You ask the questions, and I give the answers as I know them. As always, you can ask me any questions by checking out my Ask the Chef! Page.
Old Timer from EGullet Forums writes:
For my part, I have created many dishes that are now featured on the menu.
If things get really pissy, I’d like to tell the owner to remove my dishes from his menu and I will take the recipes with me to my next position.
There was no non-disclosure agreement signed, and I don’t fell I am obligated in any way to give them up.
So who owns the recipes?
Me or the restaurant?
I understand how you are attached to the recipes at the your establishment. You have a huge investment in making the restaurant run, and your dishes sound like they are a hit. Unfortunately, you really have no right to ask that the dishes you created be taken off the menu. You could physically take the recipe binder, if it is yours, but that is about as far as you can go. You have to understand a bit of the underlying logic here: if we could take our recipes when we were done with the establishment, you would not be able to make things like Bechamel sauce. That was once another chef’s recipe.
My suggestion is to focus your attention to your next place, and build your reputation there. Recipes do not matter – it is the execution of techniques that matter. Go to the new place, kick some butt, and you will soon show your old establishment what they are mixsing.
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Giggler from DiscussCooking asks:
When eating/ buying shrimp..
is there a best “season”?
are they like Oysters, and best in Months with an “R”?
I am not sure that the normal Oyster Rule Of Thumb applies here. I usually use most of my shrimp frozen, so they are year-round for me. I find that it also differs depending on where the shrimp are caught. I know that does not help you too much, but there it is.
Rat from ChefTalk asks:
Well I have a situation on my hands, one of the staff has been drinking on the job not so much that effects her performance or work but some of the staff have commented on the fact they smell alcohol on their breath and have caught her drinking some of the kitchen hooch on occasion. She does not ever come in late or hung over, never calls in sick or any of those issues but she is drinking while at work. I am in a quandry as I cannot prove it and the staff that saw her are unwilling to come forward to “testify”.
Overall she does good work better than some of the other chuckleheads I have on staff and has been a solid employee for years. I think I am dealing with a functioning alcoholic here as she never seems drunk and unlike 1/2 of the kitchen staff has never had a DUI or talks about how much they were wasted the night before. I haven’t caught her yet and am going on heresay at this point though I have smelled alcohol on her once or twice but that could have been cooking related or from her coming in after partying the night before.
I cannot fire her because of it because of the disabilities act but an unsure how to procede, any advice??
I know that the gut reaction is to fire the employee. Depending on what your policy at your establishment, you could be well within your right to do so. I would exercise caution though; as a leader, your relationship with people is the most important aspect of your job. Everything that you are hearing so far is hearsay, and you only suspect that there is a problem. It may be tough, but I would sit the employee down, and gently remind her of the zero tolerance policy. Thing is, you state she has been a solid employee for years. It would be a shame to lose that. You could even see if there is a problem, and have your employee seek help. (If they would indeed let you.)
In all, there is no easy answer to your problem, except not to accept the knee jerk reaction.
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Roflcopter of ChefTalk forums asks:
I finished 3 semesters of culinary school, and I’ve had a few part-time jobs in the past year or so afterwards. And at every single one of them, I keep hearing that I need to “pick it up”…even if I was trying my best, the chefs made it seem like I was dicking off.
So anyway, I’m beginning to wonder if I picked the right industry to work in…it seems that I can’t keep up with what most chefs are going to expect of me. What do you guys think?
The hardest part of this industry is the pressure. All I can do is tell you to keep at it. If you love the cooking, and can take the abuse, you will eventually get faster. One day, depending on your intensity, you may even be faster than those chefs who are pushing your. It is all in how you approach things.
The best advice I ever got was from my mentor: I need you to work smarter not harder. What he meant was question how you are doing things, and if it is the smartest way to carry out the task. Once you are working smarter, you are always going to be faster.
An example of this is how you set up your station. If you are constantly reaching for something during service on the other side of the room, or in a fridge, minimize your movement by placing that item closer to you for the busy time in service. It may mean that you need to place it on ice. Thing is, you will look better if you minimize your movements in the kitchen during the rush.
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