[foodpump]

Originally Posted by justjoe

What is amazing to me is that the food service industry in general seems to be the only place where employees and employers expect work to be done off the clock.

Hmm, go check with just about every other "management" position. Doesn't matter what area: Law, finance, medicine, sales, advertising, or just some poor schmuck who happens to own his own business.

[justjoe]

Foodpump: Your experiences may be different than mine, but I've been in management for over 20 years and have never asked or expected an employee to donate one minute of their time off the clock. I am salaried and a salaried position is different--you put in the hours you need to put in. An hourly employee--never--it is a violation of labor law. I feel sorry for you guys who feel you have to endure illegal working conditions. No one wants to speak out because they are afraid they will get fired. Just because it is done does not mean it is right.

[9ballprodigy]

in regards to working off the clock, as harsh as it may be, i think there is a silent pride that goes along with it. sorta like our burn scars.

and in regards to whether the learning is worth the lack of pay. i'm still not sure yet.

everyone who left the kitchen on good terms and put in their 2-5 years have moved up the ladder and worked with captains of the industry because they had the restaurant to back their resume. i suppose that this is what i'm working towards, although i wish that the paychecks weren't so depressing as it is now.

anyone know of any food-related jobs that pay well (30k+) where i can utilize my B.A. in psychology and my experience as a line cook in one of the top restaurants in the country? (please don't say "manager at a fast food restaurant").

[BrooklynChef]

Line cooking in restaurants like that is only worth it when your in your early 20s. After 25, unless your head is in it to the point to where you are training with the goal of becoming a multi-starred big name chef, then it is just not worth the cruddy pay, the verbal abuse, or the mental and physical strain. I got out of that game a few years ago. I own my own catering/in-home cooking school company in Brooklyn. I remember why I started cooking in the first place, and now, I get to do it on my own terms. I get paid a lot to cook what I want to cook, and to talk about food. And, I was scared that I would stop getting better, and in fact lose my abilities as a strong cook, and the opposite has happened. It has given me the opportunity to get better and do it on my own terms - to study my craft and make better money.

You should consider your options if your head is not in the high end restaurant game.

[foodpump]

Hmmm Pysch major, eh? Well, you're well suited to this biz....

Honestly, if you want to make some real coin, you have to observe Foodpump's laws of nature, in particular # 3:
".... People who deal with people make more money than people who deal with objects."...

Think about it, Who makes more money? They guy who cuts, facets, and polishes a diamond or the guy who sells it? An Exec Chef with over 40 staff will make more than an Exec Chef of a 50 seat exclusive 5+star place. Lawyers, Doctors, and all salesmen make more money then guys who design cars.

Sales or HR might be where the money is, but not cooking.

[9ballprodigy]

you know... foodpump is right. i mean, as long as i'm working in the back of the house, i may never make the amount of money i should be able to with other jobs. i just love working around food is the thing. i wish there was a way to merge the two. and personally, i do not have the will or conviction to become a celebrity chef.

a BA doesn't mean i specialize in anything, it just means that i have a piece of paper that meets certain job requirements. it just maybe that in order to may the kind of salary i want, i 'll be working some desk job. scary.

[foodpump]

Originally Posted by 9ballprodigy

. it just maybe that in order to may the kind of salary i want, i 'll be working some desk job. scary.

Well,... yeah.
There's only so much time you can do on the line until you max out your potential. When you do, and reach your max earning potential, then either the owner/top mngmt want you to assume more adminstrative duties--on salary of course-- or get rid of you because you are earning top dollar. Good, real good top Chefs rarely spend time on the line, other than calling out orders during rushes, a great part of their time is spent dealing with the "gas gauge" and the "speedometer" : food and labour costs. True, they develop new menus and all that, but the fact is that they spend more time sitting at a desk or meeting table than infront of the stove. From a good cook you get a might get a good Chef, from a good Chef you might get a good F& B or a good Culinary Instructor. It's just a natural progression of your life. Kinda like an excellent Football player after one too many injuries taking on the role of Coach, it's just a natural progression.

That being said, you can throw a wrench into the whole theory and open up your own place; get a partner to do the desk stuff and spend all of your time at the stove.....

[LeCuisson]

For your gratin, try slicing the potatoes ahead of time and storing them in water....you've heard that before. You're right, it warps them. Try this?

As you slice, have wet paper towels ready at your station, make a 5x5 row of the slices, lay a wet paper towel on them, and then keep going until you have enough potatoes prepped out. To store them, stack them in a neatly fitting hotel pan and fill it with enough water to just cover them. Place a hotel pan on top, then weight with a #10 can. I prep out potatoes a day or two in advance for gratins and napoleons in this style. When it comes time to cook, you just have to pull them out. The top layer sometimes can oxidize a tiny bit, but it's a small price to pay, in my opinion, for having all the potatoes ready to use at a moments notice.

Seems like a lot of work to start, but if you keep doing something enough and taking the extra steps, you become faster at it. But I saw your prep list, that is a lot to do in 2.5 hours.