# Crazy People and Backstabbing in the kitchen....opinions??



## kaiquekuisine (Apr 11, 2013)

So this is not only a rant, but i also want opinions. 

As i have mentioned i am working in a restaurant that currently has two chefs. A chef during the morning breakfast-lunch rush, and a chef during the afternoon-night. 

The morning chef is nice and all, but he isn´t a good cook, he is lazy, procrastinates, a total nut job after what i saw today. He is nice and all, but today i realized this dude is nuts....

Basically i have been pulling way over my weight in the kitchen with this chef. I work both mornings and nights during the month so i get two different experiences working with two different professionals. 

To keep it short i´m just going to minimize my experience to recent activity and try to keep focus on the morning chef. 

Anyway it seems that i have been working a lot harder then my chef, who is just a lazy arse kisser. He doesnt put in his work, doesnt do prep, doesnt have contact with reps, doesnt plan costs, doesnt develop menu ideas (unlike the night chef). So i have been working a lot just to show to my fellow co-wrokers and my employers that i´m a hard worker and plan on doing my best for the business/restaurant. It´s been really paying off and i am doing a nice job, the problem is still this morning chef. 

It all started 3 days ago on monday. I decided recently that i would stop being such a little b*tch in the kitchen and i was going to return to my old assertive and serious ways while working. So i put the bubbly and quirky personality behind and started to get serious. Sure i have fun in the kitchen, but as soon as that first ticket comes in its serious time....

So monday im doing my prep (after finished doing the prep that the morning chef should have done). And i noticed something very important. We had no tomatos in the kitchen and we were running low on eggs. 

So i advise my chef and state that we should call our suppliers to get them to bring some in ASAP. We use a lot of tomatos and everyday we have a daily dish that is part of our value meal, that is cheap, with the dish comes one portien, 2 sides and a salad that is basically free with the meal. Instead of buying regular tomatos he being all lazy and accomadated tells me to just use cherry tomatoes in the salad.... I respond "Well that going to be a very expensive free salad IMO", because here in Brazil Cherry tomatos are expensive way more then regular ones. 

So i just keep my mouth shut and pretend im going to follow his lead as soon as one of the partners/owners shows up asking how everything is going i tattle on the fool, and tell her we have no tomatos and are running low on eggs.... to which i get the response "why haven´t you ordered them yet, if we need them then you guys should have ordered them", i just roll my eyes and point to the chef, to which she notices why we havent ordered them and gets off my back. 

The morning chef gets pissed, thinking i´m disrespecting his authority in the kitchen, talking behind my back, saying it´s not my business to tend to supplyers, the way i saw it was that it was his own fault and his own mistake, considering i advised him of the situation beforehand and he simply gave me an unacceptable option and just ignored the problem. 

Today i was working as usual doing my prep, and as i was making some soup he comes over and says its too thin. The problem is we got complaints that last time we made soup it was too thick to which i was told by the night chef and my superiors to thin it down a bit. He tells me its over seasoned, and too thin and that he is going to add corn starch to thicken it quick. I against this quickly demonstrate my resistence, and as soon as possible i ask others for opinions to which they thought my soup was great and very pleasant. The chef still being persisent and not trusting on my soup decides he is going to thicken it even... thats when i decide to turn off the little b*tch inside me and get someone with authority to taste my soup. A partner/owner comes in and i have her taste the soup to check seasonings she thought that there was a tad bit too much cilantro (but she just went through surgery and was going through a diet so her palette was out of whack), tasting it again and looking at it she then responds to my doubts saying it was "perfect". The chef gets pissed, thinking i am once again showing him disrespect on his terf. He then just goes and gets the corn starch and dumps it in my soup, just ruining what i had spend my time on creating....

During service we were slammed HARD. I was in the zone and i didn´t get frazzled. 1 6 top comes in and orders, (4th ticket in the window) we then get slammed with a one diner, followed by 4 followed by 2, followed by 5....

The order was basically:

1st ticket: 2, 2nd:2 3rd:2 4th:6 5th:1 6th:4 7th:5, follwing another 2, 2, and 2 and etc...

Anyway i put out the first 2 orders fast, the 4th ticket comes in while im working on the 3rd and its mad complicated, the chef loses it, seeing that more tickets are coming in, he even considers just walking out in the middle of service. The waitress comes in with a few more tickets and he almost throws an iron baking sheet at her, which luckily hit the floor. (someone still is pissed from the morning prep time we spent i assume).

Anyway wile he is covering the 6 top i send out the salads and entrees for the third ticket, and i send salads to all other tables in record time. I start entrees and i finish them all, when he finally finishes the 6 top, im already on my 7th ticket sending out the 5 top, followed by 3 more 2 tops and a 4 top. ( i wanted to help him on the 6 top, but he was pissed and i was advised to continue on...)

I finish service on a high the place was packed and in roughly 90-100 minutes of service i sent out 23 salads, and 21 entrees, followed by 2 desserts as well. (the place only fits around 35 people in our main dining room which is always free for lunch. 

Basically i sent out 46 plates in more or less 90 minutes feeding almost all the customers on my own, while the chef feeds only 6 people in one table all while almost hitting a waitress with a baking sheet and looking like a deer in the head lights. 

The kitchen was nuts during service, swearing, cursing and just so much racket coming from the chef and the waitress who just started rambling and bickering unprofessionally, and a good portion of the clientele was watching the whole show. 

Service is finished and i did great, no items on my part were delayed, put out all the orders AFAP and i worked clean, no mess on my station during service. I even got the thumbs up on a  new dessert that i suggested that will be entering our menu.

I´m just guessing the new chef aside from being pissed, got jealous, because he started bad mouthing me thinking i wasn´t close by with my ears to the ground. Saying he was going to talk to the owners and get my schedule changed, or talk to them to get me fired, because i wasn´t working out..... that it´s a kitchen not a school and he doesnt have time to teach unexperienced line cooks. I have only been working in the industry for a few years, but he hasn´t taught me anything, actually i have learned what not to do, just by watching him work.

Anyway i´m pissed, and i need to know opinions because i don´t even want to attempt to understand this clown of a chef that i need to work with for 2 weeks. I just want to kick the bucket and hand in my 30 day notice, cause im sick of it. I want him the hell out of the kitchen, i´m just tired of working hard, doing the job of 2 cooks by myself, and even being  badmouthed for it and having my work ethic questioned by some lazy fool. But after seeing a baking sheet tray fly across the kitchen in the vicinity of a  waitstaff member, i just want to stay away from this psycho. Cuz if anything comes flying in my direction im going to dish it back 10 fold. Cause like i said i aint going to be a little (insert b-word for the third time here) anymore. 

Honestly if you want to be a winner, be a winner if not go cry in the corner. This is a kitchen and if you can´t take the heat get the heck out. Why is it that this guy has it in for me. If he want to put out crappy food, and get out shined by a young line cook that isn´t my problem. Do your job correctly and this wouldnt be a problem. Now i ain´t going to slack off just to make you feel better. 

Now i´m pissed and even at risk of losing a job because this dude can´t handle working with me, because apparently i´m not as nearly a good professional/cook as he is. 

Alright rant over, opinions please. 

What would you do? Anyone been through something similiar?

Please tell me i´m not crazy for considering handing in my 30 day notice....

Alright lets hear it guys.....


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Most chefs and owners think that cops can't walk into a kitchen. They can, if you call them and tell them that someone tried to injure you.

You need to make this clear to the owners. You like the place, the coworkers, the owners, but you take your life seriously, and don't want to end up a cripple. DO NOT put the owners on the spot and tell them its either me or him. Just say that if you are harmed by a coworker, on the job, that it will be a police matter and out of both of your hands, and again, you take your life and health seriously

Dust off that resume and start passing it around, smile and nod at work untill you find something you like, THEN quit.

If the owners are smart they will recognize you as management material. If they aren't, you need to get out of there.


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

Agreed. This type of behavior is typical of people that have low self esteem and can not accept the fact.

This is not about you KK, it's about this guy.

It's not going to change or get better, even with management involvement.

Time to consider yourself,

Ever think about going to nights only so you can work with a Chef that respects you?


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

If I'm the chef and I have friction in the kitchen that starts fires, I get rid of the friction. If I'm a cook I would tell the owners I can't work with the day chef and move to the night shift. If they tell me no, I look elsewhere. The whole thing about the cherry tomatoes shouldn't have happened. If the Chef says to use them it shouldn't have bothered you. It's up to the chef to worry about the cost not the cooks. It's always better to pick your own exit point before someone else does it for you............Chef Bill


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## jimyra (Jun 23, 2015)

I don't know you or your work.  Please take these as my opinion in general and not your specific situation.

I have always encouraged input from my staff.  I have tried to give input to those I worked for.  Input is good but it can be taken badly if given in, "assertive and serious ways."

"We had no tomatos in the kitchen and we were running low on eggs.  So i advise my chef and state that we should call our suppliers to get them to bring some in ASAP"

Always tell a chef when you are running low on things.  Don't tell him what he should do, that is his problem not yours.

Today i was working as usual doing my prep, and as i was making some soup he comes over and says its too thin. The problem is we got complaints that last time we made soup it was too thick to which i was told by the night chef and my superiors to thin it down a bit. He tells me its over seasoned, and too thin and that he is going to add corn starch to thicken it quick. I against this quickly demonstrate my resistence, and as soon as possible i ask others for opinions to which they thought my soup was great and very pleasant. The chef still being persisent and not trusting on my soup decides he is going to thicken it even... thats when i decide to turn off the little b*tch inside me and get someone with authority to taste my soup. A partner/owner comes in and i have her taste the soup to check seasonings

If the chef thinks the soup is to thin than it is to thin.  Never go around your supervisor to his boss without letting them know first.

Now if I were you I would quietly find another job.  Make an exit plan that is right for you.  And move on I have done that a few times myself. Oh and try not to burn any bridges.

Good luck


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## dondons1984 (Jun 2, 2016)

I would dust off your resume. No offense but does anyone else have think industry of features? I have been in the industry for 8 years. If you have a problem with a recipe and your boss says to fix it then fix it. It's his name on it. I tell my boss we are getting low when we hit half way so he has time to order. To me it seems you stepped out of line and around him in which I wouldn't appreciate it and I would write you up for not following my direction as chef. Keep in mind they have that position for a reason. The owners saw something. They are his boss so let them deal with it. Stop overstepping. I would start handing out your resume cause now he has crosshairs on you and is going to make your life miserable. Just my opinion


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## kaiquekuisine (Apr 11, 2013)

Just to state something....

If i was not to have maybe crossed the lines and had done something i probably would have taken the blame regardless. 

This chef is the type that throws people under the bus, as i have witnessed several times. 

If i hadn´t worried about the outcome and saw a mistake and still went with it, i would have been thrown under the bus regardless. 

With the night chef i don´t have to worry or do anything against his orders, because he is observant and knows what he is doing. As well as he is accepting of staff input, and actually does his job. 

I´m sorry but i have to disagree that the title only means something if you can back it up. 

I may have been incorrect in my actions to some, but at the end of the day i did the right thing and put out quality food. 

I don´t understand how being mediocre and just getting by has to be respected just because someone up holds a title in the kitchen. 

He may be the chef, but he certaintly isnt doing his job. 

And no this isnt just my opinion, but the general opinion of all the employees i work with. 

In fact the only reason he hasn´t been fired yet is because the four partners/owners of the restaurant haven´t all gotten into an agreement, since one of the partners, is kind of a softy and doesnt want to fire him because he won her over with a lot of arse kissing. 

Anyway thats beside the point. 

P.S. he only has this position because the actual chef left on maternity leave and wont be returning so soon. He was a line cook like everyone else and wasn´t even a good one, he just jumped for the chance before anyone else was given an opportunity.


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## kaiquekuisine (Apr 11, 2013)

Jimyra said:


> I don't know you or your work. Please take these as my opinion in general and not your specific situation.
> 
> I have always encouraged input from my staff. I have tried to give input to those I worked for. Input is good but it can be taken badly if given in, "assertive and serious ways."
> 
> ...


The way i typed it probably reads a bit more assertive then the way i probably said it. I didn´t tell him to do anything, i advised him..... and i told him we *SHOULD* get them ASAP, afterall tomatos are pretty comman and if we don´t have any, how are we going to use them...

Are we just going to 86 all the dishes that may have tomato or tomato sauce on them because he was too accomadated and lazy to call our suppliers?

We had 10 eggs that day, and our pastry chef produces cakes and pies all day.... if eggs were not ordered we wouldnt even been able to put up desserts in our restaurants display. We wouldnt even have eggs to make omelettes for the breakfast/brunch crowd.

You as a chef.... would you jus let something like this happen or take some inicative and do something about it.

Once again the title doesnt mean anything if you can´t even do the simple day to day tasks.

If we cant sell desserts, cakes and pies, and we couldnt sell items with tomatos at the end how much of a profit are we going to make??

Maybe its because i have management experience and tend to notice these things, but regardless i shouldnt try to do the right thing, and just do what the chef says... even though it isnt correct.

Once again, "the title doesnt mean anything, if you don´t do your job"...


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## kaiquekuisine (Apr 11, 2013)

Oh and yeah he talked to my employers/ the owners of the restaurants. Tried to bad mouth me and the waitress that could have got hurt. 

They didn´t give a hoot about his opinion. They didn´t believe a word he said. They prefered knowing i was paying attention and doing my job and being observant, then just ignoring it and causing negative affects in general to the kitchen and restaurant. 

So no i´m not getting fired, and the owners pretty much agreed with the actions i took. 

But i feel like there are still some actions that will be taken or should have been taken. Considering the chef could have physically hurt someone.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

I don't understand how this works. This isn't a playground where one kid pushes another kid over in a sand box. Then after a few minutes both kids run off and forget what happened. In the real world when something happens there are consequences. Someone needs to be the grown up in the room. It looks like the owners just want to pacify everyone and tell everyone to play nice. The kitchen atmosphere is a tense place. The tempers flare and things happen. Most people either learn how to handle the pressure or they don't last. The owners need to have confidence in the Chef or his ass needs to be gone. The Chef also needs to have cooks that need to just follow direction and not question. I think the OP needs to figure out if he wants to be a cook or move on to another restaurant and be a Chef.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Well, yeah, all of that you wrote above is true Billy.
W
Thing is, Chef looses all credibility and any respect he earned when he gets into a fight with a serverin front of customers, and tosses a sheetpan at her


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## grande (May 14, 2014)

Cooks vs. Management, 95% of the time, management wins. You WERE disrespecting the chef on his turf; whether he deserves it or not is immaterial. This reads to me like you don't like working with the guy and picked a fight. Now you either keep working for a man you blatently disrespected, or quit. See, it isn't about right or wrong. It's that two people are locked in a netal room together and one of them.is in charge; unless ypu want to/can either get the guy fired and take his job, or just do the work for him, you're stuck with him.

Also, you said that the guy is a cook who is filling in.... is it possible he has no idea how to do the job & no one trained him? Seen that happen before.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

foodpump said:


> Well, yeah, all of that you wrote above is true Billy.
> W
> Thing is, Chef looses all credibility and any respect he earned when he gets into a fight with a serverin front of customers, and tosses a sheetpan at her


I agree fp, But you know a frustrated Chef doesn't happen over night. It could be months or weeks of a lot of bs going on around him/her. When it hits the fan like this did, The owners should step in and make a move in the right direction. Like I said it's not a playground, it's real life. If the owners don't do something to correct the problem. The waitress could get hurt with a flying knife next time. Then the owners will be looking at a lawsuit or even losing the restaurant.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Only just me!!!

OP. I just want to mention that it's not your job to criticize or evaluate the Chef. As a reader, I can't show support, I only have your side. I don't have the Chefs.

What I can say, if you make it common practise to circumvent the chain of command, you will encounter problems throughout your career.

If I were Chef, quality,performance,etc. aside, your actions would be addressed as* 'your history'.*

*Remember, just me.*


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Sometimes you have to circumvent the chain of command in order to determine if it is just the one link in the chain that is weak or if it is a pervasive problem throughout the chain. In this particular case, I read it as a "not much gonna change" scenario.


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## fablesable (Oct 11, 2014)

@KaiqueKuisine I understand the circumstance you were under as I have been there myself early in my career. I found though that if you have an issue with someone, it is best that you have a conversation with that person first rather than going over their head. What I mean by that is instead of just telling the chef that you are low on something and saying they should get on it and order more, it would have been batter to say that you noticed a few ingredients that were low and you wanted to let the chef know that they were getting low. Thats it, don't tell the chef how to do their job. If things go sideways during service as a result of the known ingredients being low and running out then the chef will be the one to have to answer to the bosses. I would have waited until the next day and then asked the chef if you could have a private word when available. That would be the time to say how you like working with the morning crew and think that the chef is really nice (blah blah) however when the kitchen runs out of main ingredients it makes your job that much harder and more stressful to get things done properly when the ingredients to do the job are not there. Always make sure you use positive/re-enforcing language instead of negative/aggressive language. You can get more with honey than with vinegar.

Now you are in the dog house with said morning chef and it will be hard for you to get out of it unless you take the time to have a personal one on one and apologize for your error in judgement. Even if he is the worst chef ever, (shoe on your foot would you like someone to go over your head?) you still should have let him and the kitchen fail so that the lesson you so badly wanted the chef to learn would have been learned. Now you have made the energy and that chefs individual learning in the kitchen that much worse by your interference. I noticed in your write up that you got pissed that he was talking behind your back to the rest of the crew however, you just did the same thing to him by going behind his back and talking with the owners. If you don't like it done to you don't do it to others.

It might be best that you take a lesson from this and move on to another kitchen. I have found that if I do not like the chef I am working with in the kitchen as a result of their particular work ethics, I just leave. I can get over personality differences, I cannot however, get over lack in basic hygiene and work ethics. That is just me though. We are all different.

I am truly sorry you have had this happen and hope everything works out for the best /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


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## kaiquekuisine (Apr 11, 2013)

I think when i inicially posted this at the end of the day i just decided i needed to rant. 

We had a great service today. 

I dont want to be a chef right now, i just want to cook, and i feel like im not learning much from this guy. 

Since i only have to put up with it for another week until i go to night shift im just going to stick it out. 

Im just going to take this all in as a learning experience for the future. 

I already talked to the "chef" (no apologies just a professional convo) and im just going to do my job and work quietly. 

My sole intentions are to work at this place to get some more experience on my resume. 

As a result i just  dug deep, put it all benhind me and thought about the pros. 

I want the experience. the night shifts aren´t bad and the hours are good. The pay is above minimum wage, and as a line cook i still get creative input on the menu, plus one of the chefs teaches me alot. 

Basically im just going to do my job, i´m just going to follow the orders and dance however the tune plays. Since im sure i wont be fired and im doing my job correctly theres no reason for me to quit. I see more advantages then disadvantages. 

Considering my age and the fact i still want to grow im just going to stay quiet, If i notice something ill just question it, or play aloof or suggest something etc...

If chef doesnt care not my problem, i won´t feel guilty because at least i advised the dude. 

Like i said my objetives right now are simply to learn from the best and get experience on my resume. I stayed in a 1 year haitus from the kitchen so i can´t afford to leave a job right now. Im just going to stick it out for a bit longer, im just going to forget about it, do my job and im just going to stay in my boundries, because even though i think im playing it safe its probably better to be safe then sorry. 

As for what ever i did that some may view as inappropriate, whatever. Again, learning experience. I have never questioned a chef before EVER!! But i don´t know maybe its just the fact that our personalities are conflicting. Or the fact i was priveldged early in my career to meet better chefs and today maybe this one didn´t live up to the standards. Regardless it´s not something i do and it´s something i hope i dont do again. Maybe it was just a full moon or some tension that was just bottled up. Personally i don´t like this chef. Im not going to force myself to like him either or force myself to respect him. I´m going to respect is myself and my job and the environment and industry itself. I guess you can say im just going to roll with it, and be a soldeir, i´ll be loyal, and just do whatever i´m asked. Since i won´t be quitting so soon, im just going to do my prep, do my job, work well and just be part of the brigade. 

I´ll pick up the slack and i just work hard, nothing wrong with that, it can only make me better anyway. If i suggest something or advise something and the chef is against it or tells me to do something i disagree with it, ill just nod and do it. If the end result turns out bad, i´ll just avoid taking responsability or hope the chef learned a lesson. No "told you so" coming from me. 

This bickering/child´s play is pointless in the kitchen and its just going to get worse unless i quit or put it behind me. 

Since i´m not going to quit so soon i´m just going to put it behind me and move on. I´m going to take this as a lesson for the future and just be an adult. 

IMO i won´t be penalized for doing my job correctly and working hard isn´t a problem for me. I just need to move on, and do my job. Whatever happened happened, and its over, it won´t happen again. As for the chef he can think whatever he wants and do what ever he wants, im going to just work hard, and i hope he can do the same, if he can´t or doesnt ill just work hard and avoid fighting. 

After another great service today, i realized that its more important to have focus on my overall objective and know im doing my job correctly then to worry about other peoples jobs and functions. One day ill be a chef, for now im just going to be a hell of a good line cook, and let this chef do whatever he thinks is correct. 

This experience has taught me to be a better professional, and in the future a better chef.

As for what happened with the waitress she also is going to put it behind her and just continue working with the chef as well. She´s decided on just forgetting about it and is gonna continue working professionally. She also has her goals, and right now a law suit isn´t one of them. Plus she really likes the place and the owners as well, and she wants to keep good relationships with everyone.


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## silver pantry (Jan 1, 2016)

A very mature and reasonable response to a post/situation that I thought might go sideways.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

cheflayne said:


> Sometimes you have to circumvent the chain of command in order to determine if it is just the one link in the chain that is weak or if it is a pervasive problem throughout the chain. In this particular case, I read it as a "not much gonna change" scenario.


@cheflayne ,

You know I'm not being confrontational. I just see it different. I feel the identification of a weal link is solely the responsibility of the people above the Chef.

If this Chef is under a supervisor/owner, they are solely responsible for his performance. If they haven't done their job, choose to ignore, rely on information from

underlings (sorry, couldn't think of a PC name), then they are the weak link. The biggest violation being ignorant or complacent about a week link. If you let their actions

go on, your confirming to them their actions are ok.

Can't count the number of cooks who have approached me about one of my Chefs. 99% of the time they don't have a clue about the job description of their supervisor.

The OP's last post made it better for me. A rant is fine with me. I've done it once. I was concerned it may become SOP. It was just a rant, seems level headed.

When I'm approached, I tend to be suspect of the source. I try to make sure their action is not a part of their kitchen personality. I've dealt with many that had this personality.

If I had encouraged it, it would have made the situation worse, usually by inciting others.

Also, this industry seems to full of people who use the technique of, 'make someone look bad/to make themselves look good' to get ahead.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

@panini I understand what you are saying and cannot disagree if looking at it from the vantage point of an owner and or chef, but basically I was looking at from the point of a staff member looking to gain info to help them with their decision of whether to stay or to go. If I were the staff member, I would try to get a glimpse into the mindset of upper management, before determining a course of personal action.


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## cronker (Mar 3, 2016)

I like the honey vs vinegar approach, although I use the terminology of "you get better results from the carrot than the stick"
An example: you were running out of tomatoes and eggs, which you needed. Rather than call the vendors, chef gave you an option which you didn't agree with.
Rather than a snarky comment about costs, the "honey" solution would have been to say "chef, I can call the vendors if you're too busy - it's something I've never done and always wanted to learn!"

Regards the soup, perhaps ask his advice by saying " I was asked to make it less thick by the owners. Where do you think I may have gone wrong?"

Anger and disputes between staff should NEVER become a conversation to be heard amongst guests - it discourages their belief in a nice dining experience.


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## grande (May 14, 2014)

@KaiqueKuisine my advice came from being in a similar situation, and I made a similar decision. Sometimes it ain't worth the fight.


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## kaiquekuisine (Apr 11, 2013)

So guys i decided to give everyone an update. 

Me and the chef worked out our kinks. Today was a great service everything went super well. 

For a monday it was huge. 

Then we had a staff reunion.... that ended terribly. 

Due to the fact of the inexperience in management and the need to cut costs, they decided to cut everyone loose. The restaurant will close next month. 

I´m a bit upset, but i guess i pretty much get to stop working with the chef, without having to quit.

Regardless i´m upset that the restaurant is closing though. I worked really hard. At the end i had a meeting with the owners and they were very pleased with what i had done, and wished they had hired me and some of the other employees earlier. 

Costs was a huge deal, since both chefs weren´t really managing anything very well. At least i did my job. Feel bad for the owners that i had as friends, but we all have to move on i guess.


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## greyeaglem (Apr 17, 2006)

Sorry to hear the place is closing on you.


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## grande (May 14, 2014)

Sad ending to the story. Another one bites the dust.


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## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

Sorry to hear that, KK.  I've worked at a few restaurants that went out of business.  At least you had a heads-up.  At one place I worked many years ago the only clue was when I came in for work and the back door was chained and a sign on it saying they were closed permanently.  Owner filed banko and no one ended up getting a paycheck.


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## chefshanes (Jun 19, 2016)

when i first read your post i considered that you were a little out of your place as a line cook, however in my years ive met some kitchen stewards with far greater capacity then some so called chefs, and although I think you might have handled situations better, I also think the chef should do moreso as a leader, so I have to side with you somewhat, but I'm not saying your right 

think of it from this perspective, you have a job because he isn't doing it.. if he was doing it then maybe you wouldn't even be there in the first place, his laziness provides you with a job, and that's all it is... just a job, also consider that with your ability, and being able to make so many meals while he does one table isn't exactly working like a team, a situation he could have under control if he had greater leadership and didn't just leave you with the work, making himself complacent and incompetent.

its clear in your post that you regard your ability quite highly, so you should be able to handle this guy like a piece of cake.

for management to not see and do something about a staff member who is clearly incompetent is frightening, and makes me question if they would ever recognise your potential for them, so I seriously doubt the guy is going anywhere soon without some drama along the way. if you cant get a good working relationship going then consider moving onto something else more rewarding.


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## brewdog (Jun 27, 2016)

Any person that's been in the workplace a while has had to work for managers that are incompetent. It happens, a lot! It's very frustrating to work for a supervisor that you know shouldn't be a boss.

But one of the things you don't grasp when you're in your 20's is maturity. And sometimes doing what you're told (as long as it's not illegal or immoral) is what adults do, even though we don't like it.

Also, tattling on the boss to his boss never works out well. I'm a boss, and if one of my cooks or dishwashers complained to my boss about something, I would be PISSED. And it won't take long before that guy is gone out of my crew. It's also maturity not to badmouth people behind their backs. Because it gets around, and they find out, and that's not professional. 

If someone assaults you or is stealing from the company or doing something immoral, then by all means, report it. But if he can't cook or manage a kitchen, then either his bosses will figure it out on their own shortly, or you can look for another place to work. But if you've burned bridges and caused drama and jumped the chain of command to rat out your boss, then that's not going to help you with future positions.

What I'm saying is work hard and keep your gossipy mouth shut, even if the management sucks. Learn what you can, and then go somewhere else if you need to.


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