My meat supervisors have started hammering me on service case garnish. I'm from the old school that said "fresh and full and clean," sells meat and Keep It Simple Stupid. But these fools want fancy and "upscale." I already dress my service case steaks and chops with a little fresh kale and cherry tomatoes but apparently, this is not enough for them. They want bell peppers and radishes and lemons and apples and all sorts of stuff scattered all over the case. I don't have a lot of artsy fartsy talent and neither does anyone on our staff. The end result looks like a produce dept markdown bin. Now the store director's on my ass about being creative.
you may have to have a face book account to view them, if you do, make one just so you can get on face book, I can give you a lot of links like this one
Tell them to hire a decorator if its that big of a deal.
The kale and keeping is simple is about all I would think to do. All that other stuff you listed just sounds like a mess that is best left to a professional decorator.
Ask them if they can just have the produce department come in and scatter their **** around.
-- Edited by fdarn on Monday 2nd of March 2015 11:08:17 AM
I love the meat roses, Leon. Can you tell us how to make them?
Getting back to the question of garnish. I've been in this business long enough to know that these things go in cycles which are dependent on the regional meat people going into the competition and seeing something that looks good, and feeling like that is the reason the competition is doing good. I've seen it go from "we aren't selling garnish, we are selling meat, so keep the garnish out of it" to oh geez that store down the street has booming business (even though it was their grand opening), they had garnish on their meat and it looks cool.
You know, I don't worry so much anymore about which way they want it. I just do it how they like it for the moment and know it will eventually change. Unless, you work in a store where you are able to take care of your own displays, and run the department how you want it, you'll just be beating your head up against a wall trying to change their opinions. It's not worth the stress or aggravation.
These days, I just make note that my name isn't on top of the store sign, so whatever they want they get. That is really the job they hired me for, and to make money, which you can argue about the garnish making money or not, but that might be best for another discussion.
Lianna, I agree with you 100%. Even though I, personally, think it's a waste of time, it's what they want, so I need to learn to do it (at least for the time being). And if I'm going to do it, I want it to be right. Right now, we're kind of half-assing it and I'm not pleased with the results. I'm surfing google and you-tube trying come up with ideas that are both simple and eye-catching.
Yeah, I like those meat roses too. I'm wondering if you could do them with bacon strips? They'd last a little longer and be cheaper to make?
I really like the look of that top case. All that fresh red meat with just a very little kale just pops to me... But then again, what do I know?
Take a look at Instagram. I work at Whole Foods and they really are encouraging all the stores to get plenty of pictures in there. There may be other meat shops, as well.
It gets easier. You'll figure out what they want, and then they'll change it again. :)
worked at byerlys for a while did meat than seafood they wanted a new case every day hot peppers red and green ,kale, mini pumpkins in oct, let the month and season lead your way 4th july red white and blue st pats green ect though i did get in trouble for putting a cigar butt in a salmons mouth for fathers day hey i said you want new right? did anyone do this(of coarse i saw them turning the corner and placed it in the mouth) so have fun with it in a few months it will all go away take pic though looks good on resume
Here's a late tag on garnishment. Leon, your pictures are from Whole Foods and that's a freaking beautiful display. Probably a grand opening. The problem I encountered with garnishment was always with the sanitation aspects. We were allowed to use kale only if we kept it refreshed in cold sanitized water overnight. Otherwise, you had to start fresh every morning with new produce and this usually started a fight with the produce department.