Biography

Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D.

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Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D. is our Advice Guy and Professor of Culinary Arts and Science at Drexel University in Philadelphia. He is the co-author/editor of eight books, including The Anti-Inflammatory Family Cookbook (Simon & Schuster, 2021).

Articles by
Jonathan Deutsch, Ph.D.

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Operations

Is a vegan eatery automatically kosher?

Fruits, vegetables and grains are inherently kosher, Advice Guy says, but unless an establishment has rabbinical supervision and certification, it is not.

Workforce

Do I have a choice in where I get food safety certified?

The short answer is yes, says Advice Guy, though you will want to check with your local health department first.

Labor challenges in foodservice are not going away. It might be time to think about ways to streamline your operation with a smaller team, Advice Guy says.

Fringe benefits represent the costs of an employee beyond their wages, which might include Medicare tax, paid sick days and healthcare, says Advice Guy.

Since so many operations are seeking cooks, talented ones can practically choose their gig and may look for better circumstances elsewhere. But a few straightforward strategies can help keep cooks on staff, Advice Guy says.

Making sure your training, documentation and policies are clear to staff is a good place to start, Advice Guy says.

As staffing struggles continue, some foodservice workers might not receive hospitality training, resulting in insensitive or annoying language that can also inhibit sales, Advice Guy says.

Earned wage access isn’t right for every operation, Advice Guy says. However, if the idea is appealing to your current and prospective employees, it's worth exploring.

Checking specific types of references, such as former employers and former employees, can provide useful perspective, Advice Guy says.

Many foodservice operations have a weekly all-hands deep clean, at least in the back of house, a practice our Advice Guy highly recommends.

For signs about employee handwashing and the like, food and drink concepts shouldn’t test the limits of health code compliance, Advice Guy says.

Many people look at the beginning of the year as a time for new opportunities, but resignations should be approached as a conversation, Advice Guy says.

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