[CookingAngry]

This isn't going to sound like much to the more seasoned cooks but...

Saturday with 100-110 reservations. My restaurant seats 100.

I'm on pantry which means six salads, one with seared salmon, a shrimp platter, an oyster platter (shuck 6 oysters), a seafood platter (shuck 4 oysters plus a fussy plating with crab meat and ice), smoked salmon (make a flower out of a four ounce piece then plate with specific design of capers, fine dice red onion and chives plus cream cheese rolled into ball), FOIS GRAS (seared on top of challa toast and blackberry sauce).

I get some tickets and start sweating because I see Fois gras on one. whatever get to work anyway. I get stuck shucking 14 oysters and by the time I turn back to my line 15 or so tickets.

I spazz. It's only my 6th shift and my third at the station alone but I crack right on the spot. I start turning out salads but I'm buzzing around and working without getting much done.

The host of all people starts getting pissed and comes back on my line with the intent of shucking oysters in his suit.

My sous chef who is the acting chef right now (we are in between chefs) kicks him off my line and absolutely saves my *****.

He does it by being very calm and SLOW. He makes the FOIS and about three salads and then shucks four oysters and I get back on track.

It seems more minor now but at the time it was the wake-up that I was waiting for.

It is supposed to get a lot worse, we are in Ann Arbor and during football season we get upwards of 250 reservations so I know I need to pick it up by fall.

None of my ticket times exceeded 9 minutes and my sous chef said I did good and that he expects this for a while and that I need to stay positive and keep improving.

Any thoughts? Am I a complete scrub for thinking this minor thing was even a whiff of what the weeds smell like?

[Dirk Skene]

Your place is twice the size of mine Sounds like you got a little hammered. It also sounds like the sous is seasoned with a good head on his shoulders. Doesn't expect too much too fast. You're gonna do fine. Makes that after hours drink taste just that much better

[Just Jim]

Ultimately, it is the Sous' and/or Chef's opinion that matters.
The Host should have gone to the Sous if they had a problem.
I would've seared his neck with a hot sheet pan had he walked onto the line without approval.
It sounds like you are on the right path, and performing as expected.
With practice comes efficiency.
You will get to the point that the Sous is at now, just be patient.

I had an awesome cook working for me, at 3 different places, who was occasionally called slow by a FOH Manager. I would always point out that he was efficient, and didn't even make a 1/4 turn in a direction unless he needed to. He had economy of motion. I would have them look at his production, not at his minimal movement, and they would always change their opinion of him.
It's no accident that he has worked for me so often.
The sad thing (for me, not him) is that he went on to culinary school out of the area. I'll probably never work with him again.

Keep up the good attitude, and while being your own worst critic can push you to greatness, don't dwell on your mistakes so much that they cause you to spiral out of control.

[shipscook]

love your signature Jim!
you are spot on with the encouragment. I haven't been in the line situation for some time, but never forget the first times I had that feeling. Wowzee!

Hang in Dude sounds like you are learning fast. and like hitting your head with a hammer, feels really good when you stop--sorry couldn't resist!
Nan

[Psycho Chef]

The place I'm working seats 85, and all day Mothers Day we did 380 people. 200 for brunch and 180 for dinner. On a typical Sat we do 300 people from 12 to 10. I compare it to trying to escape from a burning building for 4 hours, only to run back inside an hour later and go down in flames. The "weeds" is a relative thing...I've seen inept cooks "weeded" with two tickets.

[CookingAngry]

Originally Posted by Dirk Skene

Your place is twice the size of mine

We seat just a little over 100 in the main dining room but the dessert bar next door, La Dolce Vita is connected and they can order off our menu (+50), the cigar lounge downstairs, The Wine Cellar which happens to serve some very fine liquor, also can order off our menu (+50) and 2 private party rooms are located down stairs as well (+40).

During graduation week, Dolce is cleared of the couches and chairs and filled with dining tables so we expect them to order from the kitchen. We expect 240 people in house all night long during graduation week. I am glad my first solo shift wasn't during that. I got hired about two weeks after

[Montelago]

Do it long enough and you will learn to relish slogging through the weeds. Us lifers live for those nights when you have a really hard push, no break and then a second or third turn. It gets the adrenaline flowing and makes you feel young again. I have always said that cooking is the easiest part of my job, and the time when I am most relaxed. I still love to jump on line and take the kids to school as often as I can. Thankfully they are still amazed at what the old dog can do.