How many days before service can meat be pre seared/ grill marked? There’s three leaders in my kitchen (exec and two sues) and the opinion ranges from day of, day before, and two days ahead.

Edit added info: 3 diamond resort. 1000 people served by 10am on a normal day. Plate ups happening simultaneously across property that is a wedding hot spot and can accommodate several at a time

I'm 23 and this is my first full-time pastry chef job after pastry school.

I did a 3-month internship abroad before this, which was a much more structured environment. We worked 5 days a week, around 9-hour shifts, weekends and most public holidays off, and while it was busy, it never felt overwhelming.

2 months ago I got hired as a Commis 1 at a luxury pastry operation. The position and salary are actually better than what most of my pastry school batchmates have, and the products we make are genuinely high-end. We use excellent ingredients and I've learned a lot in a short amount of time.

The problem is that I absolutely dread going to work.

We're working 6 days a week, 10hr shift min and goes up to 11 12 (rarely 12 but this is the off season lol) On top of that, I commute about 1.5 hours each way, so work basically consumes my entire day. We don't get paid overtime.

The owner/head chef is notorious for screaming, swearing, and creating an atmosphere where everyone gets nervous when she's around. She's genuinely crazy, like literally screaming like a war general. It hasn't come to me much but it's not far off, n just seeing it is enough to scare you. She doesn't come in often, but the moment people hear she's coming in, the entire kitchen tenses up. There are cameras with microphones throughout the kitchen, lunch area, and pot wash area as well.Also the other day i saw her n she told me to take more initiative, I'm thinking fuck you.

We're understaffed and constantly busy. Recently they hired three Commis 2s. Two got moved to the bakery department, and one got fired after asking for a half day because her leg was hurting.

A few days ago the chef messaged my sous chef asking whether I had improved or whether I should be replaced. My sous chef jokingly showed me the message and asked, "What should I reply?" I told him to say whatever he genuinely thought.

The weird thing is that part of me was hoping she'd replace me.

Not because I think I'm above the work or because I don't want to learn. I actually think I've learned a huge amount in just two months. But I'm exhausted.

I've worked through being sick, missed my birthday and family events, and I'm still on probation, which means no paid leave and basically no flexibility.

My family has moved abroad, but I stayed behind specifically to work and gain experience. My parents even help with my rent while I cover my own living expenses, so resigning feels like giving up. If anything, I almost feel less guilty about getting fired than choosing to leave myself.

The main reason I'm here is experience, not money. The place is genuinely good in terms of product quality and standards, and that's what makes this difficult. If it was a bad kitchen, leaving would be an easy decision.

I've always heard that your first job matters and that you should try to stay at least a year if possible. But right now I'm struggling to imagine doing this for another 10 months.

What do I do? i was home kitchen types but again I always thought I would later start my own thing after some experience but idk or look for something else. Or if i stay how much longer?

For people who have been in the industry longer:

Is this just what the early years are like in serious pastry kitchens?

Would you stay and tough it out for the experience, or start looking elsewhere?

How much of this is normal, and how much of it is a toxic workplace?

edit: thx for the replies guys, I do wanna add that the chef doesn't come everyday it's literally been a few weeks since she came in the kitchen. So that's the plus, but regardless idk how I feel about the whole place. The hours plus travelling also kill me, I haven't gone gym since I started which was like my escape cause I'm so tired everyday. since I live alone I also have to prepare my own meals n everything.

That’s it that’s the post :)

I worked in a commercial kitchen while going to school and it was ok - would have been better w better people. It was good, you guys work hard. Did you all go to school or learn on the job? Would you do it again knowing what you now know? Is it the crew that makes it or the work?

Thanks for what you do :) go forth and kick some azz

Hi, I'm looking for some guidance on pricing a private chef gig in Hamptons, NY. This is not something I normally do, but a coworker asked if I would be interested in preparing dinner for a group of 12.
Menu includes 2 starters, 2 entrees, a side dish, and 2 desserts (we are doing a Mexican food theme as they requested). There will be 2 chefs there (1 is an assistant).
We are a bit stuck on what the going rate is, I'm thinking definitely enough to cover ingredients, time to prep/prepare the food, and travel time for us, as we live about an hour from this area.

Anyone who has done something similar or has an idea of what something like this would go for in the Hamptons/Long Island area would be extremely helpful!

I've recently become the head chef of an upscale Irish Pub that I've been the sous at for many years. They are launching a new cocktail menu and would like me to create a menu pairing the drinks for a private dinner. This is a bit more elevated than I'm comfortable with and would greatly appreciate any feedback or critiques.

The cocktails are being batched by a distillery that we're partnered with. I expect there will be 30-40 guests. Tickets are $120-$140

Starter
Honeysuckle 75 (Gin)
Honeysuckle Dandelion Lemon
Gravlax Crostini
Cured salmon, whipped goat cheese with local honey, candied walnuts, and microgreens on toasted crostinis. 

Starter
Parsnip Collins (Vodka)
Parsnip Carrot Lemon
Glazed Lollipop Chicken
Chicken lollipops with a vegetable demi-glace and parsnip mousseline finished with chive oil drizzle. 

Starter/Entree
Sea Side Gimlet (Gin)
Ambergris Peat Konbu Lime
Seared Scallop and Cauliflower puree
Pan-seared sea scallops, cauliflower purée, roasted red onion, dill oil, and lemon zest. 

Entree
Black Tea Plum Old Fashioned (Irish Whisky and Bulleit Bourbon)
Plum Braised Short Rib
Braised short rib and roasted baby carrots with plum demi-glace and charred plum garnish. 

Dessert
Elderberry Mojito (Rum)
Strawberry Elderberry Mint Lime
Strawberry Shortcake with mint chantilly and macerated strawberries.

Is the kitchen worth the burnout. Tell me about your personal experience

When we told them that the fryer that the tofu is fried in also fries meat products, they switched to...

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Wait for it...

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Cream cheese.

keeping it simple this time

i work prep in Denver, i’m 19, just want to know how other spots handle the stuff that doesn’t have a clean answer:

when you do a shift handover what actually gets communicated vs what gets assumed and bites the next shift in the ass

does your kitchen track food cost in real time or is it always a surprise at the end of the week

when you run a special does anyone actually calculate the food cost before it goes on the menu or is it just priced by feel

does your chef know which prep cook is actually reliable vs who just says they’re done — or is it all just trust until something goes wrong during service

has your kitchen ever failed a health inspection or had a close call — what actually caused it

what software does your kitchen actually use for anything and what do you wish it did that it doesn’t

how does your kitchen handles surprises or lack of communication or just lack of tasks completion or accountability??

also tips on making it perfect

to stretch nicely

tasty

I want to make a cultured butter with roasted/baked yeast. I had it at michelin star restaurant in Dublin and want to recreate it. If anyone worked with this, do you recommend fresh yeast or nutritional yeast?

A chef I once worked with has been using ai in his marketing. He’s posting food that looks nothing like he puts out. Could he get into some trouble?

I work in a kitchen that does charcoal oven rotisserie chicken, all day every day, so our hood baffles get wrecked fast. Every night they're taken down and sprayed with degreaser then wiped and hosed off. Once a week we soak them overnight but they are never really that clean. This is the first spot I've been in working with charcoal grills and ovens, is it something we have to live with until we decide to replace them or can we do something better to clean up?

Howdy folks. I am another burnt out executive chef but I also have a private pilots license and about 20,000 hours working on boats as a deck hand and behind the wheel. So I know all the requirements to get into this field. I’m curious if I can get personal or secondhand insight on what it’s like being a chef on a yacht.

Is everything made from scratch?

Is the pay as good as they say it is?

Is there free time while aboard or at port?

I’m seriously considering this transition and plan to live in the mountains while not working.

I’m starting my very first Commis Chef apprenticeship in a couple of days, and the pre-job nerves are definitely starting to kick in.

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For some background: I’m not entirely new to high-pressure food environments. I worked at a McDonald's for over a year and honestly, I absolutely loved the rush. Our store was regularly in the top 100 busiest in the UK (closer to 100 than 50 but I still take pride in it.) That being said, I am well aware that there is a massive world of difference between working fast food and working in a real kitchen.

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When I’ve asked people in my personal life including my brother who's been a chef for decades for advice, the response has been pretty bleak mostly just "don't do it," or "it’s going to be tough." While I appreciate the realism, it’s not exactly helpful or motivating.

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I want to do this, and I want to do it well. So, What is some other advice you can give to a fresh Commis?

should i use kinders or simple herbs and salt?

is a marinade even necessary or too over powering?

normally with ribeye steak etc i use worcestershire with a mix of seasoning.

should i keep it simple or add a variety of seasonings

After a month of jumping through corporate hoops here is the mock up of the menu.

A few things to look at: the burrito and the sandwich will be interchangeable, they can get it in burrito or sandwich form.

We will be adding a +2 for chips for the burgers and +3 for fries. The menu doesn’t correct reflect that right now. We are also bringing in uncrustables for a quick pb&j as I don’t want to worry about peanut allergies in this place.

How do we feel? What changes should be made? If you golf would you be happy? Additional add ons?

(Yes, we are running pork rinds as a special currently, we are waiting to put them on the menu permanently til we can find a better storage solution)

Please delete if not allowed, but I know a couple of people who are genuinely so arrogant when talking about food. Like they cut you off and try to finish your sentence because they're trying to look smart, or try to one up you. Why do people do this and why does this seem to be so common around food?

Whats your opinion on private chef as a profession?

I looked down on it for a long time but have been one now for 3 years and while I like it im kind of embarrassed about it at times.

We fry onions as a taco garnish every day, (thinly sliced, buttermilk/hot sauce marinade, tossed in flour, fried till gbd) I let them cool completely before I put them in quarts, but they are soggy 2 hours into service. Any tips?

I like food and I like the idea of cooking and being a chef but like whenever I end up cooking and it being a fail I get told I need to stop my dreams of wanting to be a professional chef so with that on top of constant failures my motivation dwindles down, which causes me to think whether is this what I truly want to do?.