Interns- Do you have one?

[chefgirlrd]

I have an intern. This is more a curse than a blessing.
I am counting down the days until I can ditch him-
I dont mean to sound rude, but this boy has no business
being in a kitchen! We do catering, so it's alot of prep ahead
stuff, and he just cant get the gist of working quickly!
Anyway, I could vent all day, but it'll get me nowhere and make
you guys think Im mean. So have you all had one of these? and
what do you think about them. It's sad, because at the end,
what do I tell him? Find a new career? To further make my point,
I'll give an example, I told him to double a recipe, and he couldnt
do it, Ok, 60+60 is 120, and, 1.5 cups x 2 is 3 cups.
Not too bad, right? no, he cant add!!!! Okay, done with that vent!
HELP!!!!! Tell me your intern stories!!!!!
Chefgirlrd

[dano1]

i've had a few through my kitchens. It's a labor of love to be sure, although there are those who will show the aptitude, attitude, and spirit that makes it worth it. And i have a debt to pay back to the guy who took my sorry a** under his wing and gave me the chance .
danny

[jpdchef]

I agree--pay it forward.Many people helped me.They'll fall away--or be usefull

[genevieve.m]

In NZ we do "work experince"when we are 14 and 16 years old. One week out of school in the industry you choose. I can't have been much use but I kept my mouth shut and did the work. At least I was keen if nothing else.

They drive me mad as well when they come from the college, but I remember asking stupid questions and doing stupid things from lack of confidence and experience.

Being a chef is a state of mind learned from getting your fingers burn't. Many chefs don't remember what it was like.
I have heard chefs say over the years "that person is useless and will never make it", but they did and some turned out to be very good.

Tell him to purchase a calculator and a watch with a timer before he comes back for his next shift, and every time he dosn't use them he owes you a beer! That way even if he dosn't make it you got something for your troubles.

[KateW]

Currently I *am* an intern. I feel your pain, chefgirlrd. I can tell I'm an idiot sometimes. However, I can multiply recipes, but have a harder time dividing them
Still it takes for-****-ever for me to learn how things are at a new job. Just because I know how to bake, roast, simmer, make soup, etc. doesn't mean I know how someone else wants me to do it!
At the end, if he does have any good points, tell him. Is he on time, work well with others, good hygiene, respectful..This is what my chef did with me when I had my midterm grades done. I think these points are as important if not more so, as being able to cook, or double a recipe. You can teach math, but not good ethics.

[kuan]

Originally Posted by chefgirlrd

I have an intern. This is more a curse than a blessing.

You're lucky. At least they'll be gone in due time. I've has sous chefs "placed" in my kitchen who couldn't turn on the stove.

Kuan

[wizcat3]

Here,here, Kuan. Have u ever heard of a sous chef (1) beat the "dickens) lol out of the Pate a Choux before adding ALL the eggs at once? (2) Add the flour and sugar, which was combined, to the egg mixture all at once before measuring the already hot melted choc which when added continued to whip for quite some time. I could go on. Such a horror! Love to hear more of these stories.

[ALynch]

Isnt an intern a student? I thought when you take on an intern you take on the responsibility of teaching him or her. If you let your intern graduate, he is going to put his internship at your establishment on his resume. When he fails at his real job in the future are people not going to look at you and see a bad teacher?