Service 101: On Your Side

“Hospitality exists when you believe the other person in on your side.” –Danny Meyer

The first time I became aware of this important dynamic of service, I was in my mid-twenties and more than a few years into my career as a bartender. I’m not sure why I hadn’t seen the important link between the service person who gives a damn and an engaged customer. I might have been naturally inclined to give that sort of service, it took an extraordinary waiter with international charm to make me realize the equation needed in order to create a memorable service bond.

The restaurant was called Dali, a small Spanish tapas restaurant that straddled the border of Harvard Square and Somerville. I went there for a romantic evening out with a then boyfriend, and we were taken care of by an older fellow with grey hair and a thick Spanish accent. He was what I called “a lifer”, a person who never got out of the restaurant business. He carried himself with proud gait of a professional but was also suave and flirtatious. The waiter winked at my boyfriend with a knowing smile and made me feel like the most beautiful woman in the room. He made us feel like VIP’s as he coaxed us through the menu in a playful and knowledgeable way that felt equal parts conspiratorial and friendly.

Thanks to his service, the sangria was like nectar, the food was mind-expanding flavorful, and everything he suggested showed us a whole new world in food.

I glowed for days after that dinner. It wasn’t until later, when the gauzy haze of perfection began to fade, I was able to make out some of the key guideposts of what made his service so spectacular. His service was flawless. His movements were graceful. The waiter’s timing was spot on and, above all, the man made us both feel like he wanted nothing more than to be the best server in the world for our important celebration.

The Dali waiter showed me the importance of a guest feeling like they were the best thing that happened to him all day. He showed me the power of making a guest feel like they were taken care of, and cheered on until they had the best time of their lives. This lesson is something I carry with me in all that I do.

Tips on how to give Great Service

1) READ your guests:
When approaching a guest, read the body language, energy, and banter as you approach the table. What are the cues you pick up on? Maybe the guests are on a first date and nervously banters. Maybe the guests are old friends who desperately want to catch up. Perhaps the diners are business associates hoping to get to the meal as fast as they can. Regardless of who your guests are, you can use your powers of observations to figure out WHO your guests are.

2) LISTEN to what they want

3) IDENTIFY what your guests need:
By carefully listening for cues and clues of what a guest likes and dislikes, you will be more able to find a way to identify what your guest wants and how you can get it for them. Be aware of the need to treat guests individually when multiple guests at one table may have divergent desires.

4) Tailor make your response to the specifics of the guests’ needs:
Communicate to the guest in a manner appropriate with their needs that you identify with them and will do everything you can to make sure they are satisfied with their experience. Note: how you deliver information to a guest is just as important as how you deliver food to a table.

5) Ensure the food and service is impeccable:
Match your actions with your words. Stay on top of the ordering, delivering, and clearing of food. Read the energy of the table as the food comes out. Be aware of new needs that will come up throughout the service. Checking in with guests, changing the flow of service as necessary, and reading your table’s energy throughout the course of the meal will help to make a satisfying dining experience for your guest.

December 24January 8

Season of Giving

I owe a debt of gratitude to a woman who verbally attacked a young cashier the other day. It was a small act of cruelty that lingered with me for days. I couldn’t shake it until I could find a positive solution to my pain.

I was at my local coffee shop, the day after the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The sun had just come up. Sleep and sorrow wrapped around me like a fuzzy scarf. The vexed woman spoke with the cashier in a disappointed tone.

“What do you mean you’re out?” she said.

“I’m sorry,” the cashier said. “We are out of the green tea powder right now. May I get you something else?”

The customer seethed.

“I can’t believe you don’t have my drink,” the woman said. She ranted about professionalism, disappointment with the cashier, and dismay at the coffee shop’s business practices.

A manager stepped in and offered apologies. A free beverage was proposed.

“I came here specifically for that drink,” she said.

The manager packaged up a complimentary bagel and a beverage for the woman. She offered it with a smile and a sincere apology.

The red-faced woman snapped the bag from the manager’s hand and stormed out of the shop without a word.

It was just barely seven in the morning.

86 Happiness

I couldn’t fathom the source of her outburst. How a missing green tea powder could inspire such venom so early in the morning was incomprehensible. Pain and anger felt for lost children I could understand. And yet, for this woman on this particular day, an 86’d green tea powder really cut her to the core.

A few hours later, I noticed I was still thinking about the coffee shop melt down. Rather than move past the incident, I replayed the events in my mind’s eye over and over again. I started to embellish the memory. I added fictional speeches in which I would express the need for compassion and gratitude in a broken world. I became anxious for the staff’s well-being, worried they were traumatized. I concentrated on her angular gestures, the tone of her voice, and the way she carried herself as she moved past the barista station. Honestly, I was kind of obsessing over the whole thing.

I shared with my husband how torn up I was over the coffee shop blow out. Rather than belittle my caffeinated fixation, he kindly suggested that I take more time to explore the root cause of what had me so upset.

A walk around the block helped calm my thinking. By the time I returned to my apartment’s gated door, I realized I shared a trait with the ill-tempered customer. I, too, felt a disproportionate amount of emotion over a minor thing. I had what the unhappy woman had: an amplifying mind. I magnified the coffee shop mistake and transformed it into a grave injustice.

Seeking a solution, I reached out to a dear friend. My companion grinned as she prescribed a set of contrary actions to alleviate my condition. She suggested I do five to ten unselfish acts of kindness for the next few weeks, making sure that no one noticed. The goal of my work, she expained, was to spread joy to others and keep the whole business to myself.

“These mitzvahs,” she said, “are only for you and God to know about. No one else.”

Continue reading “Season of Giving”

December 16December 28

Service 101: The Importance of Bussing

Bussing may be the most important aspect of service that is overlooked by restaurant owners and managers. Perhaps it’s because business owners think guests don’t pay attention to the little things like how a table is cleared or when a water glass is topped off. Maybe it’s a pervasive mentality that bussing is a simple job that anyone can figure out. But great bussing is a complicated job that requires experience, training, and passion for the work.

Go to an average restaurant and you may see some tell tale signs of a neglected bussing team. You may see an overflowing bus tub filled with dirty dishes hiding in a corner or see a busser cut in front of a guest on their way to clear a table at the end of their meal. You might watch as the rushed worker clinks plates together as they snatched up the dishes like playing cards. Maybe you’ll be left too long with an empty glass or a pile of empty sugar packets in front of you. You could find your table wet from a fast wipe down or a chair littered with crumbs. Perhaps you’ll cringe when your busser sticks their fingers in a stack of glasses as they carry them away. When a table goes neglected for long stretches and then is suddenly barraged by a fast moving busser struggling to clear the table at the end of the meal, diners feel rushed, ignored, or worse–unimportant or unseen. All of these things may seem minor at first, but when the problems add up during a meal, these little missteps begin to subtract quality points from your dining experience.

“How hard can it be to clear a table?” I’ve heard many a customer say in frustration. I’ve even seen restaurant owners and managers remark that “any idiot can bus a table” while failing to show the staff how to do their job better. But the truth of the matter is, clearing and re-setting tables in a timely fashion isn’t a simple thing. Bussing requires skill, training, timing, grace, hospitality, and efficiency.

Investment in Service

Because restaurants are in the business of earning profit through the pennies and nickles on every dollar, many restaurant owners choose to focus their support staff training in one area alone: clearing tables quickly. Typically, the instruction offered isn’t so much a formal training as it is daily tirades on the need to “move faster!”

The general lack of guidance and good coaching leads to all sorts of sloppy choices. Rather than challenge their staff to work smart, clean, and gracefully, the average restaurant leader pushes their support staff to cut corners, take shortcuts, and do whatever it takes to clear and reset a table in a timely way. Many business sacrifice the quality of their service over the long term in order to chase the short game of getting a single table cleared quickly. The result of this short term thinking: thousands of dollars of loss in breakage, lost silverware carelessly tossed in garbage pails, unhappy customers, and food that is mistakenly thrown away that has to be re-fired for a customer’s to-go request.

Continue reading “Service 101: The Importance of Bussing”

November 29December 16

Five Year Anniversary of Food Woolf

On November 29, 2007, I made a decision that would start a chain reaction of transformation and change. I wrote a recipe for a dish I developed and clicked the “Publish” button for the first time on. Five years ago today, I staked a place for my little blog, Food Woolf.

Even the smallest action can result in big change. Just ask a ship captain how a simple adjustment of just one degree–sustained over time–can seriously alter a boat’s final destination.

A life changing meal in Panicale, Italy brought me the awakening I needed to wake me up to the need to enjoy my life as an artist. I was an isolated, frustrated screenwriter with few film credits to her name and no Hollywood sale to pay the bills. I was constrained by my art form. The act of screenwriting felt far too futile and dedicated to the constant practice of living in fantasy.

The decision to start my blog was the result of a resolution to try something different. Food Woolf would be my place to offer up weekly literary homage to food, cooking, and my life as a restaurant professional. I would use the blog to motivate me to leave my home and document my life in the world.

It took me a while to sand down the edges to get to the core of what this blog was about. My first post began as a kind of love letter to Nancy Silverton and a conversation we had about a recipe I developed. Over the years I dabbled in restaurant reviews, food profiles, and even did the occasional food news round up. I charted my irrational fear of baking, and spoke about the challenges of being a waiter.

Along the way I found my voice.

Continue reading “Five Year Anniversary of Food Woolf”

November 22January 3

Bittersweet Memories and Cranberry Sauce

I always thought of myself as a mature kid. Markers of my full grown abilities were imagination, a faculty for prolonged unsupervised play, and a talent for cooking. If I could cook–it seemed–I was old enough to take care of myself.

I learned the basics young. In nursery school my teachers showed me how to mix chopped cranberries, orange zest, and sugar in a bowl to make a simple cranberry sauce. By second grade I could put together a bowl of cereal without help, spread butter on toast, and decorate apples with cloves for Christmas ornaments. In third grade, I mastered cinnamon sugar toast and began learning how the numbers on the toaster could turn frozen food into something warm and satisfying. By the time I reached the fourth grade, I could make snacks for my brother and sister when we got home from school and oversee my siblings in their raucous play.

Being able to cook made me employable. I was a babysitter by age 10.

Maybe its because I was the first born. Perhaps, it was because I was self reliant. It may be the fact that I was an independent child capable of feeding herself and her siblings. I could re-heat chicken nuggets and fish sticks without anyone standing over me. I made pizzas out of pita bread, Ragu tomato sauces, and chunks of the random cheeses my mother bought at the grocery store. I was creative with my cooking. I found recipes in cookbooks and began dreaming of the meals I would cook.

Dreams become reality

The summer after I turned ten, my mother packed an extra big suitcase for a trip across the country. I held my breath as Mom filled the olive green suitcase with big sweaters, cotton pants, and prayer beads. She stuffed a canvas bag with my sister’s baby clothes and toys.

“Are we going on a trip?” I asked. Continue reading “Bittersweet Memories and Cranberry Sauce”

November 9November 9

The Space Between

It starts with just a brick. One after another, the bricks are stacked along a single line that’s been drawn in the gritty dirt. From your window you can see the empty lot, the hole in the ground, and the yellow plastic ribbon that stretches from one stake in the ground to others. There are men in dusty hard hats drinking coffee from paper cups and pointing at clip boards. Then comes the cement truck and men who like to yell orders to each other as they spoon a warm bed of cement over another row of bricks.

How long it takes for the wall to come up to the first set of windows seems like months. The building process is dusty, loud, and inconvenient. Then seemingly all of a sudden, light begins to change. A wall–a new wall of red brick– reaches past the first floor window frame of your building and threatens to block out all the windows.

Weeks pass and all that you took for granted–the view from the second floor to the intersection and its cross-hatch of thick black wires on telephone poles–is threatened. Bit by bit, your open sky is edged out by a beast of building.

When construction stops and the last of the electricians and ladder crews leave, the neighborhood rushes to investigate the new building. There are office spaces for rent and a Coffee Bean on the first floor. For weeks there are traffic jams and squealing horns. It’s as if people have never seen a cup of coffee before.

Three floors of sunlight and sunset pinks are gone and you stop by the coffee shop in hopes that they’ll give you free cups of coffee for a year because they stole your sunshine and your view without every really asking–but they never do. There is no free pass for neighbors. The teenage workers nod their baseball-capped heads and shrug their rounded shoulders when you complain about the banging of their industrial trash bin against their new wall of new brick.

A year goes by.

One day the promise to never buy a cup of coffee from the neighbors is forgotten. You run out of organic beans from your friend the coffee roaster, and buy a latte. The next week, you feel reckless and fill a paper cup with milk from the coffee station and take it home for the pot of coffee you brewed yourself. They owe me this, you tell yourself as you spoon the whole milk into your cup.

Another years passes. The view that you once held so dear slides into the memory file. You buy lamps and hang cheery pictures and find ways to bring light the spaces where it used to come to you without effort.

Then one morning, you remember how things used to be. You step outside to take a good look at where your view once was and where a new brick building now stands.

There’s a cushion of space between the two buildings. A pocket of air cushions painted white brick from its dusty new neighbor. There isn’t much distance between the two buildings–maybe just enough for a small woman’s pinky or a thin rope to be pulled from one side to another–but just barely.

It’s odd how a building could bring all sorts of change to your life and yet it never did touch a thing. Big walls go up, new structures are built, but not a thing changed to the outside of your home. All the change happened within.

That gets you to thinking about all the things that have changed in your life. In two years time you’ve taken the steps to live life in a whole new way. You’ve transformed yourself through action and better thinking. It’s an inside job, you’ve heard people say, and it’s true. Dramatic change can happen just like that–slowly and steadily. Incremental and gradual.

And just like that, the space expands. You see that you haven’t lost a view, you’ve gained a new perspective.

For the first time in years, you’re happy that big red brick building went up just outside your window. You’re grateful.

October 11October 10

Kale Salad with Figs and Feta

When I go to the market, I always grab at least one bunch of kale to take home. The leafy green is a trusted source of nutrients like beta carotene, vitamin K, and calcium. Curly or lacinato holds up in my refrigerator for days. It’s a perfect choice for someone who is a little too busy to cook everything right away. When other more delicate greens threaten to wilt away the moment their picked, robust kale holds up in my crisper for days on end. Kale is, without a doubt, the perfect food source for a busy lifestyle.

It wasn’t until I had the pleasure of helping the Hatfield’s open their newest restaurant, The Sycamore Kitchen, that I discovered a whole new way of eating kale. Raw kale in a salad may not sound particularly crave-worthy, but the combination of sweet figs (or you could use Medijool dates), tart cheese (I like feta but the Hatfield’s prefer blue), and curly kale makes for a meal that is wholesomely satisfying.

Kale Salad with Medijool Dates and Feta

Serves two

Be sure to use curly kale for this recipe. Wash it well, remove the stems (fold the leaves in half and cut the stem out by slicing down the center fold), and chop the leaves into tiny, bite-sized pieces. The smaller the pieces, the easier it is to eat. I recently discovered a pre-washed and chopped bagged kale at Trader Joes. A super convenient choice, especially if you’re on the go! One note of caution, however, the bagged kale sometimes has its share of stems in it. If you notice some stems have made their way into the mix, chop them off!

For the Yogurt dressing:

1/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of agave syrup
salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
4 cups chopped curly kale (before chopping, remove stems from the center of the kale)
4 whole ripe figs (or substitute with 4 Medijool dates, chopped), halved
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
1 small carrot chopped into small bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup chopped red cabbage
1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar

To make the salad, sprinkle the kale with a small pinch of salt and a light drizzle of vinegar. Massage the greens for a few seconds until you feel them start to soften a bit. Set aside as you chop up your veggies. I suggest that if you have any random veggies hanging out in the fridge, add them to the salad as well. I recommend chopping up a bit of radish, celery for a bit of extra crunch! Add the carrots and the cabbage.

For the dressing: Mix all the dressing ingredients in a separate bowl. Make sure to mix well with a small whisk or fork to create a creamy dressing. Taste. Season or adjust for taste. Add the dressing to the salad mixture. Toss. Add the figs and the feta. Toss some more. Serve.

October 2November 16

Basic Shopping List

An empty refrigerator in a food lover’s home is a sure sign that things have gotten busy. In my case, that means a restaurant-opening schedule, a young puppy that needs to be to taken care of and trained, and a husband and home that needs attention. After that, there’s barely enough time to cook, let alone shop for food.

Lately, my refrigerator looks more like a refrigerated plastic shelving unit.

Yesterday when I opened the refrigerator door, the little overhead light showed me nothing but wilted basil, fancy mustard, mayo, sriracha, handmade jelly, a jar of some kind of juice-soaked cherries, soy sauce, and fish sauce.

Time for me to go shopping.

But what exactly does one buy when there’s no food in the house, stomachs are growling, and the puppy is whimpering and in need of a good walk?

If I’ve got less than an hour to go shopping, unpack the groceries, and make dinner, I’ll rely on my tried and true shopping list. I can zip through any market in about twenty minutes flat with this memorized list. The seasonal basics help us stay within budget, keep us away from relying on take-out, frozen or packaged foods, and gives us room to work with hearty ingredients that have a good shelf life.

Because even though I may work in restaurants, I often don’t want to spend a lot of time thinking about menu planning and cooking. The following list includes what I shop for along with a few simple menu ideas.

Brooke’s Basic Shopping List

My basic shopping list allows for seasonal variations for several basic meals that feature protein and vegetables. I can use milk for my morning coffee or to pour over my granola. For snacks we have a square (or two!) of chocolate and a handful of nuts, a piece of cheese, or fruit.

Milk
Almond Milk
1 Greek Yogurt
1 Regular yogurt
1 dozen eggs
1 square of tasty cheese
1 chicken
a bunch of herbs
some fruit (whatever looks good)
lettuce (whatever looks good)
2-3 bunches of kale
granola (or the ingredients for making my own)
a bag of almonds or pepitas
sparkling water
2-3 bars of dark chocolate

Meal 1 (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
Kale and eggs

Meal 2 (dinner)
roasted chicken
with sauteed kale

Meal 3 (lunch)
left-over chicken salad on greens

Meal 4 (breakfast)
cheese and herb omelet with greens

Meal 5 (lunch or dinner)
Kale salad with feta cheese and figs (or dates)*

Meal 6, 7, 8 (breakfast/lunch/dinner)
yogurt with granola and fruit

Do you have a basic shopping list you rely on? What’s yours?

*Recipe to follow!

September 15September 15

Service 101: My Neighborhood Could Use a New Restaurant

Thank goodness the current state of the economy hasn’t stopped plenty of new restaurateurs from opening a new establishment. Since it’s my business to help people open restaurants, I’m incredibly proud of the places I have helped open because they all seem to fill a gaping hole in the food scene that myself and tons of others have been craving. But even with all the new businesses opening, a lot of us are left wanting for more.

So when the New York Times wrote a piece in which they polled the paper’s top food writers to find out what restaurants they wished would open soon in New York City, it got me thinking…What restaurants are still missing in my city and what do my top food blogging friends want to see in their town?

So, in hopes of inspiring a potential new wave of much-needed restaurant openings, I decided to reach out to a handful of my favorite food blogging friends to see what kinds of eateries they were longing for in their neighborhood.

Gaby Dalkin of What’s Gaby Cooking–Los Angeles

I would KILL for for a fun sandwich place like Beyond Bread in Tucson. They have basically every sandwich under the sun and then even more fun ideas that you’ve never thought of and 123980 kinds of homemade bread.

And I’d also like a killer pizza place that is super inexpensive where you can go and order a slice or two, eat it in the restaurant, and peace out for under 8 bucks.

Lucy of Ladles and Jellyspoons--Los Angeles

What I want? Not necessarily in any order: a simple traditional French bistro that served exquisite food, an English pub with great British food, a Jamie’s Italian (cheap Italian with amazing pasta), and last but by no means least, Ottolenghi’s Cafe and NOPI

Marla Meridith of Family Fresh Cooking–Orange County

We need everything [in Orange County]. High quality, chef owned restaurants would be a great place to start. I can’t stand all the corporate, low quality, big box restaurant chains.

Heather Christo of HeatherChristo.com–Seattle

Not a week goes by that my husband and I don’t whine about how there is no great Jewish deli in Seattle (you know, with real bagels, dill pickles and big sandwiches!) I would also give a toe to have Balthazar to plop right down into my neighborhood. And we are really missing great Italian food in this city- there are very few options.

And Me?

Well, since we’re making our wish list, I’d like to make an official request ~~plea~~ to Portland, Oregon chef Andy Ricker. Los Angeles could desperately use a Pok Pok LA or Pok Pok Wings on Fairfax would be a welcome addition to my neighborhood. I’d even go so far as offer relocation services to any of the Vietnamese restaurant families from Orange Country’s Little Saigon.

What restaurants are missing from your city?

September 8September 15

Into Action

The hardest part about being stuck in a rut, is getting yourself out of it.

Maybe you’re feeling derailed in your life or your job. Can’t get up the inspiration to cook. Perhaps you don’t quite have it in you to exercise like you used to. Maybe you find yourself staring at the computer screen, unable to create your next post/essay/letter to a friend/chapter of your book/poem/article/creative masterpiece.

The stuck-ness

There are times when I feel like I can do anything and everything. But sometimes, I feel truly stuck. I walk around the apartment aimlessly, eating granola and yogurt out of the container. I try to find my way back to the computer to write something and wish for motivation to come and overtake me.

But nothing happens.

‘Cause when stuck-ness comes and stakes a claim, there just seems to be nothing I can do to over come it.

Then I remember. There is a solution.

The solution

The best way for me to get out of the stuck-ness is to do the EXACT OPPOSITE of what I’m feeling. I have to practice contrary action.

If I feel unmotivated to write, I have to write for one hour.

If I don’t want to cook, I cook something.

If I can’t bear to look at myself in the mirror because I feel uncomfortable in my skin, I go for a walk or a hike in a canyon.

If I feel lonely and don’t understand why no one is calling me, I pick up the phone.

If I feel anti-social, I go out and do something with friends. Continue reading “Into Action”

August 20September 8

And then this happened…

My husband and I just adopted this beautiful new puppy.

From what we can gather, he’s a mixture of lab, shar pei and something else… we can’t be sure. He’s all play time, love, and excitement. He loves to eat and play. The husband and I are beside ourselves with happiness. Not much sleep (or internet, eating, reading, going out) is happening. But we couldn’t be happier. Our little guy is helping remind us every day how beautiful every moment is. He definitely helps us stay in the moment!

It may be quiet around here at Food Woolf for a week or so while we get our little guy used to this big, beautiful world. In the meantime, feel free to share with me any great puppy training hints in the comments section…I’m all ears!

August 12March 14

Why I love working in restaurants

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of work we can do in a day. Sometimes when our work becomes challenging, it’s important to slow down. It may feel like you don’t have a lot of time, but it’s important to take the time to appreciate what you’re doing. Because at the end of your day, don’t you want to remember why you do what you do and put in so much effort?

Make a gratitude list for your vocation

When I focus on the good that comes into my life because of what I do, the more happy I get. Making a gratitude list is a great daily practice and one that helps keep me grounded.

Here’s what I’m grateful for today:

The uniform may be the same, but no two days are the same.

Unlimited access to coffee. Lots of coffee.

The surroundings are inspiring. Everywhere I look there’s something (or someone) I want to know more about. Ingredients, techniques, style, craft, food stories, and big personalities abound.

Restaurant people are some of the hardest working, funny, dedicated, big-hearted people I have ever met. Every day they show me how to be brave, be strong, have faith, and be strong–no matter what.

If you pay attention, you can learn something wonderful every day.

Because repetition of a simple act can bring mastery.

Every day is a huge challenge. Every day has its own big rewards.

I may not eat all day, but when I finally do get a meal, it’s usually pretty mind blowing.

The light.

It’s quiet in the chaos.

I love food, knives, fire, movement, and the energy of a busy dining room. Oh, and I don’t do well in cubicles.

Tasting beautiful things is a job requirement.

What I learn at work, I bring home to my kitchen.

What are you grateful for?

August 1July 31

The Big Summer Potluck – Giving Vs. Getting

I’ve attended more than my share of food blogging events over the past five years. I’m a veteran of icy cold air conditioned conference rooms, Power Point presentations about stats and SEO, and hallways filled with anxious participants who fear being irrelevant. I’m no stranger to food conference agendas, food vendor giveaway frenzies, the anxious shaking of hands, and camera/gear/gadget/logo/design/fashion/friend envy.

But at the Big Summer Potluck–a third annual gathering for new and veteran food writers, photographers, and recipe developers put on by my good friend Maggy (Three Many Cooks), her mother Pam, and the lovely Erika (Ivory Hut)–everything is different. The focus is on small and intimate. The food is simple and made by people you know (or will know) over the course of the weekend. Speakers like Joy (Joy the Baker, Molly O’Neil (Cook n’ Scribble, and myself shared about what matters most in our hearts. Great food making demos from Marissa (Food in Jars) & Max Hansen offered attendees insights into invaluable techniques for canning and curing they can use at home.

Rather than focusing on technology or new frontiers of financial success, the retreat’s themes were on sharing, vulnerability, honest work, and mindfulness. The location itself–at Silver Buttons Farm and the Anderson’s secluded home in the Pennsylvania woods–invited frank discussion and forging of friendships.

Thanks to the masterful work of the team behind The Big Summer Potluck, attendees felt safe enough to get honest. We opened up about the things that scared us and mattered to us most. We got still. We put away our cameras, stowed our iPhones, and spent time listening to each other, rather than running off to the next thing. We shared personal issues and realized we weren’t all alone.

Continue reading “The Big Summer Potluck – Giving Vs. Getting”

July 27January 4

Mindfulness at The Big Summer Potluck

When your day starts, what’s the first thing you do after you wash up and have that first cup of coffee? Do you turn on the computer to check in with the world via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, your favorite blogs, your go-to online news source, or sites like Tastespotting and Tasty Kitchen? Do you wade through the slosh pile of emails, follow up on your blog’s comments, and check your website’s stats? Do you send out a Twitter message after you’ve photographed your breakfast and posted it on Instagram?

Let’s face it, we’re drowning in information before our day even really starts.

Somewhere after all that social media and networking, we also need to find time to have a life, be with our family, exercise, and maybe even pet the dog. But in order for us to make wise decisions, experience joy, and create something significant in our lives an on our blogs, we have to be truly present in the moment. But how can we appreciate or perceive anything now, when the endless chatter of information overload has taken over the space in our day that was once dedicated to quiet contemplation, creativity, and real human interactions?

Technology and new media is an important part of our modern world, but the necessity for downtime remains. It’s in the silence–the moments between moments–that real life happens. Great ideas, life changing meals, and brilliant solutions are discovered within a pregnant pause, a forced break, or a little get away. It is in the stillness–quiet places like the shower, at the top of a mountain, in the middle of a field, or at the edge of the ocean–that inspiration comes. Inspiration comes when we’re not paying attention or gripping down on some problem we’re trying to figure out.

But who has time to slow down, take creativity breaks, unplug from the internet, or even meditate? How can we inspire others if we can not give ourselves the gift of time and space to be inspired?

Later today, I’ll be joining eighty technologically savvy and warm-hearted people at this year’s Big Summer Potluck in Bucks County, PA. This small gathering of food writers, photographers, and bloggers are taking the weekend off to recharge batteries, meet internet friends, and spark the creativity that fuels us to continue creating great content.

My husband and I are flying three thousand miles across country with the effervescent Gaby Dalkin (What’s Gaby Cooking) so we can take part in this year’s Big Summer Potluck in Bucks County, PA. This small, close-knit group will be gathering at Silver Buttons Farm in Carversville, PA for a weekend of lavish meals, honest conversations, cooking sessions, and inspiring talks with people like Joy Wilson (Joy the Baker), Maggy Keet (Three Many Cooks), Pam Anderson (Author of the Cook Without a Book series) and myself.

I look forward to sharing about the topic of mindfulness and how we can apply ancient and modern techniques to accessing the internal wisdom needed to create beauty in the world. Tune into what’s going on via Twitter feed @TheBigPotluck or the hashtag #BSP3.

I look forward to seeing good friends and making new ones!

July 20January 3

Melon Salad with Chili and Lime

Working in the restaurant industry can be a wonderful thing, especially for someone who loves to cook. Some days can be more inspiring than others, but the love of food and a constant desire to create beautiful things in the kitchen is the twine that holds the front and back of house of the restaurant together every day. Coming to work has been especially exciting and fulfilling since I began working with the talented and Michelin star rated husband and wife culinary team, Karen and Quinn Hatfield.

My work assisting the pair open their newest restaurant, The Sycamore Kitchen–a bakery/café and bakery located in the Fairfax/Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles– gives me the opportunity to work with a team of highly skilled and passionate people who express themselves beautifully through the wholesome and flavorful food they make.

The flavors of the food at The Sycamore Kitchen are approachable, wholesome, and ever so sneaky because you find yourself needing to get more and more of the stuff. You just can’t help yourself. In fact, in just a few weeks the restaurant has been open, Sycamore Kitchen has garnered a dedicated following. Not only do customers drive across town for a Salted Caramel Bobka roll, or the Double BLT sandwich with braised pork belly, they return day after day for savory and sweet favorites with determined gusto.

Even though I’m at the restaurant more than full time, I find myself craving certain dishes frequently. It’s almost haunting, these flavors. The cookies and pastries are constantly on my mind and dishes like Sycamore Kitchen’s heirloom watermelon salad with aleppo pepper and lime make me pace my apartment until I can’t take it anymore and have to go to the store to buy all the ingredients so I can recreate the dish (to the best of my ability) at home.

Why? Because these sublime flavors aren’t something I can get out of my head so easily. Just take one nibble of this spicy, salty, sweet dish and you’ll see what I mean. Continue reading “Melon Salad with Chili and Lime”

July 19January 3

Sriracha Chicken

This city has taught me a lot about food, but one of the most important food lessons came in the shape of a plastic bottle with a green cap and nozzle. Sriracha–a sauce created by a Chinese immigrant from Vietnam who relocated in Los Angeles–has flavors that are warm and spicy–like ketchup mixed with garlic and smoked jalapeno. It’s a magical sauce that can transform anything into something spicy good.

During those formative first few months in LA, I spotted the rooster sauce on restaurant tables all over LA–from the Mexican taco stand, late night diners, Chinese restaurants, and an all night Thai place in Hollywood where a Thai man with thick black hair dressed up like Elvis and sang between courses.

I was hesitant to try the spicy red sauce. Before I became a citizen of a multi-cultural city, I had never been exposed to a food city where Mexican, Guatemalan, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Middle-Eastern dishes could be found within miles of my home. I was brought up on simple foods and avoided spice wherever possible. But once I took my first taste of Sriracha sauce I was hooked. I bought a bottle at a Thai market not far from my home and began experimenting with it. Sriracha perked up my scrambled eggs, made the cheap frozen pizzas a I survived on more palatable, and took my Thai cooking up a notch.

In the years since my discovery, I have figured out a way to work Sriracha into many of my mainstay recipes, including sauteed kale, chicken banh mi, caramel pork banh mi, and edamame dip. So when one of the food-loving employees at the restaurant I consult at, told me a story about the Sriracha marinaded fish she cooked the night before, I got inspired. Rather than make my usual roasted chicken for dinner, why not make Sriracha chicken instead? Rather than making things complicated, I kept this recipe really simple. Continue reading “Sriracha Chicken”

July 8

Service 101: Keep an Open Mind

We live in a time when new is a marker of cool. In Los Angeles, the newest restaurant on the block often trumps well established culinary landmarks–not necessarily because of the quality, but for the newness of the food and the scene. The fickle dining public swarm to what’s new and eat through the menu until they have reached overload and the place becomes “played out”.

The rush to stay current often comes at a cost, since most trend-seeking customers have very little patience for growing pains. Even well-respected chefs who bring along with them their own built in audience, require time and an extreme amount of effort to work out the kinks. Opening a restaurant is hard. Going to a new restaurant is challenging. Customers and restaurateurs need to keep an open mind in the first six months of business.

Take for example a restaurant opening I was a part of a number of years ago before I was a consultant. The city of Los Angeles buzzed with excitement as a well-regarded chef’s prepared to open her third restaurant. The restaurant was speculated about in the city’s gossip rag (Eater LA) more than a year before opening.

Behind the scenes, a famous designer and architect was brought in to create a lush dining room from the shell of a worn out culinary landmark. The chef created new dishes and groomed hungry new cooks for lead positions. Management staff worked tirelessly day and night to hire a great staff, stock the shelves with the best china, flatware, sparkling crystal, and bottles of the best liquor and wine. Service staff trained for weeks on the culinary history of particular dishes, memorized detailed information on wines from around the world, and studied traditions of food regions in Europe.

As opening day approached, LA foodies speculated online about what the food would be like. High ranking Yelpers schemed how to snag a first night reservation so they could be the first to review the restaurant. Curious neighbors peered in through the curtained windows and pulled on locked doors.

The day the restaurant opened, men and women of all ages jammed the reservation lines. Fashionable movie stars and grown adults fabricated lies, elbowed their way to the front of the line, and dropped names in hopes to get the reservation they wanted from the host staff.

After months of non stop work, the team crossed their fingers and hoped that the night went as well as they hoped. The dining room was electric with anticipation as waiters in crisp white shirts delivered the chef’s newest dishes to the guests. Plates flew from the kitchen as the brigade in white worked against time, sharp knives, hot plates, and exhaustion.

Several hours later, when the last dessert left the kitchen, the chef joined the management team in the dining room to measure the energy level of the room. Guests scurried from their seats to congratulate the chef.

Professional diners–men and women who rarely cook for themselves at home and eat out several times a week–gushed with praise and sprinkled well-intentioned suggestions of where the restaurateur could improve. The customers were giddy with ideas: how to re-design of the restrooms, what level the music should be played at, suggestions on what direction to take the business in (catering! delivery! even more expansion!), how to cook a piece of meat, just how much sauce should be poured over a certain entree, the correct measurements on a particular cocktail, and just how many bottles of wine from a particularly popular vineyard in California should be purchased.

When the doors were locked and the music turned off, the chef swore under her breath.

“I’m happy to listen to constructive criticism,” she said. “Just as soon as any one of those people run their own successful restaurant.”
Continue reading “Service 101: Keep an Open Mind”

June 15June 15

Thank you, Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury, a man of science, imagination, and other worldly creativity, departed this dimension on June 6th, 2012. Little more than a week since his death, many have written words of thanks and appreciation to applaud Bradbury for the limitlessness of his imagination and the power of his words.

Ray Bradbury was a teacher on the page as well as a mentor in life. Threading back through my memories, I can pin point a priceless interaction I had with the writer while I was attending film school. The year was 1999 and I was a hungry screenwriting student at a small Los Angeles film school. My screenwriting mentor introduced me to Mr. Bradbury at an on-campus event. I recall focusing on Bradbury’s hair–it was thick like a horse’s and colorless white–as he offered me surprisingly kind words of encouragement on the writing process. I was overwhelmed to be in the presence of such a famous writer, but his words gave me courage.

The brief encounter and his book “Zen in the Art of Writing” gave me the bravery to ask the man if I could take a stab at writing an adaptation of one of his short stories for a video assignment for my school. So blinded by optimism and hope, I didn’t even attempt any kind of promise of financial enticement. But then how could I? I was without any income and was living off a school loan that barely covered my rent, let alone a meager food allowance. I looked past my own lack of experience, crossed my fingers, and took the huge leap of faith.

Miraculously, Bradbury agreed to read my pages and think over my request. I wrote a draft. The director sent the pages along with the obligatory contract my film school required for usage of any original work.

In the interim, I chewed my nail-beds clean. I paced. I may have even drank a bottle of cheap wine to take the edge off.

Soon after, Mr. Bradbury’s responded. Continue reading “Thank you, Ray Bradbury”

June 7December 28

A Restaurant Worthy Burger

Some meals may feed hunger, while other dishes create an undeniable desire to fabricate a whole business around them. Particularly great breakfasts, satisfying lunches, cozy dinners, and impeccable desserts coax the entrepreneurial spirit out of us.

My husband and I know better than most, that the idea of opening a restaurant isn’t something to go all sparkly eyed over. We’ve worked in restaurants for decades and we know how much hard work, long hours, and tireless dedication goes into building a place for just nickles on the dollar. But sometimes, we can’t help but yearn for building something special after we’ve made a particularly successful meal. There are certain culinary experiences that make us think past all the risk and get us day dreaming about restaurant interiors, a rag-tag kitchen brigade, and a dining room crew dedicated to bringing our vision to life.

Sometimes, I’m truly amazed at what gets my husband and I fired up enough to open our own place. The cloth of a napkin. A handmade chandelier. A smile of a server/cashier/barista/busser who loves their job. A dark fruit compote. The flavor of an unexpected pickled vegetable. The juicy factor of a burger. There are certain meals we make at home that really get us yearning to seek out a lease in a small building somewhere.

We know we have come up with a restaurant dish when we have created the holy trinity of experience: great ingredients, delicious flavors, and comfort. A depleted larder and nearly empty refrigerator inspired this incredibly satisfying and healthy burger made with ground chicken. Grated carrots and onion gave the patty an extra layer of flavor that had my husband and I talking food costs and plating ideas*.

What dishes do you make that get you dreaming of opening up your own place?

Healthy Bird Burger
Makes 3-4 patties, depending how big you make them.

1 lb ground chicken
1 carrot, grated
1/4 onion, grated
2 egg yolks
1 slice of bread (crusts off)
1 1/2 teaspoons of paprika
Milk (just enough to dampen the slice of bread)
salt and pepper

Options:
Your favorite melting cheese
Mixed greens or toasted bun

Wash hands well. Soak a piece of crust-less bread in just enough milk to make the bread gather up together. Squeeze the bread mixture of excess milk.

Put ground chicken in a bowl with the grated carrot, onion, egg yolks, wet bread mixture, paprika. Mix with a spoon or clean hands. Carefully form the wet, sticky mixture into flat patties.

Heat a skillet on high heat. Add enough grape seed oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the patties. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Let cook about 3 minutes on the first side do not flip. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for another 3 minutes. Flip the burger. Turn down the heat a bit and let cook 3-6 minutes on the other side, depending on how thick your burger patties are. If adding cheese, add thin slices of cheese to the top of the burger and cover the pan, to allow the cheese melt. Feel the burger for firmness. Take off the heat, let rest for a minute before serving.

Serve on a grilled bun or with a side salad (simply toss some greens with olive oil, rice wine vinegar and salt and pepper).

*How the bird burger is plated above is definitely not restaurant ready.

May 25January 3

Life is Like a Bundt Cake Pan

Life is like a Bundt cake pan. You can either focus on the big hole in the middle or appreciate the light, fluffy cake it holds.

That’s a bit of unexpected insight I recently found during a meditation I had this week. I was hoping for some insight on how I can ease up on being so hard on myself and this is what came to me. A dessert recipe. For life.

I have to admit, I laughed out loud when the vision of a Bundt pan filled with Angel Food cake came to mind. Divine inspiration, keenly directed towards its audience. I love food so much, it’s easy for the metaphor to hit the bullseye.

It’s up to me if I’m going to stay in the dark void or savor the sweetness of this beautiful life.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the little mistakes, the missteps, the fumbles, and awkward moments that can collect through the day. If I’m not careful, I can waste so much time on the negative, rather than focus on the positives of every day. Rather than see how I opened the door for a mother struggling with the stroller, I focus on how I hesitated too long before I put money in the barista’s tip jar. I can avoid a nice swim in the happiness of my work, to wallow in the problems. I’ll scrutinize every wrinkle on my face instead of marveling on the progress I’ve make with my health. Rather than feeling good about the time I dedicate to my well being and creativity, I’ll beat myself up for not filling the hours with hard, physical labor.

My inner critic sounds a lot like Joan Crawford in Mommy Dearest. And to be honest, I’m kinda sick of the bitch.

I’ve found that the best way for me to stay in the lightest parts of life, is for me to be in action. I need to be of service to others through my work, or to myself through prayer, mediation, fellowship, and exercise. I need to cook. I need to make people laugh. I need to take pretty pictures. I have to take my ideas of faith and put them into action.

Every day I have a choice of where I want to be. There will be negative spaces in life. But rather on focusing on the void, I will choose to enjoy the fluffy, sweet center of it all.

Just as it is in life, this cake didn’t necessarily turn out the way I thought it would. The organic flour and brown sugar gives this cake a unique texture that is a fair bit more dense than a traditional Angel Food cake. The addition of the fruit compote and whipped cream makes this cake super enjoyable.

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Brown Sugar Angel Food Cake
Adapted from a recipe fromMartha Stewart Cookbook: Collected Recipes for Every Day

For the cake:
1 1/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)–if you use organic flour the cake will be dense
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, sifted
14 egg whites (save the yolks to make ice cream!)
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

For a simple mixed berry compote:
1 package of trader Joe’s frozen mixed berries
8 tablespoons water
8 tablespoons vanilla Torani syrup

For the whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
quartered strawberries

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Mix the sifted cake flour with 3/4 cup of brown sugar. Sift the mixture twice. (If you are wondering how to sift flour you can go to www.kitchendaily.com/2010/09/07/how-to-sift-flour/ to watch a video on how this is done! I struggled with this and found a fair amount of sugar clumped in the sifter afterwards.)

Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until the liquid becomes foamy. Sift the cream of tartar into the mixture and increase the speed of the mixer to hight. Beat until the egg whites are thick and tripled in volume, about 4-6 minutes. Lightly sprinkle half of the remaining brown sugar into the egg whites. Mix until the sugar is fully incorporated. Repeat this step with the sugar. Continue beating until the egg whites become thick and glossy.

Fold the cake flour and sugar mixture in three additions. As you add the final bit of sugar and cake flour, also add the lemon zest.

Spoon the cake mixture into an unbuttered 10-inch angel food bundt pan (Martha suggests you use one with a removable bottom). Run a knife through the batter to break any air bubbles. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the cake is golden in color and is springy to the touch.

Invert the cake on a cooling rack and let cool completely for an hour. To remove the cake from the pan, run a knife around the sides and in the center tube.

Meanwhile, empty the bag of Trader Joe’s Organic Mixed berries into a sauce pan. Add the water and vanilla syrup. Cook over a high heat to melt the frozen berries. When it starts to boil, turn down the heat and let reduce until it comes to a desired consistency. I like to cook things down for about 8-10 minutes. Let cool.

When you’re ready to serve up the cake, whip the cream with vanilla until stiff.

Cut the cake in half horizontally and spread a layer of the whipped cream over the top of the bottom half. Arrange the quartered strawberries over the whipped cream. Add the top layer of the cake and then top generously with the remaining whipped cream.

Serve with a generous spoonful of berry mixture over the top of each serving.