CHEFSCORNER
BAR FOOD
Are You Meeting Expectations? BY CHEF BRIAN DUFFY
F
ood and bars and bars and food, they are synonymous with each other and nothing says a good bar like an ice cold beer or a well-mixed cocktail that whets the whistle and makes you a bit hungry at the same time. Lets think, what is one of the TOP things that you would associate with bar food? Burgers... We've all got them, we all want them, so what do we do with them?
Well, here is my word for a perfect burger. 1. A simple everyday mix of 85/15 ground beef; the mix here is key. This blend is 85% beef with 15% fat, I love the way that this cooks up. 2. A perfectly toasted roll, I hate kaiser rolls... Hate em, but I do love a good brioche (Breeoh-sh) roll or even a great sourdough roll. 3. Bacon, a Thick Cut applewood is my fave. If you're going to do pork belly, render some of the fat out, crisp it up. 4. Cheese, glorious cheese! Go with a super sharp cheddar and slice it yourself, just a bit thicker than the guy next door. Let it melt on top of the meat, don't go so far as to use a dome or even a salamander, let the heat from the bacon and meat do it for you. 5. Shredded lettuce, iceberg to be exact, shred it nice and fine with a sharp knife. 6. Tomatoes, sliced about 1/2" thick with just a pinch of FRESH salt and FRESH cracked pepper on the tomato. I know we have them year round and 80% of the time they are mealy and unripe: 1. DO NOT, serve them until they are ripe. 2. Do not store them in the walk in UNTIL they are ripe 3. If it is not ripe, which means firm outer skin, soft interior, NOT gritty or mealy, then store it in a brown paper bag for 2 days (roughly). Then when they are ripe... serve them. 7. Red onion, shaved thinly,
make it look like a purple and white cloud of sweet flavor. So how do we assemble this? It's simple. Season the burger and cook it. I personally like Duffified spice, a mix of both salty and peppery with the great scent of herbs; season it FIRST. Then toast the roll, once the roll is toasted, place the iceberg lettuce on the bottom roll. Cook the burger to a perfect medium rare and then top it with the cheese. Now top it with the bacon and then with the red onion. Place the top roll right up against it. On the side of my burger I'd like a side of mayo as well as a GOOD mustard. After that, l'll take care of everything. So I know that you are all sitting there reading this and you have the vision of this burger, this creation, a pure masterful piece of art. But why does my burger look so different from your burger? Well the answer is that you haven't stepped back to really look at how this staple of an item, a perfect 25% food cost item, is being prepared and served. So, the next time you're sitting at your brand looking around at your clientele and wondering "why doesn't every person sitting here have a burger in front of them?" We'll maybe it's because it's just not that good. I would love for everybody reading this to take a picture of your burger RIGHT now as it comes out of the kitchen and post that picture on my Facebook wall, and then take a picture of your NEW signature burger and see what people think of the two. What am I getting at? Did you open a bar to have a mediocre burger with mediocre food sales... Or did you open a bar with pride and an idea of selling great food? I don't care how long you have been open, let's step back and take a look.
About Brian Duffy Chef Brian Duffy is a celebrated veteran of the hospitality business. His experience has spanned over 25 years from owning, operating and running successful culinary programs in multi million dollar operations and restaurant groups to the president of his own consulting firm, CBD Solution, which specializes in redefining the economics of food service as well as educating the masses on the successful practices of running your own establishment. CBD Solution is a group that is focused on the operations, standards and procedures that aid in the successful ability to run a business. The education of the staff as well as simplifying the managements ability to run successful shifts on a consistent basis. CBDS is available for consulting throughout the world, currently assisting clients from Hawaii to Canada and all throughout the United States. Chef Brian Duffy and CBD Solution can be reached at Consult@CBDSolution.com.
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MARCH 2013 OHIO BEVERAGE MONTHLY 15
3:36:39 PM