You know what they say:  “If you can’t take the heat in the kitchen…find a way to cool things off!”

Okay, that may not be exactly how that phrase goes, but you get the point.  Record-setting heat across the country is making it more critical than ever to ensure the safety and comfort of your hospitality staff.

During the summer months, hospitality workers can be exposed to uncomfortable working conditions (both indoors and out) that can affect their job performance and health.  Hard work in hot weather can raise an employee’s body temperature higher than his body can cool itself off by sweating.  So as we head into the dog days of summer, use these common sense tips to keep your hospitality staff cool, safe and productive while they’re on the job:

Watch the heat index.  The heat index (a measure of how hot it really feels as the relative humidity increases) can affect how safe it is to work outside on any given day.  As you plan employees’ activities, be sure everyone on staff knows the heat index and measures their effort accordingly.

Provide plenty of water.  Encourage employees to take frequent hydration breaks.  Decaffeinated drinks like water and sports drinks provide the most benefit; remind your staff to choose these over teas, caffeinated sodas and energy drinks during the heat of the day.

Plan breaks from the heat and sun.  If employees will be working in direct sunlight or under unusually hot conditions, plan shaded or indoor respite breaks into their work schedules.

Schedule strenuous activities for the coolest time of day.  When possible, allow employees to perform taxing jobs like set-up, re-stocking and break-down early in the morning or later in the evening.

Establish a summer dress code.  Allow employees to wear lightweight, light-colored clothing to reflect both heat and sunlight.

Make sure kitchens are well ventilated.  Ovens, grills and exhaust from refrigeration equipment greatly increase kitchen temperatures.  Add extra fans and/or air conditioners to regulate the temperature and keep air moving.

Look for the signs of heat-related illness.  According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), here are some key symptoms to watch for in your employees and the appropriate first aid.  Be prepared by keeping a well-stocked first-aid kit with the items necessary to address heat-related conditions.

Take these proactive steps to keep your hospitality staff comfortable, productive and cool as a “Penguin” at the North Pole!  And as always, if you need reliable, experienced hospitality staff at a moment’s notice, give Penguin Staff a call.  Throughout Atlanta, Central Virginia and the D.C./Baltimore Metro area, Penguin has the people you need.

Add a little sparkle to your Independence Day menu with these delicious and fun drink recipes:

Fourth of July Cocktail

“Triple D” host Guy Fieri heats things up – literally – with this pepper-infused concoction that’s sure to grab guests’ attention:

Courtesy of Guy Fieri, foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

1 ounce watermelon schnapps

1 big splash cranberry juice

1 very thin slice jalapeno or serrano pepper

1 slice lemon

1 slice lime

1 1/2 ounces tequila

1/4 ounce blue curacao

1/2 ounce simple syrup

Garnish:  Watermelon wedge

Glass:  Highball

Directions

Mix the schnapps and cranberry juice in a shaker; pour into an ice-filled glass.  Muddle the jalapeno pepper, lemon and lime slices, tequila, blue curacao and simple syrup (to make a batch, dissolve sugar in equal parts hot water and chill) in the shaker.  Slowly strain into the glass over the red layer.  Garnish with watermelon, if desired.

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Coconut Blue Hawaiian

A beautiful red, white and blue cocktail that will cool guests down on a hot summer day.

Courtesy of bettycrocker.com

Ingredients

1 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup (4 ounces) light rum, if desired

1/2 cup (4 ounces) blue curaçao

1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream of coconut (not coconut milk)

10 to 12 ice cubes

Garnish:  Fresh cherries or maraschino cherries with stems

Glass:  Martini

Directions

Chill martini glasses in freezer several hours before serving.  Place all ingredients except cherries in blender.  Cover and blend on high speed about 45 seconds or until smooth.  Pour pineapple mixture into glasses.  Garnish with cherry.

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Frosty Fireworks

A non-alcoholic drink recipe sure to please guests of all ages.

Courtesy of food.com

Ingredients

16 ounces blue Gatorade

16 ounces red Gatorade (or any red Kool-Aid or fruit punch)

12 ounces Sprite or any other clear carbonated beverage

4 -6 plain ice cubes

Glass:  Highball or tall tumbler

Directions

Fill the sections of one ice cube tray with blue Gatorade, and place in freezer for several hours or until frozen solid.  Fill the sections of the other ice cube tray with the red Gatorade (or other red color drink), and place in freezer until frozen solid.  When ready to serve, place about 4 or 5 regular (clear) ice cubes in a highball glass or tall tumbler.  Add two blue ice cubes and two red ice cubes to the glass.  Fill the glass the rest of the way with a clear carbonated soda.  Now wait to see the special effects to begin.  As the cubes melt, colored bubbles will swirl through the soda and create a sparkling “frosty fireworks” effect.

You know who they are:

• the superstars who are committed to doing a job properly and not just “filling time”;

• the overachievers who go above and beyond the call of duty;

• the high performers who are enthusiastic about their jobs and fulfilling your organization’s mission.

Whatever you call them – superstars, overachievers, high performers – you know your hospitality organization’s success depends on hiring and retaining them.  So how do you identify them?

Unfortunately, high performers don’t go around with signs hanging from their necks that read “I’m a top notch worker – hire me!”  But, you can use this list of attributes to help you determine which hospitality candidates are the best and brightest:

1. They are forward-thinkers – about their job environment and their hospitality careers.  To thrive, they need to know how what they’re doing now will impact the future.
   
2. They have found their focus.  High performers know their strengths and have found an appropriate expression for their talents in hospitality.
3. They self-manage.  Research has shown that high performers consciously apply a systematic approach to every task.  This disciplined approach makes them more organized, productive and fulfilled.
4. They are accurate appraisers – of peers, work environments and themselves.  They can spot talent in co-workers and chinks in their competitor’s armor.  Likewise, they recognize their own weaknesses and strive to improve them.
5. They are intrinsically motivated.  While money is undoubtedly important, high performers are fueled from within.  Their need to attain personal and organizational goals is often as great a reward as compensation.
6. They are optimistic.  High performers see the glass as half-full.  They tend to treat obstacles and setbacks on the job as temporary and therefore surmountable.
7. They respect other high performers.  Rather than focusing on hierarchy, high achievers operate within a society of mutual respect.  As a result, they will lend a hand to others with talent and help them flourish.
8. They are results-oriented.  These individuals won’t sit quietly and do a job just because they’re told to.  Top performers need to know how their efforts affect the organization’s “big picture,” and measure their efforts in terms of bottom-line results.

If you want to hire top performers, develop behavioral interview questions that will screen for attributes like the ones listed above.  Or just give Penguin Staff a call!  Our staffing professionals are experts at identifying high achievers who will perform well in your organization.  We offer a variety of hospitality recruiting and staffing services to deliver the best and brightest for you.

You don’t need a treadmill, a dumbbell or Zumba DVD to get your cocktail menu ready for the bikini season.

All you need are some hot new drink recipes!

Here are three you can add to your menu.  They’re sure to cool down all of your customers as the weather heats up:

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Blueberry Smash

This recipe is by the pitcher.  Perfect for a table to share!

Courtesy of bonappetit.com

Ingredients:

2 lemons, sliced into rounds

2 limes, sliced into rounds

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves plus sprigs for garnish

1 1/2 cups vodka

3/4 cup St-Germain (elderflower liqueur)

Garnish: Mint sprig

Glass: Coupe or highball

Directions:

Using a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon, coarsely mash lemon and lime slices, blueberries, and mint leaves in a large pitcher.  Stir in vodka, St-Germain and 2 cups of ice cubes.  Divide drink among coupe or highball glasses; top with more ice cubes.  Garnish each drink with a mint sprig.

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Barbados Punch

A summery, frozen mixed drink perfect for day or evening.

Courtesy of delish.com

Ingredients:

1 ounce Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum

1/4 ounce triple sec

1 ounce lime juice

2 ounce pineapple juice

Garnish:  Lime slice and pineapple slice

Glass: Pina Colada

Directions:

Add Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, triple sec, lime juice, and pineapple juice to a blender with crushed ice.  Blend until smooth and pour into glass.  Garnish with lime slice and pineapple slice.

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Fresh Grape Crush

For guests who prefer a lighter option, this tasty concoction contains less than 200 calories!

Courtesy of yumsugar.com

Ingredients:

8 seedless red grapes

1-1/2 ounces grape juice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 ounces vodka

1-3 ounces soda water, to taste

Garnish:  Lemon wheel

Glass:  Lowball

Directions: 

In shaker or mixing glass, muddle grapes. Add in ice, grape juice, lemon juice and vodka.  Shake vigorously, strain over lowball glass with ice, and top off soda water to taste. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Forget green food coloring.  This year’s St. Patrick’s Day drinks are all about taste!

Here are three unique and festive drink recipes to add to your menu that are sure to bring out the Irish in all of your customers:

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Irish Jack Rose

Courtesy of Liquor.com

Ingredients:

1 oz Michael Collins Blended Irish Whiskey

.5 oz Calvados

.5 oz Fresh lime juice

.5 oz Grenadine

Garnish: Lime wedge

Glass: Cocktail

Directions:

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice.  Shake, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with a lime wedge.

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The Blarney Stone

Courtesy of Food & Beverage Magazine

Ingredients:

2 oz Sobieski Bizon Grass Vodka

Apple Juice

Glass: Highball

Directions:

Pour Sobieski Bizon Grass vodka into glass with ice.  Add apple juice.  Stir and serve.

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Black Velvet Beer Cocktail

Courtesy of yumsugar.com

2 oz Guinness Extra Stout

2 oz Korbel Brut

Glass:  Champagne coupe

Directions: 

Gently pour stout and sparkling wine into coupe.  Stir and serve.