Interesting article about MD's continuing efforts to get chefs to buy local crab

[Ronster]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/as-blue-crabs-rebound-maryland-takes-chefs-on-field-trips-to-promote-them/2012/05/27/gJQAHQLIvU_story.html

[chef]

I've worked as a chef in over 8 Maryland restaurants in the past 15 years (Thank God I changed careers). I begged almost every owner to purchase fresh domestic blue crab meat. They just wouldn't do it. When they could buy the pasteurized Filipino garbage for $8 a pound compared to $18 a pound fresh jumbo lump, all they saw were dollar signs.

They would then expect me to make crabcakes like mom used to make and then couldn't understand why customers  stopped buying them. The bottom line is you cant cut corners when it comes to the crabmeat especially in Maryland.

Its comparable to going to a Maine lobster house and getting a spiny lobster when you ordered the Maine lobster special. 

It may save money at first and marginally satisfy tourists but it isn't going to pull the wool over the locals eyes, and unless your restaurant is in the inner harbor you need the local people to keep you in business.

[crabtracker]

buying foreign crab meat is like buying hothouse tomatoes in the plastic carton, you can't tell which tastes better, the product, or the packaging.

[dfran]

The guy in one of the pictures, measuring a crab, is using the biggest most cumbersum looking  crab measure I think Ive ever seen.

[Cokie]

I was also a chef in MD and DC for 25 years. Owners used to refuse to use Maryland crab because of the price. They thought it was beneficial to the business and also thought that patrons wanted the jumbo lump from Malaysia. I guess they were all wrong because most of them are out if business's and thank god every night that I am not a chef anymore!!! Nothing like watching people with more money than they know what to do with throwing money into a restaurant that will never be successful just because the owner has no idea as to what they are up against in the business. Most of whom come from big business backgrounds cashed out early and decide they know how to run a restaurant. Kinda funny when I look back and just smile.

[chef]

I didnt even bother to advocate for MD blue crab meat specifically. Just as long as it was a fresh blue crab product from somewhere between MD to TX that I could work with.

Yes MD crabs are the best but I dont think 99.9% of people could pick out MD crabmeat from NC crabmeat once its been turned into crab imperial or chicken chesapeake. You certainly can with the pasteurized junk.

Funny story: One day many moons ago we found that the crabmeat we got in had spoiled. This was on a Friday 2 hours before the dinner rush. To save our a$$ I broiled orange roughy filets, chilled and crumbled the meat into lump size pieces and made crabcakes with it. We never got so many compliments on the crabcakes as we did that night.

[antman]

I didnt even bother to advocate for MD blue crab meat specifically. Just as long as it was a fresh blue crab product from somewhere between MD to TX that I could work with.

Yes MD crabs are the best but I dont think 99.9% of people could pick out MD crabmeat from NC crabmeat once its been turned into crab imperial or chicken chesapeake. You certainly can with the pasteurized junk.

Funny story: One day many moons ago we found that the crabmeat we got in had spoiled. This was on a Friday 2 hours before the dinner rush. To save our a$$ I broiled orange roughy filets, chilled and crumbled the meat into lump size pieces and made crabcakes with it. We never got so many compliments on the crabcakes as we did that night.

Bluefish was used in many places in this same fashion believe it or not.

[chef]

Bluefish! Yuck. I'd have to be pretty drunk not to notice a bluefish cake.

I did feel bad about deceiving the customers that night but it saved me a butt chewing from the bipolar owner.

[flounderpounder]

The guy in one of the pictures, measuring a crab, is using the biggest most cumbersum looking  crab measure I think Ive ever seen.

big boat ...big tools.... bet its easy to find to ....lol

[dfran]

big boat ...big tools.... bet its easy to find to ....lol

You're right there......kinda hard to misplace that measure

[JIMMYCRAB]

I didnt even bother to advocate for MD blue crab meat specifically. Just as long as it was a fresh blue crab product from somewhere between MD to TX that I could work with.

Yes MD crabs are the best but I dont think 99.9% of people could pick out MD crabmeat from NC crabmeat once its been turned into crab imperial or chicken chesapeake. You certainly can with the pasteurized junk.

Funny story: One day many moons ago we found that the crabmeat we got in had spoiled. This was on a Friday 2 hours before the dinner rush. To save our a$$ I broiled orange roughy filets, chilled and crumbled the meat into lump size pieces and made crabcakes with it. We never got so many compliments on the crabcakes as we did that night.

Been there, done that  I used Rockfish belly. It breaks up into nice"lumps" after you pop it in the steamer.
Stuffed it back in the fillet  Voila!! Rockfish stuffed with "crab" imperial. Just like when we ran out of veal and pounded out pork loin cutlets. No one ever noticed  Or when I tried to sell Mako and no one would buy it. Cut the blue skin off and sold out of "Swordfish" in one night.  That's part of the reason I don't eat in many restaurants. I know what goes on in the back

[

[JIMMYCRAB]

I was also a chef in MD and DC for 25 years. Owners used to refuse to use Maryland crab because of the price. They thought it was beneficial to the business and also thought that patrons wanted the jumbo lump from Malaysia. I guess they were all wrong because most of them are out if business's and thank god every night that I am not a chef anymore!!! Nothing like watching people with more money than they know what to do with throwing money into a restaurant that will never be successful just because the owner has no idea as to what they are up against in the business. Most of whom come from big business backgrounds cashed out early and decide they know how to run a restaurant. Kinda funny when I look back and just smile.

Thats why 9 out of 10 close there doors within a year. I've been a chef for 26 years now and it amazes me that people will put their life savings into a business they know nothing about because they have" always dreamed of owning a restaurant". I've seen it so many times. People tell me "you should open your own restaurant."  OH NOOOOO!!! At least not with my own money.               Do you know the best way to make a million dollars in the restaurant business? ...Start with two million!!!

[chef]

Do you know the best way to make a million dollars in the restaurant business? ...Start with two million!!!

 

Yes I wouldn't wish restaurant ownership on my worst enemy. Way to go on sticking with it for 26 years. I couldn't take it anymore after 15 years, and that was working for someone else. With obamanomics, restaurant chains, and the recession a person would have to be crazy to buy a restaurant right now.

[Chef Lar]

Not to hi-jack a thread in the middle of the season, BUT; I have a question for the others chefs on the thread who managed to get out. I'm in my 28th year as a profession, and well over thirty total in food. I am definitely looking to get out of it now, and am wondering what you guys entered into. If you want to b-mail me that would be fine. Like I said, don't want to hi-jack in the middle of the season. Thanks,
Chef Lar

[chef]

I used to be a combat medic in the 82nd airborne in the 90's and am still a medic with the Maryland National Guard today.  Since fixing people and cooking were the only things Ive ever been really good at, I decided to take out a bunch of loans and cash in my GI bill and go to nursing school. I just graduated this May and have a job lined up at UMMC after passing the board test next week.

I'm a lot happier now believe me.

Other guys I know who got out of the business went on to work for Sysco and other food supply companies as sales reps, drivers and managers. They're actually making more money, having more time off and are able to see their families again. Most of all their much happier.

[JJ_Crabber]

I didnt even bother to advocate for MD blue crab meat specifically. Just as long as it was a fresh blue crab product from somewhere between MD to TX that I could work with.

Yes MD crabs are the best but I dont think 99.9% of people could pick out MD crabmeat from NC crabmeat once its been turned into crab imperial or chicken chesapeake. You certainly can with the pasteurized junk.

Funny story: One day many moons ago we found that the crabmeat we got in had spoiled. This was on a Friday 2 hours before the dinner rush. To save our a$$ I broiled orange roughy filets, chilled and crumbled the meat into lump size pieces and made crabcakes with it. We never got so many compliments on the crabcakes as we did that night.

how much alcohol were they drinking?   That story is hilarious!  I think we should have you make these "crab" cakes for the Wye party and do a blind taste test up against maryland crab cakes.  Mutzy what do you think?

[JIMMYCRAB]

Other guys I know who got out of the business went on to work for Sysco and other food supply companies as sales reps, drivers and managers. They're actually making more money, having more time off and are able to see their families again. Most of all their much happier.

Tried that for a few years. It was great for a while. I was making money , had nights and weekends off , and I won 3 trips in my first year. Then the economy went in the toilet restaurants started closing and I started to work on commission. Nothing new was opening so all we did was steal customers from other distributors, and they would steal yours. This killed everyones margins and IF you managed to hold onto a customer you had to drop prices and make next to nothing on the account. Companies like SYSCO are famous for hiring new people and putting them on the street on salary. So they have 6 new reps giving food away and stealing your accounts based on price. then they get rid of 5 move all the new accounts to 1 rep and start massaging margin out of them,and recoup all the money they gave away and then some. It's called the SYSCO curve. I knew one rep who would take a few customers a week and invert numbers on them so a $16.00 case of salt cost you $61.00 this week. He did this for years. Probably still doing it. If he were to get caught he WOULD HAVE said "Oh. it was a mistake". But he NEVER got caught. And you thought the restaurant business was a racket???  Unless you are one of the lucky ones who gets seeded with $60,000 a week in business coming in the door, It's actually more stressfull than the kitchen. and you're on call 24/7. Think of the [Sam Hill] you have put your salespeople through. Now times it by 30 accounts!!!

[chef]

Yeah it sounds like leaving the frying pan for the fire.

After hearing that I'm glad I never went the sales rep route. I haven't talked to those guys in a few years so there's no telling how they're fairing in today's crappy economy.

Of course starting a career in health care is looking more challenging now that obamacare is about to kickoff next year.