Last night's soup argument has me questioning kitchen standards

Last night, I prepared our signature soup with homemade chicken stock as usual. My line cook saw me and said we should switch to boxed stock to save time and money. I argued that the rich flavor from scratch is what sets our dish apart. He countered that most customers can't tell the difference, and it cuts prep time in half. We couldn't agree, and now the whole kitchen is divided on the issue. I want to hear from other chefs: is homemade stock always better, or are there times when commercial is okay?

4 comments

4 Comments

rowanr881mo ago

What a tough spot to be in with your team divided like that. Homemade stock absolutely makes a difference in a signature dish where flavor is the main point. There are busy nights where a good quality boxed stock can work, but your soup's reputation is worth the extra time.

grant371mo ago

Hard to see a team split on something so basic. @rowanr88 is right about homemade stock making a real difference. Flavor in your best dish can't be faked with boxed stuff. Sure, busy nights might need shortcuts, but not for your top soup. Stick to your guns on this one, or your rep suffers.

kai8391mo agoTop Commenter

Your soup's reputation is worth the extra time" is the whole point. You see this everywhere, people cutting the one corner that actually matters.

rowanr881mo ago

Grant37 gets it, but what about the cost?