A Work In Progress
Ok, ok, alright already! I get it! It’s been waaaaaaaayyyyy too long since my last posting. Last year in fact. Can you believe it’s 2010 already? I hope the new year is treating everyone well. Alot has happened since my last blog, so I’ll get right to it.
Chef Jeremiah did leave for greener pastures and is now the sous chef at Arbor Brewing Company in Ann Arbor. So what about his replacement? Well, Chef John is filling those shoes these days. We decided that rather than bring in someone new, we would promote from within. While John doesn’t have years of fine dining experience, he does love to cook. And he is developing and honing new skills every day. The great part about having a young chef is that I get to pass on my years of experience and build my own ‘little culinary soldier’. Yes, I said soldier. I say this because it takes discipline, commitment and training to be top notch in this business. Much like the military, you must be ready to do battle when the siren blows. Too many people are disillusioned to the fact that what they see on T.V. is real. It’s television, it’s entertainment. It takes a person with special qualities to hang in there for the long haul. The things these shows don’t show you is all the preparation and continual cleaning performed on a daily basis. Ever cleaned a grill that’s had food cooked on it for hours? Ever cleaned a deep fryer? How about a grease trap? Believe me, if you never did, you aren’t missing a thing. I applaud those kitchen staff who do their jobs day in and day out. Thank you!
Now since we moved John into the saute position, we had to replace him with another body. After conducting two interviews, we were fortunate to find a helicopter pilot to take his spot. Did I say pilot? Yes I did. Well, to be honest, he does have a good culinary background. I’m crazy but I’m not that crazy. But if you think about it, if someone is trusted to fly, certainly they should be responsible in the kitchen. And he is. Like John, his experience in fine dining is limited, but his passion and commitment more than make up for it. These two have the potential to be very accomplished at their craft. And I’m pleased they chose us as the place to grow. The amazing thing is that the quality of food has not suffered through the transition. This change has given me the chance to stand at the helm once again a steer us in a new direction. I would put these two up against chefs that have years of experience simply because my training methods are more rigid and demanding than most chefs. That’s no brag, just fact. That’s how we’ve come to receive two 5 star reviews in the Toledo Blade, and I fully expect to receive another if these two stay on the cutting edge.
So while finding a new chef ain’t easy, it is a helk of a ride, a great opportunity for growth and change, and……always ‘a work in progress’!
