Archive | March, 2011

The Greatest Fool of All

by on March 30, 2011 in Food Events, General Chef Talk

With March in its final stretch, and April coming right around the corner, there is but one thing plaguing our minds… Who is going to play a joke on me?! For your sake, we of course hope that no one does, but we know that even if you are the victim of some harsh prank, you’ll look back on it someday and laugh.

If you don’t believe us, check out our top 10 list of all-time funniest food-related April Fool’s Day hoaxes, but don’t try these at home!

10. Orange-Bearing Pine Trees:  In 1950, residents of a small town in Southern California strung 50,000 oranges in the trees along a one-mile section of the main highway at night.

9.  Whistling Carrots:  In 2002, Tesco, a British supermarket chain, advertised a genetically modified carrot that would whistle when fully cooked.

8. Water on Mars:  In 2005, NASA posted an official story claiming to have photo evidence of water on Mars… see the photo below.

7. Virgin Cola’s Blue Cans: In 1996, Virgin Cola made the announcement that it had integrated a new technology into its cans, where the can itself would turn bright blue when the cola passed its sell-by date. Virgin warned consumers that they should avoid buying all cans of this color…. The prank was that they timed this announcement to come out right after Pepsi’s own announcement of its own new cans…

6.  Thomas Edison’s Food Machine: In 1878, after Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, Americans believed he could do anything he set his mind to. In fact, they were so gullible, that after the New York Graphic announced that he had invented a machine that could turn soil into cereal and water into wine, newspapers around the country copied the article and praised Edison for his achievement.

5. Shock Top Virtual Sip: In 2011, beer-maker Shock Top announced that it has launched an iPhone app with which people can smell and taste their beer, simply by sniffing or licking the screens of their phones.

4. Taco Liberty Bell: In 1996, Taco Bell announced that it had agreed to purchase the Liberty Bell, in order to help reduce the country’s national debt. Thousands of shocked Americans called Taco Bell’s headquarters to complain. After the fact surfaced that this was all a hoax, Ford Motor Co. announced that it would be refurbishing the Lincoln Memorial, and that it would be changed to the Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

3. Left-Handed Burger: In 1998, Burger King announced in USA Today that it had come out with a new Whopper specifically designed for left-handed customers. The condiments on this new burger were designed to drip out of the right side, so that people eating them would not get their left hands dirty. Not only did customers start ordering these new Whoppers, but some even asked for the “old” right-handed burgers!

2. Starbucks’ New Sizes: In 2010, Starbucks announced that it was introducing two new cup sizes: the Plenta and the Micra. The Plenta was a 128-ounce beverage for caffeine addicts, and the Micra was only 2 ounces, for those who can’t handle too much of it.

1. Spaghetti Trees: In 1957 BBC held a news story depicting a family in Southern Switzerland harvesting spaghetti from their very own spaghetti tree. Many viewers called the station, asking how to grow their own spaghetti trees, to which BBC replied, “Place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best”.

Got a hilarious April Fool’s prank of your own? Leave a comment below and tell us all about it (but please, keep it clean)!

 

References:

www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/aprilfool

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools‘_Day

http://www.cleancutmedia.com › News

The Countdown Is On!

by on March 25, 2011 in Chef Uniforms, Food Events, General Chef Talk

That’s right, professional chefs and culinary students, you heard it here! There is only one week left to participate in our fabulous contest! In other words, you have 7 MORE DAYS until the contest registration closes, and you’ll have missed the opportunity of a lifetime. In case you didn’t hear about it yet, ChefUniforms.com will be sending two lucky winners to the 2011 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, Illinois! For more details, you can read all about it in our blog “Win A Trip To The NRA Show From ChefUniforms.com!”

Come on, folks. We’re talking about the trip of a lifetime! You will be able to meet new and exciting people, learn new and exciting things, and take a new and exciting trip… oh! Did I mention it’s all FREE?! Take a chance and enter our contest. Who knows, you just might win! If not, hey! You still get a 10% off promo code just for entering, which you can use during your next visit to ChefUniforms.com! It’s a win/win, what have you got to lose?

Still not convinced that you don’t want to miss this event? Check out last year’s show:

Can’t see the video? Click here.

Trust us when we say you don’t want to miss this year’s event!

For more information about the contest and for complete rules and regulations, please visit www.chefuniforms.com/contest.

Saving some dough while going out to eat

by on March 17, 2011 in General Chef Talk

The recession has had everyone on edge about spending money on unnecessary luxuries. Unfortunately, one such luxury that has taken a hit is the restaurant industry, which has seen a whole lot less foot traffic since 2007. We all love going out to eat, but sometimes the cost of a sit-down meal can hold us back. How can this be fixed? What can we do?

Once again, the answer lies in the World Wide Web. Look to the Internet, and you will find such websites as Restaurant.com, Groupon, Living Social, and dozens of others that will allow you to go out to your favorite dining spots and walk out with a much thicker wallet than you would have otherwise. These sites offer gift certificates and coupons for specific restaurants for much less than their actual cash value, sometimes at 10% of the actual price! Yes, I said 10%… that’s 90% off! It’s hard to say no to such a deal, which is probably why these websites have been doing so well lately.  Plus, these coupon sites may have a correlation to why restaurants have begun to see somewhat of a rebound in traffic.

But what does this have to do with our readers? Why should you care? Well, other than the fact that we’ve just given you some free advice on how to save some money when going out to eat, we’ve also—by default—given you a means to potentially increase your restaurant’s foot traffic!   We know that a busy chef is a happy chef, so it is important to stay with the times by getting your name out there through reputable coupon sites.

Speaking of foot traffic…as your restaurant business picks up, you don’t want to slip up—pun intended—in the kitchen.  That is why we suggest getting a pair of our non-slip chef shoes, only at ChefUniforms.com!!

How to put the iPad to work for your Restaurant!

by on March 11, 2011 in General Chef Talk

Is it just me or is it pretty crazy how quickly technology is growing?  I mean, I feel like it was yesterday the iPhone 2 was out, and now what number are we on? I think I’ve seen signs of the iPhone 5 on the web, just saying.  Honestly, it’s amazing hiPad P.O.S. Systemow tech-savvy this country is getting. It’s even reached the point where iPads are being used in restaurants to take and view orders. In fact, this new point-of-sale system is so fast that the chefs have the orders in front of them before the server has even left the table. Waiters don’t have to rush back and forth asking “what’s in this dish?” The recipe is right there in their hands.  Good-bye impatient and hungry customers, hello efficiently satisfied bellies.

iPad restaurant menuNot convinced yet that this technology will be useful in your restaurant? With an iPad you can give your customers their own tablets to view a wine list or the full menu.  Plus, you can let them choose for themselves what they’d like to eat and drink.  You can virtually put the ordering process into your customers’ hands, and let them take control. Now we’re cookin!

Let’s look at it from a payment perspective.  How much do you hate it when you’re trying to get out of a restaurant, and the server is taking what feels like an eternity with your bill? Use an iPad and they’ve got the bill right there, not to mention you can even charge your card, table-side. Talk about stream-lining the process and taking “going green” to the next level!

To keep this techie-talk going, let’s discuss mobile apps.  Mobile apps haveUrbanspoon App for iPhone, iPad, Android also changed the way we go out to eat. We no longer have to sit around and say “where should we go tonight?” Now, all we have to do is tap the app, and it’ll tell us where to go, what type of food to order, and how much to pay. Apps like Urbanspoon, Where?, Around Me, Yelp, and Foodcaching all have this ability. They can even pull up a map to the restaurant and the phone number in case you need to make a reservation. And you can read reviews of the restaurant, in case you aren’t so sure about it.

iPads, mobile phones, applications…I’m curious to find out what will come out next and how we can use it to continually facilitate the out-to-eat experience.

Win A Trip To The NRA Show from ChefUniforms.com!

by on March 7, 2011 in Chef Uniforms, Food Events, General Chef Talk, Recipes

ChefUniforms.com NRA Contest

Attention all culinary professionals and culinary students! Do you dream of meeting some of the most influential people in your industry? Do you love to learn and experience new and exciting things in the culinary field?  Do you like free trips? If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, we’ve got the opportunity of a lifetime for you to win a trip to the NRA Show—on us.

ChefUniforms.com will be sending two lucky winners to the 2011 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago, Illinois! But wait… there’s more.  Not only will the winners get into the NRA show for free, but they will also get an all-expense paid trip to the NRA show which includes: round trip flights to Chicago, a four night stay at the Club Quarters Chicago Central Loop Hotel, a check valued at $425 for taxi fares and meals AND your very own featured article on our Chef Vibes Blog! I know you’re thinking it can’t get much better than this, but it does. While there are only two grand prize winners, everyone who submits a complete entry will get a 10% off promo code which can be applied to your next purchase at ChefUniforms.com!

There’s got to be some sort of catch, right? Nope, no catch. All you have to do to enter is fill out our online entry form at www.chefuniforms.com/contest (by April 3rd), submit an original recipe, a photo of the dish and of yourself, and a short description of why you believe you deserve to go to the NRA. You will then be sent a link to your very own voting webpage on April 4th, which you should send to all of your friends and relatives, encouraging them to vote for you. Votes will be tallied after the virtual voting booths close on April 29th, and the Grand Prize winners will be announced on May 2nd.

Let the contest begin!

For more information about the contest and for complete rules and regulations, please visit www.chefuniforms.com/contest.

Staying Comfortable in the Kitchen

by on March 3, 2011 in Chef Uniforms, General Chef Talk

In the hustle and bustle world of the chef, a major detail seems to be frequently overlooked when choosing your chef attire. Sure, it is important to have functional coverings to prevent burning from splattering oil and the like, but who says you have to sacrifice comfort for functionality? It can be just as significant for you to feel relaxed and comfortable while preparing meals as it is to be physically protected.

Kitchens can get extremely hot, so it is vital to wear something that breathes. You wouldn’t want to be sweating over the food you are preparing for your customers, would you? Below is an example of one of our breathable, mesh-sided chef coats, designed for durability, style and comfort. This (Style #64717) is a traditional, short-sleeved chef coat with a snap front made from a poly/cotton mix that will make you never want to take it off. This coat is available now for the low, low price of $23.99!

Traditional Short-Sleeved Chef Coat Style #64717For those looking for something a little different, we have many other styles to choose from, including this long-sleeved coat (Style #63519) with black or blue piping in the neckline, chest and cuffs plus matching cloth-covered buttons. This coat has extra benefits for comfort in the kitchen including underarm vents for an additional coolness-boost and a tailored cut for extra arm space. For just $28.99, you can be cooking in style.

Traditional Long-Sleeved Chef Coat Style #63519In the pants department, you can go with a classic or a baggy look, depending on your personal preference. Both come in either 100% cotton, or a 65/35 poly/cotton mix, and each comes in many different colors and styles. Below we have our classic style pant (Style #9201BST), followed by the baggy style (Style #9701), both for an extremely low price of $21.99.

             Style #9201BST                         Style #9701

Men's Classic Chef Pants Style#9201BST

Men's Baggy Chef Pants Style #9701

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the female chefs out there who want a jacket that is tailored just for women, a great option is this traditional jacket (Style #83113) with fabric covered buttons, an adjustable back tie, and made from a 65/35 poly/cotton blend. Be the epitome of comfort and style in this jacket for just $26.99.

Traditional Women's Chef Jacket Style #83113

The women’s pant line takes the classic chef pant and gives it a feminine twist, making it more flattering for the female figure. Our women’s pants offer a lower waist and are made with 100% cotton for complete comfort and breathability. At a low price of only $21.99, how can you resist looking your best, even in the sweltering kitchen? (Style #5601 shown below)

 Women's Chef Pants Style #5601

Now, on to the shoes! Imagine being in the kitchen, cooking away frantically, moving from one countertop to the next on the greasy floor, while holding a steaming pot. That won’t end well. Unless, of course, you are wearing our slip-resistant Crocs. With these babies on, there is no stopping you! For the low price of only $39.99, our slip-resistant Crocs are now made with a special material that conforms to your foot for a custom fit. It is very hard to say no to such a great buy. (Style #BISTRO shown below)

Crocs Bistro Unisex Closed Toe Clogs Style #BISTRO

Staying comfortable while you cook is one of the most important things you can do in the kitchen. And while we can’t make your food taste better, we can make you look and feel better.  Always remember, a comfy chef is a happy chef, and a happy chef makes happy customers!

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