I must’ve been sixteen or seventeen when I witnessed a restaurant manager laying into one of her employees in plain sight. I stood, stunned, alongside other patrons patiently waiting to place their orders as the string of belligerent words was unleashed from the manager’s mouth. Degrading the employee on everything from appearance to time with customers, she seemed oblivious to the looks of surprise and shame emitted from fellow customers witness to the shocking moment. I shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, aghast at the lack of professionalism, …

One of the most fascinating experiences I have in writing this site is the opportunity to learn how others within the food industry run their operations. From large, well-known kitchens, like those of Le Bernardin or Dahlia Lounge, to smaller kitchens like Momofuku Ko or Portland’s Scratch, I’m always interested how the wheels of each restaurant turn – hiring employees, developing menus, creating environments that appeal to consumers. Though I talk about the daily activities of running a food service business in my book, two recent articles also had me …

Oy! Sometimes you just never know when your writing may be called in for legal questioning! Such is the case of former New York Times restaurant reviewer Frank Bruni, who’s restaurant review and personal emails are now part of a wrongful termination lawsuit currently underway in New York.
According to Grub Street, Bruni’s communications regarding Dan Barber’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns restaurant were taken into consideration in the suit recently brought on by a former employee. Allegedly fired due to “not [being able to] perform her duties at a level …

In case you missed it, New York Times writer Bruce Buschel posted a fantastic list last week of the 100 things restaurant staffers should never do when assisting restaurant guests. The list is a must-read for everyone in the restaurant industry, from servers to managers to even BOH folks, with most of the bullet points common complaints of diners.
A few of my faves from the list:
23. If someone likes a wine, steam the label off the bottle and give it to the guest with the bill. It has the year, …

I’m encouraged by a recent bit in Saturday’s New York Times about a restaurateur who was dreaming of Detroit. According to the op-ed piece, Charles Sorel, owner of Le Petit Zinc, felt as though the landscape of Detroit 2009 was equivalent to the streets of New York City in the 80s, and was undaunted in his goal of opening a new restaurant. Within a community beaten down by the failing auto industry in recent years, riddled with unemployment and homelessness, Sorel was surprised to find a welcome group of fellow …

In an article published over the weekend, writer Michael Moss of the New York Times put a face to the ongoing failures of the U.S.D.A. inspection system. The article features the story of Stephanie Smith, a 22-year-old children’s dance instructor who survived a vicious E. coli experience that put her in a coma for nine weeks and left her paralyzed. Moss traces the route of the tainted meat before it finally reached Smith and her family in 2007 – and it’s not pretty. The disturbing facts highlight the lack of …

A James Beard Award winner, former New York Times restaurant critic, and accomplished memoirist, Gourmet‘s Editor-in-Chief Ruth Reichl is food writing royalty. True to her personable, conversational words, Reichl was friendly and jovial during her appearance last night at Portland’s The Nines hotel, in town to discuss both the latest release from the Gourmet publications, the Gourmet Today cookbook, and her upcoming travel show, Gourmet’s Adventures With Ruth. She spoke animatedly during her visit, despite long travel hours.
On eating in Portland:
She noted her recent great meals at Ping and Beast. …

This week, the Humane Society of the United States began a campaign against popular breakfast spot, IHOP, or the International House of Pancakes. Following the release of details from an undercover investigation by activist group Compassion Over Killing, which reported the horrendous conditions of IHOP egg supplier Michael Foods, the Humane Society is petitioning IHOP owner DineEquity, Inc. to move towards the use of cage-free eggs. It’s a move that many national restaurants, including Wendy’s, McDonald’s, and Red Robin, have already made.
“Given consumers’ overwhelming opposition to the mistreatment of farm …

Goodbye Summer! I’m leaving you for Fall. Think of all the fun we had together. Look at the big things that happened while you were here!
1) Bruniocalypse! In mid-May, New York Times restaurant reviewer Frank Bruni shocked everyone when it was announced that he would be leaving his post at the paper in order to pursue other activities – namely promoting his book, Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-time Eater. Eater NY declared it a Bruniocalypse and foodies everywhere began to wonder who would take his place. Sam …

New York Times restaurant reviewer Frank Bruni created an uproar among media, fans, and fellow foodies when he announced his resignation in May. Tonight, Bruni, who’s been less-than-publicly-visible due to his position at the Times, hits Nightline to promote his memoir, “Born Round: the Secret History of a Full-Time Eater.” According to a sneak preview at Mediabistro.com, he’ll talk healthy eating, fad diets, and his distaste for Choco Tacos. (The staple of my school lunches for years!) Be sure to check out the full interview on ABC!
Curious what it’s like …

The food world seemed astonished earlier this week when New York Times restaurant reviewer Frank Bruni unleashed a four-star rating on Danny Meyers’ Eleven Madison Park. With previous two and three star ratings, the highly regarded food aficionado awarded an additional star to the New York establishment, commenting that it’s “the best restaurant Danny Meyer has ever operated.”
In response to the collective foodie surprise, Bruni followed up his initial review with more thoughts on the four-star rating, expounding on his reasoning for the additional star while discussing others who have …

Poor Martha! With the recent blight breakout taking down tomato plants across the Northeast left and right, apparently no garden has gone unscathed! The domestic kitchen queen posted a blog note this morning about the aggressive fungus attacking her tomato plants. She’s even kind enough to include a slideshow of the ugly attack.
While Martha notes that the fungus tends to appear in smaller batches at the end of the summer naturally, Chow.com refers to a New York Times opinion piece that points fingers at home gardeners who purchase plants from …

Today, we’ve rounded up five of our favorite top ten food lists recently published around the web. From French eating to great bars where you can sit back with a stiff drink, enjoy!
1) Ten Great Places to Master The Art of French Eating. The USAToday list includes some of the best French restaurants in the country, from greats like Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud.
2) Top Ten Eco-friendly Wineries. The Huffington Post list is missing a few of our favorite green wineries, namely Parducci and HALL, but if you’re an eco-wine …

The New York Times published a great article over the weekend on the background of reality television shows, the oftentimes vapid and opportunistic genre currently dominating the airwaves. With reality shows on everything from finding love to talking to your pets, the Times article includes a look at Gordon Ramsay’s hit food reality series, Hell’s Kitchen – and it’s not pretty.
“On “Hell’s Kitchen,” contestants said they were usually awakened at about 6 a.m. and then taken to the kitchen for a challenge. The losing team had to work on preparation …

Ever curious why the waiter seats you by the bathroom in an empty dining room? Revered restaurant reviewer Frank Bruni posted a bit yesterday on the mystery of receiving a bad table in a nearly deserted restaurant. While the inquiring customer seemed baffled by the mis-seating, Bruni notes that it’s rather common, with most restaurants leaving empty tables for no-show reservations, late night VIPs, and kitchen relief.
“All of that said, you could be sitting at a bad table at a bad time in a half-full restaurant because the restaurant is …