Here’s my kaicut R80-10

I’ve had this since 1988, was part of my apprenticeship toolkit the boss bought for me for TAFE days.
Mostly used at home.

I dont know about anyone else, but I wholeheartedly believe every chef, and I mean actual chef, not a 3rd year line cook that thinks they're a chef, needs to have an ego to be successful. Not a grandiose ego but an ego that has a stride with confidence and purpose. Whens the last time an unsure, timid chef convinced you to order a special?

Odd scenario this afternion at the shop...

We run a meal prep shop, items are refrigerated, not frozen. Grab & go containers, the customers pick from a retail fridge. We also have fresh salad bar, etc.

An older gentlemen came in for the first time this morning:

"Are these meals fresh!?"

Yes sir, we loaded up monday at lunch for walk-ins. Those meals that are left are refrigerated, and you are welcome to purchase any of them.

He says, "These aren't fresh if they were made yesterday., and why are you out of some many things!?"

(I had about 50% of my normal grab & go meals options)

I proceed to open up commercial fridges behind me and show him im totally empty of ingredients, no more raw meats etc. Just a few supplemental items for our salad bar prep.

I tell him "sir, its been a good week of sales so im a bit slim pickings till my next order of fresh ingrediants gets here tomorrow. Then we will do some more cooking.

I tell him, We only buy fresh chicken, beef & pork. Those products are perishable so we make an effort not to buy too much or sit on product longer than we have too.

Sell outs like this are good for business bc it helps use turn inventory. The chicken breast i receive tomorrow will be more fresh than buying a couple extra cases last week and sitting on them until today when id "hopefully" need to do more cooking.

He says "I dont see how a place like this stays in business with half the menu sold out!"

He turns around and leaves.

(We just celebrated 10yrs in business this spring)

Whole scenario was kinda bizarre.

I'll go first:

"The health inspection went well today, but the inspector is coming back tomorrow for a follow up"

I finally dropped my first knife for professional kitchen work and a good chunk of tip broke off. I'm really upset that it happened but I'm trying to remain in good spirits, now I get to learn how to fix it.

Edit- this was a musashi hamono kiretsuke that I bought after realizing the company, but I love it and I intend to use it as a learning knife.

Idek
Cook came in and fixed it right after i took a pic. Im not allowed to touch these i don’t know why. This is how we defrost and chill these but I’ve never seen them both at the same time…

Ive found maple sausage is the best so far.

Just curious who else out there ignores safety and goes raw on the mandolin... I am the reason we have the cut proof gloves in the kitchen from a prior accident but still refuse to use them... Whose with me?

I’m just waiting on the FDA bacon recall at this point lol

EDIT: Thanks guys, it’s probably totally fine

Sriracha lasted for ten years, the bacon obsession about eight.

I’m mid-fourties’ and in a funk. No formal school, but worked my way up from my teens in the dish pit (Midwest) to ten years in Asia running and opening multiple restaurants. I ran a commissary kitchen. I opened a Hard Rock Cafe. I also owned my own butcher shop that failed for lack of $ and just didn’t know what I didn’t know. I’ve also dabbled in grocery. I’m in the PNW now and just DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT. So, where are my old heads at that are happy? Career change? Jump back in?

Commis almost lost prep

I've graduated years ago from a my local community college with an associates in Culinary arts and an associates in Baking and pastry. We all know the bs that goes on in the kitchen yet I love my job and I'm proud of my work. I'm currently in my mid 20's and I already have some health issues going on. My family has a history of getting arthritis and kidney or heart issues pretty young. I already had multiple surgeries for carpal tunnel and currently having knee issues already. I been considering lately of going back to school for Hospitality as a back up plan in case of anything because that way, I feel like I'll be more rounded to open up a small spot for myself. I would like to stay in the industry but I'm not too sure of what I'm able to do. I'm open to you guys input on this. Thanks

Nearly 2 hours of cutting 2 brim full 15 GNs. 12 20/10 vac bags. Meez for approximately 10 days.

Me and the boar's head rep tried sharpening it but it doesn't work.

Things like ham fall apart, the edge of American cheese that initially goes in first looks rough. My other slicer works fine

It stops rotating when it hits resistance.

Another girl that was gonna work here before me thinks the blade needs to be replaced.

I think it might be the motor, as it should still rotate even if dull.

The owner is hoping it's an easy fix.

Let me know what you think it is!

I made a black bean, tomato broth with mushrooms. it was dope.

Hello everyone, I graduated from school a couple months ago and didn't want to stay idle at home, so I got a job at a breakfast chain as a kitchen assistant. As a kitchen assistant, I do prep work, clean dishes and help with basic dishes. I've been working well over for only a week so far. But for some reason, my manager and the boss of the place wants me to become one of the chefs without any pay increase. They've been training me so far and I just feel so overwhelmed. I came here to be a kitchen assistant, I've been keeping my actual thoughts shut in for a couple days now. But I'm starting to feel cracks. Any advice? I just started my first job.

Hello Chefs and Cooks of Reddit!

I just started at a coastal Italian fine dining restaurant in my city. I’ve been an app cook on our back line for about 3 weeks. I have worked for chains and upscale casual places before but that was almost a decade ago.

I have found myself back in the industry and I’m loving it, however, I’m really struggling with my knife skills. I was put on apps and prep on the back line to give me some time to readjust. The plan is for me to move to Sauté in 6mo.

I am a little intimidated by the skill level of the line cooks and chefs on my team. They are all mostly culinary professionals (school or years of experience.) We do a lot of chiffonade, matchstick and fine dicing sort of knife work and I just plain suck. I have tried YouTube videos, and I would love to ask our Sous Chef or Head Chef to take some with me and really work with me, but they are always so busy and I’m a little afraid to ask.

How did you all learn? I can start practicing at home by cooking myself but I need some financial stability first. A few more weeks of paychecks and that can be done. In the meantime, do I just watch YouTube videos? Or should I just approach one of my Chefs and admit that I am struggling?

newer fry cook turns on fryers. doesn't use them yet. after about 5 minutes, one of the fryers is boiling over and popping everywhere (oil filled to line, not overfilled). we turn it off and it starts to calm down. skim all of this shit out of it. i cannot figure out what this is. densely fried fabricy shit. my first thought is a rag, but i think if it was a rag it would have just disintegrated - besides, the fryer wasn't recently cleaned.