Category Archives: food

May 24, 2019 · 2:00 pm

Consistently Human

It’s Foodie Friday and as we head into Memorial Day weekend here in the US, let’s pause a moment to remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy our meals this weekend.

One of the things I’ve written about with respect to restaurants is the value of consistency. One of the best compliments I can pay to a restaurant is in saying I’ve never had a bad meal there. It’s a reflection on consistency – of the raw materials, of the service and, of course, on how the chef has his team operating in producing the same dish to the same standard. In a weird way, many fast-food places are better at doing that than many restaurants even though the cooking staff tends to be younger and less-trained in culinary arts. Even weirder is the notion that some places have gone to robots to do some of the cooking.

One of my favorite hangouts is a restaurant here in town. The food is consistent even if there is sometimes an overcooked burger or a dish that wasn’t plated with enough care. I like that I can see that people were involved. This is what I wrote three years ago about that:

Business needs to be about people.  When I eat, I want to taste the cook’s soul. I like the imperfections and that my pizza is different from how it will be the next time I order it. I enjoy personal service and the quirks of every individual with whom I deal no matter what the business. We need to be responsive to each customer in a human way. It’s why customer service agents reading from a script are just as bad as automated menu trees in my book. Who doesn’t prefer speaking with an unscripted human?

Many of us in business watch the numbers like a hawk for any changes. We might not pay as close attention to the people who make those numbers happen. If you want to make improvements in your numbers you need to understand human behavior – that of your staff and that of your customers. The numbers are a reflection of that. They don’t just happen.

It isn’t machines or numbers we remember this Memorial Day. It’s people. Let’s stay human out there!

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May 10, 2019 · 3:31 pm

Shopping At The Farmer’s Market

It’s Foodie Friday and the local farmer’s market opened up here a couple of weeks ago. Of course, the state farmer’s market is open year-round but it’s huge and a 25-minute drive. The one here in town is more intimate, less-crowded, and only 6 minutes away.

I like farmer’s markets for a few reasons. The first is that the quality of food – mostly produce – is generally higher than what you can get from the supermarket. It’s likely it was picked either that morning or the day prior. It certainly didn’t have to travel from Mexico or South America. Most importantly, these markets are inherently seasonal. You don’t get watermelons until late summer (OK, earlier here in the South) and there aren’t red things masquerading as tomatoes in March.

As a cook, the farmer’s market presents both an opportunity and a challenge, one that actually is mirrored in most businesses. The opportunity is to find ingredients that are in peak form, and because they’re plentiful, at a lower cost (that whole supply/demand thing, you know). The challenge is that to take real advantage of the market, you have to be willing to work with what’s available and that can be limiting. You might want to make a peach cobbler for dessert this week but it’s blueberry season now so that’s dessert.

Businesses face the same challenges as cooks. There is a seasonality involved in almost every business and the opportunity in season is to maximize profits. I think there’s a real opportunity outside of your prime season as well. This is when you can experiment with new products or promotions. You can look for niche audiences (what’s available!).

There’s also the challenge that my little market faces each week. It’s 15 miles from a much bigger market. How can it attract high-quality vendors and draw from surrounding communities? Obviously, most businesses face similar issues to distinguish themselves if they’re realistic about the choices consumers have these days. When I was working in TV we worried about the other networks. Broadcasters today have to consider anything with a screen as competitive.

Mostly I like farmer’s markets because they force me to be thoughtful and creative. How can I plan out a menu that’s the best within the limitations of what’s available? You might ask yourself the same thing about your business. Every business has limitations, whether financial, supply chain, or even people. How do you get the best out of what’s available?

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May 3, 2019 · 2:54 pm

Balsamico And Business

The question, this Foodie Friday, is have you ever had true balsamic vinegar? Not the junk they sell at the supermarket that’s probably made outside of Italy, but true balsamic vinegar that bears a D.O.P. stamp, a European Union certification that guarantees an ingredient’s quality, production, and place of origin. In the case of balsamic, it must be made in Reggio Emilia and Modena, Italy, using traditional methods, and production is overseen from beginning to end by a special certification agency.

I won’t go into detail about the process, but the key takeaway for today is that it takes a long time to make. Like a dozen years or more. Every step of the way, the amount of vinegar in the barrels is reduced as the product concentrates. You need to take the long view of what the business will be if you’re going to start producing this stuff! It requires patience, resilience, capital, commitment, and much more.

The same can be said about a winery. Planting vines, getting them to produce, bottling and aging all take time. You need to think long-term. I think the same sort of thinking is involved when you go to make some dishes. Great barbecue takes a long time. So does a great Bolognese Sauce (even with a pressure cooker – believe me, I’ve tried!).

Whether it’s Balsamico or business, there are no short cuts. Great things take time, generally more than we’d like. As we often see in today’s world, moving fast and breaking things often results in a disaster even as the company expands rapidly. The fall is often as fast as the rise.

Maybe my thinking is more tortoise than hare, but I’m a believer in taking the time to get things right. I play the long game. As with balsamico, you need to commit to the process, as do all the stakeholders. There’s a reason the good vinegar sells for $200 an ounce, and once you’ve experienced it you’ll understand the difference between it and the $16 bottle you get at the supermarket. Greatness takes time, both in the barrel and in business, right?

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