First Job Advice... : Othor Games

» Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:48 pm

Resturants have been my fallback job for 40 years, now. I've been a dishwasher, prep cook, expediter, line cook, and sous chef. If you enjoy cooking, and don't mind working your ass off at any hour of the day or night.

Main tip- learn everything you can from anyone willing to show you. The kitchen can be the land of opportunity.

» Wed Mar 30, 2011 6:09 pm

Resturants have been my fallback job for 40 years, now. I've been a dishwasher, prep cook, expediter, line cook, and sous chef. If you enjoy cooking, and don't mind working your ass off at any hour of the day or night.

Main tip- learn everything you can from anyone willing to show you. The kitchen can be the land of opportunity.

Very true. One of the jobs that will always be around. Everybody's got to eat, and few people like to cook at home.

» Thu Mar 31, 2011 6:08 am

First day: start a union.

» Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:19 am

Very true. One of the jobs that will always be around. Everybody's got to eat, and few people like to cook at home.

I love cooking and food but being around cooking and food all day mades me hate it.

» Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:16 am

I love cooking and food but being around cooking and food all day mades me hate it.

My problem is when people don't know how to order a steak. The server brings it back, says, "They want it medium rare."
Me: "It is medium rare."
Server:" They want less pink."
Me:"So, they want it medium. Why didn't they just order medium? Stupid [censored] people."

That's like, every other day.

» Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:53 pm

My problem is when people don't know how to order a steak. The server brings it back, says, "They want it medium rare."
Me: "It is medium rare."
Server:" They want less pink."
Me:"So, they want it medium. Why didn't they just order medium? Stupid [censored] people."

That's like, every other day.

I would find stuff like this too annoying to deal with. And I would refuse to cook a steak "Well done" so would probably get fired

» Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:43 pm

Dishwashing isn't that bad, as long as you can do it properly and relatively fast. Time goes a lot quicker when you are dishwashing

Former dishwasher :rock:

Agreed. Dishwashing is not as bad as people seem to think it is.
I'm guessing most people are put off by the fact that you're cleaning, and that is somehow below your standards. At least I see a lot of that attitude in unemployed people I know.

» Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:40 am

Hey all, so I might be getting my first job, and tbh I'm a little nervous. My dad is a regular at this microbrewery in town, so he's gotten to know the people that work there pretty well. He was talking to the cook and mentioned I was going to going to cook school (not exactly true, but I was sort of considering it). Long story short, the guy offered to take me on and train me, or some such. I've read here before that working in a kitchen can be very stressful, hard work, ect, and obviously that has me a little on edge about my (possible) job. I don't really have any cooking knowledge, besides what I've picked up around the house of course. I like to cook, but never seriously considered it for a profession I would pursue, I don't think I would consider it a "passion" or some such.

Thing is, the economy around here is pretty bad, and I've already applied to several places and never heard back. So it looks like this is probably my best chance to get a job, which I sorely need. So, has anyone been in a situation like this? What do you think about being a chef? Feel free to share any tips or tidbits of advice that might help my nerves if you like. I look forward to your replies :thanks: .

Congratulations on getting your first job! :celebration: My first job when I barely just turned 16 was in the restaurant business I did dish-washing and food prep on the weekends. A job is a job and the way the economy you're lucky to get one. Even if you don't have a passion for cooking at least its a job. My advice save up some money and go to school while doing this job and study something you enjoy. Who knows maybe you well like being chef and stick with it, nothing wrong with being chef. I have a cousin who is chef and she does bakery for a cruise line and she makes really good money! She went to culinary school and everything. There are good paying jobs out there being chef and cook if you want to consider it a career. If you want to consider it a career don't settle for working at a cheap restaurant chains like Denny's, I-Hop etc. Just because this is your first job it does not mean you well be doing it for the rest of your life. My best advice would be to arrive 10 minutes early and don't call in sick the first few months while you work there. In fact call in sick as little as possible, that's the fastest way to lose your job is to call in sick too many times. Best of luck to you!

And yes I've been in that boat so to speak. I'm currently unemployed and nobody has called me back either and I have information technology degree. I know what's that's like, I've been lucky just to get a few temp jobs doing tech work, even that died out for me and hasn't brought in that much money. By all means it is not a good time to be unemployed it is tough. I live in Las Vegas where the unemployment rate is 14-16%!!!! So I know how tough it is!

Right now I feel betrayed because I was told throughout school that a college degree would get me a job to the point I was almost assured. However in this economy that is not the case because people want Real World Experience over School Experience. Every job i've applied for or even looked on line at wants people who have experience within the industry.

Yup, high school teachers and colleges put this idea in your head that if you go to college you'll get a good paying job. Then when you get out of college there's no job and you're in student loan debt. A lot of college grads are having a tough time and are in debt because of the economy.

» Thu Mar 31, 2011 1:58 am

I would find stuff like this too annoying to deal with. And I would refuse to cook a steak "Well done" so would probably get fired

Meh, you get over it. And you just have to live with the fact that some people like to eat shoe leather. You think well done is bad? We get orders for extra well done. This is mostly a hispanic thing in this area. Not being racist, a lot of Mexicans won't eat their steaks any other way.

» Thu Mar 31, 2011 3:11 am

No matter what you're doing in a kitchen, situational awareness is key. You can't be backing into people, tripping over stuff, getting in the way etc etc.

Second thing to learn, people are stupid. They have no idea what they want. They'll order something and send it back because you gave them what they ordered. Get used to it.

Third, everyone has different definitions of steak temps. My medium might be your medium well. Same applies to porkchops, hamburgers etc.

Fourth, you might have an eight hour shift and only end up actually working for three hours. It's how things go. You work as the customers come. No customers means you're cleaning or just messing around.

Oh, and I hope you work well under pressure.