Paying market wages for labour

[Michaeltheonion]

Ok this is a little bit of a rant. ...

You see I am a chef, I operate a fine dining/ catering restaurant that makes millions of dollars a year. In the summer we seat 230 people and we flip tables. We are generally always full. In fact this winter ( during a recession) we had our best months ever. More profit! My food cost is exceedingly low ( although we don't skimp on ingredients, Foie gras, fresh ocean fish, CSA vegetables ect.) as well as my labour cost. In short my masters are very happy with me. I work generally 65 hours a week on salary which is fine, but it goes without saying now that I will be at every service ( 6 lunches, 1 brunch and 6 dinners) except sunday dinner. I recently had to replace a sous chef as he left for greener pastures ( he is now making more money working on a very fine line at 40 hours a week). I've been canvasing the market looking for someone to replace him, or perhaps hire internally. The fact is none of the cooks want to work for the pay being offered. If you break it down hourly its around $6 and hour. I require quite a high standard in my kitchen, good cleanliness, very fine knife skills that sort of thing. The people who have come in for the job who were up to my standard were really quite good, but as soon as I told them what the pay was they all shy away. Now Im having to look at the bottom of the barrel. Some of the sous chefs that I have interviewed recently dont know what a brunoise is. I am also running the lowest paying restaurant that I know of. Most of the chefs around pay entry level around $13, good cooks or "line studs," make around 16-17. My first cook, who is in charge of butchering thousands of dollars of meat is making $12.50 and hour. Many restaurants are hiring for their summer push and some of the cooks are being lured away for a higher pay check. Now to be clear most of the cooks in my kitchen have spent $30 000+ on catering school so its not surprising that they want more money, because I am simply not allowed to pay any more.

I don't know what to do. I really don't have a problem working like a donkey for very little pay, thats my own deal but I never wanted to be in the position where I would be doing that to someone else. Honestly if I were a cook at my restaurant with the skill lever demanded I would stay for a year and then leave. So I don't blame them. We all know cooking is a very low paying profession but to be payed the lowest wage in the town is terrible. IM trying to tell my boss's that what they are offering is not enough and if I have to hire inexperienced people than the standards will slip. But they just tell me there isn't money to go around. Which I know to be fraudulent.

Any suggestions?

[Edward J]

Writing is on the wall. You must now perform the impossible: Encourage your owner to pay market price for what's out there. Pay peanuts, get monkeys....

[KCWilkinson]

Writing is on the wall.  You must now perform the impossible:  Encourage your owner to pay market price for what's out there. Pay peanuts, get monkeys....

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Yep, it seems like your best option. Considering you're having 230 + a flip on good nights and running a low food cost, I would imagine that the owner might have a little bit of cash floating around, but that's just a guess.

[Tri2Cook]

If they're clearing "millions of dollars a year" and flipping 230 seats a service in a single location venue and won't pay (at least) market value for good cooks then they deserve whatever they end up with. Unfortunately, that's going to suck way more for you than them initially... but it will catch up with their bank account eventually.

[Jmahl]

Your options are to sit your bosses down and lay it out. Or, just suck it up and watch quality slip away. You are the Chef and it is your food that goes out that door.

Do you have access to the numbers or do your "bosses" keep you in the dark? If you are responsible for food cost and payroll and you don't get to see the numbers something is very wrong.

Good luck - I have been there in another life.

[turkeybone]

if the owners want to be stingy maybe its you who should be looking for greener pastures -- Im sure with your abilities as youve said here, you could have your pick of restaurant.

[Mano]

Michael,

You sound like a dream employee. You're loyal to your employers, staff and customers by making a profit by serving the best food possible and showing respect and appreciation for your coworkers. By your description of the situation you know exactly what is going on from a cooking and business point of view, something not all chefs or cooks are able to integrate.

You've spoken with the owners and they've let you know their decision, which seems like poor business to me (and you), unless there are expenses you're not aware of.

It reminds me of an old "joke" of a farmer who fed his work horse 10 lbs. of hay a day to plow 10 acres. To save money, he fed the horse 8 and then 5 lbs. a day and was happy the horse still plowed 10 acres, albeit with more effort. He lowered it to 3 lbs. a day with the same result for two days and then the horse died.

I imagine you have a great reputation among the other restaurants/catering services in your area who would be glad to feed you the hay you deserve.

[wax311]

Loyalty is a two way street. You should share everything you explained in the post to your owners. Good owners appreciate when you are honest and upfront with them - tell them the situation and why it is good business to shell out a bit more for labor cost. If they are in turn loyal to you, they will at least grant you enough to hire a good sous. If they are reluctant, threaten to leave, "I need a good staff to put out good food - my reputation is on the line, I may have to look around for employment elsewhere."

If they still say no, then they aren't good owners. A year or two after you leave, when the food there really sucks, people will reminisce on when it was good and make the connection that it went downhill after you left.

Also, if you quietly and subtly let it be known that you left because you were sticking up for your cooks, the good ones will follow you wherever you go.