Sunday, June 5, 2011
Jambalaya
Saturday, June 4, 2011
It's not bad customer service, I just have too many things to do beside talk
Ok, so I work for a grocery store's hot foods counter. I am literally what you call a "hot foods server". Many people feel that "excellent customer service" means spending all day chatting about basically nothing and wasting time. Of course some of my coworkers feel that way as well but I don't. I fully know what my job entails and I make sure that all of my duties are carried out. I want to take this time to let the world know what my (and probably many other people's) jobs entail as well what makes an ideal customer for us.
Ok, in my store and my section, there are two important times when we come in, 6 am and 2 pm. Anyone else who comes in between those times for my area is just filler. At 6 am. my duties include of making sure I have enough supplies to last me through the breakfast and lunch rushes (and usually I have to run to the backroom to hunt down supplies). I have to usually reclean my area because the person before me didn't do so good of a job. I have to coordinate any orders for my section (which in my case there is a standing order on Mondays). I have to set my case up by 7 am (which is when my department officially opens even though the store is open at 6) and I have to start packaging cold products to be sold out on the floor. Now once my case is set up with its product, I have to keep my temperature logs up to date. Why is that important? Because since my food is hot, I need to make sure that the items in my case stay at 140 degrees at least, to ensure that they are safe enough to consume and not make people sick. On top of all that, I have to keep my area clean and make sure my dirty dishes get to the dishroom. I also have to deal with imcompetent store managent who want to know about incidences when I am not there. The majority of my time, I have to babysit my coworkers who have been with the company a lot longer than I have yet, are somehow incompetent and quite subpar performers. Now... when I come in at 2, I have to deal with the same subpar coworkers, I have to clean up the dishes from breakfast time because nobody wanted to them in the morning, I have to make sure all the cold product has been moved to the floor, I have to make sure that temperatures of my foods in the case are up to temperature, and I have to deal with those wonderful management people, as well as keeping my case filled and letting my cook now when I need more items, and helping them prep for the dinner rush and for the next day sometime.There is a great deal that I actually have to do. And the rare miraculous moments that I don't have someone in front of me, I relish because I know it doesn't happen often.
Now...for me the ideal customer would be one who knew how to answer my basic greeting "hi, may I help you." Don't respond to that with "hi how are you" because I will come back with "what can I get for you." I am not being rude or trying to be short or anything negative like that. I believe in getting people in and out quickly. That's the basis of an area like mine. It's convenience and should be the experiene should be brief. Please know what you want. We know those people who come in every day at least three times a day. Nothing changes in the case. It's the same stuff day in and day out. Please do not talk on the phone while you are in front of me. If you aren't sure what the person you are talking to wants...then stand out of the way off to the side and tell them what is in the case. If, for those people who say "i am never coming back" because you never seem to have an item they want when they want it, all I can say is...yes you are. I have been in this business for so long that I don't believe that empty threat. No one does. Actually you look like a joke when you come back. Customers are so quick to complain about every little thing. Go to management when we do something good. I have had so many customers look amazed about how fast I am yet they never tell management. Trust me, it would be nice to hear customer's appreciation when they see that I am obviously busting my butt. Always have a backup meal planned. Chances are we are going to be out of what you want. To save time for everybody, think ahead about what would be a good alternative. If you really have your heart on something and you want it so bad you can almost taste it (like barbecue chicken) and we don't have it, don't get fried. You aren't going to be satisfied with it. We lose your money but you won't walk away feeling empty with the fried. When we give you options for kids meal beverages (we say milk or soft drink) don't say juice. Chances are if we don't say juice.....then we don't have it. Our fountain machines have lemonade and water. I can guarantee you we aren't going to have chocolate milk so don't ask for it. That requires us leaving our station running down the store to find it where along the way and back we get stopped but at least 10 other customers and when we get back you give us a half hearted thank you. (plus you and any other customers behind you have waited too long and are now irritated). Don't ask us to put in a request for you to management about items in our case...we aren't going to do it. We know how much work our cooks and us actually have to do. Besides management won't listen to us anyway. Please don't tell us about your bad experiences with the store..trust us ours are much much worse. We are not psychiatrists, we don't have the time to listen to your problems and give you advice. Granted, our area is convenience foods for those of you who have had kids but it is loaded with unhealthy stuff. It is not good to allow your children to eat this stuff on a daily basis. There are other nutritional options. Don't ask us if the stuff is fresh..we are always going to tell you yes. Don't ask us to get more chicken out of the back because it's the same chicken that is in front of you. Don 't ask for big wings....there aren't any on a chicken. Don't ask for big plump juicy breast. Just say a breast. The time it takes for you to use all the adjectives that you do, I could have had you done, and waited on two more people. Please don't try and make jokes because I don't find you funny. Don't comment about rude customers in front of you because I won't discuss them with you and they aren't relevant to what you plan on ordering. Control your kids. Teach them the proper way to order and to speak one at a time. Teach them that when mommy and daddy are speaking with someone, they are not to interrupt. Don't let them touch the glass and don't you point at particular chicken pieces. I am one of the best and I myself have high standards about what pieces I would pick if I was buying so I will get you the best pieces. Usually are legs are the worst looking pieces (nothing my cook does, they just come in that way) so I will go to the back and get better ones there. That is instinctive for me. If you appreciate that....PLEASE LET A MANAGER KNOW!!!!! If you have a lot of chicken to buy...please call ahead. (you can even order from us online but if you need it that day...please call as early as you can to give my cook enough notice). When you get your large order that moment, in my line, it makes my cook behind and he usually gets behind the eight ball as the saying goes. Just a few pieces of info to make you understand what we really deal with and go through. I will get off my soap box now.
Ok, in my store and my section, there are two important times when we come in, 6 am and 2 pm. Anyone else who comes in between those times for my area is just filler. At 6 am. my duties include of making sure I have enough supplies to last me through the breakfast and lunch rushes (and usually I have to run to the backroom to hunt down supplies). I have to usually reclean my area because the person before me didn't do so good of a job. I have to coordinate any orders for my section (which in my case there is a standing order on Mondays). I have to set my case up by 7 am (which is when my department officially opens even though the store is open at 6) and I have to start packaging cold products to be sold out on the floor. Now once my case is set up with its product, I have to keep my temperature logs up to date. Why is that important? Because since my food is hot, I need to make sure that the items in my case stay at 140 degrees at least, to ensure that they are safe enough to consume and not make people sick. On top of all that, I have to keep my area clean and make sure my dirty dishes get to the dishroom. I also have to deal with imcompetent store managent who want to know about incidences when I am not there. The majority of my time, I have to babysit my coworkers who have been with the company a lot longer than I have yet, are somehow incompetent and quite subpar performers. Now... when I come in at 2, I have to deal with the same subpar coworkers, I have to clean up the dishes from breakfast time because nobody wanted to them in the morning, I have to make sure all the cold product has been moved to the floor, I have to make sure that temperatures of my foods in the case are up to temperature, and I have to deal with those wonderful management people, as well as keeping my case filled and letting my cook now when I need more items, and helping them prep for the dinner rush and for the next day sometime.There is a great deal that I actually have to do. And the rare miraculous moments that I don't have someone in front of me, I relish because I know it doesn't happen often.
Now...for me the ideal customer would be one who knew how to answer my basic greeting "hi, may I help you." Don't respond to that with "hi how are you" because I will come back with "what can I get for you." I am not being rude or trying to be short or anything negative like that. I believe in getting people in and out quickly. That's the basis of an area like mine. It's convenience and should be the experiene should be brief. Please know what you want. We know those people who come in every day at least three times a day. Nothing changes in the case. It's the same stuff day in and day out. Please do not talk on the phone while you are in front of me. If you aren't sure what the person you are talking to wants...then stand out of the way off to the side and tell them what is in the case. If, for those people who say "i am never coming back" because you never seem to have an item they want when they want it, all I can say is...yes you are. I have been in this business for so long that I don't believe that empty threat. No one does. Actually you look like a joke when you come back. Customers are so quick to complain about every little thing. Go to management when we do something good. I have had so many customers look amazed about how fast I am yet they never tell management. Trust me, it would be nice to hear customer's appreciation when they see that I am obviously busting my butt. Always have a backup meal planned. Chances are we are going to be out of what you want. To save time for everybody, think ahead about what would be a good alternative. If you really have your heart on something and you want it so bad you can almost taste it (like barbecue chicken) and we don't have it, don't get fried. You aren't going to be satisfied with it. We lose your money but you won't walk away feeling empty with the fried. When we give you options for kids meal beverages (we say milk or soft drink) don't say juice. Chances are if we don't say juice.....then we don't have it. Our fountain machines have lemonade and water. I can guarantee you we aren't going to have chocolate milk so don't ask for it. That requires us leaving our station running down the store to find it where along the way and back we get stopped but at least 10 other customers and when we get back you give us a half hearted thank you. (plus you and any other customers behind you have waited too long and are now irritated). Don't ask us to put in a request for you to management about items in our case...we aren't going to do it. We know how much work our cooks and us actually have to do. Besides management won't listen to us anyway. Please don't tell us about your bad experiences with the store..trust us ours are much much worse. We are not psychiatrists, we don't have the time to listen to your problems and give you advice. Granted, our area is convenience foods for those of you who have had kids but it is loaded with unhealthy stuff. It is not good to allow your children to eat this stuff on a daily basis. There are other nutritional options. Don't ask us if the stuff is fresh..we are always going to tell you yes. Don't ask us to get more chicken out of the back because it's the same chicken that is in front of you. Don 't ask for big wings....there aren't any on a chicken. Don't ask for big plump juicy breast. Just say a breast. The time it takes for you to use all the adjectives that you do, I could have had you done, and waited on two more people. Please don't try and make jokes because I don't find you funny. Don't comment about rude customers in front of you because I won't discuss them with you and they aren't relevant to what you plan on ordering. Control your kids. Teach them the proper way to order and to speak one at a time. Teach them that when mommy and daddy are speaking with someone, they are not to interrupt. Don't let them touch the glass and don't you point at particular chicken pieces. I am one of the best and I myself have high standards about what pieces I would pick if I was buying so I will get you the best pieces. Usually are legs are the worst looking pieces (nothing my cook does, they just come in that way) so I will go to the back and get better ones there. That is instinctive for me. If you appreciate that....PLEASE LET A MANAGER KNOW!!!!! If you have a lot of chicken to buy...please call ahead. (you can even order from us online but if you need it that day...please call as early as you can to give my cook enough notice). When you get your large order that moment, in my line, it makes my cook behind and he usually gets behind the eight ball as the saying goes. Just a few pieces of info to make you understand what we really deal with and go through. I will get off my soap box now.
Friday, June 3, 2011
My new quilty pleasure
Leg quarters
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Thoughts
I have been thinking about the types of foods I wish to put here and also thinking about the style of foods that I personally like. Well, I don't know if I would say styles of foods per se but the influences that I gravitate towards and I realized that as a Chef and possible business owner and caterer in the future that it wouldn't be right for me to just showcase my culinary influences here. Personally, I love the basic ingredients found in Lowcountry and Cajun cuisines but that is because that is my heritage. My paternal grandfather's side is from New Orleans and my paternal grandmother's side is from South Carolina. But just because those influences are important to me as a person and I genuinely love them as a foodie, doesn't mean that everyone else will. Nor does it mean that I should only showcase my talents (though they are still being honed) with those cuisines. So I vow, that the food posts that I put here will be more than Cajun and Lowcountry cuisine. Though there will be definitely be some. I can't help nor deny who I am.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Shrimp and Grits!
the recipe is very simple
2 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (i like the ones with celery, bell peppers and onions in them)
1 lb cooked shrimp (for a a quick time saver. make sure you take the tales off)
grits (the quantity depends on how many you are serving and their appetite)
2 eggs, beaten
breadcrumbs, as needed
Empty the diced tomatoes into a skillet and let on low. Season with any spice you like. Personally I like Webber's New Orleans Cajun Spice, garlic and onion powder.
Take the tails off the shrimp and place them in the skillet.
Cook the Grits according to the directions. (don't use the instant packets. I measure the water down to the nearest whole cup and the grits up to the nearest whole cup. make sure you season those as well)
When the grits are done, spread them out onto a baking sheet and let them cool to room temp or a little below. (I put mine in the fridge/freezer to try and speed up the process)
Once they are cooled, using a cookie cutter, cut the grits into desired shapes. (the scraps you can somewhat mold back together and keep cutting...almost like biscuit dough except you aren't rolling anything out)
Heat a frying pan about 1 inch full with vegetable oil. While the oil is heating, take the cut grits, dip
them in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs.
Pan fry the gritcakes until golden brown (think the color of hush puppies.)
As they get done, drain them on a paper towel lined plate. Once they are all done serve them with the sauce and enjoy. (I usually have sauce around the grit cakes but I didn't buy enough cans)
Culinary School Creatons
Chicken Pate with Asian Slaw
Scallop and Asparagus on Potato Crismp
Here is an assortment of our canapes
Along with the scallops and Chicken with Asian slaw, we also have Asian Tilapia with Corn Relish and Smoked Tilapia with Tomato Garlic Chutney.I can't take credit for these recipes as mine. I was teamed with two great guys and together we pulled this menu off for our final exam. It turned out wonderfully!
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