What happened to the kitchen work ethic

During all my culinary experience I have worked 70 plus hours a week and at times in excess of 100. Through Italy, France and England the expectations in the kitchen were the same and there were always insane people like me that loved cooking and would keep the pace. Back in the U.S. things are different and as time goes by (I've been back for 8 years) it seems to only get worse. Are the "new generation" of American cooks not willing to make the sacrafices to excel????

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I know what you are saying. I am an 18 year old that has been in the field for four years. I love cooking experimenting and plain old working in a fast pace scene. Since the chef is only allowing people that are getting paid by the hour only to have 50 hours, I punch out and continue working. I even take it so far to sleep in my car since I live 30 minutes away. Nobody now as days gives a damm about anythging. They just want to do there time and leave. Its very sad that people my age are the new millenium cooks, want to be chefs. God forbid my co workers had to work a few hours more then what they are scheduled for

I TOTALLY AGREE! When I started out in this business, I would go to work, go to school, and then go back to work for free just to learn from the chef. My wife hated it, but I kept telling her that someday it would pay off...and it has. Today, most of the cooks who say they want to be chefs, do thier eight hours and leave so fast the door doesnt shut. You cant expect to learn anything if you dont put in the time and energy. This business takes a lot of personal sacrifice. When I had a chance to work with the culinary olympic team..I litterally worked 34 hours straight! But it was worth it just in what I witnessed and got to help with. If you are worried about getting home to watch tv or you are more pre-occupied with going to a concert instead of learning a new dish...forget about being a chef. You will have time for that when you have a staff of 50 under your belt to take care of you when you are gone!!!

[theloggg]

Personally, I don't think your comments can be attached to the culinary world alone. I think the attitude in the business world now-a-days is focusing more on a equal balance of work and play. 10 years ago companies didn't rent entire movie theaters and send ALL of their employees (in the middle of a work day) to see the latest blockbuster movie. They do now. I worked in Human Resources for a few years and part of our job involved how to keep employees happy to reduce turnover. Allowing them more personal time to avoid burnout was always the number 1 choice. So in my opinion, I believe what you are seeing is an attitude towards work in general, not just culinary work.

Well I see the difference in the replies and will qualify those very simply as those who are willing to make the sacrafices to be the best and those who don't. Ballance in life is very important..........but many of the sacrafices come early in a cooks travel to become a chef......ballance comes later in life when one is able to reap the rewards of their abilities.......If one does not have the PASSION AND DISCIPLINE to devote the hours and years......they simply don't have what it takes to truly excel.......cooking is not all about talent.....it's about training and technique......those that follow these prinicples have the opportunity to become a true chef....the rest will wallow in mediocrity (sp) or trudge through corporate kitchens following others standards instead of setting their own....WHAT WILL YOU BE???

[ChefRon]

I strongly disagree! There's a lot more to life than working 100 hours per week. I have known many chefs who were very skilled culinarians but who were "running on empty" when it came to emotional maturity. If all you do is work, you will not have the opportunity to develop wisdom in relationships with others. In fact, you will find yourself becoming angry and bitter because others will not share your sense of priorities. In consequence, you will end up losing jobs due to temper tantrums, or even sexual improprieties in the workplace (by working to excess you will let your guard down and begin flirting with women in the workplace; that will always result in disastor). You must discipline yourself to strive for balance in all things.

I totally agree with you chefflyone on this topic. Most cooks nowadays (well since I've been in the industry) simply got there for a paycheck. It bugs me to death that people's work ethic has deteriorated to nothing. This field is different than that of the white collar world in such as going to a movie theatre for all the employees. ****, those that are not in this field simply do not get the concept that we work while others play. We play while others sleep. To excel in this field, first you must work hard to get smart, then the idea is to work smart by utilizing those whose passions and dreams are to be where you are. ChefRon has some good points as well. Ron, when you were becoming a chef, did you put in alot of hours and years??? I bet you did. One MUST have his/her own time. I get little free time, but when I get it, I make the best of it. Some of those people who we talk about having little work ethic can blossom into roses in our kitchens. We must be the ones who bring it out in them. Remember being the one stuck in one position on the line??? Remember how easy it was to follow in the foot steps of others??? This is one reason why I think that the ethic has fallen. People will get by with what they can and feel comforatble doing what others around them are doing. That is one aspect of the dicipline we must recognize and others as well. Dicipline yourself to be better and to excel. We could all write books on this topic, but I would like to see more of others' opinions on this one.

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Happy Cooking!!!
Chef Jerome

[Pete]

nicely said ChefTiss

Everyone, Good work ethic doesn't mean we have to put in 70 hours plus for our jobs, 52 weeks a year. Yes I have been there and done that, and sometimes I enjoy it and other times I don't. When I got married I realized that my priorities changed. My wife understands that I have to work long hours and that I have to work when she is off. But my work ethic has not changed even though I made sure my hours did. When you're single and don't have a family long hours are enjoyable and don't bother us. Once you start a family things change.
Webster defines work ethic as "a set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence." No where in that does it say you have to work 70 to 80 hours a week. When your at work work hard and love what you're doing. Do it the best you can, and do a good job at it.
To future CMC, there is no need to impress us. Your replys are becoming more and more funny as we learn that you are going to be a CMC by the time your 37, punch out and work more at your job, when does this perfect chef stuff end? I think its great that you have all high goals set for yourself and that you are going to one of the best culinary schools in the country but jkust remember that when you're there your no better thatn anyone else there. Even with all the stuff you know everyone is an equal. When you come out of school you'll have to start at the bottom like the rest of us. Don't think that you're a god because your not!

[Jim]

I can appreciate everybody's insight. On one hand we have the 'school of hard knocks' and on the other we have 'equal pay for equal work'. I am a young chef; I read about food, I watch people cook, I talk about food, I travel to experience new foods. I am, however, also married with a family. My family understands the goofy hours, the stress and the hard work. But, I can not ever make an excuse to my kids why I am not there for them. So, I guess, it boils down to this; I work to earn a living, I cook because I love the work. I will not sacrifice the sanity of my wife by being a single parent; that burden is one of those regrets (I would imagine) that you look back at 30 years from now and mourn for the lost time.

Lastly, the theme that seems to be running through this entire posting is about some guys bolting out the door at closing time and others being dedicated enough to stay (without pay).... I don't think that this is isolated and relating only to cooks/chefs; it is an underlying theme to the lack of dedication that is rampant in our entire workforce. (?)
-Jim

work has changed in the 15 years i have been in kitchens. long hours are great if they are what you really WANT. if you are forced to work them it all changes. i lost the use of my right arm for a year because of a burnt out intoxicated co-worker. he did not work over 35 hours a week, BUT i did. i was too tired to realize what was happening before he threw me up against the wall. i realize we are all in this profession for our own reasons, but it has become sad to see anyone work for the sake of the new higher salaries, or the sake of not knowing where they want to go.
hope we all get to where we want to go.

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Okay...okay...okay. I believe the topic here was work ethic. Yes, I agree that the amount of hours you put in does not show your work ethic and dedication, HOWEVER, that is the nature of this business. I do not know any well respected and well paid chef's that do not work at least 60 hours a week. I agree strongly with cheflyone and Chef Jerome. If someone is paying me $100K a year to be thier exec. chef...I sure as heck am going to earn it. The bottom line is..that if you want to learn, and you want to excel...you have to be willing to put in the effort. PERIOD. If you want to be a leader and someone people will look up to, you need to have a high amount of ethics, personal standards, and morality. Otherwise you should not be managing people, and that, of course, is what Chef's do!

Dear chefly one,what an interesting topic you have chosen- it has evoked so much controversy and differing opinions from all who have replied.This absent work ethic is a result of occupations that appear to reward for little work done, so why shouldn`t cooking?Many recent culinary graduates feel this way,and they might not be wrong:Cheffing doesn`t translate to 18 hour days unless you choose that route.It has to do with what`s in your heart and why you chose this profession in the first place. I truly believe that a good ethic now a days is hard to find because too many people believe that climbing the ladder in our profession should be easy because they have that degree.Like any other job,you have to earn what you get by yourself,no one`s going to give it to you.The title of CHEF is a respected one. That is the fact of our chosen career.Time put in will not only reward you monitarily,but mentally as well.Who at 25 has honestly any idea of what gastronomy is about,really?Your mind,body and senses need time to mature to a place that comes full circle and then priorities fall in line.So,next time you walk by that towel on the floor or food spill on the burner,wipe it off-don`t think someone else will do it.Don`t pass the buck.Its yours pick up or leave behind,its your choice.

Good reply........I like the variety of responses.......like the variety of people cooking.......We have Mcdonalds to Haute Cuisine, Chefs to Shoes........and I'm sure a lot in the middle.....