It’s 3:00 on a Saturday and you take another look at that prep list for your line position. You shake your head knowing that you need more time, a lot more time. Head down, knives razor sharp, sweat beading up on your forehead, you dive back in. There are 120 reservations on the books, and you know that number will go up. The chef is on the phone, in his office, trying to convince another cook to come in on her day off. The Garde Manger called out sick – something that cooks never do so I guess it must be legit. You’re having a tough time focusing on the task at hand while thinking of a dozen others that lie ahead. Your left hand is shaking a bit, so you stop and throw more cold water on your face. You shouldn’t have popped that second Red Bull. You push on.

The chef walks from his office checking in with everyone. He walks to your side: “how are you looking?” You respond as a cook should – “all good, Chef.” even though that’s far from the truth. He glances at your prep sheet and sees how much work is ahead. “Give me a minute to check in with everyone else and I’ll give you a hand.” You like this guy – the first chef you worked for who doesn’t yell or demean his cooks. He makes us feel like we’re all in this thing together. You return work with a new sense of confidence.

It’s 5:00 – doors open in 30 minutes and you’re still behind. Staff meal is being served but you don’t have time to stop and eat. You’ll just grab something later. The chef will be by for a pre-meal check in about 20 minutes and you must be ready. Every other cook seems to be in the same situation – heads down, working against the clock. The stress is intense. If you’re not ready when the doors open, you may never catch up all night. You drop your knife from shaking hands. “Crap!” you rush over the sink and wash the blade, run both sides down the steel a few times, dip it in a sanitizer solution and push forward. Now it’s 5:15 and all that’s left is to finish clarifying butter and chiffonade a few bunches of Italian parsley for garnishes. As the chef checks in at 5:25, you’re finishing the last bunch of parsley, folding side towels, and wiping down your station. You made it! The chef smiles and walks on to the next cook.

This is not an anomaly – this is every day. We haven’t even received the first order, and you’re already drenched in sweat. Grabbing a quick espresso, you throw more water in your face, grab a trusty pair of tongs and stand at the sauté station bouncing from foot to foot, clicking those tongs in anticipation of the first orders off the POS.

Throughout the night business to your station peaks and subsides, luckily giving a chance to catch up now and then. The expeditor shouts out – “ordering: two shrimp, one halibut, two pasta and a pork medallion.” You respond – “yes, Chef!” Each item is started and pushed aside and till the expeditor calls for a “fire”. Everyone is starting to get into a groove. The ebb and the flow are like a musical stanza that guides us through everyone’s part in the musical score. If we keep this rhythm, we will be okay. Still, with a smile on your face, you are constantly fearful of things going sideways. You occasionally scan the look on each cook’s face for signs of drift. You can see it when a cook is slipping into the weeds. Their pace slows down, their eyes are locked, those tongs no longer make a sound and then they freeze. They’re lost and unable to determine left from right and shrimp from a pork chop. So far, we’re good. No one has lost it yet and the steady chatter back and forth with the expeditor is alert and focused.

The amount of skill required to keep a char grill full of steaks and chops with different degrees of doneness or a dozen sauté pans working different dishes organized and on point is quite impressive, but it is the hand eye coordination combined with a multitasker’s mind drilling down on this for hours on end that is hard to fathom. A line cook’s mind is quick to respond, something that over the years is hard to maintain. At this point – 7:30, when business is at its peak, we know that the intensity of the rush will wane soon. This is what keeps us going – another hour, another hour, another hour. Keep it cool, you’re doing fine. Another hour is all. You still feel the stress but are so busy it doesn’t have time to tighten its grip.

By 9:00 there are only a few orders left and we begin to clean, write notes for tomorrow’s prep, and down a few glasses of ice water. Your feet are starting to throb as is your back from bending, reaching, stretching, and twisting for the past five hours. The last orders leave the kitchen just before 10:00 and thirty minutes later you’re clocking out. We made it through another night, the chef says thanks and cooks share fist bumps and an occasional hug. Check off another one on the calendar – tomorrow will be more of the same.

This is the feeling of stress.

“Stress is a normal response to a specific identifiable external trigger, like a deadline.” – www.healthline.com

We all learn to accept it and deal with it in our own way, but know that it is part of the job, in every kitchen, with every cook. It just is.

We live with it, drown it away sometimes with a few drinks after service, and drag our abused bodies back home for a night’s sleep.

Anxiety is the angry sibling to stress. It is a deep-seated anger that is always festering inside those who live the reality of a stressful job or life. Anxiety is a different animal – one that eats away at a person, causes physical and mental ailments and can destroy your soul.

“Anxiety is a persistent feeling of worry or dread that can occur even without a clear trigger and often lasts longer, even after the initial stressor is gone; essentially, stress is a reaction to a situation, whereas anxiety is a reaction to the feeling of worry about a situation, even if it’s not immediately present.” – www.healthline.com

Things change when the stress of the job that is felt every day, that is part of the environment where you work, is accepted as the reality of the work. This stress that eats away at one’s peace of mind and physical wellbeing can affect sleep patterns and the ability to concentrate, manifesting as fear and physical gnawing at your body, mind and spirit. When you can’t push the stress aside after work, when you fear what lies ahead every day, and when your personality and interactions with others is impacted by this perpetual sense of dread, then stress has moved to a new level. When those who thrive on excellent effort and results fear that they can no longer control those outcomes then stress and anxiety become one and they never seem to subside. To many in the restaurant business, this is their reality. So, what can be done?

[]       NOTICE THE SIGNS IN YOURSELF AND OTHERS

Look for the change in sleep patterns, uncharacteristic lack of dependability, poor focus, mood swings, changes in physical health. Be aware that these are signs of a problem that needs to be addressed.

[]       SHARE YOUR FEELINGS WITH OTHERS

Admitting that you feel incumbered by stress or frequent bouts of anxiety is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength and personal awareness. Talk with co-workers, your leaders at work, personal physician, or family members.

[]       SEEK HELP

Make an appointment to see your doctor. This should be done at least annually anyway. You may need some mental health counseling as well – take advantage of the help available.

[]       LIFESTYLE CHANGE ONE: EXERCISE

It need not be extreme – daily walks or runs, time in the gym, shoot some baskets at your local court, ride a bike, take the stairs instead of elevators. Exercise is critical to physical and mental health.

[]       LIFESTYLE CHANGE TWO: FIND YOUR SOLACE

Find and use your positive triggers: listen to or play music, paint or draw, write, read, play video games, add more exercise, play chess, – something that allows you to relax.

[]       LIFESTYLE CHANGE THREE: SOUND NUTRITION

Eat a proper, well-balanced meal. Sit down when you eat. Minimize processed foods, cook from scratch FOR YOURSELF. Eliminate high sugar drinks, excessive fats, or excessive portion sizes. You’re a cook – you know what healthy eating is all about – practice it on your most important customer – YOU.

[]       LIFESTYLE CHANGE FOUR: DON’T MEDICATE – ELEVATE

Don’t lean on alcohol or recreational drugs. As has been said – it may be okay to drink socially but not okay to drink to BE social. The same goes for excess in anything that can lead to dependance.

[]       ASSESS WHAT YOU ARE DOING

This is a great career but sometimes it isn’t for everyone. Your physical and mental health should come first. If you can’t control stress or anxiety because the career choice is driving all your body decisions, then you may need to find a different line of work.

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

“Work Hard and be Kind” – Dick Cattani

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