Is it just me or did salaries just take a dip? I used to see positions go for six figures are now looking like five. Head chef positions are looking like sous chef pay. And of course, the powers that be demand that we work harder for fewer people and tighter p&l’s. Does anyone else feel this or am I just out of touch?
I have been in foodservice work for 10 years now - I started in the kitchen in college and then worked as a distributor sales rep ( Sysco & US Foods) , Protein Specialists at distirbutors and then as manufacturer sales manager while working side kitchen gig for cash ( especially starting COVID - my paycheck became way too low based on my commission during that time and I had good food truck customers who had to close down the restaurants, but were free to serve customers traveling around residency and asked me to work together which I really enjoyed learning new things while having flexible schedule working volumes).
I have been always doing sushi & ramen as well as korean cuisines, after recent divorce last year, I jumped on 20 hours per week kitchen gig as side on top of my 8-4 PM main job Mon to Friday. This is a family owned restaurant now and new management took over this February, and I swear every single fucking week- line cooks calling in sick once or twice a week and I have been covering everytime. I never said no, but last two times I did say no because I feel like it is becoming habits - literally one cook has been missing work on Sunday for last 6 weeks that I helped coming in last minute (1-2 hours before the restaurant opens) working whole day - I work Friday night and Saturday all day and having to work Sunday all day on top of that for some bullshit excuse like her saying " i have period it hurts so much" really annoys me especially being last minute, but I don't want to take over sunday regulary cause I need at least one full day off balancing my both jobs. Owner/Management is frustrated with this issue too but hasn't done anything yet.
IDK, I worked last night after refusing to cover someone on Sunday - and I felt like I got so much attitudes from them because I refused. I went to funeral's friend and they don't even ask single shit about it which is OK, but overall through the whole shift, it just felt different.
I wanted to set boundaries, but I just feel like its too late cause I have always said yes to cover all the time now they think its not helping, but they just expect this of me.
I have been working for a family for 2 years cooking every night, good meals and cleaning up and taking care of the kids. Lately they have been transitioning my role to private chefs for girls weekends at second home, private chefs when their friends and families come to their house forThe weekend. I shop, prepare and clean up. I have cooked for as many at 14 to 7. This is all outside of my weekday job with them. All weekends in NYC and at their second home in Virginia. They pay me $25/hour for this service that they consider overtime.
There is no child care during the weekends.
I have been doing research and it looks like $450 to $675 is what AI says.
The meals are creative, I love to cook. They are always happy with my service.
I have to speak to my employer. What should I be asking for— per person ? Per meal?
Any help would be most appreciated.
just for a bit of context, i am freshly out of a 1 year culinary course, 17y.o. and i just got a job in a kitchen because my teacher noticed how talented i am, and recommended me for a job in a restaurant he works in part time. my teacher gave me a uniform (that i usually wear in school) but id like my own uniform as the one from school is very traditional, white, black apron. i am a 17 year old girl with purple hair and piercings. white doesn’t suit me.
many of the chefs at the restaurant i work in wear black but i’ve heard a lot of people say that only head chefs can wear black, is this true? am i allowed to wear black instead? i feel like i should just ask if im allowed to wear a black one but im really nervous as this is my first job and i don’t wanna mess it up because i love being in the kitchen 😅
Hi everyone! I’m looking pastry cooks with experience to start as soon as possible in a fine dining spot in the upper east side in Manhattan. We are paying $25/h. We are looking for 5am shift and lunch service shift.
Is a very cool place that opened a month ago, I’m pastry Sous chef and is the best place I’ve ever worked in. We just started lunch and brunch service and we are looking for the right people for it. Besides the restaurant service, we run a pretty cool and exclusive patisserie with entremets and viennoserie. We open 7days a week, Monday and Tuesday just dinner and the rest of the week lunch/brunch and dinner.
For Example, i am a Coock for 20 jears, but, for the life of me, I CAN'T POACH A FUCKING EGG. Dont know why. Swirl to fast, to slow, to much Acid, to less Acid, tried this, tried that. I just can't.
Happy Friday chefs.
Looking for recommendations on non-slips that are not clogs or slip-ons. I tried out a couple different kinds in the past and I just hate that feeling that my shoes are about to fall off of my feet. I have super wide feet so if I go a size smaller for a more snug fit, my toes end up getting painfully smashed together.
Thanks and have a good weekend
restaurants are inherently unsustainable, even more so since the pandemic. They are a bad investment, and notoriously prone to failure. Yet, so many continue to open at a breakneck place. What is the reason for this contradiction?
Look, we’ve all been there. You’re twelve hours into a double, the printer won’t stop screaming, the AC is struggling, and you’re looking at a crew that is barely holding it together.
For decades, the industry has had this "tough it out" mentality. If a cook develops a substance problem, we call them weak, fire them, and find the next body to fill the slot. But after a while, you have to look at the math. When you combine poverty wages, zero benefits, and 70-hour weeks in a high-stress pressure cooker, you aren't just running a kitchen—you’re building a breeding ground for burnout and self-medication.
I’m tired of seeing the industry blame the individual for a structural failure. We’ve built a system that expects peak performance while offering zero support, then we act surprised when people look for a way to numb the grind.
I wrote some thoughts on why this isn't just a "bad apple" issue, but a systemic one that we need to actually address if we want to keep the craft alive:
https://chefs.studio/blog/drug-use-in-restaurant-kitchens/
Is it even possible to fix the "drug culture" in the back of the house without fixing the pay and the hours first? Or are we just going to keep burning through people until there’s no one left?
I have been tormented by this issue for years. Ya know when the plastic wrap begins to stick on one side of the roll and you end up pulling out only half the actual width of the roll as the tear gets bigger and bigger across the roll and then you have to go in and strip out all the left behind plastic wrap that has wrapped around the roll and find where it began to tear so you can pull it out and start the roll fresh. Then it does it again. Does anyone know how to fix this. I've got to believe there is a trick/hack out there that will fix this issue. I just haven't come across it yet.
Looking for advice on ticket sequencing and managing flow during busy services.
I work with a cook who frequently works out of sequence, which throws off timing and prioritization on the board. During a rush, there’s usually not much I can do besides adapt and try to keep us from getting buried.
For those with more experience, what techniques have helped you in situations like this? Have you found effective ways to manage the board, communicate priorities, or recover when timing gets off? I’ve heard of some cooks intentionally pushing certain tickets ahead to reset the flow — curious if anyone has strategies like that or other methods that work well.
Appreciate any advice.
I tried my hand at a French Omelette today! 🍳 It’s definitely a work in progress, but the texture was so creamy. The inside was also a bit runny. I’m still working on perfecting the fold and keeping the heat low enough to avoid any color. Does anyone have a favorite 'hack' for getting that perfectly smooth, pale yellow finish? Would love some tips from the pros here!
Need someone that can drive to (Columbia, SC) technically Irmo Sc and cook some lunches and dinners. 4-6 days a week. Maybe more maybe less.
Full kitchen. Please feel free to free to message with questions. Will be doing interviews to find the right fit.
I’m a 16-year-old working part-time as a prep cook. Almost every day, I have to prep onions. I usually fine-dice them, but when I get near the end of the onion, I always ask myself, 'What do I do here?' This topic isn't talked about enough, so I usually just end up mincing the rest. Obviously, this is bad because the smaller pieces cook unevenly. This matters significantly when making sauces and different dishes. Does anyone have tips for what to do with the onion ends? (Also I'm expected to use 100% of the onion so don't suggest stock buckets)
I have a question, i am from Melbourne,i am trying to change my career because of odd hours and burnout. I am thinking to finish my degree in hospitality, is it worth it? Of should i do different degree, if yes what sector should i choose as a previous chef. Thank you
This is what a 72” radius platen to a zero edge will do. Performance is insane, it just glides through even the toughest foods.
Hey Chefs!
I don't know if anybody had that issue, but still I bought a super birki 2.0 my feet hurt after 5-6 hours. A Double shift near end is basically a torture. I loved the OG super birki, bought them constantly 10+ years, but now I need to change.
What shoes are you using? I heard good things about birki Tokyo grip and Boston grip. Cheers
Does anyone know a better way to do inventory checklists? Is there a software or template you use that’s good? I’ve been using spreadsheets and then making a new tab for each thing: dairy, meat, etc. Please share your best practices!