Respect!

[panini]

Is it my imagination, or have the younger, genX, chef lost all respect for the older chefs?
I intoduced myself to younger chefs on numerous occasions and get absolutely no vibe or respect. They are so wrapped, in this fast paced, competitive race, they have no time to communicate. Am I just feeling old?
I met a chef that was dressed for holloween in some sort of black ninja garb.
He mentioned that he never visits Sprouts (a new organic store) but his sous f'd up and he was buying his turnips and heading back to fire him. He seemed just so out of controll.
Sorry for the rant
pan

[oldschool1982]

No apology necessary Pan. Noticed this too. Unfortunately it's not just limited being a Chef. Everything has to be so much of an "In your face competition" or "what am I gonna get out of it" Most've forgotten about discretion and humility. If you ask me too many think they deserve and never learned that you have to earn. Hence I don't get it either so I must be getting old too. Only one thing left to do... Road trip

[panini]

Old School, you're right.
When i first saw this chef today, I said to myself, hmm Eastern in his thinking. Since I was 14 in NYC I have tried to practice Patience, Honesty, Humility, and Sincer\ety. When he exploded with the sous thing I guess I was a little taken back.
Love your site!!!!!
pan

[kokopuffs]

During my short 2 1/2 semesters of teaching science to public high school students, I was assaulted 3 times. I quit after being called a stupid mother f*cker by some unruly 11th grader. I haven't the time for this stuff and the younger generations really suck when it comes to respecting older people.

[Rivitman]

Yes.
And unfortunately employers seem impressed by them.
And unimpressed by the experience of older chefs.

I guess they like losing money.

[foodpump]

I don't know, it IS a very comptetitive world out there. On the one hand the Ninja- dressed Chef didn't outright verbally assault you, but it did sound like he's completely stressed out.
I've been in that situation many times--feeling like the chinese circus act guy, the guy who's spinning ten plates on broomsticks and running around just to keep all ten plates spinning. I've had many a confrontation with staff who don't understand the concept of respect; No, it doesn't mean love, or to be a push-over.

The ones who refuse to comprehend respect usually get bitten in the butt: Just because you say you got offered a job that pays $11.00/hr more doesn't mean that I will match it, please, by all accounts leave this job to go for it. And then a few months later I see them working p/t for a mega catering co., in a polyester uniform selling $4.00 bottled water on hockey game nights...I smile and wave, they avoid eye contact. Respect from clients is very rare too. My quote too high? You want a discount? Why? Oh, I see, because I'm not Caterer X... After a while I just blow it out and smirk when they call 0two days before the event and I politely decline because I'm booked.

Meh, respect. I give it, but never expect it back, I like surprises...

[scurvydog]

Panni...I don't know what youe demos are where you work. I'm a sous at a high volume, up-scale joint and we make our money the hard way...we give 'em what they want. My chef is the owner. When he was 16, he worked on cruise ships and came to the U.S. 13 years ago and opened up a place. He values things like dressing for your job, hard work, and creativity from his boh staff. Sorry to hear you wear side-swiped by that dudes custume choice...let it go. When I go to bar after work (...which is almost every night...) and I see some cat hanging out in his "whites", I think: "What a douchebag!" Again...no respect. All those self-important a-holes who think they are chefs and try to "gather" some self-perceived importance, can go "F" themselves as they are walking off a short dock in cold water!

Originally Posted by panini

Is it my imagination, or have the younger, genX, chef lost all respect for the older chefs?
I intoduced myself to younger chefs on numerous occasions and get absolutely no vibe or respect. They are so wrapped, in this fast paced, competitive race, they have no time to communicate. Am I just feeling old?
I met a chef that was dressed for holloween in some sort of black ninja garb.
He mentioned that he never visits Sprouts (a new organic store) but his sous f'd up and he was buying his turnips and heading back to fire him. He seemed just so out of controll.
Sorry for the rant
pan

[kokopuffs]

The lack of respect stems mostly from either single or no-parent families. Parental absenteeism gives the kids nothing to learn.

[beefcheif]

well, i have just gone back into a kitchen after a time, and found i was the oldest one in the resturaunt........... im only 28!..........im not sure your age, however i was trained by older Chefs and they bashed the belief and rightly so, that if you have spend 20 odd years in commercial cookery, you should know a thing or two.......

The smart person will ask and listen to the older chefs, as 99% of the time you can get real gold.

In short, yes respect has been lost, however if it matters i still respect the older chef.

[chrose]

Jeff, I see and understand where you're coming from, but I have to wonder if it's not somewhat a function of "our" ages. What I mean is that since time began the "younger generation" has always thought that the older one knows nothing. They're behind the times and don't understand. They are under the impression that because something is new to them, that it's new to everyone. They do not understand the concept of experience and what changes in a person experience alone will bring. So I think "we" have gotten to a point where to the 20 somethings and younger we have graduated to the "old, know nothing stage" and we might as well get out the rockers and sit on the porch. (Can ya believe it?!? ) I think if you were any other profession and something similar happened you would find the same reaction. It's human nature. I think.

[Someday]

Just remember that there ARE eager young culinarians out there, who give respect and don't have attitudes. Few and far between maybe, but we are out there.

[AprilB]

My 14yo daughter has pretty much been an only child since age 3 when the EX (I hesitate to call him a 'dad') got into trouble and skipped bail.

She is intelligent, artistic, scolastic, creative, polite, a great cook, and overall a terrific kid (well, she does have this thing about not putting stuff away...) She loves classical music (by choice, not by me), and educational TV programs.

When we took passage back to the US from Sydney on the Oriana she had an entire shipful of elderly Brits completely blown away by how polite and well-spoken she is.

She has NEVER said a swear word of any kind in her life! Seriously. Even when she was younger and understood that the Hoover Dam is not a swear word. It makes her uncomfortable and she feels like there are better ways to express yourself when you're 'pissed off'. (course she won't even say THAT)

BY COMPARISON her two older siblings, 24 and 25 are the worst users/abusers you could imagine. THEY were raised in a 2 parent 'family'. My son is a borderline abusive manipulator, has no morals when it comes to stealing. (Has stolen thousands over the years from me, but it wasn't provable). Neither of them have any respect for anything or anyone, family bonds, values or morals. My oldest daughter is abusive to her kids (she's on her 4th) and is just plain hateful and mean spirited.

The Ex was an overpowering emotionally distant Computer Yoda type. I was the artistic, stay at home mom with an art business on the side.

I suppose in Pleasantville the two parent approach works, but we don't watch black and white TV any more.

My vote is television that's ruining the way kids view their universe and interaction with people. You could argue about using TV as a babysitter but it happens just as often in 2 parent homes as well.

Originally Posted by kokopuffs

The lack of respect stems mostly from either single or no-parent families. Parental absenteeism gives the kids nothing to learn.

April
(I homeschool BTW)

[kokopuffs]

<<The lack of respect stems mostly from either single or no-parent families. Parental absenteeism gives the kids nothing to learn.>>

AprilB:
I should have defined the term "no-parent" as being either zero parents or zero parental influence. But a lot of social ills among kids are attributed to the decline in parental involvement with their children.

[Nammer]

hi, i'm new to this Forum, just want to say hi to everyone,

as for the GenX culinarians, i agree that not that many younger generation understand basics in general,

I MYSELF is a GenX culinarian, i've only been working for 4 years now, and i noticed that not that many of my past coworkers in the kitchen have respect for the older generation chefs. as for me, i love to learn from the older generation because they were CLASSICALLY trained in their specialty, and that's why i have deep respect for them, the genx these days like to make up their own dishes and such, but don't understand the history or basics behind what their chefs are doing, i was very fortunate to work with a few of the best chefs in the US, and i'm still striving for more education from them, genx cooks these days don't realize that they have to FOLLOW before they LEAD. and that just because they went to some culinary school that they think they're a Chef and that they're untouchable, ok, i'll stop babbling now, it's nice to let this out of my system because i'm not able to talk about this to my own coworkers because i think 80% of them are Shoe-makers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Beemerchef]

Originally Posted by oldschool1982

No apology necessary Pan. Noticed this too. Unfortunately it's not just limited being a Chef. Everything has to be so much of an "In your face competition" or "what am I gonna get out of it" Most've forgotten about discretion and humility. If you ask me too many think they deserve and never learned that you have to earn. Hence I don't get it either so I must be getting old too. Only one thing left to do... Road trip

Very interesting thread... As... I am indeed getting ready for a road trip...
After 40 years in the kitchen, including waaaay back then 3 years of Culinary Schooling in Switzerland, I am taking a slightly different path...
This past year, having been contracted by a new Restaurant to bring it up to par, I have experienced the same thing and for the first time in my life started thinking... "Am I really getting old?"... well... kind of I imagine being almost 59... but can still ride in circles around those "youngsters".
So... to make a long story short... the restaurant is up for sale now... the "yoyo" owner lost his Liquor License twice... I think he even spend sme time in jail... selling intentionnaly to minors and once procrastinating on his paperwork!... So... as I was contemplating a road trip with a purpose and doing some serious writing, I still visited some other restaurants that are in need of some serious "upbringing"... I have always been self employed and my desire has always been to keep it that way... For the first time... never said in the open... and hard to explain... I felt a feeling that I was being passed on because of my age!... maybe the thought that this man will not be able to handle the physical pressure... maybe he will not be able to handle the long hours... I truly did... combined with the fact that I am not cheap... and yes, they are some incredible young Chefs out there... but more affordable...
So, anyhow... the road trip is on... deep down all this is enough... but my Passion has never diminished... and I will be cooking on the road... camping... riding... driving... for whoever I met through an incoming BLOG "The Oasis of my Soul" and friends that I have all over this country!
Looking for the local fare... breakfast and dinner everyday... or just about... I am curious to find out for myself how much I can really do on the road in the open, weather permitting or in my PopUp camper with much less space... I have lived on a Sailboat for 28 years... the space will not be a problem... I even have an oven with me! (8"x8"!!!)... to be used on a burner... stoves and... my food processor... genrator... water filtering... power packs!!!
I actually hope that some of yous... outdoor fans will join me as I will post here where I am!... or even if you needed help in your kitchen in emergency situation I would be happy to jump in... and no... I am not looking at financial rewards!... I just love being in a kitchen!!!
This is my transportation and my buddy Spirit...
Sorry if I "strayed" from the subject of this thread... I wil start a new one soon relevant to my Journey...






Be well... 30 days to departure!

Ara