# Pet peeves



## Jmadams13

After an after shift ***** fest with some coworkers the other night, we started listing our pet peeves for fun. What are some of yours, i'm sure this list will be quite funny.

some of mine, in no particluar order:

Using my brotforms for any other reason then their purpose.
Leaving plastic spoons in the salad dressings at the end of service.
Poking my fermenting dough. I told one guy im gonna ferment him the next time, lol
Stealing my side towel. 

and most importantly (grounds for a flogging) moving my coffee.

there are more, and i'm sure we all share some, but just wanted to get things started. So lets here them. What drives you nuts in the kitchen besides the obvious saftey and sanitation stuff


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## stevenStefano

Other people using my knives. That will never not piss me off. It does make me laugh though when they cut themselves


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## sachem allison

My biggest. " That's not my job!" My reply is "your job is whatever the hell I tell you your job is!" or " your right, that's not your job and neither is this one, get the hell out!"


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## sachem allison

Oh yeah, and people touching my knives.


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## VoodooMajik

Using My knives
Other people using their knives to cut cardboard
Whistling
Taking one of the boards off my stack or my compost/plastics buckets
Trying to cook for me
When people shove to get past all the time then stand in your way or slow down.

Putting cases of stuff down on my blades
Table Salt
Freezers
Microwaves
Cardboard
"I Forgot _____, sssooorrryyy"


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## Lucretia

People who spend more time complaining about having to do something correctly than it would take to just DO IT CORRECTLY!!!!!


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## lumo

whistling
waste
not taking the masking tape label off of something and sending it through the dish washer
not consolidating into clean and smaller containers
consolidating new and old product
people eating off of plates cleared from a table, just yelled at a server for that
dull knives, duh
but the biggest one is touching me while I work, I swung around and cracked someone in the ribs for sneaking up behind me and grabbing my shoulders while I was expediting a busy night. It was totally reactionary and I felt awful...just a weird tick I've been working on getting rid of for years.


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## Jmadams13

VoodooMajik said:


> Using My knives
> Other people using their knives to cut cardboard
> Whistling
> Taking one of the boards off my stack or my compost/plastics buckets
> Trying to cook for me
> When people shove to get past all the time then stand in your way or slow down.
> 
> Putting cases of stuff down on my blades
> Table Salt
> Freezers
> Microwaves
> Cardboard
> "I Forgot _____, sssooorrryyy"



The I forgot excuse gets me...

Also a big no no to me is excused, so you messed up, it happens. Own up to it and fix it, don't make an excuse


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## Cutty Sharp

My peeves when I was in the kitchen:

almost all the wait staff
late orders for steak tartare after I'd cleaned the meat grinder
the sh!t music people would play
tatoos
end of shift cleaning
people dumping on and treating the dishwashes like sh!t
almost all the wait staff, if I haven't already mentioned that
the wait staff


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## Mucho Bocho

This is a good thread. 

Not washing hands
When people use the same spoon for tasting and excavating jars of ingredients
When people are afraid to heat the pan to proper tempature.
Not washing hands
Not cleaning up after prep
Putting dishes in the sink
trying to grab a knife for inspection from my very close wall magnet
cutting with a knife that will shave hair like a hand saw
using soap on my cast/iron pans
not properly preheating the cooking vessel

I'm sure I have more


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## Carl

Granted my experience is 1% of most of you, but here it is.

- Working dirty, i.e. not cleaning as you go with clean tools, methods and hands.
- Talking without purpose, rambling, or taking the long way around the story you're telling.
- Making someone stop and wait for you to finish what you're doing so they can finish what they're doing.
- Improper use of salt, i.e. not enough, wrong kind, wrong time or any use of "table salt," aka "dirt."
- Advising me how to cure my (instert ailment here), whether it's a headache, acid reflux, or knee pain. I'm a big boy and you're probably not a doctor.
- Not scraping plates.
- Toppers


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## stevenStefano

Another thing that really pisses me off in my current job is that there is a huge menu yet orders always come in for stupid stuff that ain't on it because it's too much hassle for the waiting staff to say no to anybody. So you're flat out then you have to stop for like 5 mins to listen to someone explain exactly what the customer wants. That pisses me off a lot.

Treating the dishwashers like dirt is another one as Cutty Sharp mentioned. I started off doing it so I have seen both sides of it


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## Eamon Burke

People buddying up with the Manager and screwing off at work
Moving my knives
Throwing away my drink
Expecting to have your place reserved for your highness when you walk off
not putting a *$&%(#* timer on the oven when you put something in
People walking off with something I am in the middle of doing(taking half of the carrots I'm cutting, etc)
Exhaling smoke while walking back into the kitchen/lighting up on your way out the door
Gossip


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## Lucretia

Sorry--I just hit "what's new" and didn't see that this was "back of the house." But I bet my peeve still applies...


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## Eamon Burke

Yes, indeed it does Lucretia. The amount of misery that people will put themselves through because they've decided they hate some new person at work, compared to how much easier their lives would be if they just shut up and did their job.


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## ajhuff

Smokers 
Non-cooking people in my area
Servers prepping or cutting deserts in the kitchen and then leaving the mess.
Calling out an order up being asked whose it is
Not washing hands
Using a steak knife in the kitchen
Not restocking your station
Not being able to pronounce the food you make
Not being able to describe the food you make
Smokers

-AJ


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## Jmadams13

Cutty Sharp said:


> My peeves when I was in the kitchen:
> 
> almost all the wait staff
> late orders for steak tartare after I'd cleaned the meat grinder
> the sh!t music people would play
> tatoos
> end of shift cleaning
> people dumping on and treating the dishwashes like sh!t
> almost all the wait staff, if I haven't already mentioned that
> the wait staff



Dumping on the dish guys angers me too. They work to hard to be treated like sh!t


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## Ucmd

My biggest pet peeve.....getting blood on my clown suit. And potluck dinners


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## VoodooMajik

Tattoo's? that's an interesting one

-Cooks that Don't shower
-Servers
-Servers that wear to much cologne
- Mise Leaches
- Running half plated tables 
-Over temped protien
-Canned product

+10 on treating dishwashers poorly
-


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## eshua

Servers who call tickets conversationally. I have one or two good ones who know when they need to talk to me about something...and the rest....

Server : "Heyyyyy.....Josh.........So the woman at 34 in the green shirt ...who comes here all the time, well....she's here with her kids tonight but the boy can't have gluten...I don't really know how serious it is..but she said you've made the ribeye for her before and it wasn't a problem, so I figured it wouldn't be....but I just wanted to check with you because they have a movie to catch and I just wanted to make sure because they're really nice and I know one time they did have a problem where we ended up comping them for lunch so is it ok if...."

Me: "Did you put it on the ticket?"

Server: "No, that the reason I wanted to ask you..."

Me: "There's a button for it...go away."

On the other hand servers who learn to be concise, loud, and filter what the customer tells them; instead of regurgitating it to us are worth their weight in gold.


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## Kriegs

My following questions/statements are directed towards anyone who noted these things or anyone who might note them in the future. However, they are not meant to be confrontational...

Why no tattoos?

Why no smokers? (I am a smoker but tend to leave it for before or after any work unless it is an unusually slow night) I don't worry about fellow cooks having a habit, as long as the habit doesn't affect their level of service.

I'm a bit of a whistler and I hate myself for it..anyone else whistles on the line and I would likely flip. I know why I hate it, but I would love to hear why any of you don't like it.

moodswings....not sure if anyone mentioned this, but I am not a fan
I have been guilty, in the past, of letting my thoughts and emotions get the best of me...but after enough time, it gets incredibly old!


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## Cutty Sharp

Tattoos - not my most serious peeve and meant with some humour, but I'm still not into them. It's just kind of a cliche - the chef/cook with a tattooed arm or two - like there's a rule it's required or something for respect. If a few people have them they might be cool, but if too many than it looks a bit silly and becomes like a uniform.


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## knyfeknerd

People complaining about how tired they are or how much their vaginas hurt that day

Not dressed acceptably.-If you can't figure out black pants, shoes and a white tee, you should be removed from the gene pool.

Standing in my way when I'm busy- Seriously GTFO my way.

Being happy and cheerful-Keep that kind of crap to yourself. Your good attitude makes me 10x grumpier and highlights the fact that you are an idiot.

Telling me "This is how we do it in culinary school"





and you guys don't pay any attention to cutty, he doesn't like fancy/custon handles on knives either. Tattoos don't bother me, bad tattoos do.


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## lumo

Kriegs said:


> Why no smokers? (I am a smoker but tend to leave it for before or after any work unless it is an unusually slow night) I don't worry about fellow cooks having a habit, as long as the habit doesn't affect their level of service.



More than anything, I want to smell food, not smoke or perfume or cologne. Also, some smokers abuse their habit because they can't handle stress and use it as a clutch. At that point it's a weakness and character flaw. Not trying to offend anyone or come off as high and mighty. I've been partaking myself for 26 years...but these days unless I'm fishing, the cowboy killers stay home for the end of the night.



Kriegs said:


> I'm a bit of a whistler and I hate myself for it..anyone else whistles on the line and I would likely flip. I know why I hate it, but I would love to hear why any of you don't like it.



Whistling is annoying and contagious...not because the cooks are communicating with each other and a mutiny is about to happen. Yeah I actually heard about that superstition the other night...silly!


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## ajhuff

Smokers:
#1 They abuse the break system, never around when you need them, constantly stepping out. I'm either covering for your ass or the foods been up for ten minutes. 
#2 They reek and I hate the smell. Spraying down with Axe body spray after each cig doesn't make it better.
#3 Their taste buds are whacked. Everyone I have been around uses way too much salt, too much curry, etc.

-AJ


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## mr drinky

knyfeknerd said:


> People complaining about how tired they are or how much their vaginas hurt that day



Hey, you can't say vagina with your dad on the forum. 

From one home cook to you pro cooks, I love reading this thread. 

k.


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## Jmadams13

Some more from me

Using the wrong cambro
Using my mandolin and not cleaning it enough (ie; dirty blades)
Again, moving my coffee
Not using a timer
Cooks who leave their cell phone out during service
Watching the clock late at night (we all want to go to the bar, the beer will still be there)


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## ajhuff

One more.

Shouting. I cannot stand excessive unnecessary noise in the kitchen.

-AJ


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## Cutty Sharp

knyfeknerd said:


> ...and you guys don't pay any attention to cutty, he doesn't like fancy/custon handles on knives either.



Dmn right!! And let's add this to the list of peeves too, please. :bashhead::razz:

(For the record, cool wood on westerns can be great, but not on wa's; usually looks way too busy as a Japanese handle to me. I'm also thinking it's the guys with tattoos that are the ones ordering these wild wa burls. Someone has to take a stand. vg 

Smoking - agreed on that one. Of course it's going to destroy your sense of smell and taste, and it stinks if you don't smoke and the guy right next to you does and is getting all sweaty by the grill; that's going to throw you off too. Also, what is it with the idea that breaks for smokers should get priority over breaks for non-smokers? Is it a noble cause we should endorse? :nah:


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## NO ChoP!

Superiority complexes.
Condescending tones.
Excuses. I have " no excuses" tatted on my arm.
Non team players.
Talkers.
Non listening know-it-alls.
A$$ kissers.
Game players.
Liars.
Cheaters.
Thieves.
Laziness.
Disrespect.
And people who put garbage into a bag that has clearly slipped into the can.


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## knyfeknerd

NO ChoP! said:


> And people who put garbage into a bag that has clearly slipped into the can.



Amen brother!


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## Dusty

Great thread. 

I'm an annoying chef. I'm happy - just happy to be in a kitchen. I whistle and sing, yet have pretty high standards. 

Pet peeves? This is easy: 
Carelessness 
Waste. 
Not taking cling wrap off a container (i.e just punching your fist through). 
And THEN re-wrapping over the top of it. 
Old labels on containers. 
People not tasting their mise en place. 
The word 'should'. "do you have enough artichokes prepped for tonight?" "I should chef..."
People that use the phrase 'that's not my section.'
People who aren't interested in improving their performance. 
people who can't spell what they're cooking. 
Spelling and grammatical errors on menus.


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## stevenStefano

Dusty said:


> Spelling and grammatical errors on menus.



We don't do espresso where I work. We do _expresso_ though


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## Messy Jesse

This thread speaks to me... I'm very OCD. 

Walking without purpose drives me nuts.
Letting a service fridge door slam shut, don't even get me started...
Leaving a scrunched up towel on a bench 'cause you can't keep it on your person properly...
Re-using one mixing bowl for a dish over and over.
Spazzing out and moving quickly but not efficiently.

Just off the top of my head


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## VoodooMajik

:rofl2: we pro cooks/chefs are touchy eh? (to all) Standing in the way and culinary school are good ones ( i never went to a culinary program,turning into a chemist over a cook. lol!)

I only smoke when appropriate with line work, and every 4 hours in production. one ever has to pick up slack for me. one chef said smokers are more productive when they smoke then bitchy non smokers.



knyfeknerd said:


> People complaining about how tired they are or how much their vaginas hurt that day
> 
> Not dressed acceptably.-If you can't figure out black pants, shoes and a white tee, you should be removed from the gene pool.
> 
> Standing in my way when I'm busy- Seriously GTFO my way.
> 
> Being happy and cheerful-Keep that kind of crap to yourself. Your good attitude makes me 10x grumpier and highlights the fact that you are an idiot.
> 
> Telling me "This is how we do it in culinary school"
> .


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## Jmadams13

Totally agree with ^ on the smoking. I never walk off the to smoke, and only every few hours during prep. Excuses are my big downfall. Or the "that's not how I learned in school" BS. I went to culinary school, but one thing I learned there is no matter how you think it should be done. Do it chefs way, he is your superior, unless chef says to do it how you want. 

One more big one that after starting and reading this thread that no one has said, and happened during lunch today is sloppy server tickets when hand written when the the ticket machine craps out.


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## barramonday

Gumbys, people who can't dance during service, continually in the way or bumping into others . I've worked with a couple over the years.
This seems unrelated to the persons physique, fitness or experience.


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## stevenStefano

Another one I hate: taking orders after you've finished up. Happens all the time where I work "Oh I couldn't say no!" Sometimes it's 5 mins after stop time which ain't so bad because you haven't cleaned everything down yet, but other times the whole kitchen is clean and someone brings an order in. A couple of times I've literally been about to leave, changed and everything and I have to turn everything on again because some dumbass waitress wouldn't tell people we're closed.


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## Cutty Sharp

+1 ... especially the 'dumbass' waitstaff, but what do they care anyway?


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## Salty dog

Slugs that complain about smokers.


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## hax9215

Servers who ask if an item is "home made". 

Touching my knives without permission. I had a student ask to try my Saji cleaver last month. I told her "Yes, but understand young lady-drop it and you're going down with it." Got a letter from the Chancellor on that one.

Hax the Cook CLEAVERS RULE!!!


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## Cutty Sharp

hax9215 said:


> Servers who ask if an item is "home made"


 Home made? :laughat: Oh god......


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## Salty dog

Salty dog said:


> Slugs that complain about smokers.



To be honest I thought this was the one that was going to be deleted.

No true offense. We're all on the same side.


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## Crothcipt

Smokers that want to take a "cig break" every 15 min. Cooks that complain that their station isn't set up when they walk in the door. Hello its your station to set up.
Managers that have no clue. Managers that have other things to do, and nothing at the restaurant. Managers that get tied around the waitstaff's fingers.
people that don't want to learn the job, or even care.


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## cookinstuff

This thread cuts too deep, I can't even read this right now.


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## cookinstuff

Ohya, if you dislike people smoking, just swap their station around everytime they go for a smoke. Or hide their ****. Obviously not if they take responsible breaks, but you know the person I'm talking about.


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## The Edge

It's been a while since I've actually been in a pro kitchen, but my main pet peeves were:

Walking off the line when a crowd starts to order.
Not prepping enough.
Wiping crap onto the floor. 
Not cleaning the grill.


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## tkern

Finding the plastic wrap where one side has been caught so the wrap gets more narrow when you pull it out and you know the last person that used it knew that they left it caught but were too lazy to fix it so you have to slide your fingers or a knife under the overlayered one side of the wrap to rip or cut off the excess to even it out.


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## Crothcipt

tkern said:


> Finding the plastic wrap where one side has been caught so the wrap gets more narrow when you pull it out and you know the last person that used it knew that they left it caught but were too lazy to fix it so you have to slide your fingers or a knife under the overlayered one side of the wrap to rip or cut off the excess to even it out.


+100


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## knyfeknerd

tkern said:


> Finding the plastic wrap where one side has been caught so the wrap gets more narrow when you pull it out and you know the last person that used it knew that they left it caught but were too lazy to fix it so you have to slide your fingers or a knife under the overlayered one side of the wrap to rip or cut off the excess to even it out.



Sometimes it's the person's fault and sometimes it's just a bobo roll of plastic. I've had brand new rolls do that to me(it always happens at the worst possible time) and they will track through the whole roll.
As for the people.........
,,,,,,,it's like the person that takes the last paper towel or uses the last of the toilet paper! If you kill it, you fill it!
I am not your mom or maid.
It's not cool to leave your chef or co-workrers hanging with the dookie-butt.


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## Miles

Using my knives without my permission is a huge one. 
Whistling. (Drives me nuts.)
Speaking so loudly in a one on one conversation that the entire kitchen can hear you. (I.e. Talking to the guy at the station right next to you and I can hear one side of the conversation very clearly at the other end of the kitchen.)
Grabbing a sharpie from my pocket or grabbing one of my side towels because you don't have one on you. (It always seems to be the guys who give you a hard time about always having two towels on your person. Why is that???}
Dull knives. 
Leaving your station a mess. 
Talking on the phone when you should be working. 
Generally, not being organized and squared away for service.

Not really a kitchen peeve, but flip flops. Unless you're in a locker room, at a pool, or within a five minute walk of a major body of water, leave them at home. With the possible exception of a few attractive females, I just don't want to see everyone's feet.


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## Carl

^^^ +1 on the flip flops. My kids call me the flip flop nazi because I don't let anyone leave the house with flop flops on unless we are headed directly to the pool.


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## VoodooMajik

barramonday said:


> Gumbys, people who can't dance during service, continually in the way or bumping into others . I've worked with a couple over the years.
> This seems unrelated to the persons physique, fitness or experience.



+10

Gumby's, I gotta remember that.


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## kalaeb

Not really a kitchen related pet peeves, but when people make the assumption because I flip burgers for a living, I am poor, unskilled and uneducated.

Others include:
Asking for a smoke break during volume.
Not putting something away in the correct place in the walk in.


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## Cutty Sharp

kalaeb said:


> Not really a kitchen related pet peeves, but when people make the assumption because I flip burgers for a living, I am poor, unskilled and uneducated.



Oh, yes! ... +1

And how about servers who aspire to being actors? 'I'm going for auditions/studying acting/am an actor/just doing this for $...' Yeah, sure. Well, we're all doing this for money and you've already been at it for 7 years, sugar.


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## Keith Sinclair

:whistling:


knyfeknerd said:


> People complaining about how tired they are or how much their vaginas hurt that day
> 
> Not dressed acceptably.-If you can't figure out black pants, shoes and a white tee, you should be removed from the gene pool.
> 
> Standing in my way when I'm busy- Seriously GTFO my way.
> 
> Being happy and cheerful-Keep that kind of crap to yourself. Your good attitude makes me 10x grumpier and highlights the fact that you are an idiot.
> 
> Telling me "This is how we do it in culinary school"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and you guys don't pay any attention to cutty, he doesn't like fancy/custon handles on knives either. Tattoos don't bother me, bad tattoos do.



:rofl2::whistling: Hey this is America, speak english!Tatoo's tribal,Likes people who make me laugh.


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## Salty dog

Dishwashers putting stuff away wet.

I have to admit 90% of the previous mentioned pet peeves don't happen in my kitchen. Bad habits yes, bad work habits no.


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## Keith Sinclair

What not Pau yet?Hurry up!

Dull knives,other persons knives appearing next to me when I'm sharpening mine.

Banquet persons who print up a whole new banquet sheet for every little change instead of coming down & making the change on the original sheet.

Flip Flops? We call them slippers here,a fact of life.Likes soft comfortable Flojo's wt. good bottom grip so you don,t fall on your okole on wet smooth concrete.Likes bare foot Hula dancers.:hula:

Late orders when closing up,just do it.You are a professional to serve the customer wt. good food it's your job.The beer can wait.

Not using first in first out,over ordering,waste.

Homo Sapians invented language so they could grumble

Like efficient workers wt. little wasted movement,they do exist.

Major pet pieeve is eating seafood at a rest. & getting the runs,me & my sweetie both got sick eating fish taco's,being in the buss.,know exactly how it happens,No Excuses!


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## ajhuff

I'm glad to see the comments about using a timer. The people I work with seem to think setting a timer makes them less cool if they set one. Like they feel only Hoke cooks set timers not pro cooks. 

I'll add another one. People I work with seem to think they will lose their man card if they use a thermometer. You have one in your jacket, USE it! I'd rather you stick every piece of meat than have one come back from customer.

-AJ


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## JKerr

Standing in tight spots and not moving when you know someone is trying to get past you.
When you call "Legs!" to get into an oven or service fridge during service and the other person refuses to move (I realise this may be hypocritical, but still pisses me off).
Cliques in a big kitchen.
Generic pop radio stations (Thankfully I'm not subjected to it now, but my tolerance for Fox Fm has it's limits)

Cheers,
Josh


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## NO ChoP!

kalaeb said:


> Not really a kitchen related pet peeves, but when people make the assumption because I flip burgers for a living, I am poor, unskilled and uneducated.


Heck Yah!!! I've been flipping burgers literally for twenty five years! I bust my butt and smell like hell everyday. My kids go to great schools, I drive a nice car, we live in a custom home, and I have a padded 401 k. Pretty good for a high school f*** up!


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## Jmadams13

^same issue here with timers.

Complaining about your pay
Complaining about your hours
Complaining when its busy. 
Complaining about having to do a lot of prep

It's the f'n job!


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## Cutty Sharp

Jmadams13 said:


> Complaining about your pay
> Complaining about your hours
> Complaining when its busy.
> Complaining about having to do a lot of prep
> 
> It's the f'n job!



Absolutely. And of course none of us here complain! :razz:


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## Jmadams13

Oh I complain, but not on and on about how little I make, lol. This is mainly just one guy at work who is always complaining about every part of the job, bit LOVES telling people he's a cook at our restaurant (we have a good reputation on town) like its a fashion statement. Yeah, that's me complaining, lol


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## Cutty Sharp

Jmadams13 said:


> Oh I complain, but not on and on about how little I make, lol. This is mainly just one guy at work who is always complaining about every part of the job, bit LOVES telling people he's a cook at our restaurant (we have a good reputation on town) like its a fashion statement. Yeah, that's me complaining, lol



I'd hit him with a pan if I were you.

Anyway, I hear you!


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## Keith Sinclair

Hit em wt. a pan:cookegg:We not the Three Stoogies


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## ams

Haha too many to list:

Not taking the label off stuff before sending it through the dishwasher
STEALING MY RAGS
Fry cooks who think they are the sh*t because they now work on the line but cant handle more than two tickets without needing help. (Not all, some)
Not shocking in ice water, running the faucet over it doesn't count
Medium rare that is actually medium
Sucking up to managers but sh*tting on the team. It should be we not me.
Know-it-all's who actually know very little but feel the need to express their "superior" knowledge of all things cuisine. "Where have you worked?" "Applebees and a family diner"
"Ummmm this old woman wants it with no garlic, no salt, no butter, and wants to know if we can do a half order?"


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## stevenStefano

ams said:


> "Ummmm this old woman wants it with no garlic, no salt, no butter, and wants to know if we can do a half order?"



That's a good one. There's 2 people who regularly come to where I work and order an 8oz steak between them with each half cooked different ways if you get me, then order 1 side between the 2 of them


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## kalaeb

ams said:


> Haha too many to list:
> 
> Not taking the label off stuff before sending it through the dishwasher



Hehehe, time to invest in some dissolvable labels. I have not had to scratch off a label in years.


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## Keith Sinclair

As a lover of everything tomato & garlic,persons who will not eat either
+1 stealing rags
+2 shocking wt. ice water
Trying to keep my attitude out of the amazing special requests,:laughat:ahhh nuts how can they eat la dat!


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## Chuckles

Just got a great one from a cook. When asked why an order looked terrible. "It was really busy." 
First of all. It is busy most of the time. Wait, you can only make good food if it is slow? GET THE **** OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW!!!
I am hiring BTW.


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## ams

Server who missed pre-service meet: "Customer wants to know what confit on the pork belly app means?"
Saute: "Classically refers to a piece of meat that's slowly poached in its own fat til its meltingly tender"
Server goes back to table and returns to kitchen: "He wants to know to you can cook his rice that way"


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## Crothcipt

wow. When I worked at a chain if the server missed preshift they went home. for that reason.

A very big pet peeve of mine is a server asking what the soup of the day is. Then another one not 10 min. later asking same thing. Then the hostess next. Few min. later the floor manager. And they don't want to have any kind of preshift.


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## pumbaa

Laziness! holy **** its like these kids now are allergic to work.
touching my stuff without asking
changing the music so much you cant even hear a whole song
and apathy, i cant do that because...if all you ever do is say i cant then *** can you do. TRY!


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## slowtyper

I don't mind people using my knives, but I hate people taking my spoon(s).


----------



## Keith Sinclair

Hard to stop people borrowing my knives,I have lost a couple small whips,& a nice Italian small pepper mill.GONE!

Also my 2Qt. Measuring pitcher I have to hide that thing so It will be there when I need it.


----------



## VoodooMajik

Rags is a big one for me. And people who just open fridges and ovens into your knee without saying anything all the time.


----------



## ajhuff

This is a big one for me: know your frickin weights and measures!

My head just spins when someone asks me how many cups are in a quart or what's 3 times 1 1/2 tablespoons. I wish we were on the metric system.

-AJ


----------



## Cutty Sharp

ajhuff said:


> This is a big one for me: know your frickin weights and measures! My head just spins when someone asks me how many cups are in a quart or what's 3 times 1 1/2 tablespoons. I wish we were on the metric system.


New one for me: recipes using the imperial system. I'd definitely have to bother you with this. If it's not metric, I forget and have to go convert on the internet.


----------



## Keith Sinclair

I like to know why the rest of the world uses metric & we do not?Don't even the English use metric now?


----------



## Cutty Sharp

Insanity.


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

keithsaltydog said:


> I like to know why the rest of the world uses metric & we do not?



Hey, we're not alone, Burma and Liberia are with us. :rolleyes2:


----------



## pumbaa

and the UK is a hodge podge of mixtures. They use MPH but Km to measure distance and all kinds of whacky things.


----------



## Crothcipt

lol back in the 70's Jimmy Carter tried to get us to switch over. Well you see how that worked. Sometimes thinking we are leading, we really are just being stubborn.


----------



## stevenStefano

I think technically (according to the EU) the UK uses metric, but for the most part, nobody does. Still use mph and miles on distance signs for example. Go into a butchers and ask for grams of something and they'll laugh at you


----------



## Kriegs

I don't really mind if co workers use my knives without asking (well hopefully they do anyway, but if not it isn't the end of the world for me). But i do HATE when someone uses it and doesn't clean it. I can't count how many times I've come back to my board and my carbon petty is rusting in front of me with random octopus marinade or some **** on it.

Also, stealing my cake testers...at least one of my four disappears every service (yeah, I keep 4 on station, less moving aand thinking involved).


----------



## NO ChoP!

People who prep enough mies en plas for an army, when there's twenty on the books on a Monday night...

Chill out and clean something!


----------



## NO ChoP!

Cooks that wipe stuff onto the floor;

Kick food on the floor under the line;

And when they actually sweep, they sweep the pile into a corner, and leave it;

And I'd they use a dust pan, they don't empty it!!!!!


----------



## NO ChoP!

People who put broken glass into my garbage...

Sweep up spills with a broom and dust pan, and don't rinse them...

Leaving utensils in food overnight...

Using your grill tongs to saute with...

Cleaning with water because your too lazy to fill a sanibucket...

Stuff left floating in the fryers...


----------



## joex175

my main pet peeve , and now that I'm not working for someone ever again to make me do this ****

butchering , 

and pre packaged foods

if you lack the skills to butcher primals or pismo's or whatever the **** it is you need to butcher , fish , whatever

ADMIT IT , DONT BUY PREPORTIONED **** , and say its a TIME SAVER

having been at a place that bought pre-portioned tenders @ $17.00lb I cant believe how retarded an idea that is
it takes me if I'm having a bad day no more than 2minutes to remove the chain & silverskin & then portion @ weight within half an ounce a tenderloin

it would take me more than 2 minutes most likely to get the things out of the packages , not to mention you pay more , and dont get any chain meat , which you can turn into 1001 other uses



thats my rant , **** like cleanliness & organization I just dont deal w/ anymore with other employees , if your at a high caliber restaurant you should expect high caliber employee's


and for the "flipping burger guys" id take someone who can cook a burger to temperature any day of the week before someone who "Studied under the BEST CHEFS IN THE WORLD Culinary School" with an ego the size of the moon


I'm going to go drink more whiskey and yell at the TV


----------



## [email protected]

from home cook's point of view... 

-someone looking over my shoulders (to make sure that I'm doing things right)
-piling up dirty dishes and utensils (and this means I have to clean up afterwards) 
-leaving knives (and yelling at the parents and friends for touching them)


also, i have to share my complaints about how my tiny kitchen is build
-i hate our electric stove
-counter is so high that i'm on my tip toe 
-our sink is way too small
-ventilation doesn't help at all

okay, i have to say something nice also so that i don't sound too angry...

i love our tiny kitchen... cooking is always fun when someone is around  my home in Japan and here in LA, I always have a good time cooking and sharing that time with my family.


----------



## ajhuff

Been wanting to add another one. People not watching their flame. Drives me nuts seeing a giant blue flame wrapped around a small pot. I spin into an even greater orbit when people aren't paying attention and yellow flames are under the pot. GRRR.....

-AJ


----------



## Zwiefel

ajhuff said:


> I spin into an even greater orbit when people aren't paying attention and yellow flames are under the pot.



eh? yellow flames?


----------



## Salty dog

How about people who could do what they're doing twice as fast.


----------



## Vertigo

I have a dishwasher who, when we send him to pick up the ground meat from the butcher every morning, spends 30 minutes looking at snowboards in the ski shop. He also goes there to poop. I can't figure out why the boss wont fire him. That's sort of a pet peeve on two levels: dishwashers who walk across town for their daily constitutional, and owners who wont fire incredibly awful employees.


----------



## Crothcipt

I asked my boss pretty much the same thing one day, about a dishwasher we had. He said "he shows up, and I can't find anyone to take his place."


----------



## Vertigo

Oh, I asked my boss one day too. He said "who will go get the hamburger?"

/headdesk


----------



## Salty dog

I keep saying dishwasher is the best job in the house.


----------



## schanop

[email protected] said:


> from home cook's point of view...
> 
> -someone looking over my shoulders (to make sure that I'm doing things right)
> -piling up dirty dishes and utensils (and this means I have to clean up afterwards)
> -leaving knives (and yelling at the parents and friends for touching them)



LMOL, I can see my misis saying similar things.


----------



## piratechefny

From servers:

hearing "not my table" 
lack of comminication
those who do not aspire to be career servers and express it aloud or through their work
excessive perfume/cologne; no one wants to smell a french cathouse 
lazy, whining, rambling
do not pay attention during pre-service/don't care to learn menu
catty BS 

in the kitchen:
babbling, dirty (hands, station, uniform, coolers), disrespectful of coworkers, 
"not my job" crap
unprepared; tools, sharpie, uniform, dull knives
thieves; wether it's taking things home or mise, side towels, etc.
garbage can movers; get a ****** bain marie and keep it at your station
moving my things/touch my things/leave my things dirty after breaking rule #1
cell phones; if your aren't on the phone with a vendor it's going in the fryer
houdini act; leaving the line/expo without saying anything and for stupid reasons.
fail to prep/fill station; you left a spit sip of sauce in that squirt bottle?
fail to label/consolidate/FIFO
"well at _______ we used to do it this way"...i dont care
cooks who complain about heavy metal during prep time
idiots in general

Customers:
those who bring their kids and dont know how to behave
those who lie about allergies; had a lady stay with us claiming to be allergic to chlorophyl and vinegar...3 days later i spotted her eating a green salad with vinaigrette. dont like it fine but dont BS me.


----------



## knyfeknerd

People who incessantly steel the CRAP out of their knives! 
And I mean hard with like 30lbs of pressure! 
And DINK! DANK! SSSSCCCCRRRAAPPPEEE, SSSSCCCCRRRAAPPPEEE, SSSSCCCCRRRAAPPPEEE !!!
DINK!
DANK! 
AAARRRGGRRRGGHHHHH!!!!!!
Like the harder you push on that soft German steel is gonna get it sharper????
And doing it every 2 freakin' minutes!!!
STOP IT!!!!
I may be a little crazy about knives, but that is just totally uncalled for!


----------



## knyfeknerd

People that have decent, good sharp knives but refuse to use them. 
Hey, I went outta my way to refurb or sharpen that knife and you're still gonna use a turdly 1980's Henckel to butcher fish and (attempt) to cut sushi????
Seriously!!!!]
What good does that knife do if it lives INSIDE your knife bag????


----------



## knyfeknerd

Oh yeah and also,
please please please tie the freaking garbage bag around the can. you know it's gonna slip and fall into the can if you don't!
Don't throw super dirty, greasy or mayonnaise-ey dishes in my sink of soapy water. How can you wash dishes with dirty water????
Close the door to the dumpster!
Wash your f-ing hands too!!!


----------



## VoodooMajik

piratechefny said:


> cooks who complain about heavy metal during prep time



Good call, ha ha. People who complain about other peoples music so much they get nothing done really bother me.


----------



## jayhay

Almost all mine have been covered here. But apathy, laziness and a bad attidtude are at my top of the list. My top top, cologne and perfume. Pisses me off every time.


----------



## piratechefny

Even worse are the servers who come into the kitchen and comment on the music.... "what are you listening to?!?!? Bla bla bla" just shut up and go do something productive please.



VoodooMajik said:


> Good call, ha ha. People who complain about other peoples music so much they get nothing done really bother me.


----------



## piratechefny

What's worse...the excessive sterling of knives or the tools that do it as fast as they can without regard to what they are actually doing just so they can look cool? 

Had a few of those in my group at school years ago and it always made me shake my head.


----------



## stevenStefano

When I say I don't like other people using my knives, this is why :curse: :no: :noway::headbonk::spankarse:


----------



## jaybett

Ouch!


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

Steven, if it's not too painful for you to discuss, how did this tragedy occur?


----------



## stevenStefano

I was nowhere near it when it happened, when I went over and I actually saw it all I could say was "Hooooooooly ****!" Ach it doesn't bother me that much, it happens, not like he meant it, he just knocked it off the bench. He was very apologetic, and I guess that's part of the chance you take with fancy knives in a small kitchen. The only slight silver lining is that it wasn't my new 270 Rottman, it's way way thinner than the Kono and it would have fared a lot worse

I could almost do a WIP on fixing it!


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

stevenStefano said:


> I could almost do a WIP on fixing it!



I think you should. Make something positive come of this.


----------



## Burl Source

What tends to bug me most is when other people do things that I see as character flaws with myself.
I start to snap at them but usually catch myself with the thought "like I'm one to talk".


----------



## turbochef422

That's so true. While I explain to someone what I find frustrating half way through I think wow that's what I do.


----------



## stevenStefano

Small update. After 10-15 mins this what the Kono looks like. Not perfect, it's a bit stubbier but I like it that way, makes it less likely to happen again

From this





To this





Didn't lose much length, think it was a little long anyway





Thought I'd thin it a bit more while I had the stones out anyway


----------



## OnTheRoad

BS allergies, customers and servers both.
Phonecalls while on cigarette break, no issue with smokers (was one), but its not free time
servers not knowing the menu. getting a "no *whatever*" on a dish that doesn't contain it is annoying as f***
BS allergies. So. Much. Anger.


----------



## ajhuff

We got a new guy at work who whistles. Lots of Andy Griffith. Now I understand.

-AJ


----------



## ajhuff

Have another one. When we do events, give me a number. It irks me to no end when you tell me 85 people and 115 show up and your mad we ran out of food. Likewise, I get pissy when you tell me 100 and we cook for 100 and 60 show up. And don't do like yesterday and say we are serving a party of 150 but that could go up to 300. I don't do loaves and fishes like that other guy. 

-AJ


----------



## EdipisReks

stevenStefano said:


> Small update. After 10-15 mins this what the Kono looks like. Not perfect, it's a bit stubbier but I like it that way, makes it less likely to happen again
> 
> From this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> To this
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Didn't lose much length, think it was a little long anyway
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thought I'd thin it a bit more while I had the stones out anyway



i would really suggest grinding from the spine and then thinning the tip, until it's back how it was.


----------



## stevenStefano

Yes I did grind the spine. It is a bit better looking now than it was in the photo but it is going to take a long time even on my Atoma to get it like it was. I don't mind it being a little stubbier, but it's still too fat. I've been grinding it a bit here and there since these photos and it is very slow progress


----------



## Crothcipt

ajhuff said:


> Have another one. When we do events, give me a number. It irks me to no end when you tell me 85 people and 115 show up and your mad we ran out of food. Likewise, I get pissy when you tell me 100 and we cook for 100 and 60 show up. And don't do like yesterday and say we are serving a party of 150 but that could go up to 300. I don't do loaves and fishes like that other guy.
> 
> -AJ


Or 75 is the # they give, but only 5 show up. 

I had a party ask how much for a party of 25 kids (going through the owner). I gave them a low price because it was his friends. I even asked how many adults he had no idea. It turned out that there were more kids than adults that showed. Guess who took that brunt end.


----------



## Tatsuya

When that one co-worker in particular would rather unnecessarily prep for his SMALL and ONLY ticket thats ON HOLD while you're getting bent over your station, rather than help you plate two small items for the ticket before it that he already plated and is getting cold, because it's not his job.

Run-on sentence, I know.


----------



## Chefdog

Some really good ones guys, so I don't really have anything that hasn't been mentioned, but here goes, In no particular order:

1)Don't touch any of my sh!t: knives, tools, mise, towels, NOTHING. 
2)Be F*ing clean, always. Drop something, pick it up immediately. See something someone else dropped, pick it up! Wipe down your board between tasks, wipe off the door to your reach-in, etc. You'll never be clean enough, but keep trying. 
3)If you take the last one, replenish it. 
4)Open your eyes and actually look before you tell me there isn't any ______ left. When I go and find it, I won't be happy. 
5)Rotate the damn product!!! 
6)People who don't know how to properly wrap their mise w/ plastic. It should be wrapped sufficiently so that when you drop your tray nothing spills. 
7)If you tear the plastic on the edge of the roll, for the love of god, DON'T KEEP PULLING IT!! Open the box and fix it!
8)Write it down!!! I don't have time to tell you the same sh!t 3 times a day. 
9)How can you work with knives that dull???
10)Put it back where you found it, NOW.

Good thread, that felt good.


----------



## slowtyper

I don't really mind that people use my knives when I leave them out. I try not to be too anal about things, but maybe its because I'm lucky I've never had anyone break one or do anything really stupid with it. 

However I do appreciate when someone, even the chef, asks "may I use your knife?" when its sitting right in front of them. The answer is always "of course".

These are little things that the general public just doesn't understand!


----------



## allumirati

Vertigo said:


> I have a dishwasher who, when we send him to pick up the ground meat from the butcher every morning, spends 30 minutes looking at snowboards in the ski shop. He also goes there to poop. I can't figure out why the boss wont fire him. That's sort of a pet peeve on two levels: dishwashers who walk across town for their daily constitutional, and owners who wont fire incredibly awful employees.



AMEN


----------



## Crothcipt

Floor drain is not the lowest part of the floor, but the highest. This kind of crap wont run in a kitchen why on a construction site?


----------



## scotchef38

Nothing makes me shittier than people who take a new roll of plastic wrap out the box and throw the box away.It comes me serious anger issues.


----------



## labor of love

Crothcipt said:


> Floor drain is not the lowest part of the floor, but the highest.



omg yes yes yes!


----------



## Von blewitt

Crothcipt said:


> Floor drain is not the lowest part of the floor, but the highest. This kind of crap wont run in a kitchen why on a construction site?





labor of love said:


> omg yes yes yes!



It must be universal! This has been the case in 90% of kitchens I've worked in!


----------



## Salty dog

A few of my customer rules:

*Make a reservation.
*Don't have your "secretary" make it. 
*Make it yourself.
*Please arrive as scheduled. 
*We understand that schedules change. A little heads up would be good before we send your server home after standing around making $2.33 an hour. Yes, someone will come in to work your party and have no other tables.
*Don't let foreigners leave the tip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Did I emphasis that too much?)
*Brief your overseas guests on US tipping customs.
*Your table is the most important! (It is but so is everyone else's.)
*If you walk in to an empty restaurant 5 minutes before closing you should be warmly welcomed. DON'T WEAR IT OUT!
*You will be treated like a guest in our house. We hope you act like one.


----------



## Dusty

^word.


----------



## Dusty

I love that to every peeve in this thread I've read, I've agreed with. 

As a rule I normally don't like mind dietary requirements. Both my son and my wife put up with some. 
But I hate pretentious ones. A buddy of mine had the request last week: "I don't eat anything with a mother or a face."

He didn't serve her any vinegar or sourdough. 

Or clocks for that matter.


----------



## Chefdog

labor of love said:


> omg yes yes yes!



+2 on this one!!
I once worked at a nice, shiny, brand new country club where there were 1/2" tall brass collars on the floor drains!!!
Who the @*#% signed off on that??


----------



## VoodooMajik

Having a floor drain back up when you have a full house. Worst day ever.


----------



## Crothcipt

Salty dog said:


> A few of my customer rules:
> 
> *Make a reservation.
> *Don't have your "secretary" make it.
> *Make it yourself.
> *Please arrive as scheduled.
> *We understand that schedules change. A little heads up would be good before we send your server home after standing around making $2.33 an hour. Yes, someone will come in to work your party and have no other tables.
> *Don't let foreigners leave the tip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Did I emphasis that too much?)
> *Brief your overseas guests on US tipping customs.
> *Your table is the most important! (It is but so is everyone else's.)
> *If you walk in to an empty restaurant 5 minutes before closing you should be warmly welcomed. DON'T WEAR IT OUT!
> *You will be treated like a guest in our house. We hope you act like one.



+100 Don't know how many times sent server home to have the party show up 3 hrs. late.


----------



## Chuckles

I think vegans are masochists with control issues. 

Nothing out of my fryer can be vegan because cheese and tempura batter go in it?
No meat ever goes in the fryer. 

Servers asked for more vegetarian small plates. I have 15 small plates on my menu. 11 are vegetarian.

I actually make Tofu bacon for these people to substitute. How can anyone tell me I am not doing enough?

I have personal relationships with all the people who raise our meat. I choose one over another based on slaughtering practices. I even know our dairy farmers for milk and cheese. 

I feel I go a loonngg way to ensure my customers get quality product and provenance. 

But vegans can suck it. And my servers stock is plummeting.


----------



## Cutty Sharp

Chuckles said:


> I think vegans are masochists with control issues.
> 
> Nothing out of my fryer can be vegan because cheese and tempura batter go in it?
> No meat ever goes in the fryer.
> 
> Servers asked for more vegetarian small plates. I have 15 small plates on my menu. 11 are vegetarian.
> 
> I actually make Tofu bacon for these people to substitute. How can anyone tell me I am not doing enough?
> 
> I have personal relationships with all the people who raise our meat. I choose one over another based on slaughtering practices. I even know our dairy farmers for milk and cheese.
> 
> I feel I go a loonngg way to ensure my customers get quality product and provenance.
> 
> But vegans can suck it. And my servers stock is plummeting.



I wish, on behalf of you, that the customers would just get it, but they don't seem to. Anyway, your place sounds great - I'd eat there if I could!


----------



## Chefdog

Chuckles said:


> I think vegans are masochists with control issues.
> 
> Nothing out of my fryer can be vegan because cheese and tempura batter go in it?
> No meat ever goes in the fryer.
> 
> Servers asked for more vegetarian small plates. I have 15 small plates on my menu. 11 are vegetarian.
> 
> I actually make Tofu bacon for these people to substitute. How can anyone tell me I am not doing enough?
> 
> I have personal relationships with all the people who raise our meat. I choose one over another based on slaughtering practices. I even know our dairy farmers for milk and cheese.
> 
> I feel I go a loonngg way to ensure my customers get quality product and provenance.
> 
> But vegans can suck it. And my servers stock is plummeting.



I love you, man.


----------



## OnTheRoad

^ +1


----------



## Dardeau

Not skimming sauces, before, during, and after reducing.
We have a new dishwasher that likes to hover. I want to shake him.
People that sit on buckets to organize the walk in.
And one that probably means nothing to anyone, I picked it up fifteen years ago at my first job: it is a towel,not a rag. This was followed by something off color said by a fifty year old woman that I cannot in good taste say in front of potentially mixed company.


----------



## tweyland

I relate to most of these mentioned so far.

A few more/repeats:

-Servers who walk into the kitchen during the peak of summer when it is hot as hell on the line, and say, "Jeez, it's soooo hot in here!! I don't know how you guys do it!!" STFU. Yes, we know it's hot, dumbass, we are doing a 10 hour shift next to the grill or the flattie or the wood burning oven. Get out of my kitchen.

-Servers who complain in the kitchen about paying taxes on tips, or tipping out to their bussers, runners, expo, etc. "I'm only going to walk with $250 tonight. This sucks!" STFU.

-In catering, when the captain doesn't count the tables correctly, or has an incorrect guest count, or an incorrect breakdown count (tallies of chix/steak/fish/vegetarian, etc).

-In catering, when guests have replied via response card and indicated vegetarian meal, but then see the steak plate and change their order when it is placed in front of them. "Oh, that looks good, can I have the steak instead?" or "No, I didn't order vegetarian. I want steak." Oh, really, because if your name is John Smith and you're sitting in the right seat with your name card John Smith, you ordered the vegetarian meal, John Smith.

-In catering, when guests show up to the event and demand a vegan/gluten free/dairy free meal, without having mentioned it to their host.

-Servers who are unable to take the right food to the right table.

-Cooks who think they don't need to learn how we do things in our kitchen.

-Cooks who don't use salt and pepper because they forget, or there's none on their station, or whatever weak excuse they have.

-Cooks who don't put any effort into family meal.

~Tad


----------



## Notaskinnychef

after reading many of these, I feel really out of place here as I am an RN lol


----------



## quantumcloud509

Ahhh, a breath of fresh air...venting...

For starters, I always beef with the kitchen manager, because seniority complexed kitchen manager is a d*ck and tells me, and not asks me to do something. Listen here, dudette...Im a nice guy here and only here and only because I have a knife addiction to support and a wife and dog to feed, dont let the half @$$ smile on my face and formal vocabulary throw you off. Yes you know the owner better than I do you [email protected]$$, and yes you went to community college culinary school, but the issues is, I work as three people here, see, I do my job, and I prep others prep lists so that they don't have to deal with your BS, I train the dish washers in wisdom and knife skills, and I cheer up the suicidal bakery-girl, I clean extra every night because others hide things all day long, I fix things that are broken, and am used by everyone in the kitchen because Im a tall sucker. Dont try to act tougher than me, I been misused and mistreated my whole life...I have tough skin, Ill take all you got and then some, but you will NEVER get my respect, Ill do as you say and outdo you as soon as I learn the ins and outs of this place and befriend the chef and owner in a professional, respectful manner without having to stab everyone else in the back. Stop treating me like crap and overworking me when there is no superiors around, it makes you look even uglier. You make me want to vomit. I will not quit, you will not bring me down, I will continue telling you the raw truth, and I will continue seeing the fear in your eyes. *sigh* 

This is the 3rd restaurant I am having this dilemma at. The first restaurant, the manager broke and we ended up becoming poker buddies, the second restaurant the manager did not break and got overtly disrespectful to the point that I left with a three week notice to the chef. This new restaurant, I am the only person on the kitchen team who has not worked with the kitchen team before...I get ridden hard by this manager chick...she is verbally abusive and forces me to do her prep so that she can go [email protected]# around in the office when the owners not around. Mondays and Tuesdays she is supposed to be on the line doing pantry so I can sous, but since its the days when chef and owner are gone, I end up doing BOTH stations (which is awesome to a degree) so that she can catch up on her prep list, but if the owner comes in, she always comes to the line like shes always there when hes gone. These two days I also have to clean and close the kitchen by myself. She purposefully lets the dishwasher go early, and takes off early herself, just to spite me and test me. She shorts me on my tips whenever she gets the chance to. She uses me to help her carry heavy items and reach unreachable things, yes so does the rest of the kitchen, but I do not like doing this for her. I wish that she would get laid, but I fear the worst for the poor sap who pummels through...chick has no heart whatsoever. 

Sorry.

For some unmentioned pet peeves:

-servers who take food from another ticket for their table and try to hide that it was them who took it...nobodys fault but your own that you forgot to order something, or ordered the wrong thing. Writing 911 on a ticket does not mean that your medium well steak will be out in 90 seconds, you must be trippin.
-If you are going to borrow my towel, please dont bring it back all mucky.
-If you are going to borrow my thermometer, please put it back where you took it from, clean. 
-If I come up with a new dish or plating, please stop taking the credit for yourself.
-If you have something to say, feel free to do so, there will be no consequences...I dont want to go back to jail, just stop talking behind my back. 
-Do not EVER drop my knife like that again. Please. 
-Dont send me home as soon as I come in, call me or something ahead of time please, I had to catch the busses across town to get here, its not as fun as you think. 
-Dont act like a boss if youre not the boss.


----------



## Stumblinman

Someone walking away from a pot/pan of something for so long it burns and they look at you like it was your fault.


----------



## quantumcloud509

Stumblinman said:


> Someone walking away from a pot/pan of something for so long it burns and they look at you like it was your fault.



+1, because this is typically the guy who doesnt tell you when he walks off the line ever anyways.


----------



## ams

quantumcloud509 said:


> Ahhh, a breath of fresh air...venting...
> 
> For starters, I always beef with the kitchen manager, because seniority complexed kitchen manager is a d*ck and tells me, and not asks me to do something. Listen here, dudette...Im a nice guy here and only here and only because I have a knife addiction to support and a wife and dog to feed, dont let the half @$$ smile on my face and formal vocabulary throw you off. Yes you know the owner better than I do you [email protected]$$, and yes you went to community college culinary school, but the issues is, I work as three people here, see, I do my job, and I prep others prep lists so that they don't have to deal with your BS, I train the dish washers in wisdom and knife skills, and I cheer up the suicidal bakery-girl, I clean extra every night because others hide things all day long, I fix things that are broken, and am used by everyone in the kitchen because Im a tall sucker. Dont try to act tougher than me, I been misused and mistreated my whole life...I have tough skin, Ill take all you got and then some, but you will NEVER get my respect, Ill do as you say and outdo you as soon as I learn the ins and outs of this place and befriend the chef and owner in a professional, respectful manner without having to stab everyone else in the back. Stop treating me like crap and overworking me when there is no superiors around, it makes you look even uglier. You make me want to vomit. I will not quit, you will not bring me down, I will continue telling you the raw truth, and I will continue seeing the fear in your eyes. *sigh*
> 
> This is the 3rd restaurant I am having this dilemma at. The first restaurant, the manager broke and we ended up becoming poker buddies, the second restaurant the manager did not break and got overtly disrespectful to the point that I left with a three week notice to the chef. This new restaurant, I am the only person on the kitchen team who has not worked with the kitchen team before...I get ridden hard by this manager chick...she is verbally abusive and forces me to do her prep so that she can go [email protected]# around in the office when the owners not around. Mondays and Tuesdays she is supposed to be on the line doing pantry so I can sous, but since its the days when chef and owner are gone, I end up doing BOTH stations (which is awesome to a degree) so that she can catch up on her prep list, but if the owner comes in, she always comes to the line like shes always there when hes gone. These two days I also have to clean and close the kitchen by myself. She purposefully lets the dishwasher go early, and takes off early herself, just to spite me and test me. She shorts me on my tips whenever she gets the chance to. She uses me to help her carry heavy items and reach unreachable things, yes so does the rest of the kitchen, but I do not like doing this for her. I wish that she would get laid, but I fear the worst for the poor sap who pummels through...chick has no heart whatsoever.
> 
> Sorry.
> 
> For some unmentioned pet peeves:
> 
> -servers who take food from another ticket for their table and try to hide that it was them who took it...nobodys fault but your own that you forgot to order something, or ordered the wrong thing. Writing 911 on a ticket does not mean that your medium well steak will be out in 90 seconds, you must be trippin.
> -If you are going to borrow my towel, please dont bring it back all mucky.
> -If you are going to borrow my thermometer, please put it back where you took it from, clean.
> -If I come up with a new dish or plating, please stop taking the credit for yourself.
> -If you have something to say, feel free to do so, there will be no consequences...I dont want to go back to jail, just stop talking behind my back.
> -Do not EVER drop my knife like that again. Please.
> -Dont send me home as soon as I come in, call me or something ahead of time please, I had to catch the busses across town to get here, its not as fun as you think.
> -Dont act like a boss if youre not the boss.



Haha sounds exactly like my situation at my last place. Glad I'm over casual restaurant BS, higher end is where you want to be. Completely different atmosphere my friend.


----------



## knyfeknerd

People who suddenly become overly ethnic in their translation of a given menu item or ingredient. Dude you aren't Italian AT ALL-it's mozzarella, not moutz-ahh-raell. It capicola, not gabbagoul-you aren't Tony Soprano. The same can be said for any type of Spanish and/or Mexican/Latin American cuisine.
However it also pisses me off to no end when people overly Americanize food pronunciations too. My biggest is MASCARPONE it is NOT NOT NOT MARSCAPONE!!!!!!!! The R does NOT come before the S!!!!
It's Sherbet, not SureBurt!!!!
AAAAAARRRRGGGHHH


----------



## Vertigo

knyfeknerd said:


> People who suddenly become overly ethnic in their translation of a given menu item or ingredient. Dude you aren't Italian AT ALL-it's mozzarella, not moutz-ahh-raell. It capicola, not gabbagoul-you aren't Tony Soprano. The same can be said for any type of Spanish and/or Mexican/Latin American cuisine.
> However it also pisses me off to no end when people overly Americanize food pronunciations too. My biggest is MASCARPONE it is NOT NOT NOT MARSCAPONE!!!!!!!! The R does NOT come before the S!!!!
> It's Sherbet, not SureBurt!!!!
> AAAAAARRRRGGGHHH



Oh man. I hear you so loud and clear on this one. It's reason #4,571 that I hate Giada: she can't say "macaroni" without it sounding like she's doing a racially insensitive impression of Super Mario. "Its-ah meee, GeeAhdah, with-a my mah-ca-ROOOooOOOOoo-kneeee!"

The flip side is our dirty meth-addicted waiter hailing from the dredges of Eastern Washington, who--despite numerous corrections--still says "tor-tee-lah" and "kay-sa-dee-lah."


----------



## daveb

So where does "shallot" fall in this continuum?


----------



## ajhuff

I'll jump on this. I have a real problem with people who say sall-mon.

-AJ


----------



## Vertigo

daveb said:


> So where does "shallot" fall in this continuum?



You trying to start a war, man?!?!


----------



## daveb

Food fight?

Just curious if its the proper sha-lott or the more pedestrian shall-it.


----------



## knyfeknerd

daveb said:


> Food fight?
> 
> Just curious if its the proper sha-lott or the more pedestrian shall-it.


That is honestly part of the tomato -" toe mah toe" conversation. That's the British or sometimes Australian pronunciation. 
I've also heard yah-gert for yogurt.
Oh and patah-toes.
I'm fine with all this. 
Just don't suddenly break into a serious Latino accent when ordering Arroz con Pollo (chix & rice) at your local Mexican restaurant.
The members of your dining party are embarrassed and your server probably thinks you are a Cabeza de Penga.


----------



## Von blewitt

knyfeknerd said:


> That is honestly part of the tomato -" toe mah toe" conversation. That's the British or sometimes Australian pronunciation.
> I've also heard yah-gert for yogurt.
> Oh and patah-toes.
> I'm fine with all this.
> Just don't suddenly break into a serious Latino accent when ordering Arroz con Pollo (chix & rice) at your local Mexican restaurant.
> The members of your dining party are embarrassed and your server probably thinks you are a Cabeza de Penga.



I like to imagine the opposite, a thickly accented Italian guy, putting on his best New York accent to order a hotdog


----------



## Stumblinman

LOL OK I have one on that.. I have a co-worker who everytime he talks to the hispanic dish washer he puts on this crazy broken english accent to talk to them. Makes him sound like Balki from Perfect Strangers ! by the way, yes that is an old reference.....


----------



## Drumjockey

Love this thread, just about all the peeves listed have pissed me off at some time in the past (except tattoos, but then I'm pretty covered). Using my knives goes without saying... Here are some additionals:

mis-run food (8-top mis-run to a different 8-top tonight in the middle of a $2500 food hour! THAT was a good time)
putting the house knives back on the magnet with crap all over them
telling me the new guy did it when I just watched you (twice and you're fired)
bitching/whining about the workload, or
using the workload as an excuse for not getting it done
empty product boxes left in the walk-in (usually bartenders are the perps)
empty kegs left in the walk-in (ditto)
assistant FOH managers who say they are "99% sure" something got done. When I hear this I am 99% sure it didn't
servers who put in orders at the bar so they look like customer orders, after they have been told they missed the cutoff for employee food- which has been the same time forever
FOH ****-ups of any ilk
new people who think they are instantly your best friend
bussers who leave knives in the silverware soak for my dishwashers to cut themselves on
bussers who leave broken glass in the mop-sink for my dishwashers to cut themselves on
unexplained RUSH tickets
employee food orders that include 6 lines of red ink
cleaning only the visible parts of the slicer

Alright I'll stop, I could go on and on and on


----------



## Dusty

Food that has been labelled and misspelled. If you can't spell it: don't cook it. 

English as a second language is only *just* an exception to this.


----------



## Drumjockey

Servers whos say "chi-pol-te" tableside. pathetic, did you even take the server test? If so, how did you pass?


----------



## Drumjockey

This one can be hilarious, too. One of my best guys is from El Salvador- super kick-ass, great attitude, great worker, great guy. Much love for Jose, and the poor guy sounds it out as best he can, but he just can't spell- even phonetically. strawberry becomes extraberi, vegetable mix becomes beytebol miz, lobsters become losters (or sometimes lopters), duck becomes dock, spiders become espechers (even the other latinos can't figure this one out). His buddy, also one of my best guys, says he passed high school, but doesn't know how It used to bother him, but now he sees the humor in it and hasn't stopped, and it always gives me a chuckle in the walk-in- a place not normally known for comedy


----------



## Dusty

As I said, ESL is an exception, but for an adult who've lives their whole life in an English speaking nation, to put an e at the end of tomato, is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me.


----------



## DWells

Dusty said:


> As I said, ESL is an exception, but for an adult who've lives their whole life in an English speaking nation, to put an e at the end of tomato, is like fingernails on a chalkboard for me.



I'd say that's just colonial resentment.


----------



## DWells

DWells said:


> I'd say that's just colonial resentment.



^Sorry, I'll always be a history major, that's a joke.


----------



## ChefOnAWire

Just have the two that got to me last night.

1. Wash that produce! I know its 10:30 pm and you just need to cut 1 tomato for a garnish, but for the love of Murphy Law wash it first!

2. If you have tools on your station (plating spoons, tongs, ect.) and they are not in a bucket of sani-water i'm going to take them from you and you can use the plastic tasting spoons all night. When you figure out why you can have them back.


----------



## Crothcipt

I had a guy ask me why I pronounce my spanish/mexican words like a mexican instead of a american. I told him "if I say ------- like ------ they just look at me like I am speaking sweedish, and have no idea what I am saying."


----------



## jgraeff

ChefOnAWire said:


> Just have the two that got to me last night.
> 
> 1. Wash that produce! I know its 10:30 pm and you just need to cut 1 tomato for a garnish, but for the love of Murphy Law wash it first!
> 
> 2. If you have tools on your station (plating spoons, tongs, ect.) and they are not in a bucket of sani-water i'm going to take them from you and you can use the plastic tasting spoons all night. When you figure out why you can have them back.




Personally disagree with this.. Using chemicals or bleach in combination with food is just as bad.... If your going to be that way about it plastic or new spoons is the way to go every time...

I hate when people don't rotate or label things.

Also when there just too lazy to do it the right way when they know how it should be done.


----------



## Drumjockey

I feel you Dusty, just thought the legend of Jose was amusing. If a native english-speaker misspells their labels, I give em crap for days. Got a new guy who insists on saying 'jalapeeno'- makes my teeth grind every time


----------



## shaneg

A few of mine:

Being unorganised and spreading their mess everywhere.
Not putting things back where they belong, during prep and more importantly during service, so when i need it im not looking everywhere only to find it you put it in your section. Squeezy bottles are the worst.. it lives here, you use it and then put it back exactly in the same spot not anywhere else.

People that start smoking because they want a break?!? ***.. 
i have a rule of no smoking from 12-3 & 5-11, i also used to take breaks when i was younger as i dont smoke, and do things such as clip my nails, floss my teeth, re hydrate, if someone gave me stick about being paid to do any of that id just say "youre getting paid to get cancer"


----------



## Salty dog

Has anyone mentioned crying? I hate it when people start crying. Men or woman.


----------



## ajhuff

shaneg said:


> i have a rule of no smoking from 12-3 & 5-11,



Brilliant!!!

-AJ


----------



## Jmadams13

We have a smoking rule as well. But even during the slower times of the day, if two or more tables, only one person at a time, even the dish guy and waitstaff. We have such a small crew, missing one person for 5 mins is a hindrance. Right after rush though, if no tickets are coming in, we all take our smoke together before knocking out shutdown.

My newest peeve, that is slowly starting to bother me more and more is not asking before using an oven. I'm the baker here, and need my ovens when I'm ready. So when someone comes into the back kitchen (my domain, but where our big ovens are) turns them down or up, and throws in an item, it sets me back. I think my biggest issue with this is they know better, as I have explained to them over and over why I need to fire when I do.


----------



## shaneg

Salty dog said:


> Has anyone mentioned crying? I hate it when people start crying. Men or woman.


ive yet to see a man cry, worst ive seen is a waitress burst into tears at the pass because another waiter was being a ****, it was pretty uncomfortable, she stood there bawling.. the, i cant breath properly because im crying sort of cry.. the chef said "if youre going to cry **** off outside" so off she went, he had pretty harsh words to the dude that set her off.



ajhuff said:


> Brilliant!!!
> 
> -AJ



i dont smoke, only 1 other chef does so we're slowly turning him into a non smoker, soon its going to be no smoking during your whole shift, i use a flint spark lighter to light my gas hobs so if he forgets his lighter he cant borrow a lighter to light his cigatettes, although those pesky waiters have lighters.

ive worked with chefs that dont smoke during work hours that its been about 3+ months before i found out they were smokers, I'll see them light up on the way to there car.. kudos.


----------



## Chuckles

I had a busser cry at me the other day. After a shift. He was frustrated that he hasn't moved up to serving yet after 6 months. We haven't even turned over a server in that time. I told him to find a restaurant that was hiring servers because we hired him to be a busser. Waterworks. Ridiculous. I think there is something about me that makes people weep. It might be the clown makeup. :groucho:


----------



## Lucretia

Salty dog said:


> Has anyone mentioned crying? I hate it when people start crying. Men or woman.



:crytissue:


----------



## shaneg

Actually my biggest pet peeve is people that dont stack things correctly.
Kitchen hands that cant work out that the small bowls go in the medium bowl which then go in big bowl which then goes in the biggest bowl. 
Same as chefs that throw things in the sink Willy nilly, it takes 2 seconds to put that container in the other empty container and put the lids inside it, plus the sink is not an area to put your crap in, its for washing dishes, put it on the f*n bench. Rules motherf*r, follow them. 

What i love is when my chefs are following my rules and bust other chefs balls if they fail to do so.
My work here is done


----------



## marc4pt0

when servers walk in for their 4pm shift (for us it's the back door and through the kitchen) and complain about being tired. In front of my staff, who's already been busting their assess since 10am.
Servers who honestly believe it's Not their job to sweep or mop "well" out front because it shouldn't be their job in the first place. Or when they just drop sh*t on the kitchen floor and can't be bothered with cleaning up. (always get the nasty look when I tell them to clean it up)
FOH managers with no balls when it comes to their job keeping staff in line.

Dirty trash cans.

cigarette butts on the ground. *ATTENTION smokers* the world is Not your ashtray. Get it.
I smoke, but my shorts make it into the trash, not stuck to the bottom of my clog then soiling the kitchen floor.


----------



## cschoedler

marc4pt0 said:


> FOH managers with no balls when it comes to their job keeping staff in line.
> 
> Dirty trash cans.


+1 on that. I have to deal with busboys who were never properly trained even one full shift "because its not rocket science". Than management wonders why nothings ever done by the time we open?! Of course a 16 y.o. kid is going to be flirting with hostesses instead of putting ice in the bins and setting up the dining! He was doing it his second day why stop now?

After that rant I think I realized one of my biggest pet peeves is people not being ready for service by the time we open. I don't care if its a monday night with 0 reservations or New Years Eve, the sign on the door says 5 all year long.


----------



## Chuckles

I miss my dinner only days. 

Walking in the kitchen at 11am for a 12 hour shift and they've been serving for two hours already never feels right. 

I must have trust issues.


----------



## Chefdog

knyfeknerd said:


> People who suddenly become overly ethnic in their translation of a given menu item or ingredient. Dude you aren't Italian AT ALL-it's mozzarella, not moutz-ahh-raell. It capicola, not gabbagoul-you aren't Tony Soprano. The same can be said for any type of Spanish and/or Mexican/Latin American cuisine.
> However it also pisses me off to no end when people overly Americanize food pronunciations too. My biggest is MASCARPONE it is NOT NOT NOT MARSCAPONE!!!!!!!! The R does NOT come before the S!!!!
> It's Sherbet, not SureBurt!!!!
> AAAAAARRRRGGGHHH



Yes, yes, yes. 
And also, T-U-R-M-E-R-I-C, not TUMOR-ICK. 
And as someone mentioned CHIPOTE-LAY, not CHIPOLE-TAY!

What about RIZ-OH-TOE or RIZ-OTTO ??? I use the former, but I'm not Italian, nor do I pretend to be.


----------



## Drumjockey

Amen! I worked at a vegan restaurant for a couple years (why I felt I needed to punish myself I have no idea) and actually got written up by the GM for putting the phrase 'extra bacon' on MY OWN food ticket after a shift as a joke. Apparently he felt that the vegans who worked there would be SO offended by it they might feel the need to quit. Pathetic BS, I gave my two weeks right there. Pretentiousness in the the extreme, I feel like a lot of vegans are vegan so they can feel superior in some way to the carnivores of the world. One vegan server told me that she wouldn't ever date someone who wasn't vegan because she could "taste the meat on them when they kissed". Are you ***** kidding me?!? Saw a bumper sticker once that said, "Vegan is Neanderthal for Bad Hunter" Hilarious! I love animals, they taste great....


----------



## eaglerock

So you ate vegan food for 2 years !! :IMOK:


----------



## Drumjockey

Haha I thought someone might say that Actually I ate nothing at the restaurant I worked at for two years except the specials I ran. It IS possible to make great-tasting vegan food; I think most vegans just think it has to taste like **** or it's not actually vegan, and this restaurant was no exception- they were amazed when I marinated tofu! ("It tastes so good! Are you sure I can eat this?") I was embarassed to say I worked there and actually contemplated taking it off my resume after I left and just telling prospective employers I didnt do a darn thing for two years! I had it in my mind to quit almost the whole time I was there, but they were paying me so much my wife couldn't have afforded to finish school if I hadn't stayed. Most of the BOH crew were pretty cool people too; a lot of the graveyard prep guys would cook meat in there at 3am, sometimes they'd save me some (hurry & eat that before the owner gets here or we'll ALL be fired!) Two LONG years but the sacrifice was worth it in the end- she has her degree and a GREAT job, and makes enough that I don't have to work 70plus a week anymore


----------



## Drumjockey

Sorry kinda hijacked the thread, didn't mean to! I AM super peeved by vegans... and vegan restaurants that serve sucky food, but still do huge numbers all week. How the **** does that happen anyway?!?


----------



## franzb69

the misconception that healthy food is sucky tasting food probably :eyebrow:


----------



## labor of love

i like good vegan food every now and then.


----------



## Jmadams13

A new one, well not new, but came up recently. 

Cowards. Like the kind that go into dry storage to get walnuts during dinner rush and never come back. No explanation, nothing, just disappeared


----------



## Dusty

Cowards! Yes! I once saw a cook season two-dozen steaks with sugar instead if salt, because he didn't want the head chef to see that he had run out of salt on his station. 

The sort of chefs that make a mistake and don't 'fess up to it piss me off as well. Lying and putting your coworkers in the **** because you are too afraid to get bollocked out.


----------



## Jmadams13

We still haven't seen that guy. He even left a few of his tools. Guess they are ours now, its been two weeks. No phone call or anything why he quit. It wasn't like it was a stressful night or he was gettin to much crap from us, his hazing was over, lol, and was being treated like one of the guys


----------



## tkern

Jmadams13 said:


> We still haven't seen that guy. He even left a few of his tools. Guess they are ours now, its been two weeks. No phone call or anything why he quit. It wasn't like it was a stressful night or he was gettin to much crap from us, his hazing was over, lol, and was being treated like one of the guys



Is he still in dry storage looking for nuts?


----------



## Jmadams13

tkern said:


> Is he still in dry storage looking for nuts?



Could explain it, we keep the walnuts in the walkin, lol


----------



## knyfeknerd

Jmadams13 said:


> Could explain it, we keep the walnuts in the walkin, lol


As long as he didn't disappear while looking for chinnuts....


----------



## tkern

knyfeknerd said:


> As long as he didn't disappear while looking for chinnuts....



Indeed, that would definitely suck.


----------



## ThEoRy

What you guys did there.... I can see it.


----------



## Drumjockey

ThEoRy I love your signature line, who is that? As for cowards.. an odd sort: left in the middle of his shift, said nothing, just suddenly in the middle of a crushing happy hour we had no dishwasher. Two hours later, came back in tears (!) to tell me he just couldn't handle the pressure. of washing dishes. Didn't pay me back for the redbull I bought him earlier in the day- acted like it was a rude request when I asked for the $3, laughed like i'm made of money; left again. wierd, why'd you come back? Two months later, came in to eat like nothin happened. GM remembered him and told him to leave. His friend who came in with him... stayed and finished his lunch. wierd, kinda cowardly & ballsy all at once


----------



## ThEoRy

Drumjockey said:


> ThEoRy I love your signature line, who is that?




It's me.

The next line is:

Personal arsenal carnival while your writing is marginal/
I'm growing tired of this unoriginal earth while even Mars is dull/


----------



## jgraeff

I hate when people say I'm allergic to this, then the waiter tells them it's in the dish and they say oh it'll be alright.

Stop saying your allergic when you just don't like something!!!!!!!


----------



## WiscoNole

-getting to work to find the salt and/or butter left over from last night missing from my station
-being forced to slice meat before it's properly rested bc of time constraints
-servers who approve special requests before asking 
-customers who order a steak, etc. "medium-plus" or whatever. sure, let me cook that to exactly 137.5 degrees for you. I'm not busy or anything.
-when brunoise is pronounced "broon-wah". the 'e' at the end means you sound out the 's'. "broon-wah" would be spelled brunois.


----------



## pumbaa

i have a few more since i do pastry i have a different view
-marketing person/party planner saying sure we can do gluten free cakes with blah blah blah, never asking if we can or if we have the ingredients.i would be fine with this but they wanted it that night THATS NOT HAPPENING...of course I made it happen as we always do in this industry.
-giving plating pictures, directions,and a demo for desserts and finding out they just throw the stuff on the plate saying they dont have time. then why am I asked to make desserts that require such steps by the exec.
-getting piled on work for private parties because my exec sous is too lazy to do anything other than menu prep...STOP BEING LAZY!
-and worst of all someone saying "thats not my job, i dont get paid to do that" it makes my blood boil


----------



## Jmadams13

That last one gets me too. Really really hate that


----------



## JohnnyChance

Not putting the correct guest count on the ticket.

Coming in after the ticket has printed and saying "oh i forgot to put..." Guess what, we have 4 copies back here, it's busy and fixing the expo's copy doesn't solve anything. Get it right the first time or I'm going to make you re ring the entire thing. Either that or when it goes out as printed and not as you modified it, tough sh!t.

Using the dustpan/butler and rather than emptying it into the garbage, you just leave the crap you swept into for the next person.

Not apologizing for your mistakes. Your mistakes mean more work for me.


----------



## Notaskinnychef

jgraeff said:


> I hate when people say I'm allergic to this, then the waiter tells them it's in the dish and they say oh it'll be alright.
> 
> Stop saying your allergic when you just don't like something!!!!!!!



I go to this place that makes whatever the hell the chef wants, and you have basically no say in it (but it is always uber and outrageous, tasty too) but since I don't want to go there at breakfast time after my nights and get a stack of pancakes i say I have an allergy to pancakes. They laughed and asked me where my allergy bracelet was. Ironically my buddy came with me and had already made me up an allergy bracelet showing pancakes (we both work at the hospital). 

It was all in good fun but each time i am in there now they remember and I haven't got anything pancake-ish since


----------



## panda

was asked to speak with a guest at the entrance, turns out just wanted a custom take out order, had a nice conversation with the hostess for wasting my time after that one...
all the dumb **** is irritating but nothing drives me more crazy than time wasting that could have been avoided.


----------



## sachem allison

Salty dog said:


> Has anyone mentioned crying? I hate it when people start crying. Men or woman.



yeah, I had a dishwasher that cried every time she was late. I never even yelled at her, just stared at her shaking my head disapprovingly and she would burst into tears, every time.


----------



## Jmadams13

Drug users. I'm tiered of hearing a out it, seeing the crew I work with all messed up from the night before, and the constant screwups and smell of weed from the lockers. Not that I haven't dabbled, but there is a time and place. 

Think my biggest issue is its all they talk about. It's annoying, and I don't care


----------



## longhorn

panda said:


> was asked to speak with a guest at the entrance, turns out just wanted a custom take out order, had a nice conversation with the hostess for wasting my time after that one...
> all the dumb **** is irritating but nothing drives me more crazy than time wasting that could have been avoided.



A THOUSAND TIMES YES

It can even be a problem with other cooks on the line, especially anybody getting promoted to the line or coming from a casual to a more fine-dining restaurant.

"How long on your (insert item) for table 75?"
"Well what happened was I didn't have enough ***** so I had to ****, and ummmmm..."

My answer to them is always, "I want to hear an answer, not a story." In the middle of a busy service this kind of thing drives me nuts, especially if it makes me forget whatever I was about to do or if I have to refire or a sandbag a ticket because they didn't communicate something to me or the expo until asked about it.

If I am ready to sell a table and somebody decides to pipe up about needing more time, having forgotten to ring something in, etc. at the last minute---grrrr


----------



## NO ChoP!

Chefs who obviously hate their home life, so they never go home, but never really do anything. Just hover, miserably around the kitchen for fifteen hours a day. I got this, go home and play legos with your kids.


----------



## Chuckles

HAHA!! I have been on both sides of that one. You make it sound like such a simple solution.  I gotta get me some legos. :goodpost:


----------



## franzb69

> Chefs who obviously hate their home life, so they never go home, but never really do anything. Just hover, miserably around the kitchen for fifteen hours a day. I got this, go home and play legos with your kids.



i've had the same experience with bosses i had back when i had a desk job. it annoyed the hell out of me. they try to strike up a conversation that never really goes anywhere and ends up becoming this awkward moment where neither of us can think of what to say. even times when they force you to do overtime when it's absolutely unnecessary, they just wanted company coz they didn't have anywhere else to go but to work and spend their free time there coz everyone at his own home hates him or something or other.


----------



## knyfeknerd

NO ChoP! said:


> Chefs who obviously hate their home life, so they never go home, but never really do anything. Just hover, miserably around the kitchen for fifteen hours a day. I got this, go home and play legos with your kids.



Good one! One of the many reasons why I've left my job.
Just because you hate your home/family life and have no hobbies you make me stay and work when there is no work to be done????
I love standing around while waiting for you to come up with things to do!

Oh yeah also thank you for letting me know that they are cleaning the hoods this morning and inspecting all the fire/Ansul equipment. I really enjoyed sitting in my car for 2.5 hours.
SALARY


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## panda

getting requests of random ingredients that is not a component of ANYTHING on the menu. 

or people asking to have food brought in from the outside reheated, what's even worse is the FOH person actually coming to BOH to ask if it's possible... [email protected]@#%^^@#@#%%#@ are you ****ing serious!??
this actually happened during CIAA and instead of getting upset i just busted out laughing due to the sheer idiocy of the situation not to mention shock that it would even be approached.


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## NO ChoP!

Servers who blame the kitchen for their mistakes has always been my number 1....I've actually fired people for this.

Last night a server voided some food for some random reason. When the void ticket came through, at the very bottom it said, "reason: meat overcooked"....I almost lost it!


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## Jmadams13

Usin my bakers table for anything but baking... What I walked into this morning!! Burns and grease!!


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## jayhay

Jmadams13 said:


> Usin my bakers table for anything but baking... What I walked into this morning!! Burns and grease!!



Lol, do we work at the same place? Some guys at night did the same thing to me with a few cast iron pans a couple days ago. People these days literally work with their brains off, and on top of that they really don't care about the job they're doing. It's awesome lol.

The mixer is right next to my wood top table too. I should take a pic and show you how similar our setups are lol. I even keep my flour at the top left of the board too, assuming that's flour, when I do my pastas.


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## Jmadams13

That's funny. The cambro is one of my starters. Flour is kept under the table. The mixer is my smaller one, a 30qt. My big guy is to the right I the board. 

The guys here have no respect for my area, let alone what I do. When I'm not there Saturday nights, they think my table is a giant cutting board and a place to put hot pans apparently. It jut started to happen, but its getting old real quick.


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## K-Fed

A couple of mine... Guys that have an aversion to cleaning up after themselves, and guys that steal my mise en place because they're too lazy to prep their own. Sh!t really ticks me off.


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## Kriegs

- taking 5 minutes to really reorganize my lowboy before service; returning to it 5 minutes later and someone else uses it as a quick storage space for the their unlabeled delis while my system has been completely ingnored and obliterated..."oh look here comes chef...what a perfect time for him to want something from my station"

-mindless call backs...there's a grill cook who constantly just repeats the entire verbal call from expo. way to confirm that i know whats going on over on my side! Call back what you make on your station!!

-Not just for a kitchen: people need to use their pleases and thank yous more often


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