The Hambuger Anology Rant: Food in Carrollton

Well, I've been threatening to return the Blog to operational status for some time and have been thinking on what needs to be said.  Sure, I will return to recipes soon enough but there are a few things that need to be said before we move on with tastes and flavors and it concerns the restaurant business as a whole in my fair little Burg.  From the local farmers, to restaurateurs, to people that eat.  The main problem that seems to be common ground between all of these people is that they accept mediocrity as a gold standard.  As far as chefs in this town are concerned, it's a systemic problem and it begins with the consumer and I would like present to you the simple hamburger by way of explanation.

To the The Consumer

As I sit in my little perch on Adamson Square, I see the same food trucks stop at every one of these restaurants.  Sysco, U.S. Foods, Performance Food, etc. all stop at every restaurant and deliver the same basic ingredients.  Now, I would be remiss if I didn't state that every chef in town does the best they can with what they get and some of them are damn talented at what they do, but if you think for one minute that you're getting a better hamburger from one place than you are from another, there's one thing you're forgetting or ignoring: It's the same burger off the same truck from the same factory that gets the same cows from the same commercial feed lot.  Yet, after all of this, people will swear on the grave of their dead grandmother that one place has a better burger than the other...or steak, or pork chop, and so on and so forth forever and ever Amen.

Until the people that drive the market in Carrollton understand what good food is, there will never be a Food Revolution.  I know chefs that want to put out better product but people won't pay the price for it simply because they don't know that it is a better product.  Oh, and to that one person I spoke with on this subject: Your solution of some place having a decent salad bar is NOT part of the solution.  It is very much part of the problem.

To the The Farmer

Before this pisses off just about every farmer I can think of, keep in mind that there are folks out there that are doing what they can to get this good food revolution off the ground.  This is by no means a blanket indictment of farmers as a whole but it's a message that all growers and producers should hear.

I've worked with many of you for some years now and have used your products because I believe in supporting local businesses and because I want the best possible ingredients for what I make but we all have to come to some level of understanding that would cover two areas: Price and Type of Product.

Look, I've lived by my wits as an income source for years and I know exactly what it takes to provide a product or service to someone and have them appreciate it have them come back for more of it.  I also understand, and have heard many of you express a great interest in having your products featured in our local restaurants.  That's all well and good but how do you expect your food to be anything other than a boutique product when it costs 5-10 times more than what comes off the food truck.  I know a lot of chefs in this town and they would LOVE to use more local, naturally raised ingredients but when a chicken costs $20 or when you try to sell your products to a restaurant for the same price as you sell it to the end user, then you'll be met with the same response each time you ask why they don't use more of your product and the answer is, quite simply "No one will pay $21.00 for a hamburger".

Let me give out a little trade secret here to both the consumer and the farmer:  In order for a restaurant to survive, the profit margin on their food has to be 300%  Yes, that is an accurate number and as I have said for many years, don't believe me.  Google that shit.  No, you're burger costs $7.00 a pound.  There's your $21.00 burger.  It still comes on the crappy, preservative laden bun, it still comes with hot house tomatoes from a foreign country, and it still uses production condiments.  Can you imagine the cost of that burger on a locally baked bun with all local ingredients and homemade ketchup or aioli?  No you're looking at a $27.00 burger.  I get it that you have to make a living to but as soon as people TRY to create a food culture, it will catch on...as long as people can afford it, and if the restaurateur can't afford it, then the Consumer damn sure can't either and we need these consumers to understand exactly how good your products are.

As I mentioned, there's also the little issue of Type of Product.  One of the things that I love to do with my hamburgers is season them then press a melange of caramelized onions and garlic onto the surface and grill it until it has crispy crust.  This works very well when you use black garlic which, when cooked, gets very sweet.  There's not one farmer that I know of that is growing any other forms of garlic other than what can be found at the local grocery for half the price. What else makes a burger just go off the charts for me is to place a very runny quail egg on it.  While I"m on the subject, quail eggs are the Gold Standard for a fine meal whether its in a Caesar dressing or just cracked over a steak.  However, not only does no one seem interested in producing quail eggs, they seem to be oblivious to growing quail at all, which is a product that would fly off the menu if it were presented here.

I'm not sure whether its a fear of the unknown or if people think that no one will know how to use these products but, having talked to numerous chefs in this town I will tell you this: Give us the ingredients we want. We, by God, know how to use them...and we're DYING for them.

To the Chef 

We're all in this together.  I know most of you would rather be working with top notch stuff making incredible dishes with talents that you have.  I realize that those that cook for a living do it because they wanted to create the best dishes possible.  I also realize that, if you are not the owner of your place then you have to work with what the bean counters tell you to work with.  However, as chefs, can all take an active part in creating this Food Revolution and showing the Farmers that is can be sold in mass quantities if the price is right and, at the same time, showing the people of this area what good food..I mean REALLY good food...tastes like.

If you own your restaurant, then put one dish on your menu that uses all local ingredients and bloody well charge for it.  You may not sell a ton, but you'll be making a statement to those that really do want good food that you're willing to prepare it and you'll be showing each farmer exactly what you can and cannot do for them.  If they want you to do more for them, then they will have to do something for you.  if you're the executive or the head chef, ask this of the owner just once and see if they are willing.

From my own perspective, I have plans to take this battle right to the front lines.  I can't really say at this point what I am up to but, when it happens, you'll know it and  would encourage each chef to do what they can to get the farmer, the consumer, and every restaurant owner in Carrollton on board with a movement that we all want to be a part of.  Good Food through the elimination of Mediocrity.

If you eat, eat the best you can find and be willing to pay for it.
If you grow, grow the best and people will want it.
If you cook, demand the best.  I firmly believe that if you build it and charge for it, they will come.

As always, Party Well.  Eat Better.