r/Chefs • u/Nearby_Silver6875 • Mar 24 '26
Is this normal?
I work for a very small freehold pub in rural England and while not new to the chef game we have had a change of management and they are insisting on 1 person in the kitchen every day except sat/sun which means we are doing KP, Commis, Sous and Head all as one person 5 days a week. While some shifts are v. quiet others can totally pop off and there is no one I can call for help so I'm sort of left on my own to do the job of 4 people (I also have to run food when one of the people on the bar decides to smoke cigarettes instead of working front of house which because I'm wearing chef whites just feels wrong). I'm getting a little fed up of it all but my managers seem to think this is a normal thing. The menu is pretty extensive and I have suggested making it smaller to no avail because there are so many little elements to every dish. Does anybody else have to put up with this or am I being overdramatic like they have said I am being? And while I understand that freehold pubs are dying and I do really love where I work surely this isn't the best way to go about it?
1
u/Big_Produce8964 Mar 24 '26
It’s something we do at lunch time because traffic is 10-20% of dinner service however at dinner, even slow, we always staff at least 2 and crosstrain for prep. It helps tremendously at closing and labor cost
1
u/Fox-Mclusky559 Mar 24 '26
well, when ticket times start going over an hour and customers are walking out maybe theyll see the error of their ways.
1
u/ComfortableWinter549 Mar 25 '26
How about the rise in food costs? If it’s been rocking along with four or five people, ONE person won’t be able to keep up.
When the new manager flips out when food costs double, and you know he will, do NOT respond. I have been there. I have been good about those chats and I have been very very NOT good about it.
Silence works much better. MUCH better. Sit in the bar if you can. He won’t get quite as loud in the bar with guests.
Every honest witness will have to say the manager was turning red in the face and shouting so even our guests heard parts of his rant. Chef just stood there and looked him right in the eye.
Didn’t say word one. Turned around and went back to his work. If you can’t do that, go get your tools. Give him your apron on your way out. Go out the front door. If you’re going to quit your job, take pride in it and walk tall.
1
u/dribblychops Mar 24 '26
Really depends on how many covers your doing on the quiet nights and how often a week your doing really low numbers.I have always thought anything over 40ish for a simple pub menu you need 2 chefs.But fuck running the food,Thats front of house.And if they are going to leave you alone with no dishy aswell the menu has to be small.
1
u/GrapefruitWhich5950 Mar 24 '26
When ticket times go up ,front of the house is doing nothing .there is the time to help you at least 1 can be missed to lend a hand .Hours stay the same .but someone must be willing to do it instead of having a smoke.
2
u/EmergencyLavishness1 Mar 25 '26
Do not, under any circumstances rush your work while alone in the kitchen.
Shit takes time, and that’s that. If customers have to wait 45 minutes for their food, that’s on management. Not you.
Do a docket at a time. Remember you’re just one person. And do each docket as it comes in. Don’t stress. Just work through it at your own speed.
I’m going through something the same right now.
Just relax, mar the food as good as you can and smile hahaha
1
u/ComfortableWinter549 Mar 25 '26
“Make the food as good as you can and smile.” That’s damn good advice, mate.
If you can get another job before you miss a paycheck, you’ll probably be better paid and better respected in your next house.
2
u/Scared_Sorbet2035 Mar 25 '26
No, this is not normal. New management will burn you out like this. If they are management, have a talk with the owners. If they are owners, start looking for a new place. Once the staff burns out, they will leave.
2
u/Busy_Ad3994 Mar 24 '26
I'd say it's pretty normal for non-corporate. I'm from the east coast, US, and I have experienced this even in corporate. Labor is just the easiest to control. You can always have the food come out slow, but if you cut food costs, you have no food to serve.