Luck in the kitchen.

[Peachcreek]

Here is a question. How much of a part do you think luck has in you kitchen. Do you have any kitchen superstitions, like never being without your lucky paring knife or coat? Mine is "the jinxed mistake"- mistakenly making something but being able to hold it till I get an order for that item. Invariably that item won't get ordered till I toss the mistake. And a minute later, that item gets ordered....Another one is when I come in with a hangover that it will be busier than usual. The worse the hangover, the busier we get.

[lavender luv]

the worst is when someone jinxes you by "calling it"; like when any of the following phrases are uttered, it's sure to get hairy-
"it's funny, i thought it would be busier tonight"
"of course we have enough, it doesn't sell"
"man it's busy, but at least the dishwashers working"

and what about the whole friday thing?
everything always breaks on a friday! not a monday or tuesday,,,nooooo
and then it's at least monday before anyone can attempt to fix it.

the karma gods are alive and well in the kitchen

[KateW]

A guy at my internship used to always say "We have a LOT of work to do today" which just makes it that much worse. I like to focus on one thing at a time like it's the only thing I have to worry about. (This applies to prep work at least; maybe not so much for on the line.)
Oh and of course when you say "Not too much to do today" that's when chef comes over and highlights 10 more things on the prep list. Or when you're about to wrap up for the day and you run out of a bunch of things at once and you have to make them before you can go...

[genevieve.m]

In our kitchen when you tell someone that they will be nailed on their section it always happens to you instead.

"It's quiet tonight", and the bus pulls up.

Our equipment breaks on the weekend when it costs double for a tradesman or plummer to fix it. Always!

We call this Murpheys law jinx "OF COURSE"! when ever it happens.

[MikeLM]

Lavender said...

"...and what about the whole friday thing?
everything always breaks on a friday! not a monday or tuesday,,,nooooo
and then it's at least monday before anyone can attempt to fix it."

I guess that's not just restauranting. I operated several apartment buildings in a Chicago suburb in the late 70's. We had a number of water heater failures, and they ALWAYS happened about 4:30 PM on a Friday afternoon, when it was too late to get a plumber or even to go get a new heater so we could put it in ourselves. (These weren't Home Depot-sized units; we had to get them from commercial suppliers, all of whom closed promptly at 5pm.

Life seems to be like that.

Mike

[kuan]

Or the health inspector always comes in as you're about to get slammed.

[chefalexander]

Luck and superstitions have always played a part in any kitchen. Throwing a pinch a salt over your shoulder if you spill it for example. We have many in our kitchen. Always, if the head chef says, "its been kind of slow this morning"--BOOM, 5 minutes later we're plowed under. Also, because of the ancient Scottish superstition about oatmeal (always stir it clockwise, or you will have bad luck)--to this day, I MUST stir almost anything on the stove clockwise. I even now find myself wearing a kilt to work on St. Patricks Day--God help us all! But as to luck--its a mindset. Once we convince ourselves things will be bad (or good) it will--think positive thoughts and hang in there.

[Nick.Shu]

hahah - i have a few:

Mugs law - you dont have it, then they want it. also works for stuff low on prep.

A new knife will cut you - strangely enough, im rather cautious of new knives. You dont know their idiosyncracies and they know little of yours. Kinda like bloodening the new hunter.

if you dont check it, then it will be off (see mugs rule)

and et al.

[Mikeb]

I'll often forget about food cooking, then I'll suddenly remember about it, thinking it's burnt to ****, run across the kitchen and grab it. Seems it's always cooked perfectly too, guess it's good luck.

[Flash]

Please allow me to take this opportunity to flatter myself--after all, it's not every day one comes across such a lucky inquiry as this (tailor made it seems)....

ok, ahem


....Of course, most kitchens are unlucky to work in--unless of course I happen to bless their existence. Now it seems to me, that from what I know from my own experience, is that I must be lucky to be there (and yes, i do feel bad for the poor bastard who left), and consequently, they must be lucky to have me (rather than that poor bastard I feel sorry for). SO...I think we all win in the end, but there is only one sure way one can know WHAT luck is and HOW much they're receiving is to focus on the unlucky ones (that is, i.e., e.g., for exemplatory the guise whose place yous took, that of course you feel drink'n for. ???? wha, wha are drinking four??? iforget))))))
anyhooooo, when the shifftlet is over, it's always good to buy a round, that is a luck round......specially on st. patty's day..........ok ok ok.....come on..... whose with me??????? green bear????beer????? c'mon. the mint jelly era was enough............don't turn green beer , i mean beer green unless it's sppossed to b that way, like heee heee heee hemp beer............


ffeeeelling luck punk????????

flash

[KAYLINDA]

Definately....luck..."Murphy's Law"...whatever you'd like to call it...
The one thing you're out of is what they order...
When you're low on salads they don't want the soup...
When the soup is low they don't want the salads.
When everything went wrong today....you're busy...
When everything went right and you're ready...you're slow.
When you're busy the help calls in sick...
When you're slow they all show up.
I think it's called working in a commercial kitchen.