Head Chef at 20?

[BillyJack]

I've been working at this casual fine dining place for close to 3 years. It’s actually the place where I began cooking. My buddy Max had got me the dishwashing job when I was seventeen, and I moved up to line cook after a month in the tank. Max was the main man under the chef (whom opened the place at 22), he was hired a week after the place had opened (a year before I was hired) and I was positioned as his right hand.

Today, when we get going, I expedite, cook the flat, run salads/apps and plate everything (Fridays we have a third man on) and Max does sauté, grill, and pastas. On the weekends we would both right the specials. The Chef (unnamed) was the one who trained us. He taught us everything we knew for the first two years. But our skills had grown to the point where we could see his shortcomings and I believe he got intimidated so he stopped teaching us. I don’t know if he had lost faith in himself or if it was because he began working in the deli for an hourly wage, but he changed his attitudes toward the restaurant. Much of his mental shift came after he hired his wife as the head waitress and front of the house manager. He started doing his job real half assed, not caring really about cost and budget, or THE FOOD! For Christ sake we had the same damn menu for over a year and a half!

The managing couple hated the owner, and they would express their hatred to everyone who worked under them. Also, the two of them would make, for lack of a better word, "scenes" in front of the employees and on an occasion, the customers. All the while, Max and I are just trying to kick it with some funk and have fun. Thus, there were obvious dysfunctions within this hospitality family.

The chef is leaving though, and to a place that will give him full benies and a contract, so he's very excited (happier than I’ve seen him in a year). He kind of made an ass of himself in the owner’s eyes because he put in his two weeks and then took a week long vacation to the Dominican Republic. The predicament is as fallows; the chef put in his two weeks and Max was planning on leaving with him, to work under him as the sous chef, but the owner of the restaurant has asked Max and I to run his kitchen in the chef's absence. We've decided to go for it, and even though we're both students and have just turned twenty, we're confident.

Both of us are completely passionate about flavor and have the work ethic, passion and dedication to make this happen. Also everyone on staff is excited the couple is out and we’re going to be in charge. I’m scared though. I keep second-guessing myself by saying, “What the hell is going to happen???”

I would love if anyone could shed some light on the topic. Tell me we’re ignorant, or that the opportunity is great, I don’t care. What I’m looking for though, is some suggestions on how to handle the change over in management. What will this do to the relationship of Chef and ours?

Another Note to consider: Max is a culinary arts student, and I am a mathematician/ film producer. I’m thinking about picking up some accounting classes because of this opportunity. Max would be the face behind savory food and I’m going to keep records of it all.

Thanks Much, BillyJack

[mark1]

Welcome to C2C Billy Jack, great story and although not a pro chef, this is a business decision and so feel qualified to comment before the pros respond.
Bottom line--go for it full steam ahead, great opportunity for both of you and you have the staff behind you. Also like that you're gonna keep a record, so maybe a documentary entry at Sundance?
Let us know how it turns out, all of us here will be very interested and am sure the pros can offer advice if needed.

[drcorey]

It shouldn't affect anything,
Chef is your skills and knowledge, not your age.

[siksikaboy]

Great opportunity. Go for it dude. Even by the numbers.

[WYchef]

I'm the exec at a fairly large fine dining est. (225max main floor, 300 max ball room) at 28 and my advice to you is to watch out because at some point you will be the boss of someone older than you and in some instances those individuals will try to drag you down because it makes them feel inferior. Other than that go full steam ahead, The worst you can do is fail and if you do, learn from it and go on

[BillyJack]

Hey thanks guys, real esteam boost. Max and I are writing the new menu on friday, i'll probably be posting a question on where we're trouble shooting.

[Flattop]

Run with it!!! Worse that could happen is you fail and learn something in the process. The best....that's up to you both.

[SaraCooks]

Go for it. And congratulations.
I was a manager of many people who were older than me at 20.
Treat everyone with respect. Everyone who works in that building is a part of the product. If you treat them well and encourage them, they'll work hard for you. Your product will be better. Do what you can to make them feel a part of it. It's amazing how dedicated people become when they feel valued and a part of something.
Don't forget FOH
Good luck and keep us posted.

[mark1]

LOL-I wouldn't worry about having to manage people older than you as long as you do it with class. Lots of examples from Alexander the Great to Joan of Arc to the Naked Chef who did it pretty well!

[lebelage]

"to Joan of Arc "

LOL
maybe not the best example, mate...
look what they did to HER

Then again, it is what many owners do to their chefs..so what's the diff?

[mark1]

"to Joan of Arc "

LOL
maybe not the best example, mate...
look what they did to HER

Then again, it is what many owners do to their chefs..so what's the diff?

LOL-doesn't matter, Joan the teeny bopper got a whole bunch of much older bozos to follow her, now if you'd said what they "should be" doing to the Naked Chef, well that's different!

[eknatheknath]

dont worry men life is beautiful ,,,,, u learn from ur mistakes thats the greatest experience one can get.u got the chance of ur lifetime prove ur self.evryday u do briffing of ur staff regarding the things to do for that day,rspect them and ull see miracle happning ......
congratulations guys......

[whatsthatsmell]

hey man congats and good luck... no matter how this turns out -success or crash & burn- its a great opportunity.

i've been in the business on and off (mostly on) for about fifteen years (i'm 27) and filled every position... dishwasher, owner, sous chef, lead cook, tornade, garde manger... you name it.

here's a few insights that might help

-so many young (and old) cooks forget that its about the diner and THEIR experience... we play around with food all day in the kitchen but it's all about what happens at the table(like it or not, i dont). expand your power and set the ambiance in dinning room, be it your presence out there or utensils or whatever... minute details bring them back. Is the dish difficult to eat? will it kill grandma? is the salt shaker full? did the busser sweep? WEAR A BIG PAIR OF HAIRY NUTS and make sure the waitstaff and front management take care of the fronthouse environment - it reflects on YOUR food.
-SELL YOURSELF. this is a major factor in this business most cooks dont grasp. everybody loves a chef. dont forget that. dont be shy with your customers. you're not a waiter and you dont have to act like one... one of the benefits of actually WORKING for a living is that you get to be yourself. make your appearances in the dining room (look nice, keep a clean coat handy). if people leave thinking 'the chef made that specially for me', they'll be back w/friends to show off.

so basically, i assume u have the backhouse down (food cost, cross utilization, lead by example, ect.) just focus on the front (which means you'll have to log even more hours:)
well there's that... hope it helps
best of luck

[Chef Pietro]

I can relate to your worries. I began in the business at 13 years old with my father in a small italian catering business. After several years there and a few other jobs, I went to Culinary School and upon graduation (1975), I was hired as Executive Chef of a Kosher Caterer in Boston Mass. Well, not only was I only 21 but I was working in an area I knew nothing about. Kosher is governed by its own rules. However, I was mentored by an older retired Kosher Chef in their rules and traditional dishes.
The business expanded and we opened a commissary. The Older Chef retired just prior to that and I was charged to not only open the commissary but also begin a full baking line of products. Well, butter and milk are not options, so I had to convert all recipes to Kosher. Not an easy task.

I jumped in with the usual young enthusiam and learned quite a bit about baking ,volume production, and packaging (as well as myself). We then intruduced hors douvers and many Kosher products to a retail/wholesale outlet.

This experience landed me a position as executive chef for a very exclusive Mass. country club (jewish) and I recieved alot of publicity as one of the youngest executives in New England (1978)

That experience opened the door to many unbelievable jobs, spanning over 30 +years, around the US from executive chef of hotels, corporate executive chef for a national food chain, food and beverage director, general manager, Judge to food competitions, etc....... I added Interior Architecture to my education at Rhode Island School of Design and then also consulted for and designed restaurants. A side bar is to develope and standardize recipes.

But originally, I was nervous (actually scared). I took the advice of the a great executive pastry chef instructure and mentor of mine while in culinary school (Chef Hans Sohre- "Anything can be accomplished with knowledge and experience but the first ingredient is ambition and the willingness to make mistakes and face them in order to grow. We have all been there and we all continually learn".
Also never be afraid to tell someone you don't know something but will research it to find the answer. You will gain a lot of respect.

My point is the same as others - when an opportunity presents it self - GO FOR IT!!!! Not only will it teach you a lot about the business but also about yourself. You never know where the journey will take you. My ride is still on.

[AG4JAZZ]

My only suggestion is not to completely redo the menu all at once.
Introduce your new menu items first as a daily special and determine if they go over well with customers.
I have seen restaurants completely redo the menu, only to go back, in part to old standbys. Some customers like to see the same things on the menu and seem not to very from old standards.