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What do you like about your job

post #1 of 19
8/8/07 at 6:40am
Thread Starter 
I am curious about what people like about the restaurant business???? I mean I have read a lot of different threads here. A lot are to ask questions which they all get good responces. There are some real professionals here and there are some people who really enjoy cooking. Even if you are not in the restaurant business tell us what makes you go to work everyday, or tell us what you like about cooking. I just think it might inspire young up and coming people to read some positives about the profession that we have chosen.

I will start since I started this one!!!!!!!

I think the restaurant business is great. I mean you get to know the people like they are your family. You can fight and be mad at each other all night long and still go to the bar and have a beer with that person. You become very close to people and even though you see them everyday at work you still hang out on your days off. I enjoy the coments from people. When you are out and about and you are talking and work comes up. People alwasy ask where you work at and what you do. I enjoy the good comments as well as the constructive criticism. I like to hear what may or may not of made that dish. There are always atractive women around. The best part is most restaurants have bars so cold beer is never to far away.
Bigsimp
:smoking:
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post #2 of 19
8/8/07 at 1:51pm
Now that I am out of restaurants and into corporate R&D, there is not much I miss. I get the same satisfaction from seeing my product on the grocery store shelf as I got when a service went flawlessly. I certainly do not miss the stress and organized chaos that is a busy line. The biggest thing that drives me is the new combinations I am able to play with. I never had that luxury when I was designing a restaurant menu. Just my opinion though....
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post #3 of 19
8/8/07 at 3:25pm
I have found that in general, the people in the food industry are amazing. Hard working, hard playing, always learning, and touching so many peoples lives by playing a part in their gastonomical endeavors.
While I don't miss working grill on Saturday nights, soaked in sweat and buried, there was some sort of sick pleasure at the end of the shift, busting out a $20,000 shift in 6 hours.
And of course, going out drinking with the crew afterwards, even though we all smelled like steaks, onions etc.

I've also found food industry people tend to have a great work ethic.

Cat Man
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post #4 of 19
8/8/07 at 8:41pm
The creativity......shopping at farmer's markets, getting the growers to raise something especially for me, learning to breakdown critters.....I love trying new things like this cooked cucumber soup that's chilled with a creme fraise parfait in the middle, now that's exciting. Or sharing the love of feeding people. Grocery stores, bakeries, chocolate shops etc... turn me on. Talking through combos. Working out the logistics of food stage demonstrations for visiting chefs. Mental calethentics.

There is nothing like teaching children to cook, looking at their turned on faces is fuel for me.

Catering large events where the food is local......that's the best.

Today was hot, really really hot....but there was a groove to baking and I went on and made 6 batches of lavosh....
cooking with all your senses.....
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post #5 of 19
8/9/07 at 4:04am
1. i enjoy the reputation of coming from the restaurant that i work at.
2. the creativity. we constantly do new things with food that i've never thought of before.
3. dice tomatoes. it's weird, but i get a lot of compliments about my diced tomatoes. the moral is that when you do something excellent; anything excellent, people notice and it just makes you want to do other things well.
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post #6 of 19
8/9/07 at 11:57am
I work in a sports bar/restaurant, the owners never really wanted it to be known as a sports bar..but it is what it is..anyway I have worked there for 11 1/2 years, I have known some of the people for about 20 years, we all work well together..we are as someone said, family.

I have learned so much from the people I work with, not only at this place but at others as well and not just about the restaurant biz. I could do my job with my eyes closed and even though I have been there for quite some time I still find satisfaction in doing my job. Every once in awhile a server will come into the kitchen at the end of a grueling night and say.."hey guys, great job!" Makes it all worthwhile.
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post #7 of 19
8/10/07 at 5:47pm
This industry... well, I am only starting out and already I am addicted, I love the passion that cooking and food can invoke in people... You can bring your persnonality and your own style to work with you... I love the thrill of getting something new right, the endless possibilities that the cooking world offers is so vast... it excites me so much to know that if I work hard and under the right people that I will one day be able to say 'I am a chef' and know that I am not offending those that have worked hard for the title...
I like to work under presssure and what better place than in the kitchen?
The final thing that love about this crazy industry is that fact that there will never be a dull day and that no 2 days will ever be that same... Its absolutely not 9-5!
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post #8 of 19
8/11/07 at 8:04am
food and all its forms, the taste, the smell, the heat, the pressure. I love my work because I have the best of both worlds. I am the Director of our local food bank and I run a catering biz on the side. I have been amazingly lucky because I ahve combinded the 2. I actualy make very little income from my BBQ Catering because most of our jobs are fund raisers for the food bank. But its the food cooking and serving tasting and sweating. Not to many get to follow a dream while giving back to their community, how could I not love my work.
Kill a cow...Light a fire.....The Magic begins
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post #9 of 19
8/11/07 at 11:46am
a week ago a manager in the local grocery store was stocking shelves and I asked how he was doing.....he said fine with alittle groan and asked how I was.....now I'm not one to just give a cursory answer, I opted not to complain about the heat nor my sore back but say, " Great I'm doing what I love and getting paid for it". Interestingly bounce came back in my step, he smiled and I had a much better day remembering that this is exactly what I want to be doing.
cooking with all your senses.....
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post #10 of 19
8/20/07 at 5:42pm
Well,
I'm a wine salesperson - I go to establishments and pour them samples of wine I'm trying to sell. They love to see me walk through the door with my wine bag in tow. Many a times I get a sample of thier new creation or last nights special. They always want my honest opinoin and I never lie. Just as they are not afraid to tell me what they think of my wine.
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post #11 of 19
8/21/07 at 5:55pm
I do this, because food is the most amazing art form on the planet. So vast and incomparible. There is no better way to express your self. Plus I'm good at it.
My wife woke me last night; I screamed at the top of my lungs "How many times do I have to tell you:
SWEEP THE FLOOR!"


Posh Nosh Restaurant "Casual Gourmet"
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post #12 of 19
8/23/07 at 11:39am

Its just me

For me its that buzz just before you kick of service and when the service is going well you feel like you could take on the world, nothing in life matters but that buzz.

Equally when some schmuck makes a stupid complaint, it really pisses you off, you go home and sit there mulling it over again and again.

We are crazy, absolutly f***** insane to be doing this but its that buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Check on !!

ChefsWorld - Chefs Jobs, Catering Jobs, Recruitment & Employment resources for chefs
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post #13 of 19
8/26/07 at 9:06pm

I'm in the mobile food service business. I'm own my own business, work outdoors, wear t-shirts, shorts, and a porkpie hat, while schmoozing with customers, listening to "happy feet" music, serving original Chicago style hot dogs. My last blood test revealed neon green relish running through my veins. So, what's not to like?
Born in Chicago
Escaped to Wisconsin
Selling Vienna Beef hot dogs & Polish
Business educator www.hotdogu.com
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post #14 of 19
8/26/07 at 9:11pm
Do you operate in Chicago? If so I would definitely be interested in sampling a hot dog.
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post #15 of 19
8/27/07 at 5:15am
The cart is only licensed in the state of Wisconsin and I vend in Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee. Currently, the cart is being used as a training tool at Hot Dog University. www.hotdogu.com
Born in Chicago
Escaped to Wisconsin
Selling Vienna Beef hot dogs & Polish
Business educator www.hotdogu.com
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post #16 of 19
8/27/07 at 3:41pm
My job is pretty darn good, food service (Craft Service) in the film industry. I mostly work for commercial shoots, Apple, MacDonalds, Walgreen, Auto Industry, etc.

The good:
- almost my own boss, I still answer to the client
- work is 95% outdoors, shorts, sneaker and shades
- always a different work location: mountains, someone's backyard, stage, beach, smelly downtown alley
- everyone loves a person with food
- I get to make whatever I want
- I can take time off anytime I choose, of course I don't get paid

The bad:
- crazy locations to set up on: smelly downtown alleys, near the edge of someone's pool, in a snow bank, blazing Mojave sun and blasting wind
- If the phone don't ring, I don't work
- answering the question, over and over, "what's in that?"
- lactose intolerance & vegetarians
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post #17 of 19
8/27/07 at 5:22pm
I love just about everything about the industry.
I love to prep.
Love to set up.
Love making customers happy.
And finally, the feeling after a 250-300 cover nite getting no complaints, no returned food, and seeing the customers walk out happy, and full!
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post #18 of 19
8/28/07 at 11:19am
My wife and I enjoyed all of the above mentioned perks of the business. There was nothing but work. It was a blast!!! We lived to work, because it was sooo much fun.
After almost losing each other a decade ago, we found that this profession can also provide for you if you decide to work to live. We rearranged our priorities. We open open our business from 8 am t0 3 pm, 8-1 Sat. closed Sun. We are home to spend time with our family every afternoon. Sooo, the best gift this industry has given us is the ability to earn monies so that we may enjoy our time away from something we like to do. Mkae sense?
pan

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

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post #19 of 19
9/2/07 at 3:26pm
What I love about the restaurant industry?

There's always this internal competitiveness in me that makes me want to be better. Whether it's noticing that someone has done a better concasse than me, or whipping a batch of brioche faster, I always have to be better and faster. Of course still maintaining high quality standards.

Of course there's the buzz of sending food out during a busy fri night rush trying not to let yourself get in the weeds. You're also always meeting new and interesting people along the way. Constantly learning from them new techniques and knowledge about food that you can never find from a book.

And one last thing I love that I don't think anyone mentioned? The perks! Walking into a restaurant and knowing the managers, or having worked with the employees previously will guarantee you vip service and and maybe a few freebies :beer:
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