Professional Culinarians for Hire!

[FabulousFoodBabe]

ChefSwarz: Put me on the list of people who'd love to do this. I really like interacting with people, but it can grind you down. I really like working on the line, too, and think that being able to step away from it once in a while would make it seem more interesting. And I believe that someone starting fresh has a better attitude toward their work -- as does someone who knows s/he is a short-timer (even for just a month or two). Ever notice how someone's mood improves when they are on their way out?

Whether or not your concept can be a money maker is not for me to say. I have heard that some restaurants are doing such wild things as paying everyone more, doing away with check-by-check tips, and adding service charges to the dining checks. I've little doubt that the waiter who brought in an order promised to someone ten minutes after closing (and 55 minutes after the last table was seated) would have done it, if he had to share the tip with the cooks who got the food to his table.

Anyway, change is slow and painful, but it can be for the better.

[ChefSwartz]

food tutor,

your points emphasize the philosophy, eliminating the individuality of the workers bringing a team concept. it is almost an unparralleled idea in this business. i wont be hiring any greedy chefs, those who want to make it big and then sell out. this is strictly for those whole TRULY love the idea and want to be a part of it. that is the only major contrast in ideals...

i will also emphasize my role as a chef and not the accountant. the points being brought about inconsistent beginnings and fluctuation in the first year are completely valid. they will be dealt with accordingly. there is an element of risk in every thing a person does. heck its not completely "safe" to get out of bed in the morning, or stay there for that matter. the risks vs. rewards are being carefully weighed here. i think it may not be feasible into the minds of some but thats the beauty of it. i am not an accountant, but that doesnt mean i havent studied calculus.

i have pondered the inconsistencies in this industry for a very long time and i will not be a part of a heirachy of sadness.

the weather in arizona is hot, the soil is useless for the most part. topsoil will have to be brought in and irrigated manually, the natural enviroment is not conducive to delicate herbs and fruit. we will manage.

whatever we dont know we will learn. everyones opinion will be evaluated on its calculated merit.

serious aplicants should contact me directly at mikeswartz79@hotmail.com. I am in chicago this week for the NRA show looking at possibilties and the newest technologies to maximize efficiency.

Edited May 20, 2005 by ChefSwartz (log)

[PassionateChefsDie]

As a Waiter in Britian you would be paid better and most establishments break tips on a tier system with FOH and BOH! As for service charge, surely thats down to good service just because it's added doesn't mean it needs to be paid, thats certainly true on this side!

They still work on standard business plans regardless of tipping situation, or which side of the Atlantic your on!

As for doing food late thats a proffesional attitude, Ive come out of live in quarters to cook food for late arrivals because I know what it's like to travel all day and eat nothing. I wouldn't say no to a customer but then I'm a Non chef!

[detlefchef]

And I believe that someone starting fresh has a better attitude toward their work -- as does someone who knows s/he is a short-timer (even for just a month or two).  Ever notice how someone's mood improves when they are on their way out? 

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Uh no, actually. In fact, I think pretty much everyone I've worked with became waaay less productive as they worked out their notice. I've known places that told employees when they hired them not to bother giving notice when the time came to leave. When they were ready to quit, just go ahead tell them the day before. That might be harsh, but it's probably sound. That is, they were better off struggling to fill the shift than keeping someone around with one foot out the door.

Edited May 20, 2005 by detlefchef (log)

[FabulousFoodBabe]

As for doing food late thats a proffesional attitude, Ive come out of live in quarters to cook food for late arrivals because I know what it's like to travel all day and eat nothing. I wouldn't say no to a customer but then I'm a Non chef!

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See, I think sometimes one has to draw the line. Professional attitude has little to do with extending closing times for people who came in late to hang out in the bar. They got their food, and the waiter got his a** kicked hard by the Chef (and no doubt, got it kicked again by the GM later on). And, said waiter got a big fat tip that he didn't share.

My point is that if that waiter had to actually make it happen -- without promise of a lot of extra money in his pocket -- he'd think twice about committing to having a bunch of cooks reopen their lines.

[PassionateChefsDie]

As for doing food late thats a proffesional attitude, Ive come out of live in quarters to cook food for late arrivals because I know what it's like to travel all day and eat nothing. I wouldn't say no to a customer but then I'm a Non chef!

←

See, I think sometimes one has to draw the line. Professional attitude has little to do with extending closing times for people who came in late to hang out in the bar. They got their food, and the waiter got his a** kicked hard by the Chef (and no doubt, got it kicked again by the GM later on). And, said waiter got a big fat tip that he didn't share.

My point is that if that waiter had to actually make it happen -- without promise of a lot of extra money in his pocket -- he'd think twice about committing to having a bunch of cooks reopen their lines.

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Thats the difference if the customer isn't obnoxious and I've got whites on or haven't left the building and the waiter wants to serve them fine cook, the waiters got to hang around 1-2hrs after me! Thats what I'm paid to do, we are a service, I dont lock the front door!

Yeah Ok if the following week they come back and are trying the same thing, they better hope I've not left the building!

The customer needs to understand it's a favour not that we're obliging, if the waiter wants to agree before checking with the kitchen he better know how to cook!

He'll be the one looking a prat if he has to go back and say sorry but the kitchens closed!

Do that to him once and see if he'll try to put an order in after closing! As for tips thats a bone of contention in any establishment(And as many rules as establishments exsist, but as a rule they are pooled in the UK), but god help the Chef that moans to me about late orders because as a rule they are paid more basic and do get out before the waiter!

[Tonyy13]

Ok, forgive me, I havne't read the entire thread, after the first few posts, I couldn't contain it anymore. I actually have had a hand at this sort of operation. I taught in the restaurant in the college that I teach at for eight months. We would have classes from 5 students to 30 students every 15 days. After that time, we would flip our entire staff. For the small classes, we would limit the amount of stations that we had in the kitchen (for example, eliminating the amuse station, eliminating a full-time dishwasher rotation, and eliminating a tournant for the kitchen). For the entire 15 days, we would rotate the students in and out of each station, all while giving a practical mystery basket exam, and then off to the front of the house class.

I would not wish the confusion, complaining, stress, excuse making, and incompetency on anyone.

There were the girls in the class who only wanted to do pastry, and when told that they need to work another station, they went and complained to the school bosses. Almost none of them wanted to work in the front of the house, and the ones who did, dind't want to work in the back of the house. When they liked working in the front of the house, we noticed that they lacked compassoin and caring in the back of the house. We never had a rock star student in both areas.

While I do think that it is very important for each member of the staff to have an appreciation for the other's job, I can not imagine that you flipping your staff around so much would be a thing that was worthy of my food as a diner. The guy who has tatoos, piercings, and burn marks all up and down his arm, not the guy I want deliving my wine or cocktail (I don't go to clubs a lot, even then, they only pass it across the bar, and are not tryign to balance it on a beverage tray headed for my white linnen shirt). If you were to make this work, you would HAVE to have "bosses" to keep and uphold the standards. Yes, as you stated, there would be a list of expected rules and standards, but if there is no one to uphold them, then who cares? What do you do when a diner complains that their hollandaise is broken, and you ask the expediter, and they don't have the expertise to recognize it, and Francoise (who is pissed he's cooking, his manicure is going down the tubes) just didn't care about it or know how to fix it? I stay away from teh pastry ktichen becuase it is not my area of expertise, and I am fine with that. I know the basics, and I could probably make creme brulee with teh best of them, but let me tell you, unless your dessert menu consists of fruit salad, creme brulee and tollhouse cookies, you might want to re-think putting your staff there.

HOnestly, I can't see this working. The best is what the beast is, and it is nothign more. The restaurant business is not everythign to all people, and the people who are the best at it, like it or not, understand that they have signed up for a life of long nights, no medical benefits, and that some snooty server who comes in three hours after they do and leave three hours befor ethey do are going to make three times more. If they didn't like those facts, than they would have quit and started in another industry. I was the only kid in high school who worked a job where I could drink beer if I wanted to, got to curse as much as I wanted to, and did something other than hanging up clothes or saying "would you like paper or plastic?". I took the bad with the good, and even though I am a good people person, and have waited tables, even been a front of the house manager, I didn't particularly like it as much as I like being in the back of the house. My preminitions about the front of the house people haven't particularly changed.

Now, if you were to require every new hire in the front of the house and in the back of the house to spend a pre-determined time in the opposite place, that might work. But it can't be a thing where everyone is switching all of the time. Francoise spends three weeks on the pastry, he is a happy camper. Markus spends three weeks bussing tables and maybe working a beer and wine party as hte bartender, great. But I think that you are asking for trouble if you attempt it for any period of time.

That's my honest opinion, and I hope that it works for you if you move forward. Thomas Keller would love this idea, and he could make it happen, cause he could get 5,000 applications in the first 24 hours that the jobs were posted, I just wonder if your location and offerings will look as attractive to your prospective employees.....

First table I wated on, I spilled a glass of red wine on the lady sitting closest to the bar.... she was headed to theatre next door....... Good story.......

[Chris Amirault]

Take two.

Once again, due to a complaint from another member, I had to delete two posts on this thread that violated the eGullet Society User Agreement's prohibition against "mean-spirited insults or other disruptive posts." Basic rule of thumb: if you're writing a post that centrally refers to someone else, chances are pretty good that you're not talking about food, eating, or cooking.

If you don't have thoughts to add to this discussion about rotating FOH and BOH, don't post to the thread.