I heard that many restaurants/eateries serve Sysco food, whole or partially made dishes to assemble and reheat, and sometimes even the menu is given by Sysco.
I think I had one of those Sysco foods when I had a salad with chicken and it was just horrible. the chicken was rubber, and I left pieces, which is saying a lot - vikings needs their meat!

Often you think that you are at a qulaity restaurant with a chef who makes his own menu and food, and gets the ingredients around the place, making deals with local farmers. But then it turns out it is Sysco food with raw materials from e.g. china.

Even upscale places you can risk getting Sysco food, for example, French Laundry while having a recipe for homemade fries in his book, serves sysco fries, and gets some meat from them as well. So it is really hard to know.

Anyone here knows how to predict it?

Sysco is a major player around here along with another wholesale food distributor called Ben. E. Keith. Near all the restaurants..schools..jails..hospitals buy stuff from one or the other. Most of their stuff is pretty good. Not sure where the chicken salad jumped the tracks.

On Saturday, July 26, 2014 1:02:18 AM UTC-5, Michael Nielsen wrote:

> I heard that many restaurants/eateries serve Sysco food, whole or partially made dishes to assemble and reheat, and sometimes even the menu is given by Sysco.
>
> I think I had one of those Sysco foods when I had a salad with chicken and it was just horrible. the chicken was rubber, and I left pieces, which is saying a lot - vikings needs their meat!
>
> Often you think that you are at a qulaity restaurant with a chef who makes his own menu and food, and gets the ingredients around the place, making deals with local farmers. But then it turns out it is Sysco food with raw materials from e.g. china.
>
>
Stay home and then you'll be somewhat safe.

Seriously? You have no idea where your meal came from but you automatically assume and blame Sysco Foods for your crappy meal?
>
> Even upscale places you can risk getting Sysco food, for example, French Laundry while having a recipe for homemade fries in his book, serves sysco fries, and gets some meat from them as well. So it is really hard to know.
>
>
>
> Anyone here knows how to predict it?

On 7/26/2014 2:02 AM, Michael Nielsen wrote:

> Even upscale places you can risk getting Sysco food, for example, French Laundry while having a recipe for homemade fries in his book, serves sysco fries, and gets some meat from them as well. So it is really hard to know.
>
> Anyone here knows how to predict it?
>

Assume it. Probably 75% or restaurants are getting something from
Sysco. I see them all over.

On 2014-07-26, Ed Pawlowski > wrote:

> Assume it. Probably 75% or restaurants are getting something from
> Sysco. I see them all over.

So many restaurant foods come frozen from mega-corps. When I worked
in a small hotel resto, 40 yrs ago, I was shocked to see Mrs. Smith
frozen commercial pies were the "homemade" pies served to patrons.
Likewise, the crab stuffed salmon was also pre-fab. Much of the
processed frozen foods you see in the sprmkt, today, started long ago
as pre-fab food for pricey restos.

nb

>
> Seriously? You have no idea where your meal came from but you automatically assume and blame Sysco Foods for your crappy meal?

It had been frozen thats for sure, and another poster also said I can pretty much assume it is from sysco.

I cant eat at "home" because it takes 16 hours to get home (Denmark!). Im doomed to eat out. Cant go to supermarkets and eat their ready to eat food, cos thats from sysco. And its besides the point. I want to try different places to eat, but where its a real chef that makes his own. I know one pace that is like that, where they make their own sauces even and has their own farm and deals with other farms near them. I want more like that. Should be possible near the US food capitol Berkeley.

>
> So many restaurant foods come frozen from mega-corps. When I worked
>
> in a small hotel resto, 40 yrs ago, I was shocked to see Mrs. Smith
>
> frozen commercial pies were the "homemade" pies served to patrons.
>
> Likewise, the crab stuffed salmon was also pre-fab. Much of the
>
> processed frozen foods you see in the sprmkt, today, started long ago
>
> as pre-fab food for pricey restos.
>

The fact that they call it homemade is the worst part. Just call it a pie, so places with homemade pies can write that believably.

On Saturday, July 26, 2014 8:32:54 AM UTC-7, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 7/26/2014 2:02 AM, Michael Nielsen wrote:
>
>
>
> > Even upscale places you can risk getting Sysco food, for example, French Laundry while having a recipe for homemade fries in his book, serves sysco fries, and gets some meat from them as well. So it is really hard to know.
>
> >
>
> > Anyone here knows how to predict it?
>
> >
>
>
>
> Assume it. Probably 75% or restaurants are getting something from
>
> Sysco. I see them all over.


I used a regional restaurant supply company, similar to Sysco. I did not like Sysco because I thought their stuff was inferior. I never trusted them. The regional supplier I used was much better because I could get organic vegetables, salad ingredients, meats, poultry, etc. and I had a rep who was trustworthy and would go out of his way to find something for me.

Suppliers are necessary. It is not always easy to source everything you need in a restaurant from local growers and there is so much more than just fresh foods that are necessary for a restaurant operation.

I never bought 'pre-made' meals, only ingredients, from my suppliers. Most restaurants buy from suppliers because of the reliability of being able to get the ingredients they want.

On 2014-07-26 12:17 PM, Michael Nielsen wrote:
>
>
> The fact that they call it homemade is the worst part. Just call it a
> pie, so places with homemade pies can write that believably.
>

There are all sorts of word games being played. 100% pure juice and all
natural don't necessarily mean that your orange juice is 100% pure
natural juice.

On 7/26/2014 12:15 PM, Michael Nielsen wrote:
>
>>
>> Seriously? You have no idea where your meal came from but you automatically assume and blame Sysco Foods for your crappy meal?
>
> It had been frozen thats for sure, and another poster also said I can pretty much assume it is from sysco.
>
> I cant eat at "home" because it takes 16 hours to get home (Denmark!). Im doomed to eat out. Cant go to supermarkets and eat their ready to eat food, cos thats from sysco. And its besides the point. I want to try different places to eat, but where its a real chef that makes his own. I know one pace that is like that, where they make their own sauces even and has their own farm and deals with other farms near them. I want more like that. Should be possible near the US food capitol Berkeley.
>
Or you could just learn to cook rather than eating out.

BTW, how's Martha? LOLOL

Jill

On Saturday, July 26, 2014 12:02:18 AM UTC-6, Michael Nielsen wrote:
> I heard that many restaurants/eateries serve Sysco food, whole or partially made dishes to assemble and reheat, and sometimes even the menu is given by Sysco.
>
> I think I had one of those Sysco foods when I had a salad with chicken and it was just horrible. the chicken was rubber, and I left pieces, which is saying a lot - vikings needs their meat!
>
>
>
> Often you think that you are at a qulaity restaurant with a chef who makes his own menu and food, and gets the ingredients around the place, making deals with local farmers. But then it turns out it is Sysco food with raw materials from e.g. china.
>
>
>
> Even upscale places you can risk getting Sysco food, for example, French Laundry while having a recipe for homemade fries in his book, serves sysco fries, and gets some meat from them as well. So it is really hard to know.
>
>
>
> Anyone here knows how to predict it?

Many years ago (probably 18-20) our Sysco had a retail store. While it did not offer all of their products, they had a lot of the pre-prepared restaurant supplies. I hate their cole slaw. I can always tell when a restaurant is using it. A lot of their stuff is okay and I would shop the store for party supplies.

We had a restaurant near us about 35 years ago that had a menu that was pretty much all Sysco. Frozen chicken fried steaks, cordon bleu, lasagna, and all sorts of dinners that were either microwaved or tossed into the deep fryer. They did not taste bad, but were all very salty and fatty. They were a popular restaurant in a small town for many years.

DaleP

On 7/26/2014 11:17 AM, Michael Nielsen wrote:
>
>>
>> So many restaurant foods come frozen from mega-corps. When I worked
>>
>> in a small hotel resto, 40 yrs ago, I was shocked to see Mrs. Smith
>>
>> frozen commercial pies were the "homemade" pies served to patrons.
>>
>> Likewise, the crab stuffed salmon was also pre-fab. Much of the
>>
>> processed frozen foods you see in the sprmkt, today, started long ago
>>
>> as pre-fab food for pricey restos.
>>
>
> The fact that they call it homemade is the worst part. Just call it a pie, so places with homemade pies can write that believably.
>

I had a relative who worked for Mrs. Smith's. He said that private
bakers would use their facilities and they would make the private
recipes. Maybe this is what those pies were?

--
From somewhere very deep in the heart of Texas

One of he local bbq restaurant chains uses Mrs. Smith cobblers. Very good stuff. Taste like my grandma made it.

On 7/26/2014 9:53 AM, bigwheel wrote:
>
> 'Michael Nielsen[_4_ Wrote:
>> ;1953448']I heard that many restaurants/eateries serve Sysco food, whole
>> or partially made dishes to assemble and reheat, and sometimes even the
>> menu is given by Sysco.
>> I think I had one of those Sysco foods when I had a salad with chicken
>> and it was just horrible. the chicken was rubber, and I left pieces,
>> which is saying a lot - vikings needs their meat!
>>
>> Often you think that you are at a qulaity restaurant with a chef who
>> makes his own menu and food, and gets the ingredients around the place,
>> making deals with local farmers. But then it turns out it is Sysco food
>> with raw materials from e.g. china.
>>
>> Even upscale places you can risk getting Sysco food, for example, French
>> Laundry while having a recipe for homemade fries in his book, serves
>> sysco fries, and gets some meat from them as well. So it is really hard
>> to know.
>>
>> Anyone here knows how to predict it?
>
> Sysco is a major player around here along with another wholesale food
> distributor called Ben. E. Keith. Near all the
> restaurants..schools..jails..hospitals buy stuff from one or the other.
> Most of their stuff is pretty good. Not sure where the chicken salad
> jumped the tracks.
>
>
>
>
We have Ben E. Keith here, too. When I was in the rehab hospital the
food definitely came off a Sysco truck. It was vile. All kinds of
nuked crap. DH would bring me dinner from home or take out.

--
From somewhere very deep in the heart of Texas

Sysco and Ben E. Keith are real similar to a Sam's or Restaurant Depot which endeavors to deliver the goods to your place of business for a small price above going to pick it up yourself. I have never found any poor quality goods from either place. Sysco did get nabbed out in sunny CA the other day for stashing perishables in some type of holding facilities which were sub standard..no refrigeration etc. Got a whopper of a fine. Our boy has worked for both places. He says Ben E. Keith is better and treats the employees much better. Sysco has idiots in the chain of command.

Sysco caught with pants down | Marler Blog

On 7/26/2014 11:17 AM, Michael Nielsen wrote:
>
>>
>> So many restaurant foods come frozen from mega-corps. When I
>> worked
>>
>> in a small hotel resto, 40 yrs ago, I was shocked to see Mrs.
>> Smith
>>
>> frozen commercial pies were the "homemade" pies served to patrons.
>>
>> Likewise, the crab stuffed salmon was also pre-fab. Much of the
>>
>> processed frozen foods you see in the sprmkt, today, started long
>> ago
>>
>> as pre-fab food for pricey restos.
>>
>
> The fact that they call it homemade is the worst part. Just call it a
> pie, so places with homemade pies can write that believably.


You are right, calling it homemade is disappointing. One of my nephews
wives (that does not sound right) makes pies for restaurants in her
small town, she is a wonderful pie maker.

Becca

> Or you could just learn to cook rather than eating out.
>

When Im in a position to cook I do, but when Im travelling and living in hotels I have to eat out, and thats my trouble. it is mostly disapponting to find these "reheat" places, and salads thats like going to a safeway plastic container that they scooped on a plate for me and charge triple.

>
> BTW, how's Martha? LOLOL
>
>

I dont know but my wife and daughter are fine, thanks for asking.

On Saturday, July 26, 2014 9:15:57 AM UTC-7, Michael Nielsen wrote:

> I cant eat at "home" because it takes 16 hours to get home (Denmark!). Im doomed to eat out. Cant go to supermarkets and eat their ready to eat food, cos thats from sysco.

I'd be surprised is any medium to large sized supermarket chain would be buying from Sysco. Supermarkets have their own suppliers and distribution chain. Sysco provides the distribution chain for restaurants from large suppliers. If the supermarket has trucks with their own name on them, they don't need Sysco. Now, I'm not saying that makes supermarket prepared food any better or worse, just not really from Sysco.

Sysco supplies lots of things to restaurants from latex and poly gloves to basic staples like salt, sugar, flour, etc. It would be hard to run a restaurant without at least considering getting some supplies from Sysco, whether they use pre-made entrée items or not is a different question.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, VA

> Sysco supplies lots of things to restaurants from latex and poly gloves to basic staples like salt, sugar, flour, etc. It would be hard to run a restaurant without at least considering getting some supplies from Sysco, whether they use pre-made entrée items or not is a different question.


Well, here is one example of a supermarket Sysco delivery, which seemed odd because that supermarket is a whole foods kinda things for "shop local", sustainable, raw foods, vegan, organic, no waste, no plastic containers, bring your own container, fill it with foods, shampoo, soaps, and pay per weight kinda deal.

http://www.davisvanguard.org/the-pro...-fork-america/

However, to me "sysco" is just a symbol for the concept of having premade stuff delivered and making it fraudulent by calling it "homemade" or "our chefs soup". Its not about getting produce or ketchup from them, but whole meals and you just get the service of scooping the salad onto a plate for you..

And the opposite is chefs that invent their own recipes and make sauces incl. ketchup from scratch.

If both types call their menu "homemade" - how should you know the difference? one will cost more than the other ofcourse....

>
> Let me guess... you got fired from a job with Sysco?


No, Im from Europe, where restaurants have chefs and make their own food. Except 20$ all you can eat places and chain restaurants, but people know who they are and they dont claim it is homemade. That is fraud. Its puzzling that these restaurants are not sued, in "sue everyone america".

> Even upscale places you can risk getting Sysco food, for example, French Laundry while having a recipe for homemade fries in his book, serves sysco fries, and gets some meat from them as well. So it is really hard to know.
>
>

In case someone needs a refresher what this is about:

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/cl..._sysco_guy.php

The fact that some of their food is good is irrelevant.

>
> Your attempt to paint Sysco as some evil demon company in cahoots with tens
>
> of thousands of liar restaurants is not convincing.
>

Im not making any claims, or painting sysco anything. Im just reacting to what I hear and read about them. Assuming their claims are correct, I react and wanted a discussion about that.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/f..._you_take.html

On Monday, July 28, 2014 2:56:56 PM UTC-7, Michael Nielsen wrote:
> Im not making any claims, or painting sysco anything. Im just reacting to what I hear and read about them. Assuming their claims are correct, I react and wanted a discussion about that.
>
> http://www.slate.com/articles/life/f..._you_take.html

No, you are just slanting and exaggerating an already slanted article. At least the article you link contains this:

"But many quality restaurants, like Tree Room, use Sysco responsibly--shying away from pre-made items they can disguise as their own. Bardia Ferdowski of Bardia's New Orleans Café in Washington, D.C., purchases only raw and unprocessed Sysco products such as flour, potatoes, and beef, and receives frequent deliveries so that ingredients are as fresh as possible. For its part, Sysco has also been upping the quality of some of its offerings. It now distributes more locally grown meats and produce, and teams up with companies like artisanal cheesemonger Murray's to deliver specialty foods. Chef Tom Hosack of Hudson's at the Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, Wash., for instance, buys most of his greens through Sysco, and they're almost all regionally grown."

As others and I have said, just because a restaurant buys something from Sysco doesn't mean they don't have a chef who actually makes his/her own menu items from real ingredients. You are just outright lying that no restaurants in your area make their own stuff.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg VA

> As others and I have said, just because a restaurant buys something from Sysco doesn't mean they don't have a chef who actually makes his/her own menu items from real ingredients. You are just outright lying that no restaurants in your area make their own stuff.
>

I never said noone does. I even said I know of one that does. I also knew that some just buy ingredients. They are not what this is about. I asked about how can you know if you are going to get generic industrial food or real freshly prepared food...

I dont understand why you people get so worked up about...

On Monday, July 28, 2014 3:44:17 PM UTC-7, Michael Nielsen wrote:
> > You are just outright lying that no restaurants in your area make their own stuff.

>
> I never said noone does. I even said I know of one that does. I also knew that some just buy ingredients. They are not what this is about. I asked about how can you know if you are going to get generic industrial food or real freshly prepared food...

Bull! You just wanted to stir up some crap. If you can't tell the difference, then what does it matter . . .

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, VA

On Mon, 28 Jul 2014 15:25:25 -0700 (PDT), "
> wrote:

> You are just outright lying that no restaurants in your area make their own stuff.

There's always the possibility that he can't tell the difference.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On Mon, 28 Jul 2014 15:44:17 -0700 (PDT), Michael Nielsen
> wrote:

> I never said noone does. I even said I know of one that does. I also knew that some just buy ingredients. They are not what this is about. I asked about how can you know if you are going to get generic industrial food or real freshly prepared food...
>
> I dont understand why you people get so worked up about...

You're the only one who is worked up.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

"Michael Nielsen" > wrote in message
...

>
> Let me guess... you got fired from a job with Sysco?


No, Im from Europe, where restaurants have chefs and make their own food.
Except 20$ all you can eat places and chain restaurants, but people know who
they are and they dont claim it is homemade. That is fraud. Its puzzling
that these restaurants are not sued, in "sue everyone america".

How could a person sue a restaurant for not making something from scratch,
even if it isn't? In order to sue, one has to have some sort of damages.
Yeah, maybe the food didn't taste good. But unless it sickened them in some
way, where are the damages?

"Michael Nielsen" > wrote in message
...
>
>> Even upscale places you can risk getting Sysco food, for example, French
>> Laundry while having a recipe for homemade fries in his book, serves
>> sysco fries, and gets some meat from them as well. So it is really hard
>> to know.
>>
>>
>
> In case someone needs a refresher what this is about:
>
> http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/cl..._sysco_guy.php
>
> The fact that some of their food is good is irrelevant.

I've seen Sysco trucks around. I never gave them a second thought. For all
I know, the restaurant is getting mustard and ketchup from them. Maybe salt
and pepper. Or tea bags.

I also know there are plenty of restaurants that serve premade soup or soup
made from soup base or frozen food. I don't mind frozen fries and most
likely if I get a burger patty, it came frozen. But I do still draw the
line. I've been told that Applebee's makes nothing from scratch. It all
comes frozen. I avoid.

"Michael Nielsen" > wrote in message
...
>
>>
>> Your attempt to paint Sysco as some evil demon company in cahoots with
>> tens
>>
>> of thousands of liar restaurants is not convincing.
>>
>
> Im not making any claims, or painting sysco anything. Im just reacting to
> what I hear and read about them. Assuming their claims are correct, I
> react and wanted a discussion about that.
>
> http://www.slate.com/articles/life/f..._you_take.html

That article is much ado about nothing. It does take stabs at the Tree
Room. Never heard of it before. But here's their menu:

http://www.sundanceresort.com/dine/tree_dinner.html

It's a small and limited menu. What is on it that might come frozen? Maybe
the cheddar grit cake? Dunno. Doesn't look like much of that could come
frozen.

And so what if the salad dressing isn't made in house? Not that I eat salad
dressing. I don't. But even if it says "house dressing", I wouldn't assume
that it was made in house.

The article also mentioned some specific foods like Parkay and Lucky Charms.
Well... While I have no statistics on this, I would be willing to bet that
most places that serve food and might order from Sysco would in fact use or
serve such things. It's not just restaurants that serve food. What about
places like nursing homes, schools, hospitals, and various cafeterias such
as those in a large courthouse? Do you really think they are going to cook
the food from scratch?

And if our area is any indication of how the rest of this country is going,
most of the restaurants are chain places that serve mediocre food. Sure as
shootin' they are getting from Sysco or similar. And I don't really care.
I try not to eat at those places and they also don't try to pass their food
off as homemade. I do think the average person probably thinks they are
really cooking it back there though just based on comments I've heard people
make.

I do eat at a couple of places that have cottage cheese on the menu. Do I
think someone is back in that kitchen making the cottage cheese? No. And
they've got to get it from somewhere. Same for that cheese on the
cheeseburger.

The article also says that Sysco sells beer mugs. So just like I said
before... I see a Sysco truck and I make no assumptions. I also do not
assume that a restaurant makes all that they sell from scratch. To think so
would be foolish.

" > wrote in message
...
On Monday, July 28, 2014 2:56:56 PM UTC-7, Michael Nielsen wrote:
> Im not making any claims, or painting sysco anything. Im just reacting to
> what I hear and read about them. Assuming their claims are correct, I
> react and wanted a discussion about that.
>
> http://www.slate.com/articles/life/f..._you_take.html

No, you are just slanting and exaggerating an already slanted article. At
least the article you link contains this:

"But many quality restaurants, like Tree Room, use Sysco responsibly--shying
away from pre-made items they can disguise as their own. Bardia Ferdowski of
Bardia's New Orleans Café in Washington, D.C., purchases only raw and
unprocessed Sysco products such as flour, potatoes, and beef, and receives
frequent deliveries so that ingredients are as fresh as possible. For its
part, Sysco has also been upping the quality of some of its offerings. It
now distributes more locally grown meats and produce, and teams up with
companies like artisanal cheesemonger Murray's to deliver specialty foods.
Chef Tom Hosack of Hudson's at the Heathman Lodge in Vancouver, Wash., for
instance, buys most of his greens through Sysco, and they're almost all
regionally grown."

As others and I have said, just because a restaurant buys something from
Sysco doesn't mean they don't have a chef who actually makes his/her own
menu items from real ingredients. You are just outright lying that no
restaurants in your area make their own stuff.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg VA

---

I think it is highly possible that no restaurants in his area make their own
stuff if he has only places like Red Lobster or Applebee's. Denny's does
hand shape their own burger patties. They're not good but... At least
those are from scratch. I would be willing to bet though that most of what
they serve is not from scratch based on the ingredients listed on their
website.

"Michael Nielsen" > wrote in message
...

> As others and I have said, just because a restaurant buys something from
> Sysco doesn't mean they don't have a chef who actually makes his/her own
> menu items from real ingredients. You are just outright lying that no
> restaurants in your area make their own stuff.
>

I never said noone does. I even said I know of one that does. I also knew
that some just buy ingredients. They are not what this is about. I asked
about how can you know if you are going to get generic industrial food or
real freshly prepared food...

I dont understand why you people get so worked up about...

---

Well for starters, don't eat at chain places. Then pick a restaurant and
ask them if they cook from scratch. Or perhaps better still ask which items
are made from scratch because chances are unless it is a really high end
place, they are buying some stuff even if it's only bread and rolls.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 28 Jul 2014 15:44:17 -0700 (PDT), Michael Nielsen
> > wrote:
>
>> I never said noone does. I even said I know of one that does. I also knew
>> that some just buy ingredients. They are not what this is about. I asked
>> about how can you know if you are going to get generic industrial food or
>> real freshly prepared food...
>>
>> I dont understand why you people get so worked up about...
>
> You're the only one who is worked up.

Indeed. I think he is trying to get us worked up but is failing.

On 7/28/2014 5:06 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Jul 2014 11:11:18 -0700 (PDT), Michael Nielsen wrote:
>
>>>
>>> Let me guess... you got fired from a job with Sysco?
>>
>> No, Im from Europe, where restaurants have chefs and make their own food.
>
> Ahh, so this is one of those "America-bashing" trolling attempts.
>
> Well, I hate to break it to you, but we have chefs that cook real food
> here, too. And you have plenty of low-quality restaurant distributors
> wherever you live, too.
>
> Now you can **** off. We already have enough of your type of troll
> here. They don't last long; they come and go sporadically but always
> get their asses kicked.
>

Steve, did you read the article that Modom or Mrs. Modom posted on
Facebook? They bought a house in the south of France and they just spend
a month, there. Restaurants in France have a sign that they can display
in the window, saying that their food is cooked in the restaurant,
because 60-80% of restaurant food in France is prepared somewhere not on
site.

Becca

On Tue, 29 Jul 2014 03:48:31 -0700, "Julia Bove"
> wrote:

>I've been told that Applebee's makes nothing from scratch. It all
>comes frozen. I avoid.

I'm pretty sure the salad I had there didn't come frozen.

Doris

On Tue, 29 Jul 2014 04:22:08 -0700, "Julia Bove"
> wrote:

> Well for starters, don't eat at chain places. Then pick a restaurant and
> ask them if they cook from scratch. Or perhaps better still ask which items
> are made from scratch because chances are unless it is a really high end
> place, they are buying some stuff even if it's only bread and rolls.

Sounds like he's not really in Berkeley if he's having so much trouble
finding a decent place to eat. If he was still up in the
Sacramento/Davis area, I'd have no problem understanding what he's
talking about because it's the land of shopping malls and chain
restaurants.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

On Tue, 29 Jul 2014 04:20:27 -0700, "Julia Bove"
> wrote:

> I think it is highly possible that no restaurants in his area make their own
> stuff if he has only places like Red Lobster or Applebee's. Denny's does
> hand shape their own burger patties. They're not good but... At least
> those are from scratch. I would be willing to bet though that most of what
> they serve is not from scratch based on the ingredients listed on their
> website.

He claims to be "in" Berkeley now. If he can't find scratch food
there, he's trying his best not to.

--
I take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lemon and a shot of tequila

>
> I also know there are plenty of restaurants that serve premade soup or soup
>
> made from soup base or frozen food. I don't mind frozen fries and most
>
> likely if I get a burger patty, it came frozen. But I do still draw the
>
> line. I've been told that Applebee's makes nothing from scratch. It all
>
> comes frozen. I avoid.

[read all your responses]

See this is the kind of insight I was looking for, thats all. Im not worked up or trying to get people worked up.

Im just a frequent traveller that prefer to support places with a chef that uses local ingredients and his own recipes. I know the drawbacks, as the place I do know that makes all sauces and fries from scratch will have changing menus based on the season, and they will sometimes be sold out of a dish.

I've sometimes had things at restaurants that felt more like fastfood, while I do expect slow food at restarants. So when I was told about sysco (and others like them), that explained some things Ive seen. A lot of people in my area swear to aplebees. I was there once 10 years. Wondered why people raved about it. During the 10 years in and out of this place I ate mostly at a Czech restaurant that made all the czech dishes, incl. lots of different layer cakes themselves. They are closed now. When the seasonal local food restaurant I was happy to have two good slowfood places.

Both when I was told about sysco and in the articles and discussions people mentioned it as a big surprise that he would use frozen fries. (you ask which one, it is in Napa) and I was there some years ago and did wonder about the fries. Because of them I wondered why people consider it a fancy place.. In Denmark, fancy places dont have fries. As a restaurant approaches mid class , they replace fries with fresh fried or roasted potatoes. I know they dont claim it is anything else, but it surprises people.

Regarding claiming to be homemade vs assuming homemade things, I agree there is a difference, and I dont know how many places do that. From the sound of the articles and question-answer sites and waiters responses, then it is frequently done, though. Especially pies, sauces and soups. In Denmark products that are falsely marked can get in trouble with authorities. Should be the same in restaurants. In Italy I see asterixes when a dish contains frozen things.

It is too late to ask about if things are housemade or industrial after sitting down. Im not the kind of person who will get up and leave after being seated. thats why Id like to predict it beforehand. It is a good point that some things will be housemade and some things not in most places. Assuming the water will be truthful about it (and some of them have said in discussions of industrial served foods that they will not be in all establishments).

And finally, I did except that foodies would care about fastfood in slowfood restaurants. Not worked up , but thinking that it is a disappointing practice and a bad development for the world, that it becomes more and more common. There could be official rules about marking these products.

I like to avoid industrial foods. I dont have nestle products in the house. Before my wife moved in I didnt even have ketchup. When I made burgers Id make a sweet and sour compot of onions and mushrooms. So if I can avoid being fed industrial foods to some extent when forced to eat out, it would be great

> Sounds like he's not really in Berkeley if he's having so much trouble
>
> finding a decent place to eat. If he was still up in the
>
> Sacramento/Davis area, I'd have no problem understanding what he's
>
> talking about because it's the land of shopping malls and chain
>
> restaurants.
>


Im in Davis yes. And one of the places I trusted is gone! Fun fact about the czech restaurant: When the guvernator was in sacramento his favourite place was the czech place and he would drive into davis with 3 hummers, making a lot of noise. After going back to L.A. he had dishes flown in from that place haha.

> He claims to be "in" Berkeley now. If he can't find scratch food
>
> there, he's trying his best not to.
>

No, I said "near berkeley". Its still Davis as you guessed in the other post.