March 20, 2024 • 39 mins
Gather 'round the chef's table as we cook up savory stories and dishes with the one and only Chef Laura Lipoufski, and give a warm kitchen welcome to Chef Jason Williams.
Our conversation simmers with the essence of hospitality, focusing on the collaborative heart that beats within the walls of every successful eatery. We talk shop about leading with inclusivity and the holistic approach that flavors our leadership, seasoning our teams with trust and mutual respect. Embracing change becomes a recurring theme, as we recount times when stepping into new roles stirred more than just pots, but also the bonds that sustain us through every service.
As we plate up the final course of our culinary dialogue, we chew over the impact of automation and AI on the food industry, from pizza vending machines to robots that might just be angling for our aprons. We tackle the unique puzzles chefs face in healthcare, served with a side of heartfelt connections made over meticulously crafted meals for those with special dietary needs. And before we turn off the burners, we relish a sweet reunion with Chefs Laura and Jason, remembering that the most important ingredient in any kitchen is the relationships we nourish along the way. Join us, Chef Massey at the helm, as we feast on these stories and more—because every meal has a story, and we're here to savor each one.
Thank you Chef Laura and Chef Jason!!
Thank you to our listeners!!
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We are not responsible for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of this podcast. This podcast is not intended to replace professional medical advice. The views expressed in this podcast may not be those of the host, guest or the management. All right reserved under Chef Sense Podcast and Chef Massey, LLC.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Chef James (00:01):
Service.
Hey everyone, welcome to ChefSense.
I'm your host, chef MasseyAlright, so welcome back to the
podcast, Laura.
(00:22):
Chef Laura Lipoufski is back.
I am so excited.
Yes, and we've got the wingman.
That's right, chef JasonWilliams, so good to see you
again.
How long has it been?
Like five, six years, aboutfive years, yeah, yeah, forever.
Chef Jay (00:36):
We're getting older right.
Chef Laura (00:38):
Yes we are what's up ?
Chef Jay (00:39):
with that.
Chef Laura (00:39):
We're feeling it.
Chef James (00:40):
Oh my Lord.
So yeah, no.
So what have you guys been upto?
How are you doing, Laura?
Chef Laura (00:46):
I'm doing good, you know I'm just.
You know killing it at work.
You know doing the same thingand then getting in the grind.
You know we've had, we've gotholidays, you know that are
coming up like St Patrick's.
Chef James (00:56):
Day this weekend, so .
Chef Laura (00:57):
I'll be in there tomorrow doing all the corned
beef.
Yeah, making my soda bread, ohyeah.
Chef James (01:03):
Oh, I love that.
Yeah, that's great.
Yeah, no, that's awesome.
Chef Laura (01:09):
Then we've got Easter coming up, so we're
getting ready for some bigholidays?
Yeah, in a new menu coming upfor spring and summer that's
going to happen and that's huge,that's huge.
Chef Jay (01:16):
Yeah, yeah, you know how that is, oh yeah, setting
that stuff up.
Chef James (01:20):
You know it's funny because so many times I think
when we're doing these seasonalchanges and we really, as chefs,
we should, that's part of ourDNA, that I think we need to
have that as a part of us.
And there's some places wherethey don't, you know, they stick
with the same menu.
But I think really pushingourselves to do these seasonal
changes, you kind of like canreinvigorate some things and
(01:43):
like go through some new ideasand get the team involved.
Chef Laura (01:47):
Yeah, yeah, so you know Food trends, you know
Absolutely, are we changing?
Chef James (01:51):
Yeah, absolutely Jason.
In your background, you know,since you're kind of new to
podcasts like being in theindustry as many years as you
have like, what brought you intoour?
Chef Jay (02:02):
world High school.
I took in a high schoolculinary arts, didn't really
know what I wanted to do and I'mlike, well, I don't want to do
office work, I need to be usedon and like constantly busy and
do something without being bored.
And so I did that for aboutthree years in high school and
then when I graduated I was like, oh, I got to be serious now.
I really want to do this and Ihad an opportunity to go to a
(02:27):
trade school for a year free andget my certification there and
did that.
And then came back to theBerkshires and started like
doing like a hotel here andthere and doing work, and then
okay, and then ended up whereyou two were.
Chef James (02:43):
Yeah, and that was Cain.
Chef Jay (02:44):
Ranch.
Chef James (02:45):
And you know I have to say just so you guys all know
Chef Laura was the executivesous chef there with me and in
prior to my time and, as you'veheard before, it was so
essential to the foundation ofsupporting that kitchen and
really worked her way throughall of the departments.
But you know Chef Jason beingin there with him, you know
(03:05):
we've been together.
I mean that was I was five anda half, almost six years there
Chef de Partis with you and youknow we were a full brigade
kitchen and I really justenjoyed working with both of you
so much.
You know there were times youand I would be.
You know we're rolling with theoperation, you know, and the
(03:26):
sous were off and we werejamming together and I just
you're just awesome.
Yeah, it was fun.
You know, and we pushed throughquite a bit.
So just so you guys know thehistory of that.
And you were at the ranch forhow many years?
21 years, 21 years, and that'sjust amazing.
And, laura, you were About thesame.
Chef Laura (03:47):
Okay, I was okay when I started there.
Jay was there.
Yeah, you were just a line cook.
Chef Jay (03:53):
We were a week apart.
You started first and then Istarted a week after you.
Chef Laura (03:56):
Yeah, yeah, so we were there together, yeah.
Chef Jay (03:59):
I wasn't even a line cook at that point I was like
salad bar pantry, you know thegrunting stuff at the beginning.
Chef James (04:06):
And you work your way out.
I mean and that's amazing, wewere young, we were at 20.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
I was 21.
21.
Yeah, I think I was 24.
Yeah.
Chef Laura (04:15):
When we first started there and the big shop
was like in the middle near themain kitchen.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
It was all part of the main kitchen.
Chef Laura (04:22):
So the big shop was just those two rooms and you
know we had to make it happen inthose two rooms.
Chef James (04:27):
Right.
Chef Laura (04:29):
And then, through working there, I helped.
It was Barry Korea at the time.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Oh yeah, Barry.
Chef Laura (04:34):
I helped him and we created the big shop that's now
down in the basement, which is anice bigger operation.
You can do breads down there,Right, and then the deck ovens.
You know it's an actual likebake shop.
So, I was there through allthat transition, which was a lot
of fun and it was a lot ofexperience too, to see how that
(04:54):
all came to fruition.
Chef James (04:56):
Well, and I mean there couldn't have been a
better person for any of thechange.
I think that that kitchen everwent through.
I mean to be honest with youThank you, jim, you know, and
just so complimentary.
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, you know, when I lookat that, you know, at Canyon
Ranch.
So it was an all in, it's anall inclusive model, and you
(05:18):
know there are multiple outlets.
There are, you know, lunch,lunch and learn.
I don't know if they still haveit.
So, guys, correct me, it's beena you know about six years
since I've done there.
But you know we had lunch andlearn in our demonstration
kitchen.
There we had our larger diningroom and then we had our farm to
table, which I think is calledrebel now, but that was a
(05:40):
remodel that we went through,and a very large, and out in
cafe Jardin, outside.
So and the employee cafe andemployee cafe, which we
remodeled as well.
So there were a lot of thingsthat all of us as a team, you
know, had gone through and,honestly, I mean I I really
(06:01):
enjoyed all those changes and Iknow it was really hard on us.
I mean, as all of you guys, Imean, how do you feel in that
brigade?
I mean, what was that like foryou working in that?
I mean, because communicationis key, yeah, and I know I'm not
perfect, but you know, I dideverything I could, you know,
and Laura, that's where you andI had that A and B relationship,
(06:21):
where, you know, we shared alot of those thoughts and those
concerns and shifting the team,because, as a chef, it's very
easy to go into these things andgo this is the way it is, this
is how we're doing it.
I don't operate that way, youknow, and it's important to get
your insight, your insight, youknow, am I seeing everything?
Yeah, I'm very experienced, but, again, I think that's where
(06:44):
this communal existence andleadership, coming from my
indigenous side, is that youhave to guide and protect the
people at all times.
And, you know, even though andI've said this before you know,
the warrior learns it'sknowledge between the ears to be
(07:04):
the best advocate someday and aprotector at that time, but an
advocate as a leader as you moveup to gain that wisdom.
And when you become that leaderor wisdom giver, one or the two
of the tribe, you really younever forget what it takes to be
a warrior right.
So, as a chef, as you move up,whether it's a small brigade or
(07:28):
large, you should never forgetwhat it took to run the pantry,
to be on the dish line, to dothose things.
And you know you and I havetalked about that too is like as
we come in getting that youknow there's 21 years or those
years of experience that we'veall come up in the industry.
(07:48):
I know it's a long time, but itgives you the wisdom to get
through those battles, to winthe war.
You know.
And but how is that for youguys?
I mean, in working through allthose things.
Chef Laura (08:04):
Well, there's a lot of personalities.
Chef James (08:05):
Yeah, we talk about that now you know, and I'm so
blessed
Chef Laura (08:10):
to have been able to work with Jay as long as I have
.
Chef James (08:12):
I mean, you guys are great together.
Chef Laura (08:16):
We're like work husband and wife, you know.
Chef Jay (08:18):
Yeah, it works that well I was you know, honored to
be able to work with her again.
And when she called me and said, hey, got this position, would
you like it?
And yeah, it was very scary forme to leave something that I
was comfortable for 21 yearsRight Going into a totally
different atmosphere, a nursinghome, and yeah, didn't know what
I was getting myself into but Iwas like I'm gonna try it and
(08:39):
see how this goes.
Chef James (08:40):
Yeah, you've always been great to put yourself in
and put say I got this.
Chef Laura (08:47):
You know, and I know it's not easy, but that's why I
wanted it, because I was like,oh yeah, I was going through a
little bit of a rough spot there.
I had, you know, a cook that Iwas having some troubles with,
so I like needed some of my oldblood you know, like I need Jay,
Right, Like it just collects.
I need Jay, you know, becauseit's like he's laid back, but
(09:08):
he's intense too when he needsto be Yep you know and he you
can talk to anybody in anykitchen, front of the house,
back of the house, wherever,even in the facilities that he's
worked in Most people 98% likeJay.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
Yeah, absolutely, he doesn't have enemies.
No, whether true or not.
Chef Laura (09:26):
I don't know.
Chef Jay (09:27):
Okay, good.
Right yeah he had an enemy as apaper for that one.
Chef James (09:34):
Sure there are Okay 99.5%.
Chef Laura (09:35):
Well, nice, but you know it's true, and you know
that carries out to the gueststoo and the residents.
You know it's like they lovehim.
You know, and I know that, andit's like you know you're only
as good as your team.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
And it's like you know me.
Chef Laura (09:51):
I want to be the best, so I need the best.
Yeah so you know I had to getthe best, so I think we're there
, you know we have a great teamyou know and we have like a lot
of mixed personalities, morethan I think we've ever worked
with.
Chef Jay (10:06):
Well, we're a smaller kitchen.
We're all closer together, yeah.
There's no like separation,like one big room, and you're
like all right, I have to seeyou every day.
Chef James (10:18):
Yeah, I can't seem you to demo, right, yeah, yeah.
Flashbam oh wait, you sent mewhat?
No, you sent me.
Chef Laura (10:27):
Yeah, you know, and that's funny that you talk about
that, because working at theranch that was, I think, the
funniest thing was every morningit was awesome live.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
This is.
Chef Laura (10:36):
Jay and I in the morning, and usually Tom.
And you know there's always acall out or something, and he's
like who's going where?
Chef Jay (10:43):
I remember you going around the corner looking at me
and I'm like no, I'm sorry, wegot to change things up.
Chef Laura (10:54):
Yeah, when you came around and you knew what the
schedule was, and then you seeeverything's all upside down in
backwards.
You must have been like oh,somebody called out.
Oh yeah.
So yeah, it's like who's onfirst, who's on second, who's
going there, you know, becauseit's like we still had to make
the whole thing happen.
Chef James (11:08):
Yeah, even though you're down one person yeah.
Yeah, well, and we had a.
You know it's a.
Again, it's a complete 100%from scratch.
You know it was a part of thevision, you know, and that's how
we were able to control thisworld around us.
That is this complex ag system,industrial food system, where
we could make sure that we were.
Chef Laura (11:29):
I was just thinking about the mayonnaise.
Chef James (11:33):
Oh yeah.
Chef Laura (11:35):
You know, we even made our own mayonnaise.
Chef James (11:36):
We did Pickles.
Chef Laura (11:37):
Yes, you know salad dressings and this was Jason's
biggest struggle, like he wouldgo in the back and see what the
inventory was on those yeah.
Again.
Chef Jay (11:46):
Yeah, nobody made the hummus Well.
Chef James (11:48):
I mean you're making gallons of it.
This isn't, like you know, twogallons.
I mean you're loading it up,yeah.
Chef Laura (11:59):
Oh man, so that was always a struggle in those soups
in the big.
Chef James (12:03):
Again you being driven and kind of going back to
Jason, I'm not trying to putyou on the spot, but but I think
being proud and inspired by youtoo is that you're always
willing to take that challengeon, or if something is a mess or
whatever, you're stepping rightinto it.
Yeah, and that's not easy forany one of us.
I mean it's like it's got toget done, let's get a list.
Chef Jay (12:25):
Let's make it happen.
Gotta get done.
It might say.
You know, have a good attitudeabout it, get it done Right.
And you, just, you know, makeit happen.
Chef James (12:31):
Well, and you, but also you, you're, you're great
about going right into demo.
And again, that's another thingI was like that's so awesome
for him, it's, it's great forany one of us.
But you know, going into thatand not everyone is comfortable
with being on the spot in frontof people.
I mean, you know you're looking, 20, 30 people, it was.
Chef Jay (12:53):
it was very stressful for me and challenging, but I
would, I would hold myself.
You know you have to try atleast Right.
You know you can't.
You know, let yourself down ifyou don't try.
So I would get stressed out andbefore I went and did it and
but after I did it I was like,wow, I really did a good job.
Yeah, they liked me and thatkept me going to do it again.
Chef James (13:14):
Yeah, I got the old endorphins going, yeah, yeah,
because it feels good.
I mean you're like hey, I cando this and you do do a great
job with that.
Chef Jay (13:21):
You know, what I liked about that was that he is on
one on one with people, or twopeople in the class or three
right 30 people talking to them.
That was just kind of awkward,but cooking hands on was pretty
fun yeah.
Chef Laura (13:36):
Yeah, and the questions where do ramps come
from?
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Yeah, yeah, right, constant questions, oh, all the
time.
You know you need to beknowledgeable, yeah, and there
were sometimes.
Chef Laura (13:46):
You don't know the answer.
Chef Jay (13:47):
And right you know you're standing there and you
have to come up with somethinglike I call it, stumped the chef
because they would want to seeif you had the right answer and
if you did, they would call youout on it and you'd be like, Are
you?
Playing with me right now.
Chef Laura (14:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
My whole thing was always like,so I'm going to get that answer
to you at the end.
Chef James (14:05):
Yeah, right, yeah, give me a minute.
Chef Laura (14:07):
Google.
Chef James (14:08):
Yeah, google University yeah.
Chef Laura (14:11):
Because we don't know everything.
No, no, not at all we love toread the food lovers companion
and think we know everything andevery ingredient.
Yeah, there's always something.
Chef James (14:19):
Well, and in kind of where our industry going, I
mean, as we keep on going afterthese trends.
I mean, what do you guys thinkabout like some of the food
trends and yeah, some of them,it's like they get the big, like
flare up like the whole sousvide Right.
Right.
Chef Laura (14:34):
Poll, and that's still present.
But, it's starting to pull backa little bit and they're going
back to the old school.
You know cooking techniques.
I just feel like classics arejust always the way to go.
Chef Jay (14:45):
Yeah, Go back to that and you're, you know you're
always golden.
Chef Laura (14:48):
Yeah yeah, everybody loves a classic, right.
Chef James (14:51):
Yeah, no, very, very true.
Looking at the industry too, Imean I know we've dealt with,
you know, the big, I guess thebig transition with COVID of the
mass exodus, you know, and theother thing too, I mean it's
we're kind of dealt with.
You know staffing levels andconcerns, you know.
(15:12):
Looking at now AI, you know youguys have heard me talk about
that, but you know even likerestaurants that you know, like
Cali Express, that's almost 100%.
You know AI with even facialrecognition, right, you know
it's like oh geez, and youordered the burger such and such
, and you know, just hit this,agree, we've saved your credit
(15:34):
card information.
It's all done, you know, andout three minutes it's done.
So it's kind of crazy.
What do you guys think aboutall that?
Chef Laura (15:41):
It's pretty amazing.
You know, even in the citieslike I think they have I'm not
sure I think it was New YorkCity where they have these
actual like vending machines,but they it cooks for you like
it will make the pizza for youinside the little like cubicle,
yeah, and it's like wow, yeah,oh, yeah, it's just, it's blows
your mind, but it's correctbecause you know it's taking
(16:01):
away from you know a chef or acook.
Chef Jay (16:06):
And you know a job.
Chef James (16:08):
Well, that's the thing you know and also with
some of the AI or the robotics Ithink Miso Robotics is one of
the groups that is.
You know it's doing thesethings of turning the burger,
the fryer, the this or that, andthen now you know humans were
putting the final touches onthings, but then now it's going
on a robot on a tray and out tothe table, right, so it's.
(16:30):
It's kind of a crazy time forus.
Chef Laura (16:34):
It takes away all the human part, you know,
because that's the mostcomforting part, like that's
what we like, you know, you liketo, you know, integrate and be
with humans, you know.
Chef James (16:43):
Well, and that's, it takes the artist out of the
picture.
And I, and even when you lookat AI now, I mean they're
starting to formulate theability to do you know famous
artists and testing that, wow,you know of.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Like Music too, Right , music too, and that's, it's
affected by it, right?
Chef James (17:02):
You know, and it cuts you out, Right?
I mean it's, it's pretty crazyyeah.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
I mean, it's it's like you know, obviously, that
it can be used as a tool too,but I feel like with music it's,
you know, parallel to food in away.
Yeah, there's processes ofcreating music where you know
you can have AI finish the musicfor you, right, or you can have
AI master or mix or like youknow.
Chef James (17:27):
Yeah Right, a menu, yeah, and it's a great
opportunity to kind of pull someof the artists out of it.
I mean, you know, hopefully wecan kind of circle back on that
and make sure that we're not,you know, taking too far away.
But yeah, I just thought Iwould ask and see what you guys
thought.
Chef Laura (17:42):
I think, when it comes down to it, I think all of
the reasoning behind all ofthat is money.
Yeah, you know, and a littlebit of greed, you know and it's
and I really think that's whyit's gone as far as it has and
that's why it will continue.
Chef James (17:55):
Yeah.
Chef Laura (17:56):
Because that drives most people.
Chef Jay (17:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Well, it sure does, you know.
Chef James (18:02):
We're saved the dime , that's right, yeah, see more
and more, and that's stuff withyou know, with these companies
and everything you know.
What do you guys think about,like our food system and kind of
some of these things coming tofruition of you know, the box
brands and yeah, you know I'mnot a big fan.
I, you know I enjoy whole foods.
Chef Laura (18:22):
You know, that's what I always just come down to
is you know, when we developmenus and stuff like that, it's
just try to just go with wholefoods, like I don't like the
whole processed foods and whatit does to our, our bodies.
I mean, it's not it's not good.
There's.
There's things that they put inthose foods that, like, they
don't even approve in othercountries.
Right, I mean doesn't that makeus wonder as a society, Like
(18:45):
why am I eating this?
Yeah?
Chef James (18:46):
Well, and that's interesting because, like in in
Mexico, they're working on, youknow, their food system, where
their healthcare program is muchdifferent than ours here in the
United States, so it'sconnected, you know, to the
government.
So they're realizing that atsome point these issues are
going to cause a future problem,whereas here there's an avenue
(19:09):
for making money off of it, andI think that's kind of tragic.
You know, as I've talked to youknow, dr Nessel and some of
these others, that it's kind ofan unfortunate situation.
And I think that's where,looking at our food system as a
chef, and I've said, you knowyou're that storyteller on the
plate, you know what you'regiving people to nourish
(19:30):
themselves with.
You know, and I think even thelarge vendors, they recognized
it and they're starting to kindof try to put that in their
portfolio of who their you knowmanufacturers and products that
they're bringing in.
But it's just, it's still areally murky situation.
Yeah, and it's kind of it's toobad, you know, comparing same
companies from here to abroad.
(19:51):
You know it's the ingredientsare much less.
Chef Laura (19:54):
Yeah, and it's not.
It's really not cheaper to buythose products.
Chef James (19:58):
It's actually more expensive.
Chef Laura (20:00):
But what's easier is the labor behind it.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Right.
Chef Laura (20:04):
So I think a lot of people steer in those directions
because, you know, even if it'sthe mom at home with the dad,
they just get out of work andit's just easier to buy
something from the frozen foodsection and pop it in the
microwave.
Chef James (20:15):
Yeah.
Chef Laura (20:15):
And it all makes sense, but it's full of
chemicals, you know, and it'snot good for us.
Chef Jay (20:21):
And there's a flavor in the taste.
Chef Laura (20:22):
And it doesn't taste good.
I mean you make a quick stirfry I mean, what's that?
Take Ten minutes, you know.
And then if you buy a healthychoice, you know those ones.
Chef James (20:31):
I've had.
They're right yeah.
Chef Laura (20:33):
And you pop that in the microwave and if you taste
them side by side you probablywould have paid.
You paid more for the healthychoice than you have just to
whip together a little stir fryfor one person Right.
And the taste difference is sodifferent.
Well, it really is.
It really is.
Chef James (20:48):
And that's where you can control it by making your
own meals.
But it's hard for people to dothat, you know, nowadays.
Yeah, hopefully that can kindof shift over time back when you
guys are going in.
What is your challenge in akitchen?
What is kind of like, what arethe things that you guys kind of
get frustrated about?
That always kind of pop up toyou, and how have you worked
(21:10):
over time to resolve thosethings?
Chef Jay (21:13):
Just everybody being on the same page.
Yeah, and you know, workingtogether as a team, working
together as a team.
Chef Laura (21:18):
You go right to that every time.
You know and I mean you knowyou punch the clock, you're here
to work, I mean you know it'snot your job.
Chef Jay (21:26):
I don't accept that you know, you hear that
everywhere, though that's not myjob.
Chef Laura (21:30):
Yeah, yeah.
Chef Jay (21:33):
Take that out of the equation and, just you know,
come in and say what can I do,Right, right.
Chef James (21:39):
And I mean I have to be honest, that is one of the
things that kind of drives menuts because you know, on one
side I understand you don't wantto be taken advantage of and
you shouldn't.
Chef Laura (21:48):
Absolutely.
Chef James (21:49):
But on the other side of it, I'm not going to be
where I'm at today if I didn'tgo through what I did then,
meaning the willingness to stepin and do and to take on.
I mean, you kind of find out,you know what you're made of and
I think again there's a fineline there but I think is human
(22:10):
beings, especially being new inthe industry or youthful.
I think it is important to kindof get the, you know, a little
bit test of the fire and becauseI think that you end up once
you start skipping things, it'sjust like anything.
Once you go into this, you know, to the battle zone, you know
(22:30):
you don't have all those cardsin your deck yet, right.
So when you start the processand you work through these
levels, you're able to kind ofbuild that much quicker and have
a much smoother resolution andprobably help your stress level,
cause, as we know, it's one ofthe most stressful career paths
(22:51):
in the world.
Chef Laura (22:51):
Yeah, I mean we're lucky as a team and, like, we
have a great dietitian whocontrols the menus and she's
very into whole foods andhealthy, fresh food for everyone
.
So we're lucky in that aspect,cause there's some that are not
as good.
She's very good with that andshe listens, she goes and talks
(23:12):
to Jane.
Chef Jay (23:13):
She'll ask me what your opinion is.
What would you like to see andwhat works for you?
Yeah, cause coming from akitchen where you have 30 chefs,
other cooks and chefs to cominginto a kitchen where I'm the
only one cooking and it's like,oh, I have to make sure I'm
doing all this correctly, andshe's like making sure helping
me out with the menu, andthere's a lot of times where I'm
(23:36):
like this isn't working for me,right, can we fix this?
Yeah, and she's all abortedabout helping me figure out that
.
Chef James (23:43):
And that's the other side of our family created with
healthcare, which you guys areworking in, and it's hard.
I mean people don't reallyrealize that sometimes it can be
very challenging, sometimes itcan be a little confining, but
it's also in that moment.
How do I think outside the boxto make it work?
(24:05):
And the dietary needs andallergies?
Speaker 4 (24:09):
So many, so many.
It's unbelievable yeah.
Chef James (24:13):
So for those people that are on that side of our
industry, it's pretty intense.
On it, I mean, I was a regionalexecutive chef of New England
for healthcare, over sevenlocations.
And when you're doing the full,like a four week menu, and
you're doing your cafes andyou're correlating inventory
(24:34):
because it needs to fit to thepatient menu so again, I'm a
resort hotel chef.
So when I stepped into it fromCOVID even though I had the
years of Canyon Ranch and thatreally helped me because we
dealt with a lot of dietaryneeds but still nothing like
this.
So when you're trying to dothat on a big scale or a small
(24:56):
scale, it doesn't matter Likeit's intense and not to mention
supply chain issues, yes,Whereas as a chef we were
dealing with that really the bigchallenge of that with COVID,
but in healthcare, to be honest,it was even harder.
Chef Jay (25:14):
Yeah, Because we don't have a lot of products right
now, right, and we had shortedproducts.
Chef Laura (25:20):
Things get left off the truck and that's because of
ingredients and I have to makemy buns to Wally's and all these
different places to get what weneed Right.
And it's funny because Jay andI still have that Canyon Ranch
mentality.
Yeah, like we can't sub, wehave to do what's on the menu.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Yeah, so I got to go get it.
We got to do it at the correctway.
I'm running to lobes.
I'm going to go get it Right.
Chef Laura (25:41):
So it's funny because a lot of sometimes the
other team or the nurses oranybody else who's working there
are like, oh, just servesomething else.
Me and Jay are like, well, no,we can't do that.
Chef James (25:51):
Well, but that's in your so right, because the
ingredients, the sodiums higherin one product, these
ingredients are in there and itwasn't in the original recipe.
So when you're dealing withallergies or people on specific
diets, you are challenged thatway where you are making those
(26:11):
runs, and yeah so and it'sdifficult.
Chef Laura (26:15):
You have the carb issue with diabetics.
You've got the sodium issuewith a lot of people.
Chef James (26:21):
Oh yeah, absolutely, that's a big one.
Chef Laura (26:24):
And then there's the textural differences too.
Like some people can't toleratea regular diet, they have to
have things chopped up or thingseven pureed, and there's so
many different levels to it thatwhen you have 100 people you
think, oh, it's 100 people, wecan swing it.
But then it's like it's 100people, but there's 20 that are
(26:44):
this, 20 that are that.
Some of them are a combo.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
They're a little mixture of everything.
Chef Laura (26:49):
Then you have people who can't swallow.
Chef James (26:51):
The dystasia diets, yeah, dysphagia, and then they
have to have thickened things.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
So then you have that .
Chef Laura (26:58):
So as a chef working in that environment, some
people may think, oh, nursinghome chef always just probably
just serving stuff out of a box.
Well, A, we don't do that atKendall.
Chef Jay (27:08):
Right and B there's so much for a five star facility.
We've been keeping that fivestar for years and I remember
when I was telling people that Iwas going to be working in a
nurse's home and they were likeit's not going to be challenging
, not for you.
And now I'm like you have noclue.
Chef James (27:26):
No, I mean, but seriously, there are these
avenues outside of it where youreally thank God for our
knowledge.
I was able to help locations.
My thing was I was building themenus, I was doing the recipe
cards to everything all the waydown and ordering logs for each
(27:47):
location.
And when you got hit like thatand I really I have to say for
all of you amazing health careculinarians and people out there
, it isn't easy, it is not easyand there is also, at least in
the hospitals and some of thisthere are very talented people,
but that talent pool it isharder and you can find
(28:11):
wonderful people with that andyou're an educator as a chef.
So your responsibility is tonurture that person, no matter
if it's health care or not, toget to the best of their ability
with your guidance.
So again, a big thank you toall health care on that side,
because I was in that I hadactually left and COVID had
(28:35):
happened and I stepped intoTrinity Health Services and took
on that regional executive chefjob, which there was no, I was
the first in the region, sothere was no sort of
administrative organization atall.
So I went into the entiresystem and created a program for
(28:56):
that.
And on top of it, when we.
You think, oh, covid, this isgoing to be, we're going to be
really busy.
Well, a lot of us the electivesurgery has completely dropped
out, so our hospitals and theseright, completely dropped out.
We would get spikes of COVID,but nothing like that.
We had anticipated A lot ofthese across the nation.
(29:20):
I can only speak for what ourlocations were.
We took a substantial hit.
I mean a substantial hit.
But again, going into that andworking with major food
purveyors to make sure that I'mgetting exactly what we're
looking for, because it had tobe as clean as possible and we
couldn't.
You know the years of, like,ordering whatever we wanted to,
(29:43):
and it was easy because therewasn't a supply chain issue, not
to mention health care concernson dietary needs.
Wow, that was a mind opener.
But anyways, I'm going offabout that.
But you know, you guys areamazing for taking on and
pushing through that, becausethere were shutdowns as well.
(30:03):
So, but you know, it'srewarding too.
Chef Laura (30:08):
I mean, people are constantly writing on their
ticket that goes back to thekitchen.
Amazing food today, yeah.
Chef Jay (30:15):
Or you go out and greet them and they're talking
to you and like oh, jay, I knewyou were here today because of
the presentation on the plateRight right.
Thank you so much for doingthat little details You're
welcome.
Chef James (30:26):
Yeah, you know it makes a big deal, Jay is the egg
maker Like he knows how to makeeverybody's eggs.
Chef Laura (30:33):
Like 100 people.
Chef James (30:34):
Yeah, yeah, and we all have specific you know
requests for their eggs.
Chef Laura (30:38):
You know how people are with their eggs.
Chef Jay (30:39):
Oh yeah, this is the guy right here.
Well, that probably helped withthe whole thing I don't have to
read the tickets anymore.
I know what this person wants.
Chef James (30:46):
Oh wow, yeah, yeah, yeah, they're here, let's roll.
Chef Laura (30:49):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and you know there's an
attachment piece to that too.
You know when the time comesand you know they're moving on
to their next.
You know it's sad.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, because we'vegotten attached to you know,
Mrs, Over Easy Eggs and theright toast Right right right.
And then to see it's not thereanymore.
Chef Jay (31:07):
Right, yeah.
Chef Laura (31:08):
It's sad you get attached.
Chef Jay (31:09):
Yeah, absolutely.
It's like the toast and stuffLike oh, you got to put that
through it one more time.
Chef Laura (31:14):
She likes it darker than that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Or you have like little.
We have people that want burntEnglish muffin with peanut
butter or yeah.
You know, it's like we knowthose people and they appreciate
that Right right, oh, that'sfunny.
Chef James (31:25):
So when you guys, can you reflect on the years
that you guys have been together, any kind of like crazy funny
things that you've kind of hadto jump in on together, or
oddities there's.
Chef Jay (31:36):
So much that you know.
Yeah, I know.
Chef Laura (31:39):
There's so much, it's hard.
I just I can remember one thing, that so at the ranch, the 4th
of July, we always did thisthing up at the State Forest.
Chef James (31:50):
Yeah, sorry about that, and.
Chef Laura (31:51):
Chef Steve Betty.
Oh yeah, he was the executivechef at the time.
Well, him and I I was theexecutive sous chef, so it was
our duty every 4th of July andmost people on the 4th of July,
you know you want to be havingfun with your families.
Chef James (32:04):
Yeah, off Doing things.
Chef Laura (32:06):
So we always had to do this like grill out up at the
State Forest or the lake, orthe lake, yes, or the lake, yes
it was either but I think thisparticular time was up at the
lake, or no, it was up at theState Forest, so it was pouring
rain down.
I'm talking down pouring rain.
Oh, but we're Canyon Ranch,right.
Chef James (32:26):
Oh yeah.
Chef Laura (32:26):
You know, it's still happening.
Chef James (32:28):
Yeah, we don't cancel things.
We don't cancel things.
Chef Laura (32:31):
We just don't, we don't do that.
Chef James (32:32):
Yeah.
Chef Laura (32:33):
So we had to pack the truck up Big monster grill,
you know the Rollies thing.
Chef James (32:37):
Oh yeah, the monster grill.
Chef Laura (32:39):
We had easy ups, I mean we had everything, because
we had to create a space alsofor these hikers to have their
nice barbecue.
4th of July lunch, yeah, yeah.
And they're in the slushy mud,water, everything set up our
grill.
I think there was four hikers.
Chef Jay (32:58):
Yeah, oh.
Chef James (33:02):
And we were set up for like 40.
Yeah, yeah.
Chef Jay (33:04):
We were set up for 40 because we had already prepped
that Scourged Like oh, we wereso discouraged.
Chef Laura (33:08):
And like sop and wet .
We had umbrellas, Like we werejust trying what we could.
But I'm like, wow, I mean, thisis a different level.
Chef James (33:14):
Yeah, yeah, you know that's what I knew.
Chef Laura (33:17):
Like, I'm working for a pretty prestigious place
because oh yeah.
This is just canceled thingswhen the weather's bad, yeah,
but we're not getting in range.
Speaker 4 (33:25):
You know, you still get it.
Chef Laura (33:26):
But that was one really wild time I can remember.
I just was so blown away bythat.
Yeah, we still have to do thisand there's only four people
signed up, right.
Chef Jay (33:36):
I just remember back in the day when you guys would
be like just got to get throughthis week and then next week's
better.
Yeah, yeah, like what's thisevery week?
Yeah, yeah.
Chef James (33:47):
It like it keeps rolling.
Chef Laura (33:48):
One more day, yeah, yeah right, okay, you used to
tell me that.
You say that all the time.
Chef James (33:53):
Yeah, like I know.
Yeah, yeah, just keep truckingalong.
Yeah, wow, but it was funny.
Chef Laura (33:58):
His whole routine would just crack me up all the
time because you know I'd comein and Jay when Jay was off,
like the neck, when he came backto work, he'd go through all
the coolers Like, and he'd pulleverything out of the coolers
and he'd this isn't dated, this,what is this?
Chef Jay (34:12):
Every Monday and he would just go through a no every
Tuesday.
It was off Sunday Monday.
Chef Laura (34:16):
He would do that before he started any of his
work.
Chef Jay (34:19):
I still do that.
Chef Laura (34:20):
He still doesn't yeah.
Chef Jay (34:22):
I remember yesterday we were like, oh, I have to go
through that, yeah.
And like in my mind I'm likeI'm gonna already take care of
that tomorrow.
So, yeah, yeah, yeah, justtomorrow, yeah, yeah.
Chef James (34:31):
Dang.
Okay, is there any growth-wisewhere you feel like?
Chef Jay (34:39):
you know I was at this place at one point and today,
where I'm at, this is where I'mat and this is why, oh, I feel
so confident now than I didbefore and, you know, I just
feel like I could come up withyou know scenarios or things.
Instead of, all right, we'regoing to do this now and, more
confident with my decisions, Ican say, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that'sawesome.
Chef James (35:01):
Because, I mean, we used to always connect you know
on our chef meetings andseparately because you know.
Again, there's this level ofyou know communication that you
get from everybody and justmaking sure that we're sharing
you know things that you saw andwe're connecting on all of it.
I just think it's so awesome.
You know how you're jamming,the way you are.
Chef Laura (35:22):
Yeah, it's inspiring man.
He's training how to do my jobnow.
Chef James (35:25):
That's awesome.
So he's doing some training inthat now too which is a lot of
like dietetics Okay.
Chef Jay (35:32):
And being where I am now.
There were a couple of peoplethat I've trained to cook that
started out as dietary aids andthat moved on from Kimball to
other places.
Chef Laura (35:45):
So yeah, Wow, that's awesome.
He's a good mentor because he'sthe chef yeah, right, right,
okay.
Chef James (35:51):
So it's a step up in that aspect.
Yeah.
Chef Laura (35:53):
From the ranch.
We were a giant team.
Speaker 4 (35:54):
Yes, you know, and we were all in the mix.
Chef Laura (35:57):
Here he's, the chef, yeah that's so great.
Chef James (36:01):
I mean congratulations on that too.
Yeah, it's good, wow, cool.
Chef Jay (36:06):
And we have new people coming in that are younger than
me and I remember being intheir space and I was like okay,
so I'm sorry, that's a dumbquestion.
No questions are dumb.
Just ask me, you know, and I'llguide you to my ability and I
want you to feel safe.
Coming me to those questions,Right, right.
I don't want to be nervous andso yeah, and I feel like I have
(36:26):
that safe presence where youcould ask me how to do a recipe
or do it whatever needs to beanswered.
Chef Laura (36:33):
So yeah, yeah, and the root team I had before, jay,
that I still have.
Like, I have a lot ofmulticultural staff, you know.
They're all talented in theirown ways, sure, you know.
And then I have some othercooks you know chefs that work
there as well, and they're alltalented in their own ways too.
Chef James (36:50):
Yeah.
Chef Laura (36:51):
Just together, we just meld really well together.
Chef James (36:53):
And that's awesome.
Chef Laura (36:55):
Yeah, it's a great team.
Chef James (36:56):
Oh yeah, very cool One.
So where do you guys seeyourself in the future?
I mean, are there future plans?
I mean, are we good kind of youknow rolling where we are?
I mean any thoughts on that?
Chef Jay (37:09):
Right now I'm feeling good.
I'm not sure where I'm going tobe in the next 10 years.
But you know, even Laura and Iwere like we might die here.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
Yeah, because we're comfortable, you know.
Yeah, yeah, we just moved intoone of the beds.
Chef James (37:21):
We're like we're going to be roommates.
Right, well, yeah, back bedsare the best really.
Chef Laura (37:27):
We'll complain about the food together, yeah.
Chef James (37:29):
Well, and I ask that because you guys have always
had been a team, yeah, and soand I know you're never one to
just you know this is good.
So you're always like pushingand like, hey, maybe we can do
this outside or we can trysomething else, or you know, and
you go right along with it andyou have great ideas and you're
like you vibe right with it.
So I decided to ask that.
Chef Laura (37:50):
So yeah, well, I want to retire in about five
years.
Oh, you are okay, that's wherewe're okay.
Well, when I heard that, I'mlike okay, there's something to
I got through.
I talk about it all the time.
Yeah, yeah, I tell them I'lllive in a tent, I don't know.
Yeah, I'm retiring by years.
Chef James (38:05):
Well, and it's well deserved.
You know, I mean, a lot of hatshave been worn and a lot of
connecting to the dots, you know.
So all right, Well, cool.
Do you guys have any words ofwisdom for youngsters out there?
One's kind of one to step intothe industry today.
Chef Jay (38:22):
Just believe in yourself and do it.
You know yeah.
Chef Laura (38:24):
Yeah, yeah, be open minded, you know.
Take the good information, letgo of the bad information,
because you get bad informationtoo Right.
Absolutely.
Chef Jay (38:33):
And do a lot of research.
Yeah.
Chef Laura (38:35):
Like study.
Chef Jay (38:36):
You're always going to be learning, you know.
Chef James (38:38):
Absolutely yeah, Always you know, right, right,
yeah, always challenge yourself.
Chef Laura (38:42):
You know, find the best and learn from them.
Yep, yeah, that's what you do.
Chef James (38:46):
Yep, keep pushing.
All right, well, cool, well,chef Loret, thank you, you're
welcome, it is so good to seeyou.
Chef Jay (38:54):
You too, yeah.
Chef James (38:55):
And let's not wait another five years.
Chef Jay (38:57):
I know right, we're getting older man, I mean five
years could be you know, yeah,yeah.
Chef James (39:03):
Yeah, yeah, all right.
Well, you guys, we're going toactually step out of here and go
have some fun time.
Chef Laura (39:09):
Yes, yes.
Chef James (39:10):
You guys take care.
Thank you, you're welcome.
Thank you, yeah, all right,everyone, that is a wrap.
You can check us out if youlike that.
Subscribe Also the InstagramChef Massey.
Let's keep it simple,chefmasseycom.
Have a good one.
Bye for now.
Service.
Hey everyone, welcome to ChefSense.
I'm your host, chef MasseyAlright, so welcome back to the
podcast, Laura.
(00:22):
Chef Laura Lipoufski is back.
I am so excited.
Yes, and we've got the wingman.
That's right, chef JasonWilliams, so good to see you
again.
How long has it been?
Like five, six years, aboutfive years, yeah, yeah, forever.
Chef Jay (00:36):
We're getting older right.
Chef Laura (00:38):
Yes we are what's up ?
Chef Jay (00:39):
with that.
Chef Laura (00:39):
We're feeling it.
Chef James (00:40):
Oh my Lord.
So yeah, no.
So what have you guys been upto?
How are you doing, Laura?
Chef Laura (00:46):
I'm doing good, you know I'm just.
You know killing it at work.
You know doing the same thingand then getting in the grind.
You know we've had, we've gotholidays, you know that are
coming up like St Patrick's.
Chef James (00:56):
Day this weekend, so .
Chef Laura (00:57):
I'll be in there tomorrow doing all the corned
beef.
Yeah, making my soda bread, ohyeah.
Chef James (01:03):
Oh, I love that.
Yeah, that's great.
Yeah, no, that's awesome.
Chef Laura (01:09):
Then we've got Easter coming up, so we're
getting ready for some bigholidays?
Yeah, in a new menu coming upfor spring and summer that's
going to happen and that's huge,that's huge.
Chef Jay (01:16):
Yeah, yeah, you know how that is, oh yeah, setting
that stuff up.
Chef James (01:20):
You know it's funny because so many times I think
when we're doing these seasonalchanges and we really, as chefs,
we should, that's part of ourDNA, that I think we need to
have that as a part of us.
And there's some places wherethey don't, you know, they stick
with the same menu.
But I think really pushingourselves to do these seasonal
changes, you kind of like canreinvigorate some things and
(01:43):
like go through some new ideasand get the team involved.
Chef Laura (01:47):
Yeah, yeah, so you know Food trends, you know
Absolutely, are we changing?
Chef James (01:51):
Yeah, absolutely Jason.
In your background, you know,since you're kind of new to
podcasts like being in theindustry as many years as you
have like, what brought you intoour?
Chef Jay (02:02):
world High school.
I took in a high schoolculinary arts, didn't really
know what I wanted to do and I'mlike, well, I don't want to do
office work, I need to be usedon and like constantly busy and
do something without being bored.
And so I did that for aboutthree years in high school and
then when I graduated I was like, oh, I got to be serious now.
I really want to do this and Ihad an opportunity to go to a
(02:27):
trade school for a year free andget my certification there and
did that.
And then came back to theBerkshires and started like
doing like a hotel here andthere and doing work, and then
okay, and then ended up whereyou two were.
Chef James (02:43):
Yeah, and that was Cain.
Chef Jay (02:44):
Ranch.
Chef James (02:45):
And you know I have to say just so you guys all know
Chef Laura was the executivesous chef there with me and in
prior to my time and, as you'veheard before, it was so
essential to the foundation ofsupporting that kitchen and
really worked her way throughall of the departments.
But you know Chef Jason beingin there with him, you know
(03:05):
we've been together.
I mean that was I was five anda half, almost six years there
Chef de Partis with you and youknow we were a full brigade
kitchen and I really justenjoyed working with both of you
so much.
You know there were times youand I would be.
You know we're rolling with theoperation, you know, and the
(03:26):
sous were off and we werejamming together and I just
you're just awesome.
Yeah, it was fun.
You know, and we pushed throughquite a bit.
So just so you guys know thehistory of that.
And you were at the ranch forhow many years?
21 years, 21 years, and that'sjust amazing.
And, laura, you were About thesame.
Chef Laura (03:47):
Okay, I was okay when I started there.
Jay was there.
Yeah, you were just a line cook.
Chef Jay (03:53):
We were a week apart.
You started first and then Istarted a week after you.
Chef Laura (03:56):
Yeah, yeah, so we were there together, yeah.
Chef Jay (03:59):
I wasn't even a line cook at that point I was like
salad bar pantry, you know thegrunting stuff at the beginning.
Chef James (04:06):
And you work your way out.
I mean and that's amazing, wewere young, we were at 20.
Speaker 4 (04:11):
I was 21.
21.
Yeah, I think I was 24.
Yeah.
Chef Laura (04:15):
When we first started there and the big shop
was like in the middle near themain kitchen.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
It was all part of the main kitchen.
Chef Laura (04:22):
So the big shop was just those two rooms and you
know we had to make it happen inthose two rooms.
Chef James (04:27):
Right.
Chef Laura (04:29):
And then, through working there, I helped.
It was Barry Korea at the time.
Speaker 4 (04:32):
Oh yeah, Barry.
Chef Laura (04:34):
I helped him and we created the big shop that's now
down in the basement, which is anice bigger operation.
You can do breads down there,Right, and then the deck ovens.
You know it's an actual likebake shop.
So, I was there through allthat transition, which was a lot
of fun and it was a lot ofexperience too, to see how that
(04:54):
all came to fruition.
Chef James (04:56):
Well, and I mean there couldn't have been a
better person for any of thechange.
I think that that kitchen everwent through.
I mean to be honest with youThank you, jim, you know, and
just so complimentary.
Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, you know, when I lookat that, you know, at Canyon
Ranch.
So it was an all in, it's anall inclusive model, and you
(05:18):
know there are multiple outlets.
There are, you know, lunch,lunch and learn.
I don't know if they still haveit.
So, guys, correct me, it's beena you know about six years
since I've done there.
But you know we had lunch andlearn in our demonstration
kitchen.
There we had our larger diningroom and then we had our farm to
table, which I think is calledrebel now, but that was a
(05:40):
remodel that we went through,and a very large, and out in
cafe Jardin, outside.
So and the employee cafe andemployee cafe, which we
remodeled as well.
So there were a lot of thingsthat all of us as a team, you
know, had gone through and,honestly, I mean I I really
(06:01):
enjoyed all those changes and Iknow it was really hard on us.
I mean, as all of you guys, Imean, how do you feel in that
brigade?
I mean, what was that like foryou working in that?
I mean, because communicationis key, yeah, and I know I'm not
perfect, but you know, I dideverything I could, you know,
and Laura, that's where you andI had that A and B relationship,
(06:21):
where, you know, we shared alot of those thoughts and those
concerns and shifting the team,because, as a chef, it's very
easy to go into these things andgo this is the way it is, this
is how we're doing it.
I don't operate that way, youknow, and it's important to get
your insight, your insight, youknow, am I seeing everything?
Yeah, I'm very experienced, but, again, I think that's where
(06:44):
this communal existence andleadership, coming from my
indigenous side, is that youhave to guide and protect the
people at all times.
And, you know, even though andI've said this before you know,
the warrior learns it'sknowledge between the ears to be
(07:04):
the best advocate someday and aprotector at that time, but an
advocate as a leader as you moveup to gain that wisdom.
And when you become that leaderor wisdom giver, one or the two
of the tribe, you really younever forget what it takes to be
a warrior right.
So, as a chef, as you move up,whether it's a small brigade or
(07:28):
large, you should never forgetwhat it took to run the pantry,
to be on the dish line, to dothose things.
And you know you and I havetalked about that too is like as
we come in getting that youknow there's 21 years or those
years of experience that we'veall come up in the industry.
(07:48):
I know it's a long time, but itgives you the wisdom to get
through those battles, to winthe war.
You know.
And but how is that for youguys?
I mean, in working through allthose things.
Chef Laura (08:04):
Well, there's a lot of personalities.
Chef James (08:05):
Yeah, we talk about that now you know, and I'm so
blessed
Chef Laura (08:10):
to have been able to work with Jay as long as I have
.
Chef James (08:12):
I mean, you guys are great together.
Chef Laura (08:16):
We're like work husband and wife, you know.
Chef Jay (08:18):
Yeah, it works that well I was you know, honored to
be able to work with her again.
And when she called me and said, hey, got this position, would
you like it?
And yeah, it was very scary forme to leave something that I
was comfortable for 21 yearsRight Going into a totally
different atmosphere, a nursinghome, and yeah, didn't know what
I was getting myself into but Iwas like I'm gonna try it and
(08:39):
see how this goes.
Chef James (08:40):
Yeah, you've always been great to put yourself in
and put say I got this.
Chef Laura (08:47):
You know, and I know it's not easy, but that's why I
wanted it, because I was like,oh yeah, I was going through a
little bit of a rough spot there.
I had, you know, a cook that Iwas having some troubles with,
so I like needed some of my oldblood you know, like I need Jay,
Right, Like it just collects.
I need Jay, you know, becauseit's like he's laid back, but
(09:08):
he's intense too when he needsto be Yep you know and he you
can talk to anybody in anykitchen, front of the house,
back of the house, wherever,even in the facilities that he's
worked in Most people 98% likeJay.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
Yeah, absolutely, he doesn't have enemies.
No, whether true or not.
Chef Laura (09:26):
I don't know.
Chef Jay (09:27):
Okay, good.
Right yeah he had an enemy as apaper for that one.
Chef James (09:34):
Sure there are Okay 99.5%.
Chef Laura (09:35):
Well, nice, but you know it's true, and you know
that carries out to the gueststoo and the residents.
You know it's like they lovehim.
You know, and I know that, andit's like you know you're only
as good as your team.
Speaker 4 (09:49):
And it's like you know me.
Chef Laura (09:51):
I want to be the best, so I need the best.
Yeah so you know I had to getthe best, so I think we're there
, you know we have a great teamyou know and we have like a lot
of mixed personalities, morethan I think we've ever worked
with.
Chef Jay (10:06):
Well, we're a smaller kitchen.
We're all closer together, yeah.
There's no like separation,like one big room, and you're
like all right, I have to seeyou every day.
Chef James (10:18):
Yeah, I can't seem you to demo, right, yeah, yeah.
Flashbam oh wait, you sent mewhat?
No, you sent me.
Chef Laura (10:27):
Yeah, you know, and that's funny that you talk about
that, because working at theranch that was, I think, the
funniest thing was every morningit was awesome live.
Speaker 4 (10:36):
This is.
Chef Laura (10:36):
Jay and I in the morning, and usually Tom.
And you know there's always acall out or something, and he's
like who's going where?
Chef Jay (10:43):
I remember you going around the corner looking at me
and I'm like no, I'm sorry, wegot to change things up.
Chef Laura (10:54):
Yeah, when you came around and you knew what the
schedule was, and then you seeeverything's all upside down in
backwards.
You must have been like oh,somebody called out.
Oh yeah.
So yeah, it's like who's onfirst, who's on second, who's
going there, you know, becauseit's like we still had to make
the whole thing happen.
Chef James (11:08):
Yeah, even though you're down one person yeah.
Yeah, well, and we had a.
You know it's a.
Again, it's a complete 100%from scratch.
You know it was a part of thevision, you know, and that's how
we were able to control thisworld around us.
That is this complex ag system,industrial food system, where
we could make sure that we were.
Chef Laura (11:29):
I was just thinking about the mayonnaise.
Chef James (11:33):
Oh yeah.
Chef Laura (11:35):
You know, we even made our own mayonnaise.
Chef James (11:36):
We did Pickles.
Chef Laura (11:37):
Yes, you know salad dressings and this was Jason's
biggest struggle, like he wouldgo in the back and see what the
inventory was on those yeah.
Again.
Chef Jay (11:46):
Yeah, nobody made the hummus Well.
Chef James (11:48):
I mean you're making gallons of it.
This isn't, like you know, twogallons.
I mean you're loading it up,yeah.
Chef Laura (11:59):
Oh man, so that was always a struggle in those soups
in the big.
Chef James (12:03):
Again you being driven and kind of going back to
Jason, I'm not trying to putyou on the spot, but but I think
being proud and inspired by youtoo is that you're always
willing to take that challengeon, or if something is a mess or
whatever, you're stepping rightinto it.
Yeah, and that's not easy forany one of us.
I mean it's like it's got toget done, let's get a list.
Chef Jay (12:25):
Let's make it happen.
Gotta get done.
It might say.
You know, have a good attitudeabout it, get it done Right.
And you, just, you know, makeit happen.
Chef James (12:31):
Well, and you, but also you, you're, you're great
about going right into demo.
And again, that's another thingI was like that's so awesome
for him, it's, it's great forany one of us.
But you know, going into thatand not everyone is comfortable
with being on the spot in frontof people.
I mean, you know you're looking, 20, 30 people, it was.
Chef Jay (12:53):
it was very stressful for me and challenging, but I
would, I would hold myself.
You know you have to try atleast Right.
You know you can't.
You know, let yourself down ifyou don't try.
So I would get stressed out andbefore I went and did it and
but after I did it I was like,wow, I really did a good job.
Yeah, they liked me and thatkept me going to do it again.
Chef James (13:14):
Yeah, I got the old endorphins going, yeah, yeah,
because it feels good.
I mean you're like hey, I cando this and you do do a great
job with that.
Chef Jay (13:21):
You know, what I liked about that was that he is on
one on one with people, or twopeople in the class or three
right 30 people talking to them.
That was just kind of awkward,but cooking hands on was pretty
fun yeah.
Chef Laura (13:36):
Yeah, and the questions where do ramps come
from?
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Yeah, yeah, right, constant questions, oh, all the
time.
You know you need to beknowledgeable, yeah, and there
were sometimes.
Chef Laura (13:46):
You don't know the answer.
Chef Jay (13:47):
And right you know you're standing there and you
have to come up with somethinglike I call it, stumped the chef
because they would want to seeif you had the right answer and
if you did, they would call youout on it and you'd be like, Are
you?
Playing with me right now.
Chef Laura (14:00):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
My whole thing was always like,so I'm going to get that answer
to you at the end.
Chef James (14:05):
Yeah, right, yeah, give me a minute.
Chef Laura (14:07):
Google.
Chef James (14:08):
Yeah, google University yeah.
Chef Laura (14:11):
Because we don't know everything.
No, no, not at all we love toread the food lovers companion
and think we know everything andevery ingredient.
Yeah, there's always something.
Chef James (14:19):
Well, and in kind of where our industry going, I
mean, as we keep on going afterthese trends.
I mean, what do you guys thinkabout like some of the food
trends and yeah, some of them,it's like they get the big, like
flare up like the whole sousvide Right.
Right.
Chef Laura (14:34):
Poll, and that's still present.
But, it's starting to pull backa little bit and they're going
back to the old school.
You know cooking techniques.
I just feel like classics arejust always the way to go.
Chef Jay (14:45):
Yeah, Go back to that and you're, you know you're
always golden.
Chef Laura (14:48):
Yeah yeah, everybody loves a classic, right.
Chef James (14:51):
Yeah, no, very, very true.
Looking at the industry too, Imean I know we've dealt with,
you know, the big, I guess thebig transition with COVID of the
mass exodus, you know, and theother thing too, I mean it's
we're kind of dealt with.
You know staffing levels andconcerns, you know.
(15:12):
Looking at now AI, you know youguys have heard me talk about
that, but you know even likerestaurants that you know, like
Cali Express, that's almost 100%.
You know AI with even facialrecognition, right, you know
it's like oh geez, and youordered the burger such and such
, and you know, just hit this,agree, we've saved your credit
(15:34):
card information.
It's all done, you know, andout three minutes it's done.
So it's kind of crazy.
What do you guys think aboutall that?
Chef Laura (15:41):
It's pretty amazing.
You know, even in the citieslike I think they have I'm not
sure I think it was New YorkCity where they have these
actual like vending machines,but they it cooks for you like
it will make the pizza for youinside the little like cubicle,
yeah, and it's like wow, yeah,oh, yeah, it's just, it's blows
your mind, but it's correctbecause you know it's taking
(16:01):
away from you know a chef or acook.
Chef Jay (16:06):
And you know a job.
Chef James (16:08):
Well, that's the thing you know and also with
some of the AI or the robotics Ithink Miso Robotics is one of
the groups that is.
You know it's doing thesethings of turning the burger,
the fryer, the this or that, andthen now you know humans were
putting the final touches onthings, but then now it's going
on a robot on a tray and out tothe table, right, so it's.
(16:30):
It's kind of a crazy time forus.
Chef Laura (16:34):
It takes away all the human part, you know,
because that's the mostcomforting part, like that's
what we like, you know, you liketo, you know, integrate and be
with humans, you know.
Chef James (16:43):
Well, and that's, it takes the artist out of the
picture.
And I, and even when you lookat AI now, I mean they're
starting to formulate theability to do you know famous
artists and testing that, wow,you know of.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Like Music too, Right , music too, and that's, it's
affected by it, right?
Chef James (17:02):
You know, and it cuts you out, Right?
I mean it's, it's pretty crazyyeah.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
I mean, it's it's like you know, obviously, that
it can be used as a tool too,but I feel like with music it's,
you know, parallel to food in away.
Yeah, there's processes ofcreating music where you know
you can have AI finish the musicfor you, right, or you can have
AI master or mix or like youknow.
Chef James (17:27):
Yeah Right, a menu, yeah, and it's a great
opportunity to kind of pull someof the artists out of it.
I mean, you know, hopefully wecan kind of circle back on that
and make sure that we're not,you know, taking too far away.
But yeah, I just thought Iwould ask and see what you guys
thought.
Chef Laura (17:42):
I think, when it comes down to it, I think all of
the reasoning behind all ofthat is money.
Yeah, you know, and a littlebit of greed, you know and it's
and I really think that's whyit's gone as far as it has and
that's why it will continue.
Chef James (17:55):
Yeah.
Chef Laura (17:56):
Because that drives most people.
Chef Jay (17:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
Well, it sure does, you know.
Chef James (18:02):
We're saved the dime , that's right, yeah, see more
and more, and that's stuff withyou know, with these companies
and everything you know.
What do you guys think about,like our food system and kind of
some of these things coming tofruition of you know, the box
brands and yeah, you know I'mnot a big fan.
I, you know I enjoy whole foods.
Chef Laura (18:22):
You know, that's what I always just come down to
is you know, when we developmenus and stuff like that, it's
just try to just go with wholefoods, like I don't like the
whole processed foods and whatit does to our, our bodies.
I mean, it's not it's not good.
There's.
There's things that they put inthose foods that, like, they
don't even approve in othercountries.
Right, I mean doesn't that makeus wonder as a society, Like
(18:45):
why am I eating this?
Yeah?
Chef James (18:46):
Well, and that's interesting because, like in in
Mexico, they're working on, youknow, their food system, where
their healthcare program is muchdifferent than ours here in the
United States, so it'sconnected, you know, to the
government.
So they're realizing that atsome point these issues are
going to cause a future problem,whereas here there's an avenue
(19:09):
for making money off of it, andI think that's kind of tragic.
You know, as I've talked to youknow, dr Nessel and some of
these others, that it's kind ofan unfortunate situation.
And I think that's where,looking at our food system as a
chef, and I've said, you knowyou're that storyteller on the
plate, you know what you'regiving people to nourish
(19:30):
themselves with.
You know, and I think even thelarge vendors, they recognized
it and they're starting to kindof try to put that in their
portfolio of who their you knowmanufacturers and products that
they're bringing in.
But it's just, it's still areally murky situation.
Yeah, and it's kind of it's toobad, you know, comparing same
companies from here to abroad.
(19:51):
You know it's the ingredientsare much less.
Chef Laura (19:54):
Yeah, and it's not.
It's really not cheaper to buythose products.
Chef James (19:58):
It's actually more expensive.
Chef Laura (20:00):
But what's easier is the labor behind it.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
Right.
Chef Laura (20:04):
So I think a lot of people steer in those directions
because, you know, even if it'sthe mom at home with the dad,
they just get out of work andit's just easier to buy
something from the frozen foodsection and pop it in the
microwave.
Chef James (20:15):
Yeah.
Chef Laura (20:15):
And it all makes sense, but it's full of
chemicals, you know, and it'snot good for us.
Chef Jay (20:21):
And there's a flavor in the taste.
Chef Laura (20:22):
And it doesn't taste good.
I mean you make a quick stirfry I mean, what's that?
Take Ten minutes, you know.
And then if you buy a healthychoice, you know those ones.
Chef James (20:31):
I've had.
They're right yeah.
Chef Laura (20:33):
And you pop that in the microwave and if you taste
them side by side you probablywould have paid.
You paid more for the healthychoice than you have just to
whip together a little stir fryfor one person Right.
And the taste difference is sodifferent.
Well, it really is.
It really is.
Chef James (20:48):
And that's where you can control it by making your
own meals.
But it's hard for people to dothat, you know, nowadays.
Yeah, hopefully that can kindof shift over time back when you
guys are going in.
What is your challenge in akitchen?
What is kind of like, what arethe things that you guys kind of
get frustrated about?
That always kind of pop up toyou, and how have you worked
(21:10):
over time to resolve thosethings?
Chef Jay (21:13):
Just everybody being on the same page.
Yeah, and you know, workingtogether as a team, working
together as a team.
Chef Laura (21:18):
You go right to that every time.
You know and I mean you knowyou punch the clock, you're here
to work, I mean you know it'snot your job.
Chef Jay (21:26):
I don't accept that you know, you hear that
everywhere, though that's not myjob.
Chef Laura (21:30):
Yeah, yeah.
Chef Jay (21:33):
Take that out of the equation and, just you know,
come in and say what can I do,Right, right.
Chef James (21:39):
And I mean I have to be honest, that is one of the
things that kind of drives menuts because you know, on one
side I understand you don't wantto be taken advantage of and
you shouldn't.
Chef Laura (21:48):
Absolutely.
Chef James (21:49):
But on the other side of it, I'm not going to be
where I'm at today if I didn'tgo through what I did then,
meaning the willingness to stepin and do and to take on.
I mean, you kind of find out,you know what you're made of and
I think again there's a fineline there but I think is human
(22:10):
beings, especially being new inthe industry or youthful.
I think it is important to kindof get the, you know, a little
bit test of the fire and becauseI think that you end up once
you start skipping things, it'sjust like anything.
Once you go into this, you know, to the battle zone, you know
(22:30):
you don't have all those cardsin your deck yet, right.
So when you start the processand you work through these
levels, you're able to kind ofbuild that much quicker and have
a much smoother resolution andprobably help your stress level,
cause, as we know, it's one ofthe most stressful career paths
(22:51):
in the world.
Chef Laura (22:51):
Yeah, I mean we're lucky as a team and, like, we
have a great dietitian whocontrols the menus and she's
very into whole foods andhealthy, fresh food for everyone
.
So we're lucky in that aspect,cause there's some that are not
as good.
She's very good with that andshe listens, she goes and talks
(23:12):
to Jane.
Chef Jay (23:13):
She'll ask me what your opinion is.
What would you like to see andwhat works for you?
Yeah, cause coming from akitchen where you have 30 chefs,
other cooks and chefs to cominginto a kitchen where I'm the
only one cooking and it's like,oh, I have to make sure I'm
doing all this correctly, andshe's like making sure helping
me out with the menu, andthere's a lot of times where I'm
(23:36):
like this isn't working for me,right, can we fix this?
Yeah, and she's all abortedabout helping me figure out that
.
Chef James (23:43):
And that's the other side of our family created with
healthcare, which you guys areworking in, and it's hard.
I mean people don't reallyrealize that sometimes it can be
very challenging, sometimes itcan be a little confining, but
it's also in that moment.
How do I think outside the boxto make it work?
(24:05):
And the dietary needs andallergies?
Speaker 4 (24:09):
So many, so many.
It's unbelievable yeah.
Chef James (24:13):
So for those people that are on that side of our
industry, it's pretty intense.
On it, I mean, I was a regionalexecutive chef of New England
for healthcare, over sevenlocations.
And when you're doing the full,like a four week menu, and
you're doing your cafes andyou're correlating inventory
(24:34):
because it needs to fit to thepatient menu so again, I'm a
resort hotel chef.
So when I stepped into it fromCOVID even though I had the
years of Canyon Ranch and thatreally helped me because we
dealt with a lot of dietaryneeds but still nothing like
this.
So when you're trying to dothat on a big scale or a small
(24:56):
scale, it doesn't matter Likeit's intense and not to mention
supply chain issues, yes,Whereas as a chef we were
dealing with that really the bigchallenge of that with COVID,
but in healthcare, to be honest,it was even harder.
Chef Jay (25:14):
Yeah, Because we don't have a lot of products right
now, right, and we had shortedproducts.
Chef Laura (25:20):
Things get left off the truck and that's because of
ingredients and I have to makemy buns to Wally's and all these
different places to get what weneed Right.
And it's funny because Jay andI still have that Canyon Ranch
mentality.
Yeah, like we can't sub, wehave to do what's on the menu.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
Yeah, so I got to go get it.
We got to do it at the correctway.
I'm running to lobes.
I'm going to go get it Right.
Chef Laura (25:41):
So it's funny because a lot of sometimes the
other team or the nurses oranybody else who's working there
are like, oh, just servesomething else.
Me and Jay are like, well, no,we can't do that.
Chef James (25:51):
Well, but that's in your so right, because the
ingredients, the sodiums higherin one product, these
ingredients are in there and itwasn't in the original recipe.
So when you're dealing withallergies or people on specific
diets, you are challenged thatway where you are making those
(26:11):
runs, and yeah so and it'sdifficult.
Chef Laura (26:15):
You have the carb issue with diabetics.
You've got the sodium issuewith a lot of people.
Chef James (26:21):
Oh yeah, absolutely, that's a big one.
Chef Laura (26:24):
And then there's the textural differences too.
Like some people can't toleratea regular diet, they have to
have things chopped up or thingseven pureed, and there's so
many different levels to it thatwhen you have 100 people you
think, oh, it's 100 people, wecan swing it.
But then it's like it's 100people, but there's 20 that are
(26:44):
this, 20 that are that.
Some of them are a combo.
Speaker 4 (26:47):
They're a little mixture of everything.
Chef Laura (26:49):
Then you have people who can't swallow.
Chef James (26:51):
The dystasia diets, yeah, dysphagia, and then they
have to have thickened things.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
So then you have that .
Chef Laura (26:58):
So as a chef working in that environment, some
people may think, oh, nursinghome chef always just probably
just serving stuff out of a box.
Well, A, we don't do that atKendall.
Chef Jay (27:08):
Right and B there's so much for a five star facility.
We've been keeping that fivestar for years and I remember
when I was telling people that Iwas going to be working in a
nurse's home and they were likeit's not going to be challenging
, not for you.
And now I'm like you have noclue.
Chef James (27:26):
No, I mean, but seriously, there are these
avenues outside of it where youreally thank God for our
knowledge.
I was able to help locations.
My thing was I was building themenus, I was doing the recipe
cards to everything all the waydown and ordering logs for each
(27:47):
location.
And when you got hit like thatand I really I have to say for
all of you amazing health careculinarians and people out there
, it isn't easy, it is not easyand there is also, at least in
the hospitals and some of thisthere are very talented people,
but that talent pool it isharder and you can find
(28:11):
wonderful people with that andyou're an educator as a chef.
So your responsibility is tonurture that person, no matter
if it's health care or not, toget to the best of their ability
with your guidance.
So again, a big thank you toall health care on that side,
because I was in that I hadactually left and COVID had
(28:35):
happened and I stepped intoTrinity Health Services and took
on that regional executive chefjob, which there was no, I was
the first in the region, sothere was no sort of
administrative organization atall.
So I went into the entiresystem and created a program for
(28:56):
that.
And on top of it, when we.
You think, oh, covid, this isgoing to be, we're going to be
really busy.
Well, a lot of us the electivesurgery has completely dropped
out, so our hospitals and theseright, completely dropped out.
We would get spikes of COVID,but nothing like that.
We had anticipated A lot ofthese across the nation.
(29:20):
I can only speak for what ourlocations were.
We took a substantial hit.
I mean a substantial hit.
But again, going into that andworking with major food
purveyors to make sure that I'mgetting exactly what we're
looking for, because it had tobe as clean as possible and we
couldn't.
You know the years of, like,ordering whatever we wanted to,
(29:43):
and it was easy because therewasn't a supply chain issue, not
to mention health care concernson dietary needs.
Wow, that was a mind opener.
But anyways, I'm going offabout that.
But you know, you guys areamazing for taking on and
pushing through that, becausethere were shutdowns as well.
(30:03):
So, but you know, it'srewarding too.
Chef Laura (30:08):
I mean, people are constantly writing on their
ticket that goes back to thekitchen.
Amazing food today, yeah.
Chef Jay (30:15):
Or you go out and greet them and they're talking
to you and like oh, jay, I knewyou were here today because of
the presentation on the plateRight right.
Thank you so much for doingthat little details You're
welcome.
Chef James (30:26):
Yeah, you know it makes a big deal, Jay is the egg
maker Like he knows how to makeeverybody's eggs.
Chef Laura (30:33):
Like 100 people.
Chef James (30:34):
Yeah, yeah, and we all have specific you know
requests for their eggs.
Chef Laura (30:38):
You know how people are with their eggs.
Chef Jay (30:39):
Oh yeah, this is the guy right here.
Well, that probably helped withthe whole thing I don't have to
read the tickets anymore.
I know what this person wants.
Chef James (30:46):
Oh wow, yeah, yeah, yeah, they're here, let's roll.
Chef Laura (30:49):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, and you know there's an
attachment piece to that too.
You know when the time comesand you know they're moving on
to their next.
You know it's sad.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, because we'vegotten attached to you know,
Mrs, Over Easy Eggs and theright toast Right right right.
And then to see it's not thereanymore.
Chef Jay (31:07):
Right, yeah.
Chef Laura (31:08):
It's sad you get attached.
Chef Jay (31:09):
Yeah, absolutely.
It's like the toast and stuffLike oh, you got to put that
through it one more time.
Chef Laura (31:14):
She likes it darker than that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Or you have like little.
We have people that want burntEnglish muffin with peanut
butter or yeah.
You know, it's like we knowthose people and they appreciate
that Right right, oh, that'sfunny.
Chef James (31:25):
So when you guys, can you reflect on the years
that you guys have been together, any kind of like crazy funny
things that you've kind of hadto jump in on together, or
oddities there's.
Chef Jay (31:36):
So much that you know.
Yeah, I know.
Chef Laura (31:39):
There's so much, it's hard.
I just I can remember one thing, that so at the ranch, the 4th
of July, we always did thisthing up at the State Forest.
Chef James (31:50):
Yeah, sorry about that, and.
Chef Laura (31:51):
Chef Steve Betty.
Oh yeah, he was the executivechef at the time.
Well, him and I I was theexecutive sous chef, so it was
our duty every 4th of July andmost people on the 4th of July,
you know you want to be havingfun with your families.
Chef James (32:04):
Yeah, off Doing things.
Chef Laura (32:06):
So we always had to do this like grill out up at the
State Forest or the lake, orthe lake, yes, or the lake, yes
it was either but I think thisparticular time was up at the
lake, or no, it was up at theState Forest, so it was pouring
rain down.
I'm talking down pouring rain.
Oh, but we're Canyon Ranch,right.
Chef James (32:26):
Oh yeah.
Chef Laura (32:26):
You know, it's still happening.
Chef James (32:28):
Yeah, we don't cancel things.
We don't cancel things.
Chef Laura (32:31):
We just don't, we don't do that.
Chef James (32:32):
Yeah.
Chef Laura (32:33):
So we had to pack the truck up Big monster grill,
you know the Rollies thing.
Chef James (32:37):
Oh yeah, the monster grill.
Chef Laura (32:39):
We had easy ups, I mean we had everything, because
we had to create a space alsofor these hikers to have their
nice barbecue.
4th of July lunch, yeah, yeah.
And they're in the slushy mud,water, everything set up our
grill.
I think there was four hikers.
Chef Jay (32:58):
Yeah, oh.
Chef James (33:02):
And we were set up for like 40.
Yeah, yeah.
Chef Jay (33:04):
We were set up for 40 because we had already prepped
that Scourged Like oh, we wereso discouraged.
Chef Laura (33:08):
And like sop and wet .
We had umbrellas, Like we werejust trying what we could.
But I'm like, wow, I mean, thisis a different level.
Chef James (33:14):
Yeah, yeah, you know that's what I knew.
Chef Laura (33:17):
Like, I'm working for a pretty prestigious place
because oh yeah.
This is just canceled thingswhen the weather's bad, yeah,
but we're not getting in range.
Speaker 4 (33:25):
You know, you still get it.
Chef Laura (33:26):
But that was one really wild time I can remember.
I just was so blown away bythat.
Yeah, we still have to do thisand there's only four people
signed up, right.
Chef Jay (33:36):
I just remember back in the day when you guys would
be like just got to get throughthis week and then next week's
better.
Yeah, yeah, like what's thisevery week?
Yeah, yeah.
Chef James (33:47):
It like it keeps rolling.
Chef Laura (33:48):
One more day, yeah, yeah right, okay, you used to
tell me that.
You say that all the time.
Chef James (33:53):
Yeah, like I know.
Yeah, yeah, just keep truckingalong.
Yeah, wow, but it was funny.
Chef Laura (33:58):
His whole routine would just crack me up all the
time because you know I'd comein and Jay when Jay was off,
like the neck, when he came backto work, he'd go through all
the coolers Like, and he'd pulleverything out of the coolers
and he'd this isn't dated, this,what is this?
Chef Jay (34:12):
Every Monday and he would just go through a no every
Tuesday.
It was off Sunday Monday.
Chef Laura (34:16):
He would do that before he started any of his
work.
Chef Jay (34:19):
I still do that.
Chef Laura (34:20):
He still doesn't yeah.
Chef Jay (34:22):
I remember yesterday we were like, oh, I have to go
through that, yeah.
And like in my mind I'm likeI'm gonna already take care of
that tomorrow.
So, yeah, yeah, yeah, justtomorrow, yeah, yeah.
Chef James (34:31):
Dang.
Okay, is there any growth-wisewhere you feel like?
Chef Jay (34:39):
you know I was at this place at one point and today,
where I'm at, this is where I'mat and this is why, oh, I feel
so confident now than I didbefore and, you know, I just
feel like I could come up withyou know scenarios or things.
Instead of, all right, we'regoing to do this now and, more
confident with my decisions, Ican say, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that'sawesome.
Chef James (35:01):
Because, I mean, we used to always connect you know
on our chef meetings andseparately because you know.
Again, there's this level ofyou know communication that you
get from everybody and justmaking sure that we're sharing
you know things that you saw andwe're connecting on all of it.
I just think it's so awesome.
You know how you're jamming,the way you are.
Chef Laura (35:22):
Yeah, it's inspiring man.
He's training how to do my jobnow.
Chef James (35:25):
That's awesome.
So he's doing some training inthat now too which is a lot of
like dietetics Okay.
Chef Jay (35:32):
And being where I am now.
There were a couple of peoplethat I've trained to cook that
started out as dietary aids andthat moved on from Kimball to
other places.
Chef Laura (35:45):
So yeah, Wow, that's awesome.
He's a good mentor because he'sthe chef yeah, right, right,
okay.
Chef James (35:51):
So it's a step up in that aspect.
Yeah.
Chef Laura (35:53):
From the ranch.
We were a giant team.
Speaker 4 (35:54):
Yes, you know, and we were all in the mix.
Chef Laura (35:57):
Here he's, the chef, yeah that's so great.
Chef James (36:01):
I mean congratulations on that too.
Yeah, it's good, wow, cool.
Chef Jay (36:06):
And we have new people coming in that are younger than
me and I remember being intheir space and I was like okay,
so I'm sorry, that's a dumbquestion.
No questions are dumb.
Just ask me, you know, and I'llguide you to my ability and I
want you to feel safe.
Coming me to those questions,Right, right.
I don't want to be nervous andso yeah, and I feel like I have
(36:26):
that safe presence where youcould ask me how to do a recipe
or do it whatever needs to beanswered.
Chef Laura (36:33):
So yeah, yeah, and the root team I had before, jay,
that I still have.
Like, I have a lot ofmulticultural staff, you know.
They're all talented in theirown ways, sure, you know.
And then I have some othercooks you know chefs that work
there as well, and they're alltalented in their own ways too.
Chef James (36:50):
Yeah.
Chef Laura (36:51):
Just together, we just meld really well together.
Chef James (36:53):
And that's awesome.
Chef Laura (36:55):
Yeah, it's a great team.
Chef James (36:56):
Oh yeah, very cool One.
So where do you guys seeyourself in the future?
I mean, are there future plans?
I mean, are we good kind of youknow rolling where we are?
I mean any thoughts on that?
Chef Jay (37:09):
Right now I'm feeling good.
I'm not sure where I'm going tobe in the next 10 years.
But you know, even Laura and Iwere like we might die here.
Speaker 4 (37:17):
Yeah, because we're comfortable, you know.
Yeah, yeah, we just moved intoone of the beds.
Chef James (37:21):
We're like we're going to be roommates.
Right, well, yeah, back bedsare the best really.
Chef Laura (37:27):
We'll complain about the food together, yeah.
Chef James (37:29):
Well, and I ask that because you guys have always
had been a team, yeah, and soand I know you're never one to
just you know this is good.
So you're always like pushingand like, hey, maybe we can do
this outside or we can trysomething else, or you know, and
you go right along with it andyou have great ideas and you're
like you vibe right with it.
So I decided to ask that.
Chef Laura (37:50):
So yeah, well, I want to retire in about five
years.
Oh, you are okay, that's wherewe're okay.
Well, when I heard that, I'mlike okay, there's something to
I got through.
I talk about it all the time.
Yeah, yeah, I tell them I'lllive in a tent, I don't know.
Yeah, I'm retiring by years.
Chef James (38:05):
Well, and it's well deserved.
You know, I mean, a lot of hatshave been worn and a lot of
connecting to the dots, you know.
So all right, Well, cool.
Do you guys have any words ofwisdom for youngsters out there?
One's kind of one to step intothe industry today.
Chef Jay (38:22):
Just believe in yourself and do it.
You know yeah.
Chef Laura (38:24):
Yeah, yeah, be open minded, you know.
Take the good information, letgo of the bad information,
because you get bad informationtoo Right.
Absolutely.
Chef Jay (38:33):
And do a lot of research.
Yeah.
Chef Laura (38:35):
Like study.
Chef Jay (38:36):
You're always going to be learning, you know.
Chef James (38:38):
Absolutely yeah, Always you know, right, right,
yeah, always challenge yourself.
Chef Laura (38:42):
You know, find the best and learn from them.
Yep, yeah, that's what you do.
Chef James (38:46):
Yep, keep pushing.
All right, well, cool, well,chef Loret, thank you, you're
welcome, it is so good to seeyou.
Chef Jay (38:54):
You too, yeah.
Chef James (38:55):
And let's not wait another five years.
Chef Jay (38:57):
I know right, we're getting older man, I mean five
years could be you know, yeah,yeah.
Chef James (39:03):
Yeah, yeah, all right.
Well, you guys, we're going toactually step out of here and go
have some fun time.
Chef Laura (39:09):
Yes, yes.
Chef James (39:10):
You guys take care.
Thank you, you're welcome.
Thank you, yeah, all right,everyone, that is a wrap.
You can check us out if youlike that.
Subscribe Also the InstagramChef Massey.
Let's keep it simple,chefmasseycom.
Have a good one.
Bye for now.
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