In all of my years working in this field, there has always been a bit of a competition between the servers and the cooks, preparers and cooks, servers and preparers, etcetera. I'm not really sure why because I think it's just plain stupid. The first thing is the needless arguing over who is correct and who is wrong. Shit happens and people make mistakes and especially when it's so damn busy you can't think straight. I often overhear other cooks and servers arguing about some food item that isn't right in some way or another. The thing that gets me is both of them are never wrong. I mean, who really cares, unless of course it's a ongoing problem with the individual.
Some servers are just plain dumb and some cooks are just plain dumb. They both are human and to be quite honest, I don't believe there is a shortage of idiots anywhere you look. No debate there. What gets to me is when I can hear the two different sides of the restaurant arguing about the most miniscule of things.
For instance, just last Sunday, a server comes back to the other side of the kitchen and lets them know that the customer is not happy because their omelet doesn't look like the picture on the menu. She says that there are not enough mushrooms on top like in the photo. First things first, it's the customer being picky, neither fault of you two opposing forces. Throw some mushrooms on the grill and steam them for thirty seconds, place them on top of the omelet, and voila, problem fixed! Nope; just can't be that easy.
Instead, the cook is offended and goes off tangent on how there are mushrooms already showing in the presentation. The server states that the customer doesn't think so and chimes in that we should really make the items just like the pictures show. First of all, you both are retarded for even having that exchange. The cook for being so almighty that, God forbid, a picky customer wants some more mushrooms on his/her omelet. Does it really matter? Just fucking do it and go back to the chaos in front of you rather than bring your side to a halt. Your food normally looks like shit anyways and you should be happy no one else has complained about your "works of art".
Secondly, shut up you over bearing drama queen. Yes, I understand that you are the one who takes the brunt of the customer, but was it really necessary to say that? I mean, do you really believe that the photo was taken after some burned out cook placed that onto a plate and someone just happened to take a photo? It should look similar, true, but exact, no fucking way you clueless moron. Hell, those are professional photo shoots, believe it or not. Blarg, I digress.
So yes, now you're both blathering idiots, getting each other worked up for no good reason at all and just wasted three minutes of everyone's precious time, and the problem is still right in front of both of you. Chances are you two are now "pissy" with each other and will be for the rest of the shift. So unnecessary.
An easy solution to this obviously unimaginable dilemma would be;
Server, "The customer says there aren't enough mushrooms on top like the picture shows."
Cook, (Laughing, shit, I know I would) "Alright, give me thirty seconds to steam some."
Thirty seconds pass, OMG!
Cook, "Here you go.", as he places them on top of said item.
Server, "Thanks!"
Boom! Back in business and no one missed a beat. The customer is satisfied and all is harmonically balanced once again. It's almost like Occam's Razor follows the exact opposite path in this industry. What is the simplest route to solve this problem? Correct the issue by making the item look more like the snapshot on the menu. The easiest way would be the aforementioned verbal exchange including actions. Hell no! Let's have a time wasting debate, then, and only then, come to the inevitable, and coincidently, exact same solution.
Since we're on the sever versus cook topic, I will let a little story be known that happened a few weeks ago. First and foremost, the servers adore me and I reciprocate fully. I know how hard their tasks are and they are witness to me doing absolutely everything in my power to make sure everything stays kosher from my position to the next. Yes, I can be a real dick here when I get pushed too far, though I never take it out on anyone whom doesn't deserve it, and normally don't even say a word if it's no big deal.
This one server, let's call her "Tiffany". She is not very bright in this world of work, though possibly in another field. I doubt it, but hey, who know? It's just me cooking with six servers (wow, big surprise) and it's the beginning of what will be a horrific Sunday service. A cook called in sick and one is running late, (wow, even bigger surprise) and she approaches me, as I'm struggling to keep my head above water, drowning in a magical waterfall of tickets.
She says to me in a fluster, "Hey! I messed up and need this item instead of this one." I won't divulge said menu item names as I still would like to keep some anonymity. I think to myself, because I'm dying here man, "Ugh, of course you do!", though only say, "Okay, give me a minute." I swap out some food I'm currently preparing on other tickets to correct her mistake as fast as possible, and then I can re-drop the items I used and will still be done in time for the proceeding tickets. One hiccup isn't that big of a deal.
Within two more minutes, Tiffany again comes to the pass and tells me, yet again, that she messed up that same item and now needs this specific thing instead. Oh my, you're really pushing it here but I just let her know I'll fix it again, and to give me another minute. I fix the mistake and send her on her way posthaste. Now I'm a bit behind because I had to stop twice and reconfigure a few orders to make sure she, and her customers, received what was necessary. Shit happens, and the almighty Beefcake is not immune to being wrong either, so I understand, though considering the circumstances, (six waitresses and one cook, another calling in sick and an additional that hasn't shown up yet) this really did not need to happen.
The kicker of the situation is that a bit later when I actually had help and I made a slight mistake, yes, on one of the very same server's tickets. I caught it before I even pulled the ticket and it was almost finished. She was standing at the pass looking over her copy and asked where said item was. I said, "I missed it. Sorry. It will be up in like thirty seconds." This bitch retorts like a princess on her throne, "Why isn't it up now?", as she taps her fingernails on the pass. Really!? You of all people are going to take that snotty tone with me after what just occurred a meager hour ago? Yeah, I was not rolling over for that. I was fucking mad (another shocker!).
I stayed calm though yelled out looking over the pass, "Everyone! Come here please!" The servers who were in the pantry gathered. I stated out in a nice, though firm tone, "We all make mistakes, right!? How many times have I belittled any one of you for making an error? NEVER! I expect the same courtesy when it happens to me!" Most of them are baffled until they hear Tiffany say, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it." To which I replied, "I don't want to hear that shit and I don't deserve it." Problem solved and I have yet to have anything but amicable exchanges between the two of us since then. Yeah, I know, I'm such an asshole for not wanting to be treated like a piece of garbage and spoke up in my defense.
I adore the serving staff here and have at any place I've worked. I fully comprehend the crap of human existence they have to wade through day after day. But at least give me the same consideration and respect as I do to you. Seems so simple, no?
Okay, that rant is over and I will likely post about the whole prep cook versus line cook in the next writing. It's about basically the same train of thought. Why can't people just sometimes, not always, place themselves in another's shoes and maybe try to imagine what it's like? Too much to ask I suppose.
Anyways, the purple people eater manager story wasn't that good when I reflect on the situation. He really never did mess with me in any way, shape or form. There were two times where I could see him watching me from my peripheral vision, and when I noticed him approaching, I just walked off the line like I was going to get something out of the walk-in cooler.
However, a few days after, he was back and accompanied by the Vice President of the entire corporation. Yeah, I thought that was really odd too. What the hell is a high level executive from a huge franchise like this doing coming to one of the lowly establishments in such a small city (under 100k in population)? I know exactly why. This place is a gold mine. It's likely one of the most profitable stores they have. No matter what, people keep coming back, and mostly because we are the only niche restaurant within hundreds of miles. There is no actual competition within the area or surrounding locations.
Anyways, let me tell you, she was a bitch from the only thing I heard her say when she was standing not even two feet from me. I was looking directly at her and was hoping she would meet my eye contact, though never did. She was spouting off on some microscopic retardness and looking at the purple dong of a regional manager like it was his fault; and it was after all, because he was in charge of this store too. After she had her little hissy fit, she marched off the cooking line and I never had the displeasure of seeing her again for the entire day. Probably lucky for both of us. I may have been fired and she may have received a glob of lesser than her majesty's spit on her shoes. We'll never know, I suppose.
And guess who was the only employee within reaching distance of her, hell, even in audible distance; yup, me. The KM had just happened to walk away when she approached. I on the other hand, had tickets to cook and didn't give a flying fuck what some VP of a restaurant I hate working at thought of me. The KM laughed like hell after he returned and I told him what she said. I poked fun of her stupidity loudly and he finally told me to shut up because "they" might hear us. I could only be so lucky.
We are owned by a parent company and have been for the last several years or so. I did some research on this cunt and the company (it's not hard, and actually really disturbing, how much you can find out about someone with only minimum information via the internet.) after I got home that day. I discovered that the profits, and subsequently, stock is way down for the last three quarters for the parent company and maybe there is some pressure to make some of its investments work? The notes to shareholders disclose a restructure in debt, which isn't always a bad thing, though in this case is, and that several top level executives have sold huge volumes of their certificates. Hmmm. It makes you wonder sometimes. Maybe this place will self-destruct after all? Until next time, (still) in another day of a line cook.
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