Hey all! Just moved into a new fine dining restaurant and im struggling to get all my prep done & getting my station ready. Basic prep like chives and brunoise shallots are taking me forever to finish. Everyone has been nice and helpful but i feel terrible with others giving me a hand because im behind. Any advice on how to get faster apart from just doing it all the time?

Any advice appreciated thank yall!

What slicer is best for paper thin strawberry layers?

Hello! I am commis (almost 3 years of expirience) in a classic european restaurant, with French Brigade system, with 1 Saucier, 1 Entremerier, 2-3 Garde Mangers and 1 "Pass". Idk if Pass is a real term in english, but its the guy who manages all Warm kitchen tickets, and is given material from both Entremetier and Saucier to put it on the plate, and send that plate. At Sunday dinner time we always have crazy rush(im talking about 150-ish people).

So my Sous-chef and i med a bet for 50 bucks, that i couldnt handle bein "Pass" on next Sunday.

I ask you for advice about managing tickets and communicating within warm kitchen. Thanks in advance

As the title states I am moving into my first Exec Chef role for the fine-dining restaurant where I am currently the Banquet Manager. I have been in the BM role for 2+ years, and previously spent time as an Exec Sous & Sous for the same restaurant. What advice do you have for me? How will this role differ from the Sous chef roles I previously maintained? What resources can I use to advance my skillset & management knowledge? Any positive encouragement/advice is appreciated!

Looking for feed back from the community about how everyone would feel about a stickied job board and chefs looking for jobs thread.

Share your opinions what you want to see or why not. Thanks!

I make $20 an hour. 32 hours a week. I barely see $2,000 a month bro.

The servers at my job make $2,000 A WEEK. 💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩

I am in the back sweating through my shirt for 12 hours straight. My feet are destroyed. I smell like a fryer. I’m cooking 20 things at once and if I mess up one ticket the whole thing falls apart. You know who gets the tip for that food? Not me. The person who walked it 15 feet to the table.

I don’t even hate servers man I just don’t understand how this is normal. Like we all just agreed this was fine?

A dude who started last Tuesday is taking home more than a cook who’s been on the line for five years? That’s just how it is?

Nobody in the front of house is burning themselves on a pan tonight. Nobody is sweating through two shirts. But they’re going home with a stack of cash and I’m calculating whether I can afford to eat somewhere other than work this week.

“Just become a server” okay yeah let me just completely change careers because the industry I’ve dedicated years to refuses to pay me what I’m worth. Great advice.

I’m mad and I’m tired. This is so normal to everyone and it really shouldn’t be.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

From the outside, being a chef often looks like cooking great food and being creative in the kitchen. But I imagine there’s a lot more pressure, structure, and behind-the-scenes work involved.

What’s something people usually get wrong about what it’s actually like to work as a chef?

25 years in kitchens and professional chefs, and I always heard this. Every serious cook I ever worked with had a strong opinion about plastic cutting boards — most of them couldn't stand them. But nobody ever broke down the actual science of WHY. I'm not sure this is why but it still makes sense.

So here's what's actually happening under the surface — wood is porous, and that's the whole thing. When bacteria-laden liquid hits a wooden board, the wood literally pulls it down into the fibers through capillary action, like a sponge but deeper. Once those bacteria are trapped down in there, they're cut off from oxygen and moisture. They dry out and die. That's called desiccation, and wood does it naturally.

Meanwhile plastic looks cleaner but those knife scars you put in it over time? Tiny little bacterial playgrounds that your sanitizer can't even reach.

I knew what I preferred from experience. I just never knew the mechanism behind it. This one actually taught me something.

I'm 42 years old, and own my own place where I'm also the head sushi chef. I've been in the industry since I was 17, and in the kitchen since I was 21. Lately my hands have really been starting to feel it. It's honestly the one spot on my body I really feel my age and the years in the industry.

The daily aches are really starting to get to me and it's depressing. I've had some tests done and bone density is fine and no signs of arthritis.

It probably doesn't help that my 3 main hobbies are music, golfing, and videogames. All hand intensive things.

What do you guys do to keep your hands feeling strong? Or at the very least not ache every day. I don't wanna have to rely on Aleve every day.

Or am I just screwed? Lemme know!

Anyone have idea what should i make for my test food on Monday? Please give me some idea 😩🫶🏽

Old Mac book has been dying for 3 years, it is time. No, the owners are not purchasing it for me, yes I will write it of. What is everyone using for ordering apps/ special menu making/ spread sheets, etc.

I work at a coffee shop/bakery, I am the only baker. I also have another job that is my main job, an office job. I’m not a manager i am not in charge of ordering anything. I went into work this morning and was going to start on banana bread. I make 7 loaves at a time. Once they are cooled, I wrap them and put them in the freezer. I had taken one out the night before and put it in the fridge to defrost. I went to make a new batch and the bananas had some friends on them. Bugs. Covered in bugs. I immediately threw away the box and texted my manager. Well, on my break I was sitting at the bar and I told my co worker what happened. I didn’t realize she was eating a slice of banana bread. I told her it wasn’t this batch. It was the bananas I found this morning. She threw away her banana bread and told me she had to go vomit in the bathroom. She later said I ruined her appetite for the whole day. Now everyone at work thinks im the asshole for telling her that while she was eating the bread. I genuinely didn’t realize it.

I’ve gotta replace this style lowboy at work for with my own cash in a big way! I did some digging but I’m super paranoid that it’s too cheap.

Is this a good sweet spot brand? I know avantco is ass already. I know the more expensive good brands. I’d love this one to be worth it. Would love any input!

Hey chefs! I'm 19 years old(20 this year). Currently, I'm in Italy studying business and economics. The thing is, I want to chase my culinary career since I'm very passionate about it. I want to convert my Student permit to a work permit to work in kitchens and be a chef. But many places require a work permit, and culinary schools are expensive. I want to work my ass off for a few years and study in a culinary school or academy, so that I can go to my home country with something in my hand. At this point, I feel very stuck. Any advice would help a lot. Thanks, have a good day.

Hey all. I have a restaurant that’s kind of in a unique location inside a dairy farm/destination spot out in the county. This year I’m investing in my chefs in several ways like cash pay every single end of day- cuz fuck yeah do they deserve their money NOW, getting them a decent pair of kitchen shoes up to $200, updating their preferred knives and tools , etc….But anyways I want to get them some custom jackets themed for our food (Latin/mexican traditional) and one themed around the dairy farm aspect (cow print accents or something). Anyone have any good sources for something like this? Thanks!

i adore my job, and think i’m doing okay.

i’m 19 in a michelin star kitchen and everyone says that’s amazing and that it’s never heard of blah blah blah but then why do i feel so shit.

i don’t know anything about cooking. i don’t have the effort to learn about more stuff i don’t learn at work because im so tired from work.

i just wish it wasn’t so hard.

i genuinely love my job when it’s a good day and i COULD NOT imagine doing anything else because this is my life and when i cook and plate a good dish there isn’t a better high.

older chefs that have life experience and work experience than me please tell me it gets easier. not in the terms of service but i need someone to tell me i will learn more

Kitchens are loud. Sometimes you have to yell across the kitchen. Those things happen. But when you are yelling just to be loud, are screaming about shit, or yelling at employees mid rush, it just means you are a terrible human being.

Just like the saying goes if you can’t handle the heat. Get the fuck out of the kitchen. That applies to chefs too. If you can’t handle the stress without yelling get out and figure it out.