[kbuff]

Hi,

I sweat a lot. I mean really a lot. I remember just a few people I've met during my lifetime that sweated as much.

Now, I used to have a method, back when I was working in construction. I would have several bandana, and rotate them, wringing the one that got soaked, handing it to dry, and taking a dry one. This worked, but now it's not so easy. I'm at the grill, in the dining room, just behind the counter where customers eat. The space is very small, and I'm not sure where I could really find a place to keep my bandanas, much less to dry them. I thought that I could wear them under my baseball cap (that's what we wear), and rotate them the way I used to do, but...

When it gets busy it seems that I don't have even 30 seconds to do my routine. And doing it in front of the customers seems not proper. Maybe I'm a little shy about that, you know, having me coworkers see me sweat so much is kinda embarrassing. Still it would be really stupid if this should prevent me from doing the job I like so much.

Help, please!

 

[laurenlulu]

Oh to have a metabolism.. Unfortunately I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum, constantly freezing even when I'm nonstop moving, so much so that going into the walkin makes my teeth chatter. Also not very professional though like you, can't help it. I've worked with a few men who sweat and it didn't bother me as long as they didn't drip near the food and washed their hands after changing their cap.

 

[kaiquekuisine]

Its simple....

Don´t sweat on the food. 

Keep a dry rag near by and a place to throw them, thats at least a bit hidden. 

Sweaty, dry off with a rag and dispense it somewhere not so easily visible. 

If your sweating all you can do is clean up fast and get rid of the evidence. Avoid sweating on the food and thats all you can really do. 

When you get a chance to go to the bathroom, all you can do is wash your face and dry man. 

Try using some good deodrent and just keep yourself dry. 

Maybe wear lighter clothes when working. 

Be hygenic its so important in this industry. If i see a cook who doesnt sweat go into the bathroom but the dude didn´t wash his hands i woud find that more disgusting that the sweating cook who is aware of his situation and is trying to be careful about it. 

Some people are just pigs. 

I really don´t know how to deal with this problem. For me to sweat brutally i have to work brutally and sure my pits sweat after a workout, but in the kitchen im usually not sweating. Even with the flames on top of me i don´t have a tendency to sweat that easily. Maybe its cuz i live in Brazil, and to me 90 degrees doesnt make me sweat so easily like back in the states. Also i work in a kitchen with windows and good ventilation. And i just don´t have a crazy sweating tendency. I actually get cold really easily, like just by not wearing socks in the kitchen my feet feel cold and that cold transfers to the rest of my body. Basically to sweat i need to be working a 12 hour shift in front of maybe a wok pan...cuz to sweat out of control, yeah i don´t have such a problem. Unless im out of the restaurant being hit by direct sunlight while doing my jogs, and even then its a temporary situation. 

 

[iridium12]

A problem that I am sure many can relate to...at least would figure it to be so.

With age came the surprising effect that you sweat less - something to look forward to

But I remember that I used to sweat like crazy as well. For me, the worst was during my time on the cruise ships where ventilation was not always ideal.

A Chinese Chef I was working with showed me a neat little trick that really worked for me.

It is customary in China for the chefs to wear small towels around their necks (this is to stop the sweat from running into the jacket) and what he used to do is, to keep his little towels in the freezer.

When you put them on it was 

a) very comfortable as it cooled you right down

b) stopped any and all sweating for some time

As summer season was upon us we did a lot of BBQ's on the main decks of the ships (kind of Hawaii style celebrations and so on) and there you are standing under the sun and near the fire - recipe for sweat-argeddon. Again, my Chinese Chef had the solution.

He would put our caps (hats and all), wet them and then overnight kept them in the fridge.

When you put them on the next day - blissful coolness surrounded you.

Maybe you can give that a try?

Wish you the best of luck with it - but agree with the above - as long as people try their best not to let the sweat affect the food and hygiene, most people will not mind.

And the not hand washing - WAY WORSE 

 

[chefwriter]

     If you have a supply of bandannas pre tied, I don't see why you couldn't replace them quickly. Without seeing your set up I can't suggest a storage place but if you had them ready to go, removing one and putting on a fresh one should be quick. A little practice would make it so fast I don't think too many would take notice. Sort of like a magicians' trick with sleight of hand. Have a separate small box/pan for putting the wet ones in.  If you work out a few details ahead of time I think it would be manageable. 

 

[kbuff]

I really don´t know how to deal with this problem. For me to sweat brutally i have to work brutally and sure my pits sweat after a workout, but in the kitchen im usually not sweating. Even with the flames on top of me i don´t have a tendency to sweat that easily. Maybe its cuz i live in Brazil, and to me 90 degrees doesnt make me sweat so easily like back in the states.

With all due respect brother - it's not the matter where you were born, Brazil or Antarctica. I was a young boy, and my father sweated a lot. I really tried to work on it. I was a long distance runner, even win some competitions, back in my high-school years. Maybe it helped, just a little... As not drinking, etc., helps. But the bottoms line is, and I did my research, even went to docs, believe me, as a young boy it was a pretty serious concern of mine. Eventually, I realized, it's just the way I'm wired, and there is really very little to do about it. Should that prevent me from doing the job I thing that, otherwise, I am capable to do well?

Thank you, bro.

 

[kbuff]

If you have a supply of bandannas pre tied, I don't see why you couldn't replace them quickly. Without seeing your set up I can't suggest a storage place but if you had them ready to go, removing one and putting on a fresh one should be quick. A little practice would make it so fast I don't think too many would take notice. Sort of like a magicians' trick with sleight of hand. Have a separate small box/pan for putting the wet ones in. If you work out a few details ahead of time I think it would be manageable.

Thank you. I think this could be worked out. I've already found some ways. And surprisingly, some of my coworkers are not as comfortable as they seem. They were understanding, so I have found that most of all I need not to try hide my problem, or be ashamed of it. At least it means I'm not a slacker. We tend not to understand a problem that we ourselves don't have. But it's not my problem if they don't understand. I don't blame them. And who says I can't have as many pre-tied bandannas as I need. 25? So be it! Maybe I can use 2 plastic bins for rotation. Where there is the will there is the way

Thank you.