene about the velveeta (not too...

Once boiled, you need to bake them relatively soon. The raw dough can be shaped & held in the walk in for a while and brought out, proofed at room temp for an hour or two, and boiled/baked in batches (every few hours) or boiled/baked all at once and held in a warmer. Either way, pretzels and...