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/ck/ - Food & Cooking

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12095026 No.12095026 [Reply] [Original]

Does anyone here cook professionally? A bit down on my luck, and I was wondering what it's like working in the back of chain or mom n pop restaurants. I've worked in a deli for almost 5 years, is it anything like that?
Also Deli Clerk ama thread I guess.

>> No.12095066

>>12095026
Hot, busy, and unappreciated. Unless you're at or near the top of the food world, that's about all you can expect. If you're trying to get decent work without going insane, go to a call center or something, or work construction if you're outdoorsy or want something physical.

>> No.12095107

>>12095066
Damn, I dont really need like please and thank yous. Is there at least a general sense of comrodarie in the kitchen, or do people completely keep to themselves? I've looked into construction, and I have the work ethic for it, but I dont think my body would be able to keep up with it as I am now. Fuck call centers though, that's last resort shit right there. Deli customers and management drove me to hell and back, I would rather not if it's an option. Beggars cant be choosers though I suppose.

>> No.12095139

>>12095107
Get your CDL bruv. I drive trucks around all day, listen to the radio, do 60 - 70 hours a week at 19/hr, home every night.
t. 21 year old homeowner

>> No.12095156

>>12095107
In my experience you can make friends in the kitchen because traumatic experiences tend to bond people together, but the kitchen is also full of drug addicts and felons so there's a lot of petty grudges and backstabbing and going behind people's back. Construction sounds like a good deal, I mean sure your body might be a little soft right now but the thing about exercise is that you get stronger.

>> No.12095162

Working corporate is a fucking nightmare but momandpops can be pretty fucking cushy if you find the right place

>> No.12095178

>>12095107
Difference of opinion, I suppose, but if you're looking at shitty work you might as well take what pays best or has growth options.

>> No.12095202

>>12095139
why are kids so fucking dumb lol.

>> No.12095239

>>12095026
I had the best cooking gig in my 20's
>personal chef for a wealthy family
>paid me $40K
>cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner for family of 5, plus two housekeepers and an au pair M,T,W,Th
>if they wanted me to cook friday or saturday they gave me monday or tuesday off and they paid me a little friday bonus
>housekeepers were old filipino couple. taught me lots of cool pinay recipes. Plus they cleaned as i cooked so once dinner was on the table I could rock out and hit the bars
>Au Pair was adorable Swedish girl. Shared a room with her. Needles to say we casually fucked 2 or 3 nights a week.
>Set the menu sunday nights. Monday/Tuesday were pretty simple and Wednesday and Thursday were usually elaborate. If they had a fancy guest coming (they usually did a couple nights a week) I could hire a sous to help me prep.
>money was no object, so i could pretty much cook whatever I wanted. They always ratified the menu, but i rarely got vetoed
>got a free place to stay in a mansion in Georgetown, a free car when i wanted it
>went on vacations to Marthas Vineyard, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Italy, London and Several places in the US
>was the help and as soon as i started feeling like family, they'd remind me I was just the help
>it was SO hard to quit a job where i had ZERO life expenses. No car, no food, no rent, no nothing.
>but eventually feeling like the help overcame it and I quit
>I still sometimes regret it quitting.


>

>> No.12095331

>>12095139
It sounds cool, get to feel the wind in your hair all day, but I have a girlfriend. If I'm away for longer than a day or two she'd have a break down.
>>12095156
Truth, I should look and see if there are any entry level labor positions or something, cause I've only held power tools a handful of times in my life.
>>12095178
Ultimately I just need to pay the bills l, so you have a point. I could just try to turn my brain off.
>>12095239
I'm sure the Filipino couple would have treated you closer, but a lot if rich people are like that. The family is only that way cause your numbers are big and yours are small. Once you go over sustainable income it changes folks.

>> No.12095339

>>12095066
>decent work without going insane
>go to a call center
I can assure you these two things are mutually exclusive

>> No.12095385

>>12095339
I'm just using common starting salaries around here, but between $15-20/hr getting yelled at over the phone or $9/hr getting yelled at for McHaircut's Big Mac not having enough sauce seems like an easy decision. Let's not put lipstick on a pig here, shit work is shit work. But give me a place where I'm more likely to be able to crawl out of the hole of bottom-rung work instead of a place where I get paid less and have fewer options.

>> No.12095390

>>12095331
>If I'm away for longer than a day or two she'd have a break down.
Run, Anon. Run for the hills, run for your life. That bitch is most likely bipolar or borderline or something. Never stick your dick in crazy.

>> No.12095410

>>12095331
Im home every night friend. Construction CDL driver.

>> No.12095427

>>12095026
from what i gather it's hard work where you are under appreciated yet blamed for everything while the servers bitch about tips and the stds they got from each other on their millionth ciggie break. if you dont mind becoming an alocholic go for it

>> No.12095459

>>12095390
I'm a buy and hold kinda guy. It's already been a decade, so I can hardly call her my girlfriend anyway. She wasn't always like this, just started a few years ago.
>>12095410
That doesnt sound half bad, did they pay for your license? Or was it an out of pocket kinda deal?
>>12095427
I made it this far without becoming one, I think I'll be able to handle it with a stiff drink on the weekend.

>> No.12095475

From my experience, restaurant staff in general is full of petty bullshit drama. Also I've never met a cook or wait staff who wasn't at least a bit alcoholic.

>> No.12095493

>>12095475

It's a stressful job that almost any male can get if they can do the work. IE a lot of ex convicts and dregs end up working as cooks, the stress and the class issue is a recipe for alcoholism.

I don't think i've ever met a chef/cook who doesn't drink.

>> No.12095576

>>12095026
I don't even know how to cook for myself.

>> No.12095602

>>12095026
It's awful. Literally one of the worst jobs. You're hot, tired and stressed the majority of the time. Theres a reason most chefs are addicts.

>> No.12095772

>>12095459
I paid my own way but a lot of companies will pay for it.

>> No.12095990

>>12095576
What do you want to know anon? I might be able to help.
>>12095602
So pretty much just a normal day in florida but I actually get paid to do it?
>>12095475
>>12095493
I've been pretty good at defusing drama in the past, so I think I'd be okay in that regard. One of the good things about being an amiable guy is that those kinds of people end up being cool with me. Respect the shit they've been through, br humble, and often they respond in kind. Happened a few times. Drinking might be a rough spot, I'm pretty good in terms of temperance, but my blood has heavy alcoholics in it.

>> No.12096120

>>12095026
Cashier and cook at a small family owned business. It's pretty comfy and easy. Bants with the owners and most of the regulars are cool

>> No.12097128

Depends on the restaurant, Anon.

I've worked at my current place for about 5 years.
It can be pretty hot during the summer, though winter is usually fine.
It's not hard to keep busy, between cooking, cleaning, prepping, or putting away a truck.
Dealing with roaches is almost impossible; especially when they can come in on trucks.
It always seems a lot of people who work in kitchens have done jail or jail time, or drink or smoke too much.
Not hard to make friends with people - it's hard to stay "in your shell" working in a kitchen.

>> No.12097216

>>12095139
Fuck yeah. I'm in school for my CDL now, doing a nice program at a private trucking school. I'm planning to get class 1 and and thinking about OTR right now am not sure if I will be okay with being away from home for long periods.