STAFF: NYC vs. Chipotle: A Battle Over Fair Workweek Laws
The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) has filed a lawsuit against Chipotle in NYC, claiming the fast-casual chain has willfully ignored a two-year-old statute called the Fair Workweek Law. And while Chipotle might’ve failed to comply with the law, the overall attack on the restaurant chain feels awfully political.
DID YOU KNOWS…
Lox, Nova or Smoked Salmon?
Do you know the difference between lox, nova or smoked salmon? Lox is salmon that’s been cured in salt and, traditionally, is extremely salty. This is because Pacific lox was heavily salted to preserve it while shipping across the US (pre-refrigeration days). Nova refers to Nova Scotia, where the fish is caught and is a style of smoked salmon. Smoked salmon comes in two varieties – hot- and cold-smoked. Cold-smoked can be cut paper thing while hot-smoked is meaty and flaky.
Want Bourdain’s Kitchen Knife?
A collection of more than 200 personal items belonging to the late-Anthony Bourdain will be up for auction. 40% of the proceeds will be donated to Bourdain’s alma mater, the Culinary Institute of America, and its newly established Anthony Bourdain Legacy Scholarship. Items for sale include a custom Bob Kramer steel and meteorite chef’s knife, a mid-century Peter Lovig Nielsen desk, and original typed manuscript for Bourdain’s novel, and more.
McD’s Delivery Freebies
McDonald’s is making a strong push for delivery by giving out free swag with Uber Eats delivery this Thursday. It’s to celebrate McD’s third annual McDelivery Day. The swag includes a Famous Fries t-shirt, three types of socks, a deck of cards, plush slippers with a sesame seed bun print, and a pack of French-fry branded scrunchies.
DIA DE LOS HISPANOS
Why it matters to you: Hispanics are one quarter of restaurant staffing and that’s something to celebrate.
Our industry has always been a place where immigrants have thrived. The restaurant industry remains a place where a newly arrived émigré can work hard, climb the ladder, and eventually assimilate into the greater American culture. For no group is this truer than folks coming from Hispanic countries throughout our hemisphere. This month is National Hispanic Heritage Month and our industry has been a direct beneficiary of that culture joining ours. Given that 25% of our industry is staffed by Hispanics, it’s worth taking a moment and reflecting on those contributions and celebrating them with your team.
It may sound silly to be thankful for the culinary contributions as a starting point, but where would our industry be without staples like salsa, nachos, burritos, and the granddaddy of them all tacos? It would be less rich and, infinitely more bland. But it doesn’t end with the food, because if you’ve worked with an Hispanic immigrant, what they lack in language skills they more than make up for in hard work. We aren’t suggesting a work holiday or anything, but we do think a simply thank you of some sort to let those folks that work cooking, cleaning, and maintaining our restaurants know they are appreciated and we know they are the future of our industry -- and that future looks pretty bright.
[Source: National Restaurant Association]
TIME IS (NOT) ON MY SIDE [Song]
Why it matters to you: Is time management a waste of time?
If you have enough time to get everything done required to run your restaurant then you are the only one. The rest of us are burdened with too many things to accomplish and not enough to achieve them. So, why is this article on Entrepreneur Magazine’s site claiming that time management is actually a waste of time? While we encourage you to read it, here’s our take. First focusing on managing your time at a granular level can turn you into a zombie slave to your time management efforts. Said more plainly, if you are going to miss your target either way then what value is the additional stress you lay on by marking a deadline?
There’s a solution to that and it starts by working in your own style. Not subsuming someone else’s expectations about what managing your time should look like. By knowing your own work style, you can identify the times when specific work is best done by you. For me, I find my writing deadlines anxiety inducing, so I try to write early in the morning when my mind is most fresh and there are fewer distractions. In the evening I engage in more rote work that requires some of my attention, but less of my focus. The article reveals some other best work organization practices, but in the end, it’s up to you to know yourself and work around what’s stopping you from productivity.
[Source: Entrepreneur]
