National Pancake and Waffle House

It's been almost 2 years  since we  had our  vacation in Williamsburg, Virginia.  We stayed at Fort Magruder because when we booked online, their offer includes free buffet breakfast so we thought of trying them.  However, when we checked in, we were told that breakfast isn't complimentary.  I  would have love to argue but my husband is not the type to  argue when it comes to stuff like this especially when we were all tired from a long drive.  So, the next day, we went to this old-fashioned, family-run eatery serving coffee and classic American breakfast , the National Pancake and Waffle House.

According to the review we read online, this place is excellent so we want and tried it.  Our server was very friendly which I always find appealing when  trying a new place to eat.  I  don't like grumpy or  snobby server because it ruins my  appetite lol.  

The pancakes are huge plate size so all of us had a taste of it since one person can't  eat it all.   My daughter love the  french toast she had.  All in all we love their service and food.  I would recommend this pancake house on Pocahontas Trail. 

We got there rather early so  we were the first ones in so we were served immediately.  My husband and kids are very particular with their sweet tea so I am glad that  the tea in this place pass their expectation.

I also like the fact that  they give you this  Virginia map  at the table.  You get to see  the list of things you can do and explore while waiting for your food.

I am sure there were plenty of waffle houses in Williamsburg since it is a tourist place but I would  go back on this place if we ever  visit Virginia again.  Nothing beats a good service and  great food!

Key Facts That You Should Understand To Successfully Grow Your Small Business

Are you a restaurant owner trying to wow your guests? Perhaps you’re trying to grow your small business into a medium-sized enterprise? Regardless of your aims, there is some universal advice that can help your business take off the right way.

Customer Service Is Number 1

We all know that customerservice is the number one business practice to get right. The problem is that it's so difficult. Human nature is hard to predict, and you never know what could go wrong.

A good piece of advice is to treat your customers like your family. Make them smile, make them laugh, and give them free stuff.

Another concept to understand is that it’s the little things that count. A person that’s having a bad day could have their entire outlook turned around by a smile or friendly gesture from one of your staff.

Good Staff Are Hard To Find (And Keep)

Organised and conscientious people are needed for any business to succeed. The problem is that they are so hard to find.

You will want to establish a rigorous hiring process to hone in on the good workers and weed out those that will sleepwalk through the workday.

Consider asking applicants why they want to work for you in the first place. Some may only want the money, while others may be deeply passionate about your industry.

You also want team players. People who start drama with other co-workers will not only be neglecting their work, but they will be distracting the rest of your team. Seek out staff that always maintain a professional and friendly attitude in the workplace.

Once you find a top employee, then you need to hang on to them. If they’re truly exceptional, then they can probably get a job anywhere. Make sure they understand that they are valued and consider offering them regular pay increases.

Delegation Is Crucial

You only have two hands, so don't try and juggle other peoples’ work. Delegation is one of the hardest skills to master. You will need to trust employees to complete tasks without you taking over or micromanaging them: easier said than done.

This is another reason why it's so crucial to hire the right staff in the first place.

Getting Stuck In The Past Will Derail Your Success

The world is changing at an exponential rate. It’s crucial to stay up to date with the latest business news for your industry. Failing to do so will allow your competitors to gain an edge over you. Consider regular visits to a news site, such as the Mid Day Daily.

Final Thoughts

Many small businesses fail because they didn’t focus on what’s most important. You don't want to end up in the same boat. Make sure you’re constantly seeking ways to improve your customer service. Make sure you seek out and retain the best workers. Don’t forget to stay up to date with the latest business news. Doing all these tasks right will create a winning formula for success.

Preparing for Your First Chef Interview

Preparing to interview for any job or position can often be a nerve-wracking experience. It is one of those situations where we are in a particularly vulnerable state, and when we are naturally at our most nervous. After all, the entire purpose of an interview is to be judged by a complete stranger. This is not something that any of us enjoys at the best of times. When we are also facing the pressure of looking for employment, it becomes an even worse scenario.

However, if you are passionate about cooking and believe that you have real talent in the kitchen, don’t let this put you off applying. As long as you take the time to prepare, and make sure you understand exactly what you are letting yourself in for, applying to be a chef should be as exciting as it is nerve-wracking.

Make Your Resume Shine

If you are looking for interview tips, it is possible that you have already turned in a resume. Even if you have already landed an interview on the basis of your current resume, nothing is guaranteed. You may find yourself applying for jobs again soon. In any case, it is worth taking some time to ensure that your resume is up to scratch.

Your interview will go a lot smoother if you provide enough information on your resume for your interviewer to be able to ask you some questions about you as a person. Every resume should include a covering letter and a personal statement, but these are often overlooked. Have a look at this Project Manager cover letter PDF for an idea of what you should include in your cover letter.

Do Your Research

You can never know too much about the place you are applying to work at. The more you know about the business, the more it will demonstrate to potential employers how serious you are. It will also demonstrate to them that you are diligent and that you have an attention to detail, both skills which are important in the kitchen.

Dress to Impress

First impressions count for a lot at any job interview. You want the clothes you wear to convey the right message. Think about the kind of person you would want to see walking through your door if the roles were reversed. You don’t have to go overboard, but make sure you are looking as neat and smart as you can.

Be Prepared to Talk About Food

Naturally, the interviewer may well want to know what you think about food and what you know about various cuisines. Make sure that you are prepared to talk about all of this and talk about it in a way that shows you are passionate about the subject.

Be Prepared for Rejection

Remember, nothing is guaranteed. You cannot be certain that you’ll manage to land any job until after you’ve signed the contract. Rejection shouldn’t put you off. Instead, it should motivate you to keep trying. Don’t give up and sooner or later you’ll find the perfect chef’s job for you.

Interviewing for a job is very rarely a fun process, but it is a lot easier when you take the time to prepare beforehand. As long as you do this, your interview should be a smooth and painless process.

Sugared Up

Sugar.. sugar.. sugar.  We get sugar in a lot of things that we consume on a day to day basis.  My husband and son are  sweet fanatics, they both have sweet teeth.  It may sound  very controlling but I  monitored their  intake of sweets because I don't want them to have diabetes or something like that.  Moderation is the key so it is not bad to  eat sweets once in a while as long as you keep it in the right amount.  

Anyway, during the  kids end-of-the school-year party, the home room Moms brought some goodies to eat including sweets.  My favorite part are the fruits.

There are veggie snacks too with dip.

The kids are so lucky because their homeroom Mom is a great pastry chef, she makes delicious cupcakes and cookies in every occasion.  These cherry cupcakes were so good!

I love the one with  coconut sprinkles.

I must admit, I could never top what they do because I am not creative when it comes to hosting party so I admire them  for  always bringing fun to the kids.

Our kids are always excited  for the party because of the  variety of food that they get to enjoy at the end of their  classes.  

Below are the  yummy food that the 4th graders had during their  end of the school year party.  Their home room mom is awesome too!

We did a surprise  baby shower party too for their teacher because she was due   that summer.  

One of the moms made these fun  drinks to tie up with the baby shower theme.

And they too, had sweets.  So the kids are pretty much sugared up at the end of the  day.

I eat cupcake once in a while but I don't like frosting.  My son's favorite part is the  icing and sprinkles, I think most kids  are like him.  I am not sure if they will have end of the school year party  this year since they have a different homeroom Mom (my son's class) but I am sure  my daughter's class will do because  they have the same homeroom Mom and she always organize it.  Thanks Rose A., Amy M., and Marie M, for all that you do for our children.  You guys rock!

How to Combine Work and Travel Successfully as a Foodie

Spicing up your life should include mixing it up by doing spontaneous things from time to time. Looking beyond occasional one-day outings, it’s worth combining a love for food and cooking with one for travel and adventure.

Let’s see how you can work and travel successfully as a foodie.

Working in Other Cities or Abroad

Working in another city or to other countries takes some advanced planning but it can be done. You can either go with a degree that’s a perfect fit for certain jobs, like being a teacher, a nurse, or another professional position, or you can aim to be adaptable on location.

You can study for an Interdisciplinary Studies degree which prepares students to be adaptable by design. View jobs that you would be suitable for when graduating with this type of degree. The range is quite eclectic.

Food Blogger

For dedicated bloggers who enjoy making notes, taking photos and writing a blog post about a dining experience, being a food blogger who reviews restaurant meals is a rewarding experience. A food blogger can also create their own recipes and provide step-by-step instructions for how to reproduce their visual treats, pleasurable aromas and delicious tastes.

There are many food bloggers who make best use of Instagram to post photos of their latest creations and link back to their website. The level of professionalism with the photography alone will take time to develop and achieve. Bloggers can sell their recipes in a book or develop a cooking course to help visitors learn how to cook even if their knowledge is basic. They also have advertising and other monetization to fund their travel lifestyle.

YouTube Vlogger

Mark Wiens of Migrationology.com is a great example of a food vlogger. He lives in Thailand with his Thai wife and young child. He began by filming around the country vlogging and blogging about his visits to local food stalls and occasional restaurants. He later went on sponsored travel tours that combined his interest in travel with a fascination for world cuisine. More recently, he’s graduated to visiting many expensive countries and sampling the best that their regional cuisine has to offer at local markets and the most expensive restaurants in the area.

His frequent travels are funded through advertising on his YouTube channel and associated websites, sales of his destination travel/food guides and affiliate commissions too. For the most part, he replaces the food shows on TV whilst not even being a practicing chef himself!

Foodie Earning Potential

Finding ways to make money as a foodie is not easy. When most of the bloggers and vloggers started out, there were few indications that a YouTube channel or a website on a food-related topic would ever generate a full-time living. However, Mark Wiens’ multiple YouTube channels now have over 1.7 million subscribers and an incredible number of video views per month. It took years to build up, so it’s certainly not an overnight success story. Nor is it the only one.

With the advent of online income and people following your passion, it’s possible to build a following and create an income with or without a job. Combining travel opportunities whether through a travel company sponsorship, supporting food writers or vloggers, or by taking different jobs as they become available along the way are viable options. There are many different approaches you can take because food is a universally popular topic that never goes out of fashion.