Line cook duties

Hello i hope i am asking this in the right place.

I just opened a small restaurant and i am haveing problem with my line cook. (i was never a chef)
he tells me that a line cook does not prep/setup of his station.. that he should walkin the door and everything should be ready for him to cook for service...
well since we just opened i cant really afford to have someone just to do his setup.. we all try and pich in to get everything done... except him..

tell me is what he is telling me true??? that a line cook does no prep/setup of his station...

thanks in advance..
PS if this is the wrong forum for this im sorry...
and could you tell me which one is??

By W.DeBord on Friday, October 06, 2000 - 09:23 am: Edit

Your at the right place.

Well if your running a LARGE (hotel size) business you can and they do break down responsiblities like your cook suggests.

But if your a normal size business and your the owner or head chef and you tell me to jump, my response is "how high sir"! The employee doesn't set the job definitions. If he doesn't like what's expected he should leave.

A. he's either lazy.
B. young and new to the business and doesn't realize everyone helps everyone. There are no pre-madonnas in a kitchen.


Personally I'd be careful with keeping him around...that type of attitute and behavior will start fights among your other good employees. Use your own common sense...can you afford to have employees that won't do anything but a pre-set list of duties.

When there's a SMALL boil over will he stand back and say "he's not a fireman either?"

By chris on Friday, October 06, 2000 - 10:39 am: Edit

I have worked in many restuarants with different procedures for everything but one thing has remained constant. A line cook is responsible for his misse en place. he/she may have others aid in the preparation but in the end he/she is responsible for the final set up before service. If your new employee has a problem with this DUMP HIM NOW!!! Like DeBord said earlier he'll only create problems later.

By Cheftim (Cheftim) on Friday, October 06, 2000 - 01:47 pm: Edit

In the restaurants like sizzler and denny's the line cook don't do their mis en place maybe that is where he came from.

Anywhere else the line cook does his own mis enplace and sets up his line.

You will have nothing but problems from this primadonna.
But that is just MNSHO

By edward j. on Friday, October 06, 2000 - 06:43 pm: Edit

Thanks for your feedback..My Baker told me about these forums.... looks like ill be hanging around awhile and learn something

By Mofo1 (Mofo1) on Friday, October 06, 2000 - 11:45 pm: Edit

Not only should he do it, he should want to do it. I insist on doing my own mise en place at work. I and only I do it to my own satisfaction. I cannot for the life of me imagine allowing, let alone wanting, someone else to do this for me. He's probably looking for an excuse to blame his shortcomings on someone else. Dump this loser quick.

By Yankee on Saturday, October 07, 2000 - 01:14 pm: Edit

I suppose he doesn't bother to clean up his station after his shift too since that's for the dishwasher/janitor to take care of? That's another good one.

This guy's taking you for a ride.

By Scott Lindsay on Sunday, October 08, 2000 - 08:15 pm: Edit

I have never heard of this problem in twenty five
years in the restaurant biz(yea right) Cut your
losses get rid of him!

By Michael Prine on Wednesday, October 11, 2000 - 06:13 pm: Edit

Was he in a union before he came to you?

By Edward J. on Wednesday, October 11, 2000 - 07:21 pm: Edit

No union. he worked at moomba in manhatten NYC

By Yankee on Friday, October 13, 2000 - 01:52 pm: Edit

Perhaps if he does not start to turn it around, you should print out this thread and post it above his station.

By Edwrard J. on Friday, October 13, 2000 - 07:11 pm: Edit

that would be interesting...
But i think my wife is gonna kill him first..

By chris on Friday, October 13, 2000 - 11:13 pm: Edit

Screw It, Throw a rondo at him!!!!

By Dpconsu (Dpconsu) on Saturday, October 14, 2000 - 07:44 am: Edit

Dear Sir,
PLEASE PLEASE follw the sage advice of the wizemen above.

Take him aside, with his final paycheck in your hand and tell him straight out that it is his attitude and not the quality of his work that forces you to ask him to leave.Tell him that he does not fit in with the rest of the crew and inyour concept of how you want things done in your restuarant. Be pleasent but firm, do not wait until you have got really pissed at him. Get rid of him now ! you crew will appreciate it, your wife will loose her homicidal tendicies and you will regain control of your establishment to run the way you want it run.

Dont throw a rondo or anything else at him, that makes you the villain and not him.( I am suprized at you chris)

By chris on Saturday, October 14, 2000 - 09:28 pm: Edit

what if it's just a small rondo?

By Chefrick (Chefrick) on Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 02:13 am: Edit

Chris,
why would you want to throw a perfectly good rondo small or large,those things cost money!Use a cleaver,they will stand up to the punishment,and can be resharpened! just a thought

By Panini (Panini) on Sunday, October 15, 2000 - 06:40 am: Edit

Man, you guys are violent. Why not just refer him to the competition. or poison?

By Yankee on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 03:28 am: Edit

Or, you could play that "walk-in" game with him...

Although, actually my favorite one is where you chuck all of the guy's mise en place in the trash (or change it out and fill the containers with paper towels -- with some of the original contents on top -- so it looks like it's full) while he is eating family meal. Then when he comes back, you watch him freak out, or just wait for him to "grab paper" during that first rush.

But, since he isn't doing his own set up, much of the effect may be lost.

The "boiling water down the leg" is another fun one.

Oh, I miss NYC.

By peachcreek on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 04:50 pm: Edit

Word to the not-so-wise:
The OWNER or MANAGER determines the JOB DESCRIPTION! NOT the EMPLOYEE. nuff said...

By Donna (Donna) on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 05:24 pm: Edit

Don't allow your staff to hold the upper hand. Later you will pay for it.
Who's the boss?
Dump him without remorse
Donna

By The Baker on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 07:07 pm: Edit

Hey i work with this guy... I told my boss to see what other people say since he wont listen us...

This guy is a good cook but a major pain...

in 2 months at least a half dozen mexican kitchen workers have walked out, plus one of the waitstaff.. the 2 remaining wanna kill him. I just ignore him and the owners wife cant belive her husband has not fired him..(she is in charge of desserts and bakeing he is in charge of the savory side)......He justs brings down everyone in the place.......but he just cant fire him......

By Dpconsu (Dpconsu) on Monday, October 16, 2000 - 07:39 pm: Edit

To the Baker,
It looks like this t*rd has allready screwed up a kitchen and created some friction with the front of house staff too. If your boss(Edward J) cant get rid of him, whats the reason?

I would sugest that all of the other staff(including Edwards wife) get together and lay it on the line. Everyone will suddenly come down with flu for as long as the guy still works there.

Maybe a few days of zero income will bring your boss to his sences