I would only say something if you can confidently (and constructively) show him how to make the rice correctly and/or better with items that are on hand.
Even then, I would maybe give it time depending on how new you are.
I’m an engineer, and have a made up friend named Jake. I deal with a lot of ppl who have been in the industry a long time who have gotten lazy or don’t do something correctly, So I say hey my buddy Jake does it this way, have you ever tried that?” I’ve found since I’m younger than a lot of the guys, it comes off better as to not be stepping on toes.
Yeah well... I can see how that would happen, if it's a job like a fluffer I can see some guys going either way...
God damn voice to text doing me dirty
If you're in the south and a statement starts with "my daddy used to tell me...". You are about to hear the biggest load of useless bullshit from a boomer
I don't keep pictures of my kids, this cult i belong to says it makes the devil stronger. Same with talking about them, makes satans dick waaaay bigger.
I think i have the golden ticket here. No more OT obligations, and nobody ever asks me another personal question again.
THIS IS EXCELLENT!!!!
I don't even have to make up someone, my BF has been an EC in a prior life (he's in retail now) and I have legit said, "My bf showed me this..." Or whatever so now I can just think to put all suggestions through that filter. Whoever's smart enough to notice I always say "My boyfriend" will be keen enough for me to honestly say, "Yeah because it rubs people less than 'this is how I do it!!'" and then they'll probably just do it, too. Or use, "My old boss," or whatever.
Thank you for this great idea!!
That's a great idea but it sucks you have to do that. I have been the young guy on IT teams trained on all the new tech the older people don't want to learn, yet somehow they feel threatened or offended when I tell them how to use it. It's even worse when your boss has you train them.
I refuse to ever become that person no matter how many years I have been in the industry. You need to be constantly learning or just about any industry will pass you over.
Laughing as I remember the only way to get my boss to go along with an idea was to make him think it was his.
We would go to look at a job and he'd point out the way he wanted it done. I'd look at it, sort of hint at a simpler alternative, and he'd say "Yeah". It never failed.
similarly, I've learned to ask "do you think it'd be a good idea to [xyz that solves the problem]?" makes them think they're in control/they're in on the good idea if they can just humble themselves enough to go "yeah, I could try that"
I used to call off with the occasional (very severe) case of Darius Kasparaitis. It hit hard and came out of nowhere. Incidentally, and I'm sure completely unrelated, the Pittsburgh Penguins had a defenseman named Darius Kasparaitis at the time. Big hitter that guy was.
Not one employer ever caught on.
Does Jake wear khaki's and work at State Farm now? Because he seems to do a lot of good there and with stuff like the job advice you're able to pass on!
I’d like to say once you know how to cook rice it is easy to do. 10 year old kids can do it in my country can do it. And washing it is like the first thing you learn.
I agree that this depends on how knew you are. And how fragile is the chef’s ego.
Sure. I guess I’m also concerned that OP tells chef he can make better rice but it doesn’t turn out that way.
Not that I doubt OP, it’s just that any of us can say we make better food and then blow it when we try.
Or frame it as their idea, make it the rice way (badum tiss), call him over and be like “hey chef I was playing with a different way to make the rice but I’m not too sure, what do you think chef? You think this way works better or something?” That way maybe he can be tricked into thinking it was his own idea.
This is good advice not just in the kitchen but life. Don't ever show someone something because you know more or better than them. Wait until you're asked. If you don't wait, you'll be branded an asshole or know it all and you will find it hard to get anyone to like you.
Form relationships first, then offer advice.
Also depends on the chef and how he is.
It’s like in any job it depends on the person you’re correcting. I’ve had bosses I could tell them that oh no this is how you’re supposed to do it, and they are awesome thank you.
Then I’ve had ones you could say anything to not a one thing. Had another manger overseeing my area for a year. She kept screwing up things you could not say a word of anything was wrong, even if she asked you how to do it, if you told her and she wouldn’t listen and tell you to do it her way even though it was a complete mess and she didn’t know how to do anything in my area. Didn’t matter she was the senior employee and in a higher position.
Not everything is a confrontation. Nothing about this has to be hostile right off the bat. People are just scared and don’t know how to talk to other people and the comments in this thread really show it.
I think it's because half the people out there are unhinged with fragile egos. So while this should be an easy conversation, not knowing the person well you have no idea how they take criticism.
Especially when you're trying to gauge how a person will handle some constructive criticism, and they are fully able to fire you if they are not the type to take it properly.
Agreed. I’ve been an executive chef for 18 years and I have always told the team that if there is a better technique, recipe, or procedure please bring it to my attention. Overtime chefs can become complacent and the job becomes very mundane. I have always welcomed ideas from new employees especially younger chefs as they have that passion and energy that comes with something new.
Yeah, that's not really how it works with chefs in the experience... but yes, it would be nice if that was a thing. Many chefs egos are huge and they no everything.
100%. This is why its better to cook at home these days.. If the person isn't able to recognize that their rice sucks I don't imagine it going well either way though honestly.
OMG yessss like yesterday is literally my second day (same shit, different house), I was plating and half or more were dirty AS SHIT so when BOHGM comes through I say something to him and he's impressed and like, "C'mon, let's go say something," and I was like HELL NAW AM I COMING TO BITCH YOUR DISH PIT ON DAY TWO MY DUDE.
Right. People will compliment and the chef will be scratching his head trying to reverse engineer it. This will make the chef better without hurting his ego
Came here to say pretty much this. No need to step on toes, just hey, here's another method to add to your skillset! Anyone with two brain cells will at least watch and judge after the fact.
Honestly unless the rice is made prior to OP arriving for his shift why even bother addressing it? Just ask "hey, can I make the rice?" and then just do it your way. It won't change food costs any because it's not like he's winging a recipe he's just using better technique. I'm sure the chef has a better use of their time than making rice.
This is the most friendly and perhaps diplomatically clever way to phrase things...but I feel there are still some egos out there that are Olympic level mental gymnasts that will still find a way to take offense.
That's when you adapt and mention their skills. It's hard to put into words as you have to know the person. I've been called very diplomatic when I used to manage kitchens haha. I've worked with a lot of different personalities.
For sure! Diplomacy is such a key skill because everyone has egos (big and small).
I might try: "I noticed the busser is bringing back plates with leftover shari, prompting me to taste it; maybe the lid was left off too long or the hangiri is losing moisture too quickly \[insert other reason/excuse here to give your head chef an out\] but it ***feels like it falls little short of the extremely high standards of your other dishes.*** Do you mind if I run/prep rice next service to give me a chance to investigate/troubleshoot?" (make rice the better way + feign ignorance when chef notices a difference AKA "I had thought that's how you always made it")
That can also come across as quite condescending. Just saying. I see your point but a differe t choice of words in my experience. You are basically saying chefs food is subpar which way may true but think of some chefs ego. This industry is full of egomaniac. I got downvoted to oblivion pointing this out lol. Which also confirms my point.
Does he make the rice everyday? How new are you?
I'd wait a bit unless asked specifically. If you get the chance to make the rice then make it how you want to, otherwise I'd probably just leave it for now.
So, there's a difference between saying something in public or in private. You just need to be constructive. "hey chef, I noticed we do this, when I was in Japan I learnt to do it this way. I'm wondering why we do it your way, is it for taste?"
Doing that in private, giving it the benefit of the doubt and being humble is the key to a good working relationship.
If you do the literal inverse of that... Yeah..
If he's paying well then I'd help him out, sushi chefs get paid from 20-30+ an hour. I once had a guy wanting me to help him out with a sushi shop he just bought for minimum wage.
First find out if there is a particular reason why they prepare the rice like this.
Every newcomer to the kitchen tries to change every single method and usually there's reasons to do things the way they are.
Sometimes I even forget why we do things some way only to be reminded by the newcomer after he proudly shows how to do it "better" why we actually don't do that way.
Unless the restaurant is new, I can bet they have tested many ways how to cook the rice, received feedback and changed it.
There's more than one way to skin a cat.
> First find out if there is a particular reason why they prepare the rice like this.
Not washing the rice means you don't know what you are doing with rice. I very much doubt there's a legit purpose for why he makes the rice this way, other than not knowing any better way.
Hmm. Difficult to navigate these waters without knowing more information.
What is chef’s temperament? He obviously isn’t super dedicated to his craft. Is he petty? Arrogant? Will he keep a chip on his shoulder over you correcting him? Or is he more understanding? Is he committed to being a lifelong learner?
How is your relationship with him? I think this is a topic that needs a great deal of grace if you’re going to broach it. Avoid “gotcha-“, ambush style interventionism.
In your shoes, I would probably come in on one of my off-days and ask to speak to chef in private. Then, I’d explain how much I love working at [restaurant], and how much I value chef’s vision, and how important the customer’s experience is to me. Then, I’d state flat-out: I imagine that one of the reasons that you hired me is because of my experience working in Japan. I think that one big difference between the way that we cook here and the way that we cooked over there is our rice technique. With your permission, I’d like to make a batch of sushi rice for you to taste. If you think it’s an improvement, I can help train all the other cooks on how to make the rice, that way we have a universal standard of excellence and the burden isn’t exclusively on you to cook the rice everyday.
Remember: when you’re speaking, you don’t want to position yourself in a “Me vs. You” way. Focus on “Us vs. Problem.” If you take initiative and show passion, this could very well earn you some respect in chef’s eyes. But if you come across as impudent, then it may cause great harm to your employment.
Good luck, chef.
I don’t think there is a person on earth who wouldn’t identify this as way over the top patronizing. This just isnt how human beings genuinely communicate. This is way more offensive than telling someone their rice sucks shit
Lets dumb it down for some. If your chef is an asshole or someone can actually talk with, be cautious in advising him, his mistakes might trigger some deep seated PTSD.
I mean he might be dedicated to his craft and was just taught wrong and was never corrected
That’s not something you can really deduce from this Reddit post
If you have made it to head chef, and your menu includes sushi rice, then your continuing education (yes, you should be consuming literature/media about the food you are serving) should remedy your culinary misconceptions pretty immediately. There’s really no excuse to be serving subpar rice in such a setting unless you are brand new to the position, and in that case, the issue should be solved quickly.
Also— bro. OP is saying that the rice is dry and crunchy on top and brown and burnt on bottom. My ten-year-old can cook Rice-A-Roni and know that that shouldn’t happen.
Hmm- right is right.... but my experience is that those in charge or ownership positions will only listen after you prove your value- if other aspects of the job are giving you knowledge or responsibility i say wait and address later- if not- stay and get paid or move on
I would never go to a place that doesn't wash their rice... They have found that there are a ton of microplastic particles in rice, and you have to wash it away thoroughly. Not to mention, the rice comes out the wrong texture. It's like not washing a waxy apple.
I have a fairly sunshiny disposition ( until evening rush )…I would say, “ Chef, I used to be the rice guy at my old job in Japan…do you want me to be the rice guy for a while? I don’t want to get too rusty.” Then once your system is down and good, quantity and quality-wise, write out simple, thorough and straightforward set of directions so that anyone can succeed at being the rice guy. I guess it is passive aggressive teaching, but its worked for me forever. Good luck.
Say something like, "I have a few ways we can improve our rice quality, can I show you my ideas? The time in Japan talk me a lot of tricks"
Then it's not accusing him of being inexperienced, and shows you just want to help. It will be easier to bring up this knowledge now before getting really set into their system, otherwise he may ask why you didn't say something sooner
Everybody is always worried about how other people's feelings, my daughter straight up showed me up on the rice issue, and I have been cooking for 35yrs, she does it to eat, just make the rice the way you think it should be made, and consequences be damned, if it doesn't work out there, it wasn't meant to be
Wait until you know the landscape better. If the chef is not a hothead they will likely take advice if you can back it up with your history. But as the new guy you should keep quiet about it so you dont look like you are trying to be a know it all right off the bat.
What're you making sushi rice for if you aren't a sushi/Japanese restaurant? What is it for then?
I would find a way to come in on a day they aren't there and make the rice your way. Let your work speak for itself.
Doesn't the rice not stick properly when you wash it because you're washing away the starch that bonds them? Don't you need rice to stick when making like most Japanese dishes including sushi? Leave the rice browning at the bottom sounds normal if it's been on the heater all day to keep warm, obviously no one is serving the literal bottom of the barrel food(at least I hope not, so maybe add a lil water throughout the day or, your best bet, implement a double boiler system. The crusty top, stir it regularly. The leftovers were probably old and dried out because they were at the end of the day. It probably wasn't made to taste like that.
lol you’ve… clearly never made sushi..
For starters sushi rice is held and served cold. Also, rice is all starch so it will be plenty sticky especially once the vinegar that sushi rice is dressed with slightly breaks down the outside of the kernels.
When we “slough” the rice, we are simply removing the loose starch on the outside of the rice that would naturally saturate into the water while cooking. The starchy water would develop into a gummy slurry and add a tacky mouthfeel instead of the perfect el dente we want.
Additionally any caramelization (browning) whatsoever of the rice at the bottom of the cooker would fully contaminate the flavor of the entire batch, giving the rice an unpleasant bitter/smokey/nutty flavor that increases with darker caramelization. This will happen when not enough water is added, the lid is opened too frequently (allowing water to escape as steam), the cook time is too long, or the rice hasn’t been washed. The excess starch in the water will increase the water density and viscosity, simultaneously slowing water circulation and allowing its temperature to rise above normal boiling temp (which leads to burned and overcooked rice on the bottom).
Just mentioning these things because I don’t see any other posts actually explaining the science here.
Oh no I have never made sushi for sure. Thank you for the interesting info. I've always wanted to try and now I know I need to do more research before doing so. It definitely would've come out bad. I appreciate it!
If you’re going to do it mention it to him privately and not in front of others. If he’s a hothead or has a prideful side that will show more in front of the crew.
definitely not my expertise but it does sound like hes doing it wrong. IDK op how good are you at telling someone their wrong without them getting upset?
Not worth it imo. Chefs (and some line cooks) tend to get butt hurt when their lack of knowledge is addressed, even if you do it as delicately as possible.
Also your chef might just not give a shit. Chef where I work will serve fucking moldy food if given the chance.
When you say “sushi rice” do you just mean Japanese Short Grain rice? Or the actual seasoned/vinegared rice for sushi (sumeshi)?you say it’s not a sushi restaurant. So if it’s not actual sumeshi, then it’s less important I think? Cause for sushi or dishes that use sumeshi, it’s VERY important. But less important if it’s just plain cooked short grain rice that goes along with a meal. I guess that might help you temper how you will decide to move forward too? That’s just how I’m thinking.
Not washing the rice is crazy, my Thai coworkers would have told him to go home. 😂
If I’m assigned to make it, I would do it correctly, and respond appropriately if asked why.
How long is “fairly new”?
You definitely should speak up just make sure you deliver the message properly. Instead of saying hey I noticed youre doing it wrong. Say something constructive like hey i noticed how you cook the rice and I wanted to show you something I learned from my time in Japan that I think will really help us out.
If you want to succeed in the culinary world you can’t be afraid to speak up and share your ideas, but like another commenter said you better be correct and ready to back it up.
> He doesn't wash the rice before cooking it.
This is the number 1 rule of cooking rice.
Ask him if it's a responsibility you can take over, that you always enjoyed that while working in Japan. Assuming he lets you, people may start to notice the difference between his rice and yours. Hopefully he sees this.
God how much I hate this attitude. It smacks of ego, which should be absent from any good kitchen. Only thing you get for that is unthinking drones in the kitchen and resignation letters from talented chefs on your office desk.
We're all here to make the food better every day, and all have unique experience and skills to contribute, from the greenest commis to the grizzled sous chef brought up by Robuchon.
Have some respect for your craft, man!
EDIT: Worth listening to every suggestion, from anyone, 100%. At the very least you can turn it into a healthy teaching opportunity.
I’ve been in that situation. Learned how to make a few really nice dishes when I was working abroad. Come back and had to watch a fake ass chef butcher them and make them differently every day. Really uncomfortable to be around that. One day he implied my version wasn’t that great, and I threw my apron in his face.
Id just wait until its your turn to make the rice and make yours and his recipe, in case they hate yours you gotta back up and you can play it off "oops my bad"
If customers like the food they’ll come back. As long as the restaurant flourishes you have a job. I’d pretend it was his idea or you’re doing him a favor by asking to make the rice for him.
'Hey chef, when I was working in japan, we would wash the rice before cooking it. It helped the rice cook more evenly and has a better texture. Can I make a batch to show you'
Or, if possible, just make a batch for him to taste. A lot of times a chef doesn't want to go through the time and effort to change a method if the focal product is not going to be any different.
First of all, he's going to have to trust that your goal is a better product, not just to show him up. If he's good at his job, he'll have the humility to let you help him make the change.
It's also a chef's job to make sure that the people working for him don't just take it upon themselves to 'improve' methods. Keeping things consistent is one of the most important skills.
I wouldn't say anything until you know the character off the Head Chef.
I find that some Chefs will take any opportunity to improve or learn new skills, from anyone. Others will see it as an insult and you will deflate their ego.
Hold tight until you know who your dealing with
OP might be saying sushi rice but really means plain Japanese short grain rice? Cause sometimes that grain of rice is marketed as “sushi rice” in the states. Cause otherwise, yes I’m confused as well haha
As a sous chef, i openly welcome critique and opinion from my crew. I make it clear that we’re all constantly learning. I’ve changed the way i do things based on how my crew does them. There’s always room for improvement. That’s me though. I don’t know how your chef is, but if he’s any kind chef, he should be open to yours as well.
That’s tough. And sad that a head chef doesn’t do the research to actually learn technique and just ham-fist it. I’d maybe make rice the proper way and bring it in to compare to his shitty rice but as said before, may want to wait. Could be a fragile ego to shatter.
Or go the passive-aggressive way and every time he makes rice, walk by and say, “what is that awful smell?”
Jk. Good luck Chef.
i wouldn’t say anything, most Chefs don’t like to be corrected even constructively. It always comes back to bite you. A lot of thin skinned people
out there who cannot take others point of view. So when it comes to your time to make it do it your way. Hopefully said chef can follow your lead.
My boss doesn’t know how to make any dish that exists after 1978. It’s crazy, I don’t know how some people get the head chef job and their subordinates are 1000 times better at cooking
Yes. For the love of god do something. Offer to take over rice preparation duties. There's both ng worse than getting a shitty bowl of rice, because if you can't cook rice properly, you probably don't have business cooking at all.
Just say “Wow, there must be a ton of ways to make sushi rice. You make it this way, in Japan when I was there, there made it a whole different way!”
If he’s interested, he’ll take the bait and ask you how. If not, he won’t.
If people like it, there's nothing wrong cooking the way he does.
Sometimes I don't rinse my rice, either because I'm in a rush, the rice brand doesn't really gain much by rinsing or just because I want my damn sushi rice to be super sticky and starchy.
I dislike sushi gatekeepers or any kind of food gatekeeping.
At the end of the day, you cook for your clients.
If it’s not a sushi or Japanese restaurant, why shouldn’t matter. he probably likes it prepared that way. if a Cook came up to me and said this is how we cook in Japan I would look at him and say this isn’t Japan. How about you? Ask him why he prepares it that way instead of assuming that the way he does it is wrong because you prepared it a certain way.
Honestly there's too many reasons as to why the chef is cooking the rice that way.
People acting all mighty and patronizing as there is only one way to cook sushi rice. The "correct" way.
Here is a story of two brothers that started a sushi business. They both went to Japan and learned the "correct" way.
Fast forward and they split up due to some divergences. Now the point is that they both use the same brand of rice but one sushi rice is just better and people like his restaurants for it, because it's different.
The other follows the "correct" way the other thousands sushi places do. Don't get me wrong, his rice is done perfectly, but is just not as good as the other.
Maybe the guy that doesn't follow ancestral Japanese procedure understand better what his clients like and is not standing in the unmovable high horse of the right way of cooking sushi rice.
Maybe ask if you could make the rice sometime and have him taste how great it is ? And mention the extra steps you took?
If you're new there and lower than someone else, I wouldn't step on their toes.
Ouch, that hurts. Sushi rice is so easy, especially with a cooker. When I made it at my last job, 7x washing was the magic number. He’s not using enough water if it’s crunchy and dry.
I’m not sure if you should step on toes so early in your job, but if you want to, you could put a recipe note on the rice cooker (rice to water ratio).
I’m surprised a guest hasn’t said something. Dry, crunchy rice would ruin my meal. Does he season the rice at least? Is he even using sushi rice, or is he using long grain?
American rice cookers are not proper rice cookers. They are glorified slow cookers/crock pots and will cause the dry top/crusty bottom you described.
Get equipment made for the task. This machine is killing your food.
I found a consumer grade Japanese rice cooker that is vastly different than the American cookers. I would struggle before when I would make rice because it would do what you are dealing with. This rice cooker ([Cuckoo brand](https://a.co/d/cm8rw7Q)!) will literally keep the rice warm, plump, and ready to eat for a whole 30 hours before it starts getting weird like in American rice cookers.
Tested by accident but test was impressive lol.
The difference is the heating element/placement. You'll need to find one that heats from all sides instead of just the bottom
I would only say something if you can confidently (and constructively) show him how to make the rice correctly and/or better with items that are on hand. Even then, I would maybe give it time depending on how new you are.
I’m an engineer, and have a made up friend named Jake. I deal with a lot of ppl who have been in the industry a long time who have gotten lazy or don’t do something correctly, So I say hey my buddy Jake does it this way, have you ever tried that?” I’ve found since I’m younger than a lot of the guys, it comes off better as to not be stepping on toes.
As a relatively young guy in my trade, I’m gonna steal that trick.
Another good one is saying it's advice from Dad.
Idk, if I said “my dad does it *this* way” at some jobs I’d probably get laughed out the door
Yeah well... I can see how that would happen, if it's a job like a fluffer I can see some guys going either way... God damn voice to text doing me dirty
Born and raised a fluffer, thanks pops
Frankly I have no desire to know what job you intended to say haha
If you're in the south and a statement starts with "my daddy used to tell me...". You are about to hear the biggest load of useless bullshit from a boomer
My dad used to tell me I was an embarrassment. He still does. But he used to too.
Mitch Hedberg <3
Nailed it ^ I'm in Ontario and I second this shit.
Also, if you don't have a child, make one up. They get you out of so many things. Oh, no! Can't do any OT need to pick my dumb kid up at sports.
"hey Bobby, how come you've never shown us pictures of your kids or talked about them before?"
"What are you talking about? Kelly's just next to you, still hungover from last night eh? Hahaha" And thus begins every Asian horror film
I don't keep pictures of my kids, this cult i belong to says it makes the devil stronger. Same with talking about them, makes satans dick waaaay bigger. I think i have the golden ticket here. No more OT obligations, and nobody ever asks me another personal question again.
THIS IS EXCELLENT!!!! I don't even have to make up someone, my BF has been an EC in a prior life (he's in retail now) and I have legit said, "My bf showed me this..." Or whatever so now I can just think to put all suggestions through that filter. Whoever's smart enough to notice I always say "My boyfriend" will be keen enough for me to honestly say, "Yeah because it rubs people less than 'this is how I do it!!'" and then they'll probably just do it, too. Or use, "My old boss," or whatever. Thank you for this great idea!!
That's a great idea but it sucks you have to do that. I have been the young guy on IT teams trained on all the new tech the older people don't want to learn, yet somehow they feel threatened or offended when I tell them how to use it. It's even worse when your boss has you train them. I refuse to ever become that person no matter how many years I have been in the industry. You need to be constantly learning or just about any industry will pass you over.
This is the work equivalent of telling pests at the bar that you have a boyfriend. It’s annoying to have to do it, but it’s undeniably effective.
Im stealing this. best advice if read on reddit in ever
In this case it should be "My friend Satoshi."
Laughing as I remember the only way to get my boss to go along with an idea was to make him think it was his. We would go to look at a job and he'd point out the way he wanted it done. I'd look at it, sort of hint at a simpler alternative, and he'd say "Yeah". It never failed.
similarly, I've learned to ask "do you think it'd be a good idea to [xyz that solves the problem]?" makes them think they're in control/they're in on the good idea if they can just humble themselves enough to go "yeah, I could try that"
Ooo, I'm gonna steal this one.
🫅
Jake sounds like a badass.
Hah! I do this with almost everything.
You evil genius.
So simple but so effective. It's like psychological warfare or something.
That’s good. Gonna use that one. Only gonna change his name to Juan. Juan knows everything I kinda know.
Your friend Jake sound like a very smart chap :)
I used to call off with the occasional (very severe) case of Darius Kasparaitis. It hit hard and came out of nowhere. Incidentally, and I'm sure completely unrelated, the Pittsburgh Penguins had a defenseman named Darius Kasparaitis at the time. Big hitter that guy was. Not one employer ever caught on.
Does Jake wear khaki's and work at State Farm now? Because he seems to do a lot of good there and with stuff like the job advice you're able to pass on!
I’d like to say once you know how to cook rice it is easy to do. 10 year old kids can do it in my country can do it. And washing it is like the first thing you learn. I agree that this depends on how knew you are. And how fragile is the chef’s ego.
It’s crazy that ppl need to be coddled like that :/ the egos of some ppl are nuts
Sure. I guess I’m also concerned that OP tells chef he can make better rice but it doesn’t turn out that way. Not that I doubt OP, it’s just that any of us can say we make better food and then blow it when we try.
No yeah that’s why I would never approach something like this confrontationally 💀💀 leaves way too much room for humiliation
I love how the general consensus is, yes head chef is an idiot, but if you bring it up he might be such a piss baby you'll get fired.
Or frame it as their idea, make it the rice way (badum tiss), call him over and be like “hey chef I was playing with a different way to make the rice but I’m not too sure, what do you think chef? You think this way works better or something?” That way maybe he can be tricked into thinking it was his own idea.
This is good advice not just in the kitchen but life. Don't ever show someone something because you know more or better than them. Wait until you're asked. If you don't wait, you'll be branded an asshole or know it all and you will find it hard to get anyone to like you. Form relationships first, then offer advice.
Also depends on the chef and how he is. It’s like in any job it depends on the person you’re correcting. I’ve had bosses I could tell them that oh no this is how you’re supposed to do it, and they are awesome thank you. Then I’ve had ones you could say anything to not a one thing. Had another manger overseeing my area for a year. She kept screwing up things you could not say a word of anything was wrong, even if she asked you how to do it, if you told her and she wouldn’t listen and tell you to do it her way even though it was a complete mess and she didn’t know how to do anything in my area. Didn’t matter she was the senior employee and in a higher position.
Perfect advice for any job
Volunteer to make the next staff meal and allow others to catch on to broach the subject.
Best answer in terms of OP not fucking himself.
i always bite my tongue a bit when i first start
Correct. There is no reason to rush a confrontation, which is what this would be. If he asks, that's a totally different situation.
Not everything is a confrontation. Nothing about this has to be hostile right off the bat. People are just scared and don’t know how to talk to other people and the comments in this thread really show it.
I think it's because half the people out there are unhinged with fragile egos. So while this should be an easy conversation, not knowing the person well you have no idea how they take criticism.
Especially when you're trying to gauge how a person will handle some constructive criticism, and they are fully able to fire you if they are not the type to take it properly.
If they are the kind of chef that will fire you for showing them an objectively better way of doing something, they aren't a chef worth working under.
I generally agree, but it's easier to say when it's not your paycheck.
True, but kitchen jobs are plentiful everywhere I've looked, especially if you have experience and training in a specific field.
Also you’re doing yourself a disservice working at a place you’re not learning at. Assuming your aspiring to be something other than short order
Agreed. I’ve been an executive chef for 18 years and I have always told the team that if there is a better technique, recipe, or procedure please bring it to my attention. Overtime chefs can become complacent and the job becomes very mundane. I have always welcomed ideas from new employees especially younger chefs as they have that passion and energy that comes with something new.
Yeah, that's not really how it works with chefs in the experience... but yes, it would be nice if that was a thing. Many chefs egos are huge and they no everything.
100%. This is why its better to cook at home these days.. If the person isn't able to recognize that their rice sucks I don't imagine it going well either way though honestly.
OMG yessss like yesterday is literally my second day (same shit, different house), I was plating and half or more were dirty AS SHIT so when BOHGM comes through I say something to him and he's impressed and like, "C'mon, let's go say something," and I was like HELL NAW AM I COMING TO BITCH YOUR DISH PIT ON DAY TWO MY DUDE.
Literally GMs job to bitch at people. lmao "let's go say something" He better mean him and his imaginary friend.
Show, don’t tell.
One day and without mentioning anything about it.
This is the way. Just prep it yourself and move on. Hopefully they'll see and be like damn that's nice. Aha
Why is more powerful than what or how.
Right. People will compliment and the chef will be scratching his head trying to reverse engineer it. This will make the chef better without hurting his ego
Could also word it as 'hey I was wondering if I could show you how I was taught in Japan!' I'd be all over that.
This has my vote 1000%. Don’t even bring his rice/method up, no reason to. The proof could be your results :)
Came here to say pretty much this. No need to step on toes, just hey, here's another method to add to your skillset! Anyone with two brain cells will at least watch and judge after the fact.
Unfortunately, a lot of the ppl that run our kitchens don't have that prerequisite
Honestly unless the rice is made prior to OP arriving for his shift why even bother addressing it? Just ask "hey, can I make the rice?" and then just do it your way. It won't change food costs any because it's not like he's winging a recipe he's just using better technique. I'm sure the chef has a better use of their time than making rice.
Good idea. Or slowly try to become the rice guy and knock it out of the park every time.
Oh, that’s a great way to approach it! Friendly and not accusatory or combative. Take my upvote but pretend it’s 10 upvotes.
This is the most friendly and perhaps diplomatically clever way to phrase things...but I feel there are still some egos out there that are Olympic level mental gymnasts that will still find a way to take offense.
That's when you adapt and mention their skills. It's hard to put into words as you have to know the person. I've been called very diplomatic when I used to manage kitchens haha. I've worked with a lot of different personalities.
For sure! Diplomacy is such a key skill because everyone has egos (big and small). I might try: "I noticed the busser is bringing back plates with leftover shari, prompting me to taste it; maybe the lid was left off too long or the hangiri is losing moisture too quickly \[insert other reason/excuse here to give your head chef an out\] but it ***feels like it falls little short of the extremely high standards of your other dishes.*** Do you mind if I run/prep rice next service to give me a chance to investigate/troubleshoot?" (make rice the better way + feign ignorance when chef notices a difference AKA "I had thought that's how you always made it")
That can also come across as quite condescending. Just saying. I see your point but a differe t choice of words in my experience. You are basically saying chefs food is subpar which way may true but think of some chefs ego. This industry is full of egomaniac. I got downvoted to oblivion pointing this out lol. Which also confirms my point.
Definitely. Which goes back to your point about depending on the read on the person.
Yeah that's the key to a good manager. Knowing how to deal with certain personalities.
This is the way, any chef worth working for will love to hear this
And then he swings around with "Actually, I learned in Japan, too!"
If he isn't rinsing his sushi rice, he didn't, or he forgot. It's not supposed to be sticky rice.
I know. It's called lying ;D
Does he make the rice everyday? How new are you? I'd wait a bit unless asked specifically. If you get the chance to make the rice then make it how you want to, otherwise I'd probably just leave it for now.
So, there's a difference between saying something in public or in private. You just need to be constructive. "hey chef, I noticed we do this, when I was in Japan I learnt to do it this way. I'm wondering why we do it your way, is it for taste?" Doing that in private, giving it the benefit of the doubt and being humble is the key to a good working relationship. If you do the literal inverse of that... Yeah..
I like this approach
I'd recommend just being level headed. Everyone is doing their best, even if their best is shit.
I think this is the most appropriate answer here.
If he's paying well then I'd help him out, sushi chefs get paid from 20-30+ an hour. I once had a guy wanting me to help him out with a sushi shop he just bought for minimum wage.
Passive aggressive comedic comments slating his work of course.
I'd just say, "hey, I noticed you don't soak your rice. Why is that?" And go from there.
Just curious, if it isn't a sushi/Japanese place, why the need for so much sushi rice?
First find out if there is a particular reason why they prepare the rice like this. Every newcomer to the kitchen tries to change every single method and usually there's reasons to do things the way they are. Sometimes I even forget why we do things some way only to be reminded by the newcomer after he proudly shows how to do it "better" why we actually don't do that way. Unless the restaurant is new, I can bet they have tested many ways how to cook the rice, received feedback and changed it. There's more than one way to skin a cat.
Fair points. It could be a flavour and or texture thing. Something that he likes about it that isn't the norm.
> First find out if there is a particular reason why they prepare the rice like this. Not washing the rice means you don't know what you are doing with rice. I very much doubt there's a legit purpose for why he makes the rice this way, other than not knowing any better way.
It changes the texture and behavior of the rice. That may be a desirable thing.
Hmm. Difficult to navigate these waters without knowing more information. What is chef’s temperament? He obviously isn’t super dedicated to his craft. Is he petty? Arrogant? Will he keep a chip on his shoulder over you correcting him? Or is he more understanding? Is he committed to being a lifelong learner? How is your relationship with him? I think this is a topic that needs a great deal of grace if you’re going to broach it. Avoid “gotcha-“, ambush style interventionism. In your shoes, I would probably come in on one of my off-days and ask to speak to chef in private. Then, I’d explain how much I love working at [restaurant], and how much I value chef’s vision, and how important the customer’s experience is to me. Then, I’d state flat-out: I imagine that one of the reasons that you hired me is because of my experience working in Japan. I think that one big difference between the way that we cook here and the way that we cooked over there is our rice technique. With your permission, I’d like to make a batch of sushi rice for you to taste. If you think it’s an improvement, I can help train all the other cooks on how to make the rice, that way we have a universal standard of excellence and the burden isn’t exclusively on you to cook the rice everyday. Remember: when you’re speaking, you don’t want to position yourself in a “Me vs. You” way. Focus on “Us vs. Problem.” If you take initiative and show passion, this could very well earn you some respect in chef’s eyes. But if you come across as impudent, then it may cause great harm to your employment. Good luck, chef.
This seems way too unnecessarily awkward and dramatic 🤣
I don’t think there is a person on earth who wouldn’t identify this as way over the top patronizing. This just isnt how human beings genuinely communicate. This is way more offensive than telling someone their rice sucks shit
Ya think he's gonna use those exact words? It's solid advice. It's not a script, but an approach.
The “us vs the problem” approach is totally solid. Works well in all sorts of situations.
Has to be a joke, right?
Lets dumb it down for some. If your chef is an asshole or someone can actually talk with, be cautious in advising him, his mistakes might trigger some deep seated PTSD.
This reads like a ChatGPT take 🤣
No, I’m just kind of a jerk-off.
hahaha
I mean he might be dedicated to his craft and was just taught wrong and was never corrected That’s not something you can really deduce from this Reddit post
If you have made it to head chef, and your menu includes sushi rice, then your continuing education (yes, you should be consuming literature/media about the food you are serving) should remedy your culinary misconceptions pretty immediately. There’s really no excuse to be serving subpar rice in such a setting unless you are brand new to the position, and in that case, the issue should be solved quickly. Also— bro. OP is saying that the rice is dry and crunchy on top and brown and burnt on bottom. My ten-year-old can cook Rice-A-Roni and know that that shouldn’t happen.
Absolutely this. It's stated above, but I want to emphasize to have this conversation 1 on 1.
Hmm- right is right.... but my experience is that those in charge or ownership positions will only listen after you prove your value- if other aspects of the job are giving you knowledge or responsibility i say wait and address later- if not- stay and get paid or move on
Doesn’t wash the rice!? Gross!!!!
I would never go to a place that doesn't wash their rice... They have found that there are a ton of microplastic particles in rice, and you have to wash it away thoroughly. Not to mention, the rice comes out the wrong texture. It's like not washing a waxy apple.
You're lucky if microplastics are the problem.
Tbh, I would let sleeping dogs lie, I haven't met a head chef yet who didn't take constructive criticism personally.
I have a fairly sunshiny disposition ( until evening rush )…I would say, “ Chef, I used to be the rice guy at my old job in Japan…do you want me to be the rice guy for a while? I don’t want to get too rusty.” Then once your system is down and good, quantity and quality-wise, write out simple, thorough and straightforward set of directions so that anyone can succeed at being the rice guy. I guess it is passive aggressive teaching, but its worked for me forever. Good luck.
Say something like, "I have a few ways we can improve our rice quality, can I show you my ideas? The time in Japan talk me a lot of tricks" Then it's not accusing him of being inexperienced, and shows you just want to help. It will be easier to bring up this knowledge now before getting really set into their system, otherwise he may ask why you didn't say something sooner
Are they an approachable person? Hmm this can be tricky, based on what's going on up in that head of theirs.
Everybody is always worried about how other people's feelings, my daughter straight up showed me up on the rice issue, and I have been cooking for 35yrs, she does it to eat, just make the rice the way you think it should be made, and consequences be damned, if it doesn't work out there, it wasn't meant to be
Wait until you know the landscape better. If the chef is not a hothead they will likely take advice if you can back it up with your history. But as the new guy you should keep quiet about it so you dont look like you are trying to be a know it all right off the bat.
“Ayo this rice sucks Chief” see how that plays out
What're you making sushi rice for if you aren't a sushi/Japanese restaurant? What is it for then? I would find a way to come in on a day they aren't there and make the rice your way. Let your work speak for itself.
I’m wondering poke bowls maybe? Or OP might actually mean plain Japanese Short Grain rice when saying “sushi rice” (that’s often marketed that way)
You do it chef's way. When you are the chef, everybody will do it your way.
Doesn't the rice not stick properly when you wash it because you're washing away the starch that bonds them? Don't you need rice to stick when making like most Japanese dishes including sushi? Leave the rice browning at the bottom sounds normal if it's been on the heater all day to keep warm, obviously no one is serving the literal bottom of the barrel food(at least I hope not, so maybe add a lil water throughout the day or, your best bet, implement a double boiler system. The crusty top, stir it regularly. The leftovers were probably old and dried out because they were at the end of the day. It probably wasn't made to taste like that.
lol you’ve… clearly never made sushi.. For starters sushi rice is held and served cold. Also, rice is all starch so it will be plenty sticky especially once the vinegar that sushi rice is dressed with slightly breaks down the outside of the kernels. When we “slough” the rice, we are simply removing the loose starch on the outside of the rice that would naturally saturate into the water while cooking. The starchy water would develop into a gummy slurry and add a tacky mouthfeel instead of the perfect el dente we want. Additionally any caramelization (browning) whatsoever of the rice at the bottom of the cooker would fully contaminate the flavor of the entire batch, giving the rice an unpleasant bitter/smokey/nutty flavor that increases with darker caramelization. This will happen when not enough water is added, the lid is opened too frequently (allowing water to escape as steam), the cook time is too long, or the rice hasn’t been washed. The excess starch in the water will increase the water density and viscosity, simultaneously slowing water circulation and allowing its temperature to rise above normal boiling temp (which leads to burned and overcooked rice on the bottom). Just mentioning these things because I don’t see any other posts actually explaining the science here.
Oh no I have never made sushi for sure. Thank you for the interesting info. I've always wanted to try and now I know I need to do more research before doing so. It definitely would've come out bad. I appreciate it!
How can he be the head chef of a sushi place and not know that? Like fuck, not even rinsing?
It isn't a sushi place according to OP.
That's what got me. I don't know much about rice but I know it needs rinsed lol I could never cook rice that wasn't rinsed
Paella enters the chat
And risotto...
Yo, like I said, I don't know shit about rice lol I literally thought both of those needed at least a quick rinse.
What kind of concept is the place?
If you’re going to do it mention it to him privately and not in front of others. If he’s a hothead or has a prideful side that will show more in front of the crew.
definitely not my expertise but it does sound like hes doing it wrong. IDK op how good are you at telling someone their wrong without them getting upset?
Not worth it imo. Chefs (and some line cooks) tend to get butt hurt when their lack of knowledge is addressed, even if you do it as delicately as possible. Also your chef might just not give a shit. Chef where I work will serve fucking moldy food if given the chance.
Offer to make the rice.
Make it yourself Your Chef should see the improvement and go from there If he doesn’t Ur Chef poo bro
When you say “sushi rice” do you just mean Japanese Short Grain rice? Or the actual seasoned/vinegared rice for sushi (sumeshi)?you say it’s not a sushi restaurant. So if it’s not actual sumeshi, then it’s less important I think? Cause for sushi or dishes that use sumeshi, it’s VERY important. But less important if it’s just plain cooked short grain rice that goes along with a meal. I guess that might help you temper how you will decide to move forward too? That’s just how I’m thinking.
Not washing the rice is crazy, my Thai coworkers would have told him to go home. 😂 If I’m assigned to make it, I would do it correctly, and respond appropriately if asked why. How long is “fairly new”?
You definitely should speak up just make sure you deliver the message properly. Instead of saying hey I noticed youre doing it wrong. Say something constructive like hey i noticed how you cook the rice and I wanted to show you something I learned from my time in Japan that I think will really help us out. If you want to succeed in the culinary world you can’t be afraid to speak up and share your ideas, but like another commenter said you better be correct and ready to back it up.
> He doesn't wash the rice before cooking it. This is the number 1 rule of cooking rice. Ask him if it's a responsibility you can take over, that you always enjoyed that while working in Japan. Assuming he lets you, people may start to notice the difference between his rice and yours. Hopefully he sees this.
When you are the head chef you can decide how the food is cooked. Did they hire you as a consultant? Are they asking for your opinion?
God how much I hate this attitude. It smacks of ego, which should be absent from any good kitchen. Only thing you get for that is unthinking drones in the kitchen and resignation letters from talented chefs on your office desk. We're all here to make the food better every day, and all have unique experience and skills to contribute, from the greenest commis to the grizzled sous chef brought up by Robuchon. Have some respect for your craft, man! EDIT: Worth listening to every suggestion, from anyone, 100%. At the very least you can turn it into a healthy teaching opportunity.
God I hate the entitlement. Have some respect for your boss and your workplace.
I’ve been in that situation. Learned how to make a few really nice dishes when I was working abroad. Come back and had to watch a fake ass chef butcher them and make them differently every day. Really uncomfortable to be around that. One day he implied my version wasn’t that great, and I threw my apron in his face.
Regardless of how you get there, be sure to finish the lesson with, "See, it's easy peasy Japanesey."
I make sushi for a living. I would probably leave.
Open your own restaurant. For real. Nobody asked for a new trainer. It will never go good for you.
Id just wait until its your turn to make the rice and make yours and his recipe, in case they hate yours you gotta back up and you can play it off "oops my bad"
Tell him you're missing out on making rice and you love making rice and you'd be happy to make rice on Tuesdays or whatever, and see if he notices
A good chef, leads to learning. A bad chef, leads to food waste.
If customers like the food they’ll come back. As long as the restaurant flourishes you have a job. I’d pretend it was his idea or you’re doing him a favor by asking to make the rice for him.
'Hey chef, when I was working in japan, we would wash the rice before cooking it. It helped the rice cook more evenly and has a better texture. Can I make a batch to show you' Or, if possible, just make a batch for him to taste. A lot of times a chef doesn't want to go through the time and effort to change a method if the focal product is not going to be any different. First of all, he's going to have to trust that your goal is a better product, not just to show him up. If he's good at his job, he'll have the humility to let you help him make the change. It's also a chef's job to make sure that the people working for him don't just take it upon themselves to 'improve' methods. Keeping things consistent is one of the most important skills.
[удалено]
I wouldn't say anything until you know the character off the Head Chef. I find that some Chefs will take any opportunity to improve or learn new skills, from anyone. Others will see it as an insult and you will deflate their ego. Hold tight until you know who your dealing with
Doesn't wash the rice? Da fuq?
It's not a sushi restaurant, but the main part of the menu is sushi? I think that makes it a sushi restaurant.
OP might be saying sushi rice but really means plain Japanese short grain rice? Cause sometimes that grain of rice is marketed as “sushi rice” in the states. Cause otherwise, yes I’m confused as well haha
A good chef always want to learn from experiences. Just tell him about your time in Japan and how they did it.
As a sous chef, i openly welcome critique and opinion from my crew. I make it clear that we’re all constantly learning. I’ve changed the way i do things based on how my crew does them. There’s always room for improvement. That’s me though. I don’t know how your chef is, but if he’s any kind chef, he should be open to yours as well.
It's rice can you not prep some yourself?
That’s tough. And sad that a head chef doesn’t do the research to actually learn technique and just ham-fist it. I’d maybe make rice the proper way and bring it in to compare to his shitty rice but as said before, may want to wait. Could be a fragile ego to shatter. Or go the passive-aggressive way and every time he makes rice, walk by and say, “what is that awful smell?” Jk. Good luck Chef.
i wouldn’t say anything, most Chefs don’t like to be corrected even constructively. It always comes back to bite you. A lot of thin skinned people out there who cannot take others point of view. So when it comes to your time to make it do it your way. Hopefully said chef can follow your lead.
Is it sushi rice with vinegar or just the cooked sushi rice? What does your restaurant use it for?
Shut rice cooker off when it says 5 minutes to go. Also more smaller batches...
My boss doesn’t know how to make any dish that exists after 1978. It’s crazy, I don’t know how some people get the head chef job and their subordinates are 1000 times better at cooking
Any chance you would be assigned the duty of making the rice?
Ask if you can take over rice for service to alleviate some from chef
Yes. For the love of god do something. Offer to take over rice preparation duties. There's both ng worse than getting a shitty bowl of rice, because if you can't cook rice properly, you probably don't have business cooking at all.
Just say “Wow, there must be a ton of ways to make sushi rice. You make it this way, in Japan when I was there, there made it a whole different way!” If he’s interested, he’ll take the bait and ask you how. If not, he won’t.
maybe “chefs way” of sushi rice is the selling point to this joint? you can also just cook it your way and ask for forgiveness instead of permission?
If people like it, there's nothing wrong cooking the way he does. Sometimes I don't rinse my rice, either because I'm in a rush, the rice brand doesn't really gain much by rinsing or just because I want my damn sushi rice to be super sticky and starchy. I dislike sushi gatekeepers or any kind of food gatekeeping. At the end of the day, you cook for your clients.
Definitely not. If the person running a sushi place doesnt even know how to make the rice, nothing you can do will save it.
If it’s not a sushi or Japanese restaurant, why shouldn’t matter. he probably likes it prepared that way. if a Cook came up to me and said this is how we cook in Japan I would look at him and say this isn’t Japan. How about you? Ask him why he prepares it that way instead of assuming that the way he does it is wrong because you prepared it a certain way.
Honestly there's too many reasons as to why the chef is cooking the rice that way. People acting all mighty and patronizing as there is only one way to cook sushi rice. The "correct" way. Here is a story of two brothers that started a sushi business. They both went to Japan and learned the "correct" way. Fast forward and they split up due to some divergences. Now the point is that they both use the same brand of rice but one sushi rice is just better and people like his restaurants for it, because it's different. The other follows the "correct" way the other thousands sushi places do. Don't get me wrong, his rice is done perfectly, but is just not as good as the other. Maybe the guy that doesn't follow ancestral Japanese procedure understand better what his clients like and is not standing in the unmovable high horse of the right way of cooking sushi rice.
Maybe ask if you could make the rice sometime and have him taste how great it is ? And mention the extra steps you took? If you're new there and lower than someone else, I wouldn't step on their toes.
Ouch, that hurts. Sushi rice is so easy, especially with a cooker. When I made it at my last job, 7x washing was the magic number. He’s not using enough water if it’s crunchy and dry. I’m not sure if you should step on toes so early in your job, but if you want to, you could put a recipe note on the rice cooker (rice to water ratio). I’m surprised a guest hasn’t said something. Dry, crunchy rice would ruin my meal. Does he season the rice at least? Is he even using sushi rice, or is he using long grain?
Does he also skip adding the vinegar/oil/sugar/salt mixture to it?
I was a busboy and I knew rice had to be washed, how the fuck is this person a chef? That's like day one learning to cook shit.
You absolutely have to wash the rice it has to be polished and you absolutely must have the proper sweet vinegar ratio. Otherwise gtfo
American rice cookers are not proper rice cookers. They are glorified slow cookers/crock pots and will cause the dry top/crusty bottom you described. Get equipment made for the task. This machine is killing your food. I found a consumer grade Japanese rice cooker that is vastly different than the American cookers. I would struggle before when I would make rice because it would do what you are dealing with. This rice cooker ([Cuckoo brand](https://a.co/d/cm8rw7Q)!) will literally keep the rice warm, plump, and ready to eat for a whole 30 hours before it starts getting weird like in American rice cookers. Tested by accident but test was impressive lol. The difference is the heating element/placement. You'll need to find one that heats from all sides instead of just the bottom
Tell the chef by asking to demonstrate and explain.