Equality of Pay Between Front and Back of House

I read a lot of articles online about chefs, restaurants, being married to a chef, etc.  If they’re any good, I share them or pin them.  Today I came across one that just keeps popping back in my mind.

The article was titled, “Why You Should Start Tipping Chefs.”

I know that in some restaurants, chefs and line cooks get a portion of the tips each day.  My husband has never worked in a restaurant that has done that.  He has always been paid an hourly rate or salary.

What frustrates me, is the inequality of pay between a server and a line cook.  (Neither of which apply to my husband so this post is not about me saying I think my husband deserves more money.  Just clearing that up.)

It takes a very different skill set to be a server as it does to be a line cook.  I will not get into a debate about which is harder as I think different people are good at different things.  However, when a server walks out of the restaurant after working 6 hours making more money than my well paid Executive Chef husband who is on hour number 15 that day and still not ready to leave, does that seem right?   (more…)

Dumping Ingredients

Who in the world can just dump ingredients into a pan or bowl and have something turn out perfectly EVERY TIME?

Crazy!

I’m not sure why this surprised me so much this week.  My husband has been a chef for quite some time.  But it did.

Knowing at least one person would ask me for a recipe for something my chef/husband cooked for my birthday party last weekend, I asked my husband ahead of time what recipes he used.

His response.  “None.  I just dumped the ingredients in.” (more…)