Short Cuts

Most of the shortcuts I've used have bitten me in the butt. We do a mobile business right now, and the best shortcut I know is to prepare for the next week as soon as possible. My part is to make sure paper products, the bank, etc. are ready to go right after we finish the market the weekend before.
That's about as shortcut as I can get.
Peggy

I saute my onions and peppers by the bag full. Then I measure them out and freeze them until needed. Always have chopped butt ready so it takes me an hour to do beans. Also the onions are ready for camp stew then also......

the shortcuts that i take were taught to me by the old school german chef i learned under. he called these the " six peas".
ez to remember and has served me well over the years. the six peas are "prior planing prevents p*ss poor performance". to accomplish this you only have to write down everything you do everytime, sit for hours with multiple thermometers when calibrating new equipment, keep track of all sold orders by season and the weather within that season and when everyone else is playing you are studying your old notes and predicting and keeping track of which ones are right and which ones are wrong. NEVER EVER COMPROSMISING ON QUALITY!!!! IF YOU HAVE TO RUSH IT 86 THE THING FIRST!!!! that one rushed plate (yes plate!!) will always come back to haunt you.
so my shortcut amounts to several composition books a good cross pen and a back up refill for it.
it isn't a lot of fun
it is a lot of work
but never forget that being a chef is listed by the department of labor as a profession and therefore you must be!!!!!!!
but you will never be embarassed by turning out a poor product and in the end you will make money if you are willing to invest the time and thought.
heck you might even luck up like i did and pass the 4 hour written chef's exam!!!!
hope it helps
jack

PutterPitt,

Do you saute as a time saver only or do the onions and peppers (bell, I presume)freeze better that way?

Time Savers:
1) Use the oven if you must. Back in the day, when I had a small stick burner and I was running way behind schedule for a catering order (i.e., 2 hours to do 3 hours of cooking), I had to partially cook the beef short ribs in the oven while the chicken was grilling/smoking, and then finish them on the grill. They came out great, but I've never done it that way again.
2) Always keeping an extra chimney of burning charcoal available in the event my fire burns out before I plan.
3) When in a rush, I've had to use thr food processor to "dice" onions and bell peppers. This changes the texture more than the flavor of my beans. Any dicing shortcuts out there.

Rootsman

we always try to stay a couple days ahead with our prep. thats about the best short cut there is.... prep. try blanching onions and peppers in the fryer first. then finish on the flat top. add a little garlic butter for a nice flavor. you can do a day's worth at a time and keep chilled. cook your beans before you need them, you will never run out. and remember the golden rule......"if in doubt, throw it out"