Quote:
Originally Posted by widebody911
I image that someone who was that big of a *****, working in an environment with lots of knives, would fine one protruding from his spleen in short order.
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that's not how it works, to be able to work for a chef of reputation, you basically are lucky to be there and you suck it up or pack up and leave...
Thing is, if you work for a big chef for 3 years, you do learn a hellofalot.. and then you can either move up the ranks, in that kitchen, some other kitchen, or start on your own...
Navy Seals applicants don't get sweet talked and pampered into becoming a Navy Seal either, and they have friggin guns and training to kill, it ain't all that different...
The lower you are, the more abuse you get, and as you go along, you learn, grow, and eventually get less abuse... That's how it works.
A kitchen is a work hard play hard enviroment, it's a very underestimated profession.
It's a very high stress job, it only takes one screwup with the wrong customer who happens to be a michelin inspector to ruin your year.
It attracts a wide range of characters, some are just plain mean bastards, some are just freaks... And when the service peaks, harsh words are said, in Europe the term is "coup d' feu"... And once all the plates are out, and cleanup is done... most of it is water under the bridge... If you can't accept that, then you need to look elsewhere...
And most of those in the business, work to many hours, for too little pay, also a lot like the military...I decided for myself ( worked for a master chef of Belgium) that frankly it wasn't a career for me... peanut pay... and i had a thing with computers... worked out fine, and i make probably 4 times the nett of what i would have made if i had stayed in the same business... I was not a hotel school graduate, not that it mattered, i've seen graduates who couldn't hold a plate without dropping it... And i liked the job when i was 18, learned to party hard and drink like a sailor... i just couldn't imagine doing that another 35-40 years for that low pay, working when others had time off, no weekends, no holidays, 60+ hour weeks, no personal life...
And if you start on your own, it just get's worse... taxes, salaries and equipment takes your earnings... you always have to have a good day, you cannot have a case of the mondays when you have 60 guests in your restaurant, you have to deal with freaks and douchebags working for you, a55hole customers, expensive food, working 6 days a week, and do your accounting on the 7th... maybe have 2 weeks off a year... you'll probably make decent money, but you're a slave to your business, your customers, the taxman...Relationships in the restaurant business also don't last that well, you either work with her in the same business till you are stinking sick and tired of seeing eachother, or you don't work together, and barely ever see eachother...divorces, alcohol abuse, suicides... it's all there...