year after year
the demons always come.
*
it finally happened. the true belt tightening, the relegation to the line at night. which is fine, i've been hesitant to throw myself in there simply because i really didn't know how i'd react to being in that hourly position while being salary. it's different when you work your way up, even when you go through a scheduled training period where all you focus on is the menu (and not parties and street fairs, like i was thrown into the first two months i was here).
i worked saturday brunch on saute today, and i realized the severe communication breakdown that we have from time to time. in going over next weeks schedule i'm on line for two shifts...primarily to get our labor under budget, but also because that's what i'm here for. as my corporate chef V likes to say, sous chefs are labor savers. i'm almost tempted to (at this point) close monday night, just to prove the point.
today actually revitalized me. being in the heat, under pressure, making the food and seeing what our problem areas are, made it real and where we really need to improve. no more out times at 3 on the weekends. the disruption in the middle of brunch isn't worth 30 minute checks. it's not worth sacrificing the guest just for a few dollars saved, regardless of labor cost. as i've seen time and again, one bad experience affects ten (if not more) potential guests. in these times we can't afford that.
*
been txting a friend of mine in pitts regarding the x from when i lived there. it's tough not to talk to people when they provide better insight into why the x still calls you up at all hours of the night. stupidity runs amok, but quietly. i may have a small group of friends, but at least they still like me.
*
it finally happened. the true belt tightening, the relegation to the line at night. which is fine, i've been hesitant to throw myself in there simply because i really didn't know how i'd react to being in that hourly position while being salary. it's different when you work your way up, even when you go through a scheduled training period where all you focus on is the menu (and not parties and street fairs, like i was thrown into the first two months i was here).
i worked saturday brunch on saute today, and i realized the severe communication breakdown that we have from time to time. in going over next weeks schedule i'm on line for two shifts...primarily to get our labor under budget, but also because that's what i'm here for. as my corporate chef V likes to say, sous chefs are labor savers. i'm almost tempted to (at this point) close monday night, just to prove the point.
today actually revitalized me. being in the heat, under pressure, making the food and seeing what our problem areas are, made it real and where we really need to improve. no more out times at 3 on the weekends. the disruption in the middle of brunch isn't worth 30 minute checks. it's not worth sacrificing the guest just for a few dollars saved, regardless of labor cost. as i've seen time and again, one bad experience affects ten (if not more) potential guests. in these times we can't afford that.
*
been txting a friend of mine in pitts regarding the x from when i lived there. it's tough not to talk to people when they provide better insight into why the x still calls you up at all hours of the night. stupidity runs amok, but quietly. i may have a small group of friends, but at least they still like me.
posted by jersn at 1:19 AM
2 Comments:
i wish it was easier. hell, i wish it were easier. but thats the way it goes. i may end up taking over a line shift on every night but sunday (no one knows inventory like me)(seriously). i singlehandedly got our food cost under budget for three weeks running.
I just read through a bunch of your posts. I realize I kind of fell out of touch over T-day. Jer, you're as priceless as a brass ring, losing the heat from (someone else's) hand. I think we're alike in that we hide the disintegration, at some times better than others.
I loved your posts.
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