So you want to start a restaurant. Congratulations!

You’re embarking on an exciting journey that comes with its fair share of challenges. But don’t worry, you’re not alone.

In fact, according to the National Restaurant Association, there are over one million restaurants in the United States. With so many restaurants out there, it’s essential to make sure yours stands out from the crowd.

But how? In this guide, we’ll give you some tips and tricks on how to start a restaurant that will help you get ahead of the competition.

Choose a Restaurant Theme and Concept

A theme or concept will be the foundation of your brand and will help you attract the right customers. Not sure where to start?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself that can help you narrow down your options:

• Do you want your restaurant to be casual or formal?
• Do you want to serve a specific cuisine or create a unique fusion?
• What is the overall atmosphere you’re going for?
• Who is your target market?

Your concept should be something that speaks to you and your passions. Once you’ve settled on a theme or concept, you can start building the rest of your brand.

Create a Budget

Before launching your restaurant, it’s essential to ask yourself: how much does it cost to start a restaurant?

The answer to this question will help you create a budget. It also helps you determine how much money you need to get your business up and running.

Some costs you should consider are rent, kitchen equipment, supplies, labor, and furniture. You will also need to factor in the price of marketing and advertising.

Once you have a good understanding of all the costs involved in launching, you can create a budget. This will ensure that your business is financially viable and that you are not overspending.

Planning and preparation are essential when it comes to starting a restaurant business.

Find the Perfect Location

Whether you’re starting a high-end restaurant or a casual eatery, choose a location that will help you reach your target market. If you’re aiming for an upscale clientele, look for spaces in well-to-do neighborhoods.

For a more relaxed atmosphere, consider areas with lots of foot traffic or near colleges and universities. You want a spot that’s convenient for your target customers and has the right mix of traffic, parking, and public transportation.

Once you’ve found a few potential locations, it’s time to start negotiating with landlords.

Consider the Type of Food You Want to Serve

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s essential to choose a concept that you’re passionate about. Not only will this make the venture more enjoyable for you, but it will also help you build a successful brand.

When customers can tell that you’re excited about what you’re serving, they’ll be more likely to return. Think about what type of foods you love to eat and narrow it down from there.

Now You Know How to Start a Restaurant

Opening a restaurant is a huge undertaking, but with proper planning and execution, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Use this guide as a starting point for your research, and be sure to get the help of professionals if you need it.

Now that you know the basics of how to start a restaurant, it’s time to hit the ground running!

Did you like this article? Check out other posts on our site for more informative tips.

You might not think of Poland as having a defined cuisine, and in some ways, you’d be right: Polish cuisine varies greatly across space and time. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some things that help tie it together.

Even though different regions have different traditional dishes and many follow seasonal cooking habits, some ingredients are integral to Polish cooking. Like kielbasa. But, what is kielbasa?

Keep reading for our brief guide on this traditional Polish food.

What Is Kielbasa?

Kielbasa is the Polish word for “sausage,” and that’s exactly what it is. It’s not necessarily just one sausage, though. The word refers to all sausages, and there are different types.

Most often, this Polish sausage is made from pork. It can, however, be made from other meats like beef, lamb, poultry, or some combination. It does tend to have a sort of signature flavor due to many of the herbs and spices generally used to flavor the meat such as garlic or marjoram. 

You may also find kielbasa uncooked while other varieties are smoked. Since kielbasa is the overarching term, the flavoring and preparation possibilities are endless.

Some popular varieties of kielbasa include:

• Biala kielbasa: white kielbasa, fresh, uncooked, unsmoked, made from pork
• Kabanosy: hunter’s sausage, thin, made from pork, smoked and dried
• Krupniok: Silesian blood sausage, made from many cuts of pork, cooked
• Kielbasa jalowcowa: “juniper sausage,” semi-dry, made from pork and crushed juniper berries, heavily smoked

This is not nearly an exhaustive list, and the most popular types of kielbasa in Poland can vary by region or city.

Where to Buy Kielbasa

While you can most likely find kielbasa anywhere that you go to buy fresh meat, the best place to look for truly authentic sausage would be at a Polish deli or at a store that specializes in imported products.

If you’re interested in buying your kielbasa online, you can check it out here or through another online retailer.

How to Cook & Store Kielbasa

When it comes to kielbasa cooking tips, you can use it just like you would any other sausage. It can be boiled, baked, sauteed, grilled, or added as an ingredient to a larger dish. The best ways to cook kielbasa can also depend on the particular variety you have.

A kielbasa recipe might instruct you to remove the casing, like for a soup or a casserole, or it might tell you to leave the sausage whole. If this is the case, the safe internal temperature for kielbasa is 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

In terms of storage, you should handle kielbasa like any other meat. Unopened packages can usually keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks, but once opened, the sausage should be cooked and eaten within 1 week. You can also freeze your kielbasa in freezer-safe bags if you won’t be able to eat it right away.

Get Cooking!

Now that we’ve answered the question, “what is kielbasa?” you’re ready to put it to use in your own kitchen. If you’re lucky enough to come across a package of authentic Polish kielbasa, don’t hesitate to bring it home and throw it into a soup, stew, casserole, or your favorite pasta dish.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to browse the rest of our website for more food-related content!

Designing a dessert menu can prove to be difficult for most restaurants, and especially challenging for those who do not have the budget to hire a pastry chef on board. A pastry chef is someone who specializes in creating and curating desserts and loaves of bread. For a restaurant that does not have a pastry chef creating a dessert menu can be very difficult, and restaurants have to find a way to elevate simple desserts that are both simple to create and yet enticing.

Listed below are five desserts that such restaurants can include in their menu:

1.     Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta is a dessert of Italian origin that is made out of sweet cream and gelatin. Chefs can add a multitude of different flavour combinations to the mix, and the sheer simplistic approach of the dessert is enough to make it seem elevated and enticing to customers. The great thing about a Panna Cotta is that it only takes 5-6 steps to make, and doesn’t involve baking at all. Chefs can simply follow the recipe and cook it on a stove, fill the mixture in ramekins and leave it to set. Chefs can serve Panna Cotta with balsamic cherries, or flavour it with honey and lavender – the possibilities are essentially endless.

2.     Cake

Cake is a classic dessert and has so many variations that no matter what cuisine you serve at your restaurant, you are likely to find a cake in a relevant flavour. While baking a perfect cake may require pastry chefs, chefs can try to bake a simple sponge cake and perfect it by layering with different textures and fillings. For chefs wanting an elevated cake, they can always pre-order cakes from a popular bakery and have them delivered in-house. A good suggestion for this purpose would be getting the drip cake from The Cupcake Room which can easily be delivered and cut up to be served to diners.

3.     Baked fruit

Baking or roasting fruit is the easiest way to serve up a fancy dessert without a lot of hard work or skill. Not only does baked fruit show diversity in your dessert menu, but it also caters to diners who like desserts that taste tangier or fresher than regular desserts. You can serve baked apples with a caramel sauce or chai syrup, or baked pears with a bourbon sauce, or roasted mangoes and greek yogurt – the possibilities are absolutely endless.

4.     Sundaes

Gourmet sundaes can literally be put together in a matter of minutes, and only require some aesthetic sense. Gourmet sundaes can really be elevated and hence you can price them in your menu accordingly. You can either partner with your local gourmet ice cream parlour to ensure supply, or purchase an ice cream maker and have one of your chefs do it.  Gourmet sundaes can include a Blueberry and Key Lime sundae, hot fudge and caramel popcorn sundae, and many other options.

5.     Bread Pudding

Bread pudding is one of the easiest and most delicious desserts that you can make. It can be put together with leftover bread and only requires a few ingredients. While bread pudding does require some baking, it is easy to execute. Restaurants can serve bread pudding with caramel sauce or ice cream or both.

With unemployment reaching a new all-time high recently due to the Covid-19 outbreak, Americans across the country are seeking new employment opportunities both temporarily and indefinitely. Many of those seeking out new work simply don’t know where to start in in which field they would be best suited. Luckily there are resources and help meets that have been created for people in these situations.

One of them is the staffing agency known as scionstaffing.com. They’re a multilevel staffing agency with the purpose of connecting employer in need with an individual seeking out new employment. They offer services and jobs across the spectrum. Whether it be legal work, medical, executive, or entry level management, they have jobs that will suite you.

Today, I will be addressing work found in the food industry, and bring to light some of the temporary work that can be found through this site and sites like it, for those wondering where their next paycheck will come from in these trying times.

Entry Level:

Entry level jobs can range from fast-food employees to bus-boys and servers at non-prestigious dining establishments. Anything that can be done by somebody without secondary education of some sort of certificate that shows an advanced capability or skill set. It’s quite often that these jobs are filled by high school students and college students during the summer when they return home.

Often because of this saturated market, it can be hard to get these jobs depending on the demographic, but when seeking through a staffing agency, they do the hard work for you and provide leverage, contacting the employer first hand, and ensuring that there is a spot open and suitable for you.

Midrange:

As noted before, there are certain establishments that first require the employee to have undergone some sort of secondary education or training. Whether this be culinary school or a simple course on the proper way to wait tables, they would like to know before hand, what your credentials are. 

If this is the case, you would simply put on your resume the other restaurants you’ve worked at and the experience that you’ve obtained in the past. The staffing agency would make sure that whatever job you’re interested in would be a good fit, and you’d be put in contact with the establishment of your choosing.

Because of this, scionstaffing.com stresses how important it is to be honest and open in your resume. They seek to connect employees as well as employers with their desired field. If you lie on your resume, there’s no way for them to tell that you won’t be an adequate worker.

Executive:

Not only do these agencies have connections for entry and mid-range jobs, but also for that of executive management. This can be temporary or lead to extended amounts of employment depending on the satisfaction of both parties. It also varies between jobs, many of them consist simply of consulting while others could potentially elicit 40 hour weeks.

Regardless of your qualifications or desires, it’s worth the time to visit a staffing agency.

When buying a grill for the first time it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of options there are. There are a variety of different sizes, fuel sources and price points on the market. There are benefits and disadvantages to all types. Consider the options and think about what best fits your needs. Here are some of the different types of grills available.

Charcoal Grill

Charcoal grills are more traditional. They also tend to be on the lower side of pricing. It’s a more affordable option if you don’t want to invest and are just getting started. You may just want a grill for a camping trip which a charcoal grill would be perfect for because it’s smaller in size. However, that doesn’t make it the easiest to use. Charcoal grills get very hot which is great for searing but you have to be careful with flame control. They take more prep and upkeep too. Getting the charcoal lit could take extra equipment like a charcoal chimney and you may end up with ash everywhere in the cooking process.

Natural Gas Grill

Natural gas grills are very easy to use and are the best option for beginners in terms of technicality. The preparation just involves turning a dial to control the flames. It is like a stove so you will have much more control over cooking and generally it’s a quicker process. Although, this ease comes at a price. The starting point for natural gas grill prices can be double that of charcoal prices. Natural gas grills have beginning level usability but not beginner level price points. It’s not as portable as a charcoal grill either because it has to be connected to some kind of gas supply from a building. This does mean you don’t have to restock on fuel. Natural gas grills are used as household equipment instead of camping equipment.

Propane Grill

This type of grill doesn’t deviate far from natural gas grills. It works in the same way, making it easier and quicker to use than a charcoal grill. It does have one big advantage over a natural gas grill. It is portable. Propane grills use propane from a tank which can be transported along with the grill to different locations. For a comparison between specific gas and propane grills check out our Weber Spirit vs Genesis review. Neither natural gas nor propane grills get as hot as charcoal grills but they are more environmentally friendly, releasing less Co2 into the atmosphere. The propane grill price point is in-between charcoal and natural gas.

While charcoal grills tend to be the smallest and most portable, there are size varieties within the different fuel systems. You can buy compact grills for smaller gardens and portability (in the case of charcoal and propane grills). You can also buy cabinet grills that are much bigger and have large surfaces for grilling. If you are a grilling enthusiast or just like having people over for a barbeque this may be a better option for you.

Maybe you have been eating cakes and calling them pastry or you have been obsessed with pastry and calling them cakes. The confusion is common as a recent study revealed that about 70% of foodies have no idea what the difference between cake and pastry is. All they want to do is to enjoy the mushy taste as the mouth-watering ingredients melt in the mouth. 

The simple and short answer to this question is that cakes are defined as modified bread that is baked by mixing eggs, butter, oil, wheat flour, and sugar. Most cakes feature multiple layering and edible decorations depending on preference.

The pastry is also made from wheat flour and it is defined as a baked paste or dough made from water, flour, and shortening which is fat, that becomes solid at room temperature. For more advice, check out what the pastry pros have to say, especially a pastry chef school.   

Common Types of Pastry

The difference between cake and pastry is in the ingredients used to make each of them. It is correct to refer to pastries as cakes solely based on the ingredients used to make them. 

Examples of pastry are not limited to, the following:

• Tarts.
• Choux.
• Suet crust.
• Flaky.
• Filo.
• Puff.

On the other hand, cakes are associated with the celebration of important cultural events. Imagine the reactions at a wedding without a multi-layered, exotic flavored cake. Or when a child learns there is no birthday cake.

Technically, cakes are a bit bigger compared to pastries. The main feature of a pastry is the crust while that of a cake is the icing.

The Making of Pastry

Natalie Way Bakes defines pastry as unleavened dough made from flour, some water, and any form of fat like lard. Sweet baked products as also referred to as pastries and the popular ones are sweet rolls, piecrusts, and Danish pastries.

For example, puff pastry is made by using bits of butter to layer pastry dough. After this is baked, the moisture from the butter produces steam, which in turn makes the dough to divide into many thin flaky layers.

The Making of Cake

There are cakes of all sorts. A few examples include sponge cake, carrot cake, chocolate cake, lemon pound cake among many more. The secret to baking a cake is maintaining an accurate measurement of the needed ingredients. 

Then you have to have the proper baking pans and follow the guidelines to baking a particular cake flavor. Another tip is that dry ingredients should be sifted to make it easier to distribute them evenly on a cake batter. Again, eggs should not be over beaten and baking pans are prepared in a special way to prevent sticking. 

The following are some notable difference between cake and pastry.

Their Nutritional Value Differences

Cakes are made from many ingredients and so they carry more nutrients as compared to those found in pastry. 

To bake a cake one requires eggs, sugar, oil, flour, oil, and many others such as fruits. These ingredients classify cakes as being balanced diets. In comparison, the pastry is made from water, butter, and wheat flour.

The nutritional composition of cake is vitamins, fatty acids, carbohydrates, and proteins among others and that of pastry is fatty acids and carbohydrates.

Cultural Significance

As mentioned above cakes are used to mark once in a lifetime occasions such as weddings and birthdays. They define events, but the pastry is only limited to being consumed as part of a breakfast meals. Pastries are known to be taken in the accompaniment of soft drinks or any beverage of choice, whether it is coffee or tea.

This cultural significance has given rise to a whole industry of cake providers who charge as much as $100,000 for customized varieties that tower to the ceilings. On the other hand, pastries are much cheaper unless when bought in significantly large amounts.  

Physical Difference between cake and pastry

Pastries are mostly oval-shaped or any other child-friendly shapes, whereas cakes can be made in any shape and form. Some cakes resemble character figurines, objects like Ferraris, houses, and others are just blocks of towers weighing almost a ton.

Pastries will perfectly fit in your pocket something that becomes a bit tricky with a cake. This is because cakes are fragile and they need to maintain their original shape until the delivery has been made.

Cakes come in every flavor imaginable under the sun, but pastries are limited to the common flavors, although some chefs are ambitiously experimenting with options.

Conclusion

The pastry is cake and the difference is how each is prepared and what ingredients are included. The common element is that they are both made from wheat flour. Other than that, cakes are far more nutritious, but the pastry is great as a biting or snack. A fun fact is that pastries were invented for a consumer who was allergic to ingredients found in cakes. That is the origin and the delicious difference between cake and pastry.  

Barbecuing is an art. And for many people, a passion they bring to life every summer. “Grillmasters,” as they’re often called, take pride in the food they’ve prepared on the grill. They take time to ensure their meats are perfectly tenderized, seasoned, and grilled, and use the best tools and equipment to aid in that task. 

When there is a grillmaster in your life, holidays are much simpler for you than for many others who find the daunting task of choosing gifts terrifying. Because a grill master has a heart for BBQ, there are many amazing gift items that are sure to hit him right in the feels.  Whoever you’re shopping for is sure to love one of the gift ideas below.

Grill Light

When the final weeks of summer wind down, it limits the amount of sunlight available in the day. Thus, it limits the amount of time that can be spent preparing food on the grill. A grill light resolves that problem. 

This easy-to-use device attaches to the grill hood, where it provides the perfect amount of lighting for any grill cook. Several versions of the grill light make it easy to find the product most suited for a grillmaster’s needs.

BBQ Tool Set

BBQ tool sets contain all of the items that a grill cook needs to prepare BBQ foods with ease. Choose a quality BBQ tool set to surprise that special grillmaster in your life. Bear in mind that most grillmasters are particular about the products they use, so it’s a good idea to learn the brands/styles they most prefer before purchase. A BBQ tool set is a great gift that any grillmaster is sure to value.

Meat Tenderizer

Although many people think that a grill meat tenderizer looks more like a self-defense tool than an item for food, it is indeed designed to soften the fibers of the meat (making it easier to chew and digest) before placing it on the grill. 

Every good grill cook understands the importance of using a meat tenderizer before preparing their food. This gift will get plenty of use once it is unwrapped. This is an affordable, yet priceless, gift item that every grillmaster on your list is sure to love.

Personalized Apron

Every grill master needs a bona fide apron that has plenty of pockets to keep his grilling tools at hand. As an added bonus, personalize the apron with the grillmaster’s name and other fun details, to make their grilling experience more fun. When you need an awesome gift that is practical as well as personal, a monogrammed apron is definitely the way to go. 

Branding Iron

If you think he loves grilling now, just wait until he’s the proud owner of a branding iron. This toy is a favorite for a grillmaster who wants to stamp his signature on his finger lickin’ food. With all-aluminum letters of the alphabet included, creating a customizable message for the branding iron (and foods) is simple and fun. The best part is, he can easily change the message at any time. This is one grill master gift that is sure to win him over.

The Last Word

Choosing a great gift for a special occasion can be very challenging. With this list of great grill master gifts, you’re ready for Father’s Day, Christmas, anniversaries, or any special occasion. Now all you have to do is research the best brand and hit “BUY NOW.” Your favorite grillmaster is in for a treat!

Organic or ecological farming has, as a principal objective, the cultivation in a manner that maintains a live and healthy atmosphere by using organic waste and obtaining nutrients from such waste for the farming process. The idea is to reuse as many materials as possible and improve production in a sustainable and ecologically-friendly manner free of contamination. Organic standards generally prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms, animal cloning, synthetic plagues, synthetic fertilizers, sewage, synthetic drugs, processed ingredients, and other non-natural elements.

Certified farms should not use products or prohibited practices for at least three years before an organic harvest. Cattle should be raised organically and fed using foods that are 100% natural. Canadian regulations, for example, include principles and best practices that include:

 

•       The protection of the environment and minimizing the degeneration of soil and farmland. Reduction of erosion, diminishment of contamination, and the optimization of biological productivity.
•       Maintaining long-term fertile soil optimized by the biological activity within the soil.
•       Recycling the maximum amount of materials and resources.
•       Maintaining a biologically diverse ecosystem.
•       Providing herds with a high level of attention that creates good health and satisfaction.
•       Preparing organic products, emphasizing the meticulous processes and manipulation methods with the objective of maintaining organic integrity and vital product quality in all phases of production.

The use of fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides has a negative effect on the environment where soil and land are contaminated. Therefore, the avoidance of these chemicals allows for an ecosystem to circumvent alteration and maintain biodiversity. As an example of the high and negative impact that chemicals have on the environment and the ecosystem, one simply needs to look at the high mortality rate of bees. The impact is significant as bees are natural pollinators and have a direct influence on crops. Additionally, within the practices of maintaining fertile soil and lands is the rotation of crops, which is important to avoid damaging the land and losing vital nutrients. Organic production also positively influences the reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases as the process helps retain carbon dioxide in the soil.

However, the production of organic foods is more expensive and has a lower yield. First, the selection of seeds is slower than using transgenic versions. This part is of vital importance because the seed is the central element in farming. Farmers can obtain seeds from reputable distributors, such as commercial seed suppliers in Australia, that guarantee a high-quality product. Another reason that organic farming is more expensive is that crops are more vulnerable to plagues and weeds. The vulnerability causes a reduction in yield. The non-use of preservatives or additives in organic crops also makes the crop more vulnerable to environmental contamination. Furthermore, demand is lower, overall production costs are higher, the post-harvest costs are higher, and the marketing and distribution chain is more inefficient because of lower quantities.

Regardless of higher costs, all types of products and crops that use this type of process are seen worldwide. Such products include cereals, meats, fruits, vegetables, flowers, baby food, soups, sauces, corn, wool, and cosmetics, among many others. Over 170 countries possess processes for this type of agriculture. In 2016, over 43 million hectares of land were cultivated for organic products worldwide. However, many differences exist within the development and treatment of the lands and production standards for organic farming between continents and countries. The regions with the most land designated for organic farming are Oceania, with 27.3 million hectares, and Europe, with 13.5 million hectares. Latin America has 7.1 million hectares, followed by Asia with 4.9. Lastly, North America and Africa come in with 3.1 million and 1.8 million hectares respectively.

Such hectares will increase as more individuals begin creating organic gardens in their properties. This movement has gained traction in the last decade as individuals want to know the origins of what they put in their bodies. People are beginning to move to places with larger spaces to perform this type of activity.Regardless of the geographical location, anyone can join the organic movement by demanding organic products or harvesting their own ingredients. Even the smallest garden will positively influence the environment.

According to Merriam Webster, one of the definitions of a hero is “a person admired for achievements and noble qualities”. As Americans, we are sometimes a rather fickle lot when it comes to how we choose our heroes. In our personal lives, we do alright, looking up to and admiring a parent, older sibling or favorite teacher. Our public heroes can often be a different story. We tend to waffle back and forth between sports figures and movie stars. Currently, some of the most popular celebrities combine performance and competition to reach near hero status. These are today’s celebrity chefs.

We can find these culinary artists in many cities across the country, but some of the finest are the famous celebrity chefs in Atlanta, Georgia. We love watching them compete on TV and spend lots of money buying their latest cookbooks, but what we really get into is competing with each other for reservations where they create their own special menus.  Chef-driven restaurants have been in existence for many years, but with the dominance of cooking shows on cable television like “Top Chef”, “Iron Chef” and the fan-favorite, “Chopped”, they are more popular than ever. (more…)