Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Why Should Menu's Change



Why do we change our menu at Uri's Landing? Why do we have a small menu with only several entrees on them? Well frankly I get very bored of cooking the same thing everyday. I like to keep my drive going and doing new things. We will always have our staples like perch and salmon, but I like to go where the market drives me. When beef prices are high we will have fewer steaks on, but have more seafood, pork, etc. We run a small menu because we are a scratch kitchen. We make all our own breads, chips, soups, sauces, mayo, bbq sauce, dressings. We whip our own butter and cut all our own meats, fish, we hand grind our burgers and meatloaf in house. We take time to garnish our plates and keep them simple but unique with our own little twist. My food will tell a story over time and you will know who I am, how much pride and love I put into each and every plate that we create.

Michigan's Season's
The main reason we change our menu is that our season's change. We are always using fresh ingredients and we try to use them when they are in season. At a minimum we will change of menu at least four times a year but I usually will do it more like six times. Now this does not mean it will be a drastic change, sometimes it may just be a few items. Sometimes I will change the menu if a dish is not selling very good. If people do not buy it, then they do not want it, therefore I will not offer it. My pet peeve is when you go to a restaurant and you have to flip several pages to read their entire menu. This tells you that they probably have not changed the menu in years simply because it is to big to change.

What does a big menu say when you sit down to read it? It says this restaurant is not great at any type of food, they are not using fresh ingredients, and they probably do not have a chef. Then because I am in the business I wonder who is cooking my food. Probably someone that has a degree in a different field of expertise but could not find a job, so they became a cook at the local restaurant. They usually do not care or have passion for what they are doing which means food safety and cleanliness is not up to standards.

I am not saying that places are not good because they have big menus or that my food is great and everyone will love it. Because this is not true. Everyone has different taste buds and everyone has there favorites. My roll as a chef is to take food from it's natural state and explain it to you in the dish it is served, so that you will now understand it and be able to taste it so you can make your judgment where you will like it or not.

One of the new things we are going to be doing this year is when certain items are in season such as Heirloom Tomatoes we will be preserving them ( just like grandma use to do) for when it is the off season. This way in the dead of winter you will be able to enjoy a great tasting tomato on your burger. Right now if you get a fresh slice of tomato on your burger it will be hard and unripe with no flavor. So this summer when all our wonderful vegetables and fruits are in season we will be preserving them for the winter time. A little taste of summer in the middle of a snow storm can change your day.

Chef Clint

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