I'm in trouble

**slick4591**[$] · #1 02-26-2005, 08:48 AM

It's my chef. This has been the first week of our new grill menu and she's been a mess. She has no confidence and frequently asks advice from the other ladies who are not cooks. She has sent undercook burgers and overcook chicken fried steak out. She can't remember how I want my products prepared and gets things wrong a lot.

Last night was the first Friday night and we were really busy. I was on the register and working the dining rooms. Tracy helped out in the kitchen. She told me my chef was barking orders to her helper (mostly wrong ones) and as it turned out he was doing a much better job than she.

My staff tells me if it weren't for him, the kitchen would have probably gone through a melt down instead of the train wreck it was. But, to everyone's surprise, all the orders were right and we had no complaints from anyone.

Looks like another dismissal is in order if I can hire the helper away from Waffle House.

**taurusmoon** · #2 02-26-2005, 08:57 AM

I suppose these bumps in the road are to be expected. But, that doesn't make them any less jarring.

Hope you can get everything running smoothly again soon. :hugs:

**pluckyduck** · #3 02-26-2005, 09:04 AM

Crap, I'm sorry.

The personnel thing is the biggest bitch (other than cash flow) in any business. People and cash flow, that's it.

With the chef being such an important position, it's probably one of those things that you need to fix now, rather than later. It may take you a couple of hires and fires to get the right person in the spot, but when you do, it will make all of the hiring and firing work worth it.

Don't settle.

Hugs,
Andrea

CurtisEdmonds · #4 02-26-2005, 09:18 AM

Too bad I already have a job, or I'd consider it.

**slick4591**[$] · #5 02-26-2005, 09:21 AM

Thanks. I asked Jeff (part time cook) last night just how married he was to Waffle House and he said to make him an offer.

Looks like I'm gonna cause everyone was impressed with him. He's been with WH 1 1/2 years and has cooked for eight. From the sound of it and what I saw he can run a kitchen.

**pluckyduck** · #6 02-26-2005, 10:21 AM

Quote:

slick4591 said

Thanks. I asked Jeff (part time cook) last night just how married he was to Waffle House and he said to make him an offer.

Looks like I'm gonna cause everyone was impressed with him. He's been with WH 1 1/2 years and has cooked for eight. From the sound of it and what I saw he can run a kitchen.

Waffle House, gotta love it.

Slick, you are my own little piece of Americana.

NOW, look what DH and I just found. Saw a commercial on cable, we are so excited:

http://www.bigedsbbq.com/Locations.htm

The Burlington location is less than 15 minutes from us! We'd never heard of the place, now we can't wait to go. I'm hoping we can try it tonight.

(Meanwhile, I'm already imagining your multiple locations and cable ads!!)

Just gotta get the right chef.

Andrea

CurtisEdmonds · #7 02-26-2005, 10:30 AM

It's not that far from Trenton, either.

phoenixx · #8 02-26-2005, 10:58 AM

I'm glad you found a chef. :thumbs:

If for whatever reason you get stuck in future, PM me. I have a friend who is a chef based out of Dallas. She does not work for one restaurant, she specializes in restuarant SOS calls and personal chef assignments, and she travels all over.

**pluckyduck** · #9 02-26-2005, 11:08 AM

Quote:

CurtisEdmonds said

It's not that far from Trenton, either.

I know!

I was thinking about you when I saw their locations.

BTW, when you get settled and my ^^%$&*^% home renovation gets under control, we must do the RL thing.

I'm thinking Thanksgiving Time.

Andrea

CurtisEdmonds · #10 02-26-2005, 11:09 AM

Sounds like a tough renovation. Y'all are more than welcome to come up here once we get all the boxes unpacked. If ever.

**theworm**[$] · #11 02-26-2005, 04:32 PM

Slick - sounds like you know what to do. Your place is a big step up from the Waffle House, and Jeff sounds like a great find! I feel badly for your chef, but if she's stressed out and making mistakes, she might prefer to not have the grief. Perhaps you can offer her a less stressful job - like Jeff's assistant?

**slick4591**[$] · #12 02-26-2005, 05:44 PM

Quote:

pluckyduck said

(Meanwhile, I'm already imagining your multiple locations and cable ads!!)

Just gotta get the right chef.

Maybe the chef part is an overkill. Just need a good cook and Jeff looks like the right guy.

Multiple locations? I'm having hell with just one! Why would I want more headaches?

Quote:

phoenixx said

If for whatever reason you get stuck in future, PM me. I have a friend who is a chef based out of Dallas. She does not work for one restaurant, she specializes in restuarant SOS calls and personal chef assignments, and she travels all over.

Thanks, Leslie. I'll remember that.

Quote:

theworm said

Slick - sounds like you know what to do. Your place is a big step up from the Waffle House, and Jeff sounds like a great find! I feel badly for your chef, but if she's stressed out and making mistakes, she might prefer to not have the grief. Perhaps you can offer her a less stressful job - like Jeff's assistant?

I'm having a hard time feeling badly for her because she built herself up pretty good. And her references even checked out. Musta been a bunch of her buddies she wrote down. And it really erked me having to write her a check today.

**lynnzop**[$] · #13 02-26-2005, 08:17 PM

You don't want food poisoning on your hands...so ditch the...uh, cook

now.

Good to hear you do have back up in place however. But why would anyone want to leave Waffle House?

**slick4591**[$] · #14 02-28-2005, 03:57 PM

Spoke with Jeff this morning and made him an offer. He accepted it! In about 90 minutes I'll be axing the lady.

**taurusmoon** · #15 02-28-2005, 03:59 PM

Yay!

Go you!

Go Jeff!

Go lady. Go far away.

Sooner95 · #16 02-28-2005, 04:25 PM

LOL Slick, nice job in taking care of that issue, probably would have only gotten worse. Sounds like you got a fun place going there, cooking is alot of fun, tho hard work too, ran a kitchen for over 3 years for Chili's and a short time for Charlston's (steakhouse) It can be a stressful job, but very rewarding, especially when you get a nice comment froma customer once in a while.

Good Luck!

*emeleel* · #17 02-28-2005, 04:31 PM

All I can say is - better you than me!

(I'd be lousy as a boss!)

**slick4591**[$] · #18 02-28-2005, 04:33 PM

I describe it as self serving to my customers, Sooner. I'm satisfied as long as my customers leave with a belly full of food they really enjoyed.

**slick4591**[$] · #19 02-28-2005, 05:52 PM

:using my best John Wayne voice:

Well, sir. The little lady is gone.

**jgibson2**[$] · #20 02-28-2005, 05:54 PM

I'm glad it's working out for you, Slick. I don't feel too sorry for the lady. We've had nurses come in who claimed they could do the job. It's no fun when they can't! One got sent home less than 2 hours after she showed up. You're much more tolerant than we are.

**slick4591**[$] · #21 02-28-2005, 06:03 PM

Quote:

You're much more tolerant than we are.

Probably because of all those days as a training officer. Gotta get that out of me cause you don't get many second chances in this business.

**theworm**[$] · #22 02-28-2005, 06:58 PM

Yeah! Slick has a great new cook.
Look - its never easy to fire someone, but if she was all stressed out and couldn't handle it this is the best thing for her AND you. Of course, you shouldn't worry about her, because its about you, which is strange because pretty much everything is all about me.

**slick4591**[$] · #23 02-28-2005, 07:49 PM

I think Jeff has a Stevie Ray Vaughn obsession. He wears a hat like Stevie did and Tracy loves it. Did I mention that she has an obsession, too?