What is "Normal" Equipment/Behavior

[NotYetChef]

(Fairly new to C2C, so hello all)

I just landed my first job in a kitchen, working as a chef's assistant at a family-run fine dining restaurant. The owners/exec-chefs haven't got any formal schooling, nor had either of them done much work in kitchens prior to opening the restaurant.

The resturant has 35 seats + 7 bar, with plates at $15-30 for dinner. They've been open for a couple years, and I only joined them this month, but I've noticed a couple things which seem strange. I'm not complaining, since I'm thrilled to have gotten any job in the industry, but I'm wondering if these things are unusual, or just normal for the industry:

They have three Global knives, stored in a drawer, with 4 other cheap plastic-handled things chucked in there. I often notice that some of the knives seem dull (and have heard the chefs comment on this), but I never see them being sharpened. I'm also surprised at the low number/range of knives that they have (6 cooking + 2 bread knives).

They don't have a mandoline, even though they do julienne and thin-cut veggies like zuchinni as a regular part of the menu.

They use recipes out of books/internet, with minor seasoning modifications.

The beef filet they serve isn't ordered often, so they keep it frozen and reheat it in the microwave, cooking it off on the grill at the end. Similar story for some other dishes too. The microwave gets A LOT of use.

Almost all the sauces on the desserts come straight out of the bottle, and include hershey's syrup/hersheys caramel/smuckers fruit sauces.

Many of their food supplies are bought at the local chain supermarket.



So, what do you more experienced folks think?

[jonesg]

Does your paycheck bounce?

[NotYetChef]

lol...let's hope not.

Honestly though, I think they have good intentions. Also, I don't want to come across as bashing them, for two very important reasons.

1. This is my first job in a kitchen, and I feel really lucky that I get to do interesting tasks with a wide range of skills.

2. This is my first job in a kitchen, and I sure don't know the first thing about the restaurant industry.

[mark1]

LOL-well, don't think I'd call it a "fine-dining restaurant"! Good luck, consider it a learning experience.

[NotYetChef]

Mark1, you're right. I guess my point was that it isn't a diner or a basic grub place. That being said, is what I'm seeing unusual for this kind of place?

[Max_Xavier]

Welcome to the World of Culinary!

Education, experience, training and the drive to strive beyond may be lacking at the place you are at.

That is not all that unusual in many places these days especially in the arena of family owned resto.

Mandoline- If you have the labor $$ available, the skill and the time then there is no need for a mandoline.

Premade sauces- Many places these days use premade and also preportioned products. It may be to save $$, time,or keep things consistant.

Knives- global is a fad and overrated IMO. it is nice that they provide knives to use. If you would like bettter knives, as I and many others do, then supply your own and take very good care of them. and be careful loaning them out as others may not take as great of care as you would.

Recipes- Many use recipes that they pick up during their experiences. there are very few creators of recipes. Most recipes are an altered form of pre existing recipes. it may be a little odd for them to use the actual book rather than print out an altered copy they typed.

Groceries- They may have really bad credit, be over their head in debt, or do not meet certain volume requierments of the regular foodservice providers.
Which is likely why JonesG asked if your check bounced yet.

Tenderloin- they most likely have it on the menu for looks not so much for sale as the profit margin is most likely much lower then to top it off they destroy it to make sure it has no repeate sales

Learn what you can and move on.

Good luck.

[Derek Cooks]

Well, by and large I agree with previous posters. Jonesg was not alluding to the price of groceries or the restos balance sheet. He was saying, "if it's working, it ain't broke." Which is totally correct.

Not Yet Chef - this place, like every place, will be a learning experience. Some places you will learn what not to do, some places you will learn what to do, some both.

Bring your own knives. Always bring your own knives.

Some people buy things from grocery stores because of the real or imagined perception that that is more cost effective than buying from a distributor. It doesn't matter where the food comes from, as long as it's safe. Some people don't have the volume to buy from a distributor. Some people don't place a value on their own time - the time it takes to go and get the stuff and bring it back. Some people don't care about getting consistent product. And some distributors aren't that great. So people do what works for them.

Enjoy the education!

[jonesg]

"Jonesg was not alluding to the price of groceries or the restos balance sheet. He was saying, "if it's working, it ain't broke." Which is totally correct."

spooky, you read my mind.!

You win the kewpi doll.

[KRIS25]

hes write they are just lazi you have a passion try somthing else there must be a better place near by that you can get the suport from a good head chef that can teach you how things should be done. i live here in the uk and its the same, people set them self up and think they know everything but really have no idea they just watch to much tv and cooking programs, they do it becouse they think the customers are stupid and the chefs want to pretend they are all that but there not, you need to find a better place you have a passion about good food so you need to act on it.

as for the knifes the global's in the draw there {fake} there not a fad there fake, no chef if experianced would put global knifes in a draw with others if they were real. but i think you should get your own not global but a good priced set . there all good at your possition when your further on get a really good set your happy with.
hope i helped a bit
chris

[KRIS25]

try quality if what you say is true i would hate to work for you. in the usa the food is so cheep ist insulting and as for quality. the hole point of being a chef is to produce the best food you can even if it means loosing a bit of cash. making sauces do not cost much so why buy them, most supliers will deliver meat if its a local suplier with almost no cost , the point is to get people in if the food ther spending $30 on is the same they can do at home whats the point , they are out of buisness

[Derek Cooks]

the hole point of being a chef is to produce the best food you can even if it means loosing a bit of cash

No, Kris, the whole point of being a chef is to produce the best food you can with what you've got to work with.

Some people couldn't produce a sauce out of scratch if they had to, but they know how to serve a good "prepared" sauce well. Sorry, but if people are buying it, and the doors stay open, welllll, okay then.

Perfect? The "best"? No, but if you can pay the bills and sleep at night, so what?

few, VERY few places and people can afford to produce the best, let alone do it and "loose a bit". Altruestically you may be completely right, but in the real world, well...how ya going to pay the bills? And the Global knives? And the dish dogs?

[NotYetChef]

Max and Derek: Thanks for the informative (and sensible) posts. I'm honestly a little nervous about buying my own full set of knives at this point, since it seems like such an expensive investment. In general, do chefs expect entry-level people like me to supply our own knives? I'm probably going to be working somewhere else this summer, and if I'll need my own knives for it, I guess I better start looking/trying them out.

Kris: I appreciate that you want to contribute to the conversation, but this isn't a "bash the owners" thread. They gave me a job, and they've stayed in business for two years; I'm sure they're not doing everything wrong, nor do I believe that they're "lazi" (sic). That being said, I do agree that they don't show the ambition/drive that I feel.

[Derek Cooks]

NYC, don't be thinking "set" for knives. First, find yourself a good all-around chef's knife that you like and, most important, don't care if it gets dinged-to-he11. Forschner comes to mind, but choose what YOU like and can afford. Then build from there.

While some places may not expect you to have your own knives, you will never regret having them.

[jonesg]

In the states labor is the expensive part.
Food is cheap but the more labor required to prep , the greater the overall cost.

Basic skills can be picked up most anywhere, learning how to move in a kitchen can be enough to get someone into the next kitchen, having something to show on a resume is better than zero experience, theres plenty of positives here.

Learn how to USE a knife before blowing money on one or two.

I learned SOMETHING in every place I worked.
I started at dunkin donuts filling donuts and washing dishes.
My next job was in a french cafe washing dishes and started learning pastry work without pay.
My 3rd job wasn't until 7+ yrs passed, exec pastry chef.
Thats when I bought my first knives (and they were promptly stolen doh!)

What I learned at dunkin donuts is to have well thought out systems in place. Think things through to logical conclusions.

The french guy just kinda yelled until it got done.

Rather than looking for what they are doing wrong, find out how they make money. Never underestimate the people who turn a profit selling food no matter what that food is.
Those guys know how to run a business.

[NotYetChef]

Derek: I have a Wusthof chef's knife which my dad bought me as a graduation present from high school. I love it with a passion, so I may start bringing that in with me. I wouldn't know what to do with most other knives, though.

Jonesg: When I got the job, I realized how awful my knife skills were. To practice, I bought a cheap knife set, 50 lb of onions, 20 lb of cucumbers. Now I've finally got to some modicum of compentence. I definitely agree with both your points.

I think I can learn a lot from these people, especially since despite everything, they manage to get food out the door and money in the register. One thing that I'm sure helps them a lot is that every evening, one of the two execs spends time in the house chatting to people and being friendly. I'll never underestimate good customer service.