(Part 2) Best products from r/KitchenConfidential

I'm going to talk a lot about Take Out Chinese Food.
FrostBite is a very high recommend from me. Adds great balanced heat but no flavor. (this is a feature not a bug) Specifically this is my Jamm on Chinese Food. I love the taste of Chinese Food but wish it was spicier but without changing the balance of flavors i love in said Chinese Food. A lot of pepper sauces I love on western styles of food i find throws my favorite
Take Out flavors off balance. My Number #1 favorite hot sauce of all time is Mad Dog 357 Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce LOVE THIS PLEASE TRY IT. I can put that shit on anything and it's now a smokey hot delight but if i put it some on my favorite Beef Lo Mein to be honest it no longer tastes like Lo Mein to me. But not with FrostBite. You can have all the heat you want but still have the Lo Mein taste i crave. I have only found two so far I really like for this specific job FrostBite and SEED RANCH UMAMI RESERVE This is also a sauce worth trying PS. SEED RANCH UMAMI RESERVE has a lot of flavor Chocolate Habanero's provide the heat but all the flavors melds with the flavors in Chinese food I love so much. God i need some noodles now.

Learning how to become a good manager in less than a month isn't impossible if you have what it takes and by reading your description it seems like you do. I have no managerial experience but I do have 2 hospitality degrees and experience as a waiter/bartender/shift supervisor/team leader so more or less I know how things work in a restaurant.
There is a lot aspects you have to cover while being a manager like you said and there is no way I am going to explain this to you. However I can give you some small tips:

• Pick the right employees and take care of them, it WILL pay off in the long run even if you have to pay them a bit more. As someone wise once said "if you pretend to pay me, I'll pretend I work". Cross-train them so in case one link breaks in the chain, you have someone to take care of the problem.
  
• Also, empower your employees to make decisions and DELEGATE - can't stress this enough. I know you may want to do everything by yourself but you pay them to work for you, use them.
  
• Take care of your suppliers, you have no idea how many times they can save your ass if you treat them right.
  
• When picking supplier, going for the cheapest one is usually not a good idea, you buying product AND their service, remember that.
  
• When it comes to general knowledge about accounting/marketing/law and regulations etc. books are your best friends. Pick some from your local university's curriculum, they'll teach you the basics.
  
• Daily reports/costing/profit margins etc. are easily extracted from good POS system, would be nice if it was connected with your kitchen and storeroom (for standard recipes and stock control) but that may be bit expensive and if it's small establishment, not really necessary.
  
• Hire good head chef who has experience in running a kitchen. They will help you with costing/pricing/stock etc. Couple less things you'll need to worry about.
  
• Get someone else to take care of your books, taxes are a bitch and if you miss a payment or mess up your taxes, it can shut down your business.
  
• DOCUMENTATION- document everything whether you write up your employee or pay off a vendor. Don't give out a "word" and don't take one, have everything in writing. You won't believe how the right documents can save your ass.
  If anything else comes to my mind, I'll edit it. Good luck to you :)
  I recommend reading this book
  If you have any questions, feel free to ask here or pm, always happy to help :)

I posted about a different brand of instant potatoes somewhere else recently, but I'll tell it here too -- I ate them over the holidays and complimented my aunt on them, because we usually joke that she's a terrible cook. I love mashed potatoes, and for a change hers were great. She laughed and threw me a bag of these.

Just three ingredients: Idaho potatoes, butter, sea salt. You add hot water or milk and more butter if you want, and they're done. I'd eaten instant potatoes as a kid and they were terrible. I guess they've since mastered this technology, because these were awesome. Certainly good to use in a pinch.

God help me, but I feel like I've been tasked to spread these across all of humanity. Perfect things should not be kept a secret, and even as a self-declared mashed potato connoisseur I believe this to be a perfect product. That is all.

If you're only working in the kitchen, ID find a good pair of slip resistant work boots. Redwing, wolverine, timberland etc all make a good product and are readily available. They all made their mark making shoes for people who work tough jobs and are on their feet all day. They're pretty expensive upfront, but they'll last a really long time.

Danskos don't make shoes in my size ( I've got really big and wide feet) so I've never personally tried them, but I've only ever heard good things about them. They're really popular in the medical field, which is also full of people who are on their feet for long hours.

Crocs gave me no support for my Achilles and I think they're the reason I had ankle issues. I did like how they're basically flip flops for kitchens, but I'd never buy another pair.


I'm wearing rockports right now as I got promoted to the FOH (gm) and I needed a little nicer looking shoe. The jury is still out, so far so good.

A cheap pair of insoles can make any shoe more comfortable and aid in support. If you can't afford to go all in on a good pair of shoes, ID get these. I'd you can afford it, ID get both. I had an Achilles problem and my podiatrist recommended these. I still wear them every day, and I've been happy since day 1. Soft gel inserts feel great for the first few hrs, but actually make things worse over the course of a long day on your feet. You don't need squishy pillows on your feet, you need firm arch support to distribute your weight on your leg muscles and take the pressure of your knees, hips, and back. It sounds strange, but something less comfortable in your shoe will be much more comfortable throughout your shift.

Don't fall for the hype of custom insoles at $400 a pop unless you have really odd shaped feet. Those cheap inserts work great, I still wear them everyday.

Well it will definitely help to have some code to show prospective employers. Think up a project and get coding. It really doesn't matter what it is you build, just make sure to follow best practices and code it cleanly. I recommend reading Clean Code - it's awesome; it's about Java but applies to most languages.

Another good idea is to follow whatever mailing lists exist around your area for languages/OS's etc. Often jobs get advertised on those before anywhere else and just being a part of the mailing list gives you brownie points. Going to meetups is also a great way to meet potential employers.

> i just kinda got confused as it was using these languages and things i'd never seen before

Read up on these languages/technologies, play around with them, write silly programs that don't do much in them. Maybe you'll enjoy one of them and end up learning it more deeply... Who knows, maybe it will be the thing that makes your resume stand out? Either way you'll be a better developer for it.

Best of luck!

not leather, but Ive order these shoes 3 times now over the past 6 years.

They fit true to size, the nonskid is great, they are durable, and clean up real easy. The price is awesome for the value. Each pair has lasted ~2 years of full time work, and could go longer with a little love if necessary.

I have two.

My favorite is an OLD SCHOOL French-style one. It is expensive but has held up for nine years now (home cooking only). It's a bit of a pain to handle and clean but very solid quality and it slices like a dream. The higher "pitch" of the machine is helpful for slicing more items at once.

The other one I have is THIS OXO V-slicer. Removable blades and it seems to get good reviews, too, and is a much cheaper price. I've only had it for a year so I can't vouch for its reliability over time. I do home cooking only so don't use this one in volume, either.

I think the Bron gives more fine measurement adjustment for the cut.

Both are far superior for even cuts over time than either a slicer attachment in a food processor or your knife, unless you're really good with a knife.

*Both can slice the tip of your finger off before you realize it; I do slice with a safety holder, but only at the end of slicing something. And always at the end of slicing something. Doing that safety check only takes a little more time.

Hello! SO I personally am a vegetarian, but my significant other is a vegan and I eat and cook only vegan at the house, alongside that I work at a 4.8 star restaurant in my town and am inches away from getting soux after climbing up the ranks. The official fine dining training helped me exponentially in refining and learning basic and advanced culinary skills that I can implement at home with a plant based diet. As far as references I would consult a large number of gourmet vegan cookbooks and learn the skills at home yourself, after purchasing books like 'Artisinal vegan cheese'
https://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Vegan-Cheese-Miyoko-Schinner/dp/1570672830

and my all time favorite cook book, the vegetarian flavor bible
https://www.amazon.com/Vegetarian-Flavor-Bible-Creativity-Vegetables/dp/031624418X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505111621&sr=1-1&keywords=vegetarian+flavor+bible

and learn enough skills in cooking things like seitans and fake cheeses, you can start looking at more contemporary cookbooks about vegetarian cuisine and just sub out the non vegan items with a vegan substitute
I absolutely agree that seeking out a vegan chef and working in their kitchen is the best way to learn good cooking, but in the town I live in, the only vegan restaurant is ran by an asshole so I had to aloft to a omnivorous restaurant, and yes I do have to taste dishes made with meat, but I aspire to veg/vegan place further down the line that could trick any omnivore!

I think you may have some misconceptions about the purpose of an amuse. It is a very powerful and effective tool to set the tone for a diner's entire experience and is worthy of your utmost respect. Designing and executing a great amuse takes (arguably) more skill and subtlety than creating a full dish. Educate yourself:

http://www.amazon.com/Amuse-Bouche-Little-Delight-Before-Begins/dp/0375507604/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1425447297&sr=8-1&keywords=amuse+cookbook

The Silver Spoon is a massive Italian cookbook with pretty easy to read instructions and big fancy pictures. I got one as a gift its has some pretty good recipes in it that range from easier to harder recipes. Its about 30 bucks on amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Spoon-New-Kitchen/dp/0714862568/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450126627&sr=8-1&keywords=the+silver+spoon+cookbook

Lately, I've very much been enjoying Kenji's The Food Lab. I think it's worth the (ebook) price just for the chapter on fried foods.

I also keep coming back to The Flavor Bible, which has lists of how to combine ingredients for different cuisines.

If you want a valuable collection of recipes and have $50 to spend, get Cook's Illustrated's The New Best Recipe. It's supplanted The Joy of Cooking on my shelf.

Okay, lol I am receiving overwhelming response to this comment, so I will send out what I am sending everyone else.
"This guy is a great seller. Average shipping time from Japan is around 8 days and he is great with communication.
This is his store. http://www.ebay.com/sch/sk2excellent/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
This is just an example of an 8" Mighty Mac. I own a stamped one and a non stamped one. They are identical. EBay store: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Kitchen-Dimple-Gyuto-Chef-Knife-205mm-8-1-Bolster-Handle-SEKI-JAPAN-/321432206969?hash=item4ad6da3e79:g:xEsAAOSwT6pVtjxU
Amazon Mac Stamped version: http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Knife-Professional-Hollow-8-Inch/dp/B000N5H2XU"

Edit 1: In addition, this is his direct website. I have never ordered directly from the website, only from his ebay store, but maybe this will help some people that don't have ebay accounts.
http://www.japanese-knife-store.com/c-1/c0i2.html

Edit 2: This guy is either going to praise me for all the business or kill me because he'll be flooded with too many orders. Oh well, happy knife buying.

Edit 3: Also, should you ever look for these elsewhere on the googles, they are oddly listed as a "TS Madam knife", why??? I have no idea.

This smacks of familiarity. Took over a golf course kitchen after an emotional change of ownership, and after it had been closed for only one winter. What. A. Horror. Story.

My suggestions:
--CarbonOff (http://www.amazon.com/Discovery-Products-Carbon-Cleaner-19-Ounce/dp/B0000E2VTM) is your new best friend. USE AS DIRECTED--use it outside, preferably on a tarp or something...and it's a little pricey--but it's absolutely amazing.
--throw away the pantry. It becomes second-nature to try to make money on everything in our inventory...but don't feel guilty about ditching EVERYTHING and starting from absolute scratch. If it's not manufacturer-sealed...fucking throw it away. Not worth your time.
--pay attention to evidence of rodents or bugs...call pest control asap.
--Dawn (brand name!) does actual wonders for grease buildup.

Cant go wrong with a Mercer knife, nice textured grip, good weight, good length.
https://www.amazon.com/Mercer-Culinary-Genesis-Forged-Chefs/dp/B000OOLD26/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=mercer+chef+knife+10+inch&qid=1567976148&s=gateway&sprefix=mercer+chef+knife&sr=8-3

I have this one. It fits in my backpack pretty well. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AZVL8P0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

I always thought that these things were silly unitaskers that'd break quickly, but they might be effective in this case, especially if you can get a sturdier one built.

My daughter bought me on of these avocado tools it works great when you are doing a lot of guac.

Look on amazon for fridge work gloves similar to this

https://www.amazon.com/OZERO-Deerskin-Leather-Heatlok-Insulated/dp/B01M3URYRW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1549095376&sr=8-4&keywords=work+gloves+freezer#customerReviews

or;

https://www.amazon.com/RefrigiWear-Double-Insulated-Cowhide-Leather/dp/B00N2Y29BE/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1549095376&sr=8-13&keywords=work+gloves+freezer

Both have worked very well for me.

well, good thing it's a cheap one to replace

I've been using these: https://www.amazon.com/Unisex-Short-Sleeve-Chef-Coat-White/dp/B07MJLYV1X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Unisex+Short+Sleeve+Chef+Coat-White&qid=1554657847&refinements=p_89%3ADickies&rnid=2528832011&s=apparel&sr=1-1

​

But the ones you ordered look good. May try them for my next order.

https://www.amazon.com/Discovery-Products-Carbon-Cleaner-19-Ounce/dp/B0000E2VTM

You're welcome.

make sure you check out sk2excellent. Apparently these: 1 2 3 are unstamped MACs that come from the same factory. I can confirm that the first is identical besides the handle and dimples to my MAC. I've not put it through it's paces yet but two other cooks were so impressed with the knock offs quality they bought one.

I recommend this cookbook: The Silver Spoon New Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0714862568/ref=cm_sw_r_api_Uoo4yb5HMXSBF

Translated from Italian, 1000's of recipes. Get a reference copy for you kitchen, spend some time getting to know Italian seasonal non-tomato based cuisine in depth so you don't have to think on your feet when in order comes in.

I would recommend opening this book.

Dont get one that closes with velcro straps, it makes it really hard to get weird shaped thing in the bag and close it. Straps are only long enough to go around a few knives laying flat ontop of each other. I used this bag. Inside I had everything, even this scale, plus my shirt and apron rolled up in the middle, butane torch, sometimes my mandolin, and any other odd thing.. I used a carabiner to hook the two hand loops together worked better than the velcro. Now working as a butcher i just throw my scabbard into my chrome messenger bag and call it a day. So glad i dont need all that shit anymore.

Food Lab.

Dude, don't be rude to people in your own thread.

>Dude, what is the name of the product? That's incredible

From the title, I'm guessing it's this:

http://www.amazon.com/Discovery-Products-Carbon-Cleaner-19-Ounce/dp/B0000E2VTM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=455g31uFsko

Possably this stuff

http://www.amazon.com/Discovery-Products-Carbon-Cleaner-19-Ounce/dp/B0000E2VTM

http://www.amazon.com/Amuse-Bouche-Little-Delight-Before-Begins/dp/0375507604

Garde Manger isn't an art. It's where the FNG gets put until they can be brought up to speed.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000OOLD26/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1501552324&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mercer+genesis+chef+knife&dpPl=1&dpID=31%2BWxHHX70L&ref=plSrch this guy is cheap on Amazon and a damn good knife for the money, if you can handle the big bitch. A lot of people I have let use it cut themselves pretty fast.