First-Time Line Cook

[drivethruwreck]

Hi,

I'm currently a culinary student at The Texas Culinary Academy and just got hired to be a line cook. School has been going very well but I do not have any restaurant experience.

I'm a fast learner and a hard-worker...

Do you all have any advice for a first-time line cook?

[Rivitman]

Never be late.
Try to never call in sick.
Never beg off a shift.
If asked to work extra hours, do it.
Don't experiment. Produce the plate exactly as directed.
Be meticulously prepared, from your mindset, to your mise en place.
Keep your station clean and organized.
Don't cause the Chef, sous, or lead cook problems.
Don't drag the rest of the crew down with a negative attitude or commetary.
Never, ever, try to debate or argue with anyone during the shift, save it for AFTER.

Work for your reputation. That guy on the station next to you? He may be hiring in a few years. The sous? he may bail out for his own chef's gig, and be willing to peel you off for more money etc. The chef likes you? He's going to take you with him when he makes a move. You are going to find that the world of chefs and cooks, especially if you stay in one locality, is a small one.

[Warchef]

****.. dont think anyone could have said it better.. oh wait.. one thing..


loyalty.. learn the true nuances of it.. if some one is taking the time to train you, and teach you what you wont learn in school be prepared to follow them to the gates of ****.. dont bail at the promise of .25 an hour more if they guy you are with treats you fair..

i been around the block a time or two.. and this one id say is as important as not chopping your finger off cause you were to busy watching that waitress walk by while you were slicing onions..

[drivethruwreck]

Originally Posted by Warchef

****.. dont think anyone could have said it better.. oh wait.. one thing..


loyalty.. learn the true nuances of it.. if some one is taking the time to train you, and teach you what you wont learn in school be prepared to follow them to the gates of ****.. dont bail at the promise of .25 an hour more if they guy you are with treats you fair..

i been around the block a time or two.. and this one id say is as important as not chopping your finger off cause you were to busy watching that waitress walk by while you were slicing onions..

haha, thanks I promise to keep that in mind.

Time to get my *** kicked...I feel like I'm going to boot camp..

[Pete]

Can't say it better than already said. Just to add a few things.

You are going to get your a** kicked, be prepared for it mentally. It is going to happen.

Put your head down and learn whatever the chef has to offered to you. NEVER, NEVER, EVER tell a chef that he is doing it the wrong way, or that you learned the right way in school. That is the quickest way out the door.

Don't expect the cooks to make it easy on you either. You are the FNG. You are an unknown. These cooks will probably test you. Yes, there will be some hazing, but these guys will want to know that you can handle the pressure. If the crew doesn't like you they will send you packing. It's rough, but these same guys, who will beat you down, will be some of your biggest allies when you prove yourself to them.

It's not all about experience. A lot of it is drive, determination and the willingness to learn. Show your chef and crew that you are willing to learn and be part of their team.

[Steve A]

One thing, Drivethru, it's a learning experience. It's the real world. Every place has it's own way of doing things.

Rivit was spot on with his comments. My comment is to enjoy it the best you can.

Ciao,

[Magnolia_Chef]

Know that the waitstaff are evil, try to aviod interaction with them, remain professional and culinary minded & don't talk to them too much other than necessary comunication about the food.

[Someday]

Originally Posted by Magnolia_Chef

Know that the waitstaff are evil, try to aviod interaction with them, remain professional and culinary minded & don't talk to them too much other than necessary comunication about the food.

You're joking, right?

Effective communication b/t FoH and BoH is essential to a well run restaurant and kitchen.

[epicous]

Originally Posted by Magnolia_Chef

Know that the waitstaff are evil, try to aviod interaction with them, remain professional and culinary minded & don't talk to them too much other than necessary comunication about the food.

I agree with you. It's better to avoid troubles.

[travisbickle]

I can't expound to much on what Rivitman said except that organization is a key to running any station. If you are the salad b***h and watching the broil guy get his a** handed to him one and thinking you could never deal with that, then you'll always be a salad b***h. Learn as much as you can from the seasoned cooks. School will give you the clinical reason "why" or "why not". Seasoned cooks will take you where no classroom ever will. Your chef is your boss. Don't ever, ever, ever, try to debate with him or her in front of others. If you feel you have need to debate, do so in private and respectfully. we all drink, smoke and cuss, but we are professionals and there is a protocall to follow. Respect for you superiors is the best way to look at it. I work at a place where the owner's name hangs over the door. He prefers to cook behind the line. We do 200 covers fo a Monday dinner and he has me or the other lead cook expedite. There is much tension and sometimes anger flare ups, but in the end there are no "I'm sorry for this". It's just learn or leave. Also, learn Spanish really well. Most of your fellow employees likely speak it as a first language and can already cook you under the table. Make friends with these cats. They will watch your back if you are cool to them, but don't be a ***** either. Hope this was helpful.

[Magnolia_Chef]

Originally Posted by Someday

You're joking, right?

Effective communication b/t FoH and BoH is essential to a well run restaurant and kitchen.

No, i am not jokeing, my most recient bout of insanity was when i told a new bus boy that eating cholocate cake or anything that was not on the employee meal list was not allowed with out paying for it, that it was part of my job to maintain food coasts & that we had a meal list of free meals, and that anything else he would have to pay for, ok this was not unreasonable or outside of my position. The waitstaff decided to gang up on me, they were total *******, they wrote nasty grafitti, one waitress had my yahoo id, she printed out my profile & they all wrote insults all over it, & hung it up at my station so i would find it in the morning. As a result of all this i decided to give long term notice of employment termination, till i could find another position. At about the same time, the exc. chef also became disenchanted & said the resturant was a hopeless situation, after the two of us had our "give a damm" broke & i had turned most of my duties over to a much less experienced line cook & the resturant became very unsanitary & the food quality became unsatisfactory & the customers began to kick up a fuss, guess who came sobbing to me one morning about how there were several waitresses who had been there for years & cared about the resturant & made their liveing there, bla bla bla.........That very same waitress who was the one who printed out my yahoo profile & provoked the harassment.

I have found a much better position, i am leaving the resturant aspect of the culinary world, the position has benifits, no waitresses, has benifits, almost 3 times the money. So, no, i am not jokeing, and this was only the latest chapter in many years of the waitress bulls***t factor of the industry.

[Jim]

Effective communication b/t FoH and BoH is essential to a well run restaurant and kitchen.

I have to agree with you. While dealing with folks that are maybe less professional than yourself, it is absolutley imperative! Yes, they can be undignified. Yes, they can be bullheaded. Yes, they can be amature. But, so too, can the same be said about the folks preparing the food. I think the better of a communicator tht you are, the more successful you will be. If there is ever any hope of moving into management and beyond, you cannot summarily avoid an entire aspect of an operation. The "Us vs. Them" mentality really does leave a good taste.

On a side note... using profanity throughout dialog (either written or spoken) speaks volumes about being unprofessional.

[travisbickle]

Originally Posted by Jim

I have to agree with you. While dealing with folks that are maybe less professional than yourself, it is absolutley imperative! Yes, they can be undignified. Yes, they can be bullheaded. Yes, they can be amature. But, so too, can the same be said about the folks preparing the food. I think the better of a communicator tht you are, the more successful you will be. If there is ever any hope of moving into management and beyond, you cannot summarily avoid an entire aspect of an operation. The "Us vs. Them" mentality really does leave a good taste.

On a side note... using profanity throughout dialog (either written or spoken) speaks volumes about being unprofessional.

Jim, I picked up on your comment about using profanity because I thought it was odd. This web site does not allow profanity to be used. However, you bring up a prevocative issue...should we or should we not not use profanity in the work place? I'll anty up here first...Who does not use ******* profanity in the kitchen? Just Jim? Jim, my friend, forgive my being so blunt, but are you ******* serious??? Do you even actually cook professionally? Are some sort of languistic puritan? Liighten the **** up or get the **** out of the buisness. Smooke a fatty tonight and drink sme vodka and then reflect before you respond and try not to be a *****.

<This message has been edited to remove profanity>

[CrazyTATT]

Originally Posted by travisbickle

Jim, I picked up on your comment about using profanity because I thought it was odd. This web site does not allow profanity to be used. However, you bring up a prevocative issue...should we or should we not not use profanity in the work place? I'll anty up here first...Who does not use ******* profanity in the kitchen? Just Jim? Jim, my friend, forgive my being so blunt, but are you ****** serious??? Do you even actually cook professionally? Are some sort of languistic puritan? Liighten the **** up or get the **** out of the buisness. Smooke a fatty tonight and drink sme vodka and then reflect before you respond and try not to be a *****.

First of all, this site is a site for all people. It is maintained with a value that does not need profanity to get a point across.

Second, if you are on top of your game, you don't get stressed to the point of swearing. You handle ALL situations with calm, poise and balance.

Third, you seem like a rather high strung person to be preaching "smoke a fatty, and drink some vodka"...and how long have you been in the bussiness? Long enough to tell someone else to get out of the bussiness? If you were in the bussiness that long, why does your profile say you are a line cook...perhaps lay off the "fatties" and Vodka, and gain a level of profesionalism where profanity is not needed to get a point across, and you can rise to a leadership possition.

__________________________________________________ ___________


DRIVETHRU...everything you need to know was in the first post.

Keep a level head. Learn from those around you. LISTEN. LEARN. and remember to keep a sense of urgency. School does NOT teach a barking ticket machine. Clean as you go. Learn to multi task efficiently. LEARN ALL TASKS IN THE OPERATION, a knowledgable crew member is a VALUABLE crew member. NOTHING IS OUTSIDE OF A JOB DESCRIPTION...don't be "to good" to do something. And remember, when in the weeds, like all good meals, it to shall pass" Just knock it out. Complaining only will make people loose respect, and will not accomplish anything.

[Jim]

perhaps lay off the "fatties" and Vodka, and gain a level of profesionalism where profanity is not needed to get a point across, and you can rise to a leadership position.

... that says it all. Thanks!