Chef's Corner

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Industry Trends

Learn About the Latest Food Service Trends
In the food service industry, new concepts and fresh ideas are always taking the culinary center stage. Learn about trending themes in the industry and how you can make your food service business as successful as possible.
Learn more about how to select the right knife for your kitchen and how to maintain your cutlery investment.
From professional to residential use, digital scales make measuring easier and more accurate. Watch this video to see chef Keegan Gerhard demonstrate why digital scales are an important tool for your kitchen.
Breakfast is a part of everybody's routine. Some do it better than others. Here is how to capture the attention of any and all breakfast eaters and get them through your doors.
Chef Keegan Gerhard explains the benefits of baking mats and demonstrates how to determine if your baking mat needs to be replaced.
Knowing the upcoming restaurant trends and having the proper tools will help you flourish in 2013.
In this episode of Ask Keegan, Chef Keegan Gerhard, demonstrates on how to bring out the full flavor of your dried spices, which incidentally helps save on food costs. Watch the video and learn how!
Before switching to humanely raised food, consider the risks and benefits.
Pop-up restaurants are spreading from New York to Los Angeles and show no sign of slowing down. We discuss 5 reasons why the pop-up concept might be right for you.
You asked and Keegan Gerhard answered! In this installment of Ask Keegan, we learn how to cut a cake like a pro.
Watch celebrity chef, Keegan Gerhard, demonstrate how easy it is to calibrate a probe thermometer.
Prepared foods are becoming incresingly profitable items at convenience stores. Here's a quick guide to adding a food program to your c-store.
Surprisingly versatile and effective for many recipes, the rice cooker proves to be a worthy investment for any multi-tasking kitchen.
Celebrity chefs have brought a good deal of attention to the restaurant industry. What makes celebrity chefs so memorable, and why do we love them?
Check out our fun and informative infograph on the restaurant's impact on the U.S. Economy!
The reigning supremacy of the cupcake has been threatened by pies, macarons and doughnuts, to name a few. Though none of these desserts has been successful in deposing the almighty cupcake, there are reasons to believe the gourmet popsicle might have what it takes.
What does it take to create a successful coffee shop brand? Leonid and Anatoly Yuffa of Dazbog Coffee, tell FSW all about their Russian recipe for success.
Beer gardens have been popular since the 1700s, but it is no secret that some are more popular than others. What makes the difference between a thriving business and an empty one? Learn the key to beer garden success!
Soda fountains are making a come-back, could your restaurant be cashing in on this trend? Learn more about how to put hand-crafted fizzy drinks on your menu.
American concern over job availability and the overall state of the economy is perpetually increasing. The restaurant industry plays a vital role in job creation and economic success, and the outlook for 2012 is actually pretty good.
Barbecue sauce is arguably as American as apple pie. From simple vinegar and salt to a whole mess of ingredients, every region has its own flavor to add to the melting pot of soppy goodness.
More and more bars are finding creative ways to cater to calorie-conscious consumers. Read more for tips and tricks on low-calorie summer drinks.
During election years many issues bubble to the surface that were on the back burner for the past four years. This environment provides a window into the legislature that will affect the restaurant industry in the coming years.
Wondering if you should add food to your bar menu? Check out this video to find out more!
Ditch messy measuring cups and spoons for the streamlined experience of cooking with a digital scale.
Recently we sat down with Pastry Chef, Restaurant Owner and Food Network Challenge Host Keegan Gerhard to chat about life, pastry and shopping for restaurant equipment.
Breakfast sales are the fastest rising in the industry. Find out if adding breakfast to your menu is a good idea for your business, and how to do it.
Gordon Ramsay is the brash voice of reason in popular restaurant TV. Although he has helped countless restaurants recover from sure disaster, a spot on his show is a sure sign that a lot has already gone wrong in the kitchen.
At the end of the night, restaurant workers may be more interested in getting out the door than doing a thorough cleaning job. Here are seven areas to pay attention to during the nightly close.
When faced with a dwindling seafood supply, restaurants have two choices: stop serving seafood altogether or purchase seafood that is farmed in a sustainable manner.
Food contamination can occur anywhere along the food supply chain, but that doesn't help a restaurant save face when they serve contaminated food to a customer. Restaurants need to monitor where their food comes from in order to prevent contaminated food from ever entering their establishment.
Confused about what makes ice cream and gelato different? Allow us to break it down for you.

Kitchen and Restaurant Design

Create a Smarter Kitchen
Assemble all the necessary elements for a successful commercial kitchen and build a space that advances your business without breaking your budget.
Commercial refrigerators and freezers keep food items cold and ready to use, and they work best when properly organized. Keep all of your refrigerated items within easy reach with these easy tips.
Learn how to find the right pre-rinse spray unit for an efficient commercial dishwashing area.
Discover the pros and cons of building versus buying a restaurant.
Gain optimal usability out of your commercial kitchen with smart design and a user-friendly layout.
When purchasing restaurant equipment, consider a few tips that can make the experience more efficient and cost-effective in the long-term.

Menu Engineering: Plan, Price and Design

Develop a Winning Menu
Learn how to create a winning menu for your restaurant. Stay on trend and keep you customers coming back for more with these helpful menu design, planning and pricing suggestions.
Looking for some seasonal drink ideas for your restaurant or bar's menu this fall? Check out these recipes for a variety of drink ideas inspired by autumn.
Submarine sandwiches represent a significant success story in the food service industry, and one that continues to grow. This article explores the reasons why.
Ice cream is America's most popular dessert. Learn more about how you can increase profits by adding ice cream to your menu, as well as the supplies you'll need to get your ice cream program off the ground.
Pizza is America's most popular food, and competition among pizzerias is fierce. A great way to differentiate your pizza business is by using unique, gourmet or natural ingredients. Learn more!
Your menu will define your restaurant. Make sure that you develop a menu that supports your restaurant’s concept, reduces food costs and maximizes profits.
Discover the advantages and challenges of implementing a farm to table concept in your restaurant and learn how to get started.
Gourmet hamburgers combine two great American traditions: delicious beef patties and innovative thinking. But is the gourmet hamburger trend here to stay?
Warning: Your customers want healthy food and your salads may not be up to par. Learn about the salad trends that will keep customers coming back for more.
The pizza market is one of the most saturated markets out there, which is why many pizzerias struggle to differentiate from the crowd. Could flavored pizza crusts be a new way to get a leg up on the competition?
When suggesting wines to customers there are a few basic questions to nail down. Learn about how to find the best bottle for your table with these easy tips.
Volatile market trends can fluctuate food prices in unpredictable patterns. Learn how to secure profitable menu pricing in any economy while maintaining customer loyalty.
Mini-desserts have swept the nation for the past six years and show no signs of abating. So what is it that makes these little treats so appealing?
Restaurants that offer organic food all year long can do so using one or several of these five methods.
The FDA provides valuable resources for your commercial kitchen. Learn how to access these free and useful tools for your restaurant.
Learn how to work with the new FDA menu labeling regulations and how to increase business with the health conscious crowd.
Learn how to create a menu that is supported by the commercial restaurant equipment available in your kitchen. Once created, keep your menu in tip-top form for a customer-friendly and visually appealing presentation.
How to deal with the growing global obesity epidemic? Seductive nutrition is a new idea that chefs can utilize to make menus healthier without sacrificing customer satisfaction.
Cooking Tips
Discover solutions to common cooking issues.
Pizza shops that make their own dough use large-scale formulas. Learn everything you need to know about making pizza dough.
Do you know the exact boiling point at your elevation? This chart is a great quick reference for every kitchen.
Save money on pricey produce this winter and stay ahead of fluctuating food cost by freezing batches of produce.
Use this guide to determine how to prepare different types of produce for freezer storage.
Fried foods at restaurants don't have to be considered unhealthy anymore. There is a wide selection of trans-fat and saturated fat-free cooking oils on the market that taste just as good and do not have the associated health risks

Professional Development

Take Your Career to the Next Level
Consider the opportunities for your future and discover a path to culinary success. Find inspiration with these informative articles.
Coming up with the next "big idea" is sometimes simpler than you think. Grab some inspiration and take a look at these five entrepreneurial ventures for new restaurants.
Have ambition to run the kitchen? Learn how to move up the chain and reach your career goals here.
Whether you are fresh out of school or looking for a new challenge in your career, the hospitality industry offers a variety of paths to choose from.
Working 10-14 hours a day may sound tedious, but for those who love to cook professionally it's just par for the course. Take a glimpse into the typical day of a full-service restaurant chef.
When considering culinary training, examine your overall goals and plan your course of education.
Keep your tables smiling and tipping heavily with these tips and tricks of the trade.
Master your banquet space with an overview of how to plan for, set-up and host group events.

Business Development

Successful Restaurant Business Management
Uncover the secrets of highly-effective food service professionals and develop a business model that helps you achieve your goals.
Flex-casual restaurants, a mixed-service genre in the food service sector, have become more popular as diners refocus their spending and dining habits.
Whether you live in a bustling metropolis or a humble hometown, your local restaurant business can lend a unique option in unexpected locations.
Food trucks have been a veritable craze since 2008, but it isn't too late to cash in! Find out how to make a successful food truck business in these easy steps.
Everyone knows what it is like to have a bad restaurant experience. But aside from treating customers courteously and providing speedy service, what can successful servers do to provide excellent service for guests?
Managing a restaurant can be head spinning work. Here are 7 useful traits of effective managers and how to apply them.
What's a sommelier and what can hiring one do for your business? Learn about the benefits of consulting or hiring a sommelier for your wine program.
Learn more about five of the benefits of mobile marketing of restaurants, and how this can be an effective business-building strategy for your restaurant.
Create a solid partnership for a successful and profitable hotel restaurant. Anticipate challenges and remedy issues before they become road blocks with these tips.
Running a food truck business has its advantages and challenges. Learn the basics of how to get your food truck business started and consider what you will need to get rolling.
Discover what the James Beard Foundation Award is, how to qualify and how to get nominated.
Creating a family-friendly and child-friendly atmosphere in your establishment is a goal of many restaurateurs. Learn how with these suggestions.
There are several different restaurant advertisement and promotion types to choose from. Learn about successful restaurant ads and promotions and why they work.
If you build it, they will come. Create an online calling card for your restaurant and step into 21st century customer service.
Going green may appear to be nothing more than a food industry trend, but the truth is that there are valuable reasons why it still matters to your restaurant.
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