Many jobs are physically demanding and others push a persons ability to think clearly and problem solve. Some jobs can be emotionally draining while others are adrenaline driven and allow workers to ride high and weather the storms of stress. Line work in a kitchen is a combination of all of the above. If you…
Tag: kitchens
COOKS – BLUE COLLAR AND PROUD OF IT
There is something inherently gratifying about making things with your hands. Developing and fine-tuning a set of skills that have been passed down for generations help to build pride in a profession that is timeless. In my mind there is something in everyone’s DNA that craves this ability and opportunity to build something, to make…
THE FOUR TYPES OF COOKS – WHERE DO YOU FIT?
We work – this is what people were meant to do, this is what helps to give us purpose, this is what shapes, to a large degree, the person that we are. How we approach this work, the type of work that we choose or that chooses us, and the level of satisfaction that we…
LINE COOKS – 90 MPH HEADED FOR THE WALL
Line cooks know that there is only one speed – pedal to the metal, full-speed ahead, take no prisoners along the way. It is, after all, the nature of the beast when you work in a busy kitchen. There is ALWAYS way more to do than there is time; always more demands than there is…
ADRENALINE IS A COOK’S WORST ENEMY
It’s now day nine of eleven straight ten hour days in the kitchen, and Jake find’s it increasingly hard to get up and get his act together before heading off to work. He makes a mental note to turn off his phone when that single day off comes around. The overtime is nice, but the…
THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS IN LIFE ARE MASTERED IN THE KITCHEN
It’s quite fascinating to think about the level of interest that people have with the life of a professional cook or chef and what it is like to work in the kitchen. If you perform a quick Google search “Books on life in the kitchen” you will see that there are over 220 million resources…
THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO GREAT COOKING
Cooks may not understand the depth of truth to the title of this article – unless they have experienced the pleasure and the pain of working for a restaurant without compromise. What some may believe is only relevant in fine dining operations can, and should, apply to any type of operation, any price range, and…
A TALE OF TWO KITCHENS
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” -Charles Dickens- from a Tale of Two Cities It was Charles Dickens’ – A Tale of Two Cities that portrayed life in London and Paris during the times that led up to the French Revolution and in reflection, served as the impetus for…
ARROGANCE IS NOT AN ADMIRABLE TRAIT FOR A CHEF
In recent months I have found numerous parallels in current events with the effective operation of a professional kitchen. Being competitive, innovative, focused on quality first, honest, supportive, and possessing the ability to truly listen to others are always positive traits that we not only admire but also find helpful in establishing a pattern…
LINE COOKS – START YOUR ENGINES
It’s Easter Sunday – yet another “holiday” that isn’t a holiday for restaurant workers. That’s OK – we’re use to it. Working when others celebrate goes with the turf, this is what we do. Don’t feel sorry for us, this is the job that we either chose to do or it chose us, so we…
