# Getting crushed by the holidays?



## Chuckles (Dec 13, 2013)

I will be honest and say that I would like to feel better by hearing a war story or two. I know some of you guys have been going to hell and back everyday for weeks. 

Pour a stiff drink and let's hear your holiday nightmare.


I will start but I am sure this isn't the winner.

I had a rough one today. Nasty busy lunch that kept going long past the posted hours. Trying to get the night crew prepped back up after getting wiped out last night. Pop up 40 person app party to-go. Get a phone call about a minor family emergency. Not a life changer but it means I have to leave at crunch time beore the beginning of dinner service to get my son from school. I expo with a three year old until 7:30. When the rush fades I get the ordering done, look at a stack of invoices and some emails and say F%#* that. Do the walk-ins and bail. Get home and life is waiting.


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## Salty dog (Dec 13, 2013)

We're into the tenderloin of the season. So far so good. 
Actually I take that back. Last Saturday night we had an eleven top of obnoxious amateurs. Constantly remarking about my female staff's anatomy. Way too loud and way too graphic.
My daughter is the host and one of the victim's of the abuse.
If you've spent any time on this forum you know where this is going.
I walk out to the big shaved head fu manchu mustasche dude who was obviously the head of the party and tell him they are out of line. He acts all innocent and denies any wrong doing. These guys are with their wives mind you. Other customers also heard the remarks and were offended as well.
Me "have you paid your bill?"
Him, "no"
Me, "To show you how serious I am about this I'll take care of your bill. Now get the **** out of hear and don't come back"
This conversation was held at a very discreet level.
Their bill was around a thousand bucks.
It was a bargain. The staff watched them walk out like sheep.


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## labor of love (Dec 13, 2013)

as an hourly employee, i must say i love this time of the year. work is slammed every day with huge private parties and banquets and our staff can barely keep up. im getting 25hrs+ overtime each week.


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## sachem allison (Dec 13, 2013)

40 person 4 course sit down dinner at 4:00 pm with no notice and no staff. Gm made the reservation last week and didn't tell anyone. I found out at 3opm. I have no day staff and no product . Run to the store and buy whatever I can to fake it. get back, threw a bunch of apps at them and a giant cheese board to keep them happy while I try to prep the menu. My staff doesn't get in till 6pm because, the boss had me cut everyone's hours this week. By the time they rolled in I was done. Found out at 5:30pm that I have another 20 top party coming in at 6pm. Also, no food or prep. Gm says , I'll give you the menu when I get in tonight. When are you getting in? 9pm. Doesn't help me you little#$%^&. Bang out a bunch of other reasonably tasting crap, none of which they ordered. Had the servers tell them chef would be doing a special tasting menu just for them. Made smaller portions of various specials we were running, called them something else and added a few sauces to them and now you have a customized menu, just for you, pulled out of my fat ass.


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## sachem allison (Dec 13, 2013)

That is why we are called Chefs.


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## Chuckles (Dec 13, 2013)

Son - Your GM sounds like a train wreck. They are in for a treat when you leave.

Salty - Well played.


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## NO ChoP! (Dec 13, 2013)

Being a chef at a platinum country club this time of year is hell. We have a 4x8 foot event board that is full of layers of pinned event sheets. It seems like we are doing prep for the next day on top of doing five parties at the same time, as well as giving assistance to the next department. And every weekend we have some grandiose event; Thanksgiving buffet, breakfast with Santa, Christmas candlelight dinner. It seems never-ending. Our walk-in cooler needs scaffolding to navigate!


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## brainsausage (Dec 13, 2013)

Chuckles said:


> Son - Your GM sounds like a train wreck. They are in for a treat when you leave.
> 
> Salty - Well played.



Agreed, on both accounts.


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## panda (Dec 14, 2013)

this time of year guests get extra peculiar with their sense of entitlement and demands, as in annoyance level is multiplied exponentially.


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## Chef Niloc (Dec 14, 2013)

Today was A rough one, I slept in late didn't get up until about 2 PM then I screwed around a bit doing I don't know what. Then I order a pizza and watched some tv....boy the holidays can be a bear.


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## brainsausage (Dec 14, 2013)

Chef Niloc said:


> Today was A rough one, I slept in late didn't get up until about 2 PM then I screwed around a bit doing I don't know what. Then I order a pizza and watched some tv....boy the holidays can be a bear.



Stop poking the bear!


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## mr drinky (Dec 14, 2013)

I love reading this sh!t, and I am so glad I will never have to handle it as well as you guys do. Cheers.

k.


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## panda (Dec 15, 2013)

banquet kitchen was bombed tonight. i feel even worse for the stewarding crew cleaning it up, they'll likely be there til 5am. must have been over 30 queen marry's full of dirty dishes. fed them and said good night, got my ass outta there! lol.


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## JDA_NC (Dec 15, 2013)

Chef Niloc said:


> Today was A rough one, I slept in late didn't get up until about 2 PM then I screwed around a bit doing I don't know what. Then I order a pizza and watched some tv....boy the holidays can be a bear.



Enjoy it while it lasts, right :laugh:

Glad that I'm not working in a hotel like I was last year. Current place is always packed so it actually slows down a little come holiday season because it's too cold to sit outside (where there is a stupid amount of seating - for the restaurant/kitchen size). Loving it...

Edit: Make that two years... damn time flies


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## cookinstuff (Dec 15, 2013)

**** no chop, I'm pulling up those sheets, like why the helll is the 5 parties today having 5 different soups, and why am I finding out about it 2 hours before said parties, goddamnit what's wrong with butternut squash it's winter, eat it you drunk ********. I know exactly what you mean, your prepping for parties tomorrow and the next day while putting parties out on top of regular dining room tables during service. Ohya, plus the 12top in the cellar with the 10 course tasting, hey son, I hear ya. The thing that kills me in December though, is doing the dishes and cleaning it up every night, and then coming in the next day to see your servers stayed late and ate most of your cheese and toasts and destroyed the kitchen with the owner after you left. I keep telling my cold side people to hide their ****, but they never learn.


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## Salty dog (Dec 15, 2013)

Closed on Sundays. I need this one.


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## knyfeknerd (Dec 15, 2013)

As to the title of the thread "Getting crushed by the holidays"
NOT THIS YEAR!!!!!!!!

I for the first time in over a decade, am actually enjoying this. I got to get the tree and decorate it with the kids. I even listened to Christmas music on purpose.

I feel kinda bad for all the sorry suckers when I go through the banquet kitchen, but not really. I had it a LOT worse than they do. 
Never again.

Good luck ladies. I hope you make it through to the other side. 
You like to think it's gonna be better in January, but it really isn't. You won't get enough hours then, or (if you're salaried) have to send all your hourly buds home and work it all yourself.


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## Geo87 (Dec 16, 2013)

sachem allison said:


> 40 person 4 course sit down dinner at 4:00 pm with no notice and no staff. Gm made the reservation last week and didn't tell anyone. I found out at 3opm. I have no day staff and no product . Run to the store and buy whatever I can to fake it. get back, threw a bunch of apps at them and a giant cheese board to keep them happy while I try to prep the menu. My staff doesn't get in till 6pm because, the boss had me cut everyone's hours this week. By the time they rolled in I was done. Found out at 5:30pm that I have another 20 top party coming in at 6pm. Also, no food or prep. Gm says , I'll give you the menu when I get in tonight. When are you getting in? 9pm. Doesn't help me you little#$%^&. Bang out a bunch of other reasonably tasting crap, none of which they ordered. Had the servers tell them chef would be doing a special tasting menu just for them. Made smaller portions of various specials we were running, called them something else and added a few sauces to them and now you have a customized menu, just for you, pulled out of my fat ass.



I really really really dislike your gm.... 
Good job on sorting it out anyway. 
Surprise banquets are just lovely


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## crunchy (Dec 20, 2013)

sachem allison said:


> That is why we are called Chefs.



For sure brother


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## quantumcloud509 (Dec 20, 2013)

Ive been working every day (hourly) since Thanksgiving and this will continue until New Years. Sous Chef got put off on a mandatory one week vacation for drinking on the job again, both the line cooks are under one month old here and just getting adjusted, three stoner 18 year old dishers/ gm guys who like to do things half way, and dont always pick up their phones when called in, kitchen dinners where everyone has to be polite and quiet and shizz so we cant sing or flip each other crap, servers eating all the candied nuts, caramels, and cookies, chef/ owner has been sick puking his brains out last 4 days now, farmer who we get our stuff in from has missed every delivery past two weeks at least by 8 hours, sous chef returns and is a total dick, Im going under every night but coming up everyday somehow. Its awesome.


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