Just to prove that waiters aren’t the only ones…

…to deal with “interesting” customers, clients and other members of the public. Exhibit A: From the oft-hilarious”(The customer is) not always right” website: “(Note: I worked in a resort over the summer as a concierge.) Tourist: “Can we see any wildlife in the area, you know, by the side of the road?” Me: “Sure, we [...]

My most beautiful cooking tool

This is a stock photo of my Kitchenaid Professional 600 stand mixer in nickel pearl. A marvelous chunk of modern/retro design. Looks like it could have been chiseled out of a single block of nickel. I truly love this mixer. I do a lot of baking and the 6 qt. capacity and heavy duty motor [...]

Cookbook of the day – Larousse Gastronomique and The Food Lover’s Companion

Larousse Gastronomique by Prosper Montaigne (ed.) Clarkson Potter; Rev Sub edition (October 2, 2001) ISBN-10: 0609609718 ISBN-13: 978-0609609712 Food Lover’s Companion, The (Barron’s Cooking Guide) 3rd Edition (Paperback) by Sharon Tyler Herbst Barron’s Educational Series ISBN-10: 0764112589 ISBN-13: 978-0764112584 I combined these two reference works because every server should have at least the Food Lover’s [...]

10 quick tips on upselling

1. Never upsell just to build the check. Always do it to enhance the dining experience. 2. Mention specifics. Don’t ask, “Would you like an appetizer”? Instead, ask, “Would you like the crispy hot Mozzarella sticks with the homemade marinara dipping sauce”? 3. If your restaurant allows it, ask if you can put together an [...]