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G.M. dilema

post #1 of 9
2/21/11 at 2:47am
Thread Starter 

Before I go into detail about my issue I have to give you a background to my hotel. I have now out lasted 3 Food & Beverage Directors during my employment as Sous Chef, each one as worthless as the next... until this guy but hes retiring in 2 years and you can just see the passive attitude on this mans face when approached with any issue or concern about the kitchen.

 

I have equipment failing left and right... coolers going down, heat lamps blowing up, my line was built in 1954! I need to light a fire up this mans ass... we are coming upon our busy season and i need this line back in order ASAP. I don't want a repeat of last year... if i start drinking like last season... i might die.

 

Has anyone ever had to deal with a similar problem and how did you get around it? How do I motivate him to convince the hotel to purchase new equipment instead fixing the same broken machines every week... other than pointing out the fact that the repair costs have already exceeded the price of new equipment ha ha

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post #2 of 9
2/21/11 at 2:59am

Possibly it is time to go to upper management or owners. Make sure you can substanciate that what they are spending for repair far out weighs replacement.. When proven that it affects their wallet they will listen. Remember he is leaving in 2 years . He will try and keep it going for that time so as to not in his tenure have to spend $. Management will think he is great unless you can prove otherwise.

Chef EdB
Over 50 years in food service business 35 as Ex Chef. Specializing in Volume upscale Catering both on and off premise .(former Exec. Chef in the largest on premise caterer in US  with 17 Million Dollars per year annual volume). 
      Well versed in all facets of Continental Cuisine...
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post #3 of 9
2/21/11 at 3:15am
Thread Starter 

i just have bad experiences with going over GMs heads... has burned me almost every time... and trust me... i have all the repair invoices saved and calculated

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post #4 of 9
2/21/11 at 3:49am

Its the right thing for the business, but unless you know the directors just don't go there. Reality is that everyones management style is different and although his lack of preparation drives your team nuts, it sounds like you need to look at life the same way, who gives a hoot! and hope that someone else sees! When people (guests) start complaining other people start listening.

I love my job
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post #5 of 9
2/21/11 at 4:29am

You said he was F&B Manager not GM in your original post?

Chef EdB
Over 50 years in food service business 35 as Ex Chef. Specializing in Volume upscale Catering both on and off premise .(former Exec. Chef in the largest on premise caterer in US  with 17 Million Dollars per year annual volume). 
      Well versed in all facets of Continental Cuisine...
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post #6 of 9
2/21/11 at 6:24pm

1) Start looking for another job

2) Why the (deleted) isn't the Chef fighting for new equipment?

 

3) Time to plug in the calculator and fire up the 'puker.

Lets say a reach-in craps out.  Done it several times already in the past three years.  O.K. say repair costs are $500, but that's not all. How much time was spent mucking out the fridge? How much product was wasted/thrown out?. How much was 86'd that day--how much lost sales?

 

Now you give this report to the F'nb, and make sure you write on the copy that a copy will be given to the owners, and you give a copy to the owners.  Then you start looking in the usual places for a new job and lo and behold--there's your job

 

Me?  The cynic in me says everything is on autopilot--owner won't spend a dime until the owner they can flip the property or get some new money  

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post #7 of 9
2/21/11 at 10:04pm
Thread Starter 

to the hotel... hes the food and beverage director... to the restaurant hes g.m. its a messed up hotel man

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post #8 of 9
2/21/11 at 10:07pm
Thread Starter 

and i do agree that the owners are waiting to flip the property

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post #9 of 9
2/22/11 at 8:27am

Learn to live with it or start sereously . looking around, put feelers out. I have worked in places like this.(notice I said have past tense) I am still around they are not.

Chef EdB
Over 50 years in food service business 35 as Ex Chef. Specializing in Volume upscale Catering both on and off premise .(former Exec. Chef in the largest on premise caterer in US  with 17 Million Dollars per year annual volume). 
      Well versed in all facets of Continental Cuisine...
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