So after a tremendous 2010, doing a couple million dollar months and hitting the holidays running we come into the new year only to find a slow start to the year. This is when I have hunker down and take a step back and reevaluate my management skills. My time management and my scheduling is under a microscope for good reasons. A couple months ago, I was doing any where from $60,000 to $100,000 on any given business day. Now I am looking at maybe a tenth of that. Layoffs! Not on my watch. Schedule changes... That is a must, even with the impending union greivances. I now spend my days forecasting labor and overtime. I single handedly costed out 3 seasons worth of catering menus based of the presumed market flucuations that are going to happen during this new year. (How the he'll could I forecast that limes would hit $73 a case in January 2011). Well I have the daunting task to drop my 31% food cost 5 points. Not only that, I have to slash my labor line by half while trying to maintain the building,run a conference center/banquet facility and executive dining room. They say cut overtime... I say let me hire a second shift to cut overtime. They say make more money, I say tell the sales team to book more business.
They say volume forgives all sin.
Oh boy, is this the truth. During those million dollar months I had cooks doing 40 hours of overtime with no questions from the top. Now 5 minutes of overtime is frowned upon and 10minutes needs a director's approval. But, all in all this just makes me a better manager and chef. Not every night is a good night and not every month is a great month. Now it is time to hone my skills at managing my time and employees. As I sit in front of my computer, staring at multiple spreadsheets and action plans, all I have to say is...
I MISS MY KNIVES!!!!
Well enough with the complaints, onto the food...
Here is a dish that I created to help get a $300million dollar endowment for Columbia University. BTW I will probably never see any of that $300million.
Truffled Chantrelle Bisque, Vanilla Poached Lobster with Petite Dow Mui, Squab Confit with Blueberry Gastrique.
If you want a recipe Post a comment and I promise to add the recipe!
They say volume forgives all sin.
Oh boy, is this the truth. During those million dollar months I had cooks doing 40 hours of overtime with no questions from the top. Now 5 minutes of overtime is frowned upon and 10minutes needs a director's approval. But, all in all this just makes me a better manager and chef. Not every night is a good night and not every month is a great month. Now it is time to hone my skills at managing my time and employees. As I sit in front of my computer, staring at multiple spreadsheets and action plans, all I have to say is...
I MISS MY KNIVES!!!!
Well enough with the complaints, onto the food...
Here is a dish that I created to help get a $300million dollar endowment for Columbia University. BTW I will probably never see any of that $300million.
Truffled Chantrelle Bisque, Vanilla Poached Lobster with Petite Dow Mui, Squab Confit with Blueberry Gastrique.
If you want a recipe Post a comment and I promise to add the recipe!
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