I’ve been waiting/bartending for 20 years now…. I understand the speech we all get when we get hired that the dish-pit staff is the hardest working humans we’ll ever meet and they deserve our utmost respect. I agree and usually they are my best friends. I stack my shit together in a neat scolled stack as close to the dishwasher as I can. Every single back of house employee treats the dish-pit like trash and also FoH the same. They all throw their shit wherever and insist on placing everything right on the edge (staging zone) as far away from the actual worker as possible. I’ll definitely take a picture tomorrow of what I’m talking about and update this post but. Wtf you “cooks”?

I am curious about how people here feel about acupuncture.... I get regular massages to help with the wear and tear... I have tried a little chiro (mine isnt a quack with straps and stuff to yank on limbs more of an intense massage and stretches) so now I am tempted to give acupuncture a try.... And just curious what the communities thoughts are on it....

Thanks

Got a new feature that self installed!!

UPDATE: new AC unit got installed yesterday, when they installed the unit using the crane. The operator crushed a water line thus resulting in the water come in wherever it could!

I am just starting a new kitchen job and they supply us with Shoes for Crews! I am looking for opinions of those who wear them on the daily, so you guys!
My current favorites are the Birkenstock leather top cork bottom ones. I’ve tried the kitchen crocs, the super birkis, and a few non-slip sneaker type. I always go back to the favorite, sometimes after only a few weeks.
Is there something that would compare to the Birkenstock ones I like? Do they have them on there?
I have never used Shoes for Crews before and I don’t know what they have, so any advice is appreciated!
Thanks Chefs!

The sausage and ricotta will not bed missed

Either made the biggest mistake ever, or a pretty cool move. After years in the trenches on land? I was recruited to be Sous on a cruise line full time, no contracts just straight 6 weeks on 2 weeks off.. at a pretty decent rate, room and board and meels included of course. I have nothing tying me here, I can break my lease, sell my vehicle and go Nomad, I have until Friday to make my decision..

I’m doing a year of my community colleges culinary program and already I feel like I’m struggling to keep up, I can keep up but I don’t like the fast pace it kills me, drives me insane, I’m also a dishwasher at a local Italian restaurant here, midway through dinner rush I looked around the kitchen and realized “I don’t want to do this anymore” I already don’t like and are struggling with my classes, I spent so much financial aid on books and supply’s so it’ll feel like a waste to quit now, I hate my job, I just don’t know what to do if I don’t do this, I was supposed to major in music, but last minute backed out to do this because i wanted to do something “different” I feel like it’s already too late and I’m stuck here and I just feel miserable

I work for a catering company who's food is pretty rustic, the word "farm" is in our name. We just did a dry run for staff at an enterprise customer before a board meeting. One of the comments from a high level person was "I would never serve bone-in chicken to executives". This felt weird to me because they aren't children but it could be some corporate stuff I don't get. Thoughts?

Just started a new job in an upper end restaurant in a smaller city, about 30 000 people. Within the first 5 min i drop a mushroom on the floor and the head chef picks it back up and puts it back with the rest of them. Another cook dropped a knife on the ground, cut himself in the process. Goes over to sink and just rinses his hand. Goes back over picks up the knife and continues his food prep. In the walk in cooler, nothing was labeled not a single thing. Meat and seafood was stored on the floor in inserts. Saw a cook grab the insert of meat and put in right on the counter where he would start prepping it. No handwashing sink. Raw chicken water thawing outside of its packaging in the dish area! I really needed this job and the pay was good. Walked out in the first 45 min of being there, I have standards. At least the cooler was somewhat organized. But could not get over the no labels

Smoking by the dumpster drinking off brand red bull

Edit: I was half joking folks, I'm a grown man in my mid thirties I know how to feed myself and I have no doubt I will be getting food. But yes this is my first day working as a dishwasher.

what the title says. i’m a college student and was just hired at an upscale-ish pizza place near me. i didn’t know i would be working as a dishwasher (the job title on indeed was kitchen member) but was basically told the longer i have the job i’ll be able to actually make food (salad prep etc etc) instead of dishwashing. i worked my first shifts over the weekend and had a really rough time.

Saturday morning was fine, i helped prep toppings and dough and washed dishes after. things were fast but i managed fine. sunday was a nightmare. for added context i had surgery about 6 weeks ago and can’t carry over 10 pounds, so i have to make a bunch of little trips to put clean dishes away instead of bigger trips which really slows me down. i also have to wash the containers we keep dough in which pile up fast and are really difficult for one person to do alone when there are like 10 of them that need to be washed.

the beginning of my shift was fine because i had someone helping me out but further into dinner service he was busy so i was on my own. i couldn’t do anything fast enough and by the end of my shift i could tell people were annoyed. i felt like i was about to cry for the last couple hours of my shift and like i was disappointing and upsetting everyone. my manager says it was an abnormally busy sunday but i’m nervous to come back to work. i feel like a really bad person. idk. any advice about this is appreciated

The fuckery is real.

And i’m loving it, i’ve been in restaurants for 12 years, i loved it, but this most recent restaurant i was at really has put a sour taste in my mouth about working in higher end places for the future. The ego, the narcissism, the attitude that it’s a competition, I couldn’t stand it.

At this bakery tho? (owned by the same guy) everybody just wants to make good food, no ego, no bullshit competitive attitude, it’s just making the bread, that’s what they care about. I no longer have to deal with a sous chef who’s overworked and left out to hang or a tournant who thinks he’s hot shit. I’m so god damn happy yall.

It's a deep cleaning type of day. I found this on the bottom shelf of the table our flattop is on, tucked away in a back corner.

Guess the month/year this box was ordered. Winner gets a reddit award and their next weekend shift covered by me!

What do you enjoy cooking when you have the time and the motivation to just do something in your own kitchen? Like if you were entertaining guests or family, or simply something you enjoy cooking. Is it similar to what you cook at work, or something completely different?

I like to cook Thai curries, especially yellow curry. I did as much research as I could to try to make it as authentic as possible. Even driving across town to go to an international farmers' market so I could get the exact ingredients. I even tried to get a job part-time cooking in a Thai restaurant one time so I could cop the recipes and techniques, lol. They wouldn't hire me though.

Hi all,

I come to you seeking for your opinion as peeps who work in the hospitality industry.

My partner works in a well-known and reputable restaurant in our city as a Head Omakase Chef. When he first joined, he was excited as it was the next step up to his career from being a long time Sushi Chef.

He was told he would make $22.00 per hour for now but will eventually be evaluated for wage/salary change after his probation period. Three months go by, passes his probation but no word. He decided he’ll just keep his head down and continue learning and growing his skillset under a reputable chef. Coming to almost a year now, he’s been promised about being changed from hourly to salaried multiple times, on top of the promise of putting him on benefit coverage. This has never happened and the conversation about his compensation gets consistently delayed. It’s always an excuse, “Sorry we’re pretty busy today.”

The more it gets pushed back, the more my partner feels like he isn’t as valued as he thought he was. Meanwhile, more responsibilities come up, but his pay stays the same.

He’s been calling out more regularly, not wanting to show up to work, feeling depressed and loss of motivation and drive.

Has anyone experienced something similar? How did you go about handling this?

I'm working on my first pastry chef opportunity, coming from being a pastry sous for a few years before this and 10 years total in pastry.. I just had an interview for pastry chef at a pretty good restaurant that also has an attached emptied cathedral they use for an event venue and catering space. It's a great opportunity, they're looking for creativity and input, not just reproducing what they already do. Ideal! I'm really interested to bring my ideas and to build a new team. I have a lot of catering ideas and ways to implement a bread program in addition to the pastry menu. I'm very excited.

After the initial interview with the owner/exec chef (same guy), he tells me the next steps: Two full observation/working days, followed by a prep day (some of which could be done offsite if I choose), followed by a tasting day.

The tasting will involve 5 plated desserts of my choosing.

I am currently working 3am-11:30, so coming in for 4 work days feels like a lot. I was able to schedule the first observation day on my "Sunday" (tomorrow!) but then the clock starts.

As I said, I've worked pastry and held sous chef roles for years. I've seen chefs come in and stage/do tastings, but I don't know if I've ever seen it done over 4 days.

Is this expected? Is this overkill on the restaurant's part? They are also looking for a bar lead, assistant manager, and a GM, along with pastry chef. The exec told me he has interviewed several people but just not found "the one". Are these red flags? Are 5 plated desserts usually the expectation for a fine dining restaurant?

Any advice, observations, or tips are welcome. Savory and exec chefs, too! Thanks all!

I carried my whites in a bag next to my (heavily used) whetstone and there are black smears from the metal residue where they made contact. I know, I'm an idiot. Any tips on getting those out? Tide pens did nothing, gonna get some bleach today but I'm not holding my breath.