Ask a Cook
- Thread starter punkbass2000
- Start date
Cool. I have no experience in the foodservice industry however a friend and I have discussed doing something like this with a chef. His fiancee' has a successful business as a nutritionist and we thought there would also be targeted opportunities to teach healthy cooking (IE diabetics, organic etc) to fill in during weeknight slow nights as well as the corporate market and the eclectic stuff on Thursdays-Saturdays.
I felt the chef could really spread their wings with unique menus.
What are the biggest negatives running a kitchen? Spillage? Staff?
Swedishguy
Deity
Do you wash your hands?
Ball Lightning
www.sporedum.net
BLG100, its going to be a LOOONNGGGG time before that happens (because if it doesn't, i'll make my own
)
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
Good question. I don't know that I can give a good answer. I mean, probably canola oil, since that's the starter for most dishes, but that's probably not the kind of answer you're looking for. Most dishes use different ingredients. I guess the best answer would be what we call "day veg", which is chopped Bermuda onion, broccoli, zucchini, carrot and red and green pepper.
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
I would say the fact that you will probably lose a lot of money
Seriously, I don't know what ever possess anyone to start a restaurant. Four out of five restaurants go out of business within their first five years. It is a tough market. At least at the start, the biggest negative is that you will have to live at your restaurant. It's tough work in a kitchen and a lot of people are simply not cut out for it. Some people straight up panic when they see a board full of chits. People walk-out from time to time. You could easily find yourself in the dishpit, covered in grease and water as an owner if your dishwasher walks out.
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
Of course. All the time.
Technocactus
Lurker
Does cooking simpler/more menial things annoy you at all?
What dishes do you particularly dislike making?
What dishes do you particularly dislike making?
CaptainF
The Professional Poster
How can an average Joe Schmuck learn to cook some good grub?
I personnally love to experiment, with a kitchen full of stuff you can't easily get your hands on(I don't have a deep fryer at home) I always wind up experimenting with different things. So it typically changes every week or month for me
Depends on time of day, sounds like it would a welcome break from eggs and steak and everything else. I know I prefer to toss a pizza in then toss a burger onto the grill.
MjM
Deity
How much do y'all get paid?
Cheezy the Wiz
Socialist In A Hurry
MjM
Deity
Do you cook, or are you a busboy/waiter?
Drewcifer
Agent of Karma
My first line cook job I made $5.50/hr but that was in 1991. My last line cooking job I made $14/hr, that was in 2003. Now I am a chef, the head chef's pay really depends on the overall sales of the restaurant, here in Minneapolis/St Paul it ranges between $30k and $100k per year, I'm about in the middle of that.
Being the chef of a larger independant restaurant is cool because you can be creative but you have enough minions that they can do the crap work, I spend most of my day walking around and talking to people about stuff.
Drewcifer
Agent of Karma
Every time you flip a burger it takes a little piece of your soul.
Other than that the only two kitchen jobs I really hate are cleaning/changing the oil of fryers and cleaning flat top grills. I actually enjoy washing dishes if I don't have to do it every day, it's zero stress.
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
I wouldn't say so, no.
Ironically enough, I'll say Shrimp Risotto
As much as I like it because it's a challenge, if I'm busy it's a real pain in the ass
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
Practice. It's something you have to enjoy, I think. But yeah, practice and experiment. Learn about the foods you're working with. A lot of things are very logical in cooking, if you pay attention. If you want some more specific advice, tell me what you'd like to make.
punkbass2000
Des An artiste
Cheezy the Wiz
Socialist In A Hurry
I do everything, at some time or another.
Serve
To-Go
Host
Dishwasher(usually when there isn't a hired dishwasher there, and I'm cooking and we're slow.)
Line Cook
Prep Cook
Shift Lead
I've even been the Salad Bar person once or twice.
I find cleaning the fryers to be kind of, well, its' not fun, but its its own adventure in itself. There's definitely a sense of acomplishment looking at that shiny sucker, with the clean oil in it.
I agree that dishwashing is a nice break from the chaos of the Line, very simple, relaxing.
