# Worst things about being a Chef



## coulis-o

Been thinking about what the worst things about being a chef are, apart from working long hours being stood on your feet all day, i tried to list and name a few things that make a chefs life harder

- when nature calls in-between service, and you put it off for as long as possible, then when you finally get there you realise your apron is tied in a knot.

- finding the time and opportunity to make yourself a brew without anyone else noticing.

- vegans, celiac's, and vegetarians.

- when the fridge/freezer door shuts and you need to get back in it again but the door won't pull open.

had a few more that i thought of that i would like to this thread when i remember, please add your own worst things about being a chef. in the meantime i try to think of some more and maybe make a thread about the best things about being a chef and compare the two. would be good to see the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.


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## ljokjel

When you've washed and wrapped up everything after a quiet day, and the last ticket comes inn 2 min. before closing.

When you have to work with your ex, who of course is a waiter working in the same restaurant.


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## leeniek

Had a giggle at the loo one coulis-o... being a girl who has had the privelege of three pregnanices..  when i I say I gotta GO I GOTTA GO LIKE YESTERDAY and I run to the ladies'... damn offspring doing the bladder dance they had better get out of my way.. LOL

A-hole people who have 30 years in the biz and are still applying for line cook jobs and treat the female sous like sh** as he is a sexist a**hat  (yeah that one is personal)

Those last minute ones who come at 2 mins to close (who DOES that????)

Cooks that do not stock their station at end of day

the list may grow....


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## petemccracken

leeniek said:


> ...Those last minute ones who come at 2 mins to close (who DOES that????)


People who have money and are hungry?

I'm really sorry, but I do NOT agree that anything but the front door closes at "closing time" unless it is CLEARLY stated, preferably on the front window as well as the front of menus, placards on the tables, etc.

Certainly, if management so desires, it is perfectly permissible to state, and abide by, posted kitchen hours. If the kitchen hours are posted and someone shows up and orders one minute BEFORE the kitchen closes, they are served as the kitchen is OPEN.

However, if kitchen hours are NOT posted FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE BEFORE THEY ENTER, then, IMHO, the kitchen WILL serve EVERYONE that enters before closing time.

When my restaurant was open, the line did NOT shut down until the last customer had been completely served! Cleanup commenced as soon as the last customer LEFT the establishment NOT before!


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## gobblygook

If it's your restaurant, do as you wish, but if you're on the clock, I'm not sure how you can complain about not being able to make yourself a "brew" (whether coffee or a beer, actually, it's much worse if it's a beer, since you're working!).

Celiacs have a disease and should be given reasonable treatment. Vegans and vegetarians are simple mental disorders and not allergies .



Coulis-o said:


> - finding the time and opportunity to make yourself a brew without anyone else noticing.
> 
> - vegans, celiac's, and vegetarians.


I do agree with Pete about closing time being when the doors are closed to new customers, not when everyone is supposed to be out of the place. Everyone likes getting out as soon as they can, but IMHO, you take a risk by cleaning before "closing time". It's a calculated risk, and some days you win, some days you lose. One of the biggest obstacles to food cost in fast food is the people who want to close down 15-30 mins before the doors lock and cook extra food so they "have enough" and don't have to dirty their clean grills. Pre-cleaning is fine and frankly, something that should be done the whole night through, but until the last customer is served and the last item is washed, it's not "quitting time".


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## headless chicken

RE:Worst things about being a Chef...where I am!


Having the staff come to me asking if I ordered something they needed but never told me...around the time we receive our order as opposed to telling me the day I place the order.  Then proceeds to give me that quirky "Oh, so what am I gonna do now?" look like I can somehow fix their problems by snapping my fingers.  I swear, I need a fracking yak bak and play my whole explanation back "If you need me to order something, tell me the day I order it or just write it down on the order form.  You guys have been working here longer then me, you can't tell me you don't know when we get stuff in" speech because it happens literally every single delivery day.

Managing to put away my orders neatly and FIFO all my perishables only to find it all messed up in less then 1hr.

Getting those last minute catering orders requesting things like lasagna and having the customer questioning why we can't deliver it within the hour.

Trying to find the proper delivery cart to bring catering orders across a busy street only to find that its sitting in our other outlet up 5 flights of stairs not being used because that person likes that cart better then the one originally assigned to them.

Using my timer when I stick things in the oven only to either have someone turn the timer off when it goes while I'm away (because the noise bothers them) which in turn I might forget I got something in the oven and it burns...or someone else sticks something else in the oven and jumps the temp without me knowing and it burns when my timer goes off but their stuff looks lovely!

ok good things about being the Chef where I work. 

amazing some of my clients at what I can do with my limitations in terms of facilities and crew.

I get to meet some pretty cute girls working in a college, not that I get to meet many being stuck in the kitchen 90% of the times.


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## jazzcook

> Originally Posted by *leeniek*
> 
> Those last minute ones who come at 2 mins to close (who DOES that????)


I'm not a chef but this is a major irritant for me, and not because the customers shouldn't have the "right" to do so.

I work lunch which ends at 3:00, and generally speaking I gotta have my station broken down and cleaned by as close to 3:30 as possible so that the night expo guy can start setting up for dinner. When customers come in at 2:58 and their orders don't come in until 3:10, I'm going to be late breaking down which causes tensions with the night crew depending on how much they have to do to setup.

And of course it's usually a 6-top with tons of mods to their orders...


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## lentil

Pete, I agree totally with your comments about late customers!  We close at 4 on Sat, but had a party of 4 come in at 3:45.  They asked if they could still eat in, and the girl out front actually had them wait while she came looking for me to ask if it was okay!   They were in and out in 20 minutes, but I don't expect we'll ever see them again.  We are so overdue for a staff meeting...

Headless, do you work in my cafe?  I can't tell you how many times IN ONE DAY that I said "if you are low on anything, put it on the board so I can order it today".  People would come into the office and tell me that we only had one can of tomatoes left- should they put it on the board? One sleeve of 12 ounce coffee cups?   A couple of pounds of deli turkey?  3 heads of lettuce?   My baker asked if she should put sugar on the board- I said that if she was low, of course she should and her reply was "well how am I supposed to know if you've already ordered it?"  Well....if I already have, then I won't order it again, will I?  Sometimes I think I should take a Zanax before I go in.


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## petemccracken

jazzcook said:


> Originally Posted by *leeniek*
> 
> Those last minute ones who come at 2 mins to close (who DOES that????)
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not a chef but this is a major irritant for me, and not because the customers shouldn't have the "right" to do so.
> 
> I work lunch which ends at 3:00, and generally speaking I gotta have my station broken down and cleaned by as close to 3:30 as possible so that the night expo guy can start setting up for dinner. When customers come in at 2:58 and their orders don't come in until 3:10, I'm going to be late breaking down which causes tensions with the night crew depending on how much they have to do to setup.
> 
> And of course it's usually a 6-top with tons of mods to their orders...
Click to expand...

That situation can only be corrected by upper management, primarily by closing lunch earlier or starting dinner later, IMHO. Of course, the owner/investors could spring for a separate lunch kitchen, I suppose /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif


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## chefbillyb

If you are doing what you love, nothing is bad. The only thing that comes to mind is Family always looses, a successful Chef always makes the restaurant top priority.................ChefbillyB


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## redzuk

leeniek said:


> A-hole people who have 30 years in the biz and are still applying for line cook jobs and treat the female sous like sh** as he is a sexist a**hat (yeah that one is personal)


I realize thats personal but what I hate is how "line cook" has become such a lowly unskilled trade. There was actually a time when most the cooks in good kitchens had many years experience. Line cook is worth $10 an hour, any other experienced tradesman would want 3 or 4 times that.


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## just jim

The juggle between family time and the needs of work, for sure.

Being responsible for the actions, or inactions, of others.

Other than that it's all good.

Regarding last minute custies, we seat until 830pm.

You walk in at 829, you get seated.

Fortunately we have a small, professional crew.

I've heard no whining from the kitchen about late arrivals.

We even waited 20 minutes after last seating for a 4 top who couldn't find us.

(we can be hard to find if coming from the North).


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## headless chicken

lentil said:


> Headless, do you work in my cafe? I can't tell you how many times IN ONE DAY that I said "if you are low on anything, put it on the board so I can order it today". People would come into the office and tell me that we only had one can of tomatoes left- should they put it on the board? One sleeve of 12 ounce coffee cups? A couple of pounds of deli turkey? 3 heads of lettuce? My baker asked if she should put sugar on the board- I said that if she was low, of course she should and her reply was "well how am I supposed to know if you've already ordered it?" Well....if I already have, then I won't order it again, will I? Sometimes I think I should take a Zanax before I go in.


I can not tell you how annoying it gets. My manager was giving me crap about it one time when I forgot to order napkins claiming it was a "basic item" that should always be ordered. Well I rebuttal with "theres basic stuff I gotta remember for nearly 10 departments plus all the odds and bit." (for some reason Italics won't turn off)But the worse thing is that I'll get informed when we're completely out of something as opposed to having something on hand. I'm currently the acting chef after losing ours a month and a half ago so the onus is completely on me for checking our entire stock, what we need for the next few days, anticipate last minute changes/requests, then place the orders which would take anyone else 3-4hours out of a day, I have less then 2hours.


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## just jim

Isn't it great that they know how to speak when you're out, but lack the ability when you're low.

Low I can work with, out, well, not much can be done.

They're so cute before their eyes open.


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## gobblygook

So, if there's 80 cases of napkins, you should order more? How about 200 cases? 500 cases? When will you have enough on hand that you don't have to order more with every single order?



> I can not tell you how annoying it gets. My manager was giving me crap about it one time when I forgot to order napkins claiming it was a "basic item" that should always be ordered.


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## skagitchef

Haha!  I hate when the freezer door seals shut for a half a minute or so until the pressure equalizes.  VERY frustrating.  For me, I really hate it when the server screws up the order and tells the guests the kitchen made a mistake!!!!  AArghhh!!  What can we do?


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## foodpump

What do I hate about being a Chef?

"Hey, you have to give me more shifts, I can't even pay rent on 4 shifts per week.  Oh, and I also need next Tuesday off"

"You have to do better on your labour cost". (a day later) "Stop messing around with my dishwasher and cook's schedules"

Getting charged $70/hr for labour , plus $30.00 for "truck fee" $60.00 for two &*()%-ing rocker switches, and 14% H.S.T on top of all of that for fridge repairs. Call back the Refrigeration guy and ask him what's up with charging me $60.00 for two freaking rocker switches, and he say's he'll rework the invoice.  A week later I get the invoice, he's charging $50.00 for the switches...

REALLY hate catching staff stealing and firing them, or even worse, working with them for a year, and then finding out that they've filed fraudulent Labour board cases against me.

"Eh!!! Chefe!!! You come!  You come quick!!!  Is raining in dry-store room".........

Salesmen...

Actally I LIKE telling salesmen to poilitely _____-off when they waltz in unannounced in my ktichen during a rush.  And I LOVE catching them padding the bill, B.S ing me on prices, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE educating the schmucks on, say, the difference between dutched and un-dutched cocoa, pure hazelnut paste, and "icecream mix" hazelnut paste, how to tell the difference between purple, stringly Chilean beef and AAA beef tenderloins--which I was invoiced for, why I don't need sanitizer for my hi-temp dishwasher......

Hated working for almost 4 years with "plantar fascitis" (inflamed feet). Couldn't do much about it since it was my own business, and would have fallen flat on my face If I took a month off.


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## gunnar

redzuk said:


> leeniek said:
> 
> 
> 
> A-hole people who have 30 years in the biz and are still applying for line cook jobs and treat the female sous like sh** as he is a sexist a**hat (yeah that one is personal)
> 
> 
> 
> I realize thats personal but what I hate is how "line cook" has become such a lowly unskilled trade. There was actually a time when most the cooks in good kitchens had many years experience. Line cook is worth $10 an hour, any other experienced tradesman would want 3 or 4 times that.
Click to expand...

that's the truth. But what is worse is that chumps that get to call them selves line cooks then boil mashed potatoes in a bag alongside a bag of gravy and have the audacity to call it cooking. course I guess it just wouldn't sell if restaurants spoke the truth and tried saying "Reheated just like your incompetent Uncle would make it"


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## headless chicken

gobblygook said:


> So, if there's 80 cases of napkins, you should order more? How about 200 cases? 500 cases? When will you have enough on hand that you don't have to order more with every single order?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can not tell you how annoying it gets. My manager was giving me crap about it one time when I forgot to order napkins claiming it was a "basic item" that should always be ordered.
Click to expand...

ooohh thats a completely different issue. My napkins will get stolen without me knowing by other units. I could bring in 2 cases for the week and they'll be gone in 3 sdays because the unit across the street forgot to order some for themselves and they take my whole case, doesn't get recorded which unexpectedly ups my paper cost and I get whipped for it. This goes for nearly half of my paper product. I can't bring in more because a) I don't have the extra storage space to keep in stock for 2-3 units and b) if it doesn't get used before we do our weekly inventory, I get whipped for ordering too much stuff.


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## durangojo

besides the loss of sleep and brain cells from stressing out over logistics mostly, its the personal time with friends...weddings, birthdays, parties, lunch or a 'night  out with the girls' (the ya ya's) missed, even funerals or celebrations of life, outings, impromptu get togethers, true down time..it ain't as easy breezy as it use to be, for sure...most of the day to day stuff i can deal with.....

joey

on the personal time loss, i meant to add always seeming to be in a time crunch...always rushed, never reading anything other than cookbooks, recipes, trade mags and cooking sites...christ, i've been reading the same non cooking book for a year!..i only get to read a few pages when i go to get a haircut


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## Iceman

I've been a chef for a long time and I've never gotten used to the pay.

_"When you've washed and wrapped up everything after a quiet day, and the last ticket comes inn 2 min. before closing."_

Yeah, and it's 7 pizzas, ordered by a friend of a FOH idiot.

I can do "vegan" and "vegetarian" stuff very well, but those people do have serious disorders. Except for the really hot looking babes.

I hate when 4 different waitstaff write the same thing 4 different ways, and then get a rag because I'd rather ask for clarification than hear them b****.

I hate when barstaff/waitstaff b**** me out for orders that take 30 seconds longer than they want, but then other orders of theirs sit at the pass for up to 20 minutes.

I had a waitress/bartender rip me to shreds because my wings took over 20 minutes causing her to miss out on her tips. On another occasion when the boss was working the kitchen, a guy didn't get his burger fast enough. He wanted his money back w/ no tip. He was obnoxious. She never said a word to the kitchen.

I really hate when friends of the owner/boss waltz around the kitchen talking like they have any clue in the world.

I hate people who won't spend over $6 on really great food, but will drop $11 (4x's) on some stupid "lemon-drop" drink.

I hate know-it-all bartenders coming into my kitchen preaching about "professionalism" like they know what it is, then go right back to over-pouring drinks to get better tips.

I hate a lot of things. I could go on for hours. It's funny though that I've never missed a day's work or left a shift early. Go figure.

It really gets on my nerves that people can't figure out that TV guys (Bobby Flay) don't have any budget. They want what was made on TV at cheap prices.


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## kingzilla

Wow, so many common problems we all share....  

Literally I hate being a Chef,

When every time a new health inspector comes bossing us around yet we can do nothing but kissing ***,

When something brakes and trying to find an honest handy man and realize you just got ripped off,

When your team steals behind your back,

When getting sued by employee who are still working in the same kitchen,

When I have to deal with cooks flirting with other waiter sometimes accidently seeing them in the storage room,

When I have to work on my families special occasions like birthdays like my son's first birthday, not only breaks my heart but my family as well

When I realized every time after work I am only getting older and wondering how long I got more in me to stay in my position fearing I might become like one of those 20 plus years cooks

and yet not made enough money to begin with.

Every time I go on sites like Craigslist looking for career change and realize it won't be easy,

I really hate when I get interns or someone who is like a lawyer telling me how they envy my position and how passionate they are willing to give up their high paying salary so they can

be like me.

Why did I ever become a chef in the first place, most of all I hate/envy celeb Chef's like David Chang who really in my opinion got very lucky who isn't a real Chef but interns telling me how

great a Chef he is.


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## chefross

Kingzilla said:


> Wow, so many common problems we all share....
> 
> Literally I hate being a Chef,
> 
> When every time a new health inspector comes bossing us around yet we can do nothing but kissing ***,
> 
> When something brakes and trying to find an honest handy man and realize you just got ripped off,
> 
> When your team steals behind your back,
> 
> When getting sued by employee who are still working in the same kitchen,
> 
> When I have to deal with cooks flirting with other waiter sometimes accidently seeing them in the storage room,
> 
> When I have to work on my families special occasions like birthdays like my son's first birthday, not only breaks my heart but my family as well
> 
> When I realized every time after work I am only getting older and wondering how long I got more in me to stay in my position fearing I might become like one of those 20 plus years cooks
> 
> and yet not made enough money to begin with.
> 
> Every time I go on sites like Craigslist looking for career change and realize it won't be easy,
> 
> I really hate when I get interns or someone who is like a lawyer telling me how they envy my position and how passionate they are willing to give up their high paying salary so they can
> 
> be like me.
> 
> Why did I ever become a chef in the first place, most of all I hate/envy celeb Chef's like David Chang who really in my opinion got very lucky who isn't a real Chef but interns telling me how
> 
> great a Chef he is.


You are seriously burnt to a crisp my friend.


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## leeniek

I have a few more

Working in a place where the opinions of the FOH are vauled more than that of the BOH.  Both should be equal IMHO.

On the last minute ones.. if the sign on the door says we are open until 3 then we are open until 3 and have to serve anyone who walks in.  Personally I would not go to a restaurant two minutes before closing time as I know I'm just setting myself up for what could be a terrible experience.  But that's just me and not everyone has that feeling.

IceMan, thanks for this one

"I hate when barstaff/waitstaff b**** me out for orders that take 30 seconds longer than they want, but then other orders of theirs sit at the pass for up to 20 minutes."   That really is a pain in the neck! 

Gunnar this is so true..

 " course I guess it just wouldn't sell if restaurants spoke the truth and tried saying "Reheated just like your incompetent Uncle would make it" "    Yeah that probably wouldn't sell. 

Being underpaid.  I know it comes with the territory but in my job hunt I have noticed that line cooks at other places make more than I do and all they have to do is show up, cook, stock up, clean up and go home.  That's pretty appealing right now.


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## oldfoodguy

Dead on about the last minute customers. Every successful turn-around I have helped or led began with keeping open all posted hours and making the last plate of the night better than any other. That last table just might be handing you a profit on product that would have been worthless the next day, or so grateful they tell everyone they know how well they were taken care of. Two minutes to closing is still OPEN.


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## allium

I recently went to a bar and asked if their kitchen was still open. "We close at midnight... It's eleven fifty nine... yeah, it's still open." I couldn't place a food order. "Good God, I'm not going to do that to them." "Oh, no, go ahead." "No, I work in a kitchen. Can't do it."

I hate customers who come in right before closing and will generally mutter all sorts of profanities in such situations. HOWEVER, I understand the importance of still serving them properly. We are in the service industry, after all. So, good on that bartender and (presumably) the kitchen staff for being professional, but I'm not going to be a wanker.

Celiac may be a disease, but it's nevertheless rather annoying. Of course they should be accommodated--as should vegetarians and vegans and whatnot. One of the most hilariously awful customers to serve came in one night: a gluten-free vegan with nut/legume allergies (no tofu, even). We had to come up with basically a glorified veg platter on the fly--and they sent it back because some of the produce was not in season. I don't recall what we ended up serving, but we did try disguising any sort of nut, flour, and meat product we could think of as something unrecognizable and declared it a special vegetable protein patty. (This was, of course, to be served under no circumstances; merely a bit of sick humor.)


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## gunnar

Allium said:


> I recently went to a bar and asked if their kitchen was still open. "We close at midnight... It's eleven fifty nine... yeah, it's still open." I couldn't place a food order. "Good God, I'm not going to do that to them." "Oh, no, go ahead." "No, I work in a kitchen. Can't do it."
> 
> I hate customers who come in right before closing and will generally mutter all sorts of profanities in such situations. HOWEVER, I understand the importance of still serving them properly. We are in the service industry, after all. So, good on that bartender and (presumably) the kitchen staff for being professional, but I'm not going to be a wanker.
> 
> Celiac may be a disease, but it's nevertheless rather annoying. Of course they should be accommodated--as should vegetarians and vegans and whatnot. One of the most hilariously awful customers to serve came in one night: a gluten-free vegan with nut/legume allergies (no tofu, even). We had to come up with basically a glorified veg platter on the fly--and they sent it back because some of the produce was not in season. I don't recall what we ended up serving, but we did try disguising any sort of nut, flour, and meat product we could think of as something unrecognizable and declared it a special vegetable protein patty. (This was, of course, to be served under no circumstances; merely a bit of sick humor.)


I was stuck so bad one time I just sliced a tomato arranged it, drizzled olive oil and balsamic over the plate, tucked in a few of sprigs of fresh basil under a tomato round and told the server I'll pay for it, tell her it's on the house and just serve the crazy woman...I had already had three different plates come back with her "trying dishes" (read a frikkin menu people) cause she didn't notice something she was allergic to.
She loved it and gave the server a fat tip which the server (best I ever worked with) insisted on splitting with me cause I just kept trying....course by that time I was about out of ideas.... I just used it to cover the cost of a house salad.


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## durangojo

Kingzilla said:


> Wow, so many common problems we all share....
> 
> Literally I hate being a Chef,
> 
> When every time a new health inspector comes bossing us around yet we can do nothing but kissing ***,
> 
> When something brakes and trying to find an honest handy man and realize you just got ripped off,
> 
> When your team steals behind your back,
> 
> When getting sued by employee who are still working in the same kitchen,
> 
> When I have to deal with cooks flirting with other waiter sometimes accidently seeing them in the storage room,
> 
> When I have to work on my families special occasions like birthdays like my son's first birthday, not only breaks my heart but my family as well
> 
> When I realized every time after work I am only getting older and wondering how long I got more in me to stay in my position fearing I might become like one of those 20 plus years cooks
> 
> and yet not made enough money to begin with.
> 
> Every time I go on sites like Craigslist looking for career change and realize it won't be easy,
> 
> I really hate when I get interns or someone who is like a lawyer telling me how they envy my position and how passionate they are willing to give up their high paying salary so they can
> 
> be like me.
> 
> Why did I ever become a chef in the first place, most of all I hate/envy celeb Chef's like David Chang who really in my opinion got very lucky who isn't a real Chef but interns telling me how
> 
> great a Chef he is.


you seriously need to either take a sabbatical or quit the food industry altogether...everything you listed pretty much comes with the territory of being a chef, which i must ask, "why did you?". is there anything good about being a chef for you?...there are plenty of talented chefs out there who are either not employed or in a job below them(hopefully temporarily) because of economic reasons, so move over and let someone else drive the bus!

joey


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## allium

I actually like missing holidays. Never understood why people place a freakish amount of importance on a day out of the year, seemingly only to get stressed out.

"No, I won't be there for Christmas. But I'll see you on Thursday. Thursday's just as fine a day as friggin Christmas. Nothing wrong with Thursday."


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## bazza

I can only think of one thing I hate about being a chef......Stress.

Most days are busy but I enjoy them, I am in control and at the end of the shift there is a great feeling of achievement, almost euphoria, that is the buzz that I love and part of the reason I do it. But there are some days when everything is against you, you cannot seem to do anything right and you start to lose it, when that happens it is game over for the whole shift, I hate days like that.

Just an observation here regarding coeliacs; Has anyone ever served a male coeliac??? In my experience they all seem to be women. That is in no way meant to be a sexist remark, it is merely what I have observed.


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## petemccracken

Bazza said:


> Just an observation here regarding coeliacs; Has anyone ever served a male coeliac??? In my experience they all seem to be women. That is in no way meant to be a sexist remark, it is merely what I have observed.


Yes, a male good friend is a celiac.

Now, with regards to vegans, I have yet to come into contact with a male vegan, I'm confident that one must exist somewhere, I've just never been exposed to one.


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## allium

PeteMcCracken said:


> Bazza said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just an observation here regarding coeliacs; Has anyone ever served a male coeliac??? In my experience they all seem to be women. That is in no way meant to be a sexist remark, it is merely what I have observed.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, a male good friend is a celiac.
> 
> Now, with regards to vegans, I have yet to come into contact with a male vegan, I'm confident that one must exist somewhere, I've just never been exposed to one.
Click to expand...

I've met one. His girlfriend made him do it.


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## coulis-o

I must admit I hate the last minute check ons on an evening service when all everyone wants to do is get the kitchen cleaned down and go home. but sometimes it ain't bad because i can be sat in the bar having a pint while waiting for the last table to order their sweets.

This happened to me a couple of weeks ago: I told the FOH staff there was no profiteroles and what does she do ... an hour later she brings a check on with 4 lots of profiteroles and it's a table who has already complained about other certain foods not available on the menu. so rather than complicate the situation even more i end up trying to defrost four portions of profiteroles in the microwave! then, her brother who also works FOH does the same thing and i'm like 'jesus christ! NO! they aint getting profiteroles, end of. i told you already .. no profiteroles!'

i was on my own in the kitchen one night this week. the head chef and GM are off on holiday time, the commis decided to quit his job and walk out the day before, the KP phoned in sick, and it was the other CDPs night off. to add to that, the head chef had gone on holiday without finishing the rota, so for the rest of the week i'd of had no KPs in the kitchen while the head chef and gm was off.

serving Scotch Broth new years eve, one customer was gluten intolerant, and the head chef was like 'she'll be fine, pearl barley's a pulse not a grain.' yet she sent the broth back saying she couldn't have it. so in the end chef was like 'give her some tomato soup, blitz up that open tin of roasted red peppers' lol.


----------



## headless chicken

durangojo said:


> Kingzilla said:
> 
> 
> 
> Wow, so many common problems we all share....
> 
> Literally I hate being a Chef,
> 
> When every time a new health inspector comes bossing us around yet we can do nothing but kissing ***,
> 
> When something brakes and trying to find an honest handy man and realize you just got ripped off,
> 
> When your team steals behind your back,
> 
> When getting sued by employee who are still working in the same kitchen,
> 
> When I have to deal with cooks flirting with other waiter sometimes accidently seeing them in the storage room,
> 
> When I have to work on my families special occasions like birthdays like my son's first birthday, not only breaks my heart but my family as well
> 
> When I realized every time after work I am only getting older and wondering how long I got more in me to stay in my position fearing I might become like one of those 20 plus years cooks
> 
> and yet not made enough money to begin with.
> 
> Every time I go on sites like Craigslist looking for career change and realize it won't be easy,
> 
> I really hate when I get interns or someone who is like a lawyer telling me how they envy my position and how passionate they are willing to give up their high paying salary so they can
> 
> be like me.
> 
> Why did I ever become a chef in the first place, most of all I hate/envy celeb Chef's like David Chang who really in my opinion got very lucky who isn't a real Chef but interns telling me how
> 
> great a Chef he is.
> 
> 
> 
> you seriously need to either take a sabbatical or quit the food industry altogether...everything you listed pretty much comes with the territory of being a chef, which i must ask, "why did you?". is there anything good about being a chef for you?...there are plenty of talented chefs out there who are either not employed or in a job below them(hopefully temporarily) because of economic reasons, so move over and let someone else drive the bus!
> 
> joey
Click to expand...

I personally can't speak for Kingzilla but my story is that I didn't get to this position by choice. I'm currently the acting chef as mine was recently fired but even then, we have a pretty high turn around for people who fill that gap. In my 5 years, I've worked with 4 in the same unit. Each worked the place differently as they saw fit and in doing so, my responsibilities kept fluctuating...or rather, the onus was on me to do things the never did before or had no idea about like inventory, how we did our ordering, or the nooks and crannies of our catering menu and procedures. So 5 years of all that, I pretty much involuntarily learned how to run the place.


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## momandchef

PeteMcCracken said:


> Now, with regards to vegans, I have yet to come into contact with a male vegan, I'm confident that one must exist somewhere, I've just never been exposed to one.


I met one. Guy and his girlfriend, both vegans came into a BLACK ANGUS STEAK HOUSE where I was working. I damn near threw a pan. WHY would you, being a vegan, go out to dinner at a STEAK HOUSE? I am still baffled about it. We made them a salad with oil and vinegar (no cheese or croutons) and some steamed broccoli.

I personally don't mind serving people that come in right before closing. I work for a small mom & pop style restaurant where most days I am the only person in the kitchen. It has happened many times that people will come in after we stop serving but I will still take their order. The way I figure, it's job security. If they have the money and are willing to pay I am willing to spend the extra 20 minutes. I know the owner appreciates it not having to turn away people, and I know they will remember it and come back. (it's happened a few times) I do draw the line tho, if the griddle is off, and I am in the middle of cleaning up then I say no, but offer them something that requires no "cooking" like a chicken salad sandwich or a bowl of soup if we have any left.

My only gripe is stupid people like the vegans at a chain steak house. I don't get those where I am now. Honestly, the only vegans in Texas that I have come across live in Austin, and thank GOD I don't work there!


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## bazza

Ha ha vegans dining at a steak house wow that is a challenge, Would you go to a vegetarian restaurant for a steak? I personally don't mind dealing with dietary requirements I think it makes you more creative and I also don't like turning people away. When I first started in this business my customer base was 5% vegetarian, ten years later at my current place it is 15% and I always try to accomodate.

Last orders at my place is 9.00pm and we are paid up to 10.00pm so there is always room for a late ticket, never bothers me.

What does bother me though, is when I tell FOH that something has run out and they don't communicate it to each other. I may have a check with 12 covers including the item that has run out, I have to call FOH back and it delays starting that ticket making the kitchen look bad. At the end of the day it is FOH who give bad service and bad service means bad tips.


----------



## kingzilla

I started out in the kitchen at very young age opening my own small kitchen with a friend mostly delivering foods to surrounded businesses. I loved it, we even made good money, then we sold it with a good profit after operating for two years. My friend went to college, I went to kitchen and loved it. Everyday I looked forward to learning a new skill, perfecting my skill and watching food network on my days off, dreaming big. I was just like those interns or hobbyist who are passionate about working in the kitchen, and seeing them now made me feel bittersweet. I started my own restaurant raising funds from friends and family, business was a success and everyone wanted a piece of the pie. My investors wanted to get more involved then my comfort zone. They started controlling my payrolls, cutting here and there. I had a balanced working team until my most relied members parted off looking for their own ventures, my investors loved it so they can hire cheaper less qualified employees. 'Oh you the Chef you can train them and we save money'. After coming back from a vacation I had realized they fired my GM to save money, so I ended up with no GM, the FOH started to break apart, 'Oh you have to learn to manage the FOH as well'. Soon enough it no longer became my own business, I was working for them and worst of all I can't just quit, I got too much to loose.

When every time a new health inspector comes bossing us around yet we can do nothing but kissing

Why is it every time a new inspector comes they change the rules, 'Oh he/she (previous inspector) was wrong, you have to do it this way and since you weren't following the proper code I have take a point off' I can do nothing but smile and say yes I'll follow you master.
When something brakes and trying to find an honest handy man and realize you just got ripped off,

I bet this happens to almost every private kitchen, I mean I used to have a great handy man until he passed away from an accident. Since then I am having the hardest time finding honest skilled handy man. Even after an interview, sometime they just make it worst and you end up with a higher bill or end up replacing the whole unit.
When your team steals behind your back,

I really don't want to take extremes placing someone or my self digging through all the trash before they get thrown out of the restaurant, but it really sucks when you accidently catch someone stealing from you and makes you wonder 'is anyone or everyone stealing from me?
When I have to deal with cooks flirting with other waiter sometimes accidently seeing them in the making out in the storage room,

Get a room away from the public please keep it private, I don't mind workers hooking up heck that's how I met my wife but common sense please.
When getting sued by employee who are still working in the same kitchen,

I had a cook who sued me over an injury that never happened my kitchen, it didn't pass the workers comp after an investigation. I knew he was injured after a street fight he got involved at a bar which my other cook had witnessed, I tried to help him out paying part of his medical bills only to be sued later for reducing his shifts.
When I have to work on my family special occasions like birthdays like my son's first birthday, not only breaks my heart but my family as well

This just sucked, one of the reasons why I wanted to open my own business to have more control with my life and better financial control.
When I realized every time after work I am only getting older and wondering how long I got more in me to stay in my position fearing I might become like one of those 20 plus years cooks

I once met a Chef when I was just starting out, he was the King and now sadly he is just a cook at a local night club, what happened I don't know, I didn't have the guts to ask him. That was really hard to swallow for me.
I bet a lot of us fear this, many of us are really under paid for the amount of passion and hours we bring in to the plate, some do make a great living but after years of working in this industry even having my own restaurant, I feel like an actor who barely made it in between. I am ambitious but that just don't seem enough... that's why I really envy/hate (more jealousy) the Chefs/Acting Chefs who made it.
Every time I go on sites like Craigslist looking for career change and realize it won't be easy,

The grass is greener on the other side. It is what it is, I love what I do but at the same time I am just being human
I really hate when I get interns or someone who is like a lawyer telling me how they envy my position and how passionate they are willing to give up their high paying salary so they can be like me

I guess I am burnt out but sometimes it gets under your skin. Maybe its an envy where they stand is probably the best place to be, dreaming.
Why did I ever become a chef in the first place, most of all I hate/envy celeb Chef's like David Chang who really in my opinion got very lucky who isn't a real Chef but interns telling me how

great a Chef is.

It's kind of like when you turn on a radio and hear the same tune playing over and over again until you start getting sick of it, that's how it was for me and DC.
I became a Chef because the same reasons why many of passionate Chef has decided to become a Chef, it takes a lot of work and hard work, I salute to all the hard working Chefs.
I never had a problem with late clients as I viewed them as extra sales, but I really can't stand when my investors show up before/after closing bossing me around and my team to cook for them until whenever they want to stay. Restaurant is a food business but also I learned its a people business, I guess just knowing how to cook and managing a kitchen is not enough being a great Chef/Owner, now after writing this I see a bigger picture of what I need to learn and manage my own business.

This thread has given me a chance to release my frustrations and start fresh again, I hope it lasts, haha. thanks.


----------



## gypsy2727

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smoking.gifEAU DE KITCHEN


----------



## foodpump

I don't understand this health inspector thingee. If there's a code, there's a code, it's not up to interpretation. If they want something, I always do above what they expect, (ie hands free hand sink, mop sink,_* everything *_on wheels) and I in turn expect that they don't come back for another 6-12 mths, which has always been the case so far.

In a way, I guess I'm lucky, as I only have one business partner, and I sleep with her every night....


----------



## prairiechef

Late guests? Don't care. if you're in my door 15 seconds before we close... we're open for you.

Cooks and servers gettin' it on? Hell, we all work crazy hours and our social lives suck... no **** we hook up with people in the industry. I would, however, prefer it if the participants were discreet about it.

Holidays? Special Days? Lose your attachment to them, or get another job. It's really that simple.

Vegans/Celiacs/Vegetarians? Love 'em. LOVE them. Love cooking for them. Yes I know many male vegans, I was one for many years. Yes, I feed many male celiacs on a regular basis. Maybe lose the attitude regarding them, and you might surprise yourself as to how many will make you a regular stop.

The one thing about this business that pisses me off? Is that every other cook in the world thinks they're better than every other. Every line cooking, quail-chested knuckle dragger in the business spends all their time *****ing about how ****** their boss is, and how they could do better.. further to that is "cook ego". What the hell is that about? We cook food for a living. We exist simply because people are too lazy to cook for themselves. Period. This isn't rocket science. This isn't heart surgery. We aren't saving lives or making fantastic new discoveries. We cook. We chose to do it. We're blue collar workers in an entry level trade. Suck it up or **** off.

...and thieves. I consider myself a decent boss. I listen. I give my emplyees their requested days off when possible, I help them move. I drive them home some nights when we work late. Right now, I'm chasing down two of my cooks to pay me back... both came to me with sob stories about how they can't get an advance (workplace policy... no payroll advances), but 1) couldn't make his rent and 2) needed to get back to another city to get his stuff. So l gave them both personal loans. Both of them ripped me off, and both seem to think it was their right to do so. Apparently because I'm a chef and I can afford it.

In short... what sucks about this business is the majority of ***** that work in it.


----------



## headless chicken

PrairieChef said:


> The one thing about this business that pisses me off? Is that every other cook in the world thinks they're better than every other. Every line cooking, quail-chested knuckle dragger in the business spends all their time bitching about how shitty their boss is, and how they could do better.. further to that is "cook ego". What the hell is that about? We cook food for a living. We exist simply because people are too lazy to cook for themselves. Period. This isn't rocket science. This isn't heart surgery. We aren't saving lives or making fantastic new discoveries. We cook. We chose to do it. We're blue collar workers in an entry level trade. Suck it up or piss off.


I'll up you on this. The unit I work at is also for Toronto's Chef school George Brown College. Now the food I provide for the hospitality caf (because they don't have the facilities to make any hot food) has to sell at $5 with a max 36% food cost. Well guess who are my worst critics, the chef professors who seem to expect items on the menu like salmon. They have high expectations and have probably filed enough complaints to have me fired 2x now. Problem is the "cook ego" is a "chef's ego" from a man who ran the King Edward kitchen whose refusing to hear the fact that we no longer have a chef who he wasn't happy with to begin with, and is refusing to note the fact that what I sell reflects what I can get and for the price set by them.


----------



## foodpump

PrairieChef said:


> ...and thieves. I consider myself a decent boss. I listen. I give my emplyees their requested days off when possible, I help them move. I drive them home some nights when we work late. Right now, I'm chasing down two of my cooks to pay me back... both came to me with sob stories about how they can't get an advance (workplace policy... no payroll advances), but 1) couldn't make his rent and 2) needed to get back to another city to get his stuff. So l gave them both personal loans. Both of them ripped me off, and both seem to think it was their right to do so. Apparently because I'm a chef and I can afford it.
> 
> In short... what sucks about this business is the majority of dicks that work in it.


Yeah, I "helped" a p/t employee move too once. Stupid (deleted) took the keys out of the purse of one of f/t waitresses on an on-site gig and took off with the catering truck. Showed up 3 hrs later at my kitchen mumbling something about coffee cups, I had to rent a freaking mini van to send lunch out. I sat the (deleted) down and ask her why she took off with my van, never heard so much B.S. in my life. Then it dawned on me, it was the end of the month, so I asked her if "she got all the big stuff moved". She started to smile, then clammed up and got downright nasty. Took me to the Labour board too, wanted to get paid overtime for stealing my van. I won that one.

But you're wrong, it's not because you're a Chef and can afford. No, no, it's because you're an employer, and all employees have a right to screw the employer any way they can. It's because they pay taxes or something...or maybe it's because the Gov't (?) issues out cheques every month to businesses, or, well, you know, something like that. But it's a right...or something like that....

Biggest knee slapper I ever had was a two day wonder dip-wad who figured out the job sucked, wanted to quit but if he did the time wouldn't count on his un-employment record. When I wouldn't fire him (told him just not to show up if he didn't like the job) he came running back with the impression of a milk-crate on his fore arm, wanted me to fill out a W.C.B form (Worker's comp bd) stating that he was injured on the job. Pulled out a digital camera, took a picture of said fore arm and aked him to come back in another 10 minutes so I could take another picture. He took off.... Tried to file a claim about irregular working hours but even that woldn't fly because he'd have to work at least a week...


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## Iceman

OK. Since we're talking about thieves ....................

I ran a pizza place. When your order was written up, the receipt carboned onto a menu. If you collected 20 menus you could have a free pizza. Nice enough plan, it worked well. Anyway, four employees figured out that they could scam the customer and me at the same time, while getting money to buy "nose candy". They would write up the order without the receipt or menu, just do it on paper. They would take off $2 telling the customer that "we just ran out". Then they pocketed the money. They would do this enough times to save enough to buy a "score". Now at a pizza place that would pump out 600 pies on a good Friday or Saturday night, this wasn't such a tough thing to do. Anyway, again, I walk in on a guy in the washroom snorting lines off the back cover of the toilet. I did something kinda tough but stupid and then dragged him out into the kitchen. After discussing how he would tell his "assault" story about me to the police, and I would tell his "drug" story about him and his friends, we called it a day. He and the 3 other guys would not ever come back, and I would not kill any of them. I ended up firing almost the whole staff and closing for almost a week. It was not a very profitable month.


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## foodpump

Nope, can't even come close to that one...

But-tum....ah..well... You never did explain how you earned the nickame "Ice man"............

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## greg

I know this is a thread about what you hate, but could everyone watch the language please? A good example of how to do so would be foodumps judicious use of the word "(deleted)".


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## Iceman

_"ICEMAN" _was my call name in the service.  (before Top Gun came out)


----------



## leeniek

Headless.. you may be serving my daughter if you are still there in three years!  She's decided George Brown is where she wants to study baking and pastry arts. 

This thread has me thinking about our 30 year vet in a different way.  He is an example of what this business can do to someone if they make the wrong choices in their life.  I'm sure in his day he was very good but somewhere along the line that got sucked out of him.  Don't get me wrong, I am still less than impressed with his work and I still think he is sexist but I do see why he is the way he is.  He has lost everything.. marriage, home, family, and for what?  To have 30 years in the business under his belt and not a thing to show for it but a damaged liver from all of the drinking he does. 

The think I hate the most this week is.. freaking eggs!  Yolks that break on the way out of the shell, poached eggs that separate when they are touched, yolks breaking again when the eggs are either flipped or plated..  you name it.  I had a heck of a time this past weekend on eggs.  We suspect the eggs are on the old side (even though they come in "fresh" daily) but that doesn't help when I am up to my ears in egg orders and it takes me three or more goes at it to get one single plate out.  Not fun.


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## leeniek

> Now, with regards to vegans, I have yet to come into contact with a male vegan, I'm confident that one must exist somewhere, I've just never been exposed to one.


I've met one. He worked at the same studio as my husband for a while. He seemed like a nice enough guy and the reastaurant we were at for the Christmas party did provide a vegan option on the menu for us.


----------



## stl243

my biggest gripe would be owners/partners.

the people with too much money and not enough brains.  trust the people with the experience...its ok.  i promise.

"we need something huge to eat, we should have a contest!"

yeah....that will drum up a lot of business.

"i gotta cut your food budget this week cuz im going out of town...can you make it on $400?"

sure, if you want us to run out in a few days.  go right ahead

"the damn kitchen staff isnt paying for their food!"

we make a staff meal....and didnt you come in and wine and dine 10 friends then comp it off?

holidays dont bother me.  its not being able to have off when i really need to.  for example, my fiancee (as of last week!) broke her leg...she normally takes care of the house since i work all the time, but since she's couched, its up to me.  apparently its wrong of me to leave for a few hours (after 10pm AFTER the kitchen is closed)

on a lighter note: i LOVE being slammed.  an endless row of dupes on the slide...shuckin n jivin, banging out plate after plate.  love.that.sh*t.


----------



## chef texas

What I hate..........

As a chef, being the front line of fire from customers that really just want to b*tch because they can. Not because the food was wrong. Such as ..." This salad dressing tastes like it was from a bottle" when I know and my staff knows we made it fresh.....or...."This is not a ribeye steak, this has to be a strip steak" when I hand-cut the ribeyes myself. THEN...they e-mail the "powers-that-be" to complain. Has anyone here noticed how the advent of immediate communication has brought the stress level up several notches??


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## leeniek

Those people who send emails to head office drive me crazy.  I have to agree, this era of immediate contact has added a new level of stress to every job, not just ours and the general public knows what power they hold in their hands.

I hate the people who complain that their over easy eggs aren't cooked... hmm.. the yolks are supposed to be runny.. if you want them not to run order them over well or fried!


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## headless chicken

Going through that right now actually, someone nameless from GBC Hospitality has been complaining about the quality of the food served at the caf...at $5/serving.  Specific quote "food is not up to par with my expectations".  I don't know what this person expects for $5 from a cafeteria, especially when the food needs to be made all at once and delivered across the street made by someone unqualified (on paper).  Especially when around the same time last year, food provided by the school for us to sell based on a menu written by "unnamed" was not selling as well as what I pump out with much more limitations.  Evidently, the student population's standards and expectations are quite low.  My "lack" of performance has garnered a couple visits to my boss...I guess I'm fired.


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## momandchef

stl243 said:


> on a lighter note: i LOVE being slammed. an endless row of dupes on the slide...shuckin n jivin, banging out plate after plate. love.that.sh*t.


I love getting slammed too. Makes the day go by faster when you are busy.


----------



## oldfoodguy

leeniek said:


> This thread has me thinking about our 30 year vet in a different way. * He is an example of what this business can do to someone if they make the wrong choices in their life*. I'm sure in his day he was very good but somewhere along the line that got sucked out of him. Don't get me wrong, I am still less than impressed with his work and I still think he is sexist but I do see why he is the way he is. He has lost everything.. marriage, home, family, and for what? To have 30 years in the business under his belt and not a thing to show for it but a damaged liver from all of the drinking he does.


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## stl243

while it has been hard, i have managed to get in the habit of leaving my professional life at the door.  when i walk into my house, work ends.  maybe a few phone calls...but i focus on being home.  when you carry it around all day the weight adds up and starts to wear you down.

home time is home time, work time is work time.


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## Iceman

I hate having to work w/ the boss/owner's wife. Usually everyone hates working w/ her too. She comes in once/twice a week, never has anything good to say or compliment anyone, she "cleans up" or reorganizes everything that everyone is familiar with the way it was and she brings down the entire crew. You know it's really bad when the boss/owner has a different attitude on those days too. He doesn't like working w/ her either. They've got a big head like they are the best at everything, and you need to do things "her way". They suck at the job, and not in any good way either. I hate having to work w/ boss/owner's wives.


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## leeniek

I hate corporate head office types. Personally I haven't had any problems with our field consultant but apparently the KM did this week and she is out for blood and is going to do a thorough audit on us next week.  We are ready but I know she's out for blood so tomorrow I am going to make doubly sure we are doing everything by the corporate book and then some.


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## petemccracken

Long ago, I heard an expression: "Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach. Those that can't teach, manage. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif

Maybe needs adding too? Those that can't manage, inspect?


----------



## leeniek

I think you're right Pete.. she can't manage so she inspects!  Still I'm not looking forward to having my head served to me on a platter by her so I am going to make doubly sure the book is being followed.  It's a corporate thing too.. public health and the customers are happy so we must be doing something right...


----------



## deacon

A couple things I hate about beaing a chef is

-having a Friday or Saturday off and no friends to hang out with because they all work in the industry.

-being woken up by the sound of your dog chewing the pair of dansko you just got 2 days prior.

-after meeting new people and they find out I'm a chef, they ALWAYS say "oh I love to cook" or "my best friends' uncles' fathers cousin former roomate is a chef", 

As for all of the comments about the guests arriving 2 minutes prior to closing...that same last guest, could end up being your first guest on another day because they still felt welcomed at closing.


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## kuan

leeniek said:


> I hate corporate head office types.


Boy I used to work for this one family owned company who owned several hotels. They were very Italian. The family used to visit the hotels and rub shoulders with the staff. Everyone loved them. But when stuff needed to get done they sent their corporate "guy" down. He was scary.


----------



## Iceman

LOL. This is kinda goofy, but I hate having to explain what I like to eat. After shift at the bar I cook in I like to have a cold frosty malted beverage, then go next door to grab a burrito. People give me all kinds of strange looks both coming and going. They can't understand when I tell them that I don't want to eat what I cook. I've been cooking the same dishes for 6 hours, it's the same every night. There is not a gosh-golly thing wrong whatsoever with what I make. I just don't want to eat it.


----------



## petemccracken

IceMan said:


> ...I've been cooking the same dishes for 6 hours, it's the same every night. There is not a gosh-golly thing wrong whatsoever with what I make. I just don't want to eat it.


Doesn't sound goofy to me/img/vbsmilies/smilies/laser.gif you just choose variety.


----------



## petemccracken

For me, though I like being "in charge", sometimes, albeit not frequently, it would be nice to have the luxury of just "following orders" /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif


----------



## leeniek

IceMan said:


> LOL. This is kinda goofy, but I hate having to explain what I like to eat. After shift at the bar I cook in I like to have a cold frosty malted beverage, then go next door to grab a burrito. People give me all kinds of strange looks both coming and going. They can't understand when I tell them that I don't want to eat what I cook. I've been cooking the same dishes for 6 hours, it's the same every night. There is not a gosh-golly thing wrong whatsoever with what I make. I just don't want to eat it.


I'm the same way. I'll either bring my own food or go get something.


----------



## jakster10

when you forget something in the oven ! hahahaha


----------



## momandchef

I just had this happen to me, and this may not apply to most, but my friends always have home shows like Tupperware, Mary Kay, etc. I hate these parties anyway, but where I live Pampered Chef and Tastefully Simple are very popular. I get invited to them a lot, and my friends always tell the rep. that I am a chef so she will try to use me in her sales pitch, "Oh and you being a chef, you love these knives!" (of course they are overpriced P.O.S) or "This recipe is so good, you'll want to put it on your menu!" Yeah, I don't serve crescent rolls in my restaurant thank you very much. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif


----------



## cbradford

Damn. It's definitely sabbatical time, friend. Take a week off and just _breathe_. Get out of the kitchen for a little while. By day 5 you're going to miss it...but you need those 5 days.


----------



## cbradford

I would have to say that I hate missing the family events. I hate that culinary schools are robbing young ones blind, and embittering formerly passionate young chefs underneath massive student loans.... and then failing to teach them well. I hate that our profession isn't seen as one, oftentimes. I hate that the public knows so little about our art and profession.

I hate the elitism. We all have limitations to work under--I can't afford to use organic beef and free-range chicken in my tiny restaurant. That you do doesn't make you a better Chef than I.

Unless, of course, I'm a lazy bastard who's cutting corners (...mashed potatoes in a bag...ugh). In that case, I deserve to be shamed. =)


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## trooper

Momandchef said:


> I just had this happen to me, and this may not apply to most, but my friends always have home shows like Tupperware, Mary Kay, etc. I hate these parties anyway, but where I live Pampered Chef and Tastefully Simple are very popular. I get invited to them a lot, and my friends always tell the rep. that I am a chef so she will try to use me in her sales pitch, "Oh and you being a chef, you love these knives!" (of course they are overpriced P.O.S) or "This recipe is so good, you'll want to put it on your menu!" Yeah, I don't serve crescent rolls in my restaurant thank you very much. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif


LOL LOL LOL x 10 !!!


----------



## rat

I have come to expect most of what you chefs have posted here.

My two.

Getting up at 2:30 am to shovel out the drive to make it to work by 5am, 15 inches of snow dug out and halfway there the boss calls and says we're closed, I forgot to call you... LOL

My biggest dislike is working at a place for 10 years and having a new chef come in who fancys himself a pastry chef, so long job. Just happened to me.

I miss the days when people were valued and work places were really like family, nowadays money is above all. Show one weakness and you are gone. Saw a cook who was sick one time get fired because he did not call out 24 hours notice. I do not think the most succesfull chef is the one who puts his or her job above all else. The successfull chef is the one who trys to bring people up on the way to the top, not the one who steps on everyone.


----------



## leeniek

jakster10 said:


> when you forget something in the oven ! hahahaha


That happened to me the other day. I put some tomatoes into the oven to roast, looked at the time and thought "ok.. at 10am check the tomatoes" .. I even said to the cook whose station is near the oven.. "if I forget can you check the tomatoes for me at 10?" She said fine, then we both got busy and it was nearly noon before we checked on the tomatoes. OOPS!


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## trooper

Quote:


rat said:


> My biggest dislike is working at a place for 10 years and having a new chef come in who fancys himself a pastry chef, so long job. Just happened to me.
> 
> I miss the days when people were valued and work places were really like family, nowadays money is above all. Show one weakness and you are gone. Saw a cook who was sick one time get fired because he did not call out 24 hours notice. I do not think the most succesfull chef is the one who puts his or her job above all else. The successfull chef is the one who trys to bring people up on the way to the top, not the one who steps on everyone.


My apologies for the bump at work - that sucks. I agree with most everything in your statement. The reality speaks for it self. The same type of crap happens outside the kitchen - in all professions. I have been bumped for no good reason because of nepotisim; I have been pulled into organizations because someone pulled me in; I have pulled others in with me as well.

One thing I am proud of is this: No matter how ruthless the environment, I have never burned anyone who was a team player. To me, a team player is one who manages to stay focused on the organizational mission, and not the agenda of their peers. I will also say that I have broken-up little clicks and closed circles of employees who were not focused on the organization's objectives.

I hope you find a place where your leadership sees the value in dedicated employees. That will never happen in a corporate kitchen any longer than the tenure of your immediate chain of command. Find an owner-operator/chef-owner or small partnership. You get more control, higher value and more loyalty in both directions, and at a peer level.

I replied to your comment because I am worried you may go into that next job as a "broken" employee. That is one who played by the rules and put in their time - then was rewarded with a Sh*t sandwich. When they come to their next post, they still have a bad taste in their mouth.

Make sure you get that bad taste out of your moth before you meet your next boss - and let the past remain there. Don't let mean people live inside your head unless their paying rent.


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## dobzre

We had this issue at one point, tiny kitchen and totally different menus. We changed to a "limited" menu from 5:30 - 6:00 it was basically an app only menu which had some of the same components as on the dinner menu. Worked like a charm. We were outta there at 5:30 and the dinner guys would fill the orders still coming in. While I do feel your pain, sometime you just wan to GTFO of there at the second of closing time. My barber always used to tell me, "you sat on your *** ALLLLLL day but decide you want a haircut 5 min before we close."


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## silent1520

not let your line guys clean up till the last customer leaves?.....thats cruel and retarded...if its slow you can bet ima start cleaning up an hour before closing time..not only do you reduce overtime but after long 12hr day all we wanna do is go home and relax so we can start fresh the next day.


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## pcieluck

When I read a ticket that says:

"-a, -b, -c, -d..... -x."

me: 

"Hey S*&# head! why dont you save us BOTH a lot of time and say 'ONLY Z!"

I never minded last minute orders. I even quite enjoy cooking for the floor staff. But my managers and corporate jerks want me done cleaning the ENTIRE restaurant 1 hour after close, MAXIMUM!  And to pretty high standards. So i AM going to start cleaning as early as 1:30 hours before close, and I want to know EXACTLY how many orders I can anticipate so I can go "I'm too busy to try and clean this right now, but not too busy to do this," and if I get that order at 2 minutes before close, and the server hasn't even given me any hint that she still has customers, I will lose my cool.

On a similar note. We serve biscuits at our restaurant. When most of the kitchen staff has left for the day and a server goes "How long, or why aren't there any biscuits ready?... "My grill is at the exact opposite side as where you keep those biscuits! I'm not psychic, so if you give me neither a count of your customers or a hint that you ran out or were low on the things, I'm not going to bake more! But I believe you're far more intelligent than you're proving right now, so go ahead and grab a tray of them from the walk-in, put them in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes! You CAN handle that, right?!"


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## pcieluck

Of all the jobs I've had, I think baking has been my least favorite. Something about it just isn't for me.  Getting there, for starters at 4 am. Doing nothing but mixing the exact same dough recipe several times each morning (maybe not all bakeries are like that but...). Cutting and weighing portions is a mindless task.  Rolling those cuts into tight balls or roles... Making sure you do all of these things at the exact same times each day so they fit with the proofing schedule. It's so repetitive it put my mind in bad places. I'd done it for a while, and still had the owner telling me every day that my dough was too hard or too soft, therefor had too much or too little flour, even though I followed his exact recipe by weight every time down to the tenth of an ounce. Ultimately the only job i've ever resigned from for no other reason than the fact I didn't want to do it anymore.


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## chefedb

Working Holidays when everyone else off and enjoying family time. My holidays were always day after or  before. Never knowing what time you would finish up (covering for no shows etc.) Mentality of some owners and managers re. their employees.


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## pcieluck

The fact that you're spending your evenings, holidays, and pretty much all of the prime times that others spend with their friends or having a social life. Those other cooks and floor staff are quickly becoming your only friends and your new family, and they usually suck and are not people you'd want to spend all of your time with.


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## Iceman

WOW. I really wish that I could argue with what you just said, but I can't.


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## pcieluck

Humor me, or are you agreeing?


----------



## resqdoc

Lets see...

So many things to agree on after reading the last 3 pages. Things that hit close to home though...

Owners - Yeah...got it. Your name is on the deed and licensing. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not come back and start treating my crew as though THEY are incompetent because you saw someone at this one place or on TV get the same exact results, by preparing something in a different manner. Just because my crew prepares something a different way does not mean that they are doing it wrong. It means they are doing it how I told them to do it, or how they have always done it. It also means that they are doing it in a way that people like.

If you ever looked at the sales audit and trending at the end of the month instead of your bank account, perhaps you may learn a few things about how YOUR restaurant truly works.

Also, when I tell you 3 weeks before the seasonal menu changes, dont come to me and chew my ass because you lack the mental strength to understand: "Huh...food cost seemed high last month..ohh...thats right, we went live on the spring menu last week...". Not my problem that you have more money than brains and its not my problem that you have the memory and attention span of a housecat.

Fishing in the company pond - What you do on your own time is fine with me. I am in no place to judge. You wanna be a junkie, sweet, go be a junkie. Dont come to work strung out or sick. You wanna cross dress and strut your stuff on the runway at some club in the district, awesome. You go girl/guy/er..., just dont come to work and promote your off work activities to other employees and patrons. Last but not least, if you think Mary the server, or Mark the pantry guy is a hottie and you wanna rail him/her, go for it. The minute things go south for you, leave it at the time clock, however, if it works out for you two, all the best. The minute you clock in though, you are on not only my time, but the time of the people we serve. Keep your head in the game. Dont play kissy face in between turns and stay professional.

Applicants -

Me: "So, tell me about your time spent working at Restaurant Y."

Applicant: "Yeah, I was the Sous there for about 2 years..and left because of a better job elsewhere."

Me: "Sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders, we will give you a call within the week."

So you call restaurant Y and you ask to talk to the Exe. Chef and as it turns out, the applicant was not only NOT the sous, rather the breakfast prep cook, but was also let go due to "Too many personality conflicts".

Do people seriously not think that we do not check references??

Or:

Me: "Your resume looks great, and your references check out, you wanna come in next week and do a working interview so I can get a warm and fuzzy of how you operate in this type of kitchen?"

Applicant: "Working interview?"

Me: "Yea, you basically come in for one night and float from station to station so I can see where you would best fit in."

Applicant: "Yea...umm...I will see what I can do. So wait...you want me to come in and work for a night...we haven't discussed a wage yet"

Me: "Well yeah...thats because that is not the type of establishment we are. I pay you based on what I think you can bring to the team...not what your resume says. If you fit the shoe that I need filled, we will discuss a salary after service."

Applicant: "I dont think thats fair at all."

At that point, the whole conversation sort of crashes and burns.

Applicants who you hire because the DO fit the mold and are able to BS their way through the interview process who wind up floundering a week in..

New cook: "Hey Chef...you asked me to make some "kennels" with the "herb chefv" mix...what are "kennels" and what is "herb chefv"?

Me: "No...I asked you to make some QUENELLES with the herb CHEVRE mix.."

New cooks that are only concerned with the sexy aspects of what the culinary world and glamorize the BS that is involved with clawing your way to the top instead of seeking out knowledge and cultivating the passion that is required to buffer your true self from the poisonous aspects of the culture.

New cooks that CONSTANTLY talk like they are a contestant on "Hells Kitchen" or some other reality tv cooking show.

Cooks that are afraid to ask questions. Believe me...I would rather explain something to you then have it be jacked up because you were too afraid to ask.

Cooks that talk themselves up or make themselves out to be something they are not, when talking amongst friends.

Cooks that dont set their stations or make a list the night before.

86ing things without giving a count prior to 86ing the item.

Servers that cant keep track of tickets and fire their tables out of order.

Servers that complain about there not being any amuse left, but then get offended after you catch them snacking on it in the server station and then call them out on it.

The term "On the fly". GOD ...I REALLY....REALLY hate that one.

Open Food tickets...and then the server not coming back to fully explain the Open Food or sending a runner back to try and explain it.

Dishwashers who complain about washing dishes.

Runners/Bussers who complain about running/bussing.

People who have no IDEA what its like to work in a professional kitchen, but think because they watch Food Network 24/7, or because they are a collector of cookbooks, or that are "Great home cooks", that this career would be good for them. They expect the world on their first day, and have an attitude when you ask them to chop potatoes and then correct them on their knife technique..."Shake hands with the knife.." or get the ass when you ask them to help the dishwasher out because he is in the weeds. They have no concept of a team effort. They think they are owed the same consideration as someone who has paid their dues..either by climbing the ladder from the very bottom as a busser, or dishwasher and landing an apprenticeship somewhere, or forking out the money to go to culinary school.

Honestly...bitching by people who are being PAID to work. You dont like where you are in the foodchain...then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Dont just sit there and bitch. Be proactive. Nobody controls your path in life but you.

Be thankful that you have a job, and be thankful that you have a job where you do.


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## pcieluck

A lot of those hit home with me ResQDoc.  I'll agree with the drugs, but coming in sick?  I've never worked in any place in this industry where finding someone to cover you because you're sick is easy. When I'm sick I HAVE to come in because nobody will cover me.

Open tickets in particular.  The second I see such a ticket I'll shout out that that table number to see me immediately, and not a floor manager, runner, or anybody is bothered to find out for me.  After a few minutes of waiting and more tickets coming in, I drop it thinking "well if they haven't talked to me yet, it must be a small unimportant detail."  6-10 minutes later when the food is done or almost done "oh...they wanted no seasoning..." or "they wanted beef instead of chicken..."  Really?! 

Servers who say "I dont get paid enough to do that..." or in other words "I don't get paid like a cook, on an hourly salary" when a lot of those girls make more money in tips in4 or  5 short hours than I do in a full-time shift.

This past weekend is the busiest one of the year where I cook, and my only help was a trainee, who managed to BS his way to start at a higher salary than I make.  Not only that, now that I have him trained they're giving him a few of my shifts and I will be expediting a few nights a week in place, a job that pays less money.  Seems like they want me to quit.


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## foodpump

Resqdoc,

A lot of that seems all too familiar, 'cept for the cross dressing runway models...

But how on earth did you manage to get a reference out of an employer? 99% of the time all I get is name, rank, and serial #, or _"X" worked here as --- from --- to ---- at --- per hr, or --- per mth. _and other than that they won't say anything else for fear of the boogey-man.

One of my favorite chefs had a sign over his desk that was a quote from Escoffier. Can't remember exactly how it translates, but it's something like:
"The owner who tells the Chef what to order, loses his right to complain about the quality of the food"


----------



## resqdoc

pcieluck said:


> I'll agree with the drugs, but coming in sick?


Sick...as in junk sick. DT's. Whatever you want to call it. People who abuse certain drugs will often gain a physical dependency on them. When they are not able to get said drugs, their bodies and minds will revolt.



foodpump said:


> Resqdoc,
> 
> A lot of that seems all too familiar, 'cept for the cross dressing runway models...
> 
> But how on earth did you manage to get a reference out of an employer? 99% of the time all I get is name, rank, and serial #, or _"X" worked here as --- from --- to ---- at --- per hr, or --- per mth. _and other than that they won't say anything else for fear of the boogey-man.
> 
> One of my favorite chefs had a sign over his desk that was a quote from Escoffier. Can't remember exactly how it translates, but it's something like:
> "The owner who tells the Chef what to order, loses his right to complain about the quality of the food"


I tell the former employer what position I am thinking about putting the person in, and ask them about the truthfulness of the Job Description that the applicant listed on his/her resume. I also ask him if the employee was eligible for rehire. If not, there is usually an "off the record" story that goes along with it and usually starts off with something like "So lemme tell you about this motherfu**** and the sh** they tried to pull"


----------



## Iceman

That would be _*YES*_, I agree.



pcieluck said:


> Humor me, or are you agreeing?


----------



## greg

ResQDoc said:


> Me: "Your resume looks great, and your references check out, you wanna come in next week and do a working interview so I can get a warm and fuzzy of how you operate in this type of kitchen?"
> 
> Applicant: "Working interview?"
> 
> Me: "Yea, you basically come in for one night and float from station to station so I can see where you would best fit in."
> 
> Applicant: "Yea...umm...I will see what I can do. So wait...you want me to come in and work for a night...we haven't discussed a wage yet"
> 
> Me: "Well yeah...thats because that is not the type of establishment we are. I pay you based on what I think you can bring to the team...not what your resume says. If you fit the shoe that I need filled, we will discuss a salary after service."
> 
> Applicant: "I dont think thats fair at all."
> 
> At that point, the whole conversation sort of crashes and burns.


Not sure about your local law, but here in Minnesota if someone is working, they must be paid at least minimum wage. Even if they agree to not be paid for a working interview, that still doesn't release the employers obligation and you could be sued. There might be a less-than-minimum training wage work-around where you're at , but here we can only do that with people under age 20. The best solution is to cover yourself and pay minimum.


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## Iceman

As a continuation of what Greg just said, I've never been in a kitchen where anyone did a _"working interview"_ and didn't get paid at the end, if only in cash in hand. It was always followed with, _"Thanks for working, we'll review things and get back to you."_, or _"You start (put in day)."_. I've never seen anyone work and go home empty handed, even if they sucked. Now for me on the other hand, I've never had to do any working interviews. I've always just been hired. I just tell them to let me watch how they all work and I'll decide if I wanna stick around. I don't like getting stuck in crummy kitchens. I've got standards.


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## foodpump

Working interviews or "staging" are quite common here, but the understanding is that you just stand around with your thumb up your bum, watch, ask questions and all that, and only for a 3 or 4 hr shifts. 

Me, I always paid.  If they sucked royally, I paid cash, if they were "keepers" I told them the time would be put onto their work schedule and would show up on thier pay check.  $30-odd bucks is pretty cheap insurance when hiring potentials, especially if they ask stoopid questions like" How many do you have to work before you can take a break?"......


----------



## resqdoc

Perhaps I was a bit fuzzy on what I meant.

No, they do get paid, and yes, it is typically a half shift at minimum wage.

L&I would have a field day if something were to come up and the stodge wound up cutting his arm off or something to that effect.

Its never a "Hey, come in and work free for a night." but rather "Hey, come in and work basically for basically nothing for a night."

Sorry I wasnt clear on that.

What I was pointing out was my frustration with people who think that they should be automatically hired paid 13 bucks an hour based off of what their resume states, People who think they are worth more than they really are. Every kitchen is different, and the skills that will carry you to the top in...lets say... a steak house may not get you too far in a place where you are doing a 12 course tasting menu plus a full ala carte menu, and vice versa.

It also gives me a good sense of how willing and how much desire they have to be a part of THIS team.

Ideally, you hire people based off of their desire to learn and create, their ability to be a team player, and their own practical knowledge and skill set...not because you need someone to fill a slot. You want someone that wants to work for YOU...not someone that just "needs a job".

Sadly though...very rarely do we hire people that fit the ideal.


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## greg

In that case, you're just running up against potential hires with an overblown sense of entitlement. The sense of entitlement isn't against the law, but should be.


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## durangojo

i quite agree greg...while entitlement is not illegal,it is unethical...

joey


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## resqdoc

Greg said:


> In that case, you're just running up against potential hires with an overblown sense of entitlement. The sense of entitlement isn't against the law, but should be.


Sadly, the term "Fine Dining" tends to attract some of the most pompous, egotistical applicants out there.


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## kvonnj

I hate it when some jackwagon starts talking to me like he/she and I have something in common because he/she watches Rachel Ray or Paula Deen every day.


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## deacon

When you hear the phrase "I'm a vegan and I'm allergic to onion and garlic"...Tell me, why did you come to an Italian restaurant Mr. Vegan Vampire?


----------



## resqdoc

Deacon said:


> When you hear the phrase "I'm a vegan and I'm allergic to onion and garlic"...Tell me, why did you come to an Italian restaurant Mr. Vegan Vampire?


"We have a lovely selection of.......brea...er..water....."


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## snklee

I think when last ticket comes in 2 min. before closing and everything is clean


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## momandchef

Deacon said:


> When you hear the phrase "I'm a vegan and I'm allergic to onion and garlic"...Tell me, why did you come to an Italian restaurant Mr. Vegan Vampire?


Right up there with the vegans that came into the STEAK HOUSE restaurant I used to work at. Salad with oil and vinegar, that'll be $15 please. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## chiclayo

I'm thinking about making a career change, and becoming a chef, but I always hear horrible things about it.  Why would anyone want to become a chef?


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## joe b

I hate that the employee bathroom stays dirty, not like grungy, but just people not throwing the paper towels in the trash. Like you wouldn't do that at home.

When servers do any sidework, there are always little messes that they leave behind for us to clean up. Usually dressings on the counter that i just scrubbed.

It sucks when you have cheap owners and the equipment is not maintained at proper intervals and the employees don't have the proper tools to do the proper job.

......Now that I actually start to write this down, I think I could for on for a long time about my pet peeves. But I really do enjoy my job and it's great to make people smile with the food I cook, that makes it worth it.


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## blwilson2039

<<I'm thinking about making a career change, and becoming a chef, but I always hear horrible things about it. Why would anyone want to become a chef?>>

Who knows? People become chefs because they like crappy hours, insufficient pay, unrelenting pressure, overbearing bosses, under-performing staff, under-staffed kitchens, no-shows, people who never show up again ever, the health department, food reviewers panning them, customers complaining over nothing, food shortages and power outages.

Seriously, it's because it called to us. We can't help ourselves.

In the restaurant biz, chances are you won't:

1) get rich

2) be famous

or

3) be unhappy with what you're doing if you really, really love it.


----------



## chidining

Amen to that! 

I have been in the business 28 years, want to retire but keep wanting another job, but you have to understand its not a job - its a vocation!

Hope you enjoy it!


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## chiclayo

Ok, fair enough.  I understand it's a calling.  It's all I think about.  I go to bed reading cookbooks.  I never wanted much money anyways.


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## ametrine

skagitchef said:


> Haha! I hate when the freezer door seals shut for a half a minute or so until the pressure equalizes. VERY frustrating. For me, I really hate it when the server screws up the order and tells the guests the kitchen made a mistake!!!! AArghhh!! What can we do?


That is irritating, for sure - I've certainly been there. But as someone who has worked a combination FOH & BOH for over 10 years, it's also irritating as hell when something is the kitchen's fault but it seems as though it is the server's mistake. And I have to say that's a worse problem because, while BOH gets paid a real hourly wage no matter what, servers depend on tips, which depend the customers' perception of their work. So for instance, if food is taking too long, it can seem to a lot of customers as if the server forgot put their order in, when in fact it very well could be due to the kitchen. And that's just one example. Plus, even if it was the server's screw-up and they blamed it on the kitchen, that doesn't mean the customer believes it; in fact, it's likely to come off as the server trying to cover his/her ass.

Distributed over time and averaged out, blame for a given mistake is probably equally likely to belong to FOH or BOH - unless there is something seriously wrong with one part of a restaurant's staff. Of course, when you're in the middle of your shift being blamed for some BS you had nothing to do with by some liar you have to work with, statistics don't make you feel any better. The difference is that at the end of the day, most mistakes matter a lot more to the take home pay of someone in the FOH.

Now, we could crack open that whole other can of worms about how ridiculously little BOH gets paid for the work they put in, especially compared to the average tips FOH makes in a shift, but that's probably better left to another thread...


----------



## deacon

ametrine said:


> That is irritating, for sure - I've certainly been there. But as someone who has worked a combination FOH & BOH for over 10 years, it's also irritating as hell when something is the kitchen's fault but it seems as though it is the server's mistake. And I have to say that's a worse problem because, while BOH gets paid a real hourly wage no matter what, servers depend on tips, which depend the customers' perception of their work. So for instance, if food is taking too long, it can seem to a lot of customers as if the server forgot put their order in, when in fact it very well could be due to the kitchen. And that's just one example. Plus, even if it was the server's screw-up and they blamed it on the kitchen, that doesn't mean the customer believes it; in fact, it's likely to come off as the server trying to cover his/her ass.
> 
> Distributed over time and averaged out, blame for a given mistake is probably equally likely to belong to FOH or BOH - unless there is something seriously wrong with one part of a restaurant's staff. Of course, when you're in the middle of your shift being blamed for some BS you had nothing to do with by some liar you have to work with, statistics don't make you feel any better. The difference is that at the end of the day, most mistakes matter a lot more to the take home pay of someone in the FOH.
> 
> Now, we could crack open that whole other can of worms about how ridiculously little BOH gets paid for the work they put in, especially compared to the average tips FOH makes in a shift, but that's probably better left to another thread...


I totally agree, that's why in the middle of the battle, I preach to both the FOH and my BOHstaff that it's about taking care of the guest first and foremost. Placing blame doesn't get the foo out faster, if anything, it creates tension and slows that specific situation down and then increases the opportunity to spiral even further. So we ALL MUST fix the mistake and move on and if at the end of the shift further discipline is needed, we will deal with it then.


----------



## a_mak

About last minute tickets, I guess if you're the owner of a restaurant and every dollar counts in making a profit then you stay open.  But you also have to take into account the overtime you're going to have to pay.  And of course the cooks will go along but if you expect them to do it will a smile & a song in their hearts, sorry that's not reality.  If you're a customer, why would you want to come into a restaurant at the last minute?  You know the cooks have been working 8 hours or more & want to get out ASAP.  Maybe you'll get excellent service & your plates will be as good as if you'd come 2 hours earlier.  Or you'll get a server who tries to rush you & a kitchen that microwaves your steak.  Do you want to take that chance?  I've never done that of course but I've seen it happen.


----------



## panini

The worst thing about being a Chef, is not being a Pastry Chef /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif


----------



## Iceman

First off, it bugs me that FOH can't figure out that it is never the fault for anything of BOH. BOH is never wrong, so don't ever blame them for anything. Secondly, FOH has no right to say anything whatsoever about pay. As a very decently paid BOH chef, I can't remember ever making more than the lowest, crummiest FOH person, on any given night. Next, FOH should just SHUT UP about ways to order dishes. I make my menu the way it is because that is the way it is. Don't go telling people how you like your regular, standard, been around for a long time, classic dishes all specialized. SHUT UP.

On another point, not at all a bad thing but just one that cracks me up, is how home-cooking people get all flustery giddy about making stuff with over-the-top, high-priced ingredients. Hamburgers made of wagyu beef and prime chuck, topped w/ foie gras and basted in clarified butter. Crack me up. Then to take a burger mix costing around $12/lb. and cover it up w/ all this kinda stuff: sea salt and ground pepper, toasted seeded buns _*(I'm OK up to this point, but stop here)*_ with a slather of mayo on the bottom bun. Cheddar cheese melted atop and topped with a salsa of: mango, pineapple, red and yellow bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and salt. My goodness, we're talking hamburgers here. Enjoy what you eat I guess. Who am I to say. LOL.


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## foodpump

Quite a post.

But hey, sales always make more than production. Always will. More than a couple times have I had a cook whining about who earns more, and the only reply from me was for that person right then and there to either keep on his apron and cook, or to take off his apron and go apply as a waiter somewhere else. Total of 2 seconds to make up thier mind, and it's either back to work or the door.

I remember back to my apprenticeship in the hotel I worked at. Maitre D' and his buddy were both, uh.. "ethnic" types. Used to do quite a bit of outside catering with them, I personally witnessed many times the host especially give tips for the kitchen (service fees were included in the bill), and then those (deleted) would give me a shite-eating grin and pocket the money. Hotel had two restaurants, and a bar. Everything was rung out on one (1) antique, _*manual *_cash register. Both those dudes had multiple house back in Italy, even showed the kitchen pictures of them.

After I completed, I visited the owner, and brought with me brochures of cash register and accounting systems. Although he knew, I told him again, he'd get his money back in a matter of months if he installed such a system. Two months later he installed a system, two and a half months later the Maitre D' was gone and his buddy who was still working had lost considerable wieght and hair.


----------



## blwilson2039

I agree with IceMan that it's sometimes amusing when your customers always tell you "what you should do" with a particular dish. It's always, "well, I like it this way...". Or "have you ever thought of doing ______ with this dish?" Yes, we tried it. We hated it. Not gonna happen.

The most frustrating thing I see in restaurants is when a customer sends back a perfectly cooked dish. Temps are a balancing act, and if somebody is that picky about how pink (or brown) they want their meat, they should ask the server "what's medium well here?" It varies from kitchen to kitchen. I went to a very nice ($$$) steak house a couple of years ago and ordered a filet medium. I like medium rare, but filets are invariably undercooked, and that seems to solve the problem. The steak came out - and I'm not joking - au bleu. It was RAW in the center. Raw and cold. I like carpaccio, but not when I want steak.

On another note, don't you just cringe when somebody orders a filet mignon well done?


----------



## Iceman

_*LOL.*_ My SIL #1 orders his fillet butterflied, and well-done. I just generally shut up when he's paying.


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## deacon

When you stab your finger on the ticket spindle in the middle of the rush. You would think after so many years experience you would not do such a stupid thing but then reality tells you to focus.


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## durangojo

IceMan said:


> First off, it bugs me that FOH can't figure out that it is never the fault for anything of BOH. BOH is never wrong, so don't ever blame them for anything. Secondly, FOH has no right to say anything whatsoever about pay. As a very decently paid BOH chef, I can't remember ever making more than the lowest, crummiest FOH person, on any given night. Next, FOH should just SHUT UP about ways to order dishes. I make my menu the way it is because that is the way it is. Don't go telling people how you like your regular, standard, been around for a long time, classic dishes all specialized. SHUT UP.
> 
> On another point, not at all a bad thing but just one that cracks me up, is how home-cooking people get all flustery giddy about making stuff with over-the-top, high-priced ingredients. Hamburgers made of wagyu beef and prime chuck, topped w/ foie gras and basted in clarified butter. Crack me up. Then to take a burger mix costing around $12/lb. and cover it up w/ all this kinda stuff: sea salt and ground pepper, toasted seeded buns _*(I'm OK up to this point, but stop here)*_ with a slather of mayo on the bottom bun. Cheddar cheese melted atop and topped with a salsa of: mango, pineapple, red and yellow bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice and salt. My goodness, we're talking hamburgers here. Enjoy what you eat I guess. Who am I to say. LOL.


well iceman,

i would say you said a mouthful!!!

joey


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## foodpump

I'll second that......


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## Iceman

LOL. Well .......... I guess I wasn't in all that good a mood. Hey I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'. Something happened yesterday that aggravated the ever-loving bageebies out of me. I brought a good 3lbs. of really nice hanger over to a party. The Host broke the housing hold-on to the tank screw for his gas grill _(the black part that spins). _We had to switch over to charcoal. I hate charcoal. I never realized or saw that the coals were no way close to ready, or that they were still flaming from the lighter juice. Anyway, the steak came out nasty. I hate it when that happens. If you're not a pro, then don't try to cook like a pro. At least not with the steak that I bring.


----------



## moranp

> People who have money and are hungry?
> 
> I'm really sorry, but I do NOT agree that anything but the front door closes at "closing time" unless it is CLEARLY stated, preferably on the front window as well as the front of menus, placards on the tables, etc.
> 
> Certainly, if management so desires, it is perfectly permissible to state, and abide by, posted kitchen hours. If the kitchen hours are posted and someone shows up and orders one minute BEFORE the kitchen closes, they are served as the kitchen is OPEN.
> 
> However, if kitchen hours are NOT posted FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE BEFORE THEY ENTER, then, IMHO, the kitchen WILL serve EVERYONE that enters before closing time.
> When my restaurant was open, the line did NOT shut down until the last customer had been completely served! Cleanup commenced as soon as the last customer LEFT the establishment NOT before!


Yeah did my internship for a chef/owner that would not close the door till everyone left, if a customer came in at last minute we would stay open and we would even take in more customers if they came. If anyone complained she just sent them home and did it her self i remember not closing the kitchen til like 2:30 in the morning one night cause we kept getting just one more cover. it was a lot of fun imo.


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## prairiechef

"First off, it bugs me that FOH can't figure out that it is never the fault for anything of BOH. BOH is never wrong, so don't ever blame them for anything.  "

This may be the most ridiculous thing I have heard on this board yet.


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## Iceman

Sorry. The *BOH is* _*NEVER* *wrong*._ If that's ridiculous to you, oh well. 

I'm sorry if you didn't take my comments in the jokingly humorous way they were intended. The next time you're near a _"Dollar Store"_, see if they can fit you for a sense of humor.


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## prairiechef

Or... you could realize that sarcasm and umm..."humour" don't translate well into the written word, especially on the 'net. It's why, in the current age, we have "emoticons".

"I think all servers are effin' morons"

vs

"I think all servers are effin' morons   "

Intent is easy to read in the second one, isn't it?


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## chefjohn213

When we get busy, the servers get overwhelmed and start to push their jobs into the kitchen.  Incomplete tickets, new abbreviations, mods and subs that they did did not talk to me about, verbals, add-ons, missing table numbers/server names/guest count.  Everything gets rushed and left for the kitchen to decifer.  Now, I have to hold tickets, find the server, and ask them what the hell does this mean.  Don't they realize they cut a couple of seconds when they wrote a useless ticket, and it takes several minutes of both of our time to figure out their mess?  So I tell them that their table loses its place in line if I have to take the ticket down and go find them - they still don't get it.

And they keep stacking tables and tickets up.  I go from 4 tickets to 20 tickets on the board - why didn't anyone tell me you just sat both dining rooms?  All they see is the big payout.  They don't care that because they did not manage the situation, most of these people will not come back!

And then the constant "how much longer on table 5?" "table 6 is about to walk".  At the beginning of the busy season our first busy night I pull them all back in the kitchen at some point during service, and make them pull down every ticket to look for their table and make a guess as to how much longer it will be.  I try to tell them that when they ask me to do that, I need to stop everything alse I am doing (including plating their tables), just to give them an answer.  Doesn't make sense!  And the answer is no more useful to them or their customer.

They just get into this mode of "write down order, give to kitchen.  bring drinks.  bring food.  repeat"  Very frustrating.


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## Iceman

Here's something that got me today. It gets me all the time, I'm just pointing it out now. It's rich people that have to let you know they are rich, and who think they are anywhere near equivalent to being "pro-qualified" since the biggest percentage of us who are, don't make big money. They explain their "fabulous recipes" that are so good over-the-top because of the ingredients they use. They *only* use _"Meyer"_ lemons, _"Hass"_ avocados, _"Kobe"_ or _"Wagyu"_ beef and all beef that they used is _"prime"_. Anything they use is like this, and they make sure that you know it. Get a clue.


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## leeniek

IceMan said:


> First off, it bugs me that FOH can't figure out that it is never the fault for anything of BOH. BOH is never wrong, so don't ever blame them for anything. Secondly, FOH has no right to say anything whatsoever about pay. As a very decently paid BOH chef, I can't remember ever making more than the lowest, crummiest FOH person, on any given night. Next, FOH should just SHUT UP about ways to order dishes. I make my menu the way it is because that is the way it is. Don't go telling people how you like your regular, standard, been around for a long time, classic dishes all specialized. SHUT UP.


I had that problem at my last place. The main owner was utterly clueless as to how to run a restaurant (typical in franchises I've heard) and he put all his stock in what the FOH said. So of course us in the kitchen were ALWAYS wrong even when a server messed up and didn't punch in an order properly. Hmm.. I failed mind reading in school so I need it either spoken to me or written down for me or I have no idea what is in their mind!

Sometimes in my experience the BOH does mess up and things get put in the window that are wrong. There are at least another two sets of eyes that see the plate.. the expo and the server and if it hits the table without anyone seeing the mistake well.. we all messed up that time.

I had a server yesterday come into the kitchen and looked relieved when I had some hollandaise on the stove.. and asked if I could make a serving of it as she forgot to add it to an order. I said sure I could do that and thinned it with a bit of milk as it was lumpy and set it to cook. She was in such a rush for it she came in and finished it herself. She felt bad that she had to put it to me on the spot as I was alone at the time.


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## chefbuba

Having friends call in the middle of lunch and ask "what is couscous, and how do I make it"?

Give the obligatory 20 second    response, say I'm busy got to go, ok....but I'm making chicken skewers too, what do I marinate them in?


----------



## thetincook

IceMan said:


> Here's something that got me today. It gets me all the time, I'm just pointing it out now. It's rich people that have to let you know they are rich, and who think they are anywhere near equivalent to being "pro-qualified" since the biggest percentage of us who are, don't make big money. They explain their "fabulous recipes" that are so good over-the-top because of the ingredients they use. They *only* use _"Meyer"_ lemons, _"Hass"_ avocados, _"Kobe"_ or _"Wagyu"_ beef and all beef that they used is _"prime"_. Anything they use is like this, and they make sure that you know it. Get a clue.


LMAO. Funny thing about Meyer lemons. I grew up with a very productive Meyer lemon tree in my backyard, only I didn't now it was a Meyer. I'd sometimes buy Eureka lemons from the market because the Meyers just didn't have the right tang for stuff like guac. Years later, when Meyers became all the rage, I bought some at the local fancy market, and holy cow! I found out that there were the same lemons I grew up with. I guess I was spoiled by growing up in Southern California. We had a Hass avocado tree too.


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## pcieluck

Worst thing about being a chef, in my experience, is trying to advance your career.  I've been busting my a** at s*** joints for 2 and a half years (and I have the before after 80 lbs photo to prove how hard I work).  I'm not that interested in money, I just want the chance to learn to cook more than grilled chicken, cheap cuts of fish, hamburgers, and choice steaks. But every chef still looks down their nose at me and talks to me like they did 5 years ago when I was fresh out of high school. Like I'm naive, like I'm not willing to work very hard (or haven't already) not yet come to grips with what I was getting myself into. Et cetera... and ultimately seldom taken seriously.

I write this, tonight, unable to sleep. Thoroughly frustrated by my colleagues, and an unsuccessful hunt for a new job.  I need to get up early and get myself ready for a LONG day, but I feel like my blood is boiling in my veins.


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## wrenchmetal

i've got a few

-when the front of house manager tries to tell you how to prepare a ticket, because he/she sees food under the heat lamp.

-your boss telling you that you got a raise, but not telling you how much. then you check your paycheck to find out you've gotten 50 cent raise. what the FUCK am i supposed to do with that?!

-people, line cooks, dishwashers, or whatever, who walk out in the middle of a shift. at least be grown-up enough to finish your shift. you just screwed all of us, buddy.

-when my kitchen gets 140+ degrees and the sweat just won't stop pouring.

-when the corn starch disappears from the bathroom


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## thetincook

-when some smartarse secretly replaced the cornstarch with the powdered sugar to see if we could tell the difference. That was a fun night...


----------



## burroblanco

haha this thread is kind of a drag. but i have to add my two cents.

-going to dinner (you remember the one time you did that last year right?), and having everyone ask you opinion, "as a chef!". this kills me, every time. what am i suppose to say? 

-girlfriends still expecting the french laundry treatment after 3 months. im sorry, but i used all my meager tricks to get you naked.

-not being able to sleep until 4 am because you slept til 11, have enough caffeine, booze, and residual adrenaline to kill an elk in your system.

-accidentally slipping into spanish at home.

-laundry.

-sharpening all your knives just how you like em and that dude working next to you just ever so casually uses one to pry open a can.

-making staff meal and having a server who came into work 15 minutes ago complain that shes sick of chicken thighs.

you know what really sucks though? (at least i imagine, this is what i tell myself)

-sitting in an office all morning staring at a monitor.

-not having squeeze bottles of various boozes around when you really need them.

-parking at the grocery at anytime other than 2-3 am or wednesday morning.

-not having any idea what tired is.

-not getting chicken thighs every night for dinner.


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## thetincook

> Originally Posted by *burroblanco*
> 
> -girlfriends still expecting the french laundry treatment after 3 months. im sorry, but i used all my meager tricks to get you naked.


ROFL!!!! I just need to find a girl that gets all hot an bothered when I stumble home in the wee dark, stinking of sweat and fish, and won't shrink away from hands that still reek of garlic and bacon and onion, no matter how hard you scrub.

Funny thing about that really sucks list. I took a short break from culinary a couple years ago. My feet were totally blown out (It had got so bad, I couldn't walk on my days off), and I was working on a business degree. On the advice of my accounting teacher, I took a part time job at HR Block (a US tax preparation chain) for some pocket money. It was something of a realization. I made at least twice the money per hour, could do it sitting down, IN AIR CONDITIONING!!!!. I even had a health plan (a miserly one, but still), and all the FREE continuing education I wanted. On the downside, I had to wear a tie and fancy shirt. Also had to police the casual swearing. It's an odd balance between amenities and freedoms we choose.


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## someday

> I had some hollandaise on the stove.. and asked if I could make a serving of it as she forgot to add it to an order. I said sure I could do that and thinned it with a bit of milk as it was lumpy and set it to cook


So many things wrong with this sentence I don't know where to begin. Please tell me you don't make hollandaise from a packet... 

I wouldn't change my job for much of anything. At this point, it would be nice to get off the line full time, but I think I'm still a couple years away from doing that.

One of the things I like the least is when people assume that being a cook/chef is like it is on the food network or other TV shows, and they have no idea of the daily grind and repetitiveness of the job. To them its all glamour..but we know better.

It always strikes me as funny that people seem to think that chefs and cooks have all these "secrets." True, there is a lot of technique that goes into fine cooking, but a lot of it is just basic stuff. I always tell people that, aside from the better quality of ingredients, the major differences in professional cooking are butter, salt, stock, and the fact that I have 12 hours a day to cook you dinner.


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## leeniek

Sadly, Someday it was made from canned powder. Not the way I would do it but well.. I am no longer employed there and it's not my problem. I'm just hoping my last pay clears....



> So many things wrong with this sentence I don't know where to begin. Please tell me you don't make hollandaise from a packet...


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## wrenchmetal

gnarly. yeah we play tricks on each other like that all the time. keeps you on your toes


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## thetincook

wrenchmetal said:


> gnarly. yeah we play tricks on each other like that all the time. keeps you on your toes


Have you ever 'packed' anyone's mise. You fill most of the mise container, (600 pan whatever) with crumpled paper towels, and then top it off with a layer of mise so it looks full. In the middle of service, he starts grabbing paper towels instead of the diced tomatoes. LMAO, never gets old.

I think the best prank I've ever seen was the battered and deep fried car keys. Serving them on a doily was funny, but the parsley and lemon wedge garnish was over the top.


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## fishinchef

My car got plastic wrapped one night at work. I also had a staff invest a lot of time for me on one. The plastic straps that come on cardboard cases, lines, etc.. drive me ocd when I step on them. They filled up my whole car and hatchback with these one night; took me almost 45 minutes to clean them all out. 5 or 6 large trash bags full/img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif I couldn't be mad as they are fair game for me daily and I respected the prank; had to laugh while cleaning them out by myself after locking up at close.


----------



## deacon

fishinchef said:


> My car got plastic wrapped one night at work. I also had a staff invest a lot of time for me on one. The plastic straps that come on cardboard cases, lines, etc.. drive me ocd when I step on them. They filled up my whole car and hatchback with these one night; took me almost 45 minutes to clean them all out. 5 or 6 large trash bags full/img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif I couldn't be mad as they are fair game for me daily and I respected the prank; had to laugh while cleaning them out by myself after locking up at close.


Always a good idea to keep personal keys and work keys seperate. I used to get tobasco in my coffee, now I always smell before I drink.


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## chefdumuffin

mine used to be my husband ringing up during a saturday when we had weddings and asking what was for dinner .or forgetting where I last left my pint of tea and getting another one,then losing that My sous and others used to follow the temp of the tea around the kitchen in order to find me.

Having your best whites on only to have some bird head waiter go through the wrong door and plaster you with left overs.

Better yet the people at a buffet asking for the crisp parts of the beef I wanted to kill them for making the beef look naked

One of my pet peeves was the people who tried to grab meat off the carvery without tongs I nearly cut one mans fingers off at the knuckles for reaching across the board to grab some crispy bits.

but my biggest grissle was the people who tried to carve the meat themselves when I had gone out to get another joint HOW DARE THEY TOUCH MY KNIVES


----------



## Iceman




----------



## danalvarado

thinking about eating some food that you do not cook but no one can cook like yours in the family..


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## fzeciri

Here's what really grinds my gears.  I sell quality home-made food for a decent price (not much over 7 bucks).  There's a very popular 'fine dining' restaurant a few miles away.  I've been there three or four times, have ordered the prime rib every time, and it has been crap every time.  Yet people will go there once, twice a week spending 35 dollars for a very low quality steak, and come to my place and complain about a 7 dollar special that has a 40 percent food cost, and took me 2 hours of prep work, plus cook time.


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## apricot

Am so very sorry that folks see Coeliacs as a problem.

Its not a life style choice...its a disease.

I have been stared at as though I have two heads for asking about gluten free....and on the wonderful plus side....I have given a chef (I wont name..he would be so very beetroot red)...a wonderful opportunity to be creative,,...make something a little different...and rise to the challenge. A memorable occasion...and for all the right reasons...

Its not that difficult to cater for gluten free. There are at least 650,000 of us in the UK.

Look around in your kitchen...can you see 10 people?? At least one of them is Coeliac...and they may not even know....

The profile male to female Coeliacs is about 40/60. But is can be any age...from tiny babies to mature 90 year olds.

Yes I am Coeliac...(and diabetic!!). My challenge each month is to read BBC Good Food magazine(amongst others)..and make any recipe from the magazine...gluten free.

Have converted family recipes from 1850 (not 10 to 7)..to Gluten free....

I am not a trained cook..so if I can do it...you can too!!

If you need guidance...email me. (hope thats allowed)

[email protected]

Kind regards

Janet


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## allium

Apricot said:


> Look around in your kitchen...can you see 10 people?? At least one of them is Coeliac...and they may not even know....


Celiacs does not affect 1/10 people. Most estimates I've seen say something like 1/100.

Celiacs is a disease and not a lifestyle choice... but going gluten-free is a lifestyle choice.  A lot of celiacs are asymptomatic but inexplicably go off gluten anyway. Go figure.

OTOH, I understand people with noticeable symptoms wanting a gluten-free diet. But it's still a nuisance. I'll cook for someone who's gluten-free, or vegetarian, or vegan, or who has any sort of allergy. I'll do it as well as I can. I'll hope they enjoy their dining experience. I'll take their money. And I'll complain about it to fellow cooks. 

On the topic of being gluten-free, many autistics also claim going gluten-free (and casein-free) helps. This is highly disputed, though.


----------



## Iceman

I have NO problem whatsoever cooking off the reservation for people with allergies or ingredient difficulties, as long as those situations are REAL. I can't stand those people who want to follow _"voodoo of the day"_ and make special pain-in-the-butt special orders because they think there is something in it for them. They've _"heard"_ that this must be better. Or they've heard/seen some TV celebrity chef say/do something. I can't stand that. I'm also fed up with every so-called "expert judge" on some stupid cooking/food TV competition claiming "lack of seasoning". Scott Conant is the worst. I want to jab a fork in his throat while watching him, and Tom Colicchio is next. _THE SALT IS RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU ON THE TABLE._ You idiot morons. Put on as much as you want. The second biggest dietary problem, #2 only to obesity, is high blood pressure. I specifically under-season most all of my dishes for this reason. I go out of my way to use the best quality ingredients so as to show off their flavors. You can put on as much salt after that as you like. You can't however, take it out. Good luck after that if/when your heart explodes. Anyway, back to the idea. Don't claim you're something when you're not. Find out for real if it's important. Don't make chefs jump through _"special order"_ hoops if it's not really necessary. Trust me, you ainte special doing it.


----------



## eato

Listening to my worst cook tell me he is my best


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## peixeescorpiao

I remember that I worked in place where I needed to go to the fridge, but when I was there I forgot to hold the door openned and I got lock inside! People couldn`t listen to me, but finally someone openned it, not to save me (of course), but to get more cherries/img/vbsmilies/smilies/mad.gif

Another bad thing in a Chef`s life:

- you can`t fart when working, while the delivery boy can do it!

- you can`t play guitar very well, because it`s not allowed for a Chef to have your nails long enough.

- you can`t have sex where you work, while some people can, for example "those girls"...


----------



## foodpump

PeixeEscorpiao said:


> - you can`t have sex where you work, while some people can, for example "those girls"...


 Uhhh..... the stories I could tell you! Like the one wher the garde-manger and waitress were in the walk-in freezer and had sorta/kind "froze" themselves to a s/s shelf. Or the time...


----------



## guts

> I'm also fed up with every so-called "expert judge" on some stupid cooking/food TV competition claiming "lack of seasoning".


----------



## peixeescorpiao

humm... it`s kinda interesting, i would like to see some good events like those you`ve seen /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


----------



## foodpump

You sure?   Those people weren't porns stars, ya know........


----------



## chefross

Here's one that will make your hair curl.

Worst thing about being a chef......one of your summer interns decides to sell meth and heroin from his dorm room and to top that....sells some to your son who proceeds to overdose and has to be taken away by ambulance to  the hospital and is in a coma .

Now it's freakin 4th of July, the restaurant is full and turns tables a few times, there is also a banquet for 250 and you are down 2 people in the kitchen.

Take that to the bank.......


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## fishinchef

PeixeEscorpiao said:


> - you can`t fart when working, while the delivery boy can do it!


Under the hood vents everything is fair game


----------



## Iceman

OK. So maybe I miscommunicated my point. I season absolutely properly with all things excluding _SALT_. People use too much _SALT_, and wouldn't know proper flavors if they jumped off the plate and smashed them in the face. Why come eat the food of a really good chef? What is the value of dining on great fresh ingredients if you are going to dump _SALT_ all over everything? *TOO ... MUCH ... SALT.* Is that any clearer now than before? LOL. 


> Originally Posted by *Guts*
> 
> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm also fed up with every so-called "expert judge" on some stupid cooking/food TV competition claiming "lack of seasoning".
Click to expand...


----------



## peixeescorpiao

salt for me is necessary to heat the body, i`m "bold blooded", but it really destroys anything when it`s too much


----------



## april fregd

I hated being in bed because I it was suppose to be my scheduled day off only to be called in to do prep and clean.  My pants were all dirty so I had to sew up a pair because it was quicker than doing laundry.

I hate that the FOH server was so terrible I ended up having to blow his nose for him and do all his dishes.  I don't mind stepping up at  any station but this guy was just plain horrible.   He couldn't even make his own salads.  I hate that management puts up with it!  I didn't get my work done because some slacker on FOH can't do his job.

I do love my chef, we are the perfect melody, we say few words yet speak volumes.   Each plate is made to perfection and with everything we can give.


----------



## april fregd

rat said:


> I miss the days when people were valued and work places were really like family, nowadays money is above all. Show one weakness and you are gone. Saw a cook who was sick one time get fired because he did not call out 24 hours notice. I do not think the most succesfull chef is the one who puts his or her job above all else. The successfull chef is the one who trys to bring people up on the way to the top, not the one who steps on everyone.


Well said!


----------



## thetincook

When your work surface is about 1.5" too short. My back is fricking killing me.


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## foodpump

That's  an easy fix.

Get four bricks. Most Home Despots have them for like 89 cents each.

Stuff one brick under each prep table leg.  End of shift collect your bricks back and stuff them in your locker.

Knew a couple of 6' guys who would do that.  Either that, or they'd  "Liberate" a dish rack, and put a cutting board on top of that.


----------



## thetincook

I like the brick idea. Never heard that before.


----------



## left4bread

Ya'll need to shrink a few inches.

Waiting, just _waiting_ for the stack of dishes I have to JUMP to grab, to come crashing down on my head.

All the dishwashers are 6 foot plus.

It sucks during a busy plating to have to ask one of my cooks to reach the plate for me...

Helps keep me humble, I guess.

Last place I worked had milk crates under all the prep tables.

The small 4 foot table w/out milk crates was mine.

Maybe try the milk crates, thetincoook. They're pretty inexpensive if you steal them.


----------



## chefet

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/bounce.gif


----------



## durangojo

sometimes feeling that you are nothing more than a meal ticket for your waitstaff, which may be true, but me no likey...

joey


----------



## Iceman

I used to work the roasted meat station for a large buffet at a really nice place. All the while I'm carving up beautiful prime-rib. By the end of service I've put together a nice plate of yummyness that I plan to finish off myself. I hate the bageebies out of waitstaff who feel like that is theirs for the taking. The bartenders are the worst.


----------



## bazza

IceMan said:


> I used to work the roasted meat station for a large buffet at a really nice place. All the while I'm carving up beautiful prime-rib. By the end of service I've put together a nice plate of yummyness that I plan to finish off myself. I hate the bageebies out of waitstaff who feel like that is theirs for the taking. The bartenders are the worst.


Ha ha but you were the one with the knife.

Quote;

What pisses me off is when waiters can't ring in tickets correctly and are always coming back to modify them!

Yeah this one gets me too, aint it always the same people? You just know that 30 seconds after the ticket prints she or he will rush into the kitchen red faced and flustered with a big long story to go with every every ticket, every table, every day..........yawn.


----------



## deacon

When the ticket reads "see server", and 20 minutes later, "where's my table 10 food?" I haven't fired it yet..."why not?" I was waiting for your see server modification, "oh yea, it's sauce on the side, I need that on the fly now because you never fired it!"...Sauce on the side?!! It would've been done 10 minutes ago if you used the SOS button and I'm not going to waste my cooks make it twice because you didn't follow the right steps.


----------



## chef neil

Chef's arse!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## a_mak

I get what you're saying about people absent-mindedly dumping salt on their food without even tasting it. For those people I don't even care. If they want to ruin their food without even tasting it, as long as their paying for it, it's their taste buds. But for everyone else, the way I see it is I'm the chef of my station & I'm going to determine how well my food is seasoned, and I trust my sense of taste. What I'd love to do if I ran my own place is to not even put salt & pepper shakers on the tables. If someone asks for them, the servers would tell them the food is already seasoned but if the food isn't to their liking we can bring it out for them.



IceMan said:


> OK. So maybe I miscommunicated my point. I season absolutely properly with all things excluding _SALT_. People use too much _SALT_, and wouldn't know proper flavors if they jumped off the plate and smashed them in the face. Why come eat the food of a really good chef? What is the value of dining on great fresh ingredients if you are going to dump _SALT_ all over everything? *TOO ... MUCH ... SALT.* Is that any clearer now than before? LOL.


----------



## guts

I'm with A_mak.


----------



## deacon

Getting an email complaint by a guest because she didn't like my tattoo on my forearm and calling me a dishwasher while I was doing a table visit.


----------



## Iceman

_*LOL.*_ I'm feeling for you _*Deacon*_. I think there's a whole thread about that tattoo idea here somewhere. Or maybe, I don't know, it might even be _*this thread*_. OUCH. You don't have a bone in your nose too, do you? Anyway, tough situation my friend.


----------



## foodpump

Congrats, Iceman, you just won a golden can opener for opening up that can of worms....


----------



## Iceman

_*LOL.*_ Look, I'm just letting the poor guy know that I have sincere empathy for what happened to him. I also tried to let him in on the fact that there has been serious discussion about that particular topic. Maybe if he takes time and reads through it, he can find some closure in that he is not alone in his situation. I'm just trying to be a friend.

Now as for that can opener .................... _*(LOL. Crack Me Up!!!)*_


----------



## deacon

IceMan said:


> _*LOL.*_ I'm feeling for you _*Deacon*_. I think there's a whole thread about that tattoo idea here somewhere. Or maybe, I don't know, it might even be _*this thread*_. OUCH. You don't have a bone in your nose too, do you? Anyway, tough situation my friend.


Haha, no piercings on this guy but I'll search for that tattoo thread.


----------



## chefross

This thread has gone on and on for a while now. Everybody is sharing their experiences, but the one theme through out all of this seems to be the utter lack of respect for the Chef and his/her role in running the place. Time and time again when I go out to eat I am confronted with situations where the FOH and BOH can't get their act together and work as the team they should be.

2 nights a go I went out to dinner in the hotel where I stayed. I know the Chef. He's a hard working good guy. He is an "Certified Executive Chef" through the ACF, in fact, he has credits to teach the course that confirms Chefs in that role, so he knows what he's talking about. 

To me, it's the Chef's role to educate the FOH about the food, what's in it, what is today's specials, what's the soup for today, etc....

Also in that role, the Chef should be working with the staff so they can properly communicate his creations to the customer. After all, the Chef's responsible for the customers well being.

Then why:

Does the wait person not know the difference between Gorgonzola and Italian Dressing?

Not know the wine list so that the customer must point out the requested wine from the list?

Not know the specials of the day and how they are prepared/....and as a matter of fact, really doesn't know the menu all that well either?

Does not listen to the customer and brings out the food when the kitchen has it ready and NOT when the customer is ready?

I guess I'll never understand why, from the food stand point, the FOH doesn't give the Chef his due. There are many many places out there that get it right. I enjoy it when it happens.

On the other hand, this point is something that most customers don't have any clue about.  It really is sad.


----------



## liza

ooo ooo, I have one

Coming in this morning to make my bread/desserts.. looking around

hmmm what's different??

oh, wait wasn't there 5# of Hazelnuts there?

OK.. to other sous..

UM.. where are my..

Oh ya, nitwit line cook thought they were garbanzo beans and boiled them off

Oh for real

THERE'S A REASON WHY I'm a dessert/pastry chef now.. it's so I DON'T have to deal with the monkeys!

(thanks I feel better)


----------



## txvoodoo

You are all going to dislike this one.  The worst thing about being a chef is being a chef.  I have been doing this for 22 years and at 42 years of age I think it is the absolute stupidest job anyone could ever want to do.  Yeah yeah, I know what all about the love of cooking and all that BS but lets get real.  To make any money in this industry you have to sell your soul.  Forget your love of cooking as this is what you got into the business for.  To make any money you don't get to cook anymore, you become an administrator, accountant, scheduler, contract negotiator and overall baby sitter.  I have a family now and a young daughter and all I do is work my ass off.  Why would anyone in their right mind choose a career that requires often in excess of 70 hours a week, nights, weekends and holidays?????  When I got into this business at 19 obviously these things weren't on my mind, but they sure as hell are now.  I'm burned out and can't go start a new career because I would take about a 75% pay cut.  Not to mention all the a$$holes I work for that have absolutely no appreciation for what a good chef does.  Some of you may be offended by this post, but if you haven't hit your 40's yet you will know when you have.  It isn't as easy on the body as it used to be a few years back and it only gets worse.  I think constantly these days about what Anthony Bourdain said in one of his books, "you don't want to be standing in a kitchen in your mid 40's".  All you younger guys and gals, stop and think about what the future holds for you and how much time you will give up.  Prospective culinary students ask me all the time if they should go to culinary school and become a chef.  I tell them no way, enjoy cooking at home, take some leisure classes but go out and find something else as a career.  I have been fortunate in my career to have seen many different aspects of the industry.  I started out as a pastry chef and now work as a Corporate Executive Chef for a national chain.  I have cooked personally for two former presidents of the united states (as personal chef), worked at the Food Network (and rubbed elbows with all those Jack A$$e$ that think they are important), have run 5 star hotel kitchens, done a lot of live television cooking, have been a featured chef and at times a local celebrity, have owned my very own gourmet taco trailer and once was lucky enough to fly down to an island for a week and cook for Mohammed Ali.  I have been around the block.  But nothing, NOTHING is more important than the time I get to spend with my family and NOTHING can make up for the time I have lost with them while pursuing this foolish career.  For all you haters, you have to admit this is a fair point of veiw albeit a different one than is generally posted on this forum.  I back all of you up in my industry and respect the hell out of anyone that takes this on as a career.  It is HARD WORK and there aren't to many people outside of our industry who realize just how hard it is.  Peace out and as Mr. Bourdain has been known to say, "Cooks Rule!"  

P.S.  I am expecting to get my a$$ chewed up by those that are outraged, so let the public flogging begin.  I stand by what I say....


----------



## Iceman

_Well_ ... I think Anthony Bourdain is an idiot, so quoting or referencing anything that he thinks is wasted on me. Now for someone with the credentials you just gave us, in your very first post ...


> I have been fortunate in my career to have seen many different aspects of the industry. I started out as a pastry chef and now work as a _*Corporate Executive Chef*_ for a national chain. I have _*cooked personally for two former presidents of the nited tates (as personal chef)*_, _*worked at the Food Network*_ (and rubbed elbows with all those Jack A$$e$ that think they are important), have _*run 5 star hotel kitchens*_, done a lot of _*live television cooking*_, have been a _*featured chef and at times a local celebrity*_, have owned my very own gourmet taco trailer and once was lucky enough to fly down to an island for a week and _*cook for Mohammed Ali*_. I have been around the block.



... I think you should be financially well off enough to live a comfortable life. Unless of course you maybe lived a little bit too large while doing all these things in your career. To do all this by age 42? Yeah, you should be OK, I think.


----------



## foodpump

Ah, TXvoodoo,

The secret is not what's in the box, the secret is opening the box.

Meh, I just had my 47th b'day and I'm still working my azz off.

The only thing that is different from you, is that I work for myself.  Everything else applies.

Biggest thrill I ever got was last year when  my old ex-employer come in with some of my "regulars". Dip-wad (ex employer) was unaware that it was my place. The dude starts sniffing around the place, sees some of my medals and diplomas on the wall, and --according to my wife-- turns white then purple, then the colour of a rotten strawberry.  Demands to see me.  I'm too busy, but he can call, and he does.  After 15 years he's still looking for an angle to kick me in the ass, but he can't.  My place has been running for 5 years now, moderately sucesfull, moderate media exposure, and happy clients. For him, after running his place 40 years, the lease expires and the landlord kicks him out--big splash in the papers, but he's still looking for angle to kick me in the azz..

Nice to have you  on board. 

Please use more paragraphs


----------



## someday

foodpump said:


> Nice to have you on board.
> 
> Please use more paragraphs


Awww, I thought the stream-of-consciousness rant was a time honored ChefTalk tradition. I think I'd miss it if it went away 

This certainly wouldn't apply as the WORST thing about being a chef, but it's always bothered me how few people want to cook for chefs. What I mean is, family members, friends, etc all seem to want to apologize for their food when serving me. I can't go eat at someone's house, or whatever, without the host apologizing to me for not meeting some imaginary standards that I didn't communicate nor actually have. I think Anthony Bourdain said something to this effect in KC. A lot of times it doesn't even matter how it tastes, the best thing is that I didn't have to cook it.

Usually, one of the last thing I want to do after a long day and a long week of cooking is to go home and, well, cook. There are exceptions of course, sometimes it's fun to flex chef muscles with friends and family.

I also seem to have a lot of family members who always want advice about dishes and appetizers to take to parties and such. I usually have a couple of ideas to help out, of course, but sometimes spontaneous creativity just won't come. I mean, I have to take into account the varying skill levels, equipment, time, etc that we all take for granted in a pro kitchen. I can't tell my mom to brulee a fig half, throw on a bit of parma ham, shaved parmesan and aged balsamic. Or to deep fry arancini balls. Stuff I can take for granted cause I have expensive ingredients, deep fryers, torches, time, and experience all on my side.

I suppose this is true of a lot of professions though--accountants get asked for tax advice, nurses get peppered for health issues, contractors for repair advice, cops and lawyers for legal advice, etc, etc. So its certainly not unique to being a chef.


----------



## Iceman

I find it's kinda like a kick in the crotch when I make a great dish, bring it to a party, and people eat more of the pre-packaged garbage from a store than my stuff. It happens in such rarity to me, but when it does it really hurts.


----------



## chefbuba

Someday said:


> Awww, I thought the stream-of-consciousness rant was a time honored ChefTalk tradition. I think I'd miss it if it went away
> 
> This certainly wouldn't apply as the WORST thing about being a chef, but it's always bothered me how few people want to cook for chefs. What I mean is, family members, friends, etc all seem to want to apologize for their food when serving me. I can't go eat at someone's house, or whatever, without the host apologizing to me for not meeting some imaginary standards that I didn't communicate nor actually have. I think Anthony Bourdain said something to this effect in KC. A lot of times it doesn't even matter how it tastes, the best thing is that I didn't have to cook it.
> 
> Usually, one of the last thing I want to do after a long day and a long week of cooking is to go home and, well, cook. There are exceptions of course, sometimes it's fun to flex chef muscles with friends and family.
> 
> I also seem to have a lot of family members who always want advice about dishes and appetizers to take to parties and such. I usually have a couple of ideas to help out, of course, but sometimes spontaneous creativity just won't come. I mean, I have to take into account the varying skill levels, equipment, time, etc that we all take for granted in a pro kitchen. I can't tell my mom to brulee a fig half, throw on a bit of parma ham, shaved parmesan and aged balsamic. Or to deep fry arancini balls. Stuff I can take for granted cause I have expensive ingredients, deep fryers, torches, time, and experience all on my side.
> 
> I suppose this is true of a lot of professions though--accountants get asked for tax advice, nurses get peppered for health issues, contractors for repair advice, cops and lawyers for legal advice, etc, etc. So its certainly not unique to being a chef.


I can't go anywhere without this being brought up. My reply: You cooked it, I'm eating it.



IceMan said:


> I find it's kinda like a kick in the crotch when I make a great dish, bring it to a party, and people eat more of the pre-packaged garbage from a store than my stuff. It happens in such rarity to me, but when it does it really hurts.


A friend of mine has several large get togethers every year, I'm always invited.

They always supply the whiskey, appitizers and proteins, usually salmon and elk, everyone else brings the sides.

Most of what shows up is from a package, or what is made from scratch is inedible....Flour tortillas layered with ground beef, mushroom soup and cheese..... Really? or spinach salad with frozen strawberries in syrup and ranch dressing......

I made a roasted red potato salad w/ green beans, bacon & balsamic last time, it was gone before everyone had made the rounds....and I made plenty.

They always want to know a recipe, how do you tell someone how to make something when their best dish is something that starts off with two cans of mushroom soup, and seasoned salt and pepper are their only spices?


----------



## wamotoj

Kingzilla said:


> I started out in the kitchen at very young age opening my own small kitchen with a friend mostly delivering foods to surrounded businesses. I loved it, we even made good money, then we sold it with a good profit after operating for two years. My friend went to college, I went to kitchen and loved it. Everyday I looked forward to learning a new skill, perfecting my skill and watching food network on my days off, dreaming big. I was just like those interns or hobbyist who are passionate about working in the kitchen, and seeing them now made me feel bittersweet. I started my own restaurant raising funds from friends and family, business was a success and everyone wanted a piece of the pie. My investors wanted to get more involved then my comfort zone. They started controlling my payrolls, cutting here and there. I had a balanced working team until my most relied members parted off looking for their own ventures, my investors loved it so they can hire cheaper less qualified employees. 'Oh you the Chef you can train them and we save money'. After coming back from a vacation I had realized they fired my GM to save money, so I ended up with no GM, the FOH started to break apart, 'Oh you have to learn to manage the FOH as well'. Soon enough it no longer became my own business, I was working for them and worst of all I can't just quit, I got too much to loose.
> 
> When every time a new health inspector comes bossing us around yet we can do nothing but kissing
> 
> Why is it every time a new inspector comes they change the rules, 'Oh he/she (previous inspector) was wrong, you have to do it this way and since you weren't following the proper code I have take a point off' I can do nothing but smile and say yes I'll follow you master.
> When something brakes and trying to find an honest handy man and realize you just got ripped off,
> 
> I bet this happens to almost every private kitchen, I mean I used to have a great handy man until he passed away from an accident. Since then I am having the hardest time finding honest skilled handy man. Even after an interview, sometime they just make it worst and you end up with a higher bill or end up replacing the whole unit.
> When your team steals behind your back,
> 
> I really don't want to take extremes placing someone or my self digging through all the trash before they get thrown out of the restaurant, but it really sucks when you accidently catch someone stealing from you and makes you wonder 'is anyone or everyone stealing from me?
> When I have to deal with cooks flirting with other waiter sometimes accidently seeing them in the making out in the storage room,
> 
> Get a room away from the public please keep it private, I don't mind workers hooking up heck that's how I met my wife but common sense please.
> When getting sued by employee who are still working in the same kitchen,
> 
> I had a cook who sued me over an injury that never happened my kitchen, it didn't pass the workers comp after an investigation. I knew he was injured after a street fight he got involved at a bar which my other cook had witnessed, I tried to help him out paying part of his medical bills only to be sued later for reducing his shifts.
> When I have to work on my family special occasions like birthdays like my son's first birthday, not only breaks my heart but my family as well
> 
> This just sucked, one of the reasons why I wanted to open my own business to have more control with my life and better financial control.
> When I realized every time after work I am only getting older and wondering how long I got more in me to stay in my position fearing I might become like one of those 20 plus years cooks
> 
> I once met a Chef when I was just starting out, he was the King and now sadly he is just a cook at a local night club, what happened I don't know, I didn't have the guts to ask him. That was really hard to swallow for me.
> I bet a lot of us fear this, many of us are really under paid for the amount of passion and hours we bring in to the plate, some do make a great living but after years of working in this industry even having my own restaurant, I feel like an actor who barely made it in between. I am ambitious but that just don't seem enough... that's why I really envy/hate (more jealousy) the Chefs/Acting Chefs who made it.
> Every time I go on sites like Craigslist looking for career change and realize it won't be easy,
> 
> The grass is greener on the other side. It is what it is, I love what I do but at the same time I am just being human
> I really hate when I get interns or someone who is like a lawyer telling me how they envy my position and how passionate they are willing to give up their high paying salary so they can be like me
> 
> I guess I am burnt out but sometimes it gets under your skin. Maybe its an envy where they stand is probably the best place to be, dreaming.
> Why did I ever become a chef in the first place, most of all I hate/envy celeb Chef's like David Chang who really in my opinion got very lucky who isn't a real Chef but interns telling me how
> 
> great a Chef is.
> 
> It's kind of like when you turn on a radio and hear the same tune playing over and over again until you start getting sick of it, that's how it was for me and DC.
> I became a Chef because the same reasons why many of passionate Chef has decided to become a Chef, it takes a lot of work and hard work, I salute to all the hard working Chefs.
> I never had a problem with late clients as I viewed them as extra sales, but I really can't stand when my investors show up before/after closing bossing me around and my team to cook for them until whenever they want to stay. Restaurant is a food business but also I learned its a people business, I guess just knowing how to cook and managing a kitchen is not enough being a great Chef/Owner, now after writing this I see a bigger picture of what I need to learn and manage my own business.
> 
> This thread has given me a chance to release my frustrations and start fresh again, I hope it lasts, haha. thanks.


----------



## Iceman

Lately there's been a coupla three things ticking me off. NO I'm not really getting mad or nothing. It just kinda aggravates me for being a chef and all. I get sick of people's goofy use of vocabulary. Words is words already, give it a break. Whatever word you use doesn't change that fact that you can or can't do the job. "Chef" / "Cook". Does it really matter what word I use if I still put the same plate of food in front of you? Next is "protein". Where did "meat" go, or "fish", "chicken", "pork", "main dish", whatever? Holy Jebus. Do people really just have to take the vocabulary used by cooking competition judges? Who decided that Marc Murphy, Alexandra Guarnaschelli and Scott Conant were the Merriam-Webster editors? Is sous vide the only way people can cook today? Does every person doing food in a kitchen _(purposely not using the words chef or cook here)_ have to have a big bottle of liquid nitrogen ready? Do foods really taste so much better if they've been cooked for 5 or 6 days? I read on another bulletin board that a guy wants to _"slow roast a rib primal in the oven @135* for 27 hrs"_. "Primal" is another stupidly over-used vocabulary word. And WTF? 27 hours? I'm happy for the guy. I hope things come out well. What could possibly be the purpose of cooking something for 27 hours? I really am curious here. _"Wagyu beef"_. OH-MY-GOODNESS! $180 for two(2) 8oz. steaks.

OK. I'm done with my rant for the day. I'm eating one of my favorite breakfast foods; scrambled eggs. Yum-O. It's almost football time.


----------



## burroblanco

i feel like if i cant describe something in 5 words i dont wanna cook it. leave a little to the imagination, i dont need to know when babe was born to enjoy him. 

and its mlb playoffs as well. this is the primal of sports season right now and i work all sunday.

LN and sousvide is fun though. its a new tool and youd be a fool not to use it.


----------



## burroblanco

but LN and sousvide is fun and useful


----------



## jackingy

When Chef comes in 15 mns before service and changes the menu.............


----------



## thelinepirate

1. Realizing I probably should have paid more attention in Spanish class...

2. Slow nights with a small prep list. Man those get old quick.

3. Wait staff that cant seem to get their tickets straight.

4. Getting 3/4th's of the way through a large ticket, only to find out the first man in failed to prep the last item on said ticket.

4 1/2. Forgetting to prep. BAM! Lunch/Dinner rush.

5. Always being expected to cook at social events or as was said earlier, always being apologized to for their food not being up to "my standards".


----------



## mauichefsean

having the owner always telling you what your doing wrong and never complementing what you do right.
a cook who will continuously take advantage of your niceness forcing you to be the dick you never wanted to be
telling your wife you will be home at ten and trying to explain why it was twelve (explanation not always true)
food reps shorting you on products and giving you the same stupid bull**** lines
sorry ill stop i think i could go forever...........funny I love my job.


----------



## chefedb

Iceman !

       I agree with you 100% . All these cutsey  fads are just what they are fads. Ask some of these guys what are the traditional mother sauces , and they dont know .Everyone trying to out do the other. Lets get back to wholesome good food cooked correctly. EJB


----------



## thelinepirate

Been there... many nights.


----------



## durangojo

TheLinePirate said:


> 1. Realizing I probably should have paid more attention in Spanish class...
> 
> 2. Slow nights with a small prep list. Man those get old quick.
> 
> 3. Wait staff that cant seem to get their tickets straight.
> 
> 4. Getting 3/4th's of the way through a large ticket, only to find out the first man in failed to prep the last item on said ticket.
> 
> 4 1/2. Forgetting to prep. BAM! Lunch/Dinner rush.
> 
> 5. Always being expected to cook at social events or as was said earlier, always being apologized to for their food not being up to "my standards".


my problem lies with #4 1/2...how the hell can you FORGET to prep?..what else are you doing all day if not prepping?...

joey

mine...boil overs...especially if i am on the phone taking reservations and can't get to the stove on time....aargh!!


----------



## thelinepirate

durangojo said:


> my problem lies with #4 1/2...how the hell can you FORGET to prep?..what else are you doing all day if not prepping?...
> 
> joey
> 
> mine...boil overs...especially if i am on the phone taking reservations and can't get to the stove on time....aargh!!


Arrive, look over the list of todays parties, banquets and golf outings. Begin to divide tasks amongst fellow line cooks. Delivery comes in, take the time to get that put away, only to find that the dry storage and walk-in's have fallen into disarray. Take time to sort out this problem. Return to line to find unknown outing has arrived due to piss poor communication from pro shop. What were the other line cooks doing? Who knows, working? Maybe, pissing off, most likely. Congrat's in one fell swoop, you just forgot your morning prep list due to a perfect storm of s***.

Could the storage problem be solved another time? Absolutely. Till the rush comes, and you need item (a) but its hidden behind item .

Could I delegate the the process? Sure, to the dishwasher who honestly just wants to get through the day without having to do much more then what he feels hes being paid for and will spend 3 hours doing what can be done in 30 minutes to an hour.

It happens. "Forget" may be a bad word choice... however it can be something that gets pushed further and further back until the shit storm has hit.


----------



## cheftux

@Allium, I totally agree with the holiday thing. I make one exception a year and that is Thanksgiving. It's the only time I get to see my family. One brother lives in Hong Kong, another lives 1500 miles away, and then the rest of the non-immediate family. My family always has all of our holidays on the day after or before. 

Things I hate: (tailored to catering)
-When you get a special order and there is literally nothing you can do about it. Had a vegetarian who wanted our pasta dish (seafood & sausage with vermicelli) made into a VEGAN dish. First thought that comes to my mind is how can you order a vegan dish that includes pasta, did they forget you make pasta with eggs?
-The company I work for rents a kitchen about 75km away from our base office. We have repeatedly received calls about the kitchen not being clean and orderly. Then we found out it was because of someone else using the kitchen before us. For Example we never used the tilt skillet (or even opened it) one day, a couple hours after we left we got a call saying that the tilt skillet was still dirty, then we began to realise what was happening.

-When you send out the menu (with descriptions) to all of the FOH staff, and they show up ready to pass apps and ask what is in this dish

-When a delivery of kitchen equipment (ovens, grille, refrigeration units) arrives and they don't work... UGH!

As for the debate on last minute tickets, I once complained about a customer coming in at 5 minutes before close, their order didn't even get sent in to us until 15 minutes AFTER close. My chef overheard me and said, "What are you complaining about? You are getting paid an extra half an hour to essentially wait around for this order to come in" So I've obviously changed my mind 

:tux


----------



## spikedog

i do love my family but i have to agree with Allium.


----------



## guts

When the exec is an immature, unprofessional pos.

Just sayin'.


----------



## Guest

1-chefs who change methods/recipes on a whim

2-chefs who don't remember their changes to the new methods/recipies

3-chef who yell at you for doing the method/recipe the new way and tell you to return to the original method/ recipe

once 1 through 3 happened 4 times for one item over the course of a week


----------



## bazza

Young cooks who want to put their own spin on things.

Cooks who cannot be trained, because they already know everything.


----------



## chefross

Bazza said:


> Young cooks who want to put their own spin on things.
> 
> Cooks who cannot be trained, because they already know everything.


AMEN AMEN!!!!


----------



## garrettjames

I enjoy my job a lot. What do I hate the most? My restaurants waitstaff not understanding the order fire concept.. about 10 - 15 tables coming in at once.. the app orders come in at a decent spread seeing as different people need different time and they are specialed by the waitstaff differently ect. apps go out and myself and my head chef (only two on the line) have fifteen entree tickets that are holding of course until they are finished with their apps. so the waitstaff hangs out in a hallway, talking, texting and then when all four or five of them finish a really in depth conversation they all go out to check their tables at the same time... thus firing everything all at once, yes all fifteen tickets, rather than being logical about it so that the two of us behind the line don't have to essentially cook a fifty top all at once.

but wait- there's more..... once the food is up in the window they aren't ready for it! because each server fired all of their tables at the same time and can't physically serve each table at the same time..

There have been times when our service has been top notch but we are struggling with this at the moment.. anyone else know what I'm talkin about?


----------



## jchenschel

I know this is terrible, but having to do table touches with guests.  I understand that nowadays more is expected of chefs, i.e. guest relations.  But man I got into BOH to be just that... in the back!

If I wanted to interact with guests on a regular basis, I would be FOH.  It really makes me realize that chefs run restaurants... Not FOH management.


----------



## guts

Feeling stuck at your job, because going anywhere else would be a step backwards - but where you are sucks.
And not knowing at all what new career could even be half as enjoyable as this one, despite it's many flaws.


----------



## liza

How about getting comfortable in your position, being damned good at what you do; working in an upscale totally from scratch kitchen.. having the freedom to come and go. Being appreciated (for the most part) for what you can do. Trying out new techniques; not getting bashed and belittled, basically FINALLY enjoying your job after paying dues so long.

and the ONE person who's son you told to go f*** himself 8 years ago buys the place.. and ya, daddy remembered.

Oh, AND did I mention that they own two of perhaps the worst restaurants in the area.

Beginning of the end:

Actually brought in a boil in bag of clam chowder.. from the SEAFOOD restaurant that they own!! (could that be why none of the locals go there? Hmmm)

It was comical actually, I was standing there with the dumbfounded look, jaw on the floor..

crying now though, won't lie


----------



## bazza

GarrettJames said:


> but wait- there's more..... once the food is up in the window they aren't ready for it! because each server fired all of their tables at the same time and can't physically serve each table at the same time..
> 
> There have been times when our service has been top notch but we are struggling with this at the moment.. anyone else know what I'm talkin about?


At my place there is little or no FOH training and this happens a lot. I have had many services where we are trying to do 30 or 40 at the same time because FOH are badly organised and then when the food is on the pass they are chatting and texting, preventing us from moving on with the next ticket, thats when its hard to keep your cool.

I also love my job but sometimes its nice to have a little whinge. In a well run operation FOH and kitchen will work as a team and when they get it right it is a dream, for the staff and the diners, unfortunately many places here have weak or unstructured management and this inevitably creates an "us and them" situation (front vs back of house). Most of them are young girls and I try and be patient with them but at the end of the day they are making us look bad.


----------



## liza

It's official.. 'laid off' Tuesday

Already miss my Doyons


----------



## stu27

I agree.

For me, cooking was a great job when I was 17-23, traveling, and partying every day. I am pushing 30 now,  and feeling the repercussions of all of the above postings. My nerves are shot, and Its become crystal clear that its not for me in the long term. After 12 years of Cooking my way up to executive chef, I've finally decided to throw in the towel and switch careers. Here's why:

When you're an industry professional, chances are you will have no life outside of work. I've come to terms with that over the years. You get used to it. Im at the point where Servers messing up bills is the norm, Customers do stroll in 1 minute before close, cooks don't show up for work, and depending on where you work there is usually some kind of blowout scenario between staff about once a week. Thats just the job, it always has been, it always will be. Don't get me wrong, Just because I got used to it doesn't mean I don't hate it.

A huge problem for me is miserable co-workers, Especially red faced screaming chefs, arrogant bartenders, know-it-all "cooks" who know jack shit, having to listen to a servers story about getting drunk (or some other trivial story that I don't even find remotely interesting) day in and day out. The general toxic environment that is a by-product of long hours, low pay, heat, stress,few days off etc. It eventually creeps into your life like a disease to the point where you cant sleep, you cant even enjoy days off (if you get any) without thinking about the festering negativity at work. It's one thing I've never gotten used to, and it drives me up the wall. It's contageous. And we all know the cliche, Misery loves company.

-I miss spending weekends with my girlfriend (last day off together was 6 months ago)

-My only "vacations" are when I am unemployed or between jobs

-Have'nt seen family in years

-working many many unpaid hours

-recently diagnosed with GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), resulting in major depression, due to work

-no time with friends

-tips stolen by owners and management

the list goes on and on

You cant live a "normal" life as a cook. There are lifers out there who actually love what they do, and they are a genuine pleasure to work with, and my hat goes off to them. But, Im not one of them and my heart is no longer in cooking. Whatever passion I once had is gone, and I have nothing but contempt for the industry and the slave-drivers in it. The only way to deal with the stress it to "not care" or "not give a shit" about my job, telling myself that its only a job. But when you dont care, your work suffers, and so does the restaurant. The thing is, I'm not the only one. Most people I've worked with are actually in the same boat, but they are almost always reluctant to talk about it, especially at work.

Put simply, I would suggest to anyone who might be looking for an education or career in hospitality to consider other options. Or consider working part time first to see if it is for you.

I love great food, But I don't at all enjoy negative people, which is why I plan on saying goodbye to "the Industry"


----------



## chefedb

I do not think based on what you  wrote that you will have a problem getting something good and fast  Good Luck to you


----------



## curtispnw

Wow, what a thread, took about three days to get it all read, 

What I hate is someone in corporate looking to punch their ticket, is making decisions about your operation, when they have never even visited the location, or even met the people who work there.

I have to agree with earlier post about carts, our banquet room is upstairs from the kitchen and all the carts are always up there each one with something on it, pitchers, flatware etc. etc. or are in place to be bus cart for an event that is several days away

I really hate it when service staff is asking if the food is ready 2 hours before an event goes off because they have nothing else to do, because they were scheduled to early, and then returning 10 minutes later to ask again

Service staff always sends the rookie who doesn't know where anything is, with some stupid question, and then 5 minutes later he/she shows up with another stupid question, I have better things to do than answer your stupid questions, get the (deleted) away from me!

I cant believe anyone else came up with this one

WHY CAN'T THEY MAKE PLASTIC WRAP THAT COMES OFF THE ROLL WITHOUT STICKING ON THE SIDE AND RIPPING, I HATE THIS MOST OF ALL


----------



## rbandu

CurtisPNW said:


> WHY CAN'T THEY MAKE PLASTIC WRAP THAT COMES OFF THE ROLL WITHOUT STICKING ON THE SIDE AND RIPPING, I HATE THIS MOST OF ALL


Hahaha! Indeed. It's wonderful when you go to wrap something, the roll is ripped and you can tell SEVERAL PEOPLE had used that roll and decided not to fix it...and sometimes they'll OPEN A NEW ROLL INSTEAD?! *<expletive>!*


----------



## liza

Summer interns fresh from school that have zero applicable skills (what ARE the schools teaching these days?)

And the fact that you GIVE them the offending roll of plastic wrap (because I'm not doing it, no time) thinking it's EASY for interns (as they can't do much else) and I still have to hold their hands through it. This is of course after having to search for the kids, only to find them in the walk in on their cell phones.

I hate (and I mean HATE) having to fill out the form at the end of the season 'grading' them too.

'F' Plastic wrap and similar products

C- Following instructions

D- Food handling sanitation (for REAL???)

**sigh

Welcome summer season


----------



## foodpump

CurtisPNW said:


> WHY CAN'T THEY MAKE PLASTIC WRAP THAT COMES OFF THE ROLL WITHOUT STICKING ON THE SIDE AND RIPPING, I HATE THIS MOST OF ALL


Tip of the day:

If the cling film is sticking to one side, the roll has been dropped or crushed on that side. Sometimes the damage comes from the delivery guy/truck/warehouse, sometimes from your staff dropping the roll before getting it in the box, or shoving it off the table when making room for sheet pans.

Of course, now that I've given you that tip, there's nothing you can do but cuss and cuss again until the damaged area has been used up..............


----------



## Iceman

OK. So I make some really ordinary dishes and sides very very well. I just do. I really hate it when idiot peon nobodies just have to tell me all the tweeks that I should do to _MY_ dishes to make them better. These are the same bananas who couldn't get lucky in a woman's prison, sitting at the bar from 4 in the afternoon until 11 at night drinking $7 glasses of white-zin, that are $4 bottles at the grocery store.

... and _NO_, jerkface, you can't make the same dishes that I'm charging $9 - $11 for, at home for $2 - $3. Idiot.


----------



## curtispnw

A salesman told me about the roll be damaged by dropping etc. etc. or being to close to heat etc. etc., problem is I don't believe everything a salesman tells me, I believe that the plastic wrap turns out that way because the companies that make it, don't give a sh*t, and if you throw away one roll you just have to buy another, all brands are the same, they all suck


----------



## noeler

When u forget to take the dog out of the car boot on your split.. And the girl friend rings during service asking"did u see the dog before u went back to work" oh s***.....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## kingofnull

When you get home after a long day on the line and your spouse asks "what's for dinner" *face palm*


----------



## Iceman

*IT REALLY REALLY SUCKS ............... *

_When grills run out of gas!!!_

_***_ And how stupid I feel for letting it happen.


----------



## kvonnj

-The smell of the grease trap after a seafood night

-Really good cuts or burns.

-Really good cuts or burns caused by someone ELSE.

-Having a screaming meltdown in German to illustrate how sick I am of rude people speaking Spanish and Hatian Patois in my kitchen.

-Non cooks telling me what's wrong.

-Patients' family members ordering for them, and arguing with staff that the medically ordered diet is "wrong."

-Family members eating off patients' plates after having them order extra to avoid paying for another meal.

-Getting partial or incorrect info from the nursing staff, then being thrown under a bus by them because my 18 year old server gave the patient the wrong thing.

-Anyone else handling my knives.

-Well meaning people running my knife through the dishwasher. (AAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!)

-Hospital staff banging on the service bell in the staff cafeteria because I'm down 3 people and still have to feed the patients.

-SYSCO. In general.


----------



## dezie

Dumping stock bones.

They are hot, sticky, and heavy.

Bashing in the heads of pheasants/ducks?

Its bloody work.


----------



## petalsandcoco

> Bashing in the heads of pheasants/ducks?
> 
> Its bloody work.


Dezie,

When you say you bash , what do you mean by that ?...just curious.

Petals.


----------



## meezenplaz

Going for break, or steppping out for a bit, coming back and finding my work station "all cleaned up"

(synonym=ransacked?) some of the mise en place I'd done mysteriously disappeared, their monkey

dishes washed and put away, searching for my good wood-handled chef knives and finding them

soaking in the sanitation sink for the last 30 minutes. Argh.


----------



## dezie

petalsandcoco said:


> Dezie,
> 
> When you say you bash , what do you mean by that ?...just curious.
> 
> Petals.


I mean that quite literally.

Today in class we had to kill pheasants, wrapped their heads in a towel and hit them with the blunt end of a heavy cleaver.

Then we hung them by their necks and theyll be sitting there like that for the next 8 weeks.


----------



## laurenlulu

Dezie, I think I want to throw up. Why not just cut their heads off like a chicken? Is this in the U.S?


----------



## 808jono202

Dezie said:


> I mean that quite literally.
> 
> Today in class we had to kill pheasants, wrapped their heads in a towel and hit them with the blunt end of a heavy cleaver.
> 
> Then we hung them by their necks and theyll be sitting there like that for the next 8 weeks.


I understand hanging the meat, but "bashing their head in", damn.


----------



## flipflopgirl

My dad used to just break the neck and then hang for a few days (leave the innards where they are) .

This "ages" and "tenderizes" the meat.

If you chop off the head all the blood runs out .

Blood is what gives the meat such a rich and unusual flavor.

Disgusting, no?

mimi


----------



## petalsandcoco

Dezie,

Here is some info I thought you may want to read. My boss used to bring home many pheasants or he would receive them as gifts when his friends would come over. They always snapped the neck (unless it was shot) . No suffering to the animal. He also hung the animal for 1-3 days in the fridge.

I will only eat meat that has been bled. To each his own.


> Then we hung them by their necks and theyll be sitting there like that for the next 8 weeks.


That is a long time to hang.....

It will have enough time to grow its feathers back.

*Slaughtering*:

With poultry, the jugular vein is cut to ensure good bleeding for a white carcase that is full of 'bloom'. However, pheasants are dark-fleshed, and bleeding is not necessary. Some processors prefer to kill birds by dislocating or cracking the neck so that no bleeding occurs. This helps to maintain carcase flavour.

*Hanging* (for home consumption)

Hanging pheasants after killing is a traditional way to develop a 'gamy' flavour. There is no difference to the gaminess or texture of the meat whether birds are hung by the neck or legs.

After killing, birds can be hung either before or after plucking, with the viscera still intact or removed. Gaminess is increased if feathers and viscera are not removed. The temperature at which birds are hung, and the period of hanging, will depend on the degree of gaminess required.

Pheasants hung for 9 days at 10°C have been found by overseas taste panels to be more acceptable than those hung for 4 days at 15°C or for 18 days at 5°C. The taste panels thought that the birds stored at 15°C were tougher than those held for longer periods at lower temperatures. Pheasants hung at 10°C became more 'gamy' in flavour and more tender with length of hanging.

If carcases are kept too long at too high a temperature, 'greening' occurs followed by the development of 'off' odours. Greening first occurs in the area of the vent and is caused by hydrogen sulfide produced by gut micro-organisms. Although extensive changes take place in microbial flora in the intestines during hanging, the muscle tissues remain free of harmful bacteria. If too much greening has occurred then the carcase should be wiped over with a cloth dipped in vinegar.

In conjunction with the Consumer Education Freezing of Foods Council (NSW) preliminary trials have been conducted with taste panels using pheasant carcases which have been hung for varying periods of time from 0-11 days. For tasting purposes pheasant flesh from 18-week-old males was submitted fresh, and, after hanging for 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 11 days at a temperature of 15°C, the carcases were roasted in oven bags at 190°C for 1¼ hours.

The taste panel consisted of some members who had not tasted pheasant before and others who were used to eating pheasant meat. The age of members of the panel varied from about 20-50 years of age. All members of the panel agreed that pheasants hung for at least 3 days were more acceptable than those hung for a shorter period. Some members preferred birds to be hung for more than a week.

http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/livestock/poultry/species/pheasant-raising/processing


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## dezie

Ah maybe I miss heard the chef when he said how long they would hang.


----------



## petalsandcoco

The fact that you have to  kill and dress these birds is not always easy, and that is the point.

ps. your avatar looks so peaceful, very nice.

Petals.


----------



## dezie

Thanks Petals! 

The pic is of where my soon to be wife and I will be exchange vows.

I want to change my Worst Part.

I now say roux burns...but more than that when its a splash burn of roux...like a brown or brick roux.

My arms hurt...........................................


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## petalsandcoco

Hopefully they will heal fast.

The worse for me are cuts to the tips of my fingers. We try to use the claw method but there are days when you have so much on your mind/lack of sleep/thinking of the pots on the stove....and before you know it ..........cut. Always have to think ahead.....

It is so nice to hear that you are engaged to be married and that your vows will be done there at that beautiful place. Love is in the air Cheftalk, and we love it !!! (where is the heart emoticon when you need it ?)





  








Heart.jpg




__
petalsandcoco


__
Oct 12, 2012







Oh my goodness, I pressed the small size button and out popped this big guy !!! LOL. I have this one on my cell....(emoji app for iphone)

Dezie, we look forward to more of your posts. Learning new things in the culinary world is an neverending process.....

Petals.


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## someday

Noeler said:


> When u forget to take the dog out of the car boot on your split.. And the girl friend rings during service asking"did u see the dog before u went back to work" oh s***../img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif...
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You put your dog in the trunk of your car and then left it there? Why would you ever put a dog in the trunk of your car in the first place?


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## djoko verona

When a }*#*~€ing. Bartender come in the kitchen and telling me that on tv Gordon Ramsey put the meat on the left corner on the pan ... Why I put it on the middle ... Trying to teach me what she learn watching tv.. During full service time ?!?!,!!?! I have a wish to take a gun and .......

Anyway I love my job.. 

About last minute walk in guest .. In my kitchen is simple ... Kitchen close 22:00 but I stay half hour more every time for miss en p, list shoping list... So even after work time every guest is welcomed if. I am still in the kitchen


----------



## petemccracken

Um, practice exams for what???

BTW, you *are* aware you are posting in a forum restricted to professional chefs, right?


----------



## adamburgerdavis

Service is going smooth then a backwaiter drops a medium filet plate on a ten top. Nothing more frustrating.


----------



## veronporter

AdamBurgerDavis said:


> Service is going smooth then a backwaiter drops a medium filet plate on a ten top. Nothing more frustrating.


Hate this crap! I'll expand on this by saying when service is going well and one person on the line starts going down or a big mistake is made and it starts to sink the whole ship. Service is like a sports game. Momentum is key.


----------



## bigtoedave

when a waiter asks you, what is that? regarding something thats been on the menu for 6 months..

cocky young 20somethings who think theyve been there and done it all. constantly giving it cocky [email protected]%£$ and then falling at the first hurdle. (i was not like that)..

anything more than 60 hours a week..

cowboys in the kitchen..

splitting a hollandaise..

when chefs take things out of the fridge and leave it out for hours and hours (stocks, double cream)

just a few things that MAKE MY BLOOD BOIL.. Happy cooking


----------



## tahoe sugarchef

Wow, gotta chime in here.

I LOVE to cook and have been for 8 years savory and now almost 11 baking, with that being said if it is one thing that has changed that makes it hard to be a Chef is the Food Network and food television in general.  I have gotten requests purely based on a warped perception from watching too much TV.  My favorite request is a caller asking for a cake for 100 people as a sculpture to look like a local ski resort to be delivered in less than a week, during high holiday season, all the while I run a restaurant bakery.  While it is difficult we all have negatives with our jobs but all in all even after training a new baker ever year to 18 months, dealing with a hiring pool that seems to be convinced that they too are Peter Pan, and the lack of pay I am still very thankful that I can do what I have a passion for.


----------



## smork

Tahoe Sugarchef said:


> Wow, gotta chime in here.
> 
> I LOVE to cook and have been for 8 years savory and now almost 11 baking, with that being said if it is one thing that has changed that makes it hard to be a Chef is the Food Network and food television in general. I have gotten requests purely based on a warped perception from watching too much TV. My favorite request is a caller asking for a cake for 100 people as a sculpture to look like a local ski resort to be delivered in less than a week, during high holiday season, all the while I run a restaurant bakery. While it is difficult we all have negatives with our jobs but all in all even after training a new baker ever year to 18 months, dealing with a hiring pool that seems to be convinced that they too are Peter Pan, and the lack of pay I am still very thankful that I can do what I have a passion for.


did you make the cake?


----------



## thomas rhee

The worst part about being a chef is not being able to spend enough time with your family, friends and loved ones due to the work schedule and hours.

Everything else is fine with me because it's something I enjoy doing.  Sure there are pet peeves about the job, but I believe every working person no matter how much they love their job, also has things that irritate them.


----------



## tahoe sugarchef

Oh ya...The cake is mine. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif That one was fun, I made a sauce to go with the cake and then hung out after delivery and cut and served the cake for the client. She was really jazzed and I love to be able to see the guest response and having a great time.


----------



## shootoo

Thomas Rhee said:


> The worst part about being a chef is not being able to spend enough time with your family, friends and loved ones due to the work schedule and hours.
> 
> Everything else is fine with me because it's something I enjoy doing. Sure there are pet peeves about the job, but I believe every working person no matter how much they love their job, also has things that irritate them.


I've got to go with this. My chef always has to call his wife and he hates disappointing her... thankfully my girlfriend works swing shift at the IRS so I go in a couple hours before her and we usually get off around the same time. Not seeing her Saturday and only a couple hours Sunday is rough... good thing we're both night owls too


----------



## patg

If people are being paid for the time it takes them to clean up, then great, they factor that into their working day/hours and you serve whatever customers come in prior to stipulated closing time and then clean up, on the clock, so no problem and everyone should be happy.  But if, as many owners do, you pay your staff only until closing time, and then expect them to work for free to clean up - well, you have just created your own problem.  The last few customers will get poor, rushed service and the establishment will get a rushed, cursory cleaning with many important cleaning and stocking jobs left partly unfinished or badly done.  Basically, the adage that you get what you pay for does not apply only to customers - it is an adage many owners never seem to learn.


----------



## cheflayne

PatG said:


> If people are being paid for the time it takes them to clean up, then great, they factor that into their working day/hours and you serve whatever customers come in prior to stipulated closing time and then clean up, on the clock, so no problem and everyone should be happy. But if, as many owners do, you pay your staff only until closing time, and then expect them to work for free to clean up - well, you have just created your own problem. The last few customers will get poor, rushed service and the establishment will get a rushed, cursory cleaning with many important cleaning and stocking jobs left partly unfinished or badly done. Basically, the adage that you get what you pay for does not apply only to customers - it is an adage many owners never seem to learn.


And this pertains to the topic how???? Maybe it is a subliminal reply that is way subtle.


----------



## patg

In case you missed it, some people complained that the worst thing was having last minute customers.  This was just to say that if last minute customers are a problem for you, then it is most likely because of the way you do things.  Fix those problems, like making sure staff are happy to stay after closing to do the cleanup and do it properly by paying them fairly for the cleanup time and then your last minute customer will no longer be a problem but another opportunity to enjoy the expression on the face of someone who loves your cooking.


----------



## just jim

Haven't worked for anyone who didn't pay for closing duties.

I have worked with many cooks who hate last minute customers.

I used to be one of them.

I had an agenda, a plan to do things after work, and these people were messing up my plan.

I mean, who the heck did they think they were coming in during business hours, even if it was the last minutes of those hours?

Now, I attach no emotional baggage to the situation at all.

We're open until we are closed, end of story.

While I don't dance a jig at the last minute guests, I also don't throw a hissy fit.

I'm embarassed to watch others do it, and embarassed that I once did so myself.

I'm on salary, and get no additional compensation when staying for these guests, whereas the line cooks and dishwashers get paid for every extra minute they stay.

I remind them of this and how childish they sound when necessary.


----------



## espin22

ljokjel said:


> When you've washed and wrapped up everything after a quiet day, and the last ticket comes inn 2 min. before closing.


 I call those.. 59'rs...


----------



## ken bo slice

this thread is sad. Get out of my industry you people are the worst part of being a chef!


----------



## meezenplaz

> this thread is sad. Get out of my industry you people are the worst part of being a chef!


Wow I've always wondered who owned the entire food industry. Who wouldve thought.


----------



## foodpump

ken bo slice said:


> this thread is sad. Get out of my industry you people are the worst part of being a chef!


'Course, everyone and their dogs have a different idea of what a "Chef" is...........................


----------



## michaelga

> Originally Posted by *ken bo slice*
> 
> this thread is sad. Get out of my industry you people are the worst part of being a chef!





foodpump said:


> 'Course, everyone and their dogs have a different idea of what a "Chef" is...........................


Ha Ha... very well summed up by both of you.

Time to lock the thread?


----------



## mightychef

PeteMcCracken said:


> People who have money and are hungry?
> 
> I'm really sorry, but I do NOT agree that anything but the front door closes at "closing time" unless it is CLEARLY stated, preferably on the front window as well as the front of menus, placards on the tables, etc.
> 
> Certainly, if management so desires, it is perfectly permissible to state, and abide by, posted kitchen hours. If the kitchen hours are posted and someone shows up and orders one minute BEFORE the kitchen closes, they are served as the kitchen is OPEN.
> 
> However, if kitchen hours are NOT posted FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE BEFORE THEY ENTER, then, IMHO, the kitchen WILL serve EVERYONE that enters before closing time.
> 
> When my restaurant was open, the line did NOT shut down until the last customer had been completely served! Cleanup commenced as soon as the last customer LEFT the establishment NOT before!


Never heard of leaving what u need out, and cleaning down the rest?....sorry man, if you working 16 our days in a michelin, you would take every chance you got to get outta work 30miutes earlier, to gather an extra half hour sleep. I'm a sous, and if i see guys not cleaning down fast enough i would hammer them, the last tables food will still be at the highest standard, but my chefs ain't gonna stand around at the end of service waiting.


----------



## 808jono202

ken bo slice said:


> this thread is sad. Get out of my industry you people are the worst part of being a chef!


LOL, how funny!


----------



## tjsbeer

Taking six months to train a new sous so that they can steal my ideas and become exec at my competition. 

Customers allergic to ridiculous items. .. 
Parmesan cheese, but not allergic to other cheese. 
Tomatoes but not ketchup. 
Allergic to all forms of garlic including the granulated garlic in the season salt


----------



## tjsbeer

Oh and bad servers that complain they '' only'' made $150 tonight.
Shut the f up until work a night on the line for cooks pay and have taxes taken out you have nothing to complain about!


----------



## 808jono202

TJsBeer said:


> Oh and bad servers that complain they '' only'' made $150 tonight.
> Shut the f up until work a night on the line for cooks pay and have taxes taken out you have nothing to complain about!


Jesus titty effin Christ yes. GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. . . I once had a lead(waitron), if she didn't make at LEAST $300 a night (everynight, I'm talking Mondays, through Wednesdays. . . .once the weekend rolled around, Good God holy Sh*t), would act like I killed her dog. This was while I was involved in owning/operating, so while I acted sympathetic, I secretly cursed her name, and it took everything within me to not just unleash on her that after payroll, bills/overhead, yadda yadda yadda, she should just be glad to make money.

The joys of owning, LOLOLOLOL.... PFFFFFFFT.


----------



## dreb

As a young cook It's a lot of things that piss me off

- Servers who think they can do your job better & faster then you

- Servers who ask for food that has just been rung up.

-Servers who call for food on the fly, and then show backk up in 15-20 min

As you can see my problems come from THOSE F***** SERVERS!


----------



## chefjuanita

The worst thing for me is having cooks that still can't make Hollandaise sauce in a blender, and like clock work the last order of the night is Eggs Benedict.

How many times must I teach them, how hard is it to follow a recipe? (Really!)

The day shift vs. the night shift.... battle over who didn't do what..... OMGoodness grow up!

(Venting done!!!!)


----------



## liza

nope, not me.. been there 17hours.. nothing going to make me smile at that point if it's not my slippers..

a customer at 5min to close sitting down with the menue and taking 20 min to decide and usually has a request to make the Filet Mignon vegan.. I can simply do without


----------



## accidentalchef

Living in a state where the bars close 45 minutes after I manage to get out of the restaurant...


----------



## luis j

The list is long...

-Working with people that is not passionate about what they do. So far in more than 20 years in the industry I've never been in a kitchen where *everybody* shares the same passion for cooking and do things to the best levels based only on the great feeling that only getting things perfect gives. Most of them cook because they get paid to do so, and try their best because otherwise the chef is going to pound on them, but if there were no supervision they'll do things on a sloppy/dirty/careless way.

-Vegans, vegetarians and "sauce on the siders".

-Requests from friends who have "A friend, son, relative, acquaintance" that "wants to be a chef" and is studying , and asking you to give them the chance of training in your kitchen... And the worst part, when they get offended by the negative from yours truly.

-Lawsuits from cooks that you helped big time over the years.

-The huge drug consumption by the people in the industry... If I make an antidoping test I'm sure that I'll get 80% positive from my staff.

-Opinionated people that is not even in the industry and wants to share his "wisdom" with you, in front of his guests.

-Last minute customers that take 20 minutes looking at the menu and then asking for a 4 courses dinner and one of them being a well done 2.5 Lb meat cut.

-Anybody asking for a premium meat cut cooked to well done.

-Being the guy that has to solve it ALL.

-Getting aplications from "cooks" that call themselves "A" class cooks that don't even know how to make a properly made clear and rich stock.

-The dreaded "Chef...Can I talk to you?" line from any of my good cooks... Usually nothing good comes from that.

-Seeing "Cooks" cutting with dull knives turning beautiful scallions or herbs into a mushy mess. When I see that they know that I'm sending them to "Washing-town" (They become dishwashers for a day, 3 days or even a week).

-Salespeople that wants to talk to me in the rush hour...Usually those guys get the worst from me...But somebody has to teach them that service hours are not the best to talk to chefs.

-Equipment getting broken on a Friday or saturday night. Why not monday morning?... Murphy's at his best!

-Know it all "cooks" just coming out from culinary school... Those ones that on the third day of working start a discussion with me on how cool some of my dishes may get if we "de-construct" them. Those ones get the "Washing-town" treatment too...That will teach them to focus on hard work specially at the beginning of their careers wich is more important than going "de-constructing" my hard to construct and popular dishes.

And I can keep with hundreds of nuissances that make my day difficult or annoying... But maybe I'm a bit of a sado-maso guy because I'm still doing this and loving it. Who knows?

Luis


----------



## chef bilby

Two words 

Chef's Arse !!!!!

Doing the cowboy walk home is never fun !!!


----------



## rbrad

chef bilby,a handful of cornstarch down your pants will help in an emergency.


----------



## chef bilby

rbrad said:


> chef bilby,a handful of cornstarch down your pants will help in an emergency.


Tried that !!!

Went to bed once after employing that solution /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif- next morning went to the bathroom and my first movement for the day tore out all the hairs that had glued the exit closed over night /img/vbsmilies/smilies/surprised.gif .

Really comfortable undies and regular showering have solved that problem


----------



## chefedb

AND IT ONLY GETS WORSE.


----------



## chefbuba

Chef Bilby said:


> Two words
> 
> Chef's Arse !!!!!
> 
> Doing the cowboy walk home is never fun !!!


 /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif

This is what you need!


----------



## uncommonspence

Worst thing by far -

               - is being asked -

                            -what is your favorite thing to cook?


----------



## michaelga

uncommonspence said:


> Worst thing by far -
> 
> - is being asked -
> 
> -what is your favorite thing to cook?


qft


----------



## chef bilby

MichaelGA said:


> qft


WFT ??


----------



## robo

Gold Bonds Friction Defense, or Runners Glide - Life Savers


----------



## michaelga

QFT

quoted for truth!

(welcome to the interwebs!)


----------



## foodpump

Ahh you guys.....

Do you realize I can never look at a box of cornstarch the same way again?


----------



## chef bilby

MichaelGA said:


> QFT
> 
> quoted for truth!
> 
> (welcome to the interwebs!)


DILLIGAF /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif

Greetings from Australia


----------



## liza

foodpump said:


> Ahh you guys.....
> 
> Do you realize I can never look at a box of cornstarch the same way again?


I know right?

WAY too much information

LOL


----------



## dezie

I spent 2 days prepping an Escoffier appetizer, egg chops served with a tomato sauce, for a special this weekend.

I didnt sell a one.

Thats the worst thing about being a chef.

You put everything you have into a dish and it isnt liked...damn, back to the drawing board.


----------



## foodpump

liza said:


> I know right?
> 
> WAY too much information
> 
> LOL


Who, me?

My lips are sealed /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif


----------



## chefjuanita

I got a new one this weekend, I flew out the Maryland to assist in opening a new restaurant, all the staff knew was someone from SLC would be there to assist in the grand opening. I happened to walk in at the perfect time, I witnessed one of the cooks place his tongs on the trash can you know, part in the trash and part out, I stood there watching to see what he would do, he then removed them bent over pick up a piece of paper off the floor with the tongs, and in one swift movement aimed to flip over the steak he was cooking with the same tongs.... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/eek.gif

Lucky him, he got to be the example of...

*"Don't mess with this Chef" *and why* "Chefs go Postal" *

Chef Ramsey would have been proud!!!!!!

Nothing like making my grand entry! and my staff says I'm to kind, and easy going.... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/peace.gif


----------



## Iceman

OK. It bothers me considerably, having people with no skills constantly trying to help.


----------



## icmc6119

Clients And Guests Who Treat You And Have Attitude Towards You As If You Are NothingBut Some Uneducated Loser ...They Either Are Uninformed Or Just Well...

If We Did Not Know Or Care About Food Preperation And There Well Being We Could Make Them Very Sick Or Actually Kill Them With Food Borne Illness


----------



## chef bilby

icmc6119 said:


> Clients And Guests Who Treat You And Have Attitude Towards You As If You Are NothingBut Some Uneducated Loser ...They Either Are Uninformed Or Just Well...
> 
> If We Did Not Know Or Care About Food Preperation And There Well Being We Could Make Them Very Sick Or Actually Kill Them With Food Borne Illness


Ah ................We Meet Again Captain Capitals !!!

Welcome to the Forum icmc6119 anybody got a fruit basket for this bloke ?


----------



## pvchina

I live in red-neck alberta, where its meat and potatoes, canned corn so I find it hard when people ask don't I have fries and gravy when I serve breast of duck and quail.  I so find everyone is a critic now with sites that allow anyone to write a review.  I get wonderful review by most and every now and then a rotten one because I don't have real food.  ie fries and deep fried frozen boxed appies.  What you going to do LOL


----------



## foodpump

Move to B.C.?..........................


----------



## guts

Chef Bilby said:


> Tried that !!!
> 
> Went to bed once after employing that solution /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif- next morning went to the bathroom and my first movement for the day tore out all the hairs that had glued the exit closed over night /img/vbsmilies/smilies/surprised.gif .
> 
> Really comfortable undies and regular showering have solved that problem


Shower after work?


----------



## brodon

rearranging the metal bowls, pots and pans to be neatly stacked......only to find them all over the place 1 hour later.


----------



## qmdqwd

Have you ever 'packed' anyone's mise. You fill most of the mise container, (600 pan whatever) with crumpled paper towels, and then top it off with a layer of mise so it looks full. In the middle of service, he starts grabbing paper towels instead of the diced tomatoes. LMAO, never gets old.

I think the best prank I've ever seen was the battered and deep fried car keys. Serving them on a doily was funny, but the parsley and lemon wedge garnish was over the top.


----------



## gumbo

The worst has been covered pretty well.

Years ago as a recent culinary grad from New England having landed in New Orleans I had my eyes opened to allot of things.  

My Sous and Saucier loved pranks....  especially on me - the yankee.

#1 they had me brunoise a few little red fresh chiles - and didn't tell me to wear gloves. I had to use the pisser shortly after and learned a life lesson.

#2 they had a big batch of tasty looking white frosting in the hobart when I walked in the back door one day.  I said "what's that" or "looks good" and so they handed me a tasting spoon of it to try, (which I scoffed down like a dummas) it was their homemade copper pan cleaner.


----------



## kvonnj

Sorry, friend, but if your service is _until_ 3, your customers have a right to expect to be served AT 3. Not that I don't understand the frustration- I DO- but this is the life we chose.


----------



## kvonnj

The WORST? The worst thing is FOODIES. Hands down. Non-cooks who want to pontificate- and criticize- about a field they're not in, profession they've never trained in, job they don't do, industry they're not part of... but DEMAND to be sen as experts and treated as VIPs.

  ...screw them ALL.


----------



## ummmm shortribs

I have to say I agree with 98% of the comments here. This is my two cents, the two biggest things that drive me insane are as follows:

1. I hate when I have done inventory, written out my orders then asked if anyone would need anything extra? No one says a damn thing until the order is being delivered, it normally starts with “hey did you get that (insert item here) for me?” To which I respond “ No you didn’t tell me you needed it when I asked” then their priceless response “well when can we get it now? What can we do?” I just shrug my shoulders at this point and inform they will need to wait until next week. 

2. Working for owners that don’t know crap about food!! I have a hundred stories about this I am currently working for this person and the stories just get better. Working for a person who won’t give you the needed staff and also doesn’t understand that two people (me and a line cook) aren’t able to put out 100 plus tickets a day as well as all the prep and then also wash dishes! I find it amazing that someone can’t understand why this isn’t possible, I am not looking for a team of 20 but a little help wouldn’t hurt.


----------



## borkbork

Not getting to line cook bc I have to expo or talk to customers


----------



## borkbork

Oh and having family members who taught me to cook as a child ask how to make something they already know. I'm happy to help and glad we can connect through cooking but sometimes I want to just be handed a plate. No tarnish


----------



## brcoyne

When Your Executive Chef believes he's the only one who can do things right and puts everyone down to make himself look better.  When, in fact, the implied does a great job and is duly noted by the members of the club!


----------



## berndy

The worst thing about being a chef is that just about all your friends are afraid to cook anything for you. They all fear that you would not like it. They have no idea how much I like to be given any food food they cooked for me.

I love to be served one in a while too and will eat anything given too me without criticizing the cook.


----------



## chefbuba

If someone else is cooking, I'm eating.


----------



## michaelga

chefbuba said:


> If someone else is cooking, I'm eating.


AMEN!


----------



## Iceman

_LOL._ I'm right there w/ my fork too!

_Unless it's vegetarian ... or even worse, vegan. Thos people don't know how to eat. _


----------



## berndy

It looks like we all starving.

Any volunteers out there willing to feed us poor souls ?


----------



## liza

IceMan said:


> _LOL._ I'm right there w/ my fork too!
> 
> _Unless it's vegetarian ... or even worse, vegan. Thos people don't know how to eat. _


AMEN indeed and y'all save me a plate


----------



## patrick740

I've got to say as a ex cook and a waiter now, i hate those cooks who try and close kitchen half an hour before closing and leave because they've got school or whatever bull**** reason. Making it Awkward for everyone.


----------



## patrick740

Omg almost forgot! This applies mostly to the prep station. I hate the guy who needs to stop everything he is doing to tell his stupid story. So, having other cooks that talk all day and having his workload overflow on everyone else at end of day. Talk AND WORK!!!!!!


----------



## rdm magic

Are you guys saying that you seriously don't feel even a pang of annoyance when you get a 4 top in at 10:58 and you close at 11? I'm not talking about even saying anything to the fellow cooks, but just thinking 'god damn, why'?

I don't really care if people come in at that time, generally it doesn't delay me all that much anyway, but I can't help but get that one second of.. feeling


----------



## just jim

rdm magic said:


> Are you guys saying that you seriously don't feel even a pang of annoyance when you get a 4 top in at 10:58 and you close at 11? I'm not talking about even saying anything to the fellow cooks, but just thinking 'god damn, why'?
> 
> I don't really care if people come in at that time, generally it doesn't delay me all that much anyway, but I can't help but get that one second of.. feeling


I'm not saying that.

But it is a fleeting feeling, quickly forgotten.

Life's too short.


----------



## cheflayne

rdm magic said:


> Are you guys saying that you seriously don't feel even a pang of annoyance when you get a 4 top in at 10:58 and you close at 11? I'm not talking about even saying anything to the fellow cooks, but just thinking 'god damn, why'?
> 
> I don't really care if people come in at that time, generally it doesn't delay me all that much anyway, but I can't help but get that one second of.. feeling





patrick740 said:


> Omg almost forgot! This applies mostly to the prep station. I hate the guy who needs to stop everything he is doing to tell his stupid story. So, having other cooks that talk all day and having his workload overflow on everyone else at end of day. Talk AND WORK!!!!!!


 I hear you on that one. I tell people that I want to see their hands move as fast as their lips.


----------



## ambbq

Tip outs from servers are supposed to go to the kitchen. For some reason ours never make that far. I don't care so much about myself, but my kitchen staff bust ass and deserve it.


----------



## michaelga

ambbq said:


> Tip outs from servers are supposed to go to the kitchen. For some reason ours never make that far. I don't care so much about myself, but my kitchen staff bust ass and deserve it.


sounds like the servers don't like you... ponder that?


----------



## petemccracken

ambbq said:


> Tip outs from servers are supposed to go to the kitchen. For some reason ours never make that far. I don't care so much about myself, but my kitchen staff bust ass and deserve it.


Who decides that, how much and where tip outs go? If I'm not mistaken, at least in California, tips belong to the recipient and are disposed of by the recipient, and no one else, including management, has any say in the matter.

So, there are no tip outs that are supposed to go to the kitchen.

Fair? Maybe not, but it is the LAW!


----------



## chef bria ross

So many... I work in a open kitchen to everything i do is under a microscope, from my customers to the owner.  When it all goes to shit.  I get to take the blame. Here is my list, I hope someone can relate.

-I sooo agree with Coulois-o,  the damn freezer door trick, or when your in a rush, and it does not shut properly.  You find out the next day, not only did you destroy all your food but the freezer took a leak all over the place.

- Inventory.  when someone spills wine(red) on the laptop, and i get to do it by hand.

-Drugs are a hell of a drug

-forgetful waitstaff, How do you forget a order walking 10 ft.? 

- Working with a ex- and living ( stuck in a lease for another 8 months)after a bitter break up. Being her boss is worthless "example"  Could you just let me know you forgot to ring something in, instead of having another open ticket, Answer-  " I am going home and burning all your stuff in the front yard!!....priceless

-Waitstaff making up a menu to a table. " Sure we can do a sea bass with a side of white asparagus,  when i stopped ordering it months ago...

- My stoned, stoned dishwasher  forgets to shut the dishwasher and i am standing next to it, wearing white.

- People that just don't understand that teflon pans, and high heat are not fond of each other.

- The upper shoulder pain, " Oh your back, this is awesome being 30min into my ten hour shift.

This industry is nuts.. I became a chef because when i was growing up my parents could not cook for shit.  It just becomes your personal life. No wonder drugs can be a answer/problem.  Making lot's of money Is not always the best thing, but it helps.  After 10+ years in this, I have Lost my sanity, gained it back, and  lost it again.  Bad drug problems, Destroyer of personal relationships. I've got in shape, started taking medicine(legal) Changed my way of thinking and way of life, it seems to work...so far. But honestly, I can't imagine doing anything else. What other profession can you become well know and respected? Its ok to be covered in tattoo's, give back to a community, having  a voice, competing with friends and still learning,  being a student for life.


----------



## liza

I'm still amazed at all the torn rotator cuffs.. started with the right on me and now twinges in the left

*sigh

worst thing about being a chef.. this getting old and feeling the long shifts and it seems there are no shoes that make it better

oh and ladies....

vericose veins (funny, I always had nice legs)

(shudder)

still.. the worst thing is working through the aches, pains, burns, illnesses, migraines, cuts that SHOULD have gotten stitched but no time, etc.,

...and having the pissant recently graduated intern call in dead because he got stoned the night before in the walkin after you left, partied all night and probably got laid by an underage waitstaff...

While you were up doing books, scheduling and dead by 11:00pm feeling guilty that you didn't get to spend time with dog, family, wife, husband, children (insert loved one) etc., because there aren't enough hours in the day

Working ALL the holidays and once again intern (referenced above) calls in with a *cough* so now no chance of leaving early, never mind on time.. because you're doing the work of three.. because someone else thought their *cough* was also deadly.


----------



## rbandu

Drugs: Fired.

Hungover: Fired.

Still Drunk: Fired.

Unable to deal with a rush: Fired.

How hard is that?


----------



## rbandu

Drugs, alcohol and incompetence all have absolutely no place in a commercial kitchen.  I rarely give a warning; if I do, there's just one.  One and done.  It's a matter of who you surround yourself with, pissants or people that actually have some passion for the kitchen.


----------



## liza

easier said than done..

Most offenses have to be outrageous, blatant infractions that can be witnessed as the state has made it almost impossible to let someone go without unemployment taxes going up.

In other words, cant fire them for being pissants (even tho references were glowing) or for being 'sick' on a holiday or a Saturday
 

too many lawyers


----------



## nickstacey1987

You can fire someone for no reason within their first 3 months of employment. Its a very useful thing


----------



## petemccracken

Mmm, as with most blanket statements, this is NOT always true, it depends on the regulations affecting your specific location.


nickstacey1987 said:


> You can fire someone for no reason within their first 3 months of employment. Its a very useful thing


----------



## rogers bros

sending out a roast dinner ...then  front of house comes back and says no gravy...but it doesn't say it on the ticket....

just a little reminder that waiters/servers never put stuff on the tickets or come into the kitchen and tell us what they need


----------



## jade lauron

Gunnar said:


> I was stuck so bad one time I just sliced a tomato arranged it, drizzled olive oil and balsamic over the plate, tucked in a few of sprigs of fresh basil under a tomato round and told the server I'll pay for it, tell her it's on the house and just serve the crazy woman...I had already had three different plates come back with her "trying dishes" (read a frikkin menu people) cause she didn't notice something she was allergic to.
> She loved it and gave the server a fat tip which the server (best I ever worked with) insisted on splitting with me cause I just kept trying....course by that time I was about out of ideas.... I just used it to cover the cost of a house salad.


I do recall a particularly fun customer who was deathly allergic to garlic, tomatoes, nuts and chocolate at a party I was working (as an event planner) for

... in an Italian restaurant.


----------



## jade lauron

Bazza said:


> I can only think of one thing I hate about being a chef......Stress.
> 
> Most days are busy but I enjoy them, I am in control and at the end of the shift there is a great feeling of achievement, almost euphoria, that is the buzz that I love and part of the reason I do it. But there are some days when everything is against you, you cannot seem to do anything right and you start to lose it, when that happens it is game over for the whole shift, I hate days like that.
> 
> Just an observation here regarding coeliacs; Has anyone ever served a male coeliac??? In my experience they all seem to be women. That is in no way meant to be a sexist remark, it is merely what I have observed.


I'm friends with a male celiac. It's 'fun' when he comes to my events and I'm hosting/cooking. He's also allergic to sesame, chocolate, strawberries, and something else which escapes me at the moment. The last shared meal I attempted to make between him and myself (I'm lactose and sulfite intolerant, and allergic to canola/rapeseed oil) was fajitas. I got the fajitas minus the cheese and the onions, and he got a stir-fry over rice, minus the tortilla. I'm very, very adept at hosting events with a mix of vegans, vegetarians, and multiple and mixed food allergies.


----------



## jonnyb85

Waiting staff pocketing tips for your hard work


----------



## Iceman

I really hate it when ignorant inconsiderate uneducated idiot morons make wisecracks about vegetarians and/or vegans. I hate it even more when those people making the ignorant inconsiderate uneducated idiot moronic comments are chefs with little or no skill in the first place and/or little or no interest in learning how to cook proper vegetarian/vegan dishes. 

* Present company excluded ._.. of course. _


----------



## chef daveed

I whole-heartedly agree! The last person served receives the same quality meal and the same quality service as the first person of the day; to do less speaks volumes about your commitment as a chef.


----------



## pollopicu

I myself don't follow a celiac diet, but can relate to why some do since I have issues with digestion. I cut out white flours from my diet about 6 years ago and replaced it with 100% whole wheats and its done wonders for my system.

I think the reason we tend see women rather than men follow a celiac diet is because women care about being bloated and all the feelings and discomfort that come with it. Men don't really care about bloating, they typically ignore digestive issues unless it causes them physical pain such as heartburn.

I often cater to celiacs, vegans, and vegetarians, and that's fine by me since I often eat that way too, so it's not a stretch, but what bothers me is when I'm catering an event, and there's just one V/V/C guest who is adamant and specific about having a specially prepared meal (and that's totally fine, I cater those needs with pleasure), but then goes ahead and knowingly partakes in items that is no way allowed in their diet, because they bashfully admit they can't pass up on bacon, or artisan bread. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif I tend to believe that people like that claim to have special diets because they want to be trendy not because it's a health necessity.


----------



## jade lauron

I don't hold to the notion that every restaurant has to cater to vegans or vegetarians.  It's a nice option, but at the end of the day you are running a business and sometimes it doesn't go along with what you have as a menu.  When I do my events, I try and bend over backwards to cater toward every possible guest, including vegans, folks who don't eat pork, those with celiac, etc. but I'm working on big one-off deals generally, not a set day-to-day menu.  I worked at a steak place where it simply made no sense to have a vegan option; it would have entailed keeping an entirely separate line and extra ingredients just for the occasional vegan, when there was already extremely limited kitchen and storage space.  We couldn't really accommodate vegetarians either, although in a pinch we'd throw something together (salad, inevitably). 

And yes, sometimes we'd be rude about it.  If you walk into a place that has the word "steak" in the name, don't be surprised if we say we have no vegan options, and if you are somehow surprised and/or shocked by this, don't expect us not to say snarky things in response to the question "What do you mean you don't have vegan items!?"  *eyeroll*


----------



## cheffatlady

Working a year and a half without a vacation. Always working on holidays. The pay sucks.


----------



## oldschool1982

As the Exec, the worst thing is that your back tends to take the place of the knife rack.

As a "chef" in the kitchen as a whole, the worst thing is also the best and that would be everything. Early on in my career it was a struggle to keep up and gain respect. That made things less enjoyable yet I found things compelling enough to stick with it. Fast-forward 30 years and it was far less a struggle to keep up, especially when your setting the pace but the respect thing was still an issue. All I can say about that is......It always seems that your job can be done better by the people who serve under you. That is until they're the ones that are now in charge of doing it. If you're not careful, you'll get exactly what you wish for.


----------



## camilolopez

oldschool1982 said:


> As the Exec, the worst thing is that your back tends to take the place of the knife rack.
> 
> As a "chef" in the kitchen as a whole, the worst thing is also the best and that would be everything. Early on in my career it was a struggle to keep up and gain respect. That made things less enjoyable yet I found things compelling enough to stick with it. Fast-forward 30 years and it was far less a struggle to keep up, especially when your setting the pace but the respect thing was still an issue. All I can say about that is......It always seems that your job can be done better by the people who serve under you. That is until they're the ones that are now in charge of doing it. If you're not careful, you'll get exactly what you wish for.


Your words can be applied to everything in life. casino online

Your are completely right.


----------



## madchef2013

The good: creating a new plate/recipe and having it come out perfectly! 

The bad: Restaurant owners that have little or no experience in a professional kitchen, yet insist on making unreasonable demands.

The ugly: Vegans, vegetarians, and picky people.


----------



## lagom

I dined out with a group of co workers, there were 25 of us booked, private room, 4 course dinner with wine preselected and open bar service, came out to around 200 dollars a head, I was damn picky, but I was also pleased at the end of the night. I also added 30% to the bill, half for excellent and half for excellent food. Picky is good for everyone.

Any time I can sell vegis for the same price as expensive protiens I will. I love vegans and so does my wallet.

I hate getting old in this business, alas, semi retirement.


----------



## chefzone

When I started cooking in 1974, the wage was $5.75 per hour.  That was perfectly in line with all other trades, like electricians, carpenters, plumbers, pipe fitters, etc.  Now with all of the fast food restaurants the pressure in the food industry has so much more pressure to keep their cost's down to compete,  I found that the wages between the other trades and cooking has spread so much farther apart, you can barely make a living.  It is very sad to see what has happened in the profession.  When I was first looking for work in the 70's, the want ads in the paper, cooks were under skilled trades.  Now the jobs are just under help wanted.  The wages are a joke today.  Most jobs are usually only a couple of dollars over minimum wage, if not at minimum.  There is one thing about the love of cooking and the realities of life.  The only way I can see any money in the food industry is working in a camp, which totally makes life/work balance lopsided, you are away from the family and friends, usually for three weeks at a time if not more.  It is sad to see that the industry did not keep up with the other trades when working in the cities.  Anyone who is thinking about working in the industry, must plan to have someone else in your household has a good job to make a mortgage payment, if not, I would recommend to keep cooking at home for family and friends, but to go into a different trade.  Sorry.


----------



## phil mccracken

Here's a great post

50 Things They Never Told You About Being a Chef

http://www.phoshizzlepei.com/2013/03/50-things-they-never-told-you-about.html


----------



## trissynashville

Okay so clearly I'm not the only one with rotator cuff problems. What the hell?

Does anyone know what exact repetitive motion it is that causes this? My right shoulder can get BAD at times.

Oh, and yeah, drugs and alcohol. It's easy to say "just fire them," but if it's not a HUGE issue, and you know that a replacement probably wouldn't work out as well, and/or might have dependency issues of their own... I've worked in restaurants where, by the end of the shift on most nights, I was the only one stone sober, but everything got done right.


----------



## liza

Wish I knew Trissy, I just became a lefty and live with it and a lot of anti inflammatory drugs ...

It's like that old joke

Doc, it hurts when I do.....

Can't get the time off to have a look LOL

(if you find out, let me know)


----------



## pollopicu

What I hate about being a chef is scraping my forearm with a 18X2000 film cutter.


----------



## kingfarvito

Pollopicu said:


> What I hate about being a chef is scraping my forearm with a 18X2000 film cutter.


One of the worst cuts I ever received was from a plastic wrap cutter. Those things seem to be worse than knives.


----------



## pollopicu

word.


----------



## thetincook

We needed new side towels today. Non-cooking employee got sent out to get some. Came back with nylon wash clothes. We figured it out a few hot pans later. It was not fun being a chef or a dishwasher today.


----------



## ericadunham

saran wrap.


----------



## brujo

How are about the pitiful pay, abusive culture which would be seen as work place harassment in any other industry, serious chafing(chefs bum, you so know what i'm talking about), corns, working 14 a day, donut floor staff who end up making more than the Sous Chef as they get tips, the insolvency of the industry(there are a number of good two-three hat restaurants on my resume that don't exist any more), burns, cuts, back problems(once you get to 10-15 yrs you'll know), not being able to afford to eat in the restaurants you work in, serving $2000 kg black truffles to "wankers"(professional industry term) yet having to cook that semi-off barra for staff lunch, working every weekend and public holiday yet no time in lieu or more $$$, coming home after a shift and having to watch info-mercial adds selling a ass master 2000 for four hours, and having our industry glorified and degraded by master chef etc. I could sooooooooo go on....


----------



## michaelga

whiny people


----------



## jade lauron

People turning off the timers because they make unpleasant noises ahahahahahaaaaa I'd forgotten about that.... *wipes tears from eyes*
 

And when you're ranting and cursing and raving as you try to salvage something that's just started to burn around the edges, you get that stupid cow look, and they go "why, was that something important?"

"No you dipsh__t!  I just like to hear them beep!!"


----------



## emmbai90

I've never worked in a restaurant but i have been doing catering at college for almost a year and 6 months and what i can't stand is how over the top health and safety is like i hate how many times you have to wash your hands, how many times you drop something and have to re-wash it again, your whites are expected to be perfect yet when you get something like raspberry on it, it dries like ink but your moaned at about it when your told to make raspberry pie in the first place, not my fault lol, everything seems to be your fault when we didn't choose the menu. I hate having to pull off my hat and chef jacket and put it back on again after every break and the fact that other people try to dump their pots on you when you already have lots under your bench especially when making something where you have to separate every ingredient, sick of it and they purposely just leave it there even the support workers do so i have no choice to, if i didn't nobody else would, and every time someone uses the food processor near me who has to be wash it? me... oooh gets me so angry, and what i hate most about kitchens is people feel the need to act in a really childish and competitive manner like they are better than you. Most days i just give the class mates who do that an upward dirty look/ i don't care look then look back down again lmao, works every time, i wind them up too because they call me selfish for bringing my own scales because they wouldn't share the ones our lecturer provided so now they think I'm gonna take all their bowls and stuff when i come near them, they get jumpy and grab their bowls LMAO, i just keep a straight face the whole time but inside I'm laughing.


----------



## holladays

emmbai90 said:


> I've never worked in a restaurant but i have been doing catering at college for almost a year and 6 months and what i can't stand is how over the top health and safety is like i hate how many times you have to wash your hands, how many times you drop something and have to re-wash it again, your whites are expected to be perfect yet when you get something like raspberry on it, it dries like ink but your moaned at about it when your told to make raspberry pie in the first place, not my fault lol, everything seems to be your fault when we didn't choose the menu. I hate having to pull off my hat and chef jacket and put it back on again after every break and the fact that other people try to dump their pots on you when you already have lots under your bench especially when making something where you have to separate every ingredient, sick of it and they purposely just leave it there even the support workers do so i have no choice to, if i didn't nobody else would, and every time someone uses the food processor near me who has to be wash it? me... oooh gets me so angry, and what i hate most about kitchens is people feel the need to act in a really childish and competitive manner like they are better than you. Most days i just give the class mates who do that an upward dirty look/ i don't care look then look back down again lmao, works every time, i wind them up too because they call me selfish for bringing my own scales because they wouldn't share the ones our lecturer provided so now they think I'm gonna take all their bowls and stuff when i come near them, they get jumpy and grab their bowls LMAO, i just keep a straight face the whole time but inside I'm laughing.


I'd suggest finding a different career field to go into.

Welcome to the restaurant industry.

Dirty looks don't go far. Speak up. No one likes passive-aggressive childish behaviour.


----------



## flipflopgirl

emm...can you not put an apron on over your coat when prepping/cooking?

Easy enough to remove it when you need to look spiffy.

mimi


----------



## cldunford

So I've been Cooking for the better part of 15 years,  sure this industry is demanding and a bit crazy.  But for the most part entertaining if you cant stand the heat get your ass out of the kitchen.  Stop bitching about the stupid little things really when it gets down to it, it/'s all about the food is it not.  No one said this job would be easy, I'm sure no one ever will so if you don't like it don't do it.


----------



## vic cardenas

MichaelGA said:


> whiny people


Seriously!


----------



## emmbai90

People don't have to switch careers just because of a few things that annoy them, i just thought this post was fun hearing the stories they made me laugh so i thought is share what i hate. flipflopgirl noop we can't have an apron as were taught proper health and safety, it's white jacket, black chef beanie hat and any shoes as long as they are non-slip and comfy, they don't mind if you wear color ones since it's just college but i know companies want you to wear black non-slip comfy shoes, aprons are only meant to serving really, if we don't have a chef jacket or get too much food on our jacket when preparing then is when we can use an apron but on the most part we are taught to be really tidy, rarely do we ever get any stains on them but when we make something really messy like with tomato the stains will take a few washes to get out even with some of that really good spray or powder you can use. I never really show i'm annoyed though i'm good at covering it but if i'm annoyed i generally just stay quiet to not make an idiot of myself lol, sometimes ill slip up though and tell them to shut up but in a work place speaking up to them isn't gonna get you any where because they could tell the manager your being rude when it was the opposite way, just no winning that one as it's that person says vs that person says situation, when weighing out ingredients now i wait till every ones done and do my veg prep for the time being then when i'm gonna cook the veg off or whatever is when i get the herbs, sauces whatever. if you don't wanna join em just work around it, having your own pair of scales is the best as you can just scoot past everyone without a problem.


----------



## liza

hey Brujo... one word for ya

Netflix


----------



## flipflopgirl

Could you help me understand what part of wearing an apron is unsanitary?
Been out of caking for cash for awhile now and curious as to what has made it dangerous.
I am never in my kitchen without one on and change it if it comes in contact with raw meat or egg.
So...please enlighten me?

mimi


----------



## Iceman

All different kinds of things create all differents kinds of issues with all different kinds of people. For some of us (_me_), it's just silly personal issues. I hate aprons, I don't wear them because they make me look and feel even fatter than I am. I don't need any psychological garbage interfearing with the job I do.


----------



## twyst

emmbai90 said:


> flipflopgirl noop we can't have an apron as were taught proper health and safety.


its against the law to NOT wear an apron in every city I've worked in. I'm not sure you really learned "proper" sanitation and safety if you we're taught aprons were unsanitary.


----------



## pollopicu

IceMan said:


> All different kinds of things create all differents kinds of issues with all different kinds of people. For some of us (_me_), it's just silly personal issues. I hate aprons, I don't wear them because they make me look and feel even fatter than I am. I don't need any psychological garbage interfearing with the job I do.


I think the same of myself _not_ wearing an apron. The chef jacket alone makes me feel boxy because I'm petite to begin with.


----------



## pollopicu

I've heard that using your apron to transport food (like fruits and veggies from the walk-in to your station) is unsanitary. Perhaps that's what the student (he or she) is confusing about apron sanitation?


----------



## emmbai90

No no i mean during food prep it's unsanitary to wear an apron unless you get tomato all over you then you have no choice, were taught to wear the chef jacket and that is what we should wear not aprons.


----------



## twyst

emmbai90 said:


> No no i mean during food prep it's unsanitary to wear an apron unless you get tomato all over you then you have no choice, were taught to wear the chef jacket and that is what we should wear not aprons.


Unless you have just misunderstood what they are telling you, your school should give you a refund. Wearing an apron is much more sanitary than going without one. If your apron gets contaminated with something gross, you take it off, throw it in the laundry bag and put on another apron. If you get chicken juice or something on your coat, you have to wear chicken juice around all night unless you bring multiple coats to work. Which sounds more sanitary to you?


----------



## just jim

Twyst said:


> Unless you have just misunderstood what they are telling you, your school should give you a refund. Wearing an apron is much more sanitary than going without one. If your apron gets contaminated with something gross, you take it off, throw it in the laundry bag and put on another apron. If you get chicken juice or something on your coat, you have to wear chicken juice around all night unless you bring multiple coats to work. Which sounds more sanitary to you?


Save it.

This person has a problem with hand washing.

I don't think sanitation is a priority for (her?).


----------



## chef la lou

The worst thing about being a Chef is "we are always eating" and I have to spend 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day in the gym, 6 days a week to keep things together. LOL!

Chef La' Lou


----------



## kaiquekuisine

Chef La Lou said:


> The worst thing about being a Chef is "we are always eating" and I have to spend 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day in the gym, 6 days a week to keep things together. LOL!
> 
> Chef La' Lou


Lol many times when i have gone to work i have skipped breakfast and en up over tasting things just for pure consumption XD.

I remember decorating a fruit salad and tasting one slice of fruit from every fruit used just to be cautious ( that and i was starving ).

Thank god i have a fast metabolism so im pretty slim.

Best part is when one of the cooks in the kitchen over makes ribs and or chicken and we end up getting a taste of it.

Lol aside from these little shaninigans the kitchen atmosphere can sometimes be very aggressive depending on what we have to produce and the amount of time we have.

I will definitely say i hate it when im pressed for time and people constantly keep telling me to rush , it annoys me because i prefer perfection over perfect timing , but in the near future ill be able to perform both ways efficiently.


----------



## 86-allday

working in a restaurant that has many peanuts and nuts on the menu and getting a " DEATHLY ALLERGIC TO PEANUTS CHIT"


----------



## kevchef

Where to start. When you get arsehole customers who think they're right when there completely wrong ie when you send perfect steak but there perceptions of cooking preference are no way near correct but you still have to go along with and waste expensive cuts


----------



## pollopicu

Not really related to the topic, but If I hear the expression "food porn" one more time.... Why does every thing have to be "porn" now?

Just needed to throw that out into the universe, and get it off my chest. Now I will stfu about it.


----------



## ovendoorburns

knowing that no matter how hard you think about, work on, collect elements for, and do miz en place for a dish, it will still be outsold by the burger.

maybe only in my place, but i think alot of people will have a similar issue


----------



## pollopicu

Also, I hate that this business has given me Sarah Jessica Parker-hand syndrome. Not as bad, but still..


----------



## ovendoorburns

Pollopicu said:


> Also, I hate that this business has given me Sarah Jessica Parker-hand syndrome. Not as bad, but still..


whut?


----------



## pollopicu

My hands look rough.


----------



## ovendoorburns

i thought you ment they looked like a horse. boom boom

taxi!!


----------



## pollopicu

lol. hey that's still my girl you're talking about.


----------



## vic cardenas

I knew exactly what pollopicu was talking about. I'm thinking "Grandma Hands" when she said that. LOL


----------



## Iceman

_*BOO-FREAK'IN -HOO!!! *_ _ I'll trade you ..._ for carpel tunnel surgery. *3X's*.


----------



## pollopicu

IceMan said:


> _*BOO-FREAK'IN -HOO!!! *_ _ I'll trade you ..._ for carpel tunnel surgery. *3X's*.


nah, I'll keep my man hands, thank you very much.


----------



## twyst

ovendoorburns said:


> knowing that no matter how hard you think about, work on, collect elements for, and do miz en place for a dish, it will still be outsold by the burger.
> 
> maybe only in my place, but i think alot of people will have a similar issue


Not only your place! Worked in a great kitchen a few years ago that made EVERYTHING from scratch and it was all really very good, and the restaurant was always packed. Perhaps the burger was a little too good as it really brought down check averages as it was easily the most ordered thing on the menu, especially at lunch. We just had to add a bunch of available mods and have servers push them to offset the lower check average (pork belly/avo/foie etc)


----------



## lbrax27

Mines has been when your gm thinks they know more than you and said your job is easy; and you return the favor and go you try, or when he goes you need more help and I say shut up you need to know how to seat. And when you get stuck working on the line after someone who never resets the station.


----------



## katelynroxx

When you have stupid fucking customers that ask you for "medium rare, no pink" NY strips, and the same guy then also came INTO the kitchen to ask if we made the peanut butter pie to order, or if it was already made up.  I said it's made in house, in the form of a pie, then frozen and a wedge is cut out.  He said "oh, gross, I was hoping it was fresh."


----------



## jade lauron

Pollopicu said:


> Not really related to the topic, but If I hear the expression "food porn" one more time.... Why does every thing have to be "porn" now?
> 
> Just needed to throw that out into the universe, and get it off my chest. Now I will stfu about it.


If it makes your nipples get hard and your panties get wet, it's porn. Obviously, you've not been playing with the right baked goods. I make an orange-cranberry cinnamon roll that's to die for, and an 'ordinary' French bread that's pretty much mythological. I say this because I came to baking after I left the industry, and my bread has never managed to leave my house; every time I bake, whoever is around descends on it like starving jackals and it doesn't matter how many loaves I make either. I've seen people who claimed to be not hungry suddenly wolf down more than two loaves in a single setting, usually while groaning and making orgiastic noises quite similar to sex. Baking day is a gluten-induced orgy.

Then, of course, there is other end of the food spectrum, meat. I'm getting some duck prosciutto in this week. If eating that isn't a sin, you have no tastebuds. Whoever invented the very idea of duck prosciutto should have a one-way ticket to hell, as a demon of higher rank. Along with duck confit, fries in duck fat, and veal, the good kind, where the animal is still a fetus when it's slaughtered for your pleasure. Not everything is porn, and not everything food related is porn. Food porn is when you bring together the sinful delights on the culinary world, the fattening, gluttonous, mind-shattering meld of salty-sweet, bitter-bland, succulent-savory, creamy-crunchy and you deliver in such a way that the eyes follow the plate, the mouth waters, the body arcs forward as the nose tracks the scent and you inhale all that richness, take it in and devour it, lips curled back in hunger, bite and suck and chew, lick the edges clean. The hunger leads to the sated.

_That's_ food porn.


----------



## pollopicu

> If it makes your nipples get hard and your panties get wet, it's porn.


I don't expect anyone who would say such things in public to relate to my sentiments on the subject...

Sex is a very natural thing, but so is shitting, and we don't have to do it in public. It seems people today practice less and less decorum each day.


----------



## minichanz

That was informative (majority of posts), I love food, I want prepare dishes for a job, but I don't want to suicide or loose faith in man altogether. Must be easier being an Astronaut.


----------



## durangojo

@ Jade Lauron,

"Humanity, I love you because when you're hard up you pawn your intelligence to buy a drink."
.....ee cummings


joey


----------



## geequew

PeteMcCracken said:


> People who have money and are hungry?
> 
> I'm really sorry, but I do NOT agree that anything but the front door closes at "closing time" unless it is CLEARLY stated, preferably on the front window as well as the front of menus, placards on the tables, etc.
> 
> Certainly, if management so desires, it is perfectly permissible to state, and abide by, posted kitchen hours. If the kitchen hours are posted and someone shows up and orders one minute BEFORE the kitchen closes, they are served as the kitchen is OPEN.
> 
> However, if kitchen hours are NOT posted FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE BEFORE THEY ENTER, then, IMHO, the kitchen WILL serve EVERYONE that enters before closing time.
> 
> When my restaurant was open, the line did NOT shut down until the last customer had been completely served! Cleanup commenced as soon as the last customer LEFT the establishment NOT before!


And what about trying to time a staff getting off the clock lol


----------



## vexedosito

You can't eat a regular meal without dissecting every little detail. That happens with me anyway. And I always find myself timing meals at other restaurants like.


----------



## digital-kiwi

When you need the wrap and it just won't unwrap...and carrots tbh...


----------



## katelynroxx

Yeah I agree.  I'm a head chef and the late ones don't bother me.  If we serve until ten and you order food at 9:59 that's fine by me.  The ones that come in at 9:59 and take 15 minutes to decide what they want, then order soup starters, then apps, THEN entrees, THEN hot desserts are the ones that I want to punch in the face.  They can seriously put my closing time back a good hour to an hour and a half.  It think that's where the gripe is coming from here.  If you come and know what you want and get your order, FULL order in by ten, fine.  It's the entitled attitude of "I was here by ten but I want four staged courses now since I was here in time" bullshit that gets to me.


----------



## katelynroxx

Jesus, am I the only one here that loves my job?  Apparently!  Yes I have no social life, no friends, I see my fiance in passing once or twice a week,  I baby powder my ass and feet every day just so I don't get raw sores from sweat, but I love my job.  My fiance hates my job but I was a sous chef when we got together and now I'm a head chef.  The hours are long and not compatible with a "normal" job like he has, but I would let him go before I let the kitchen life go.  I love it.  I'm covered in burns and bruises and the occasional cut, but I love it.  

What do I hate about it?  Other people that are not passionate.  Dishwashers that will put dirty dishes back on the line, waitresses that will deliver a steak with the MR plastic stick still in in, and other shit like that.  I work 77 hours a week and wouldn't change a thing about my life other than having my fiance work nights instead of days.


----------



## left4bread

$$$

Friends my age make way more for less effort.


----------



## chefwilsonuk

Worst thing for me.......

Finally getting to the top of the food chain and realising because it is my own place, My cooking doesn't always come first. 7 days of 24hrs just isn't enough. Saving money on staff to survive our first year and spending alot of time cleaning, paperwork ect......... Most of my dishes come to me in my dreams or when i first wake, its the only time i have when people leave me alone /img/vbsmilies/smilies/mad.gif 

Throughout my career its always been hard and i relentlessly push myself. But!!! the further i push, the easier my past looks. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

Its getting better now as we progress and we are making good money, role on the apprentices!!!

Mark


----------



## Iceman

I just realized this week that I'm a binge eating chef. Four(4) days this week I've had patty melts. Last week it was meatballs. Before that it was lobster salad. I get goofy. I get something on my mind and I eat it for a week. The other bad thing is that for the love of goodness, I can't properly cook a freakin' hamburger. Steaks, chops, fish, chicken ... no problem. But for criminey sakes, if my life depended on it, I ain'te cooking a simple hamburger. Cooked to death or raw. Please Holy Jebus, help me.


----------



## thetincook

My personal pet peeves about Chefdom:

Not being able to delegate because it's easier and faster to do it yourself then it is to teach someone how to do it. It's a really bad habit of mine.

Cooking and tasting things you don't like because it's your job.

The endless battle of trying to keep proper systems in place, and not falling back into the way things used to be done.


IceMan said:


> I just realized this week that I'm a binge eating chef.


Me too! I get fixated on something and eat it for a while. I like playing with the different permutations, trying to master it, etc. Sometimes I get way into it and take it almost to a hobby level. Last year it was jaozi and pot stickers. Next was a whirlwind romance with tofu that had me building my own tofu press. Winter saw me descend into tamale madness. Now I'm really into kebabs. Currently I'm trying to master ground meat kebabs. They keep falling off (even on the really wide skewers/swords).


----------



## laurenlulu

thetincook said:


> My personal pet peeves about Chefdom:
> 
> Not being able to delegate because it's easier and faster to do it yourself then it is to teach someone how to do it. It's a really bad habit of mine.


Agree, delegating is a huge issue of mine. I realize the importance of teaching (because I know how much I appreciate being taught) and my head understands that once someone else knows how to execute an item it will take a strain off of me but I struggle with reminding myself to take the time.


----------



## liza

OK, I agree with the delegation vs. just do it, but I have you beat hands down the worst...

100degF outside, relative humidity 74; middle of service.. the hoods go

Ya life is good


----------



## mjimenez

Allium said:


> I actually like missing holidays. Never understood why people place a freakish amount of importance on a day out of the year, seemingly only to get stressed out.
> 
> "No, I won't be there for Christmas. But I'll see you on Thursday. Thursday's just as fine a day as friggin Christmas. Nothing wrong with Thursday."


We all know how busy mother's day is. I usually request the sunday before or sunday after to spend with my mother.

Missing other important days can really suck. Small example, i'd love to be able to go somewhere and spend a great new years eve with my girlfriend. Instead like most of us, we spend it with our 2nd family, dirty, sweaty, and if we are lucky with bubbles at midnight. Before leaving and rushing to meet other people.

But it's all part of the job. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif / /img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif


----------



## agp209

PeteMcCracken said:


> People who have money and are hungry?
> 
> I'm really sorry, but I do NOT agree that anything but the front door closes at "closing time" unless it is CLEARLY stated, preferably on the front window as well as the front of menus, placards on the tables, etc.
> 
> Certainly, if management so desires, it is perfectly permissible to state, and abide by, posted kitchen hours. If the kitchen hours are posted and someone shows up and orders one minute BEFORE the kitchen closes, they are served as the kitchen is OPEN.
> 
> However, if kitchen hours are NOT posted FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE BEFORE THEY ENTER, then, IMHO, the kitchen WILL serve EVERYONE that enters before closing time.
> 
> When my restaurant was open, the line did NOT shut down until the last customer had been completely served! Cleanup commenced as soon as the last customer LEFT the establishment NOT before!


Most people I know will agree with me that it is just rude to order food 2 minutes before closing time. If you're sitting around finishing your food/drinks until the last second, fine. Sounds to me like your restaurant just sucks if you can't cleanup until the last customer leaves.


----------



## just jim

agp209 said:


> Most people I know will agree with me that it is just rude to order food 2 minutes before closing time. If you're sitting around finishing your food/drinks until the last second, fine. Sounds to me like your restaurant just sucks if you can't cleanup until the last customer leaves.


Rude?

Maybe.

But a cook expecting customers to not order food when a business is OPEN is kind of rude too.

While I begin cleanup as soon as the last order is out, the kitchen is still available to fix mistakes, whether by the kitchen or the guest, until they leave.


----------



## chefzone

Google, what is the average pay for a cook in (what ever state or province you work in)  Then you can make a decision if you are on the right track.


----------



## cheflayne

agp209 said:


> Most people I know will agree with me that it is just rude to order food 2 minutes before closing time. If you're sitting around finishing your food/drinks until the last second, fine. Sounds to me like your restaurant just sucks if you can't cleanup until the last customer leaves.


So what is the time frame for ordering before it becomes rude. 5 minutes before closing? 15 minutes before closing? 30 minutes before closing? Whatever time frame you decide, if someone comes in and orders 2 minutes before your decided time frame, you would probably complain that they were being rude. Maybe people should order before they come in so that you can cook the food when you first get in for the day.

If you got held up in traffic and were running late in getting to the airport for a scheduled flight, but yet you still managed to make it to the door of the plane by 2 minutes before departure, should they board you with a warm welcome or an attitude that you were rude.

At my restaurant we didn't have a closing time. We had a time that we stopped seating guests, but no closing time. Those people that you view as rude, enable the business to write paychecks. It is called the hospitality industry for a reason. The guests don't show up to accomodate us, to think otherwise is bassackwards.


----------



## Iceman

_*BRILLIANT!*_


> At my restaurant we didn't have a closing time. We had a time that we stopped seating guests, but no closing time. Those people that you view as rude, enable the business to write paychecks. It is called the hospitality industry for a reason. The guests don't show up to accomodate us, to think otherwise is bassackwards.


----------



## Iceman

180679475ab40f50c5bbedb82c5827092d193ddf.jpg




__
Iceman


__
Jul 23, 2013


----------



## michaelga

HaHa, 

 nice one IceMan - any story behind it?

Something that I might have done in my earlier years.

(had I thought of it...)


----------



## Iceman

_*LOL*_. Nope. NO story. I found that pic on a _"Funny Pictures"_ sites. More than likely the other pics, as funny as they may be, will only buy me another suspension.


----------



## hamlrt

Things I hate about being a chef .......
Normal people who look down on you for being a chef ...because quite honestly you are a bit thick aren't you ...and being in the food industry is all you can do.....
The awful hours 
My pallid complexion after spending all my hours indoors in a kitchen 
The absolutely abysmal rate of pay ....certainly not in keeping with the knowledge and skills we possess
Certain companies who employ any old charlie and put a chef jacket on them....now you're a chef 
So called chefs who don't own any knives and always want to borrow from you 
Whilst your friends are having fun , you get the crappiest days off and live like a hermit 
God I hate breakfast shift ....up at O dark thirty in the morning 
Having inside knowledge I am hypercritical of eating out ( but always remember where I am eating)!
THE GREAT STUFF...,
I've seen and worked the world 
In the past I've earned great money 
I love food and different food from around the globe 
I love my job and to create and blow people away 
If I had my time again I wouldn't change a thing


----------



## htsopelas

Nice one IceMan


----------



## scotchbonnet

The worst thing about being a chef is you and your team is doing all the work and your lazy no good executive sous chef wants to play boss who walks around with a clipboard busy not doing nothing....Uuugh!!


----------



## cat oconklin

I get lectured by my mom on a regular basis about putting my shoes into the closet when I get home, pretty much every time she notices that I have yet another new pair. I try to explain that by the time I get home, I am exhausted and just want to feed the dogs and go to bed. I have had nights when I've fallen asleep in the entryway to my house because I can't make it past the front door. At this point I think she has a running total going in her head about how much I spend on shoes.

    I still have a lot of friends outside the industry and I have a hard time not flipping out when, after 5 years, they're still asking me to hang out at 6:00 on a Friday. If they gave me two weeks notice I would be able to do it but last minute plans are a no-go. Even on the occasions I have taken time off, my friends inevitably bail on me so I don't even bother anymore. Also, my version of getting out of work early is getting home by 10:30, they still seem to think I should be home by 7.

    My least favorite part of people finding out I'm a chef is when they try to tell me how write a menu. I never understand why people who can cook at home think they know enough to tell me how to do my job. I was writing a menu for a beer dinner once and a guy in a coffee shop started lecturing me on how to do it. I had already done a dozen or more of these special events and he started telling me about all the places around town I should go to for "research." I tried to explain to him that we are a micro-brewery without distribution and our beers weren't anything like what these other places were offering and I already knew what I was doing I just had to type it up. I've gotten to the point that when people start telling me what they think, I start quoting food cost and labor percentages and they look very confused and shut up. Three minutes of verbalizing mental math and no one wants to talk shop anymore.


----------



## liza

I think IceMan should let it rip.. I could use the funny photos and the laugh

No need for the moderators to pay any attention to us kids


----------



## Iceman

_*"?" *_WHAT?

Listen _*Liza*_ ... sweetheart ... I get myself in quite enough trouble without anyone throwing gas on the fire. I really do appreciate your support, but please, ... _please_ ... do not put bad behavioral ideas in my head. _LOL._


----------



## liza

aww and here you are taking away the best things about being a chef


----------



## messyj25

When I tell the FOH manager that were 86'd something and please tell the servers and 20 minutes later I get 4 tickets for that Item.

Hearing my name 300,000x before 9am with simple problems that have simple solutions and the staff is too lazy to figure them on their own. 

When Servers Sandbag all their tickets and wonder why when they fire 10 tables at once and walk straight back to the line all 10 tables aren't already plated and ready. 

When FOOD SITS AND DIES ON THE LINE!!!! I dont understand why Hot Food Goes First is such a hard concept to grasp!

When your busting your ass to get ready for service and everyone else is content with taking their sweet old time.

It's 7:30 on a Saturday Night and you get a ticket for staff food. 

When your in the weeds and a server tries to come behind the line, tries to get my attention and then tries to give me a 5 minute story about how they messed up their ticket. Write it down and tell me I dont need to watch you.

On Sunday mornings when my line cook gets too drunk on Saturday and shows up 3 hours late 3 weeks in a row and the GM won't fire him. 

5 minutes after everything gets wrapped up and put away getting bitched at because I forgot to feed one of the servers and they are going to starve tonight! 

Steam Burns

When someone grabs my knife and sends it to dish.

When vegans walk in and expect special treatment without calling ahead. (I have no problem cooking for their ridiculous dietary needs, but all I'd like is a call ahead)

And believe it or not, the one thing that doesn't bother me is when customers walk in 2 minutes before we close. You know its probably going to happen, especially on a night when you've gotten your ass kicked for hours and your mind is spinning, but it's part of the job. If you expect to get screwed over, it makes it alot less annoying when it happens.


----------



## petemccracken

COOKS
DISHWASHERS
WAIT STAFF
OWNER (UNLESS IT IS THE CHEF /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif)
VENDORS (BOTH FOOD AND EQUIPMENT)
CUSTOMERS
REQUESTS FOR DONATIONS
HEALTH INSPECTORS
INSURANCE ADJUSTERS
FIRE INSPECTIONS
Other than the above, everything is wonderful!


----------



## liza

> It's 7:30 on a Saturday Night and you get a ticket for staff food.


ya, I forgot about that one.


----------



## mark hernen

Allium said:


> I actually like missing holidays. Never understood why people place a freakish amount of importance on a day out of the year, seemingly only to get stressed out.
> 
> "No, I won't be there for Christmas. But I'll see you on Thursday. Thursday's just as fine a day as friggin Christmas. Nothing wrong with Thursday."


on Christmas you get paid more money Thursday its the same crappy pay im with you ill work every holiday hallmark can make a card for.


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## jasonjones

The 3 that really get under my skin are
1- customers that ask for steak tartare then have a fit that the chef forgot to cook it.
*if you dont know what it is ...ask before you order.
2-people asking for med- rare then complaining its pink.
*if you dont know the difference...figure it out or go to burger king.
3-leaving the kitchen at night and everything you own still smells like food.
( please doggy dont chase me)


----------



## finedininghack

I thought the most hated thing about being a chef was "Busting your ass for 10 hours and then seeing the hungover waiter come in and make more money than you in 6."

Anyways, 20 year veteran here (now "retired" from F&B).

I can tell you what the best thing about being a waiter was (besides working 36-38 hours a week and making $60-70K a year)...  Meeting up with attractive ladies you waited on after work, getting them a little tipsy and....

I think the show "Sex in the City" turned just about every half-way decent looking, in-shape fine dining waiter into a star option for horny ladies looking for some discreet fun.  Those were some good times.


----------



## Iceman

WOW.


----------



## finedininghack

Um, we're talking about working in a restaurant, correct?  I have seen some ridiculously shady things transpire in the biz over the years.  I find it difficult to believe such a blurb would shock anyone who has garnered a couple of decades toiling in the industry.  It's a business full of drug addicts, liars and thieves, from dishwashers to owners (especially owners).  Of all these segments of the business, it seemed to me that waiters had it the best - especially if you work in a successful privately owned cash house.  All the money you made was (mostly) yours.  Nowadays, just about every shop runs a tip pool so ownership can reach into the waiter's pocket to lighten his labor cost.  There's always a "tax exempt" cash slush fund extorted from the minions, so "make it and take it" is becoming a relic of an earlier time.  There even is a serious discussion going about eliminating tipping and pay waiters a flat rate, but I digress.

The restaurant biz is an extremely tough environment to succeed in.  There are few bright moments in a infinite dead-end dredge of misery.  The social aspect is one of the few draws.

If you work in a resort town, especially, week to week you see a different batch of tourists.  Many of them are single ladies.  If you are a young single guy you can do pretty well in such an environment.  It was like a job perk.  Being a waiter, working nights...  It suits a bachelor's lifestyle.

It's not like I never worked in kitchens.  I know what it is like to clean out deep fryers and have your hands stink of onions 24 hours a day.  It sucks.  There is absolutely no doubt that restaurant work is a labor of love.  It's just that I moved out to the dining room, because it better suited my skill set.  For me it was an education, a school of hard knocks that no college could ever duplicate.  I became an expert at reading people and an unabashed public speaker.  It was a fire forge that honed me into a skilled troubadour, smiling through the nightly war, transforming insight and witty one liners into hard currency for both me and the house.

For a young guy trying to hustle both a dollar and a good time, why not?  Just make sure you don't wake up at 50 years old, still a waiter.


----------



## flipflopgirl

finedininghack said:


> Um, we're talking about working in a restaurant, correct? I have seen some ridiculously shady things transpire in the biz over the years. I find it difficult to believe such a blurb would shock anyone who has garnered a couple of decades toiling in the industry. It's a business full of drug addicts, liars and thieves, from dishwashers to owners (especially owners). Of all these segments of the business, it seemed to me that waiters had it the best - especially if you work in a successful privately owned cash house. All the money you made was (mostly) yours. Nowadays, just about every shop runs a tip pool so ownership can reach into the waiter's pocket to lighten his labor cost. There's always a "tax exempt" cash slush fund extorted from the minions, so "make it and take it" is becoming a relic of an earlier time. There even is a serious discussion going about eliminating tipping and pay waiters a flat rate, but I digress.
> 
> The restaurant biz is an extremely tough environment to succeed in. There are few bright moments in a infinite dead-end dredge of misery. The social aspect is one of the few draws.
> 
> If you work in a resort town, especially, week to week you see a different batch of tourists. Many of them are single ladies. If you are a young single guy you can do pretty well in such an environment. It was like a job perk. Being a waiter, working nights... It suits a bachelor's lifestyle.
> 
> It's not like I never worked in kitchens. I know what it is like to clean out deep fryers and have your hands stink of onions 24 hours a day. It sucks. There is absolutely no doubt that restaurant work is a labor of love. It's just that I moved out to the dining room, because it better suited my skill set. For me it was an education, a school of hard knocks that no college could ever duplicate. I became an expert at reading people and an unabashed public speaker. It was a fire forge that honed me into a skilled troubadour, smiling through the nightly war, transforming insight and witty one liners into hard currency for both me and the house.
> 
> For a young guy trying to hustle both a dollar and a good time, why not? Just make sure you don't wake up at 50 years old, still a waiter.


I agree almost 100% with every statement you make.

In my familia if you expected to attend college you were expected to find the money yourself.

This meant you start as waitstaff at a young tender age and if you paid attention and worked hard the opportunity to advance and hopefully make more $$ was always there.

I did and I did.

After moving like a chess piece all over the state of Texas (last location was the town I chose for school) I worked every station and position in the house both front and back (still have pretty good knife skills).

The bar is where I found the position most suited to class hours as well as enough $$ to support myself and several dead beat boyfriends and roommates.

Fast forward many years (if you are curious all of that info is spread out in various postings) and you will find that I could not quite leave the biz altogether.

It just gets under the skin.

Nowadays I will be driving along and a silly piece of music will take me back.

The memories will flood my body with an almost bittersweet emotion.

Was a great life.....if my body would cooperate I could step in front of an ice jockey today and flip a couple grand of booze in a few hours.

Still have my bottle muscle...when I hold up my right hand and twist the wrist it is there still.

If only my ass would do the same /img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif .....

mimi

* I know quite a few career waiters and even one bartender that just passed her 70th bday...I was her barback...almost 30 years ago and she taught me how to stack a shooter with the back of a spoon.....

OT...sorry mods.

m.


----------



## chefboyog

DELETED ( I probably shouldn't rant my first post eh)

Thanks for the read. I read this whole thread. I needed it too.

We all crazy; Thats what I both love and hate about being a Chef. 
Sometimes crazy is the best, sometimes not so much.

Keep your heads up! Oo, bring 3 sets of whites nubs. Shave your face too you....,ooh I get sidetracked so easy these days....


----------



## msn123

Thank you for this article and I'm happy to be in this blog
Accept greetings big


----------



## chef bilby

jasonjones said:


> The 3 that really get under my skin are
> 1- customers that ask for steak tartare then have a fit that the chef forgot to cook it.
> *if you dont know what it is ...ask before you order.
> 2-people asking for med- rare then complaining its pink.
> *if you dont know the difference...figure it out or go to burger king.
> 3-leaving the kitchen at night and everything you own still smells like food.
> ( please doggy dont chase me)


in ref to no 3.

I hopped on a plane to go and see my olds ( parents ) in Nth QLD for Christmas - middle of Summer down here btw - and at the Airport I had a friendly Beagle sit patiently next to me at the baggage carousel , a little man from customs explained to me that he was a detector dog and did I have any contraband on me , after a quick search and nothing was found ( phew ) I started chatting to the officer and explained that I was a chef and my bag probably smelt of my uniforms and food .

He the told me that there are 2 types of detector dogs on duty - Drug & Food - thankfully I got the food dog ( not that there would be anything on me that would make the other dog sit next to me /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smoking.gif )


----------



## chef bilby

msn123 said:


> Thank you for this article and I'm happy to be in this blog
> Accept greetings big /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif


Just guessing here but I think MSN123 is a spam bot ..........mmmmmmmm Spam /img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif


----------



## meezenplaz

haha yeah, "article" and "blog" kinda gave it away huh?

Although I fail to see the purpose.


----------



## chefzone

Yeah, sometimes I wish I would have taken something else up in college, but it used to be a trade. In the help wanted ads they used to put list jobs in the Skilled Trades column, now it's under help wanted. The pay was the same as any other professional trade (electricians, carpenters, gasfitters,etc) then came along McDonalds and the rest, minimum wage burger flippers, they were soon called cooks, the rest is history. So many great Chef's turned to alcohol, as their jobs just went away. Hard to compete with a buck burger. There have been better days. I hate to watch the Cordon Bleu Culinary Art School commercials, they should say what the average wage is for working your ass off for a couple of bucks for seven years before you can become a Chef, if you are lucky enough to move around real good hotels to actually learn the business.


----------



## meezenplaz

On the other hand Chefzone, there is an ever rising tide of public awareness of just how BAD for you those

1 buck burgers and such are. And more and more restaurants are turning from grease and other baddies and

trying to move toward healthy ingredients. AND they are advertising as such. I believe there is still money in the restaurant

business, ergo work for Chefs, its just a matter of whos managing/running it, and of course location.

I mean hey, I stood in line 45 minutes last night for dinner at a semi nice (black angus type) restaurant.

Somewhere in the BOH in that place are chefs who are BUSY. (Well maybe too busy...but that's another issue.)


----------



## hypnos

This thread makes me rethink my career choice.


----------



## phaedrus

Hypnos said:


> This thread makes me rethink my career choice.


Good! And it should. I hate it when I work with some out of touch culinary school grad that expected to get a TV show right out of school. Kitchen work can be hot, dirty and unglamorous. That's not always a bad thing but it's wise to know what you're in for before you make the jump.


----------



## hypnos

Phaedrus said:


> Good! And it should. I hate it when I work with some out of touch culinary school grad that expected to get a TV show right out of school. Kitchen work can be hot, dirty and unglamorous. That's not always a bad thing but it's wise to know what you're in for before you make the jump.


Um, I'm really sorry if I seemed "out of touch" and stuff. I honestly didn't mean to. Really sorry. I had no idea that culinary school is such a big deal.


----------



## Iceman

Don't worry about it. Culinary school is a great thing. Shoot ... I went to one and I'm not all that screwed up. Just do understand too though how correct a statement it is to not expect to get a TV show real quick. I've said it before I'm sure, that I love the benefits of experience as much as anybody. At the same time, clowns that only have skill-experience that don't know the science of cooking/ingredients/styles are a problem too. That was the basis of why I walked out of a Michelin*** kitchen. That was a painful thing to do.


----------



## hypnos

It's not a "chef" thing but still - the lack of equipment makes cooking really hard! And I'm not talking about fancy things. If there's ONE hand mixer with ONE beater, and there are 15 people waiting in the line - that's where it gets real. I'm sorry, but I really can't whip the whites any faster, and poking me with a rolling pin won't speed things up either.

I read the forum a bit and noticed a huge difference between "culinary schools" and my school, it's like they're two completely different things. I suspect they ARE two different things, on my way to do more research.


----------



## santafesup

Teaching a cook to appreciate a declining food cost and abide by it.


----------



## alee821

I went to culinary school and do I regret it?  Little bit but I did meet some great people who were really passionate about their craft.  These were the type that had work before class or after class.  Then there were the ones fresh out of high school that just smoked and drank all day.  

I have a real respect for those that work in kitchens as it's not easy work and there is no glory sometimes except for your own pride.  

Sometimes I wish I still stayed in the cooking game but I know it's not for me and I need to make more money if I want to tackle those student loans down to oblivion


----------



## soesje

however you feel on a given day, you still must be there and things must get done.

sometimes it feels as if no one gives a shit about you, while you work your ass off.

there is no way to "put yourself on a lower burner" , so to speak. 

you always have to be on the verge of getting singed (aka on your toes and on top of everything)

don't expect someone to appreciate what you do.

(just had two bad days…)


----------



## thurstons

Disorganized and unprofessional FOH really bother me. Prior to every Service I write up all the days specials, including descriptions of anything that the FOH staff may not Know/Understand. Every day the waiters come to the kitchen one after another during Service to ask 1) do we have any specials on? And 2)what are they? I can't tell you how many times a few of them will Leave their table mid way through taking an order to ask me these Questions.


----------



## chrisbristol

I think one thing is that slightly annoying is waiters asking how, how long.  Especially the ones who have no consept what so ever of how long things take and ask for a well done steak two minutes later.

I do get slightly irritated by customers who say they are in a hurry.  Come down earlier then.


----------



## trainmeup

Thieves, thats probably the #1 thing I hate. I'll never understand how people can steal from their crew weither it's knives, a phone or a co-workers position by dirty talking them behind their backs. It's disturbing.  

Running out of dry erase makers and gloves that fit. It's the little things sometimes. It would be nice if people scaled down pan sizes without having to be told. 

People who don't want to do their job because they are too good for it and don't you know they should be running the place?!?!  

The stress can suck but really I sort of love it.


----------



## baconbarrett

I hate when people don't realize what medium rare is and freak out saying "its too raw". The person I'm talking about ended up getting their steak medium well and was perfectly happy with it.


----------



## linecook854

Staffing a kitchen is one of the worst, managing a kitchen in a financially failing restaurant despite below average food and labor costs, irrational owners, broken equipment on the line, servers who don't have a clue and of course crap pay for a tremendous amount of work.


----------



## chrisbristol

The ones that ask for it rare but with no blood make me laugh


----------



## chrisbristol

BaconBarrett said:


> I hate when people don't realize what medium rare is and freak out saying "its too raw". The person I'm talking about ended up getting their steak medium well and was perfectly happy with it.


Meant to quote that


----------



## acidlinktest

Surely when you've had a crappy service and you're all ready to pack up, 5 minuets to closing... and then a large table comes in...entrée's, mains(usually well done steak haha) and desserts... EVERY. DAMN. TIME.


----------



## jazz1234

I'm an 18 year old girl, so some times I would like to go out with my friends and boyfriend when they all go out even if it's after work, but I always need to go home and shower and that first.
I'm getting sick off looking terrible and smelling like oil and food.
People not caring about about there work or what goes out of the pass.
Men not listening or respecting me even though I'm there sous chef because im a young girl.
People patronizeing me.
I once worked in a place were everyone saw me as some sort of sex object and I just got harrassed 24/7

I love my job where I am now but if I ever wanted to change resturant I would be terrified as I've been treated so horribly everywhere else I've worked.

Waitresses who add lots of thing to the ticket and write it so it doesn't make sense what so ever. You call them up to explain when it's a really busy night and they take ages and start talking to other waitress when they can see your really busy, stressed and have your head chef talking in your ear giving you more and more jobs to do.


----------



## nerdchef

Coulis-o said:


> Been thinking about what the worst things about being a chef are, apart from working long hours being stood on your feet all day, i tried to list and name a few things that make a chefs life harder
> 
> - when nature calls in-between service, and you put it off for as long as possible, then when you finally get there you realise your apron is tied in a knot.
> 
> - finding the time and opportunity to make yourself a brew without anyone else noticing.
> 
> - vegans, celiac's, and vegetarians.
> 
> - when the fridge/freezer door shuts and you need to get back in it again but the door won't pull open.
> 
> had a few more that i thought of that i would like to this thread when i remember, please add your own worst things about being a chef. in the meantime i try to think of some more and maybe make a thread about the best things about being a chef and compare the two. would be good to see the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.


----------



## texaschef 74

He is not burnt just in a position that is void of growth.


----------



## lashleroux77

Plastic wrap (or aluminum foil) that gets torn on one side, resulting a vicious cycle of shortened wrap. Even worse, the person that tears it and doesn't fix it.
Plastic wrap that gets left under a heat lamp...yes, i have issues with wrap (and foil)


----------



## emmbai90

lashleroux77 said:


> Plastic wrap (or aluminum foil) that gets torn on one side, resulting a vicious cycle of shortened wrap. Even worse, the person that tears it and doesn't fix it.
> Plastic wrap that gets left under a heat lamp...yes, i have issues with wrap (and foil)


Omg! that's the most annoying thing ever, when in my catering course the fling film used to always get stuck under in the holder and it took 10 mins to try and get it out, i wish it would stay straight, the only way you ever could is after each person has finished with it pull the cling film out and put something on top of it but sadly not everyone will do it as they are rushing around, but it's a good idea i think.


----------



## sra forfb

_



"To invite someone to be our guest is to undertake responsibility for their happiness, all the while they are under our roof"

Click to expand...

_


> . *Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, 1755 - 1826* (from the book: The Gourmet's Companion by Ross Leckie 1993). /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lever.gif


----------



## santona 1937

Not much I hate, been doing this a looooooong time, love it still.

  long hours, no probs,  working holidays, great, not too social an animal anyway,

 late customers, no probs, we are open till we are not ( this is France )

 the one thing I DO hate.

 Trip advisor- now every ones' a critic.


----------



## emmbai90

Something i hate is when situations arise and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it (not always can you improve or help things), and you get crap for it and they blame everything on you like it's all your fault, completely ridiculous, they act like everyone can't make mistakes but situations that wasn't our fault that act like we can help those situations when we can't.


----------



## alexrossii

a successful Chef always makes the restaurant top priority


----------



## la habanabbq

How about when at the end of the night  your waitstaff want to eat and order stuff that is not on the menu,how that is that some shit.                                                                                                     Or the owner has friends come to eat but he forgets #$%^&* O your all clean , beat that.                                                                                                                                                               Have a guest come in a prime time and ask for something special because he want to impress people his with.


----------



## lagom

Have a guest come in a prime time and ask for something special because he want to impress people his with.


But then comes one of the best times to be a chef, jacking up the bill!


----------



## pollopicu

I promised myself I wouldn't work my body to the bone anymore, but here I am again so exhausted I'm about to faint. I want to retire and move to Barcelona.


----------



## laurenlulu

I feel you, doubles+ have become a way of life


----------



## ljokjel

Pollopicu said:


> I promised myself I wouldn't work my body to the bone anymore, but here I am again so exhausted I'm about to faint. I want to retire and move to Barcelona.


I moved to Barcelona and find myself being that exhausted often. Go to Norway.


----------



## pollopicu

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif

Thanks for the advice.


----------



## westbigballin

Ticket came in for 3 burgers and 2 fried chicken sandwiches today 5 min before close... got those out 9 minutes after close. I was pretty pissed (though I was surprised at how well I took it really) about that. 

Worst so far for me has been cleaning the flat top. Hot oil on hot flat top method is easiest, but it still sucks.

Second worst is getting slammed when short handed on the line, and worrying about ticket times

Honorable mention: hot oil burns


----------



## lagom

But you were open for business. Why in gods name would it piss you off the customers want to spend money to support the business that supplies your pay check? 35 years plus into this business and I'm still happy to see a customer anytime we're open.


----------



## westbigballin

Lagom said:


> But you were open for business. Why in gods name would it piss you off the customers want to spend money to support the business that supplies your pay check? 35 years plus into this business and I'm still happy to see a customer anytime we're open.


It's just annoying. I have yet to meet anyone who likes getting tickets in right before close.

It makes every employee's life harder.

More cooking for the cooks when they're trying to clean up and close and GTFO, which leads to them taking longer to close

FOH has to deal with the new table and also has their close delayed. Last night there was only one server on still and he ended up going for way longer than he expected because of that table (that table was a big group that had been giving him trouble all night too).

More dishes for the dishwasher when they're trying to close or the morning dishwasher has a pile of overnight crusted dishes...

Regardless, good for you that you don't get pissed off. Don't get me wrong, I still put out food the exact same before close as I do any other time... I just really don't like it.


----------



## chrisbristol

You a souse chef at 18. Wow good for you.


----------



## chrisbristol

Meant to quote that


----------



## chrisbristol

jazz1234 said:


> I'm an 18 year old girl, so some times I would like to go out with my friends and boyfriend when they all go out even if it's after work, but I always need to go home and shower and that first.
> I'm getting sick off looking terrible and smelling like oil and food.
> People not caring about about there work or what goes out of the pass.
> Men not listening or respecting me even though I'm there sous chef because im a young girl.
> People patronizeing me.
> I once worked in a place were everyone saw me as some sort of sex object and I just got harrassed 24/7
> 
> I love my job where I am now but if I ever wanted to change resturant I would be terrified as I've been treated so horribly everywhere else I've worked.
> 
> Waitresses who add lots of thing to the ticket and write it so it doesn't make sense what so ever. You call them up to explain when it's a really busy night and they take ages and start talking to other waitress when they can see your really busy, stressed and have your head chef talking in your ear giving you more and more jobs to d


Meant to quote that


----------



## westbigballin

These came up recently: Incompetent FOH 

(Staff meal ordered by a manager during a rush, unbeknownst to us initially)

I slightly overcooked it b/c of said rush, have to re-fire

Re-fire, sell it

She comes back and complains about it

Re-fire again. At this point we realize that it was for a staff member and breathe a sigh of relief (for messing up the food) but also get pissed b/c its for a friggin staff member and she's being a huge b*tch about it.

Said staff member/salaried manager also works as a bartender and b*tches us out when we don't tip her AT LEAST 10% on the PRE-DISCOUNTED (50% discount) price on the tab

b*tch please, we cook your friggin food for you and most other restaurants AND coworker bartenders refuse to accept tips from the cooks

Sous chef really hates her because of ^. Said in the prior ~11 restaurants he's worked, every bartender has refused his tips

---

One of the servers I work with messes up every friggin day. One day during a rush he dropped a burger as he was about to run it... luckily I had another burger ready to go within a minute.

Same server doesn't read his tickets when running food... says he "reads them too fast" or some other BS and runs out half of the ticket until one of our cooks yells at him about it

Re-firing food b/c the FOH mess up is retarded. Complaints about cold/soggy/soft fries are all the FOH's fault... our fries go from oil to under the heat lamp in under 15 seconds.


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## chefzone

I hope the industry can keep going. It is hard starting out now, because of the economy. Employers can only pay as much to cooks as they can afford. The overheads are still high and with beef prices being the highest in many years along with the cost's of freight to get the products delivered, it is hard. The median salary of a Head Chef is $66,500, but put in the hours that are demanded are about 70 hours a week. That work's out to be about $19 and hour. Those hours are not good to have a good relationship with a spouse. After you finish work many times you are very tired and just want to go to sleep, or you are prone to have a few drinks, because of the stress level and the location you work. I wish everyone the best of luck, just remember what the odds are in the industry.


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## chefzone

I have an answer for making the brew, buy cull grapes from your supplier, for a buck a case, put them through a puree machine then put it in a bucket in the baking section of the kitchen. The smell is much like yeast, so you put a "do not open" label on it, Use a printer label on it so they don't know who wrote itl  GOOD LUCK!


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## chef torrie

Chefzone said:


> I hope the industry can keep going. It is hard starting out now, because of the economy. Employers can only pay as much to cooks as they can afford. The overheads are still high and with beef prices being the highest in many years along with the cost's of freight to get the products delivered, it is hard. The median salary of a Head Chef is $66,500, but put in the hours that are demanded are about 70 hours a week. That work's out to be about $19 and hour. Those hours are not good to have a good relationship with a spouse. After you finish work many times you are very tired and just want to go to sleep, or you are prone to have a few drinks, because of the stress level and the location you work. I wish everyone the best of luck, just remember what the odds are in the industry.


2

So very true sir. Though I have reliable and very steady job right now, ever since I've been in the business I keep my eyes and ears open and often get offers or inquire about interviews, well because you never know what's out there.

Anyways, a couple months ago I was approached for an Executive Sous Chef position. I went for an initial interview one morning and the offer sounded great and almost too hard to turn down. They offered 58K a year to start with full bennys. 50-54 hours a week average. I was seriously considering the job. My next day off I did an 8 hour stage. It went OK. Floated between the pass and whoever needed a hand. Grill man was getting the horns all night so I gave him a fair amount help.

Anyways besides the kitchen definitely not being up to my standards in the cleanliness department, I sat down with the the Exec\Kitchen Manager after service. Evidently they calculated the hours wrong and it was going to be more like 75 - 80 hours on the norm.

Needless to say, I (not so politely) turned the job away after busting my balls all night for nil. O well.


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## chefzone

They are usually pretty tricky in their promises, I can't even count how many people want to take advantage of cooks and Chefs! Best of luck and keep your ears and eyes open. Those jobs cause divorces and relationship problems.


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## chefboyog

"Health Inspector is here"

Muahaha


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## chefboyog

80 hrs a week is 11.5 hrs a day 7 days a week. Who asks you to do that. I call BS.

"Exec\Kitchen Manager after service. Evidently they calculated the hours wrong and it was going to be more like 75 - 80 hours on the norm."

Even if they give one day off which is barely legal where Im from thats 13.3 hrs a day.... Really? 9am to 10 pm? Move to Canada we have labor laws.


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## pollopicu

chefboyOG said:


> 80 hrs a week is 11.5 hrs a day 7 days a week. Who asks you to do that. I call BS.
> 
> "Exec\Kitchen Manager after service. Evidently they calculated the hours wrong and it was going to be more like 75 - 80 hours on the norm."
> 
> Even if they give one day off which is barely legal where Im from thats 13.3 hrs a day.... Really? 9am to 10 pm? Move to Canada we have labor laws.


word.


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## chef torrie

chefboyOG said:


> 80 hrs a week is 11.5 hrs a day 7 days a week. Who asks you to do that. I call BS.
> 
> "Exec\Kitchen Manager after service. Evidently they calculated the hours wrong and it was going to be more like 75 - 80 hours on the norm."
> 
> Even if they give one day off which is barely legal where Im from thats 13.3 hrs a day.... Really? 9am to 10 pm? Move to Canada we have labor laws.


? Yes, I indeed was asked to do that. It's actually not that farfetched. I've routinely worked 80-90 hr weeks. More than just occasionally. 15 hr days used to be my norm. Just can't do it anymore, if I don't want my wife to divorce me. Used to do 9a-midnight shifts Tuesday-sat 9a-7p on sundays. Monday off. Did that for 14 months


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## cheflayne

Chef Torrie said:


> ? Yes, I indeed was asked to do that. It's actually not that farfetched. I've routinely worked 80-90 hr weeks. More than just occasionally. 15 hr days used to be my norm.


Ditto this, not all that uncommon in my experience. I have done it plenty, both in my own place and when working for others.


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## chefboyog

So you are scheduled to do this? Doesn't make much sense to me you would be a useless sob after two weeks.... Where exactly does this.... Why not hire more people?

I've pulled long hours done double shifts my max is 18.5 hrs 1 shift, but it is NOT normal and certainly not sustainable. And I got paid alright to do it. People quit and call in sick but to schedule 80 hrs is BS


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## chefboyog

Oo now its 90 hrs a week lol ouch


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## chef torrie

chefboyOG said:


> So you are scheduled to do this? Doesn't make much sense to me you would be a useless sob after two weeks.... Where exactly does this.... Why not hire more people?
> 
> I've pulled long hours done double shifts my max is 18.5 hrs 1 shift, but it is NOT normal and certainly not sustainable. And I got paid alright to do it. People quit and call in sick but to schedule 80 hrs is BS


Schedule? That's funny.

Good sir, I actually have to say, you are probably the luckiest cook\chef in the world if you have not had extended periods of time in your career where you've had to do this. Again, I think more chefs will tell you that at one point or another in their career they have had to work hours like this. Longer than say a couple weeks or so.

If I didn't work the hours I did, things that needed to get done for the restaurant to function wouldn't get done.

Hire other people? Why would they do that? Especially when they have myself, as well as others on salary.


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## rbrad

chefboyOG.......I've worked in three provinces and one territory and have worked hours like that for weeks and several times months at a time with no days off.You must be in BC.


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## chefboyog

OK
Im not saying it doesn't happen, I am just saying that a restaurant shouldn't hire expecting it to be like that.

If you really did 80-90 hrs a week for extended period like more than two months it becomes YOUR fault lol. Cause then you are a sucker for punishment. I ran a skeleton crew before i know what long hours are....

I also know many people embellish their actual hours ask them to clock in you see a different picture.


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## chef torrie

It's simply sink or swim. When you realize things can't get done correctly at you 60 hours a week , things quickly escalate. 

A sucker for punishment? That would be if all those extra hours weren't put in, then services start to go down hill with the first half of a push. Or when your kitchen becomes a gross mess. Or inventory doesn't get done. Things slip thru the cracks. I'm not saying it's smart. I won't do it anymore with a wife and a family. Just don't call b.s. on me when you don't know the sutuation.


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## grande

An old school chef i worked for said that when he came up, the base expectation for him was 10 hour days, six days a week. When that is your starting schedule, its real easy to see it start to creep up- murphy's law, right? ChefboyOG, what kind of hours do you work?


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## chefboyog

I work 40ish hrs a week salary, 7-3ish.

It is BS a place hiring a chef expecting 80 hrs. 

Not saying it doesn't happen I just think it is ridiculous. 

I don't think people can function at acceptable levels pulling them hours. 

If you are the Chef hire people and delegate some work. 

If the owner expects 60-90hrs work Its BS. Do the labor costs on and make it work don't be a slave. 

Bottom line: Things aren't getting done hire some people who get the work done. Manage the kitchen.


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## grande

Now, see, thats something i've never heard of... a chef working 40 hours. Maybe the guys at bon appetite, but restaurant chefs usually figure on 50 minimum- and whatever needs to be done past that. If you're already in, you already know why you're doing it... then you just do.


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## chefbuba

I worked 80-100 hrs a week regularly for 7 years when I was doing movie catering. Hourly union wage with all the overtime. Double time was figured at 2 1/2 x's hourly rate. For me there *was* an incentive to work those kind of hours, it is also kind of the norm for film work regardless of what you do on set.

I also worked my share of 60 hr weeks when I had a salaried position.


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## alaminute

Creating a perfect plate up and clipping the ledge on your way to the window, so everything just falls apart. Working for chefs who put out worse project than you.


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## alaminute

*product


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## chef torrie

How about working saute at a place with a very poorly designed menu. That's one of my least favorite things. Once worked at a place where more that half of the saute items where 3 pan pick ups. That will chap your @$$ on a crazy Friday night.


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## grande

What about badly designed kitchens- five steps from the stove to the reach in? Massive pillar between the grill and the window. Only enough refrigeration for proteins because the kitchen hasnt been updated since 1983.


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## chef torrie

Grande said:


> What about badly designed kitchens- five steps from the stove to the reach in? Massive pillar between the grill and the window. Only enough refrigeration for proteins because the kitchen hasnt been updated since 1983.


Yup thag definitely sucks, lol. Years ago worked at an old Country Club, clubhouse was built in the 30's. Set up was pitiful.


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## chef torrie

Worked in another where the pantry Staton was set up smack in the middle of saute and grill.


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## grande

Lol nice hot salad, anyone?


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## chef torrie

Salads were bad. Trying to plate up desserts for 12 top was worse.


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## flouredfacevic

I love being a chef. I love being creative and sweating and learning on the fly. I love the "Just get it done" attitude and the natural survival of the fittest atmosphere. What I hate is being treated differently due to my gender, not my skills. Being sexually harassed and eyeballed and being called names for not supporting barbaric, dangerous and sexualized behavior. I know it's the culture of the kitchen industry, but it's also 2014.


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## flouredfacevic

Also, working in a kitchen in South West Florida. All the kitchens i've seen, have been really disgusting and commercial equipment is not mandatory. So, cheap crock pots and walmart bought equipment seems to be the norm.


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## ljcooks

What ticks me off.  Full dining room, full wheel,  table of 12 just receives food, frantic waitress runs up.  OMG I forgot to put one customers order in and the rest of the table is eating...Can you rush a well done 12 oz steak??? REALLY!!!!!.  Up side.. When you look out into the dining room and see people smiling and obviously enjoying your food...Thats why I keep plugging away...Makes all the BS worth it..


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## vic cardenas

At my place this year all the equipment is failing all at once right in our busy season. Lowboy went out. Took idiot 3 weeks to get the part and fix it. Told us it was the wrong condensing unit and he hopes it works. It lasted a week then broke down again. Took idiot another week to fix it but its still the wrong condenser. Hood system has been wonky. Motor finally burned out. They replaced it with a motor that is ten times louder. Its like a tornado under my hoods. Now they came out to quiet it down today. They said it was running too fast. They made it sound different but it is still wayyyy too loud. I'm loosing my hearing....


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## yummey

been in the job almost 40 years still love it but the thing that gets to me ,is forgetting to bring my magic wand to work ,after all all the staff know i have one all the customers also know . Look like I am the only fu--er who forgetes


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## yummey

yep done that how about 2 sat off in 16.5 years


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## alaminute

How do you forget your wand?! After going to hogwarts culinary school of wizardry that's the most important tool on my bag! Lol, how else could I break down dragons and hippogriffs?


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## grande

And make refires appear in ten seconds?


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## alaminute

Oh yeah! Alakazam your steak is now well+


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## norgebishop

Celiac isn't annoying...jokers who say that are "allergic" to gluten or think they are healthier by not eating gluten are annoying. 

Servers stealing side towels are annoying.


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## chef torrie

NorgeBishop said:


> Celiac isn't annoying...jokers who say that are "allergic" to gluten or think they are healthier by not eating gluten are annoying.
> 
> Servers stealing side towels are annoying.


I despise anyone who takes my towels!


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## grande

Or when spatulas/tongs "walk" off your station


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## kaiquekuisine

People stealing my paring knife or my sharpening stone. 

Or when they put sh*t on your section of the kitchen and don´t inform you. 

I remember once a cook put a hot tray on my section of the kitchen, i wasnt informed and was almost burned, i remember the water on my hand had evaporated on the spot.... 

Stupid people who break things or make a mess and don´t clean it, causing problems in the kitchen...


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## ovendoorburns

Waiting staff coming into the kitchen to complain their too hot, or worse, that they've had a long day. Your deffinatly complaining to the wrong people.


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## norgebishop

Also when the wait staff complains that they only made 150 in tips on a Monday!


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## missyd

get to go through this every single night

also always a good time when FOH starts ordering their staff meals when we are closing the kitchen. good times

other kitchen staff taking and/or breaking your tools when you are in the middle of using them.


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## yummey

plate pushing,table begging bas--rds


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## yummey

Only kidding they are all helpful and considerate lovely caring people who help and make my job so easy NOOOOOOOTTTTTTT


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## archbow

Having a customer come up to the line and offer to tip you out for your excellent meal, and also informing the server that part of his very large tip was partly for me.. then after they leave the server pockets it at crys wage differences.

Figures the owner did nothing about it.


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## ljcooks

This actually happened to me once when working in a large hotel.  A bunch of diplomats ordered a large take-out for their flight home off our fine dining menu.  I prepared all of the food and packed it in holding units to be loaded onto their private jet.  It was ordered through room service and the room service clerk and myself were the only staff involved.  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  The bill was exorbitant and so was the grat...You would think that the room service clerk and I would split it??? nope chef divided it between all the kitchen staff none of whom were even working at the time and took the largest share for himself...REALLY!!!


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## hashmonkey

My biggest thing has to be menu item modifications. It seems like all my customers want to make up their own menu as they go and then I end up getting a ticket a foot long for one item.


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## vic cardenas

Vic Cardenas said:


> At my place this year all the equipment is failing all at once right in our busy season. Lowboy went out. Took idiot 3 weeks to get the part and fix it. Told us it was the wrong condensing unit and he hopes it works. It lasted a week then broke down again. Took idiot another week to fix it but its still the wrong condenser. Hood system has been wonky. Motor finally burned out. They replaced it with a motor that is ten times louder. Its like a tornado under my hoods. Now they came out to quiet it down today. They said it was running too fast. They made it sound different but it is still wayyyy too loud. I'm loosing my hearing.... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/frown.gif


To be continued...

The brand new, extremely loud hood system motor burnt out... ROFL... It took them a few days to fix it but the new motor seems to work fine and is a little more quiet... 

Of course, now our front display case is running at 60 degrees...

Oh, and the lowboy that keeps breaking down was making a weird sound right when I was closing. I will see tomorrow at 6:30 AM if it's keeping temp...

It never ends....


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## kaiquekuisine

HashMonkey said:


> My biggest thing has to be menu item modifications. It seems like all my customers want to make up their own menu as they go and then I end up getting a ticket a foot long for one item.


Me too!!

And the d*mb *ss waiters will do anything to guarantee a measley tip, even if that means screwing the entire kitchen. Some clients have no idea of flavor profiles, and what works and what doesnt.

Last time a waiter gave us a ticket with dish modifications, i went ahead and did it knowing it was gonna come out wrong.

The dish looked like and tasted like cr*p, and i warned him it was gonna be bad....

Well lets just say we never got tickets with dumb modifications ever again after that one....


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## kaiquekuisine

Vic Cardenas said:


> To be continued...
> 
> The brand new, extremely loud hood system motor burnt out... ROFL... It took them a few days to fix it but the new motor seems to work fine and is a little more quiet...
> 
> Of course, now our front display case is running at 60 degrees...
> 
> Oh, and the lowboy that keeps breaking down was making a weird sound right when I was closing. I will see tomorrow at 6:30 AM if it's keeping temp...
> 
> It never ends....


I feel your pain vic...I feel your pain...


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## alaminute

Yeah Vic, my heart goes out to you. Last time that happened at my spot a guy left $1200 of proteins in the lowboys after a sloppy breakdown. The chef wasn't entirely stoked about that one and the guy never showed up again due to embarrassment. So we were ass out of a lot of product. Then the health department shows up to make matters worse. That was a fun day. I've only been on the line cook side of all that- you know floating all your plas on ice. I can't say I relish the day when I take over my own kitchen.


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## alaminute

Btw, was your lowboy keeping temp? Not that you obviously have to fix it anyways.


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## locusflwer

The worst part of being a chef is simply not being able to give up control of the kitchen/station.... When a chef perfects their technique and timing at a station or restaurant and this said chef trains new staff at that station and the person can't follow simple directions or they think because they are new they can work the station better. 

Another is when you see a manager completely suck at their position and implicate every single diner that eats at your establishment due to the lack of care or responsibility that follows. 

For the most part I thoroughly enjoy being a chef- it's when my integrity is jeopardized that I have issues. Also I do not enjoy being told one thing and not receiving it. Like promotions!


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## carmen paguyo

it happened to me many times like working on that duty then there's a lot of orders come from costumers then only by yourself in the kitchen while others comes late in their own reasons....later...costumers have to get their food coz says they are already hungry...WHAT????i'm just alone and how could i make it that lots of orders and even just prepared common things i needed are none in my sigth...but then i request the waitresses to let their costumers to wait few minutes and i made it...i made it but hey....i feel that i am great...atleast i made people smile after their meals done....


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## dillon green

I miss weekends and holidays. I'm always off during the week. All my family work at normal jobs, so it is almost impossible to get together to do anything. BUT they are all crazy so really im saving my self


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## lagom

Dillon Green said:


> I miss weekends and holidays. I'm always off during the week. All my family work at normal jobs, so it is almost impossible to get together to do anything. BUT they are all crazy so really im saving my self


Works our rather nice huh.


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## saucybroad

Dillon Green said:


> I miss weekends and holidays. I'm always off during the week. All my family work at normal jobs, so it is almost impossible to get together to do anything. BUT they are all crazy so really im saving my self


Yes! Totally agree.


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## harrisonh

no holidays off (especially valentines day) and needing a restroom break even when being slammed during the rush.


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## chef bilby

harrisonh said:


> no holidays off (especially valentines day) and needing a restroom break even when being slammed during the rush.


Only time you sit down as a Chef is when you need to take a sh*t :-(


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## chefboyog

Don't forget your phone. I bet half these posts are from a bathroom.


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## xbdx

A cook should be in his kitchen, his bed, or his casket.


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## chef6783

I hate when I hire new people and they complain how busy it gets


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## panini

chef6783,

Yes, let's complain about business that will keep our jobs and livelihood.


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## robhingston

I am a chef on my own in a university cooking for about 600 industrial catering I'm the only chef I have a helper in the morning who trays up the chicken, theirs a lot of kitchen porters snd kitchen assistances I've had so many lies made up about me the kitchen staff have no respect for me because because it's a safe job in a university they feel like they can do what ever they like its hell most days it's a real pain to work their and I can go home most days with an attitude about how I've been treated I end up talking with no one everyone their is heartless that's the kind of low life you get in some catering places.


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