# So, I got fired.



## TheSaladGuy (Aug 9, 2017)

I've never been fired from a job before, that was a pretty new and rough experience, well they used the term "Let go" But I still feel it's the same. 

Sadly my dream job as Saute did not work out, going from a low volume kitchen, Garde Manger to Saute in a much, much higher volume from scratch kitchen did not work out, after a month and a half they decided to let me go seeing as someone constantly had to step in and assist me, with no other positions available to move to the decision was made. 

So, any tips for a young aspiring cook or advice in terms of looking for my new job and moving on from this one


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## don rich (Jun 1, 2015)

I’m cherry too. I hear usually you should go from harmony to either a hot apps station, grill, or fish station before going to sauté. I wouldn’t worry about it. Learn from it and follow your progresssion in learning.


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## Pat Pat (Sep 26, 2017)

I don't know how you are exactly with your cooking ability but organization is the key to speed. You need to be organized both physically and mentally.

Try to arrange things around you so that you can minimize your movement to a bare minimum necessary to get the job done.

Study the menu thoroughly and train your brain to know what order should things be done when you have to make 10 dishes at once. Just do the training verbally back and forth with a buddy on your day off.

Anyway, that's what I tell my cooks when I see them struggling to keep up. Most of them improved just fine. Only ever had to fire one from him working too slow.

If you're fast, most places will welcome you with open arms. I've hired a lot of cooks based purely on how fast they work when they came in for a tryout.

You can look for a new job that may be a little less challenging than the one you just got fired from if you're still scared, but never go back to another small, low volume kitchen. You'll never get to become a great cook if you can't overcome your weaknesses.


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## TheSaladGuy (Aug 9, 2017)

Pat Pat said:


> I don't know how you are exactly with your cooking ability but organization is the key to speed. You need to be organized both physically and mentally.
> 
> Try to arrange things around you so that you can minimize your movement to a bare minimum necessary to get the job done.
> 
> ...


Honestly that's what it came down to, organization and preperation. Being new to the From Scratch kitchen and having to prep so many items every morning before service is what got me the most. I was a bit too slow in that regard and there'd always seem to be that one thing I'd run out of that would cause me to lose control of my station.

Im in no way salty for them deciding to go in another direction, I just got myself into a position I wasn't quite ready for.


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## TheSaladGuy (Aug 9, 2017)

I feel had I applied for something like Garde Manger or Entremetier I would've been much better off, the backbone of this kitchen however was Saute, they dont have heat lamps and its an expeditionary kitchen. So communication is key, all five stations have to plate at the same time, with Saute carrying the weight if I was off by a minute, they'd be off by two, so you can only imagine how bad it was when I was off by 10+


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## chefbuba (Feb 17, 2010)

The employer should have never hired you for that position, that station is for a seasoned veteran. 
Find another pantry or prep job, observe the line, take notes, offer help when your station is good to go. Let the chef know that you don't want to make a career of making salad and chopping veggies. Show them you want to learn.


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

In the usual progression of talent in the kitchen, most applicants are introduced to Garde Manger for a reason.
Working that station is supposed to teach you the skills necessary to work your way to saute. Depending on the quality of the product and theme of the restaurant that can be a daunting task. Perhaps your low volume position wasn't intense enough for you to gain said experience. Like buba said, I don't understand why that high end kitchen hired you for saute in the first place


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## phaedrus (Dec 23, 2004)

As Chefbuba said you were kind of set up for failure. It's never fun to get sacked but it doesn't mean you're doomed to failure. You should have no problem finding a new job, just take advantage of opportunities to learn. You'll get there, TheSaladGuy!


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## someday (Aug 15, 2003)

TheSaladGuy said:


> I've never been fired from a job before, that was a pretty new and rough experience, well they used the term "Let go" But I still feel it's the same.
> 
> Sadly my dream job as Saute did not work out, going from a low volume kitchen, Garde Manger to Saute in a much, much higher volume from scratch kitchen did not work out, after a month and a half they decided to let me go seeing as someone constantly had to step in and assist me, with no other positions available to move to the decision was made.
> 
> So, any tips for a young aspiring cook or advice in terms of looking for my new job and moving on from this one


Rough stuff, we've all been in similar situations in one way or another. You seem to have the right attitude about it, just make sure you don't beat yourself up too much.

You've gotten some good advice so far in this thread, the only thing I'll add is that, when you go on future interviews and chef's ask you what happened at XYZ restaurant/why did you get fired, don't BS or lie. Just tell them the truth...that you took a chance on a job in a kitchen where you thought you could learn, and you weren't quite experienced enough to pull it off. Let him or her know that you want to take a step back and move through the ranks the "right" way and that your desire and hunger for the business isn't diminished. Attitude is 90% and you seem like you are on the right path.

Good luck.


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## TheSaladGuy (Aug 9, 2017)

someday said:


> Rough stuff, we've all been in similar situations in one way or another. You seem to have the right attitude about it, just make sure you don't beat yourself up too much.
> 
> You've gotten some good advice so far in this thread, the only thing I'll add is that, when you go on future interviews and chef's ask you what happened at XYZ restaurant/why did you get fired, don't BS or lie. Just tell them the truth...that you took a chance on a job in a kitchen where you thought you could learn, and you weren't quite experienced enough to pull it off. Let him or her know that you want to take a step back and move through the ranks the "right" way and that your desire and hunger for the business isn't diminished. Attitude is 90% and you seem like you are on the right path.
> 
> Good luck.


Thank you, I appreciate it.

Right now Im focusing on finding another Kitchen, though there's only a handful here that I want to work for. Maybe I should start looking towards a change of scenery in a new town or state, hmm.


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

All great advice above. I can only add that coming off such an intense, visual, audio and physical experience, especially for 6 weeks, over the next month or so you will continue to learn from it, analyze what was wrong and work out ways to correct and improve, all without doing a thing. The mind is funny that way, you have 6 weeks of raw data in there for your subconscious to chew on--at odd moments, while you sleep, etc. 
And all this closure, while youre running around looking for another job.
You have only to be open to it. So IMO, that time certainly wasnt wasted.


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## frankie007 (Jan 17, 2015)

Don't ponder on it for too long, now you know what to do just go on and do it. there is nothing wrong with knowing your limitations and anyway that is the case now, in couple of years you will be ready for the station. 
I find that too many cooks climb up the ranks by default as people are leaving and find themselves in positions they wouldn't normally get I mean we had a good number of 21 year old executive chefs here!


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## chef oddball (Jul 5, 2015)

As the others have all said lick your wounds and look around for another opportunity. A great way to learn is to cook breakfast for a while. Speed organization, thickening of skin, etc will all come from doing it...


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## meezenplaz (Jan 31, 2012)

chef oddball said:


> As the others have all said lick your wounds and look around for another opportunity. A great way to learn is to cook breakfast for a while. Speed organization, thickening of skin, etc will all come form doing it...


Amen to that. Breakfast in a busy restaurant will kick
your butt.....til you get good enough to kick it back-once that happens you're suddenly a much better line cook.


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## Cdp (Aug 31, 2017)

mis enplus
man very simple own your section and not being silly but give your section a name the basis of this is you will take care of something if named.(psychologically speaking )

Everynight that fridge is stripped cleaned out wiped out
hope th emods don't get me but
clean that bitch clean as ready to go hard again the next night like a good bitch should

mine was named little bitch and little bitch was always good to go

failing to prepare is prepairing to fail


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## kaiquekuisine (Apr 11, 2013)

As a person who has been doing saute for years now, i´ll tell you that in a restaurant where saute is the backbone of the kitchen, you need to be very fast and organized. Your movements have to be well calculated, everything needs to be close by, and there isnt much room for wandering around. 

Recently i started working in a new restaurant thats basically open from 10-10 everyday. We do brunch, breakfast, coffebreak and dinner and saute has orders up to max the entire time. I work with only one more cook and we don´t even have time to get water to drink during a rush or in general (have to keep a cup always near by). It´s a fast paced station meant for people who love adrenline, with experience and can handle that sort of pressure. A lot of things may be heated, some things may be al a minute its a station that can be very challenging and takes time to work out the kinks. 

I started working saute at 18 after trade school. Today at 22 it´s my favorite station and the one the i usually do the best on. I´m fast, i love the heat and i love the pressure. Today i was filled with orders, and had to memorize various verbal fires, all while cooking. It´s a station that i find pretty rewarding, but it´s a station that if you don´t have everything up and running, anything that runs out screws you. Don´t feel bad, it was an experience, everyone gets better. 

I used to suck at saute when i first started, and today i love the station. Next time around you will be smarter, faster and more experienced.


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## TheSaladGuy (Aug 9, 2017)

Thanks for everyones great advice and commentary on this threat. I appreciate it a lot! Currently I've been studying, taking a break for a minute and looking back on everything I did wrong and how to improve it for the future. Taking notes from my memories there, my weak points and overall just mentally preparing myself for my next job and how I plan to walk in the door.

But I do not think I will apply for another Saute position yet, at least not at such a high end and face paced restaurant such as that one.


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