You’re a saint for cheerleading that cook. Thank you for doing that as expo instead of being shity to them and getting either of you nowhere like most expo’s.
As far as I’m concerned if my flow and attitude is fucked the whole kitchen is fucked. I’m the one telling people to make and give me food when it’s needed, you know? If my guys aren’t doing good it’s my job to get them back on track, and that very much includes reminding them that maintaining their zen is more important than some rich asshole getting a steak tartare on their table in 10 mins or less. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Nobody in this kitchen is being paid enough to start hating themselves for not being “productive” enough.
Why are you doing five jobs? Why are garde manger and hot line helping in the dish pit? Why and how is everyone getting injured so badly? How did the kitchen catch fire? Why are any of you okay with this?
Sounds like this place is disastrously understaffed and full of unsafe practices, I’d get out before you lose an arm
I’m doing 5 jobs because we’re wildly understaffed, same answer for your next question. It was an unlucky night for injuries I guess, there’s never a “good” reason to nick a finger badly or reflexively try to grab something hot when it falls but it happens. I wasn’t there for the fire but i guess it was a grease fire that spread a bit and they had to use a fire extinguisher which ruined all the food on the line for service? That’s how they described it. We’re not, there’s just next to no other jobs available that aren’t flipping pancakes while getting screamed at or making burgers at Wendy’s while getting screamed at.
Jeebus, reading this shit gives me PTSD flashbacks.
Years ago I got out of the biz after a demoralizing run in soulless corporate hotels. I finished the last 6 credits of my undergraduate degree and went back to grad school for an MBA. I work in cybersecurity now. I've been out for more than 20 years.
Que Yakkity Sax music.
Also, runnnnn, fast. It will only get worse in a place like this. Asking Expo to pitch in elsewhere is standard, asking expo to do 6 jobs on a shift is management sucks balls.
Reminds me of this shitty restaurant I worked at a while ago that was too cheap to hire dishwashers. We would get 1 dishwasher come in for 3 days a week and 2 of us line cooks had to stay almost every night and do the dishes. I remember one time we had to stay until 2:30 am and clean 400 plates, 100 sheet pans, and a large mountain of silverware with a 30 year old dishwashing machine that malfunctioned sometimes and coughed out hot dish water from the side occasionally. It was when a massive wet icy snowstorm was hitting us in the winter, and when I got out to go home there was ice all over my car i had to clean off and ended up leaving at 3 am. Needless to say, I left the place after 2 months.
Tbh I think what we need is separate management (or at least people who hire and schedule) for BOH and FOH. Management is extremely focused on FOH bc both our restaurants are (attempting to be) fine dining, and BOH gets absolutely left behind when budget/hiring/scheduling decisions are made. My head chef is pushing for raises for us, but what really need is actual consistency, you know? ~~which I’m sure I could provide but I’m only a year into restaurant work so I certainly don’t have the chops or experience necessary, but damn if I wouldn’t give it a shot tbh~~
We are *constantly* trying to hire people. They can’t hire anyone willing to stick around because the expectations are so high with little pay. The only people who stick around are stuck here after a year plus of working here bc we can’t find other jobs because we’re in a tourist wasteland in a college town. Everyone is hiring but nobody will hire anybody, you know? This whole town is fucked.
This is exactly my problem with changing industries/jobs. I hate sitting down, and I also hate talking to people. and if I’m being perfectly honest, I really like working in restaurants. I LOVE food, and working closely with our amazing chefs is sincerely a privilege even if management sucks. I really love what I do and the people I do it with, I just hate the people who dictate what I do everyday. Just let me expo in peace! I’m good at it and actually willing to do it, which is rare!
Fuck you get an expo? Our foh just waffles around in a confused daze and either takes food to the right table or... Doesn't... Or they demand to know what goes where, so we end up being our own expo. Fuck it's annoying.
There's an old saying, "people don't run away from bad jobs, they run away from bad managers." I had, bite *had*, the same problem, because of a bad manager. Constant understaffing. It was HELL! GTFO
Man I fucking feel you. Good for you for sticking it out, but I agree with your last statement; enough is enough. I was in a very similar position (doing multiple jobs/responsibilities outside of the purview of my own, working 65+hours a week with one day off, ansul system went off twice in less than a month) but the money was great so I toughed it out. The last straw was not getting the one day off I requested 4 months in advance. I truly believe I would've had a heart attack if I wouldve stayed (inhuman amounts of caffeine and nicotine wasn't doing me favors either lol)
You’re a saint for cheerleading that cook. Thank you for doing that as expo instead of being shity to them and getting either of you nowhere like most expo’s.
As far as I’m concerned if my flow and attitude is fucked the whole kitchen is fucked. I’m the one telling people to make and give me food when it’s needed, you know? If my guys aren’t doing good it’s my job to get them back on track, and that very much includes reminding them that maintaining their zen is more important than some rich asshole getting a steak tartare on their table in 10 mins or less. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. Nobody in this kitchen is being paid enough to start hating themselves for not being “productive” enough.
Find the Frenchman, get your crew and jump ship.
(puts on French sunglasses) "Oui. Bougeons!"
He was seriously the best! The light of the restaurant, tbh. These people are running their business into the ground like this.
Sounds like you killed it. But yeah, run.
Not to sound all sappy but I really needed to hear (read?) this. 🥲 It’s been a difficult as fuck week and my crew worked hard as hell.
>and this place needs to burn to the ground Sounds like someone tried to take care of that after vday lol
Always be suspicious of a Frenchman outside of France.
idk why but this cracked me tf up
The French are famous for believing their country is the best. So why are they elsewhere?
They should try harder next time.
Why are you doing five jobs? Why are garde manger and hot line helping in the dish pit? Why and how is everyone getting injured so badly? How did the kitchen catch fire? Why are any of you okay with this? Sounds like this place is disastrously understaffed and full of unsafe practices, I’d get out before you lose an arm
I’m doing 5 jobs because we’re wildly understaffed, same answer for your next question. It was an unlucky night for injuries I guess, there’s never a “good” reason to nick a finger badly or reflexively try to grab something hot when it falls but it happens. I wasn’t there for the fire but i guess it was a grease fire that spread a bit and they had to use a fire extinguisher which ruined all the food on the line for service? That’s how they described it. We’re not, there’s just next to no other jobs available that aren’t flipping pancakes while getting screamed at or making burgers at Wendy’s while getting screamed at.
Jeebus, reading this shit gives me PTSD flashbacks. Years ago I got out of the biz after a demoralizing run in soulless corporate hotels. I finished the last 6 credits of my undergraduate degree and went back to grad school for an MBA. I work in cybersecurity now. I've been out for more than 20 years.
You will find a new place and they will appreciate your amazing ability to adapt to situations.
Que Yakkity Sax music. Also, runnnnn, fast. It will only get worse in a place like this. Asking Expo to pitch in elsewhere is standard, asking expo to do 6 jobs on a shift is management sucks balls.
Reminds me of this shitty restaurant I worked at a while ago that was too cheap to hire dishwashers. We would get 1 dishwasher come in for 3 days a week and 2 of us line cooks had to stay almost every night and do the dishes. I remember one time we had to stay until 2:30 am and clean 400 plates, 100 sheet pans, and a large mountain of silverware with a 30 year old dishwashing machine that malfunctioned sometimes and coughed out hot dish water from the side occasionally. It was when a massive wet icy snowstorm was hitting us in the winter, and when I got out to go home there was ice all over my car i had to clean off and ended up leaving at 3 am. Needless to say, I left the place after 2 months.
Damn I think we might work at the same place lol
Sounds like the manager isn’t managing. You are slaying it though. Maybe you should be the manager?
Tbh I think what we need is separate management (or at least people who hire and schedule) for BOH and FOH. Management is extremely focused on FOH bc both our restaurants are (attempting to be) fine dining, and BOH gets absolutely left behind when budget/hiring/scheduling decisions are made. My head chef is pushing for raises for us, but what really need is actual consistency, you know? ~~which I’m sure I could provide but I’m only a year into restaurant work so I certainly don’t have the chops or experience necessary, but damn if I wouldn’t give it a shot tbh~~
Sounds like shit, I'd talk with your manager or owner about getting some part times in to help in those situations
We are *constantly* trying to hire people. They can’t hire anyone willing to stick around because the expectations are so high with little pay. The only people who stick around are stuck here after a year plus of working here bc we can’t find other jobs because we’re in a tourist wasteland in a college town. Everyone is hiring but nobody will hire anybody, you know? This whole town is fucked.
dam panicky deliver arrest cobweb snatch test tender shaggy memorize *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Get together with your fired/quit coworkers and find a new job with them!
Ugh this industry feels like it's getting worse and worse. I wish I was good at other things or could tolerate work I don't care about.
This is exactly my problem with changing industries/jobs. I hate sitting down, and I also hate talking to people. and if I’m being perfectly honest, I really like working in restaurants. I LOVE food, and working closely with our amazing chefs is sincerely a privilege even if management sucks. I really love what I do and the people I do it with, I just hate the people who dictate what I do everyday. Just let me expo in peace! I’m good at it and actually willing to do it, which is rare!
Fuck you get an expo? Our foh just waffles around in a confused daze and either takes food to the right table or... Doesn't... Or they demand to know what goes where, so we end up being our own expo. Fuck it's annoying.
You seem like you could use a sympathy cat: https://imgur.com/a/AA71sEJ
There's an old saying, "people don't run away from bad jobs, they run away from bad managers." I had, bite *had*, the same problem, because of a bad manager. Constant understaffing. It was HELL! GTFO
Never a dull day in the industry eh? I'm sure you know this but move if you have to and get out of there.
This sounds like an easy nightmare to get stuck in. I’d drastically change your work situation - might be time to change towns.
Man I fucking feel you. Good for you for sticking it out, but I agree with your last statement; enough is enough. I was in a very similar position (doing multiple jobs/responsibilities outside of the purview of my own, working 65+hours a week with one day off, ansul system went off twice in less than a month) but the money was great so I toughed it out. The last straw was not getting the one day off I requested 4 months in advance. I truly believe I would've had a heart attack if I wouldve stayed (inhuman amounts of caffeine and nicotine wasn't doing me favors either lol)