86 FUN

I've been working in professional kitchens for most of my adult life.  As anyone in this industry knows you develop strong relationships to the people closest to you in these scenarios, trauma bonds.  We work non-stop, abusive hours - rarely taking breaks unless its to suck down a smoke as quickly as possible or basically snort some chicken and rice.

But we love it.

I used to joke with an older sous chef about working in the kitchen saying, "i just don't know how to do anything else."

his replies were always the best, "QUICK, someone teach Clint everything they know about computers so he can stop working the line!"

 

this same sous chef molded a lot of what i call my professional personality.  

"you'll attract more bees with honey."  

I'm not saying that I don't scream at my cooks in the kitchen.  Sometimes there is no other choice.  However, with a generation of cooks coming into restaurants who have received participation trophies their entire lives - retention is much greater by leading through example and inspiration rather than fear.

Kind silence.  

I could, and probably will, write an entire separate post at length about how people waste their words during service.

Its important to make them count - especially during the busiest moments.  

And just like that sous chef then - theres a time for socialization and jokes, but there's also one reason we are all together forming this Trauma Bond in the first place.

Service.

...at which time you may hear me say, "86 FUN"

 

-clint