So Many Recipes, So Little Time

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January 7, 2022

When the pandemic swept the world, life changed for everyone in one way or another. Seeing as everyone found themselves home all of a sudden, it’s no surprise that it didn’t take long for people to decide it’s time to head to the kitchen and sharpen up those cooking skills. With fun videos and endless social media posts boasting of the “BEST WAY TO MAKE” one’s favorite dish, it’s easy to decide which one really is the best. A simple search for any “easy, quick, simple” dish will garnish hundreds of recipes, both written and videos, all with unique twists and varying ingredients. With all the options, it can begin to get a bit overwhelming where to even start.

First and foremost, you need to choose the platform in which to find the recipe. Between cracking open great- granny’s book to watching an entire meal be made in 30 seconds flat while scrolling through social media, there is a multitude of waves to find the recipe that works just for you. When looking, make sure there is enough information in terms of cooking temperatures, pan sizes, cooking methods, etc. This information is needed so one can aptly prepare and not run into a preheating hold up or overcrowding in a pan. Just because it looked easy online doesn’t mean it’s that easy in person. With that in mind, one must also be honest on their skillset, and quite honestly, time to devote.

You’ll often hear the phrase “low and slow” when cooking. That’s to say, the longer you let something sit and really absorb flavor (think marinades, soups, roasting, etc.) the better it will taste. It’s not expected that everyone has 7 hours to dedicate to brining the best turkey in the world for a regular Tuesday night dinner. When choosing a recipe, it’s important to know how much time you have to dedicate so you can adjust the steps if need be. Think family potluck dishes: a simple bread pudding is delicious and sure to be a crowd pleaser.

While you can throw one together last minute with oven dried bread from your cupboard and a quick toss in eggs, cream, butter and sugar, or you can plan it out a day in advance and pick up some artisan sweet breads from your grocery store and give them time to air dry, then leave the assembled bread pudding in the fridge overnight to really soak in the cinnamon and vanilla egg yolk goodness. The difference is in the time, so be honest with yourself in your level of dedication when perusing. Once you know what you’re in for, it’s time to look at the ingredient portion of the recipe.

Another important thing when picking a recipe is to make sure you are not visiting a specific product’s website. That recipe isn’t trying to provide you with quality food—it is trying to get you to go purchase their product, taste be damned.

I learned this lesson the hard way when I was trying my hand at Japanese Milk Bread and produced one of the blandest batches of bread ever after a brand advertised a recipe using their products to “cut back on ingredients and keep the flavor!” This could have been avoided by simply checking the name of the website and reading a few different recipes to see if others have suggested using that product as well. But beware, even some personally submitted recipes are sponsored by certain brands and products, so beware of the underhanded advertisements!

Some recipes to have the shortcut or easy way out, but bear in mind that some tried and true recipes are what they are: you cannot cut corners if you want quality. Without certain techniques or ingredients, you aren’t actually making the dish. For example, when looking for a hummus recipe, it must contain tahini or else it’s not a traditional hummus. Or if a recipe is claiming their “easy consommé recipe” doesn’t involve the tedious work of creating and, let’s be honest, stressing over the egg white raft, ditch it. Rest assured, though, that cooking isn’t always a strict, no nonsense task. Just as important as it is to know the rules, you also need to know when you can change them.

Some people prefer to stick to the rules and not stray, and that’s ok! In that case, these people need to find a detailed, thorough recipe that doesn’t lend room for mistakes. This recipe should also explain why things are the way they are so someone can make an educated decision. Like when marinating, 24 hours is great, but 3 hours is better than nothing, so just because you don’t have time doesn’t mean that recipe is automatically out. On the other side of the spectrum are those who love to find customizable and easy to manipulate recipes. Personally, I prefer to use recipes as guides, so one that doesn’t provide me with any room for creativity is probably a recipe I will skip. Either way, the perfect recipe is the one that makes a delicious meal!

The average person spends an hour preparing and making themselves food every day. It’s up to you whether you Sometimes that means doing a bit of research and recipe shopping before diving in. Watch videos, read blogs, and ask friends for their family’s way of making something. You may be surprised to learn that you haven’t even learned the best way to make your favorite dish yet!

Daysmith Coffee+ Launches Line of Vitamin-Infused, Plant-Based Lattes and Cold Brews to Support Your Health and Power Your Day

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admin

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January 5, 2022

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Daysmith reimagines ready-to-drink coffee with line of delicious low-sugar coffees with wellness benefits; available nationwide and in select Austin retail stores

Available now, Daysmith Coffee+ is an Austin-based brand of plant-powered ready-to-drink coffees with functional wellness benefits. Daysmith is making health-minded coffee drinkers’ dreams come true with the launch of the first vitamin-infused, low-sugar coffees that are both delicious and nutritious. Designed to provide balanced energy, focus, and immunity support, Daysmith’s ultra-smooth coffees and creamy oat milk lattes are enhanced with unique vitamin blends to support your health and power your day.

Daysmith’s plant-based lattes and cold brews are the easiest and most delicious way to get your caffeine and vitamins, leveling up your daily routine in both flavor and function. All varieties are dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, nut-free, and plant-based. Daysmith’s supremely delicious coffees offer indulgent taste without the guilt, with only 15-70 calories and 0-5g of sugar per can.

Daysmith comes in three delicious guilt-free flavors, including:

Focus Vanilla Oat Milk Latte: Creamy vanilla with a silky smooth finish | 60 calories, 5g of sugar | Infused with B Vitamins, Omega 3, and L-Theanine
Immunity Mocha Oat Milk Latte: Rich and velvety mocha | 70 calories, 5g of sugar | Infused with Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc
Multi Straight Black Coffee Brew: Bold, balanced, and ultra-smooth | 15 calories, 0g of sugar | Infused with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and B Vitamins

“We started Daysmith with one goal: to reimagine the category and bring ready-to-drink coffee to the 21st century,” said Daniel Mendez, co-founder of Daysmith Coffee+. “As coffee fanatics, we felt something was missing from the coffee aisle. Not only were most of the RTD options filled with excess sugar and calories, but they also lacked the added benefits that modern consumers are looking for in their products. As consumers become more conscientious than ever before about what they are putting into their bodies, we set out to create an option that is both delicious and nutritious. We’re excited to bring Daysmith Coffee+ to coffee lovers nationwide.”

Daysmith founders Daniel Mendez and Derek Nelson are on a mission to disrupt the functional coffee space with a new kind of coffee – boldly combining ultra-smooth cold brews and creamy oat milk lattes with vitamins and plant-based nutrients to support your health and power your day. As coffee lovers themselves, the founders viewed the daily coffee ritual as the perfect opportunity to deliver added nutritional benefits.

“Daysmith’s line of coffees provide balanced energy levels and unique wellness benefits,” said Derek Nelson, co-founder of Daysmith Coffee+. “While we take pride in what’s in our cans, we also pride ourselves on what we’ve left out of them. Unlike mainstream RTD coffees that pack up to 290 calories and 45 grams of sugar, our flavors range from 15-70 calories each and have only 0-5 grams of sugar.”

Daysmith Coffee+ is packaged in 7.5 oz recyclable aluminum cans and is available in single flavor and variety 12-packs ($48.00) nationwide on the company’s website drinkdaysmith.com, snackmagic.com, as well as at specialty retail stores in Austin with more shelves launching throughout 2022. As a way to support local healthcare workers on the front lines, Daysmith donates to local healthcare organizations, including donating thousands of Daysmith coffees to hospitals in the Austin area monthly. For a limited time only, consumers can save 15% off all Daysmith Coffee+ products site-wide using code ‘LAUNCH15’ at checkout on drinkdaysmith.com.

THE 10 BEST SARDINIAN DISHES

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Tobias Kumwenda

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December 29, 2021

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THE 10 BEST SARDINIAN DISHES — View of Goceano's castle in Burgos, Sardinia, italy. Sardinia architecture and landmark.

These are the ten finest Sardinian foods, in our opinion, that you should try during your vacation in Sardinia:

The Coffee Culture of New Orleans

By

Sara Snow

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December 27, 2021

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One of the most common questions visitors ask New Orleans locals is, “Where’s the best place to eat?”. However, what some may find surprising is New Orleans is very much a coffee town. Since moving here 7 years ago, I’ve tried as many cafes as I could find! I set out to explore the current coffee scene while learning about older coffee trends. The New Orleans coffee scene is a haven for coffee lovers locally and just visiting that offer everything from major brands to micro-roasters.

New Orleans is the top coffee port in North America with coffee by the ton being shipped to New Orleans’s ports from many coffee-producing countries to be processed, then shipped to companies, large and small, worldwide. In fact, a few miles down the Mississippi River from the French Quarter is the Folgers roasting plant. I’ve woken up many mornings to the city smelling of freshly roasted coffee before I even brewed my cup of the day.

In the 1920s, most of the country had yet to embrace the “coffee break” concept, while New Orleans businessmen had made this mid-morning break part of their daily routines. There’s no evidence that coffee breaks started in New Orleans, but it certainly was popular. Today, a majority of New Orleans residents work in the hospitality and culinary industries, it’s no surprise coffee still plays such an important role in keeping the city running. Or just to give its hard-working locals a much-needed break so the good times can keep rolling.

Possibly one of the most famous places to visit in New Orleans is Cafe du Monde. Since 1842 Cafe du Monde has been offering the iconic pairing of cafe au lait and beignets to locals and tourists 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The cafe au lait is dark coffee and chicory and then mixed with steamed milk and unique to New Orleans. Like so many things in NOLA, mixing coffee and chicory is a carryover from France, to help stretch limited coffee supplies during the Civil war.

While it is uncertain how long coffee and chicory have been brewed together, it became popular in 19th century France, when Napolean enacted the “Contenitenal Blockade”. This caused a major shortage in the coffee trade, so chicory was added to stretch out what little coffee there was. Even though there is no caffeine in chicory, once roasted the flavor mimics the taste of coffee, making it a suitable additive.

A lesser-known coffee concoction that is purely New Orleans is the Cafe Brulot Diabolique or “Devilish Burned Coffee” which was invented at Antoine’s Restaurant in the 1880’s. A blend of coffee, brandy, and spices was then set afire; this soon became a way to disguise alcohol during Prohibition.

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A post shared by New Orleans CoolBrew (@neworleanscoolbrew)

It’s not gone unnoticed that cold brew coffee has become increasingly popular in recent years, but New Orleans has been making and enjoying cold brew long before the rest of us. The local brand, CoolBrew coffee concentrate was started in 1989 by Phil McCorory. Phil was seeking a way to create a less acidic and better-tasting cold brew, and he managed to take the 150-year-old cold-brew process and not only reinvented it but set it on a larger scale. Now CoolBrew is distributing its concentrated coffee all over the country.

Other notable coffee brands that call New Orleans home are Community Coffee and French Market. Community Coffee has been around since 1919 and is one of the largest family-owned businesses in the country. In 1995 they started their coffee house chain, CC’s Coffee House, which serves most Louisiana, Texas, and Alabama locations.

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A post shared by CC's Coffee House (@ccscoffeehouse)

French Market Coffee was founded in 1890, selling cans of their roasted coffee in New Orleans’ French Market. Over a hundred years later, French Market is still going strong and selling their coffee in big chain grocery stores.

Micro roasters and specialty coffee shops have staked their claim in many significant cities, and New Orleans is no different. Some of the local coffee houses that have gained in popularity in recent years are Mojo Coffee House, French Truck Coffee, Coffee Science, and Congregation Coffee Roasters, to name a few. Don’t be surprised if you find Congregation of French Truck coffee offered on the menu at many local restaurants throughout the city. By focusing on dealing fair trade and single-origin beans, these specialty roasters are looking to not only make an impact locally but globally as well.

New Orleans has always been a city where the old traditions are blended with modern times, embracing both its past and future to create a unique culture that is purely New Orleans. This is part of what helps set the coffee scene in the Big Easy apart from other cities. So next time you are seeking a coffee-centric town to visit and want to savor the various rich brews steeped in history, give New Orleans a try.

The Quick Rise of My Culinary Career, Followed by the Burnout

By

Alecca Hunt

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December 24, 2021

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The Quick Rise of My Culinary Career, Followed by the Burnout

Most kids get asked what they want to be when they grow up, and almost every time they are asked, the answer will change. For me, I knew at a young age that I was going to grow up and be a Chef. I always thought I would go to culinary school, make it big by opening a restaurant, or maybe even getting my own cooking show on The Food Network, but I knew that my career would involve the culinary industry to one extent or the other.

I aimed for the stars from the start and wouldn’t stop I was amongst them in orbit. I spent my younger years working towards doing just that, even obtaining a business degree in order to launch my own venture one day, and finally took the first giant leap and signed up for cooking school.

While in attendance, I was to get an internship in a kitchen and learn first-hand what it was like to cook with the best of them. I landed an unpaid position at a locally owned gastropub that infused Asian and American flavors and techniques into a delightfully playful and delicious product. So on top of my 18 hour course work plus a 40 hour work week at a chain restaurant, I added another 20 hours at the internship—and it was my favorite 20 hours of the week.

I feel in love with the culture and pace of the kitchen. I loved the instant camaraderie and feeling of team pride after a particularly rough dinner shift (and mimicked prayers that tomorrow’s brunch shift goes a little easier on us, please and thanks). I loved being the only female chef in the male dominated kitchen—and let’s be honest, I was kicking ass at it, too. My hard work paid off in almost no time at all and soon I found myself working my first real cooking job in a restaurant where I could gain experience and hone in on my skills, all while finally being paid for it!

I was asked to stay with the pub and offered a position as line cook before the internship ended, and soon found myself in the thick of it all. I worked any shift I was asked to, made suggestions for meny improvements, and gave my all to making sure not only, but the establishment itself succeeded. After only 6 months working for my Chef, and finishing up my last semester of culinary school, I was offered the Sous Chef position at the pub, while I eagerly accepted. After all, this is what I wanted to do my whole life and it was basically handed to me on a silver platter.

I would be a fool to pass it up, right? For the next 4 years, I strived and pushed to make it all work and prove to myself that this life is exactly what I dreamed it would be. Then COVID-19 struck the world and life stood still for a little while, giving me too much time to think about the ever declining predicament I was in.

Fortunately, I was never a worker who lost their job due to the coronavirus—food service workers were deemed essential in the state I live, so my restaurant trudged on, my Chef and I constantly watching the news and waiting for the next gut-wrenching, and possibly job costing update. And though the pub stayed open, everything still changed. Hours were cut, customers were few, and the fear of waking up one day and everything I worked so tirelessly for being gone.

While we were able to stay open, local restaurants all around shuttered and the constant fear of being next placed a mountain of stress on not only myself, but everyone in the food service industry. A few months into the pandemic, I did what I never thought I would do and I quit my job as Sous Chef.

Immediately, the weight was lifted. Not just the weight from leading a restaurant through a pandemic, but the weight of working just to impress and not for my own sense of fulfillment. Somewhere along the way, the light was lost. The joy turned to dread and the group gatherings turned into crew meetings that lasted too long.

As the Coronavirus continued on leaving nothing but chaos and confusion in it’s wake, I saw firsthand how fickle the food industry can be, and I realized that while the hustle and bustle of a kitchen is something I loved, the stress of running the kitchen was not something I was ready to give up my next 70-odd years of life for.

Too many times, people don’t recognize their burnout and continue to overwork themselves, thinking “this must just be life.” For some, working those long hours is all you may know about working the food industry. It’s a common trope that chefs work hard and play hard day in and day out, often at the price of their social life, sleep pattern, and sometimes even resulting in missing out on important other things.

If this becomes the case, I recommend stepping back and deciding if the situation is worth the stressors. If it isn’t, it’s time to leave the situation. Luckily the food industry is also a forgiving one, and taking time to yourself to rekindle your love for the art doesn’t mean you’ll fall behind. Keeping up with the food trends is easy and fun to do from home, and when one isn’t doing something for money, they often find themselves enjoying the task more. Once the lure of the kitchen doesn’t seem so shiny, it’s best to take a step back before losing your love for cooking all together.

Birmingham’s 10 Favorite Restaurants

By

Tobias Kumwenda

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December 22, 2021

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Birmingham's 10 Favorite Restaurants — Christmas market in Birmingham city centre during night

If you want to eat like an indigenous Birmingham, you’ll have to try foods from all over the world, notably from South and East Asia. The famed pork crisps, which are served in practically every tavern, are said to have originated in the area.

Indian food, breakfast sandwiches, veggie bits, steaks, and Sunday roasts are also popular among people of England’s second-largest metropolis.

To commemorate post-war Birmingham food, try fried pork bundles and pig’s trotters, or try a spicy curry or balti at one of the city’s well-known Indian eateries. British favourites like pork pies, English breakfasts, and delectable sandwiches may be found at traditional pubs or taverns.

Tinola

By

Mariel Pacate

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December 18, 2021

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Apart from sinigang, tinola is one of the most popular soups in our nation. If you believe that the primary component in Tinola is chicken, you are probably mistaken. There are also many Tinola variants in other parts of the Philippines, including Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. We usually prepare it with chicken in Luzon. In Visayas, it is prepared using seafood, whereas in Mindanao, it is prepared with beef. However, it may have a variety of variations; there is a comparison between the three, and all of the Tinola prepared by Filipinos contains ginger. If sinigang utilizes tamarind to sour the broth, ginger imparts a unique flavour to Tinola.

Filipinos have been preparing Tinola for a very long time. This is proven in the book by Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero. Tinola was referenced during a visit by Crisostomo Ibarra and Father Damaso to Captain Tiago.

Tinola is mostly prepared in Luzon using chicken, ginger, mint leaf, papaya, and chayote. When I visited Visayas, they gave me a delectable delicacy called tola. As with the people of Luzon, they use ginger, sometimes onion, tomatoes, and the primary component is not chicken but fish. I have a buddy that travels to Mindanao and visits the area where Tausug resides. Tausug is a Filipino ethnic group whose name translates as “people of the flow.”

They have a soup there that they do not refer to as “Tinola” or “tola,” but rather as “Tiyula.” I am unaware of the connection between “Tiyula” and the Tinola of Luzon or the Tola of Visayas. In Mindanao, the soup’s Tiyula is dyed black. However, like with other Tinola, the ginger imparts a unique flavour to their “Tiyula Itim.” It contains yellow ginger, grass, onions, and chile, making it very fiery, and its primary component is beef. It is colored black for many reasons, including the fact that the “pamapa” they use is coconut flesh imbued with various spices, which they include in the soup.

My other coworkers and I frequent a restaurant in the Philippines called The Palm Grill. “Tiyula itum” was delectable; it was served with a torch bone thin on top. It tastes similar to Tinola or another meal popular in our nation, bulalo, in that the flavour was extremely unique due to the addition of tanglad and ginger. I can assure you that it was really delectable. The Tinola, Tola, and Tiyula are the indigenous peoples of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the Philippines.

It may appear different, but if you’re going to taste it, it will be very different. It will never let you down. I hope you will visit the Philippines to sample these delicacies. Whether you are on another island or another nation. Don’t be afraid to give it a go; you have nothing to lose. This soup is sure to be a hit with you. It’s perfect for any season, too. There’s a good chance you’ll give it a go. Please, while you enjoy this meal, spread the word about it to others.

Food Drink Magazine Issue 17 December 2021

By

admin

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December 16, 2021

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Food Drink Magazine Issue 17 December 2021

Greetings to you all food lovers.

As we approach the end of 2021, we are very excited to publish our latest issue of the year. What we are discussing in this issue will be the summary of NOT 2021 but will be 2020 and 2021 assessment of the food and drink industry overall.

It was one heck of two years in every aspect. We learnt new way of living, eating, meeting, celebrating, sharing, and above of all surviving. Over the period of two years, the food industry has been greatly affected and suffered by global pandemic of COVID-19. Many restaurants, coffee shops and other small businesses had to close their doors and sadly they furloughed their staff.

One thing we did not give up was a good food and accompanying drink in these difficult times. All of the restrictions are easing off as the number of vaccinated people increasing. We all are hoping that all will go back to where it was before soon.

Lets talk about something bit more exciting. 5^th The Best Chef awards have been announced this year. Last year it was held virtually but this year they are back on the stage. So not all are negative going on in the food industry. Many talented and inspiring chefs presented their skills in Amsterdam. You will find more about them in one of our articles.

Well well, what a great time to finish the year. All the magic of holiday season is around us and I am very optimistic that 2022 will bring all the fun and great beginnings to us all.

Drinking my mulled wine, eating my mince pie and cheering to you all food lovers. Enjoy reading our December issue. Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you all.

GULCAN GOK TUZCU

You can reach our Digital Magazine at https://issuu.com/fooddrinkmagazine and https://www.magzter.com/US/HGH-Perfect/Food-Drink-Magazine/Food–Beverage/All-Issues.

MADE IN USA: 10 TYPICAL AMERICAN DISHES TO EAT AT LEAST ONCE IN

By

Tobias Kumwenda

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December 15, 2021

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You automatically think of junk food when you hear “Made in USA” food. In reality, when you think of the American diet, especially if you’ve never been, you probably think of fast food or enormous calorie binges as portrayed in movies or TV shows, as well as a high obesity rate that considerably exceeds that of Europe.

There is much truth in it, but there are also many preconceptions that keep us from recognizing what are the actual gastronomic characteristics of this vast region within the American culinary culture.

Given the vastness of its borders and the diversity of ethnic groups present on US soil, American dishes do not have a true linear tradition in the way that other countries’ dishes do, but rather it is a collection of many traditions that intertwine and each bring their most valued peculiarities to create recipes and dishes that are known and tasted throughout the United States.

Without a doubt, each region has its own traditional or well-known foods, but some dishes, in particular, are well-known over the world and should be known and tried at least once in one’s life, both to widen one’s culinary horizons and to relish their unique flavour.

However, before you begin, we urge that you put this music on in the background and listen to it as you allow yourself to be tempted (even if just aesthetically) by these delights. Which one do you want to try right now? Which one does not pique your interest and that you would gladly discard?

But what are the foods that, despite not being a nutritious dinner, you simply cannot pass up and must have at least once in your life? Let’s examine what the 10 most characteristic American dishes are that deserve to be classified as US gourmet specialities.

Here is our list!

Brunch From A Cook’s Point of View

By

Sara Snow

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December 14, 2021

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What comes to mind when you think of brunch? Bottomless mimosas, fancy egg dishes? Perhaps loaded bloody marys? Seems fun right? Now ask a cook or a server what they think of when they hear brunch. Most likely the reaction isn’t very positive. For those unfortunate souls, like yours truly, that have had to work this Sunday afternoon staple, it is the most dreaded shift on any industry worker’s schedule.

If you will allow me to explain how miserable an experience a brunch shift can be for restaurant staff. And hopefully, give diners something to think about before they decide to mistreat their server over poached eggs. Now some in the industry prefer working brunch and AM shifts. However, this article is for those like me who don’t hold brunch within high regard.

A brunch menu mix converted dinner leftovers into specials with an egg thrown on top, menu staples such as egg benedicts, burgers, and omelets. All of it is a pain to make when your body and mind are demanding to know why you’re not still asleep. Some lucky few can make such a turnaround and act like this sort of thing is normal, but for creatures of the night, such as myself, this is a struggle.

I’ve worked for restaurants that range from serving brunch a few times a year to 7 days a week, and every time was painful. On average brunch usually follows a grueling Saturday night dinner service, ending around 11 pm or midnight. After the breakdown, cleaning, and finally getting home, sleep doesn’t look like a possibility until 3 am. Most brunch shifts I’ve worked begin between 7 am and 8 am. I am not exaggerating when I say I have fallen asleep standing up while whisking away at a hollandaise sauce.

Brunch seems to attract some of the pickest and demanding clientele into the restaurant. I’m not saying all who eat brunch are terrible, but the amount of difficult customers seems to double when eggs are involved. Or seem perplexed that the menu doesn’t have anything that resembles a particular pancake house chain. Not to mention those who seem to believe tipping isn’t important, leaving the overworked waitstaff hardly anything to show for the grueling shift they just endured.

While dinner service oftentimes is carefully executed, so there becomes a rhythm to it, even on the busiest of nights, there is a method behind the madness. Then there is the chaos that is brunch. Every ticket is straight to fire, there’s no wait between courses, at least ten things are needed on the fly, orders are being rung in incorrectly, and the hollandaise just broke and needs to be fixed before all the food dies in the window. Brunch at its worst is unbridled chaos.

So now brunch service is over, the sweet release is in reach, but wait, first the kitchen needs to be detail cleaned. Since a majority of restaurants are closed on Mondays, best to give the kitchen a full cleaning before the start of next week’s service. This consists of chipping away at carbon build-up, spraying harmful chemicals that cut through grease, and boiling out the deep fryer, just to give a few examples. Every kitchen has its own set of specific cleaning duties that undoubtedly leave exhausted crew with a sense of dread.

Or perhaps this brunch service goes into dinner service, so you have to completely flip the station, clean, and still cook some of the remaining orders before shift change. All the while, testy dinner service cooks are itching to get on the station to prep. There’s also a strong possibility you’re working dinner as well, so time to drink more coffee and hope it counts enough as a meal to get you through the next 8 plus hours.

Now don’t get me wrong, brunch can make a restaurant a lot of money and help with the food cost, and it can be very profitable for the business. Still, that nugget of knowledge isn’t exactly comforting to an exhausted cook who would rather be home in bed than poaching 10 dozen eggs at 7 am.

It was the late Anthony Bourdain that said brunch was a “ horrible, cynical way of unloading leftovers and charging three times as much as you ordinarily charge for breakfast,” and “it’s the least popular shift for cooks. I hate it.” My sentiments exactly, Mr. Bourdain. So, please remember, the next time you go to brunch on a nice sunny day for those bottomless mimosas, be kind to your server and the staff. Tip at least 20%, buy a round for the kitchen, even some kind words about the food and service. Because we are in hell at the moment, and a little appreciation makes it all worth it.

Food Drink Magazine Issue 17 December 2021

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