Beef tallow boom

It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since the COVID-19 pandemic began. For better or worse, restaurants have had to adapt—whether it's the bird flu, staff shortages, ridiculous rent hikes or natural disasters. We look into how nimble is the new normal.

Moooove over seed oils. The aggressive backlash against these kitchen pantry go-to's has caused some restaurants to swap in beef tallow. But is it healthier?

Plus, fonio and kimchi are two foods we’ll be eating more of this year, according to top chefs.  

Stress test. Famed chef Heston Blumenthal is opening up about his bipolar disorder, saying that being a chef can lead to mental disorders. “When you initially approach this job, you always start from the bottom, and this can generate a great sense of loneliness and frustration.”

Going nuclear. If you’re like most restaurateurs, a multimillion-dollar lawsuit would completely annihilate your business. Here’s how you can protect yourself from a nuclear verdict. 

We see you. With the current work shortage many restaurants are facing, simply recognizing and appreciating your staff’s hard work could help stave off burnout and increase job satisfaction. In fact, when restaurants have highly integrated recognition programs, the likelihood of attrition is reduced by 29%.

Finders, eaters. Want to know how you can help potential guests find you online? A Google exec has some suggestions, including displaying your menus correctly and paying attention to language barriers.

Oui, chef. Prolific French chef Alain Ducasse has some hot takes on hospitality, where he finds inspiration for new dishes, social media and much more. “In a world that is so super connected, we need to keep on carrying one another.”

Running a restaurant is no easy feat, and one of the most important—but often overlooked—aspects is supporting your servers. They’re the face of your business, the heart of the guest experience and they’re on the frontlines every day.

Veteran restaurant professional Johnny Arena has been in the industry since 2001, building a diverse career across roles from server to general manager. A fixture in Chicago’s dining scene, he got his start at McCormick & Schmick’s and went on to work at renowned spots like Sunda New Asian and Asador before becoming a category developer for Diageo’s whiskey portfolio.

Arena sat down with The Prep to share his hard-earned insights on how restaurant owners can better support their waitstaff, enhance the guest experience and foster a thriving workplace culture. -Brent LeBlanc

Servers are at the heart of the action and often see and hear things that owners might miss. What are some common mistakes you see that negatively impact the waitstaff or the guest experience?

Having been both a server and a manager, I know one of the hardest parts of being a server is dealing with disengaged management or ownership. The energy of a restaurant starts at the top—if leadership is negative or even hostile, which happens, it affects staff, which in turn affects guests. No job in a restaurant is easy. Approaching staff with a positive attitude and fostering a culture of learning and growth, rather than discipline and write-ups, leads to better outcomes.

From a server’s perspective, what factors make a shift run smoothly and efficiently? Are there any tools or systems you wish owners would implement to improve your workflow?

Like any job, efficiency comes from setting staff up for success. That means having floor maps ready before staff arrive and ensuring specials are prepped for tasting at pre-shift meetings. Consistency in these areas helps staff feel more relaxed and prepared for whatever the shift brings. Management engagement with guests on a nightly basis is also crucial. 

What’s one thing you wish owners and managers knew about customer behavior that could improve the overall dining experience?

This is a tough question. Guest experiences vary from person to person—customer behavior isn’t a monolith. If a recurring complaint appears in reviews or staff feedback, it’s worth addressing. But overreacting to every negative review shifts focus away from consistency and toward chasing unattainable perfection. Trust your people and the work they put into the experience. 

How can owners better support their waitstaff during peak hours or high-stress situations? And how can they use server feedback to improve operations and guest experiences?

Owners and managers have a lot on their plates, but once the doors open, the priority should be the guest experience. Running food, touching tables, and creating memorable experiences should take precedence over emails. At the end of the night, jot down staff feedback—even small changes can improve service. Even if a change doesn’t work and you revert to an old method, making staff feel heard strengthens the team and enhances the restaurant experience.

Have you noticed any changes in customer expectations or dining behavior over the years? What can owners do to stay ahead of these trends?
Post-pandemic guest behavior has changed so much that staying ahead is difficult, from tipping overuse at non-service jobs to rising food prices. The best way to keep up is by dining at other restaurants and talking to owners and operators.

Edited for brevity and clarity.

Restaurants are ditching oil for beef tallow 

Seed oils are having a rough time right now. There’s an entire movement aimed at getting people to stop ingesting them, claiming the extraction process makes them toxic. Even newly appointed Health Secretary RFK Jr. has likened seed oils to poison.

Even though many studies debunk these claims, the backlash has prompted some restaurants to switch, or at least consider switching, to beef tallow. Vegetable oils, such as canola, soybean and sunflower, are being swapped for a more “natural” alternative: rendered cow fat. 

Why it matters: Animal products are generally higher in cholesterol and saturated fat. The best thing to do if you’re worried about your health is to avoid fast food and junk food altogether. Anything fried, whether in seed oil or beef tallow, isn’t good for your health, period. (Plant Based News)

Does ‘normal’ exist in restaurants anymore?

If there’s one thing restaurants have learned five years after the pandemic, it’s that to survive, you need to be prepared for the unexpected. 

If it’s not a deadly virus, it’s a weather catastrophe, supply chain issue or hiked-up rent. Nimble seems to have replaced normal; staying small and manageable, training staff in multiple roles, and having an arsenal of tactics at the ready seem to be the new roadmap to success.

While it’s not a panacea, embracing chaos and being adaptable are new skills that restaurateurs have had to learn over the past five years. “When a disaster hits, all we can do is react and adjust as quickly as possible and hope there’s some governmental support financially,” says Atlanta restaurateur Jarrett Stieber.

Why it Matters: Luck may have more to do with why some restaurants survived the COVID-19 pandemic while others shuttered. It’s also hard to save for a metaphorical rainy day when critical issues like paid sick leave, childcare and minimum wage are still on the table. (Eater)

The evolution of ‘Yes, Chef,’ and what it means today   

What began as a way to respect kitchen hierarchy, “Yes, Chef” has evolved into a pejorative for many, whether used as a snarky comeback or a demeaning way to control staff.  

“This term that originally has this connotation of respect and serenity in the kitchen has come to symbolize this abuse of power,” says Luke Barr, author of Ritz and Escoffier. 

The term can be traced to 19th-century French chef Auguste Escoffier, who created the brigade system, which birthed the “yelling chef” trope. But now, with the popularity of shows like The Bear, the general public is flippantly using “Yes, Chef” in everyday life.

“It seems almost disrespectful to me,” says industry vet Darron Cardosa, who runs the website The Bitchy Waiter.

But Tim Flores, who owns Kasama restaurant in Chicago with his wife, has a different perspective. “The idea that we need to dismantle the hierarchy and the brigade is wrong,” he says. “We need to get rid of toxic culture.”

Why it matters: The power of “Yes, Chef” seems to have been co-opted by the general public, which is proof that negative kitchen culture is evolving for the better. Says Cardosa, “Maybe it is not so bad that it doesn’t mean what it meant 15 years ago.” (New York Times) 

1 in 4

The number of Millennials and Gen Z who bring their own condiments to a restaurant, especially hot sauce. (Fortune)

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💠 Working at a chain is kinda great

"For some people, it might be okay, but for me, I needed the pressure of being in a fast-paced kitchen, being scared to mess up."

– Alex Kemp, chef/co-owner of Philadelphia’s My Loup, on why he hated culinary school. (🎧 Andrew Talks to Chefs)

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