MattyC

Alright, since some people seem to think how I spoke was a little..... harsh? Let me clarify. First off, i'm pretty blunt - i'm a nice guy, but I don't usually put a filter on what I say, so if you think i'm making a 'personal attack' on you or something else, I can get you a warm glass of milk and hold your hand until it's all better. My argument is based solely on that PARTICULAR hotel that I worked at - I can't speak for many others, I can't speak for restaurants that do that (unless it's for large parties). For that place, I believe it worked. Like I mentioned before, in no way, shape, or form, is automatically adding 18% the best idea. So for those that think i'm all about it and get all huffy, ease off. But when servers - who at this particular hotel, were also doing the dishes in between room service orders, who were also prepping their own sides, condiments, etc (not just stocking - actually doing really work such as chopping, cutting, etc), who would walk away a the end of the night, like I said, with 10$ take home - and not like Edward said being 10/hr - an actually 10$ take home at the end of their entire shift - yes, I think 18% is deserved, and should be tacked on there. And if anyone was wondering, no, this was actually a decent hotel, not some little crapfest of a place. Some hotels, whether they are good or bad, utilize staff differently than most restaurants. When you dine out, yes, the server has very little to do with your entire experience, it's true, and the amount of money they make is sickening for the amount of work they do. But where I had worked at that time, and other hotels as well, may have smaller staff, and may have staff working multiply departments and job requirements, so I do feel that IF a place is going to tack on that auto grat, then a Hotel is probably going to be a place where it would actually make some sense, because they very well could be responsible for more than just bringing you your food on the elevator - so in that regard, I do agree with it if reasons leading up to that including guests thinking they could just skip out on tipping. Because for someone who did a good amount for your service to get stiffed, doesn't sit right with me, for whatever reason. At a restaurant and for smaller parties, no, I don't agree with it at all. Which I think is where my argument and others are clashing - I wasn't talking about in normal restaurants.

Bah breaks my heart when you have a great special you really want to do, but you know inside that 85% of your customer base just wont order it, for whatever reason. Still, those few that do order it and like you, you want to go give them a hug lol Have fun with the marrow :-p

I just can't take that show seriously anymore. A good friend who is a fellow chef is friends with one of the casting people, and decided about 2 years ago he wanted to give it a shot, so her asked the person working with the casting for the show what he needed to do. Basically they don't give a rats ass if you can cook or not. The only thing they care about is attitude. If you are full of yourself and cocky as hell, they will love you with little regardless to your skills, and that is what they are looking for - explained the casting friend. So turned off, my chef friend said 'screw it'.

Yeah, i'm sure someone would rather have cash. I still say, just give them higher pay. It's that simple. It's been pretty much unanimous that 8 is REALLY low, especially if the pizza is a focal point of your business - regardless of that fact, most dishwashers don't even get that low. I wouldn't bother trying to get them tips, because back of the house shouldn't and working in the back, in most cases, just doesn't get tips. It's just strange and dumb. And will also probably piss off FoH now as well.

Where I work we did a roasted marrow hot app just the other week, actually. Partial roast then a flash works fine, although we tend to keep our oven a little higher than 375. Even then, as long as you aren't working straight from raw when you get the orders fired, it shouldn't take all that long.

I tried again to give it a shot this season, but just ended up being bored with it like I was last season. I think the only times I watched it were the first two episodes, then the two with Jody Adams, because her place is right down the road from where I work, and she is a friend of my boss, so I felt I had to show some pride. Other than that though, while it's not bad, I still can't find the motivation to keep enjoying this season.

I don't think i've ever worked in a place where the kitchen staff gets a cut of the tips. To me, that's just outlandish. BoH get's paid crap for long hours in a small hot room, and FoH gets to deal with the asshats known as the general public, and tend to take home after 2 shifts what the cooks take home in a week - that's just how it is. The 8 bucks per hour does seem pretty low though. I wont lie, even by kitchen standards, that's low. I mean hell, i worked at a bar like 10 years ago on fry station and still took home more than that. And that was in Maine. Maine doesn't pay shit. That aside, has this person ever worked in a kitchen before? Doesn't sound like it. FoH pulling in more money is just a fact of life - although just as a side note, maybe if FoH is able to pull in that much, business is decent enough to squeeze in just a tad for more for kitchen? Wouldn't be such a bad idea, if possible.

To me it should just follow common sense rules like everything else: Just be respectful of others dining around you. As a diner, I don't mind at all that people are taking pictures of food - if it looks good, go for it - as long as I don't have flashes annoying the hell out of me all the time. But like David said, direct flash isn't exactly flattering of food anything, so the times I have seen people doing it, most rely on natural light and you barely notice them. I take pictures myself sometimes as well, and as long as i've been quick and don't bother people with a flash, I don't think anyone minds, or in most cases even notices. From the back of the house point of view, again following the same rules, it doesn't bother me as long as they aren't bothering the other diners. It's nice to know they like how the food i'm putting out looks, and if nobody is being bothered by it, who cares?

Without getting too political or into a whole lot of detail, from my point of view (actually working at a hotel right now), I think the 18%, for now, is a good idea - people who tend to argue with it or don't like it IMO, chances are, don't tip shit, or at all in most cases. The hotel I currently work at only started doing this about a year ago, due to the fact 85% of people just flat out wouldn't tip at all. Something about staying at a hotel somehow entitles people to thinking that being served is now a free service, and when you see room service and breakfast servers bust ass for a 10$ take home, it doesn't rub you the right way. We can argue all day and night about *if* they were paid a better flat rate, or *if* there were systems in place like across the pond - but honestly, nothing would change in the near future, and right now, most hotels need an included rate so that their dick customers, or people from out of country who just don't understand the tipping system here, don't screw over the server. Do I think this is the best answer? No, I don't. But for now, I really don't feel bad for people who bitch about it.

Glad Wylie, Graham, and Moonen are back, but I do agree though that the list just doesn't seem as 'star-studded' as the first season. Only one episode in, but still just doesn't really grab me - i'm really trying to give it another shot. It's ok if there isn't anything else on, but it's just not an exciting watch. I'm pretty sure i'll watch and follow along, only because there are a hand full of chefs I am interested in watching and rooting for, but overall, I think again, my attitude towards it is 'meh'.

CONGRATULATIONS! Thanks :-p I figured since i've done it plenty of times, and just had to go through it myself, I may as well chime in.

My trailing before a new job has almost always been either basic knife skills, or as it usually is, just being tossed onto the line - it's been a while since i've trailed and actually just had to cook a certain dish. While to me that one is a little harder, I tend to like that one a little bit more, always seems more fun - plus when they do that, it's also a test of how you handle the line, deal with the people working it, etc. I actually just did this last week, applied for a new job down in Boston, trailed, and got stuck with bitch work and basic herb chopping, then got tossed onto the line for the rest of the night on a pretty busy night, so it was an entire shift worth of testing. Ended up nailing the job though, so worked out well.

Been so excited about the show, but unfortunately it just had to air right after I moved and don't have cable, so I have to hear about it from friends lol Great work though from the looks of it, I watch what clips I can, seems like such a great show. Congrats with everything Chef.

I do look young for my age, I'll admit that, and I do have certain items on myself that could be viewed as 'unprofessional', but I'm usually pretty conscious of hiding anything that would alarm any potential employers. I have tattoos on my arms, but I always wear long sleeve at any meetings I have with people, and I have had a mohawk in times past, but have always made sure to keep that hidden with a hat. The people I use for references all say I come across as 'well-mannered', and haven't had a problem with them, often times I was hired after the first interview. It's just for whatever reason, lately I do get odd looks after they meet me. Maybe it's just because they are doubtful I really do have the skills and experience I actually do have at my age? I'm just not sure. And yes, this is just one thing in a series of events and honestly might just boil down to me looking younger than I do. But that still, at least to me, shouldn't matter. If someone is qualified, that should be it, end of story. Maybe that way of thinking is wrong, I don't know.

Sounds like a great idea, I wish you the best of luck with this, I really like the modernized family style idea you have going there. I don't have much in the way of suggestions only because your examples show you definitely are on the right track :-p As much as I like jazzing up classics, I do think things like a whole roasted chicken is something you might possibly leave alone, if you were to do something like that. I think some classics are done so horribly most of the time, one done simply yet perfectly is almost better. I'm not sure of your operation, but for lunch, what about baking the sandwich breads in house? That's always a good touch, although if you have a small staff, not a great option. But house baking brioche for french toast on the breakfast side, marble rye and other breads for lunches, etc. That will give you options of jazzing up different breads as well to fit certain sandwiches.

Obviously there is that too, which in my book is just as bad. Just be honest. I've been shot down before for things people may not like or agree with, and i'm ok with that: not everyone likes everything, not everyone can agree with everything, and anyone can screw up, etc. It's just lately, like i've said, that seems to be the scapegoat that people are using. I don't think that particular reasoning really was valid with the example I gave though, being asked to basically use my ideas to help the other guy that was picked, and that just seemed wrong to me. If you want me, just hire me. Maybe i'm the only one who seems to have this happen to. I guess i'm just frustrated. I don't feel like I should have to take easier jobs just because of my age - i can't get better being shoved into something like a 9 dollar an hour garde mange spot when i've had positions paying double that running the whole kitchen, just because of a number.

I do agree that a young age can be blinding. Pure passion and nothing else can indeed be very blinding. You know, it's like life, you need to fall down to see how to get up again. And I do admit, I have had those moments. Sometimes in the past I have had that 'I'm young so of course I know everything attitude', although these days I like to think I have at least grown out of that a bit. I've most certainly had my share of mistakes and failed places, and honestly there were a few jobs that I took solely to be there when it failed, to see why they did, and to see what could be done next time to fix it. I don't think that I know more than most people anymore. At one point, sure, I was cocky as all holy hell, but i've had my share of downs, and I think because of those i do view things different than a standard chef in his 20's. It's just hard to get people to see that, and maybe i'm just expecting too much for a young age, but I also feel like if I keep having to take things that are back down the skill tree, it will keep setting me back. I'm not above that, but there is just a skill (and pay) line that I shouldn't feel like I have to sink below again just because im young.

So, many times in my career i've had to deal with the whole age discrimination thing. Maine seems to be so ass backwards sometimes it is painful when it comes to that, at least with my personal experiences. Regardless of that, i've still managed to get a good amount of experience under my belt. I've helped open restaurants from the ground up, i've worked all across the board from pub food to fine dining, and I haven't had a job that wasn't a titled position in at least 5 year, ranging from head cook, to sous, to chef de cuisine, and anything in between. I've done things like worked with local and organic, helping out at farmers markets, to using a lot of modern techniques. I've worked food events, charity dinners, wine tastings..... basically i've busted my ass 80 hours a week my whole working life to get a leg up wherever possible, to become as well rounded and experience as I can be. And with all of that, along with great references, lately that glaring number next to my name just seems to be that kicker why I can't find anything decent. I'm 27. I do realize that is still young in this industry, but it's getting to that point where personally I feel like im old enough, and easily have the skills, to be past that. But lately every job offer is either i'm very much over qualified and they won't give it to me (or it pays something obscene like 9 bucks an hour), or I would be great for a position, they just don't feel i'm old enough despite my experiences. One good example is a job I just spent over a month attempting to get. It was to open a new restaurant two investors are dropping down about a mil on. An ambitious project, and but since I do have experience with opening a place, I of course applied. I got a call in to come talk to them pretty much right off the bat. One of the owners talked it over with me, and basically it would be a great project. They bring you in, they had no set ideas as to what the food should be, so it would be completely your show. So they gave everyone who had actually gotten a call in homework assignment, to do writeups on costing, what type of food they would want to serve, everything. So I sent them in full menu mockups, pages of details and what the rough numbers would be, etc. Easy as pie. At the next meeting i'm told I pretty much put in the most amount of effort out of everyone, some people had even just sent in something as small as one paragraph, which just seemed completely unprofessional. Anyway, after that, a few meetings later and i'm told i've beaten out a lot of people, and i'm down to the final two people. They inform me that they love everything i've suggested, that i'm very different from everything else, and that i'm looking great. And not only that, the other guy who is in the final two with me has had other restaurants before, and two of which where not good at all. So at this point i'm looking great, and they express that. Coming down to the last meeting, i meet with the other owner, some of their friends, make a few examples for them, had a great time, so while I know it's not 100%, i'm feeling good, everyone had great feedback and seemed to love my ideas. A few days later, I get a small, two paragraph email. Despite them liking my ideas, putting in more effort than anyone else, etc, they decide to go with the other man because he is older, that the management side of his experience was just lengthier, and they wouldn't feel comfortable with me. The insulting part was the fact they asked me to come work for the man they hired, to give him ideas. So basically they wanted me, just not that silly little number. So after all my explaining and ranting, am I wrong here? Am I right to feel like i'm being discriminated against? Or am I just getting too big for my britches. This isn't the only example of this. Lately i've had to deal with people loving me and my experience... until they meet me and see how old I am. And i'm getting sick of it. And has anyone else had to deal with things like this?

Yeah that Maine bit annoyed me slightly. Weren't we foodiest city of 09? In addition to everything else we got last year? I always get annoyed when people imply somehow up here we don't know what we are talking about. I mean sure, Maine is a little unhappy to acknowledge modern ideas sometimes which does annoy the piss out of me, but we do know food. Especially rabelais. Everything else I said i still think. His lesser gripes are just plain retarded, and i wish i had known chang had been at rabelais last month, i wanted to talk to him about a few of these....

Knife skills are a big thing. A lot of jobs, something as simple as how you cut chives or potatoes can cause you to sink or swim with landing the job. Getting potatoes is a better idea than meat or fish, since even getting a job, regardless of skill, a good amount start you off on the garde mange station anyway (salads, desserts, etc), so you won't have much contact with proteins right off the bat. As for the school point..... don't write it off. I think it's one of those things where honestly, you should have actual experience BEFORE you hit culinary school. You are right, virtually ever culinary student i have worked with, who is fresh out of school, can't keep up for the life of them. It's a totally different beast actually working in the kitchen. But even then, like Lisa said, they are far better suited to start off on a line then a home cook. Home cooking and how a professional kitchen does things are like night and and day - I would take someone in my kitchen with at least decent knife skills over an ambitious home cook. Its just a disaster waiting to happen unless they are VERY smart about things, practicing with their knife skills, different cuts, etc. It does sound like you have a different approach, and know what to expect, so as long as you really buckle down and practice, you'll be in a good spot. Just don't completely block out the school route. I also agree that starting out, down in the 20k range is more likely than 30k, at least early on. Horrible pay is part of the job, but as long as you are happy, then that doesn't really matter. Again, as long as you know what you are getting in to. I really wish you the best of luck with all of this. As long as you practice and have a good handle on things, you stand a pretty good shot, even if that means landing something way down on the bottom. Just be prepared to work lots of long hours for little money, having to move faster than you ever have under more pressure than you ever have - if you can handle all of that, it's probably one of the most rewarding fields to be in.

I happened to show up at J's only 1/2 hour too late. I was so pissed.

I just honestly never find anything I ever enjoy in most chains. They offer mediocre uninspiring food, with nothing but the taste of sodium in my mouth. If i want to use up my money, there is no reason whatsoever that tells me I should go to a chain and get shitty food, when I can either make food myself at home, or if i'm going out with friends and we want food and drinks, to just go to a decent place. It just doesn't make any sense to go to a chain around here. Not only that, but I work with a lot of local farmers and small restaurants, of course I would rather support them. Are there decent chain? Yes there are, just not really around where I am. If there was a decent chain, i wouldnt mind going. Its mostly applebees and longhorn here, and with more restaurants than people in this city, its just dumb to go to one of those chains.

Fan of Mike V from the start as everyone annoyingly notices around here. I'm happy he won, and felt something like this would happen. Kevin was strong throughout, but in the final you can't always count on that, I mean look at Blais back in season 4. Strong during the season but just couldn't quite get there once the end hit. I think a lot of people got annoyed with Mike's comments and somehow that translated into not wanting him to win - but honestly, he had the skill and creativity to pull it off. I do agree though that the final was flat. I was really hoping for more, but I guess the theme of the night was play it safe - which I actually don't have a problem with.

I've actually thought about this from time to time, and honestly I think my own answer to myself tends to change a little bit every time lol Above all else I call myself a 'playful' chef. I have fun with what I do, and I like to show that, as well as have people feel the same way. If you don't have fun then there isn't a point to it, and that goes for anything with me. As for 'What' I actually cook.....I operate on such opposite ends of the scale at times i've always found it a little hazy. One hand I tend to use a lot of chemicals, techniques, styles, etc that are very modern and influenced by anything, but i'll flip it around and bust out a classic blanquette de veau, homemade cheese on baguette I baked, grape and leek tarts, etc, the next day. I guess summing it all up i'd just go for 'Modern french bistro' fare.

TOUGH one. I think though, honestly, as much as I love so many of my books, I would have to go with Patricia Wells' Bistro cooking. As modern as I like to go when i'm at work, whenever I make food for people or myself at home, it's always simple bistro fare. I don't really cook from my books much though, but if I did that would be the book. I think out of any of mine I poke around in that one more than most others.