Fourteen Commandments of Cafe Lucy
Guest Author: Lucy Gore, founder, Cafe Lucy
1. Passion - If you don't really love to cook, it shows through in the food.
2. Food Memory - Formulating a concept of each dish that stays with you consistently is the absolute only way you will ever be able to improve your abilities and you won't get this from looking at a recipe each time. Recipes are 50% the basic formula . . . your familiarity with the concept 50% the other.
3. Focusing - on a job from start to finish and doing an excellent, consistent job every single time.
4. Common Sense - the ability to see the obvious and act on it. This means taking in what's going on around you at all times.
5. No Attitude - Food is not something that makes you important. You should be making the food important. Confidence in cooking has a lot to do with humility, caring and hard-earned wisdom that is true.
6. Trust - If you can't trust that I am someone who has some information to share and show you, then working here is not a wise decision.
7. Don't Assume Anything - Ever. The "I already know that" phrase and look will only make you a less important person to have around. There is no way you'll ever learn a thing. Food product changes daily. Stay open.
8. Take Direction - Listen clearly. If things aren't clear, question this until you understand. This can only happen if you are willing to learn and if you aren't in that mind set, you need to get into another line of business.
9. Basic Talent - Unfortunately, this is where I draw the line. If the talent is not there, all the training in the world will not produce the results we need in a kitchen like this. I have seen & truly believe this.
10. Time Awareness - each dish needs to be done as perfect as possible, as quickly as possible. Labor costs are a huge part of the pricing. Ask productive questions that will save time. When you can't find something, more times than not someone else will know where it is and save you precious time. Don't be afraid to ask for help . . . anything.
11. Teamwork - be conscious of small space. Clean up after yourself immediately. Ask questions of one another. Make space for one another. Share information. Know when to talk. We have our individual strengths & weaknesses. Working in a positive, supportive environment keeps the creative juices flowing and fun available. Competitive, small-minded negative energy only keeps you in the dark.
12. Respect - Huge thing. No one will get it without giving it.
13. Feel Proud - we work hard and we should honor these efforts. Please leave feeling good about yourself.
14. We are a "Pond of Wild Swans" - not chickens in a chicken coop.
Copyright ©2003 Lucy Gore, All Rights Reserved
 Lucy Gore is the founder and former chef/owner of Cafe Lucy,
 one of the sweetest little French bistro cafes ever
formerly located in Napa, California.
E-mail Lucy Gore
SCORN & WINE PRESS, December 2003 Edition
A Division of Colored Horse Studios
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