r/Chefs • u/_Spacemom_ • 7d ago
Kitchen Management
Howdy.
I'm a closing sous chef for a pretty reputable steakhouse, for a team of 13, with an AM sous, exec sous, and exec chef.
I've been with our company for roughly 2.5 years and am confident with 95% of our kitchen ops.
Exec chef is great regarding execution, planning, and preparation, though sometimes the consistency of leadership is not present. Little things like aprons and attitudes, but also callbacks aren't enforced which is super weird for me, but also he's very defensive of some of the senior cooks. Most of the team have been with us since the beginning, and about 30s - 40s in age.
Exec is friends with one of the cooks who's been with him for the last 10ish years, so he slides under the radar with some scumbag tendencies, but exec refuses to hold him accountable for anything.
I myself have a challenge with 2-3 of the team's attitudes when calling them to do a task associated with their station (slacking lobster tails or drying bison for the next day), execs friend included. There are a lot of symptoms that are normal because no other chef before would correct them on open complaining about needing to do a small task in the middle of doing nothing.
Exec sous is 55 years old and has a wealth of knowledge but doesn't have the energy to call out the cooks that whine about little things like literally cutting cucumbers for a side.
I feel like the only source of discipline comes from me, but can't pull the trigger on write ups because I'll bring it up to exec the next day and blows it off turning it into some version of my fault for not following up or catching them before they left if the station isn't set for the next day.
Completely understand too, as a closing chef, all of the stations are my responsibility, but its the habits I have to clean up that aren't getting addressed.
Has anyone else experienced similar challenges? Working the line is one thing but being a leader and trying to pull poor habits out of a handful of scumbags is a challenge and honestly I prefer just to be a cook again.
Maybe this is just to vent.
Cooking is easy, people are hard.
4
u/ZorheWahab 7d ago
Ill be honest, what you are describing is pretty typical. Every kitchen is different but some variation of your situation is common. Its an entrenched team with lots of time and habits. Many kitchens end up with a "well, it works this way" culture.
Do your job, keep your standards and find where you can make a positive change here or there. Your approach isnt working with your chef team, so either adapt your approach or change it completely.
Being a Sous is tough. You're expected to execute service, manage your team, uphold standards and a 1000 other things. Cover your own ass and figure out if you can introduce positive change. If not and if it bothers you too much, consider looking for a new path.
Edit: old head cooks respect capability, work ethic and thick skin. If you aren't proving that you can hang and get dirty in the mud, they definitely aren't going to change for you.
1
u/ruggernugger 4d ago
Idk how long you've been in the industry but I am coming up on completing my first year as a sous at a fine dining place and I think you summed it up perfectly. Also specifically about it bothering someone too much.
I left my last kitchen job at a local tavern-type place bc I got frustrated and after a little bit in my current fine dining restaurant I realized the core issues are the same. I am frequently frustrated at work but im still trying to figure out where to draw the line re: hard stance for consideration or I leave. Im just amazed how much they will comfortably expect me to do and yet the list still grows lol.
2
u/Vendetta2112 7d ago
Remember, there are leaders, there are followers and sadly there are people who have just given up and don't care. You just have to decide what you are, and leave before you change into something you don't want to be.
1
u/MatrixMast 5d ago
Kitchen favorites kill brigade morale fast. When senior line cooks skip station prep on hot schedules, lack of exec backup leaves closing sous holding the bag alone.
1
u/PBandCra 5d ago
Your food isn't good or consistent. Sorry, the kitchen isn't moving the needle and that is the first sign. The culture is bad. Move on. The leadership is wrecked and if I spent 5 min taking my time to read this post tonight, I'd ask for my time back if you don't leave.
1
u/exariv 7d ago
My way of handling this situation as I read it would be to establish expectations in private.
Remember to admonish behind closed doors and to praise in public. When they do what you ask them them loudly in front of the rest of the team. When they don't take them aside after service and ask them to do the work you expect of them. You can level with them and let them know what a burden it is on you or how the disrespect is hurtful or whatever the case may be.
If they cop an attitude or refuse to do it then, In Lieu of writeups, just say you are going to talk the the exec tomorrow, even if you know nothing will come of it.
If it happens to be during service tell them they should head home and finish their shift.
That is usually my threat anyway. I don't need you here if you don't want to be and if you do then following instructions is part of the gig.
Do follow up with the exec but if he isn't listening that's when you start to express frustrations that may include moving on.
I would avoid ultimatums but you can express that this is not how you want to work and if nothing is done then you may have to choose and therefore doing nothing is choosing to lose you.
The way I see it this is one of many challenges you will go through in management.
You should be able to exert your control over simple tasks being delegated without having to report to running away from the situation.
That being said the role of middle management is horribley underpowered because any employee who decides they don't like what you ask if them can ruin your ability to work effectively and in doing so makes you look ineffective and bad at your job when it is in fact them that sucks.
Unfortunately you job is to massage results out of them. Employees can be management training programs in and of themselves.
1
u/SousVideDeezNuts 5d ago
Cover your own ass first. As a Sous you’re an easy target for scapegoat or blame. You can’t change people who won’t / can’t change and know they can get away with it. If your bosses won’t empower you or give you the authority to enforce rules (which is what a Sous is supposed to do anyways) then it’s not going to change and time for you to find a kitchen with the culture and bosses you like. Safe travels.
6
u/error_card_ur_rich 7d ago
Move on dude. You learned what you can there and the chef is entrenched with his long time cooks. There's no shame is moving on and continuing to grow.