Posts from 2013

Posted on Sat, 03/08/2013

Maybe I was tired... maybe I'm a bit out of practise, becos I don't often take the orders from big tables these days, but with Roz gone, I'm needing to step into the void created a little bit, under the younger staff are...>>>

Posted on Mon, 05/08/2013

We had another Hands on Cookschool yesterday - incredibly we've only got one to go in the year, which doesn't really seem possible. The time has just flicked by so quickly. We've been wanting to do these classes for a...>>>

Posted on Sat, 10/08/2013

A thoughtful article on the concept of buying locally produced food, which expresses the sentiment, that tends to be overlooked in the hype that accompanies much of the comment on how we should be buying our produce, that...>>>

Posted on Sun, 11/08/2013

Rick has just taken the dogs down below to run them before their dinner. We are due to head up to the farm, so thats happening a little earlier than it normally does, which the dogs won't see that as a bad thing, because...>>>

Posted on Mon, 12/08/2013

There are essentially two approaches to paying waiting staff in the hospitality industry - the American approach and the European one, and here in NZ we follow the European model. At various times, I have heard our industry...>>>

Posted on Tue, 13/08/2013

'A great meal served by warm hearted and generous souls makes you feel as though you've already been hugged and you have an overwhelming need to share the love'   A quote from the latest Ideas in Food blog, that struck...>>>

Posted on Fri, 16/08/2013

Life always has a way of knocking things into a sense of proportion for me. We had a cookschool this morning, and I came back over to the house, and had a siesta during the afternoon, because didn?t get alot of sleep last...>>>

Posted on Fri, 16/08/2013

Just home after a busy night in the restaurant, which I was was quite relieved about, because the week up until now, has been very quiet, way too quiet in fact  for my peace of mind. Tonight has reassurred me that people...>>>

Posted on Sun, 18/08/2013

The cookschools we do,  tend to throw up all kind of comments as they run their course, and the conversation can head in a number of directions. We did a private class today, and they were medical people, so I was more...>>>

Posted on Mon, 19/08/2013

Sometimes you listen to what people have to say, and you are reminded that there are some extraordinary human beings out there... and that can go along way to keeping your faith in humankind....>>>

Posted on Wed, 21/08/2013

There is much to admire about this man. We have long been fans, and tried not to be too envious of the fact that Courteney and Matt have been to both the bakery and bistro frequently during their two stays in Napa. A fascinating...>>>

Posted on Sat, 31/08/2013

One of the wonderful aspects of working in Hospitality, is the constant exposure that you get to people, and the insights into their lives. We are in the very priviledged position, where most of our public interaction is...>>>