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07-19-2008, 09:30 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: kansas city, mo
Posts: 41
| |  How Many Hours Do You Work(Day/Week)
I am curious about the average amount of hours per day and per week most of you work.
Would like title, hours and hour of operation.
Any feedback would be appreciated. |
07-19-2008, 09:36 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Owner/Operator | | Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: new hampshire
Posts: 811
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Is this to make me feel bad?  My feet already hurt.
I am the owner of a small cafe and catering business. I am also the main cook. Not chef. Cook.
I work 6ish to 3, 3 days a week; 6ish to 6ish, 2 days a week, and from 7-2 on Saturday. That's 57 hours. When I have catering jobs, all bets are off.  |
07-19-2008, 10:13 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: on the coast
Posts: 509
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chef
multiple outlets
5 or 6 days week
10 am-10pm
would not suggest working more than 55 or 60 hours a week if you are married and have young children....can really put a dint in seeing them grow up.... |
07-19-2008, 10:33 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: kansas city, mo
Posts: 41
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I am an Executive Chef
Private Club
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner- Banquets to 600
All from scratch except Breads
7am -10 pm hours 5-6 days a week/ sometimes 30-60 days straight
I am trying to get an idea of what other professionals work.
Yes I would like to get to 55-60 hours a week.
Sorry I should have put this first. |
07-19-2008, 12:34 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: on the coast
Posts: 509
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Sounds as if your somewhere seasonal....after the 30 to 60 day hump....I assume you have some flexibility in your schedule....are you in Florida or the Carolinas....or maybe up north |
07-19-2008, 02:00 PM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Red Sox Nation
Posts: 166
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I use to work as Corporate Chef from 5am to 9pm, 6-7 days a week plus I had to travel out of state, which some how wasn't considered part of my schedule. A few times I didn't get a day off for more than a month ( never again).. Now that I'm doing just catering/personal cheffn for myself I work not as often, but more than I want to, 50 -60 hrs. Hoping in the near future to get a little more business, so I can hire a chef to do everything that I do.
__________________ Don't just learn the tricks of the trade. Learn the trade.  |
07-19-2008, 02:32 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: kansas city, mo
Posts: 41
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I am in the mid west. Here our season last from March to November.
We are very busy with Ala Carte, Banquets, Gourmet To Go and Cater-out Parties year round. Usually our downtime is January, February and that is when everyone on staff goes on vacation one at a time. |
07-19-2008, 03:15 PM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Line Cook | | Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Posts: 758
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Do any of the wage worker cooks have problems trying to "get enough hours" to fill? Many places I've worked are very averse to giving overtime so barring special circumstances I don't go over 45 a week.
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"If it's chicken, chicken a la king. If it's fish, fish a la king. If it's turkey, fish a la king." -Bender |
07-19-2008, 04:23 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Can't Boil Water | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: ON, Canada
Posts: 37
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I do 12 - 14 hours a day at the restaurant. If we have catering jobs on the schedule then that stretches to several more the night or two before the job. I was doing that 7 days a week for a long time until we got things stabilized, now I do that monday - friday and do 5 hours on saturday and on sunday. So 70 - 75 hrs/week is what I'm averaging now (plus any catering work that comes up). Feels like a part time job after the 100+ I was used to.
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07-19-2008, 04:50 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: kansas city, mo
Posts: 41
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I guarantee my hourly staff that they will not fall below 38 hours a week.
During Peak season they average 5-10 hours of overtime a week for the high production ones.
Overtime is a reward here you have to earn the right to get the extra pay. |
07-19-2008, 10:03 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Sous Chef | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Dirty Jersey
Posts: 8
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Between 57-60.
10:30-10:30 Tuesday-Saturday with a two hour break from 2:30-4:30.
2:30-10:00 Sunday |
07-19-2008, 10:13 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Line Cook | | Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 246
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 24-7cook  I guarantee my hourly staff that they will not fall below 38 hours a week.
During Peak season they average 5-10 hours of overtime a week for the high production ones.
Overtime is a reward here you have to earn the right to get the extra pay. | I wish every chef had the same attitude like you, i wish i got 5-10 hours of overtime a week.
Right now im working around 40 hours a week 5 days, come in 2 or 230 and leave 1030-11ish |
07-20-2008, 06:53 AM
|  | Registered User Culinary Experience: Professional Chef | | Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Golf Capital of the World
Posts: 89
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"Managing" Sous Chef. Basically an unglorified Exec. All the responsibilities, none of the perks, pay or title of a muti-unit full service 4 diamond hotel in a resort setting. 9 or 10am - anywhere from 10pm/midnight, 5-6 days a week.
One week while my "Co" Sous Chef broke his foot I ended coming in at 7am and worked til midnight for two weeks straight. Bad thing was that the second day into that stretch I started passing a kidney stone that took almost a month to pass. I informed my Exec. at the time what I was going through, he came over with a couple Tylenol, patted me on the back, and left. |
07-20-2008, 10:38 AM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Culinary Student | | Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 10
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Line cook
45-55 hours a week/ 5 days a week
Nice until school starts again, then it gets a little frustrating. |
07-20-2008, 02:17 PM
| | Registered User Culinary Experience: Line Cook | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Auburn, CA
Posts: 362
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This is the horrible fact of our industry, you are either overworked or underworked. I am fortunate enough to work 30-35 hours a week for decent pay, and live a modest life while my wife is getting ready to go back to school. My Chef is salaried, don't know what he makes, and works ridiculous hours. Now that we have some more cooks to replace a couple of the ones he had to fire he, gets 2 days a week off. But only because he refuses to let the owner open us up on sundays 
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