Job Description Request

So? Fire the sous chef.

yeah, Sous could go... or

Have 2 daily meetings. The whole kitchen and staff that would be 1. And group the cooks,servers and the day-to-day line people (adding the servers makes it harder for the cooks to complain). This seems to take care of people from slacking off. These meetings sometimes just a minute or 2. But most of the time its about 10 minutes. This is the time to squash such quarries*.
Make sure daily clean-up duties are set and assign 3-4 to each person.(if you need help making a list. I have a few)
Sanitation of all racks carts, floor drains, matts, dry containers...
Shoot its a **** kitchen, this list can go on forever. More management pressure, less standing around talking.
If they give you lip. Send them home and you work that station. If it happens again "Write'm up". I've sent people home just for holding a wall up. Or use the word below. that pretty much explains it all.
gl
:ciao:

Big sign 'GOT TIME TO LEAN.YOU GOT TIME TO CLEAN".

Kuan beat me to it.:(
Set the tone.

Tony

On the right track, get job descriptions--INCLUDING any clean-up duties, a request form for days off, and a copy of the local labour code taped to the wall for when they tell you that they're entitled to a 15 min. break every 2 hours.

But that's only part one. Part two is the enforcement. If they're paid by the hour, so much the better for you. If they're not doing their duties, send them home after 3 hrs or what ever the legal requirment is. Make the prep lists and get them to sign off on them. If they fudge on the lists, send them home. Make an example or two, and bring in a friend from some other place to take up the slack. This is important, it shows that you are't taking any cra--um, stuff from them, and that you don't need their help to keep on moving. Either they'll sh** thier pants and actually do something or they'll give up, call in sick, and look for another job. Ask the Sous to clean something, anything, to set an example for the rest of the crew and when he doesn't, ask him to take a voluntary holiday, just untill you get things rolling again, you know.... "No, no, don't need to worry about your job, relax and take a break. I know a great guy I used to work with who can cover your station well." Once somebody starts actually doing something, it gets easier and the momentum starts to flow.

P.S.Take public transport to work, and never discuss any personal about your life with them--yet.

On the right track, get job descriptions--INCLUDING any clean-up duties, a request form for days off, and a copy of the local labour code taped to the wall for when they tell you that they're entitled to a 15 min. break every 2 hours.

But that's only part one. Part two is the enforcement. If they're paid by the hour, so much the better for you. If they're not doing their duties, send them home after 3 hrs or what ever the legal requirment is. Make the prep lists and get them to sign off on them. If they fudge on the lists, send them home. Make an example or two, and bring in a friend from some other place to take up the slack. This is important, it shows that you are't taking any cra--um, stuff from them, and that you don't need their help to keep on moving. Either they'll sh** thier pants and actually do something or they'll give up, call in sick, and look for another job. Ask the Sous to clean something, anything, to set an example for the rest of the crew and when he doesn't, ask him to take a voluntary holiday. "No, no, don't need to worry about your job, relax and take a break. I know a great guy I used to work with who can cover your station well." Once somebody starts actually doing something, it gets easier and the momentum starts to flow.

P.S.Take public transport to work, and never discuss any personal about your life with them--yet.

maybe the sous is in with the owner, but you should lead by example. if you want to shape up the kitchen you will br the one that should be the leader. pick your battles and do more, it should be noticed and if not it looks great on a resume

There at work,
I'll PM you tomorrow when I get inn.
But, the easiest way to make is to walk around the kitchen with pad and pen.
All kitchens arent' the same
Mark down all equipment,
i.e sinks, ovens, lowboys, reach/walk'n, freezer, grill, flatop, sal, slicer, mixer (you said front of the house too so) bus stations, cutlery, coffee, patio?, entrance...
Make that list. Then make cleaning duties for each section. It might sound like a lot but you want things to change so.
okay,Work on piece or area at a time
When your working on lets say lowboys just write down everything you see seals, doors, front, back, handle, then have a check list. IT can be has easy as making a __ next to say handle. Check for proper temp. This should be done first cause their going to have the doors open. This is all proper management duties. If your front of the house guy/gal doesn't help with the list then you should ask only twice. Then go to the owner. The owner should understand what your trying to do. If he doesn't well your up dirty drain!
:ciao:

I may have missed it...but I didn't catch in your post as to what position you are holding. Are you working in the kitchen, or were you hired as an "advisor"?

1skydive,
I've been in your situation. It can be overwhelming. The first priority is job description, yours. You can not address everything at once. You need to set realistic goals for each day,week,month. The owner needs to be involved in this or he or she will never see any positives. I would start with money issues. Seal any cracks that may be3 leaking monies. You need to address each opportunity by compartmentalizing it. If your addressing sanitation, get a style to get your point across. I use circle lables in different colors. Orange is urgent need immediate attention, red cleaned every day, blue every week and so forth. I also issue a roll of a color for workers. As they address something the tag it with their circle. I know this is very primary and childish but it works. When they don't see any of the sous circles, they will start to think. You have to create some sort of competition without them knowing. Right now it's the sous's game. Lets see how much we can get away with.
You have to address the situation in small blocks. If you attack it all you might not suceed.
These are just my thoughts. I have had a similar situation with a chef who was planted. I could not fire him so I chose to humiliate him into reality. I actually took the crew minus the chef to another bakery for a visit, just to remind them how it was supposed to be done. The place was out of business 8 wks later, but due ti IRS issues. I didn't have the feeling of failure.
BTW when I say chef I mean Pastry Chef
These are just my thoughts and may not be the appropriate approach.
This is a great thread and I hope many more post to it for ideas and how people would handle this issue.

now i am confused, so you are there temp, to change the work ethics.

Skydive,
Sounds pretty simple to me. You were hire as an advisor right? So advise away! If the owner hasn't given you any teeth to impliment changes you see need to take place and he isn't willing to follow your critique, then let him shoot himself in the foot. Write up a detailed report of the state of his kitchen showing labor issues, food cost, cleanlines or lack there of and put in his hand, take his money and move on. Sounds like a real mess. I had a similar experience about three years ago where I was hire to "clean up" a poorly run kitchen and noone of my suggestions were followed so at the end of six months, I walked. It's a tough proposition. Good luck!