Sharp Knives

Last week I looked on as a young lady on prep attempted to julienne bell peppers.  I noticed at first it was taking her too long and that the amount of waste that she was creating was unnecessary.  What I did not immediately realize was that the tools she was using were insufficient.  As I grabbed a knife from the nearby magnet and began to show her how to properly slice the peppers for maximum speed and yield I quickly realized that the knives on hand were pathetically dull.  Quickly utilizing a steel the edges of our knives were brought back to a minimal sharpness and we continued on with our lesson.  The next morning I brought in my personal sharpener and brought all the knives back to the razor sharpness we expect in a professional kitchen. 

 The lesson here is that our staff can only be as sharp as the knives.  That as operators we cannot expect greatness from our staff if we do not provide them the basic tools to do their jobs.  I regularly ask staff members of all functions of the restaurant, “What do you need?”  of which I will often hear..”Nothing man, I’m good.”  But dig in a little more.  “What would make your job easier?  What things are regularly making your job more difficult?” You might be surprised at the simplicity of their answers.  Maybe all they need are more spoons. Some heatproof spatulas or perhaps the non-stick skillets at brunch are beat.  Maybe just a few more ⅙ pans to speed up change out.  All of these things compared to some of the other onerous expenses of running a restaurant are cheap.  And they can make a big difference not only in how well your staff can do their job but it could make the difference in your labor and costs as well.  Did I mention that  happy staff make for happy owners?!?  Truth!

Think about it and then ask yourself and your staff.  What would make your job easier?