"The Restaurant" Reality Show Season 1

[ronnie_suburban]

one can be almost certain that they have an accountant that they can call to, yes, cut the checks manually, with all of the appropriate withholdings.  it happens all of the time.

Sorry for the many questions...Why is that? Is that the way restaurants generally operate? Is it because they handle cash, or because of the wage structure, or some other factor(s)? Would Rocco's be typical in that regard? I just assumed that a business of that size (with that many employees) would opt for the relatively inexpensive outside payroll service. From my (albeit limited) experience, I consider an outside service to be the default setting.

=R=

[tommy]

as far as AMEX's rates, i haven't used amex for a loan in quite some time, but i'd imagine they're on par with every other major bank/money lending institution.  why would you think otherwise?

Previous experience, but I'm certainly no expert.

=R=

the amex blue card has been giving people loans for about 10% for years. and that's a plain old retail credit account. what experience do you have with small business loans throught the Open network? just wondering.

Edited August 20, 2003 by tommy (log)

[tommy]

one can be almost certain that they have an accountant that they can call to, yes, cut the checks manually, with all of the appropriate withholdings.  it happens all of the time.

Sorry for the many questions...Why is that? Is that the way restaurants generally operate? Is it because they handle cash, or because of the wage structure, or some other factor(s)? Would Rocco's be typical in that regard? I just assumed that a business of that size (with that many employees) would opt for the relatively inexpensive outside payroll service. From my (albeit limited) experience, I consider an outside service to be the default setting.

=R=

why is that you ask? because sometimes businesses don't have all of their ducks in a row. an accountant handles these issues in no time at all. that's part of what they do for a living. it's not as strange and as indicative of a bigger problem as some here seem to want it to be.

[ronnie_suburban]

the amex blue card has been giving people loans for about 10% for years.  and that's a plain old retail credit account. what experience do you have with small business loans throught the Open network?  just wondering.

I'm currently paying a rate that is less than half that on my revolving line of credit. AMEX has never come close to being competitive rate-wise with our bank. Yes, with our bank it's a secured line but...

There is a premium paid for the type of loan that was depicted in the show. The rate on that type of short-term loan is generally higher and there may often be fees.

The essence of my curiousity about the whole issue is why would the AMEX option be chosen over another? IMO, it was chosen simply to highlight the product for the television audience.

That belief is based on my assumption that the people who backed the restaurant would ultimately have much better, and ongoing, credit options than AMEX Open. I mean, if I'm only paying around 5% on my line, Mr. Chodorow and his partners are bound to be paying even less. With such heavy hitters in the background at Rocco's, the AMEX choice stood out as being possibly inefficient. Of course, if Rocco were truly on his own, maybe it would be a great option.

But I cannot measure what the actual urgency factor was...maybe the turn-around was faster with AMEX...perhaps there was a good reason for their choice. It just didn't seem like it.

=R=

[tommy]

There is a premium paid for the type of loan that was depicted in the show.  The rate on that type of short-term loan is generally higher and there may often be fees.

The essence of my curiousity about the whole issue is why would the AMEX option be chosen over another?  IMO, it was chosen simply to highlight the product for the television audience.

That belief is based on my assumption that the people who backed the restaurant would ultimately have much better, and ongoing, credit options than AMEX Open.  I mean, if I'm only paying around 5% on my line, Mr. Chodorow and his partners are bound to be paying even less.  With such heavy hitters in the background at Rocco's, the AMEX choice stood out as being possibly inefficient.  Of course, if Rocco were truly on his own, maybe it would be a great option.

But I cannot measure what the actual urgency factor was...maybe the turn-around was faster with AMEX...perhaps there was a good reason for their choice.  It just didn't seem like it.

=R=

for a short-term loan, i don't think a few percentage points make a difference.

if you're suggesting that it was all just made up and orchestrated, well then i'm afraid that we'll probably never know. however, if you want to discuss the likelihood of a business using Open for a line of credit, i can tell you that it happens. and sometimes without cameras around.

in addition to that, as i stated above, accountants routinely run payroll for small businesses.

Edited August 20, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Beto]

With all of the drama that we see from the staff, you would think that we would've heard more about it if they weren't getting paid on time. I don't think that they weren't being paid. It was just a setup to give them another chance for product placement.

The thing is, when they do it, it is always so clunky! Like anybody even believes that they like to drink that Coors swill. They were even drinking it during that stupid bit at the comedy club. I can imagine the directors saying, "Move your hand, the camera can't see the label clearly!"

[ronnie_suburban]

why is that you ask?  because sometimes businesses don't have all of their ducks in a row.  an accountant handles these issues in no time at all. that's part of what they do for a living.  it's not as strange and as indicative of a bigger problem as some here seem to want it to be.

Really just curious...looking to learn how things are really done (where they diverge from the show) in an industry to which I'm an outsider. It's been my experience that even companies with accountants sometimes use payroll services. I guess it just comes down to the preference of the business owner or specific circumstances.

=R=

[tommy]

Really just curious...looking to learn how things are really done (where they diverge from the show) in an industry to which I'm an outsider.  It's been my experience that even companies with accountants sometimes use payroll services.  I guess it just comes down to the preference of the business owner or specific circumstances.

=R=

i've never worked in the industry in that capacity, but i know from other experiences that payroll can be done several ways. outsourcing is just one of them. regardless of the type of business.

i think you hit the nail on the head with your last sentence.

[ronnie_suburban]

however, if you want to discuss the likelihood of a business using Open for a line of credit, i can tell you that it happens.  and sometimes without cameras around.

Absolutely...it's likely a very good product-line for a business in the right sitauation, even a restaurant I suppose. I was just wondering skeptically whether it would really be the best option for this particular restaurant.

=R=

[tommy]

however, if you want to discuss the likelihood of a business using Open for a line of credit, i can tell you that it happens.  and sometimes without cameras around.

Absolutely...it's likely a very good product-line for a business in the right sitauation, even a restaurant I suppose. I was just wondering skeptically whether it would really be the best option for this particular restaurant.

=R=

who knows. seems like a valid option to me.

[tommy]

With all of the drama that we see from the staff, you would think that we would've heard more about it if they weren't getting paid on time.  I don't think that they weren't being paid.  It was just a setup to give them another chance for product placement.

do you think that the cook who wasn't getting paid and said as much was in on it?

when you say that we would have heard more about it, do you mean here on egullet, or on the show.

Edited August 20, 2003 by tommy (log)

[zenial]

With all of the drama that we see from the staff, you would think that we would've heard more about it if they weren't getting paid on time.  I don't think that they weren't being paid.  It was just a setup to give them another chance for product placement.

do you think that the cook who wasn't getting paid and said as much was in on it?

when you say that we would have heard more about it, do you mean here on egullet, or on the show.

Oh...believe me we were not getting paid.

[tommy]

With all of the drama that we see from the staff, you would think that we would've heard more about it if they weren't getting paid on time.  I don't think that they weren't being paid.  It was just a setup to give them another chance for product placement.

do you think that the cook who wasn't getting paid and said as much was in on it?

when you say that we would have heard more about it, do you mean here on egullet, or on the show.

Oh...believe me we were not getting paid.

ah good. another ridiculous accusation shot down.

[Mark Sommelier]

With all of the drama that we see from the staff, you would think that we would've heard more about it if they weren't getting paid on time.  I don't think that they weren't being paid.  It was just a setup to give them another chance for product placement.

do you think that the cook who wasn't getting paid and said as much was in on it?

when you say that we would have heard more about it, do you mean here on egullet, or on the show.

Oh...believe me we were not getting paid.

zenial,

When you say not getting paid, were the waiters getting paid their tips every night, or were they on the paychecks also? I can understand the cooks getting edgy with no paychecks, but waiter paychecks are minimal if the tips are paid out in cash every night. Most places here don't do that anymore.

[zenial]

With all of the drama that we see from the staff, you would think that we would've heard more about it if they weren't getting paid on time.  I don't think that they weren't being paid.  It was just a setup to give them another chance for product placement.

do you think that the cook who wasn't getting paid and said as much was in on it?

when you say that we would have heard more about it, do you mean here on egullet, or on the show.

Oh...believe me we were not getting paid.

zenial,

When you say not getting paid, were the waiters getting paid their tips every night, or were they on the paychecks also? I can understand the cooks getting edgy with no paychecks, but waiter paychecks are minimal if the tips are paid out in cash every night. Most places here don't do that anymore.

Well yea we were getting tips, however we had not been paid for our training yet which was not two much but at least it was something, the tips were so low. Now the Cooks on the other hand had not recieved ANYTHING since they obviously don't get tipped, they got shafted a lot worse than us. Granted we all did get paid eventually but when you live in the city you really can't afford to go ling without pay (which is really the case everywhere just a little more in NYC).

[shamrock]

Zenial, can you weigh in on my earlier post (p. 35)?

[tootallfortoques]

The fact is that with the money that went into this restaurant/show (from the backers and producers), there is no reason staff should not have been getting paid.

Was there something that put them so over budget that they couldn't afford ito pay the staff? Not from what we were shown. The issue that they presented was that they hadn't set up payroll, not that they didn't have the money (which is the case with many new places).

If they had said, "Okay guys, our accountant is going to hand write all your checks, give us a day", it would have never made the show.

The only reason we saw any of that was to plug AMEX (who they didn't have to use anyway, since they never said they didn't have the money).

Beto summed it up: clunky.

Edited August 20, 2003 by tootallfortoques (log)

[GotChianti?]

Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match...

Song's stuck in my head for some reason. Great musical that "Fiddler on the Roof". Shamrock, as regards your question about the romantical thing, I really have no idea as to the reality of it. Find me a find, catch me a catch... Damnit, there it is again. I can tell you, however, that Perry's angst was very real. Talented kid, I believe he came from Bouley. They worked the hell out of him, always seemed to be prepping something or other. On several occasions, I'd pop my head out of my foxhole after a shelling, scanning for casualties, I'd catch his eyes in the tracer light and we'd give each other the nod. You hit? Naw, I'm good. You? No. Still here.

As regards the paychecks, we were definitely not in on it, whatever it actually was. I came in early on the Tuesday after the Friday after the Friday we were to be paid so as to get my check and hightail it to the bank in order to pay my rent, which was nigh on two weeks late(can you say run on?) I went to Laurent, who said "zey are not here. Sawee. I seenk tomahwo". The blank expression on my face said I give up, his bespoke don't kill the messenger. I informed him that I had to pay my rent and that I could go pick up a couple of shifts for cash at my old joint. He paused, thought and simply said "go". I turned to leave, and he said "wait. Ow mush you nid?" "Alot", I said. "Ow mush?" I told him, he put his hand in his pocket, took out a stack of cash, and folded what I needed into my hand. My GM pulled money from his own pocket to help me pay my rent. Reality TV.

[tootallfortoques]

My GM pulled money from his own pocket to help me pay my rent.

Where were the cameras then?

Most of the time they make Laurent look like some cold-hearted Vichy commandant.

Is he still working there? And has Rocco learned to pronounce his name?

[Minou]

In the September 15 issue of the Wine Spectator, Rocco is prominently displayed in a full page Ruffino Chianti ad.

Of course he is.

[Minou]

My GM pulled money from his own pocket to help me pay my rent.  Reality TV.

Kitchen being paid was a question I had too. I mean FOH has their (minimal) tips and although it was never really indicated if they tip-out to the kitchen, a nightly % of minimal is still minimal.

No one can live on that kinda panic.

[Jinmyo]

Good for Laurent.

[Steve Klc]

I have nothing much to add to this fantastic thread, except to say that I've read along diligently and have been as engrossed and entertained by this thread as I have been by the show. It's been must-read, must-see TV. Thank you especially to all the insiders who've been so forthcoming--my hope is you manage to stick around.

There have just been so many little joys on this thread, most recently shamrock writing "can you weigh in on my earlier post (p. 35)?" undoubtedly with a straight face (page 35!) and that touching GotChianti? story about Laurent.

So in case any of you Rocco survivors don't realize this, there are many, many of us here who haven't posted much on this thread but who are really grateful you're here.

[shamrock]

Hey, GotChianti.

Thanks for responding! Many interesting scoops in your post. I will respond to them in kind.

You were the rent guy! Ah, I remember you now.

And yes, Fiddler on the Roof is a great, great show. That tune is very catchy. Heh.

I could tell that Perry's angst was very real. Sorry to hear you were subject to the same frequent shellings. That Asian-American guy seemed like a real piece of work. I can't STAND senior chefs who pointlessly berate their underlings by aping drill sergeant behavior from Army movies. It's SO old-school and SO unnecessary. In virtually every modern workplace except the kitchen, it's commonly understood that by getting up in somebody's grill (literally AND figuratively!) you're only going to frazzle them and make them LESS productive. Well, it probably isn't much better at Bouley. Or is it?

I'm shocked/pleased to hear about Laurent's effort to help you out. He comes off worse than Nixon.

What was your interest in working at Rocco's? Did you have a hankering to do old-school Southern Italian cooking, work with Rocco, both or something else?

[ronnie_suburban]

So in case any of you Rocco survivors don't realize this, there are many, many of us here who haven't posted much on this thread but who are really grateful you're here.

LOL! Does that count as some Burnett-style double product placement?

=R=