xochi74

Today the staff had a meeting with chef and the GM. We discussed in detail our issues with Rob; our attempts to correct the situation before escalating to management, his behavior and food safety concerns. In all 7 people spoke up. One by one we told our tales of frustration. Rob was fired today. In a way I feel sorry for the kid. He had a golden opportunity to learn a trade for free, but chose to take the low road. He's 18 and is going to be a father in 6 months. Were I in his shoes I would bust my butt and take the advice as given. Now he's jobless in a very difficult market. Due to his own stupidity. It's his fault we tried to help him. At least we can get back to making food that we trust.

Do you know the type? Arrogant, dumb, incompetent, disorganized, a ass kisser, who shifts blame? I work as a cook. I work with an 18 year old kid who cannot take any criticism what so ever. His sanitation skills make me think that eating out of a cat box would be more healthy than serving the food he cooks. He has managed to anger nearly everyone I work with due to his lack of preparation, inability to prioritize, and his constant blame of other people. Nobody wants to work with him. Due to his sanitation issues alone I cannot recommend this establishment to my friends. My boss confronted him on how he handles food, he blamed the person who trained him (false) he blamed me for not supervising his work (when there was constructive criticism offered he throws insults). He found out I am gay and makes anti gay comments. Tonight after arriving to work and having 200 guests, his food was not ready, his station was a mess, he ran around like a chicken with his head cut off. I am embarrassed for our restaurant in Saint Paul, this kid completley screwed up a fundraiser for the Republican party by saying he did a great job and we were just trying to make him look bad. He stinks. His "work" cost us 5,000 dollars tonight as we essentially had to comp the entire event due to his errors. To put it simply I have never worked with a more frustrating individual than "Rob". We have tried to show him the way, yet he ignores the rules and does it his way and shifts blame on others. Tonight as he was preparing a simple waldorf salad with creme fraiche mixed with white truffle oil, sliced grapes, micro mint, honey, and walnuts he decided to peel the lables off the apples with his teeth! When confronted, he lied. And threw a tantrum saying that myself and the other cook who were doing the prep were just trying to make him look bad. We had to throw out the entire prep for 200 people, for that reason as he handled that portion of the dinner. Which in turn slowed work on other must do work. This kid thinks he is the boss. He tells the dishwasher what to do (a guy who has worked there for 8 years). He kisses butt big time, but many staff members are seeing his true colors. He seems personable at first, but lurking deep down is a spoiled child with no skill, and dangerous habits regarding food. What can I say? He's young. He is about to become a father. Is homophobic, immature, rude, arrogant, and not very smart. Yet he is the first to put others down. We all want him gone, yet the chef is blind to all this. He thinks it can be worked out as we train him. We think he is untrainable, and given his sanitation issues alone fear that we will be closed down if he gets somebody sick. The restaurant itself is very well known. Yet in the six weeks we have had this kid here he has tried the patience of many. We are going to have a meeting with the chef regarding this issue. He is making what was a great work environment into one we dread. I have worked at this place for 1.5 years and been in the restaurant business for 14 years. I have never dealt with such a person, were I the boss he would have been gone after the first day of work. How he got promoted from a dishwasher (a bad one) is a mystery to many of us. What do you do when your boss thinks the kid just needs time, yet the people who have to endure him want to strip off their clothes and run screaming into the cold Minnesota night and jump into the Mississippi river at the mere thought of cohabiting a workspace with this miscreant?

I thought Michelle Gayer was working there, the quality should be superb, she was Charlie Trotter's Pastry Chef for years. Her desserts are usually stulitifying

Grant Achatz was sick at the same time I was. His own stories of Illness and tenacity, and focus on work really struck a chord in me. If he can do it. I can do it. I tip my hat to you chef!

I admire his tenacity While he became Ill with Cancer, I as a Culinary Student just prior to graduation fell ill With AIDS, Cancer (Oral), Pneumonia, A burst Appendix, and a spinal infection. It seemed as if his tenacity infected me as well. I remember days in which I could not walk a block, climb a flight of stairs, could not eat anything, I went from 220# down to 135 yet one of my fellow Culinary student/neighbors, kept insisting on cooking, he knew it put me in a positive space, and he kept going deer hunting, and showing up with Venison, in need of butchering. I remeber carving that beautiful meat, and crying as with each slice in my mind I was Killing AIDS and Cancer, I just kept going, and MAtt just kept me busy. Somehow when I cook I forget all about the outside world and become one with my projects, that's the beauty of repetitive work, you mind has time to wander, whilst you work. The trouble was I could not work, just study, be stuck on a meager disability, and read. So I volunteered, just to keep active, being busy was important to me. I can't fathom not cooking. During the 1.5 years I went through all of that, I had to write a Thesis, I had an upcoming job working with a former employee of Grant's, knowing full well the challenge ahead of me as the Hotel finished, I chose "Molecular Gastronomy" I came across Grant's work, Writings by Herv'e This, Chef Adria's work. I became obsessed, I bought calcic and began making my own spherical food to test my thesis. I also Landed a position at a Luxury Hotel here in Minneapolis Helmed by an Alumni of Alinea, Josh Habiger as our Chef de Cuisine. I felt back on my game and challenged by the opportunity to work in an mg kitchen, I doubled my efforts to heal and get an A on that paper; I had three months to absorb before I started that job. Doing a google search I was struck by Chef Achatz's own crisis, still in the midst of my own and wanting nothing more than to work and keep improving my skills. Chef Grant you are my hero, you made it through hell and kept going, as did I. When I finally graduated from college one of my Chef's took time to publicly acknowledge my own tenacity: refusing to quit, being more concerned with Trig, and Culinary Lab work and my Thesis, my experiments to prove the paper and test my own ideas. Simply put I was put on this earth to be a chef, and nothing, I mean NOTHING will keep me from being in a kitchen. Except if the kitchen insists on playing Jim Neighbors songs Thanks Chef Grant for your offering to the culinary world, and for never quitting! Tim Bates

Our shifts go from noon-1 am. 5 days a week. The kitchen never closes. I am a VA Patient. It seems that all they do is issue me pills. Talking new ideas is a challenge. I am doing Yoga. I also requested a reduction of hours. Time and a half is good, but healing comes first.

HIV dies as soon as it exits the body. According to HACCP regs it is perfectly safe. I would never have spent thousands of dollars if it were not. It was bad luck on my part to become ill in the middle of college after my core cooking classes were done. Just English, Spanish, a research paper, and an internship. I was so sick on some days that I could not climb a flight of stairs. Yet you bring up food and I lit up. Why is it that the subject that puts me in my best place and opens me up to new ideas, is my greatest physical challenge? Life is funny. Healthwise I am at a crossroads. Healing but not fast enough. Everyday I go to work, I am more efficient. I make sure this place runs more smoothly every day. I back up the cooks. prep two days ahead, prep all catering. Somehow I am finding my knife skills. (Just got a sweet Masahiro) My main point is this: we are the masters of our own realities. 3 years ago I was a terror in the kitchen. I could hold my own. I had fire in my belly, and being an ex-soldier, I am no stranger to battle. Being sick was the greatest battle ever. I am winning, yet exhausted, tenacious, yet cautious. I am the Phoenix, rising from the ashes, just opening it's eyes. I have some sweet Japanese knives. We all have our challenges. Those of us who have suffered, and risen up. We are the strongest people.

Solera is not too bad: 29 bucks several courses. Get the migas a calamari, and breqad salad in all it's garlicky glory! Alma 40.00 tasting menu. Always excellent. The Dakota Jazz lounge offers live music and reasonable rates. Fogo de Chao offers a 22.50 lunch special that will satisfy the meat lover. Vincent is great for a burger stuffed with spare ribs, and gruyer, and carmelized mushrooms. 112- awesome little plates. There is a little Vietnamese restaurant called Pho Quan. The building is rather nondescript. Old chairs and tables. But a little wide eyed girl, helping her Mom will bring you the biggest bowl of Pho you ever have seen for 3.50 this place is a gem if you want to get worldy. They put there hearts in their food. In my opinion this place should be on the level of the Slanted Door in San Francisco. Visit them. I have eaten their food since the early 90's. Saffron is a Mediteranean restaurant, and they might help you with Mezze. Al's Breakfast is legendary, eat and tell us your experience. Panch Villa Restaurant for Mexican Food, cheap and very authentic. Enjoy your time here. the City should begin heating up again by then.

I am a recently graduated culinary student. I have been ill for 14 months with AIDS, Cancer, Pneumonia, and when things were looking good, Appendicitis. It has been an uphill battle. Yet I drove on, I had to. I must be a chef dammit! I never gave up on graduation. I had to just finish my general education courses, and focus on healing. Upon graduation a new restaurant hotel in my city hired me. The place is full of alumni from Alinea, the French Laundry, Craft (NYC) and numerous top haunts in the five state region. I am honored to be included in this cast of 30 out of 600 applicants. Prior to my illness I worked for a local French Restaurant, and did a great job holding my own. Post Illness: I realized that the simplest tasks: making perfect brunoise took me forever, that I move like a snail, that I am taking a mélange of supplement/medications, to get back in the fold. Health wise I am 75% percent there; having been out of practice, my basics require a review. I pulled out the books, started studying ahead. I took it upon myself to write my boss a letter, detailing my own concerns. He cried. I had reminded him of a friend of his who had passed on. I was touched, and at once he had my loyalty. This guy is a genius. I am learning so much in regards to MG techniques. He told me he was going to treat me like everyone else. Sink or swim. So be it. I believe in Meritocracy. With all the chaos of opening a new restaurant, we are daily making huge improvements. I come to work knives sharp. A bain marie full of spoons, fish spats, et al, a mélange of pans. My prep list pre formatted, all I have to do is set up, and focus. I roast my bones. I make diamond shaped brunoise, or they morph into paysanne. I do it slow it comes together. WTF? I square the damn thing off. Got rid of the imperfect angled Japanese Slicer I was using, and finally just did it with my French knife. I found a technique that works. Do what Julia Child did. I watched film of her, and it hit me. I am wondering if there are other chefs out there who dealt with illness, bounced back only to realize that in a restaurant they are slow. That they had to rebuild skill sets, that it took a little longer to do little things? I know you are out there, I worked for an HIV Positive chef, and he inspired me to cook. He’s never been sick though. I nearly died on 3 separate occasions. Cooking is pure Zen for me. It got me through the roughest of times. I remember one day carving up some venison that my neighbor gave me, and as sick as I was I cut and sliced, and cried. I used my studies, my passion; my life’s calling to get healthier. I struggled, I used a chair, I always made my own pasta from scratch, I can make any sauce, but my knife skills just are not perfect. So I am striving for perfection. I will do whatever it takes to get healthier. I will cut vegetables for 3 hours a day. It doesn't matter. If I get fired; fine. But they can't take away my passion. I earned this degree. All said and done I get nervous I am putting myself under pressure to succeed; I am walking on eggshells. My boss is great the Sous’ are tough as nails and smart as hell. I realize having been sick is one thing. Having total passion for my career is another. I know what I am made of. Perhaps I need to just keep practicing. I will never give up. I will just keep striving to get better. My strength is returning. I tip my glass to any person who struggled through harsh circumstances only to bounce back and the best in their respective kitchens. I believe in mind over matter. I may not be fast but I am determined! What are some ways that others have dealt with issues of stamina while cooking? Has anyone been in a similar situation and how did your boss accommodate your health limitations? I am humbled and focused, knives at the ready. [Host note: This topic has been edited for clarity with the permission of the author ~Gfron1]