Menus

The menu is a tough piece of paper for me. It puts you out there. It says "this is me and my palate, this is what I know and what I think you would like to eat" and it scares me.
It can be ever evolving (or stagnant in the case of most local eateries) and hopefully as close to perfection before the guest ever takes a bite.

The menu for the restaurant only runs from May to September and for the most part the core of the menu hasn't changed much since 5 years ago, but it has been tweaked and twisted as the seasons have gone by. Reflecting new items that are available here in Alaska with influences from traveling and what Matt and I have felt is just good solid food.
Items have come and gone. Some good and some not so good. Those awkward and goofy dishes that when you look back at the old menus you whisper under your breath "Good god, what was I thinking?". Its the same feeling you get looking at your old yearbooks.
Wondering whether a new item will be as popular as you think it will can be exciting and just as disappointing.

With the short work season, once a menu has been printed its pretty much set in stone until next year with of course the few exceptions : Costs for one and quality for two.
Lets say the caribou tenderloin quality is just horrible and the purveyor is unwilling to do anything about it but shrug their shoulders and say "whatever" (yeah that's you Indian Valley Meats).It must be pulled from the menu because it has not met the standards in quality you have set (which did happened last July, mid season).
This was really a crusher too me because we had a unique product and you were eating caribou tenderloin and it could come with king crab and look there are giant brown bears in the river outside as you ate this ultimate Alaskan meal and you peed your pants. It was the perfect AK dish.
Side note: last summer a downtown "bistro" started running the exact same menu item. A "bistro" that is notorious for bottom feeding off other restaurants in town. Which was another reason I dropped the item from the menu. They say copying is a form of flattery, well I say bollucks. Not in a small 3,500 person town. That's straight up stealing kids and if you are going to steal from me than do the dish better. Don't be a hack.
I wrote a letter last summer to the owner and never sent it. However I will post it here for all to read.

I start working on next years menu in October. Right when the season ends so that things are fresh in my mind, specials that sold out and the quality of the staff (what they were able to handle).Then I put it away until February.
I read some books, eat out as I travel, experiment at home and check out the food trends.
When I come back to the menu in February with all these new ideas, I write it out again.
I put it away until late March when the 3rd and final draft must be evaluated and new items tested before print in May. Luckily I work with an opinionated and hungry management team and the kitchen is set from Feb-May just for menu experiments. I will go into more of this in the coming months.

So how does mac and cheese pizza with pesto and pancetta sound? Or Aglio e Olio rigatoni with truffles and basil?
Some new ideas which most likely will end up dumped, as specials or pipe dreams for my own place one day.

Who gets 4 months every year to think about a menu? seriously............


Next up: The Hiring Process