Am I overworked, or just a whiner?

Hi everyone. Long time no see. I was here before, and received some really good advice, so thought I'd return for more!

Anyway, I am the chef at a small retreat facillity. We have a staff of about 10, including me, on any given day. This staff does all the setting up, cleaning up, and hosting of guests, as well as giving me all the prep help they can in the kitchen, but I am the only cook.

This week, I fed, on average, 350 people a day, with three separate events and menus per day, ranging from breakfast to soup, salad, bread and dessert lunch to a two-meat fancy buffet with all the trimmings. We pulled it off, but all the while I was thinking, this is way too much work for one chef, especially when I can't depend on having help, and when the help I have when I get it consists of people with little or no kitchen experience, who need to be supervised and walked through the simplest prep work, and who are running themselves ragged with their own tasks as well.

Like I said, we made it. But I wonder, is this par for the course, or am I justified in feeling overworked, or both?

Thanks. All opinions and experiences welcome.

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Monday, October 21, 2002 - 11:32 am: Edit

If this is an ongoing situation, it is too much. Who covers for you on your day(s) off? Or do you not have a day off??
If this is just a busy week because of the events and normally it is just the meals for the guests, it may not be too much. Only you can make that judgement!
How many guests is it normally?
Do you usually handle it without problems when there are no functions? Maybe you just need help when you have special events.