Detroit 75 Kitchen

Here are 3 warning signs you need to pay attention to to gauge the cleanliness of a restaurant.  1. The Menus If your menu is sticky, whether it's the printed kind or one of those iPad things, it's a red flag.  It takes moments to wipe things down between customers, so no excuse.  2. The Bathrooms Yeah, you know pretty fast if a bathroom is a war zone, but pay attention to the details in the clean ones, too.  If the soap dispensers are empty, that's the biggest red flag of all. How are employees washing their hands? 3. The Shakers & Condiments If you've ever grabbed a grimy salt shaker, you know how gross it is. Just like the menus, these should be wiped down between every guest.  There's no excuse other than laziness.  Before you come in here saying, "Oh, that's all front of house stuff, but the kitchen is really clean", just stop.  Proper training and commitment to cleanliness come from the top. If the boss can't be bothered with the stuff the customers see, then why would they care about cleaning the stuff behind the scenes? Bosses need to do better. Period.  - Chef Mike #redflag #cleaning #restaurantlife

Once you go big, you'll never go back. Let's talk portion sizes.  When I started this business, I knew I wanted to do a lot of things differently from most restaurants. One of those things was the portion sizes I served my guests.  One of my biggest pet peeves is going out to eat and still being hungry after my meal. No one has the time, money, or patience for that kind of bullsh*t. We make food for the hard-working people in our communities, and we take that seriously. If someone leaves our business hungry, then we haven't done our job right.  People come here because they know they can depend on a fantastic meal, and I'm not about to change that anytime soon.  - Chef Mike #portions #takeprideinyourwork #chefstalk

Here are some top 3 overrated foods. 1. Anything on the Tim Hortons Menu It never fails that any time I get something from a Tim Hortons these days it's so disappointing.  It’s a real shame, because the quality used to be so much better. 2. Dubai Chocolate Yeah, it's good, but the way people are falling all over themselves for chocolate and pistachios is wild to me.  If I'm spending $40 on a bar of chocolate, it better be able to do my taxes, too.  3. Cheese Pizza I love cheese more than the average person, but if that's the only type of pizza you'll eat you're breaking my heart.  Pizza doesn't have to have a million toppings to be exceptional, so maybe add one or two next time?  Do you agree with my list? Let me know in the comments.  - Chef Mike #overrated #chefstalk #overhyped

Here are 3 restaurant scams that everyone should be aware of.  1. Exaggerated Health Claims Organic food is a great option, but if a restaurant's whole personality is based on it, expect to pay way too much at checkout.  2. The "Famous" Weekend Special If you don't typically see this dish on the menu and it's not a recurring option because people love it, there's a good chance that it's leftover ingredients that didn't sell during the week.  3. Overpriced Water Marketing costs money, so being offered a bottle of regular old water with a restaurant's logo on it means the customer will be paying for that marketing. It's too much.  Of course, this isn't the case for every restaurant, but you'd be surprised how many of them take this approach.  If it feels like a scam, it probably is.  - Chef Mike #scam #scamalert #restaurants

how to avoid getting scammed by tourist trap restaurants.  1. Avoid Busy Areas If you're in a place with a lot of other tourists, it's not a spot you should stay to eat. Any meal worth your time and money is going to be off the beaten path and away from those high-traffic areas.  2. Ask the Locals Any subpar can advertise on a search platform, so if you really want to find the good spots, you need to talk to the people who live and work in the area. Trust me, they'll have great suggestions.  3. Check the Menu If the menu looks like a phone book, know that the food is going to be mediocre, especially if you see Italian, Mexican, and Asian cuisines all in there together. There's no way that food is made well or fresh with a menu that size.  In my experience, traveling is best when you actually get to immerse yourself in the culture of the place you're going to.  If you don't ever leave those touristy areas, you're missing out on a world of great things.  - Chef Mike #tourist #touristtrap #scamalert

Let's make this delicious orange chicken sandwich at home.  Step 1: Make the Sauce Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the juice of one orange, the peel, minced garlic, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, orange zest, ground ginger, and sugar.  Stir until well combined and thickened to a sticky glaze.  Step 2: Make the Slaw Chop a cucumber and add to a bowl with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, sliced red onion, a little sugar,  red wine vinegar, and a little neutral oil.  The longer this can marinate, the more flavorful it will be.  Step 3: Make the Spread Add some plain yogurt, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley to a small bowl and whisk until fully combined.  Step 4: Fry the Chicken Pound some chicken thighs nice and thin, season well, and then batter with egg wash and Japanese panko.  Heat oil to 350º and fry your chicken until golden brown (about 5-6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pieces).  Remove from the fryer and coat the chicken with your homemade orange sauce.  Step 5: Assemble the Sandwich Cut a loaf of crusty bread in half (bonus points if you toast it a little). Add your spread to both pieces of bread, top with your cucumber slaw, and finally, add your crispy orange chicken cutlet.  When it comes to a really good sandwich, you need to have all three things: quality ingredients, tons of flavor, and a variety of textures.  Save this recipe for later because I promise this is one that you're going to want to try.  - Chef Mike #orangechicken #sandwich #cookingathome #Recipe

Here’s how to make a McDonald's-style Filet-O-Fish but 10x better. Step 1: Prepare the Fish Cut your filets into hamburger-sized pieces and set aside. Drench each piece with flour (seasoned with salt & pepper), followed by egg wash with a couple of dashes of hot sauce in another, and finally in panko breadcrumbs seasoned with a little salt, garlic powder, and some paprika for color.   Step 2: Make the Sauce & Fry the Fish Add mayo, mustard, finely diced dill pickles, capers with a little of their juice, parsley, pepper, a couple of splashes of hot sauce, a small splash of Worcestershire sauce, and a sprinkle of celery salt to a bowl and mix well. Heat oil to 350º and cook your fish for 4-5 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool, and immediately sprinkle with a little bit of celery salt.  Step 3: Assemble the Sandwich Coat the insides of brioche buns with tartar sauce, add a slice of American cheese and a piece of fish to each, and finish with the other half of your bun.  Obviously, feel free to make this your own with different toppings of your choice, like lettuce or tomatoes. No matter what, just have fun with it.  - Chef Mike #cookingathome #fishsandwich #Recipe

If you're the boss who keeps saying that you "can't find anyone to work," this is for you.  1. Pay People What They're Worth I don't care what the Federal Minimum Wage is— it's bullsh*t and you know it. People need to be paid a livable wage from day 1, or they are not going to stick around.  2. Don't Be a Cheap @ss If you're the boss in a restaurant and you aren't feeding your people, shame on you. If you want someone to work hard, why wouldn't you set them up with a good meal to keep them going? Are you picking up on the common denominator here? Especially now, when so many people are out of a job, the last thing you should consider is taking advantage of that desperation.  If you want your business to thrive, invest in your people. Common decency shouldn't be so hard to come by.  - Chef Mike #realtalk #harshreality #workersrights