Thanksgiving Tips from a Retired Chef

My partner, Val Gerischer, worked as a chef in Pennsylvania and New Jersey restaurants for over thirty years. For most of those years, he was in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day, offering these quick tips for dining out on turkey day.

 You can reserve your table early in the day to get the freshest turkey and avoid the crowds that pack in around mid-to-late afternoon.

 If you are a real fan of turkey and dressing and hate crowds, reserve your table for the day after Thanksgiving. You'll pay a lot less for the same dinner and avoid the noise and fuss of a busy restaurant.

 Save a little of your holiday dinner for one of those yummy day-after-Thanksgiving sandwiches with turkey, cranberry sauce, and mayonnaise.

 Finally, if you cook Thanksgiving dinner at home, please get creative and relax with your menu. This is one of those holidays that people want classic American turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce like Grandma used to make. Stick with the basics on this day and go foodie-gourmand crazy next week.