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I'm the KM at a high-end restaurant with 4 NYT stars and a kitchen staff of about 85.
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| # ¿ Oct 24, 2011 15:19 |
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| # ¿ May 18, 2013 10:32 |
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Penguinone posted:^^ Tell us what your ideal wage/benefits situation would be, and we can better assist you.
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| # ¿ Nov 3, 2011 14:31 |
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^^^^^ I'm positive that the executive chef nomenclature did not not evolve because line cooks are referred to as "chef" in the kitchen. This is an old-school French brigade thing, akin to the military rank of Ensign. It is an equalizer, nothing more. And sometimes it's an insult. If anything, an executive chef could be considered a Commodore, because in my experience he or she is the "chef" at more than one restaurant. For example, Del Posto's Mark Ladner is also the exec at Lupa Osteria Romana and Otto Enoteca Pizzeria. magnetic posted:
I think this varies from kitchen to kitchen. Our CDC is above the two executive sous (am and pm) and the executive sous are above the line-specific sous, ie: meat, fish, GM, amuse.
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| # ¿ Nov 9, 2011 15:17 |
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twoheadedboy posted:
You were banned from pumps? I think I'm in love  reserve fucked around with this message at Dec 5, 2011 around 06:15 |
| # ¿ Dec 5, 2011 01:34 |
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Wroughtirony posted:I'm not looking for introductions or anything, just hoping that you guys will get me pointed in the right direction. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Two Amys is pretty great. I've been there several times and it has always been awesome. They have an extensive charcuterie and cheese program. And the pizza is delicious. It's like Mario Batali's Otto, if Otto were cool or good.
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| # ¿ Dec 15, 2011 15:59 |
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Vegetable Melange posted:Interestingly, the kitchen plan at momofuku ko is done so you can tip the chefs. The labor costs are probably adjusted accordingly. I'm no expert, but my understanding is that the kitchen at Ko is tipped out because Momofuku is LEGALLY OBLIGATED to tip them when there are tips to be had. Labor regulations in NYS stipulate that those who receive tips must spend a certain amount of time on the restaurant floor, or serve guests directly. The kitchen staff at Ko meets both requirements.
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| # ¿ Jan 14, 2012 20:36 |
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Also, we got this really exciting brochure at work on Friday and I thought of you guys.   Has anyone ever seen this innovative product in action? I am intrigued.
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| # ¿ Jan 14, 2012 20:50 |
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ovanova posted:Stab me in the loving face. Dude, you need to chill out or get a hobby that has nothing to do with the assholes you work with.
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| # ¿ Mar 7, 2012 00:04 |
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Wroughtirony posted:Nope. My IT "career" ended in 2004 and I haven't stayed current so I'm all but useless on that front. You could probably work in administration at a restaurant. Or at a hotel.
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| # ¿ Mar 11, 2012 02:17 |
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DownsideUp posted:ha, yeah... you found me, I'm not the one to put it out there, he leads the kitchen like an rear end in a top hat. The kitchen is loving beautiful though. After the offer to stay, I asked for two days to pack, move, and to visit my dad in the hospital in sf. Word for word back was " Figure out what's more important to you in life, cooking here, or your dad. I need a cook right now" he put his hand out for a shake and i just walked away. I hope this story is a lie you are telling us so that we think you are super hardcore, and yet also have your priorities straight.
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| # ¿ Mar 28, 2012 03:41 |
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HClChicken posted:Please link this or quote the yelp reply if you can. Yes, please. I googled "Monkfish Picatta with Roasted Squash and Lemon-Chive Spaghetti" in an attempt to find this review.
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| # ¿ Apr 17, 2012 02:07 |
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No Wave posted:It's not something that has an obvious or direct precedent. But if people are willing to eat new stuff every time at expensive, sit-down restaurants, why wouldn't the same be true for take-out? Why are people willing to throw a hundred dollars at a sit-down restaurant with a shifting menu but not seven bucks at the same concept for take-out? We're in an era where cheap food is taken really seriously and you can gain consumers' trust. There's a restaurant in Paris, Spring, that has lobster roll days once or twice a year and they sell a ton. If you turn out good product, consistently, on the cheap, I feel that people would be willing to try something new. I would try getting a job somewhere like No.9 Sub or Pok Pok to get a sense of what those places do, because Andy Ricker is someone who has clearly researched street food ad nauseum and found a way to market it to the America public, and No.9 Sub features an ever evolving menu of sandwiches composed of unexpected ingredients.
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| # ¿ May 3, 2012 02:53 |
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ApolloCreed posted:Again, I've employed people like you and i'm sure that you feel as though you're the hardest working motherfucker on the planet; whatever helps you sleep at night. You smoke on the clock? Do you bitch constantly under your breath? are you making dumb loving comment after dumb comment when you think no one's around or within earshot? If your job sucks then quit that fucker and find a new one. That's the bottom line. If it's as bad a situation as you say it is, man the gently caress up and leave that place and put it behind you - if you have any talent what-so-ever you can find a job in about three hours of going door to door to any restaurant in the area. AMEN. You should consider yourself loving lucky, Alobar, that you're even allowed to smoke at work, let alone on the clock. Where I work, you can barely walk off the line to pee. Good luck finding a position that doesn't piss you off.
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| # ¿ May 3, 2012 03:16 |
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Is there a difference between sabayon and zabaglione? Or is the latter just the Italian spelling of the same sauce?
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| # ¿ May 16, 2012 01:19 |
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Garregus posted:I cannot imagine a commercial kitchen in a high volume environment like that using induction. There just aren't any advantages. Induction is safer, more energy efficient, and heats more evenly. Plus, you no longer need the same elaborate hood system gas burners require. And induction cooktops are easier to clean-- just wipe them down. The restaurant I work at uses 3 six burner induction ranges on our meat, fish, and pasta lines. We do about 250 covers a night on average, and not a single cook regrets the switch from gas.
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| # ¿ Jun 2, 2012 04:58 |
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taqueso posted:It seems like if you just show up and talk to the chef but he doesn't have the authority to hire you, the worst that would happen is they tell you to speak with someone else. I don't think you are going to blow your chances at employment by just showing up. You're the worst if I've already let you know via email that we're not taking on stagiaires and then you show up at 9am the next day and give our chef de cuisine a sob story about your sick dad and how being able to stage would mean so much to you.  Also, am I the only person who doesn't trust a resume that only lists stages? Flakes.
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| # ¿ Jun 15, 2012 12:31 |
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Longtiem posted:Name three signs of a dying restaurant, I wanna see peoples opinions. 1) "Closed for renovations." 2) New chef. 3) Pay-to-play press. I work in fine dining in NYC, where I am the kitchen manager and personal assistant to our executive chef.
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| # ¿ Jun 26, 2012 05:09 |
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Skinny King Pimp posted:Working in a high end kitchen with untreated bipolar disorder is not really a great idea and will land you in an inpatient mental health facility. Time to find a new line of work. Working in a restaurant while being medicated, in weekly therapy, and bipolar is a great way to end up sobbing on the floor in the bathroom. NO ONE CARES. EVERYONE IS A MONSTER 
reserve fucked around with this message at Jun 30, 2012 around 05:28 |
| # ¿ Jun 30, 2012 05:25 |
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I submitted a job application today to a restaurant group I'd really like to work for. What are the chances that they'll contact my current work before they speak to me? I am happy at my job, but I figure there's no harm in testing the waters and seeing if I'm a competitive candidate. That said, I'd be horrified if they contacted someone at my work, considering I have no intention of giving my notice unless I have a sure thing lined up. Stress!! Only plus is that I'm probably the person they'd get if they cold-called the restaurant asking for a reference.
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| # ¿ Jul 7, 2012 05:12 |
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I think Momofuku is still incredibly relevant, especially as a model for the modern restaurant group. Cohesive voice, consistent branding across all the restaurants, and capable use of social/web media (tumblr, twitter, website) make it a star in the industry. Compared to other groups, like B&BHG, Union Square Hospitality, TKRG, etc, Momofuku still feels young, fresh, and very new, despite being in the midst of global expansion. Plus, there's Lucky Peach, an ace in the hole, which draws culinary and literary talent from the across the international stage. Also -- Ssam doesn't serve fried chicken, Noodle Bar does; and furthermore, Mario Carbone was born at a big restaurant group, and big restaurant groups make this city run, and produce the talented chefs that open little restaurants. And do you honestly think that Parm is what funds Torrisi? Do you think that the grocery store funds Brooklyn Fare? Wealthy backers are the reason these places exist, and those wealthy backers exist because Carbone, Torrisi, and Ramirez all have impeccable culinary pedigrees acquired at, you guessed it, big restaurants. No Wave, you sound personally disappointed by David Chang, and I don't understand why. Did he fire you?
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| # ¿ Jul 18, 2012 20:54 |
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No Wave posted:But that we get a figure who could have/was supposed to actually do something different with food, and it was just the birth of another restaurant group - it's pretty uninteresting. Can you tell me why it's uninteresting? Can you also tell me about doing something "different" with food, and how you do something "different" without money? No Wave posted:I'd rather see some sort of bridging of these two things and a recognition that maybe the industry could be different from eating poo poo from bald men and serving thousands of people a week at the start of your career. Can you tell me how you'd like to see the industry change? Higher wages? Better healthcare? Employee incentives? It sounds like you want everyone to go out and get a loving food truck or start a pop-up. It's like you're suggesting that the only way to live your dreams, man, is to make inexpensive mediocre poo poo. loving gently caress that noise. Edit: Okay, you know what, I'm sorry. I just went back and read your post history and you're a recent culinary grad, and you had that "evolving theme" QSR concept, and you've only just finished your first stage, and you're looking for work in NYC, so I get it. You should be this idealistic. I respect that. How are your trails going? reserve fucked around with this message at Jul 18, 2012 around 21:50 |
| # ¿ Jul 18, 2012 21:27 |
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No Wave posted:Lol I'm already out. I have the means/resources to change professions so now that I understand that it basically becomes like any other job I figured I'd do one where I have some natural ability and that is a little better-paying. But I actually really appreciate your perspective on this so thanks. OMG what happened? That was only a few months ago. I want to know everything. I mean, you don't have to tell me, but I'm so curious. PM me if you want.
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| # ¿ Jul 18, 2012 22:23 |
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Everyone loves when Chef works the pasta pass. Yay!
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| # ¿ Jul 24, 2012 04:01 |
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heyfresh888 posted:Byaldi. Laid out like the movie though. Those are the table side presentations. Some where portioned at the table and others prepared in the kitchen after the display. Is that tray sauced?
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| # ¿ Aug 5, 2012 22:06 |
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Longtiem posted:Does anyone know of anyone who worked themselves straight up the ladder? Dishwasher to exec, busboy to GM? I know one guy that went Foodrunner to aGM, but he's only one dude and I know a decent number of people. I was hired as a hostess off of CraigsList. Now I'm our kitchen manager and Mario Batali wrote my name in an email once. As in, "have reserve do this." Teehee.
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| # ¿ Aug 8, 2012 11:39 |
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oTHi posted:How was Mario's spelling and grammar? He writes well, and has good grammar. He is totally one of those people who writes speedy, all lowercase e-mail missives, but that's understandable.
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| # ¿ Aug 8, 2012 16:55 |
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We had two health inspections in the span of 24 hours and we got an A on the first one. Ask me about this.
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| # ¿ Aug 23, 2012 23:00 |
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I have been in the interview process with a restaurant group for almost three months. Who knew this industry did that kind of thing? Good lord.
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| # ¿ Sep 25, 2012 03:40 |
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HClChicken posted:"Well your options are either pay us 100 bucks to pour 150 glasses or you pay jose at Home Depot 10 bucks to pour your champagne and then waste 200 bucks of it because he doesn't know how to pour correctly." In my experience, Jose pours champagne perfectly. So does Melessio, Jorge, Andres, and Juan.
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| # ¿ Oct 7, 2012 01:03 |
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Chef De Cuisinart posted:Definitely not seeing the problem here. You mark the loin, and roast it later. That's how catering works. Do you have a picture of it after it comes out of the oven?
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| # ¿ Oct 8, 2012 13:55 |
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Alobar posted:I know a lot of bosses like to think that they're a badass because of what they do and like to think that being a badass entitles you to be a complete rear end in a top hat, but that doesn't mean that you need to be like that. Remember they're (supposed to be) working with you, not for or against you. When you make them feel like poo poo and yell at them that'll make them hate you and their job and they'll start loving poo poo up, intentional or not. So what it comes down to is, yelling and making the workers in your business feel like poo poo damages your business. I don't think infiniteguest is coming at this discussion from the perspective of one who yells, but rather from the perspective of one who is yelled at and has learned much from it. But that's just a hunch.
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| # ¿ Oct 14, 2012 22:36 |
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Kenning posted:Today at work someone called in and ordered oysters to go. Oysters on the half shell, to go. My FOH manager was like, "Just line the to-go box with ice and put them like that." But I brought it up with another manager and made sure we didn't actually uh, do that. So I felt good about not killing someone or something. I love this story. It makes me so happy.
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| # ¿ Oct 20, 2012 13:31 |
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EVG posted:Someone in the Chicago thread was talking about scoring a table at Schwa, and mentioned they were bringing a bottle of booze for the chefs. Is that usual? I've never heard of it, but haven't really done any really high-end dining. The best way to score a table at Schwa is to send a hot girl in to request the table. And yes, folks bring beer and booze to kitchens all the time. My boyfriend and I almost always bring beers or gatorade with us.
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| # ¿ Oct 29, 2012 01:11 |
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heyfresh888 posted:Chef's Garden ships direct and they probably have the best customer service of any I've encountered. I also love Chef's Garden; when the box comes every few days it feels like Christmas!! Did you stay open today, by the by?
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| # ¿ Oct 29, 2012 23:59 |
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Wroughtirony posted:No, it's definitely true. I realize that your experience has been different, but your experience is not the same as the actual text of the federal law- I'm not just making that poo poo up. There's a reason why the law is quoted directly in the OP. We have this debate about every six weeks. If cooks interact directly with guests, and serve guests, for example over a counter, then it's ILLEGAL not to tip cooks. See Momofuku Ko as an example. Furthermore, if FOH employees don't spend a set amount of time on the dining room floor then it's illegal to tip them. This issues comes into play most frequently with kitchen expediters on the FOH payroll.
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| # ¿ Nov 9, 2012 01:41 |
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mindphlux posted:yeah I know hugh acheson He's a nice guy. He always remembers me. Which is pretty classy, in my opinion.
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| # ¿ Nov 9, 2012 15:12 |
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Wroughtirony posted:http://www.desperatechefswives.com/...g-for-love.html That TV show is real -- I got a phone call from the production company at work asking if any of my staff members might be interested. Also, I get that this website is cheesy and poorly designed or whatever, but isn't it normal to miss the person you love if you only see them once or twice a week for more than several hours? I know how that goes, and I understand wanting to write about it. reserve fucked around with this message at Dec 2, 2012 around 20:00 |
| # ¿ Dec 2, 2012 19:57 |
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the black husserl posted:So I was going to drop everything and move across the country in a week because a chef promised me a job and now he says they found someone else because it's "taking me too long". It's normal. Some places will wait depending on how they are staffed (like the kitchen where I work) and other places NEED SOMEONE NOW and even if you're offered a job they cannot take you based on your timeframe. The fact the he offered you a job in his NYC restaurant means you weren't being strung along. Have you worked somewhere with "strict" tradition and tasting menus yet? I think it's a worthwhile experience if you haven't.
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| # ¿ Dec 9, 2012 15:50 |
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Kenning posted:"She can't have vinegar, she's allergic to it. Except for apple cider vinegar, that's okay, but no other vinegars." Apple cider vinegar is lower in sulfites than other vinegars; that's probably what's up here. Also, hey, I do the allergy charts for FOH and BOH in a fancy restaurant with serious game, and you know what? It makes everyone's life easier. See example below (FOR ONE STATION), and yes, this poo poo is real, and it's coming to your restaurants and that's just a fact. So get ready, write menus that sub out easily, and quit bitching. 
reserve fucked around with this message at Dec 14, 2012 around 00:24 |
| # ¿ Dec 14, 2012 00:21 |
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| # ¿ May 18, 2013 10:32 |
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ulmont posted:Ok, that's cool as hell. Does the "Yes w/o" and "no w/o" indicate that "yes, it has this item, but it can be removed" and "yes, it has this item, and there's no way around it?" Exactly.
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| # ¿ Dec 14, 2012 01:20 |
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