Remember those bubble domed cars from The Jetsons that we were all supposed to be driving around in by now?* While they probably would be only slightly less safe than a Suzuki Samurai* in a rollover test, they did have one great design benefit. There would be no blind spot. No fear of a Vespa […]
Making Flavored Syrups For Beverages
I had my last alcoholic beverage on October 11th, 2005. The toughest part of giving up alcohol for me was losing the variety of drink options. There are tens of thousands of amateur and professional bartenders around the world constantly working on developing new cocktails. The options are virtually limitless. When I gave up booze […]
The Bull That Changed America
Most Americans love a great steak. It has become a staple of the menu of most restaurants and commonly fetches a premium price. Steaks have come to signify indulgence and distinction. We celebrate with steaks and enjoy them on our special occasions. It is difficult to even imagine a time when this was not the […]
The New Foodie Knowledge Blogroll
Foodie Knowledge encompasses a wide variety of food and foodie related topics. I wanted to find a wide range of sites to reflect that variety. What you won’t find here is a bunch of recipe blogs. Instead, I want to get deeper into understanding food and foodie culture. The sites features are informative and provide […]
Stop Overcooking Pork
Pigs really do get a raw deal. Two major religions prohibit eating them. They stutter and are filthy on TV. They are notoriously bad builders who are often attacked by big bad wolves and angry birds. They are synonymous with gluttony If any animal needed a public relations makeover, this is it. Perhaps the worst atrocity happens after […]
Is It Hot In Here?
If the weather where you live is like most of the country right now, it is hot. Not just a little hot, but repressively hot. I read recently that the Midwest has experienced higher temperatures for more consecutive days than during the dust bowl era. It is the sort of hot spell that makes you […]
Working In A Restaurant Kitchen
I always get a chuckle when someone who is not in the restaurant business asks me about the show, Hells Kitchen. Their question is always, It isnt really like that is it? The honest answer is that if you spend 30 years progressing up the ladder as a cook, you might one day get to […]
10 Words We Pretend We Know
I have been at this serving game for quite a while. I have worked for countless chefs, pitched thousands of specials, and guided over 100,000 people through their dining experience. I even write a blog called Foodie Knowledge to help educate other people about food. It is not a bad little resume for establishing foodie […]
10 Things That You’re Doing Wrong at Restaurants: A Response
My Father recently forwarded me an article titled “10 Things That You’re Doing Wrong at Restaurants†by Adam Roberts. My Father knows me pretty well. This article encouraged less outrage than other articles instructing guests about restaurant life from the perspective of someone who does not work in a restaurant. There are some points where […]
Tipping on Drinks
I am asked from time to time by friends who are not in the restaurant business what is the appropriate amount to tip a bartender. I generally hate answering questions like this because I either justify tipping less than they do or make them feel bad that they have been tipping poorly. I believe in […]
The Hidden Restaurant Tax
I often get asked when talking about restaurants what has changed the most in my time as a server. I have always had a hard time answering that question. In part, it is because my vantage point on the industry has changed over the years. The differences between my current job and my first serving […]
About The Author
David Hayden was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He took his first serving job in 1996. Since that time, he has worked for over a dozen different restaurant companies. He has held both hourly and salaried positions at independent and corporate restaurants. He has waited on over 100,000 guests and trained hundreds of servers. He has been named "Best Server in Kansas City" the last three years by the local weekly paper.