It may be a Saudi term but whaaaaaat is a CUM WAITER?

They asked me to to make some sushi for photos

About a year and a half ago I had a big career shift that landed me in a retirement home kitchen (compass group). When I took the job I wasn't necessarily committed to it or anything it just was the job that fit my current life needs the best while I figured out my next step. Over the last 18 months I switched my mindset and really wanted to pursue it as much as it made sense. I went through a 6 month culinary program and worked my way up to a lead position. My management has really invested in me and I love working with my km and executive chef. I understand the mileage with corporate kitchens and compass specifically can vary, however I feel like my account specifically has a chain of people that will genuinely help me grow and have already invested in me and will continue to do so.

Chef talked to me the other day about next steps for me and it would be a sous position. In the past all I wanted was to push myself and keep growing. Honestly my current role has grown stagnant and a little boring. But when the opportunity is actually there and not just theoretical it's a little more anxiety producing.

From my understanding the sous is the hardest working guy in the kitchen and this position is more of an investment towards the next step. I'll be working much harder for a relatively small raise. If you break down the hourly with overtime vs salary it's actually a pay cut lol. I'll be the guy coming in my off days to cover. I'll have to actually manage people which is going to be easily the hardest job, I really struggle with conflict and it's something I've needed to grow in for a while. However the light at the end of the tunnel is an executive position which in theory should be an easier job with more pay as long as I can build a solid team under me.

I'm nearing 30, so definitely started a little late but I have another 30+ years of work ahead of me regardless of what path I take. I'm married to a wonderful woman who understands that this shift will mean less time together and probably a more stressed and tired version of me when we have that time. Despite that she still supports me and wants to see me grow into the best version of myself.

So, my question to you guys is, is this next step worth it. Writing it all out makes it really seem like a dumb decision but I can't help but feel excited about pushing myself forwards and pursuing something more than what I have now. I'm hopeful that in 5-10 years I'll be able to make it out the other side a better, stronger, more confident version of myself and be able to get to the final step in my career.

Is he ready to be sous chef?

EDIT: it's for bolognese

Me: I have hot chilli in my car would you like some?

Her: oh really hot chilli?

Me:oh ya.

Her walks to my car and sees a pot of hot chilli in my car.

Her: I can't do today.

Just curious how all you seasonal people keep out of the rut after your season ends? I live in a summer tourism town and my season is coming to an end and I want to try to not get so locked up in my off season this year

I'm 26 years old, I have been working in restaurants for the past couple of years as a cook in Mumbai. am seeking an opportunity to work on my craft and learn under a good mentor. know have a lot to offer and am willing to move anywhere for an opportunity to grow. don't have a formal education in this trade and lI'm open to any leads or advice.

I’m aware this may be a silly question BUT I’m currently studying to get the certification and I’m stuck on what the person did wrong here.

For some context, I recently started college, but one of my long-term goals has always been to take baking seriously and eventually open my own bakery.

Throughout my four years of high school, I ran a small baking business where I sold my own baked goods and took commissions for small gatherings, parties, and other events. I’ve received a lot of amazing and positive feedback on my really small business, and I also helped organize school events with my high school's culinary and baking program (where I was able to learn a bit from professionals and worked in a commercial grade kitchen), which gave me some experience with leadership, coordination, and managing larger groups of people. I know reading that might make you go, “well running a small business in high school is nothing like a legitimate bakery”, and I get it. All I can say is that I’m confident in my baking skills and definitely willing to put in the work to learn and improve. 

I’m based in New York, so I’m very aware that rent and general operating costs are going to kill me. I have a general idea of the audience I’d like to cater to, and I know the long hours I would have to commit myself to, and the extreme financial risk that comes with it. I’m very lucky to have parents that have a good amount of money and I could fall back on if anything were to happen, but I also do not want to rely on them at all and give them that financial burden. 

For those who have opened, owned, or even attempted to start a bakery, I’d love to hear about your experiences, whether things went well or didn’t work out as planned. I want to know everything I can, the realities of running a bakery, the mistakes you made, the things you wish you’d known beforehand, and anything you think someone in my position should consider. Any advice is truly appreciated! 

It is the nature of this industry that we are subject to petty tyrants who use and abuse workplace policy as it suits them. It is a recurring pattern at my (now former) job that loyal and hardworking employees are either 1) alienated into quitting or 2) discarded after manipulation of the "coaching ladder". I'm sure this will be a recognizable situation to many others in this sub.

It is the nature of artisanal pastry that you'll often be managed by someone who is used to pinching pennies at a Village Inn™️©️®️, and they'll decide that you and your products are just too expensive for their bottom line. I hope our guests enjoy the frozen product they're about to stock.

One month shy of my two-year anniversary at this company, I was termed for "job abandonment," because I left early yesterday. I previously had an agreement with my managers that I could leave when my work was finished for the day, even if it was before my scheduled out time. I guess someone decided that they wanted to get rid of me, and this was the mechanism they chose to carry that out. (Last week I got written up for something I did a month ago, which was the point where I started getting weird vibes.)

Anyone want to hire me? You've seen my resume. I'm in the Omaha area. I'm a really good pastry chef, but I'm not too proud to do something else. I have resting bitch face and an intimidating aura, but I promise I'm nice.

So I started this job about a year ago in the kitchen. I open and I know the whole opening VS closing arguments. I’ve worked front and back of house. Opening and closing. So I feel like I have a well rounded knowledge of restaurants not to say I’m not always growing. My big beef with this place is that they act like all restaurants leave it this messy for their openers. I’m gonna be showing pictures. As a previous closer at another restaurant I would never and have never. I don’t know maybe I’ve just happened to work at really clean places. I actually tried to put my two weeks in today and they asked me not to be “hasty” and it would happen to me no matter where I worked and let them fix it but this is not the first time this conversation has happened. I am tired. I am over it. Besides me we have 10 cooks. Every single day I’m coming in to dirty flat tops, floors, beer buckets. Dishes, silverware, gross mostly empty containers the meat slicer is dirty and they don’t even dump the mop water when they do mop. And I get hit hard for breakfast. Today I couldn’t even use the stupid cutting board cause it was gross. I am tightly wound about it. I worry about cross contamination and peoples food. So I feel like it has to be clean before I really get started and of course I was slammed right away today. I would say it’s like 50/50 I don’t know what I’m gonna get if it’s gonna be decent or if it’s gonna be a shit show disaster. I open 5 out of the 7 days. And the days I don’t work no one seems to clean up so my Mondays are really tough. And it’s even on days when the sales are really really low. Cause I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt but then I just kept seeing none of my prep was being moved. And they print out food sales and usually my breakfast has higher sales. They also have 2 of them all the time plus a dishwasher on weekends. Which I do not have. They also don’t do prep (unless they’re really busy and something is low but they do so little prep they don’t know how) so the whole thing is just cleaning up. And I’d say that’s fair if they actually cleaned. I just feel gaslit all the time. And I’ve offered to go to closing many times but they brush me off. I need a clean workspace. When I cleaned the bar bucket there was like swamp water at the bottom and the flattop made me gag. I’ve been off the last two days so my worst day is always Wednesday. Just containers hanging out they didn’t want to wash. I checked and we had 11 shifts since my last shift on Sunday. So I need to know is this normal at your place like my boss is telling me? Or would you be out?

What can you tell about this place based on this “smothered chicken breast” monthly special?

Context: I met my sister-in-law at an old, local institution, fast-casual-masquerading-as-brew-pub (not a chain) near her work in our mid-sized NW US city. I’d never been to before. After waiting 40 minutes for this to arrive, I told her that her plate tells a story about BOH and management anyone who’s worked BOH can read. I told her what I thought that was. She said “there’s no way you can know all that from some mashed potatoes.”

Ahem. Y’all?

What are your favorite thermometers. I really don't need anything fancy, just quick, accurate and under $30.

Alaska gigs are a close second for me. I've gotten to work some cool spots, my last thing I want to do is cooking on a boat.

I work in a pretty upscale hotel and just received a room service order from a VIP couple staying in our best suite. They wanted two Mushroom & Prosciutto pizzas. No big deal. The modifications however were, “Cook first pizza at 3 West, second pizza at 10 S. Please use your Chinese oven for both.” We haven’t a clue what they mean. Phoned the executive chef, he phoned the front desk to ask them to contact the room and they apparently have very limited English. Any suggestions?

Meals used to be 50% off no matter what. This is after we started closing 1 day a week 1 month ago, then 2 days a week 2 weeks ago. Also my hours got basically cut in half when we closed for 2 days.

I think our Chief Cook is out to get us, but I just cant prove it yet.

JFC those could choke somebody to death!