Fast Food or Chain Restaurants

Is there anything positive about working in a Fast Food or chain restaurant kitchen? I mean experience wise? (Other than getting paid) Or, might it cramp ones culinary creativity? My gig in Fast Food taught me speed, and how long it takes for eggs and pancakes to cook while sombody's waiting at the drive-up. But that's it. It was "cookie cutter" cooking. Would it be best for someone with higher aspirations and expectations to stay away from places like that?

[layjo]

Well in my experience of working in fast food and chain restaurants, which was my starting point in the food industry. I was conditioned, like you said in speed and cooking times and temperatures. I was also informed of sanitation techniques that were enforced, I was trained in "people skills"-dealing with customers and employees in different situations in order to keep the working environment running smoothly. I remember a lot of things that I was trained for which help me out today in the kitchen I work in.

I am not a professional chef but I have to deal with lots of them professionally. I can usually tell who has come up through the ranks. Many of the trained chefs are arrogant and very difficult. They always think they know it all and that it can ony be done their way. If my client is paying, I expect adaptability.
Those with a wide range of experience -- including cleaning up a littered parking lot and draining the grease traps -- understand the constraints in the business and are more able to guide those whom they supervise. No chef with a resentful or passive-aggressive staff who hates him will be successful for long.
Some food service training programs -- Marriott and McDonald's come to mind -- are terrific learning grounds for basics such as kitchen management, including personnel and budgeting. If you have inate food sense (food as art) such a program won't kill your creativity. Even the best culinary schools can't teach art/creativity. Some people are just born cooks. Others can't get it. They can learn technique and skills but their product never quite soars.
Balance is key. With an open mind, you can learn much from any situation -- even if it's only what NOT to do and how NOT to treat the staff.

[Nick.Shu]

margaret, i so agree with you. Let me let you into a little secret.

As far as im concerned, the best chefs are those who have the training and a background of some fast food - why, because at the age those chefs where, they didnt know they would be chefs. So the intuitive background training of places like McDonalds almosts makes the "easier things" like hygiene a second nature thing.

Anywhere that teaches things like "time to lean is time to clean" will inverably lead to a almost instinctive need to clean.

But remember the bottom line. If you are already trained in this disclipline, dont waste your time unless it is a weak point.