Recommended Reading 11/1

I promise nothing this boring is on the list

In my continuing attempt to find a good Monday feature, I have decided to share some of the more fun or interesting things I have read over the last week.  I’m not really putting a minimum number of in because I don’t want to ever post filler.  These are just random restaurant related articles that I have found or were sent to me that I thought were worth passing along.  I will gage by what is clicked the kinds of stuff the majority seem interested in and will try to cater the list to it.  Let’s give it a shot.

I was sent a comment last week that caught my eye. It was about a blog called Culinary Arts College.  It boasts a pretty impressive list of culinary arts schools and some good information for those that aspire to be chefs.  I dug a little further and found one of the coolest blogs around.  These folks put in some work compiling one of the best foodie blogs around.  With posts like “10 historical figures who were foodies” and incredibly comprehensive lists of nearly every food topic around, I think there is something for everyone.  I am particularly impressed with the compilation of “100 restaurant recipes you can make at home.”  Give it a look.

You may have checked out Crazy Waiter in the past.  I have him on the blogroll on the front page and have referenced him before.  He just introduced a great new feature on his site called “Crazy Waiters Server Quality Knowledge Base.”  On it you will find links to over 200 scholarly articles on all aspects of restaurant operations and server techniques.  There have been studies done on any number of server related topics.  The one downside is that many of the articles require a subscription.  If you take the title and the primary author on most of them and do a google search, many of them will pop up for free.

I’ve been meaning to work waiterpay.com into a post for a while.  They have a great blog about legal issues relating to servers.  There is also a section that addresses some of the legal gray areas regarding serving.  I have learned a few things from them myself.  These are topics that get raised a lot is server circles.  Can you be charged for a walkout?  How is a service charge different than a tip?  These are clearly addressed in an easy to understand format.  Many of these laws are determined by the state so it is best to double check against your state’s law.  If you were interested in such things, this would be the first place to check.

A couple of quick server mentions.  Sauce over at the Girl and Guitar blog is trying to win the Hooters Halloween contest.  Swing by her site and give her a vote.  On a transitional note I wanted to give Hooters of America kudos for starting to publish her in their in restaurant magazine.  I think it is awesome that a company got behind one of their server bloggers.  Whatever your opinion is of Hooters (as a former employee I have a few) you have to commend them for doing something great for one of their employees.

Speaking of companies supporting their server bloggers, I think the story of CJ from Frothy Girlz and Capital Grille is the exact opposite.  If you don’t know the tale of how she was fired for her blog, it is definitely worth a read.  Working just blocks from her old spot, I was warned about her fate numerous times when starting this blog.  Well she is now retiring from the blogging scene.  She will not be forgotten though.  I wish her the best of luck in her future writing endeavors.

That is all for this week.  An unplanned dentist visit and the current pain that necessitated it might keep my post count down this week.  It might also make what I do write far more interesting in a pain killer tinted sort of way.  Either way I hope I have left you with plenty of good things to read in my possible absence.  Also, if you have a catchier name for this feature let me know.

Tips²: Tips For Improving Your Tips is the new book from the author of The Hospitality Formula Network.  It contains the 52 essential skills of the exceptional server.  This book teaches the philosophy to turn average service into an exceptional guest experience that will rapidly increase your tips.  This book shows how you can provide better customer service and dramatically improve your tips.  Enter the coupon code “squared” to receive 20% off your copy today.

People Who Read This Post Also Enjoyed:

In Defense of Selling as a Server (Part Two) (Tips Squared)

Budgeting for Servers (Tips Squared)

I Make Mistakes Too (Restaurant Laughs)

Set Schedules As A Manager (The Manager’s Office)

Searches Answered (Foodie Knowledge)