Rebecca McKinney
I was born a foodie. My dad is a chef, baker, and restaurant owner and my mom might as well be because she owns whatever kitchen she walks into. I grew up working in my family’s restaurant and bakery in Pawling, New York – McKinney and Doyle. I started behind the bakery counter at 12 years old after begging my parents to let me start working. At 16 I worked as a hostess. By 18 I was serving tables and training behind the bar where I then worked every other weekend throughout my college career. Even now, when I am visiting my family in New York, I help out where I’m needed. To make a long story short, the food and restaurant industry has been my life for as long as I can remember.
I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.
So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!
Eat well & travel often,
Becky McKinney
I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.
So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!
Eat well & travel often,
Becky McKinney
Latest posts by Rebecca McKinney (see all)
- Why Food Makes the Best Gift for a New Mom - April 12, 2023
- 5 Ingredients to Cook With This Spring - March 15, 2023
- 10 Reasons to Dine Out on Valentine’s Day - February 2, 2023
Okay, let’s go back to the Busy Saturday Night Post from last week to get one customer’s perspective. I’d like to take a quick moment and say that obviously, not every customer will have that same experience. I chose one example fully knowing that every customer experience is different and everybody handles situations differently. That being said, let’s revisit that night from the hostess’ perspective.
It’s Saturday night! Date night! You and your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend are ready to dress up a little, have a few cocktails and treat yourselves to a nice meal. You even made a reservation at your favorite restaurant earlier in the week because you wanted your favorite table. You know the one, the corner table tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and the noise. But what’s this? You got to the restaurant right on time and your table isn’t ready. No biggie you’ll just grab a couple drinks at the … oh … the bar is packed. Your night isn’t exactly going as planned so far but that’s fine it’ll only be a couple of minutes.
Today’s topic is one very near and dear to my heart and I know I’m not alone. I want to talk about the reputations that surround those who work in the restaurant/bar industry. To preface this post, I have worked in the industry in one way or another since I was 12 years old. I’ve worked full time, part time, and as a fill in, as a hostess, bartender, server, busser, counter clerk, and catering server. When I wasn’t working in a restaurant, I was eating in one. I live and breathe this industry (even when I am not actively working in it) so my opinion may be a bit biased but I am going to share it anyway. And I welcome your feedback and thoughts in the comments!
The food industry is constantly evolving and changing. That’s why over the past couple of years you’ve seen “healthy alternatives” on restaurant menus. It’s also why you’ve seen an influx of house infused liquors and herbal combinations in the cocktail menus. Granted we are well into 2015 at this point but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still things to look for. It’s funny how you notice things more readily once they are pointed out to you or become relevant to your personal life. Like how if you buy a new car, all of a sudden you see tons of YOUR car driving around. I’m willing to bet this will be another one of those situations. You’ll read about all of these trends here and then go out to eat and it’s all you’ll notice. Keep me posted on that one.