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relocate to vegas to work?

post #1 of 6
8/14/07 at 1:21am
Thread Starter 
How's everyone doing?? Good?? Well I hope so. Anyway, I currently live in Los Angeles, California and I was thinking about moving to Las Vegas to work. I have two and a half years in the industry and about two months out of school. I hear line cook wages are high over there if you join the union, and I feel that work experience in Las Vegas would be a good resume builder due to the high volume and the high standard of quality that must be maintained. I don't want to work in a buffet, I'm more interested in working as a cook for either a fine dining restaurant in a hotel/casino, maybe an entry level sous, or sous chef asst., or in the banquet team. If any of you have ANY info (good or bad) on working in Vegas, please post. I appreciate your time
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post #2 of 6
8/14/07 at 1:27pm
I think that you may need a work card to work in the casinos, but I am not 100% sure. Definatly check with the union before you move. Also many of the fancy restaurants in the casinos are operated by outside management, so they may have different hiring procedures. If you can network through one of the satalite restaurants in the group, it might be easier.

Did you see the article in the L.A. Times the other week about the culinary union? It's an interesting read.

What school are you in? I might know somebody who can help you out.
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post #3 of 6
8/17/07 at 4:16pm
Vegas is great!! You make really good money. Try to get into a union house, most of them are anyways. You have a good starting rate (80% until you pass your 3 month probation period). Then you are guaranteed raises regularly. You are also guaranteed a certain amount of hours per week, usually no shortage of overtime if you want it, but they can't force you to work more than your contract states. They provide uniforms for you everyday, full health insurance, job security (they can get rid of you if they REALLY want to), paid vacations, sick days and all kinds of perks! A lot of the great chefs have restaurants in Vegas these days, but it's more of a food for the masses concept than their original restaurants. Cost of living is really reasonable too! There are a few downsides too. You're in the middle of the dessert. The union that protects your job, also protects the jobs of the lazy and incompetent. Everything is by the book and has a standard operating procedure. You can't really change jobs, you're hired under a specific job description. You have to file a stack of papers if you want to change from a baker to a line cook, even in the same restaurant. I'm doing my second tour in France, but when I return to the states, I'm going back to Vegas again!! Oh yeah, they give you a HAIR STRAND drug test. They go back 3 months.
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post #4 of 6
8/17/07 at 11:36pm
i did get asked to go to Vegas, but i wasnt sure enough to go. Sounds great though.
"Nothing quite like the feeling of something newl"
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post #5 of 6
8/25/07 at 9:39pm

working in vegas

I work at a steakhouse in Vegas that's non-union. I'm looking at trying out another place at the end of the year - most restaurants on the strip are union, except maybe in the Venetian.

I think it's a great time to be a cook and in Vegas, so why not do it if you have the opportunity? I plan to be here for years to learn all I can. I already know people that work in half a dozen other hotels, so networking out here is really easy.
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post #6 of 6
8/26/07 at 1:24am

Re

just a quick word, you don't have to join the union,(I know its wrong to think that way) I just never believed in them. My head says if you work hard bust your butt and prove your self. why would they want to get rid of you. (just me though.) lots of lazy people in the union(think that the world owes them something.) anyway It's a "right to work state" witch means you cant get fired for not joining. I never did.!!! +I hated the snow back in INDAINA. =P
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