Kitchen Shoes

Working in a huge kitchen for long hours takes its toll on your feet. Slippery floors, uneven surfaces, all that gunk lying around, sauces that have carpeted the tiles. Spills are common, as well as utensils and pans that seem to love the floor. In the heat, where airconditioning is not a standard in most kitchens, adds to the searing kitchen hell.
Appropriate footwear is necessary when navigating between stations and the occasional trip to the walk in fridge. Along the way various obstacles such as mentioned above make treading a challenge, especially if you find yourself just wearing normal sport shoes to work.
My first kitchen clogs were made in Switzerland, being a standard issue over there. It had a wooden base, rubber sole, and leather perforated top sole. Eventually the rubber wears out, so I ended up after a few months clicking around the kitchen.
The next pair of shoes I had were safety shoes, made for construction and heavy work. It was black patent leather with a steel toe. My foot was enclosed like a normal shoe, so foot breathing was difficult.
Recently i had the priveledge of walking good shoes created by Crocs. You know, the company that made the ones that are butt ugly. they have shoes dedicated to work, specifically for kitchen professionals. Well, here is my take on it.
Its comfortable, but not that I would want to lounge around in. I got the Black Crocs Bistro, a pair of shoes dedicated to the professional cook. It has an enclosed design, with thick material for added protection and an enclosed heel that fits most workplace standards. According to the packaging, it is odor and bacteria resistant and has enhanced arch support.
What really is super about this shoe is the oil and water resistant crocs lock tread, a matrix of triangles that covers 98% of the sole. I have tested it on the kitchen floor for a few days, and it does not slip. Really. no matter how greasy or wet the floor is, it keeps me in place. the downside to this mesh is that all the gunk gets in between the spaces. After a whole day, you have to run your knife through the grooves to get all food out.
It's a good buy. The shoes allows you to be maneuverable, and it helps your feet to breath so not harbor any unnecessary odor while you work. I would recommend this shoe. Crocs also has the Crocs bistro in a model endorsed by Mario Batalli, with his signature embossed on the heel strap. But like Mario Batalli, his showmanship reflects in the bright orange color it comes in.
Whatever you take on it, the shoes that I have are okay. The nice thing about these shoes they do not scream "Crocs". Its subtle, and looks good with a kitchen uniform.

Kitchen Shoes

Working in a huge kitchen for long hours takes its toll on your feet. Slippery floors, uneven surfaces, all that gunk lying around, sauces that have carpeted the tiles. Spills are common, as well as utensils and pans that seem to love the floor. In the heat, where airconditioning is not a standard in most kitchens, adds to the searing kitchen hell.
Appropriate footwear is necessary when navigating between stations and the occasional trip to the walk in fridge. Along the way various obstacles such as mentioned above make treading a challenge, especially if you find yourself just wearing normal sport shoes to work.
My first kitchen clogs were made in Switzerland, being a standard issue over there. It had a wooden base, rubber sole, and leather perforated top sole. Eventually the rubber wears out, so I ended up after a few months clicking around the kitchen.
The next pair of shoes I had were safety shoes, made for construction and heavy work. It was black patent leather with a steel toe. My foot was enclosed like a normal shoe, so foot breathing was difficult.
Recently i had the priveledge of walking good shoes created by Crocs. You know, the company that made the ones that are butt ugly. they have shoes dedicated to work, specifically for kitchen professionals. Well, here is my take on it.
Its comfortable, but not that I would want to lounge around in. I got the Black Crocs Bistro, a pair of shoes dedicated to the professional cook. It has an enclosed design, with thick material for added protection and an enclosed heel that fits most workplace standards. According to the packaging, it is odor and bacteria resistant and has enhanced arch support.
What really is super about this shoe is the oil and water resistant crocs lock tread, a matrix of triangles that covers 98% of the sole. I have tested it on the kitchen floor for a few days, and it does not slip. Really. no matter how greasy or wet the floor is, it keeps me in place. the downside to this mesh is that all the gunk gets in between the spaces. After a whole day, you have to run your knife through the grooves to get all food out.
It's a good buy. The shoes allows you to be maneuverable, and it helps your feet to breath so not harbor any unnecessary odor while you work. I would recommend this shoe. Crocs also has the Crocs bistro in a model endorsed by Mario Batalli, with his signature embossed on the heel strap. But like Mario Batalli, his showmanship reflects in the bright orange color it comes in.
Whatever you take on it, the shoes that I have are okay. The nice thing about these shoes they do not scream "Crocs". Its subtle, and looks good with a kitchen uniform.

Being stuck in a cubicle had its upsides

Being stuck in a cubicle had its upsides

my culinary wet dream

my culinary wet dream

Coldroom hygiene

When I opened up the walk in chiller to get some supplies, I was shocked. Since there were no deliveries scheduled for the day, and all the requisitions were issued, the chiller was half full. And I spied thick layers of mold all around the edges and seams. Immediately the room had to be shut down and emptied.
With a bucket of strong detergent and bleach, we washed down all the Stainless steel surfaces and shelving. With a 1:1 ratio of water to cartrol, a strong chemical, we scraped down every inch of the bugger. Stewarding were instructed to make it clean enough and smell like a fresh room at a motel.
Currently the deliveries of veggies today were made to sit in the receiving area while the chiller is being cleaned. It's amazing what people in their laziness leave to tomorrow. Mould in the chiller, with raw ingredients stored, is very dangerous. I had the pose the question 'Do you have mold in your own fridge?'
These mold can contribute to the food cost, spoilage would hit the roof, and a lot of dissatisfied guest will leave because we do not have enough viable stock.

Coldroom hygiene

When I opened up the walk in chiller to get some supplies, I was shocked. Since there were no deliveries scheduled for the day, and all the requisitions were issued, the chiller was half full. And I spied thick layers of mold all around the edges and seams. Immediately the room had to be shut down and emptied.
With a bucket of strong detergent and bleach, we washed down all the Stainless steel surfaces and shelving. With a 1:1 ratio of water to cartrol, a strong chemical, we scraped down every inch of the bugger. Stewarding were instructed to make it clean enough and smell like a fresh room at a motel.
Currently the deliveries of veggies today were made to sit in the receiving area while the chiller is being cleaned. It's amazing what people in their laziness leave to tomorrow. Mould in the chiller, with raw ingredients stored, is very dangerous. I had the pose the question 'Do you have mold in your own fridge?'
These mold can contribute to the food cost, spoilage would hit the roof, and a lot of dissatisfied guest will leave because we do not have enough viable stock.

Tuesday...

This morning I found out that our F&B coordinator does not tell the kitchen everything, yet she tells her counterpart even the marathon of cockroaches in our storeroom. No use asking why she does so, because she is like everyone else who are on the status quo program.
Vegetables from our corporate supplier arrived about 4 hours late, so most of the items on the menu had to be 86ed up to the last minute. Upon arrival, all requisitions were processed immediately. The Store room is not yet fully computerized, but our stock clerk is busy hacking away at Inflow Inventory that was installed on her computer.
Happily were are getting some recording done.
One function scheduled for today, and it is for the Utopia Golf Tournament. We had to double our offerings at the Tee Houses so the golfers would not go hungry. Not that I think the sport is strenuous enough for you to grab a big mac after. But the following Menu is currently being prepared:
Bulalo Soup
***
Gulay Probinsya with Balayan Bagoong
Kare kare
Inihaw na Bangus
Inihaw na Liempo
Rice
***
Halo Halo Bar

Of course, these are for the golfers who apparently requested this kind of menu because it was cheap. We would only be making about P40,000 for this menu.

Tuesday...

This morning I found out that our F&B coordinator does not tell the kitchen everything, yet she tells her counterpart even the marathon of cockroaches in our storeroom. No use asking why she does so, because she is like everyone else who are on the status quo program.
Vegetables from our corporate supplier arrived about 4 hours late, so most of the items on the menu had to be 86ed up to the last minute. Upon arrival, all requisitions were processed immediately. The Store room is not yet fully computerized, but our stock clerk is busy hacking away at Inflow Inventory that was installed on her computer.
Happily were are getting some recording done.
One function scheduled for today, and it is for the Utopia Golf Tournament. We had to double our offerings at the Tee Houses so the golfers would not go hungry. Not that I think the sport is strenuous enough for you to grab a big mac after. But the following Menu is currently being prepared:
Bulalo Soup
***
Gulay Probinsya with Balayan Bagoong
Kare kare
Inihaw na Bangus
Inihaw na Liempo
Rice
***
Halo Halo Bar

Of course, these are for the golfers who apparently requested this kind of menu because it was cheap. We would only be making about P40,000 for this menu.

Music...needed

When working in the kitchen, the rhythm of pans and simmering stocks and the knives has a relaxing affect when it gets to a certain point. A kind of zen is achieved when the whole kitchen comes together in a beautiful cacophony of thuds and hisses, claps and clicks.
But sometimes outside influences help the kitchen go into high gear, especially when downtimes are upon us and that we are relegated to the tedious tasks of peeling 20 kilos of potatoes and skinning 2 cases of garlic.
I was born in the 70s, enjoyed in the 80s, loved the 90s. And my one valuable link to these years is the radio, when certain radio stations on certain days play music from those eras that kind of push me to grabe the knife and start slicing onions julienne like crazy.
On Wednesdays Wave 89.1 is on its Way Back Wednesdays Program, playing great music from the 80s and 90s, mostly R&B.
On Fridays Magic 89.9 brings me back to my time in High School, when they used to play these great dance tunes and those songs that just tug at your heart strings.
On Saturday and Sunday I listen to Campus 99.5. the songs you don't hear on the other two stations are available for your audible pleasure for 48 hours.
On other days XFM 92.3 please great slow music, even an ecclectic collection of Jazz. Lovely.
I tune in to these stations at the kitchen, because it's upbeat, it's invigorating. And it reminds you of where you came from.

What is your music preference? What do you listen to on the way to work?

Music...needed

When working in the kitchen, the rhythm of pans and simmering stocks and the knives has a relaxing affect when it gets to a certain point. A kind of zen is achieved when the whole kitchen comes together in a beautiful cacophony of thuds and hisses, claps and clicks.
But sometimes outside influences help the kitchen go into high gear, especially when downtimes are upon us and that we are relegated to the tedious tasks of peeling 20 kilos of potatoes and skinning 2 cases of garlic.
I was born in the 70s, enjoyed in the 80s, loved the 90s. And my one valuable link to these years is the radio, when certain radio stations on certain days play music from those eras that kind of push me to grabe the knife and start slicing onions julienne like crazy.
On Wednesdays Wave 89.1 is on its Way Back Wednesdays Program, playing great music from the 80s and 90s, mostly R&B.
On Fridays Magic 89.9 brings me back to my time in High School, when they used to play these great dance tunes and those songs that just tug at your heart strings.
On Saturday and Sunday I listen to Campus 99.5. the songs you don't hear on the other two stations are available for your audible pleasure for 48 hours.
On other days XFM 92.3 please great slow music, even an ecclectic collection of Jazz. Lovely.
I tune in to these stations at the kitchen, because it's upbeat, it's invigorating. And it reminds you of where you came from.

What is your music preference? What do you listen to on the way to work?

Sunday

Well, Sunday is here, and no functions scheduled at the country club. The weekly Sunday buffet is already set up for the weekend guests. but apart from that, relatively quiet.
We had an over stock on canned garbanzos. So, to help lower food cost, we decided to make something out of it.
The Garbanzos, or chick peas, were boiled in water with onions, carrots, leeks, celery and bacon. That went on for about two hours until the garbanzos were tender. Then added peeled tomatoes as well a few links of Chorizo bilbao. Added the bouquet Garni and let the pot simmer for about 45 minutes. Adjusted the seasoning, then added a little garlic oil.
The resulting stew is a thick melange of vegetables, with a savory aroma that engulfed the kitchen. The taste was rich, with the chorizo adding some heaviness. the texture of the garbanzos made the stew filling. Satisfying. The recipe was taken from a French Chef I met a few years ago. called Garbanzos a la Catalane.
Garde Manger
chef still out of commission, so a bit of staff juggling had to cover the gap. Since there are no functions scheduled, the entire banqueting team is on their toes cleaning out the facilities.
Right now the kitchen people are listening to this inane radio station, with the DJ asking over and over again if we have the energy. Piff.

Sunday

Well, Sunday is here, and no functions scheduled at the country club. The weekly Sunday buffet is already set up for the weekend guests. but apart from that, relatively quiet.
We had an over stock on canned garbanzos. So, to help lower food cost, we decided to make something out of it.
The Garbanzos, or chick peas, were boiled in water with onions, carrots, leeks, celery and bacon. That went on for about two hours until the garbanzos were tender. Then added peeled tomatoes as well a few links of Chorizo bilbao. Added the bouquet Garni and let the pot simmer for about 45 minutes. Adjusted the seasoning, then added a little garlic oil.
The resulting stew is a thick melange of vegetables, with a savory aroma that engulfed the kitchen. The taste was rich, with the chorizo adding some heaviness. the texture of the garbanzos made the stew filling. Satisfying. The recipe was taken from a French Chef I met a few years ago. called Garbanzos a la Catalane.
Garde Manger
chef still out of commission, so a bit of staff juggling had to cover the gap. Since there are no functions scheduled, the entire banqueting team is on their toes cleaning out the facilities.
Right now the kitchen people are listening to this inane radio station, with the DJ asking over and over again if we have the energy. Piff.