Posted by Linda on May 12, 1998 at 14:36:17:
Hi, all!
Several pastry chefs responded to my post seeking interviewees for Pastry Art & Design magazine that they'd like to participate in the survey but not do a phone interview.
I've pasted the questions I would have asked in a phone interview below. If you're a pastry chef at a hotel or restaurant and would like to participate in this survey for my "state of the industry" article, please e-mail it to me at linda at tp dot net no later than May 25, 1998. If you can't answer a question, just leave it blank. If you would like to talk further on any of these issues, let me know--I also need to profile a few chefs who have views on the industry they want to share. Your responses will be a great help!
Regards,
Linda
linda at tp dot net
Questions:
Your name, address and phone number.
Title and place of employment. Is it a restaurant or hotel?
Location and size of restaurant or hotel.
May I quote your answers/use your name in the article?
A. Pastry Chefs
1. What large equipment/small equipment/products are you using now that youdidn't have 3 years ago?
2. Are you making plated desserts?
3. Are you making bread for your facility?
4. Do you purchase finished products from outside? If so, often or occasionally?
5. Do you purchase components (mixes, purees, garnishes) from outside? If so, often or occasionally?
6. Do you serve one or more of these items: creme brulee, tiramisu, pannacotta?
7. What's your most popular dessert?
8. What's your most popular bread?
9. What's the average menu price for your mid-level desserts?
B. About You:
1. Age.
2. How many job changes over last 3 years?
3. Is pastry/baking your first career? If not, what is the general category of your previous career?
4. Did you attend culinary school?
5. Do you take continuing education classes? How many on average per year?
6. In your industry: what's hot and what's not?
7. What are your best-selling items?
8. Can you tell me about any trends?
9. Factoids, oddities, anecdotes?
10. To what extent does management participate in creative (type and style of product) decisions?
C. About Your Place of Employment:
1. Spending for labor, materials and overhead.
2. Sales in 1997.
3. Sales change in last 3 years (up or down).
4. Retail and/or wholesale price breakdown for pastry/dessert/bread.
5. Average retail sale change over past 3 years (up or down).
6. Number of employees--paid and intern/extern. How many on the pastry staff?
7. Salaries for various tiers of employees.
8. Salary change over the past 3 years.
9. Hiring: New hires in 1997 and over the past 3 years.
10. Average employee hours.
11. How frequently do you change the menu?
12. Do you market/sell any products from your hotel/restaurant (sauces, condiments, breads)?
13. What are your best-selling items?
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