Culinary Quick Start Program: Learn to Work as a Cook for FREE

Culinary Quick Start Program: Learn to Work as a Cook for FREE

by | Dec 29, 2016 | Career

With Colorado’s restaurant industry booming and not enough qualified individuals to fill essential kitchen roles, Sage Restaurant Group and EatDenver have partnered with Emily Griffith Technical College to develop a comprehensive program to train people to become line or prep cooks. And the best part, it’s completely FREE!

Highlights

  • Four-week course to train people to confidently execute some culinary basics, contribute in a prep or pantry station, follow safe food handling practices and more
  • Developed by local restaurants and taught by popular area chefs
  • Completely FREE and open to anyone who is interested
  • Class Monday through Friday from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the Emily Griffith Campus located at 1860 Lincoln Street
  • Immediate work opportunities; guaranteed connection to more than 100 restaurants which currently have job openings

There will be start dates in January and February (with more in the works). An application (available here) and a two-hour orientation are required. Orientation sessions will be held at 1860 Lincoln Street, Denver, on the following dates:

  • Jan. 4. from 1-3 p.m.
  • Jan. 5 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
  • February dates TBD

Please bring Photo ID, proof of ability to work in the US (SS card or work authorization) and proof of age. Full details can be found here.

Why Enroll

This is an excellent opportunity to start a successful career. Line and prep cooks can move on to become executive chefs, restaurant owners and more! If you’re looking for a job or a change in work, then this is a unique chance for you to move into a promising field, learn from great chefs and do so without financial burden. It’s never been done before! Be one of the first to take part.

Find out more about how cooks contribute to professional kitchens and why they’re so important.

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Sirvo Says: Elevated Dining in Denver & Boulder

Sirvo Says: Elevated Dining in Denver & Boulder

by | Dec 23, 2016 | IndiNews

If you’re looking to go big for your next meal, then Denver and Boulder definitely have options that fit the bill. With the elevated dining scene booming in Colorado, this list could very easily be larger. For now, here are 10 fine dining restaurants that will without a doubt satisfy your appetite.

1. Frasca

Named after social gathering places in northeast Italy, Frasca is one of Colorado’s finest dining establishments. Restaurateur Bobby Stuckey and Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson have created their own sort of gathering spot on the famed Pearl Street in Boulder. Sit back, relax and enjoy a quite memorable experience. Not too much else can compare with an elevated Italian cuisine, a broad and notable wine list and a level of service you have seldom seen anywhere else.

2. ChoLon

No stranger to praise, Chef Lon Symensma has been creating some of the most innovative dishes this city has ever seen. His plates are full of color, texture and most importantly, flavor. ChoLon’s Southeast Asia inspired menu helps elevate a dining scene that is often dominated by roasted meats and macaroni and cheese. Our suggestion – order the Grilled Octopus with Chinese sausage, young potatoes and pickled grapes. If you’re hoping to make an impression on someone and are unsure of where to go in town, make a reservation at ChoLon and let them take care of the rest. 

3. Elway’s

When you put an iconic name on the front of your restaurant there is a lot of pressure to not just be good, but to be great. Elway’s is just that. Despite the emerging competition, this fine establishment continues to offer next level service with memorable cuisine. Elway’s is your classic Denver steakhouse and is the right place to go when you want a hearty meal that justifies the price and satisfies your appetite.

4. OAK at Fourteenth

Another exceptional restaurant from owners Steven Redzikowski and Bryan Danton and yet another Boulder establishment listed in the top five of this list. A New American seasonal menu featuring locally sourced ingredients and a high (high) level of hospitality. OAK is constantly making measured adjustments to stay relevant and ahead of the game. The name represents the oak oven and grill used to prepare some of the best dishes in the state. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion to dine here, but it sure will feel like it’s one.

5. Shanahan’s Steak House

Okay, let us be clear here for all of our out of state transplants. Yes, Denver has two steakhouses named after a couple of local football heroes. Welcome to Bronco Country. Shannahan’s is very symbolic of local culture serving large servings of red meat within an elegant setting. What differentiates this steakhouse from the other ones in town? Probably it’s 6,000 bottle wine cellar. Take your family, take an important client or simply go and enjoy a great dinner with friends.

6. Flagstaff House

This former cabin retreat nestled into the side of a mountain is the perfect Colorado upscale restaurant. The views are breathtaking and the dining experience is one of kind. With over 15,000 bottles of wine to choose from and a phenomenal menu selection including our choice the Hudson Valley Foie Gras, pan seared and served with crispy braised Sweetbreads. Flagstaff House is truly a place to celebrate a special occasion with loved ones and you will enjoy every minute of it. 

7. Panzano

Located in the Hotel Monaco, this Northern Italian influenced restaurant has been one of the best places to eat in Denver for the last 17 years. Despite the departure of Chef Elise Wiggins, her influence and legacy carry on at Panzano. We advise ordering the Doppio Ravioli di Vetri, braised lamb, polenta rustica, calabrian chile and pecorino cheese. Panzano doesn’t just have great food, there is an elevated level of hospitality one feels right when they walk in the door. The perfect night is taking a loved one out on the town, reserving a room at the Hotel Monaco and eating at one of the best places in the city. Very memorable.

8. Del Frisco’s

For years Denver diners have been making it a point to eat at Del Frisco’s. Known as one of the best steakhouses in the country it was impossible to not place them on this list. This beautiful establishment is the definition of upscale dining in this great city. Despite the appearance of only catering to a more affluent customer base, Del Frisco’s treats all of its guests to a wonderful meal and experience. Don’t wait for that next special occasion, call today to reserve a table and enjoy.

9. The Nickle

The Hotel Teatro is one of the most charming places to stay in the city and located on the main floor is their equally charming dining establishment, The Nickel. Located in Denver’s historic Tramway Building, The name of the restaurant pays homage to the price of riding the train. Once again this is a great place to get a room and enjoy a great meal. The Nickel has an excellent food and beverage program as well as talented staff that delivers top notch service.

10. Edge

You may be thinking, “Another steakhouse?”. While Edge may offer a fine selection of steak options, it is much much more than your average steakhouse. First off, it is an extremely beautiful space located within one of the best hotels in the city, The Four Seasons. Edge has a wide selection of from the grill options, seafood plates and an array of delicious side dishes. The minute you enter the restaurant, you instantly feel like you are somewhere nice. That’s the whole point of dining at places like edge, right?

There is nothing better than treating getting dressed up and treating ourselves to a nice night on the town, hence this list. Sirvo loves and supports the local Denver dining scene! We have such an amazing food culture that just keeps getting better year after year. 2016 has seen the arrival of many great restaurants and we imagine 2017 will bring some more. If you or someone you know are looking to work within this thriving industry, head to our job board to search for that next great opportunity!

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Pop-Up Restaurants: The Pros And Cons

Pop-Up Restaurants: The Pros And Cons

by | Dec 21, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

A pop-up restaurant is kind of like the culinary world’s version of a military deployment. The eatery is set up in some sort of non-traditional location, perhaps with a bit of jury-rigging that is within the bounds of the law and safety standards, and is meant to only be there for a short time or to only serve meals sporadically. Meant primarily to promote a chef or their restaurant, they are also sort of like an individualized (and more ambitious) version of the stands set up at a food festival.

The pop-up restaurant can potentially set up anywhere it can operate legally and safely. They’ve been found everywhere from the roofs of city buildings to the inside of barns. Existing restaurants are generally the easiest choice, as all the necessary equipment is on hand, and the hosting restaurant can additionally get some cross-promotion buzz going.

They also do sometimes find themselves on the wrong side of the law. This is especially true of those set up in private homes, which are almost never zoned for such things. If they “pop up” just for one night, however, there’s very little chance of a law enforcement response unless something goes horribly wrong. The ones that operate out of a residence on a regular basis usually maintain an erratic schedule, shared by word of mouth among only a relatively small group of trusted friends and acquaintances, and only the most popular or careless get noticed by the local Health Department. A bigger legal danger comes in the form of serving alcohol without a license. In some areas, this can be side-stepped around by having diners BYOB, but this isn’t always a safe legal defense.

The big appeal of the pop-up is the relatively low cost to get going.

Assuming one is going the entirely legal route to promote their work or build interest in starting a more traditional restaurant, the big appeal of the pop-up is the relatively low cost to get going. Due to the transitory nature and usual lack of a full kitchen, the menu of the pop-up restaurant is almost always limited to a few dishes. Of course, the dishes will be something very unique or original to heighten the sense of being part of a special event, usually with the chef showing off their personal best dishes.

POP-UP PROS

  • It’s a relatively inexpensive way for a chef to get their name out and start getting people familiar with their work or helping them to establish themselves in a new area.
  • It’s also an inexpensive way to do a “test kitchen” of sorts that is detached from an established restaurant. New menu items can be introduced and experimented with while keeping them disassociated from the restaurant until there is certainty that they will work.
  • Chefs from different restaurants can cook together, which is not only great for a one-off event that patrons get really excited about, but also provides them with an opportunity to share some knowledge and technique.

POP-UP CONS

  • These are not great money-making operations. Even though diners are willing to pay good money to be a part of a pop-up if the right buzz is generated, the cost will be offset by the need to have a full staff to really make a good impression. A pop-up restaurant should be looked at more as a promotional measure that the chef can break even or only spend a small amount on rather than a way to bring in extra income.
  • There’s a pretty hard cap on the number of people that can be present, and you’ll often find there’s more interest than you can accommodate.

A pop-up restaurant should be looked at more as a promotional measure that the chef can break even or only spend a small amount on rather than a way to bring in extra income.

Our conclusion? Pop-up restaurants have been popping up for a few years now, so the trend isn’t entirely fresh, but it does seem to have strong legs so go for it as long as there’s good promotion and people are actually interested in the concept.

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How to Work Your Way Up and Climb the Restaurant Ladder

How to Work Your Way Up and Climb the Restaurant Ladder

by | Dec 16, 2016 | Career, Management

Many of us have been presented the opportunity to move up to management in a restaurant. Some seek it out, while others seem to kinda just stumble into it. Regardless, the reality is that the opportunity does exist for those who wish to pursue it further. Every restaurant has their own process, some being more formal/professional than others. Here are a few pointers for anyone who is working in a restaurant and has entertained the idea of becoming a manager.

Use your voice

Restaurant management is constantly looking at their staff to identify who should be approached about a leadership role. If you are wanting to move up the ladder, then that should be communicated at the very beginning. Have a conversation, be it in the interview process or at some point during training. It also helps if you communicate it to the right person, i.e. the GM, Chef or Owner. Don’t worry if you seek a management role later in your tenure, just don’t expect anyone to be able to read your mind.

Take every opportunity to refine your talents and expand on your skill-set.

Become a trainer

Trainers are the staff leaders of the restaurant and are usually the people that are the most knowledgeable about product and service. They are also who the management team goes to for feedback and suggestions. If you are wanting to be taken seriously as a true leader within the restaurant, this is a role you must obtain and perform well in. Being able to work with new staff not only helps them learn, but it also allows you to develop your skills as a teacher. Think of trainers as the “elders” of the tribe, they are the ones that pass on the traditions and culture of the company. 

Lead by example

Nobody likes someone who is a know-it-all or is bossy, so don’t be that person. A true leader leads by example and sets a positive tone for others to follow. Whether you notice it or not, people are looking at you to see how you react in different situations. Keep a calm and cool demeanor during high-stress moments and lend a helping hand when needed. You don’t have to be everyone’s friend, but they have to know they can count on you when the going gets tough. If you cannot be recognized as a leader amongst your peers, don’t expect it later when and if you enter a management role.

Think of trainers as the “elders” of the tribe, they are the ones that pass on the traditions and culture of the company.

Develop professionally

Take every opportunity to refine your talents and expand on your skill-set. Being a leader is difficult, even for those who have “natural” ability. A lot of companies will offer training throughout the year or will even pay for classes or certifications that help you grow professionally. Often being the boss just means you have been deemed the one responsible for everything, which is a heavy burden to bare. In order to make a real impact, you must bring more to the table. How’s your wine knowledge?  What areas of the restaurant are you most unfamiliar with? Identify where you can improve and seek out ways to do so.

Obviously, there are multiple ways to move up the ladder and many different routes can be taken. These are just a few methods we suggest utilizing to move up the ranks. It is a totally different scenario for one to be hired into a management role as opposed to someone working their way up. For people without management experience, working your way up is the best option. Head to our job board to see what entry-level opportunities await you or if you already have a management background click here. 

 

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Restaurant Minimum Wage – What Now?

Restaurant Minimum Wage – What Now?

by | Dec 12, 2016 | Business Toolkit, Management

The Colorado Restaurant Association has been doing great keeping us all up to date in regards to Amendment 70 and how that affects our industry, here is the latest new brought to you by our friends at CRA.

Regardless of how you felt about Amendment 70 (Colorado’s minimum wage ballot initiative), most of you will be impacted by it. We have received many questions from our members about how other restaurants plan to react.

First, to clarify, Amendment 70 is a constitutional amendment that increases Colorado’s minimum wage to $12/hour and the tipped wage to $8.98/hour by January 1, 2020. The passage of this amendment raises Colorado’s minimum wage as follows:

  • January 1, 2017: $9.30/hr. Tipped Wage = $6.28
  • January 1, 2018: $10.20/hr. Tipped Wage = $7.18
  • January 1, 2019: $11.10/hr. Tipped Wage = $8.08
  • January 1, 2020: $12.00/hr. Tipped Wage = $8.98

After that time, wages will increase annually according to the Boulder/Denver/Greeley CPI. They will not decrease in the event of a recession.

What are restaurants doing to cope with these increases?

Each of you will have to determine the right mix of how you will manage this increase. When we surveyed our members on a similar increase in 2015 they responded as follows:

  • 89% will increase prices
  • 72% will reduce hours for employees – ex: keep a smaller staff for traditionally slower times
  • 71% will reduce # of employees – Some restaurants have told us that they are eliminating bussers or runners for example
  • Some may decide to add a service charge
  • Some have mentioned trying tip pooling as a way to help with pay equity

What is a service charge? What is a tip? What is a tip pool? How can I use them legally?

Under both Colorado and Federal law any charge that is automatically applied to the bill and the customer must pay, even automatic gratuities for large parties, is considered a service charge. There are very distinct differences between tips and service charges, here are just a few.

Tips:

  • Are given freely from the customer to the employee, where the customer, in his/her sole discretion, decides whether or not to tip and how much belong to the employee, not the restaurant
  • Management cannot direct the use of that money
  • Sales tax is not applied to a tip

Service Charge:

  • Is anything automatically applied to the bill
  • Is considered revenue of the business
  • Management can determine how the money will be used
  • Funds can be given to the employee but must be done through the payroll system
  • Any money given to the employee from the service charge cannot be counted towards a tip credit
  • Restaurants must collect appropriate sales tax

Tip Pool:

  • Employers may run a tip pool but they must comply with certain requirements
  • The employer must provide written notice to all employees who will be participating in the tip pool prior to their participation
  • Only employees who customarily and regularly receive tips can participate in the tip pool. According to federal law, servers, counter personnel, bussers, and service bartenders can clearly participate.
  • Those that can’t participate are owners, managers, supervisors, janitors, dishwashers, chefs, cooks, and food prep personnel
  • If you are thinking about organizing a tip pool, please contact the CRA to ensure you are administering it correctly

Is there a chance that we can correct the flaws with amendment 70 by altering the tipped wage or adding a learning wage?

We believe that to be nearly impossible. Only one time in the last 100 years was something added to our constitution and later removed – prohibition. In order to change the constitution – as we saw with amendment 70 – we would need to raise millions of dollars just to get it on the ballot – and another several million to educate the public.

For this issue – many of our members who were adamantly opposed to it didn’t give to the campaign to defeat this. Meanwhile, the unions who initiated this have very deep pockets and would fight it heavily.

Going forward…

While this will be a difficult adjustment for a lot of businesses, it is what it is and those who have already started the process will be ahead of the game. It is always a struggle to balance the cost of doing business and providing a fair and liveable wage. We want our staff members to have a good quality of life, but we also want to make sure our doors are open to do so. These are interesting times right now for the industry and despite it all, we will go forward.

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Experience Sirvo for yourself

Sign up now to find hospitality jobs and hire top industry talent.

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