Industry Recognition

I read the postings of you all on different subjects and it seems that above the point of doing "it" legally the thing you look for most is professional recognation. What as a group can be done to promote this? I get so tired of the line cook from Denneys being called a chef. Is that what we are as a profession in the eyes of the general public a line cook? This was something the acf was acting on 20 yrs ago, but we are still in the same boat.

By Debord on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 09:20 am: Edit

Recognition to me would come from our employeers first. If they treated us with respect with wages and hours and responsibilties that would go along way toward retaining the best of the crop of Chefs available. Instead we undersell each other, we settle for unbelievable hours so many of the smart/good guys leave this business because they realize they'll never obtain a semi-normal life in this industry.

I don't think that's something the owners will hand us (they don't seem to care about anything but the bottom line). I believe it will take us standing up as a group and demanding certain human rights as unions do and striking until someone listens to us.

We are becoming a field dominated my illegal's. Both illegal businesses underselling product and illegals manning the stove because they don't require higher wages and decent working hours.

T.V. chefs have breathed some air into the kitchen but these new hopefuls entering this field will leave shortly. The young ones don't have the positions to create change it must start with the old timers.

By winzerman on Saturday, June 09, 2001 - 01:43 am: Edit

You know I love to cook. I love smoking through a Saturday night hot as hell saute pans smoking everything set up so nice and I don't miss a step, all the plates are perfect and the guests and waitresses are all happy. It's like playing sweet music only the kitchen and the crew are the instruments. I've been at this for 25 years now and I ain't ashamed to call myself a chef and if the guy at Denny's wants to call him self a chef let him and he can wear it with pride. He knows what he is and I know what I am and the people would rather eat the grub I cook up. As far as the owners and employers are concerned I have yet to meet one who has any real appreciation for the amount of stamina and bodily strength it takes to work and manage a kitchen properly. I can count 24 restaraunts that I've worked in some only a few days or weeks cause they sucked so bad. I'm thinking of either making a go on my own or just plain hanging up and getting out. My latest adventure in food is just more of the same. Peace

By annie on Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 01:43 am: Edit

Debord- I so agree with you on concept of uniting for better wages, hours and (i might be pushing it here but...) benifits (a shift drink is nice but i'd prefer health insurance!) However, that would shut down all cool restaurants, the ones financially hanging by a thread, the family owned ones, the ones that aren't part of a "restaurant group", the ones that don't have to hire some one to get a "concept". The soul of the restaurant industry would vanish. Avoiding chain restaurants, or restaurants part of a "restaurant group" is getting harder and harder to do. Of course i don't work in restaurants any more...sold out and working for a catering company...the pay is much better AND i get to have a life.