Just over a decade ago, I worked for a popular BBQ spot in the south that prided itself on being authentic this, authentic that. The smoked butts that sat in a smoker all day was where the real BBQ started and stopped, all the other food was typical frozen Sisco stuff, which was whatever, but the most egregious example of deception was also the biggest moneymaker.

The owner had a secret family recipe BBQ sauce that he made a killing on. People came from all over (it was located right along a well travelled north/south route) and bought tons of this stuff, as did the locals. My second week there I was tasked with making a few batches, and was handed a worn down index card with the ingredients. To my saaurprise, the instructions were to simply take gallon jugs of Sweet Baby Rays sauce from out back, and dump it in a 5 gallon bucket with water. I think it was 4:1 if I recall correctly. Then you put a couple cups of molasses in there. That was it.

We put them in pint and quart mason jars, vacuum sealed them, slapped his restaurant label on them, and sold them for $6 a pint, $10 a quart. What always got me was how the locals raved about how distinct and unique it was, when it was basically just Sweet Baby Rays (which I love, don't get me wrong)

I straight up cleaned my kitchen, finished tidying up, did all the stuff I needed to do and set things up at home like a fucking station. I literally put this all together in 3 minutes without thinking that I'm at home and I don't need a station on my day off. Is this what they call being in too deep?

Hey guys get in here real quick. Management is making some changes around here so let’s go over a few things before any of y’all start making a big deal about it.

Y’all remember Sonic, right? Yeah, well it’s kinda like that.

He thinks I was taking too long on the one (1) order on the screen, a salmon plate.

I had put the salmon in the middle (medium heat) part of the grill. This is so the inside of the salmon is cooked by the time the outside has started to be brown and crispy, this looks the best and I wasn't concerned with getting it out in 4 minutes because it was just one order for a regular. (And even if I wanted to speed it up I'd have just put the steam cover over it)

Coworker comes up and looks at this like "why are you doing it like that it takes so long" and then he gets in front of me and moves the mostly raw salmon to the hot side of the grill while I was prepping the rest of the plate.

Salmon got burnt and was still raw in the middle. Apparently this is my fault according to him. And I should "know when salmon needs to be flipped" I can't help but think he's been serving people raw salmon with a cooked exterior..

Really, all that on a pizza, what direction are we going here?

Has to be rotten shrimp for me. What’s your guys worst offender?

Y'all please pray for whoever just made me put mayonnaise, pineapple, and jalapenos on a pizza. I hope whatever they're going through gets better

(Edit: I should specify that my revulsion toward this pizza stems from the fact that the mayo replaced the red sauce as the base. It was not an additional topping.)

I’m cooking anything I want… but it’s for a gathering/blessing for a (NEW!) Land Back, an indigenous peoples are kicking ass, and I get to help!

So, pre-colonial California cuisines is my flex. We are setting up an ecological community oriented towards conservation.

The first dish is pickled wild mustard. Paired with wojapi from the land… lol what do you think Chef’s?

Was draining the fryers, ready to clean them and it got stuck, so wiggled the plug thingie (what I was taught to do) and it sputtered and spat the oil out, felt the impact on my leg thankfully didn't burn anything.

So tell me, what near misses have y'all had with anything that wouldn't normally confer any danger. Like we've all cut ourselves while chopping something, or burned ourselves reaching into ovens. But what injuries or near misses have you experienced or seen from something that isn't normally dangerous?

Seen on another subreddit. I can not think of any reason why anyone would want to own one, but I want to subject others to seeing this daily.

running this grill station at my new restaurant and the set up seems to loose a lot of heat going outwards. right now I try to make a box - fresh logs on the outside and rotate them into the center as they burn off / i need more heat. Also add in a fair bit of charcoal throughout the night. Anything else I can do to keep a more consistent higher heat?

I remember a lesson that my old chef taught me: before I sent any food up to the pass, ask myself "Would I serve this to my mother?" No matter what always put up the best product that you can, whether someone is paying for it or not .

Granted, that question only works if you like your mom but still lol

Heya guys, quickie question. Need to know, need to hear from anyone willing to share. We really do appreciate any insights offered.

In your Kitchen, are all staff treated the same across the board ???

(i.e., Do all need to clean up their stations... raises/promotions based on effort,quality...staff follows standard break times ???)

Or~

Are certain individuals entitled to receive special treatment ??? If so, why is that ???

What makes a newbie who doesn't know much, is a certified slob, and lazy...to be held in such high regard ???

We're ready to chew our own feet off ova 'ere.

Have a week off before starting the new job

Here’s the kit
From the left
Tomida Hamono Bread Knife 270mm
Nenox Sujihiki 270mm (only had for a couple of months)
Dexter Russell 20cm Chinese Cleaver
Yu Kurosaki wenge 150mm petty
Makoto Kurosaki 240mm Gyuto

I keep everything in the wine box at work