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What do you love most about the profession?

post #1 of 29
2/18/07 at 12:13pm
Thread Starter 
There's nothing I love more than jumping on to the hot line, getting into that rhythm, breaking a sweat, hearing that clanging of pans, the sizzling of foods, searing those meats/fish just right for that beautiful color, finishing sauces with a dab of butter, keeping 20+ plates with different temps organized mentally and striving to put perfect plates up into the window.

What do others love about the biz?
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post #2 of 29
2/18/07 at 12:44pm
The money brother, big buck$$$$$ vato!
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post #3 of 29
2/18/07 at 1:56pm
I enjoy the compensation so I can enjoy my life out of the kitchen.
Let's face it. We work for others that are playing, that's hospitality indust.
The favorite part of my job is exceeding any expectation I may have.

Never! Live To Work!:::::::Work To Live!::Life Is To Short!!
Paninicakes.com

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post #4 of 29
2/18/07 at 4:35pm
The food!
The atmosphere
The food!
professionalism .
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post #5 of 29
2/18/07 at 5:19pm
Braising roast leg of waitron. My, what could be better after a long hard holliday weekend?
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post #6 of 29
2/18/07 at 7:26pm
I work in a bakeshop that is very open to the public's view. I get to interact with customers all the time while I'm working. I love it.

And as I always tell them when they are gawking at the 90# of cookie dough I have on my bench:
Why play with your own food when you could play with someone else's!
Erik

"Health nuts are going to feel stupid one day, lying in the hospital dying of nothing"
-Redd Foxx
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post #7 of 29
2/19/07 at 6:48am
I love the freedom of expression in both the food and yourself. Coming from a highly corporate background just being able to wear jeans and have visible tattoos and piercings is very important to me. Apart from that the constant motion is great for my energy level and makes the day fly by faster.
Mike

“If there's anything more important than my ego around, I want it caught and shot now.” -- Zaphod Beeblebrox
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post #8 of 29
2/19/07 at 11:37am
i love everything I hate about this business long hours, annoying servers, creeking body, the knowledge, watching servers grab a plate that burns them, yelling, power, respect, after the heat lamps go off and the beer comes out, the stress, the 1000ct. bottle of advil, talking to the well done steak guy that said it was great and you threw it in the fryer and then the microwave because it was "on the fly", the girlfriend saying "why dont you ever cook for me" Writiting menus and getting the slammed by the owners. Its a love hate thing for me. you have to be a different person to work in this business and all my line cooks and my dishwashers are just as messed up as me.
"Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a dam*. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demiglace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living."
- Anthony Bourdain
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post #9 of 29
2/19/07 at 11:54am
Knowing that some day I can be the guy that writes my own schedule, shows up late, and leaves early.

On a serious note, I really just enjoy the social interaction I get from people of extremely different backgrounds and lifestyles.
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post #10 of 29
2/19/07 at 12:16pm
Thread Starter 
I know what you mean. Whatever it is that drives us in this business is inexplicable. After a really difficult yet satisfying night a co-worker once said to me, "We'll always win the battle, but we'll never win the war." Yet we keep returning to the trenches for more blood, guts and glory, don't we?
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post #11 of 29
2/19/07 at 2:01pm
So you want to be unemployed? A lofty goal, to be sure. :)
Anulos qui animum ostendunt omnes gestemus!
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post #12 of 29
2/19/07 at 2:18pm
:lol: Nice one. Sounds like RAS has a chef that gets away with that stuff. Most chefs don't get those luxuries. The ones I know schedule themselves more than anyone else.
Mike

“If there's anything more important than my ego around, I want it caught and shot now.” -- Zaphod Beeblebrox
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post #13 of 29
2/19/07 at 5:14pm
Last time I left early was...oh, last monday when we shut down at 9:00pm. Last time I came in late was, um...Sat when I had to be here at 10:00am. Sat is great no lunch no 8am-11pm stuff. Can I get a job like RAS' chef.
"Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a dam*. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demiglace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living."
- Anthony Bourdain
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post #14 of 29
2/19/07 at 9:59pm
I have come to the conclusion that my chef has a secret exit in his office (pull a special book off the rack or something) that leads to his batcave where he makes his unannounced/unnoticed getaway.

He is a great chef and all... though his stealth could possibly outweigh his cooking talents.

---Now getting back on topic---

Because we are a small operation, I have the opportunity to occasionally talk to the cutomers, and I really enjoy hearing that they enjoyed their meal. Hearing this makes all the hard work worth it.
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post #15 of 29
2/20/07 at 1:17am
Working with whole animals, and seeing the seasons change through our produce orders.

Tasting!

Always something new to learn.

Always something new to do.

And.... you can't outsource my job!
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post #16 of 29
2/20/07 at 5:27am
It's one of the few jobs one can have that has pretty much instant gratification. You know if you hit the mark or not: DIRECTLY. I love that.

Ciao,
Order In/Food Out ~ It's NOT magic.
- * - * - * - * -
"It's not getting any smarter out there. You have to come to terms with stupidity, and make it work for you." Frank Zappa
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post #17 of 29
2/26/07 at 9:11am
I love the people you get to work with. And the twisted sense of homour we all seem to share. Nothing better then a tight kitchen crew.
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post #18 of 29
2/27/07 at 12:10am
I enjoy making customers happy. Cooking good quality food for people to enjoy. And that's it.

Nothing better than when a customer tells me I made the best risotto they've ever had (and then request it over and over despite it not even being on the menu...), or when a rave review comes out in the paper (or a magazine calls us the best restaurant in the city...). That's what makes the job worthwhile, and why I'm a cook. I have no problem going the extra mile to satisfy an appreciative customer. My best moment in the industry so far - an older Ukrainian couple came in, said my Borshch was the best they've ever had at a restaurant.
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post #19 of 29
2/27/07 at 1:59am
I think I have to say getting into the rhythm of things and making sure everything is going well.

I enjoy being able to help others out of the weeds (once I'm out myself heh).

Past that, I honestly enjoy being the "emissary" between FOH and BOH when I work.

Mainly though, I love helping in saute :D
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post #20 of 29
2/27/07 at 8:08am
Finally finding a profession big enough for my massive "planet killer" sized ego. :lol:

But seriously folks I'm here all week, please try the Coq au vin!

Honestly I do like that aspect of it all though. You can be a huge prima donna or a humble grind and the proof is in the food. No amount of trash talk can fix a bad Creme Brulée and if your food is good you don't have to try and convince people they will know. What I guess I mean is the diversity of the people in the business, from Gordon Ramsay to Todd English to Herme This to Homaru Cantu to Grant Achatz to Rick Bayless to Jason Wilson (who is super cool) to his Sous Chef Autumn Maddox (who is also super cool and completely HOT!!!) there are so many different and dynamic personalities at work out there it is just awesome.
Mike

“If there's anything more important than my ego around, I want it caught and shot now.” -- Zaphod Beeblebrox
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post #21 of 29
2/27/07 at 1:29pm
Every day is just another big-@ss lovefest.
What a relief! To find out after all these years that I'm not crazy. I'm just culinarily divergent...
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post #22 of 29
2/27/07 at 4:49pm
everything
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post #23 of 29
2/28/07 at 11:17am
I LOVE rolling sushi. And that's what I do for a living. I'm not so fond of the *rest* of the raw bar, but I love, I love sushi. And I love pastry (I actually do both at my place). I love painting plates, cutting out slices of cake, and assembling the sushi *just right*.

I love getting yelled at sometimes. It means I'm doing something right. I love cleaning my station up after a hard pop at the peak dinner time.

I love the PAYCHECKS (almost as much as the servers, but I get benefits and free food)

But most of all, I *love* the days off.
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post #24 of 29
3/5/07 at 12:33pm

Whirling blades

Whirling blades and spinach pie
Soft shell crabs about to die
all these things I love and more
but one more hour I'm out the door!

"Those that think the dead never return to life should be here at quitting time"
"You are only as good as who you hire."
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post #25 of 29
3/7/07 at 2:27pm
Fledgling you there yet? Antartica?
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post #26 of 29
3/8/07 at 5:06am
I love the heat and the endless strive for perfection. The improvment and evolution of a dish. I love the attention to detail that a simple plate of food requires, nay demands! I love the banter in the kitchen, the ceasless wind-ups and jives. I love the rush of a busy service, the whirling, fast paced energy that thrums through everyone, working together to feed some stranger who'll never fully appreciate the collosal effort that has been infused into their meal. I love the ppl and I hate the ppl. Most of all i love the tase explosion i get in my mouth when we cook a new dish for the pre-theatre, and the bliss from learning somethin new every single day.
"Durate, et vosmet rebus servate secundis" - "Endure, and preserve yourself for better things"
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post #27 of 29
3/16/07 at 6:21pm
I gave up my position last year(owner was an %&$#@!!) and started a welding/construction company (my chosen profession before the resturant buisness) I do not miss the hours and bullschit, but I miss the line, my cooks, and all the other fun stuff. My wife understands the way it is when I am in front of a stove so I am allowed to "run" dinner like a line:). I will have a small catering co.(If anyone in N.E. needs the best pig cooker/grill PM me, I custom make them) on the side this summer to help weine me off the kitchen.
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post #28 of 29
3/22/07 at 11:09am
Hey there,

I love everything about my you get in have 2 a4 pages of jobs and you just get stuck inand when service starts the sudden rushand the buzz you cant beat I couldn't do anything eles and having my dishes on the menu and it only takes one person to compliment on your dish your recipethat makes my day even if the head chefs in a bad mood and the owner just hates the kitchen team for some reason it all comes down to making someones meal/nightspecial with my skill


Just incase you missed that I LOVE MY JOB:talk: :talk: :talk:
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post #29 of 29
3/22/07 at 10:42pm
Being at the throat of each server and vice versa (verbally intense)... then 1 hour later its like nothing happened as we converse and laugh with each other.
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