I've been on an anti-social reading binge this weekend. Been nice but reading has a tendency to make me want to write. Not that I'm good at it, but the urge remains. Therefore, taking a break at a chapter change in my book, I thought perhaps I would regale my poor hapless computer - and then anyone who reads this - with my first few days.
Mostly, with my first - and hopefully last - shift working with an AM line cook from upstairs who never belonged in a kitchen in the first place.
He has been ever so graciously giving the EDR four or so hours of his time doing prep for us. You see, shortly after the old EDR manager left, so did the old EDR primary cook. Michael stepped in and I love working with Michael. He's funny, rather smart, and a total sponge when it comes to learning. And he's completely ready and willing to work. Always with a smile on his face, that one. Alexis - I think is her name - has become our new prep cook and is generally one tough cookie who can crank out her shit. She also needs a lot of direction and training, but she's smart and willing to learn more. However, for four days a week, we only have one cook, as the other is on his or her weekend. That's where Jack steps in.
Now, I've been working F&B for only two full summers. This is my third season. In high school I teched for the theatre. After high school I worked as a file clerk and do-it-all at CFP. Those have been my only jobs in my LIFE. I'm only twenty one. Already, however, I understand that F&B - at least Xanterra F&B - REQUIRES you to work until the jobs done. They do NOT care about hours, so long as overtime is not achieved. They do NOT care if you're tired or your feet hurt or your back aches, as long as you do your job. And most cooks here in F&B already know that, especially returners! They stay or come back because they are willing to work within those parameters. Most of us actually THRIVE within those parameters.
Jack does not. To be blunt, and to speak as I do when I'm around cooks.... The one time I worked with him he was a whiny little bitch that needs to man up. He requires far too much micromanagement on all the stupidest things, and lacks most of the kitchen common sense befitting of ANY line cook, am or pm. EDR prep is not hard, and I doubt he could hack it, truly. I don't understand why he's a cook, but knowing that he's an AM line cook at the Obsidian Dining Room, I'm not ever having breakfast there unless I KNOW he's on weekend. Period.
And he, I think, shall be the first I truly piss off. I know I have started already. It was easy, so hey. Nothing that I wouldn't usually say or do. I would be willing to baby my cooks or crew, who are all rather green. But someone who claims to be a seasoned cook? And a "seasoned cook" - and a Xanterra returner! - bitching that "they wouldn't dare do this to us out in the real world! We'd be fully staffed and my hours would not be this crazy!" is just ridiculous.
He says he just needs time to learn how to deal with me, I'm hoping that he's deemed unneeded in my EDR before he gets the chance to "learn how to deal with me". And I'm glad he still can't quite figure me out. I don't want him to. There are people on this planet that SHOULD think I'm a bitch. Things'll just be better that way.
I suppose this complaining rant came primarily to my head because I've opted to finally finish Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential. I'm learning that the kitchens we work in are not so far off the mark from kitchens he's worked in.... Which means that Jack needs to wake up in the morning take a daily dose of Man and get the hell over it.
Thanks for listening to me bitch. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment