November 2009 continued

Published on Monday, 30 November 2009 Written by chef andrew schaumann "chef de cuisine vivace charlotte"

The dust has settled. We have been open for three weeks now and our sea legs are becoming a memory, thankfully. Charlotte has given us a generous welcome, and to that I say thank you. We appreciate all of you who took a chance on the new place the last few weeks, and I invite everyone else to come enjoy a relaxed handcrafted meal in our beautiful dining room.

A restaurant is a constant evolution of gears that are moved here and there to achieve the smoothest action. Every day we decide that this table needs to be on the pizza station, or that we need more shelving in dry food storage. The menu is gradually reworked; employees fluctuate a bit, trying to find all the best fits. It is a process that will never end, lest complacency set in, the kryptonite to any good chef.

The process is necessary and frustrating at the same time. Mediocrity cannot be tolerated for any period of time in a new business. We have had a gradual build of business thus far, which is good and bad for obvious reasons. I want nothing more than to serve hundreds of guests clean delicious meals every night. However, instant volume in a restaurant can come with a price. I worry about nothing more than scaring off customers with a mix of cold food, slow ticket times, over seasoned and under seasoned food. These are all maladies that can expunge us from a diner’s regular rotation. I keep stressing to the staff that we only have one time to get this right. I know when I go out to eat, unless I have previously had good experiences somewhere, if the food isn’t up to par I’m not going back.

November 2009

Published on Saturday, 14 November 2009 Written by chef andrew schaumann "chef de cuisine vivace charlotte"

So I easily worked over a hundred hours last week opening our restaurant. I don’t say this as a boast nor am I digging for sympathy. Just to give you a little idea of what it takes to get a restaurant up and running, and as an excuse for skipping the blog last month. I am still out here and gainfully employed by the Urban Food Group. I am so gainfully employed in fact that I fear to clock in and out to see the carnage. I am having the time of my life however; my puppies on the other hand aren’t so understanding of the situation.

Our soft opening for friends and family was a good mixture of stress and fun. It was great to see lots of familiar faces, but my focus remained on expediting the dishes coming out of the kitchen. My Sister is a great photographer and I will share a few of the candid shots she was snapping of me all night.

September 2009

Published on Wednesday, 30 September 2009 Written by chef andrew schaumann "chef de cuisine vivace charlotte"

After the countdown of days until the restaurant opens broke 100, I felt some relief. As it dips below 50 days, I feel an added sense of urgency. I have been looking down this road for a long time, and to spy the starting line is exhilarating. Witnessing the transformation of the restaurant the last few months has been fascinating. Features that have been confusing lines on the blueprints now come into focus. Equipment that has been repositioned many times in planning is materializing, breathing life into the place. Kevin and Stacey never do anything halfway, and it certainly shows in this project. I think our establishment will make a welcome addition to Charlotte’s metropolitan restaurant scene.

My excitement to open here in Charlotte is dulled by my reluctance to leave the restaurant in Raleigh. Strong bonds are formed over an oven. Chefs spend far more time at work than they do at home with loved ones, typically. At home, many tasks and leisurely activities are done separately. Time spent together at home isn’t nearly as interactive as time spent at work with co-workers. At work, everyone is always working off of one another. Be it during prep for service when you ask a fellow Chef to help you not burn the nuts (they can go from perfectly roasted to burned in five seconds), or a co-worker knowing to open the walk-in door without you needing to ask. Noise is a constant- yelling “behind,” yelling “knife, hot, corner…,” communication is crucial in the kitchen. During service, plates are coordinated from numerous stations to hit the pass simultaneously. The person on the station is buried and you are caught up? Of course you ask them what they need, and you bury your head with theirs and cook. Maybe relationships could use a little more kitchen gumption to strengthen the bonds. I’m just saying. The point of my diatribe is that I will really miss the strong bonds I have formed at Vivace Raleigh. Everything in life comes with a price though.

August 2009

Published on Monday, 31 August 2009 Written by Written by chef andrew schaumann "chef de cuisine vivace charlotte"

The time has arrived where all the talk of the last year has become action. Hiring has begun in earnest, kitchen equipment is arriving, and computer keyboards are taxed. It is a good prelude of things to come. I am in the midst of heavy paperwork duties. Chefs reluctantly assimilate themselves to the paperwork side of the kitchen life. In many kitchens paperwork is what makes a good chef. But it is the rare Chef that enjoys these duties. We want to have our hands in the food for as many hours a day as possible. I’ve always believed in making your weaknesses your strengths, and this is how I’m approaching paperwork at the moment.

The importance of the first week or two or a restaurant cannot be understated. This is true with any business, but especially the for anyone in the service industry. There are too many choices for patrons to take their dining experience lightly. This being said, all lists are being written and re-written in an effort to stave off mediocrity. We are currently previewing some dishes that will appear in Charlotte on our menu and as daily specials here in Raleigh. Adjustments are made, possible problem areas are addressed, and pictures are taken for further review and training purposes. It’s a fun process, trying to hit a menu full of home-runs. Second best isn’t an option- a cliché, but very true.

July 2009

Published on Thursday, 23 July 2009 Written by chef andrew schaumann "chef de cuisine vivace charlotte"

This is my initial blog to introduce myself and our company to the Queen City. My name is Andrew Schaumann, and I can’t wait to cook something for you. My goal is to put down the knives for a few minutes a month to share my thoughts with you. I will try to keep the food discussions seasonal, touching on some traditional Italian food festivals, insightful aspects of the kitchen life of which I am so enthralled, and share a few recipes along the way. Italy is a socially-based culture. The gathering of family and friends is one of the most important aspects of daily life. If you pass through our doors I consider you my friend. I will cater to you. I will cook you dinner at lunchtime if you so desire. I will cook for you after the kitchen is “closed.” I will cook for you if the lights are shut off, all the equipment is cold, and dinner is waiting for me at home. That’s the beauty of a sauté pan- they heat up in seconds. The word no hasn’t a place in my work vocabulary. You’d like a cigarette? I don't smoke but I'll find you one, what kind would you prefer? You want hollandaise on your steak in the middle of a busy Saturday night? I know how to make that, coming right up. You want a strip steak split, two different temperatures, half gluten allergy, half no sauce, I’m on it. You get the point. If you can think of it we can probably do it, as long as we have the product on hand. From my perspective, I have a few hundred bosses a night and I aim to please every one of them. This is not some empty mission statement meant to entice, you are truly welcome here.