Intellectual Property

I write recipes as part of my job.  It's not all about pulling something directly out my head. It's a combination of reading three or four recipes and relying on my experience with technique and knowledge of ingredients. So it's not creating it's 'arranging' and experimentation. The question is then who 'owns' the recipe.

I do take care to note where i received the original material. I do make them available on social media. I have never sold a recipe, unless you count the time spent perfecting the technique in my employer's kitchen. As i formulate a cookbook i need to consider intellectual property law.

I'll keep you posted. Every recipe has a story, that story is definately my intellectual property.

re-writing the menu

i am currently employed at  a restaurant. i guess you could say i was re-hired, i had worked there twenty years ago. when i began again the owner told me they were 'in transition'; the menu is being re-written, a few recipes will be tightened up and change will happen. this is in my skill set, along with 'working with difficult people' and 'taking abuse with a smile'.

the restaurant is a place that has been open since 1933 and represents a beer brand that has been around since 1857. i haven't seen all the menus, but a beer and sandwich has been the theme. the owners have decided that standard 'bar food'  should not be the focus. so we are sticking with a German- American theme(which it always had) and bringing in a few healthier options and more in-house recipes.

so the testing phase and the inclusion of necessary team members has begun. the menu changes are running towards cost and efficiency of preparation,  gonna loose a few clunkers and gain a few new best sellers and full dessert menu. we'll try to dodge the sports bar theme, it was never evident on the menu. I like to think 'sports bars' and 'brew pubs' copied this place. here's how i'm attacking it...

•  look at the menu and take off the undersold/unpopular items.
•  look at the kitchen on a typical busy service night. which station is over stressed?
•  which items are kinda a pain in the ass to prepare? 
• which recipes can be tweaked to add value and flavor?
• what are customers asking for that you don't have? 

 so that's what i'll be doing for the next couple of weeks, a little remodeling.