If you are on an hourly wage, like myself, its pretty awesome, and its rarely going to be like that ALL the time. Its just when the heavy times hit. Working 9-8 or 10-9 is dope. Its the later big shifts that suck. 3-2 is no bueno. All these cooks talk about their 15-18 hour days all week have been reading too much kitchen confidential. Its not like it used to be. I did a 21 hour day followed by an 16 hour day once, but that was once haha.

care to tell us more about your job. a lot of people asked why i don't go into cooking. they don't understand being a home cook versus a job is totally different. I have great respect to what you guys do. working the line is not easy.

What would you like to know? I've worked in a few aspects. I've been a head chef on 2 occasions, sous chef on 3 occasions and chef de partie at a couple restaurants. Bartender once, but know nothing really about that. Cooked in some of the big chains to start out. I'm currently a silent partner of a small quick service restaurant back in edmonton as well, but don't bother with any day to day aspects as my partners were the ones with the idea and direction of the company. I just helped open it, and threw some cash in. I'd rather not get too in depth with where I worked on a public forum, and don't want to represent how I feel about places I've worked poorly, because I feel pretty poorly about how cooks in general are treated. Its a fun job, but you need thick skin for sure, and have to be able to wade through a lot of bullshit, because people blow smoke up your ass daily.

Here's a basic slow cooker recipe. I added fresh garlic, homemade rub etc and made my own bbq sauce instead of using bottled stuff. Turned out great. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Recipe - Allrecipes.com

dat roast

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A few of the slow cooker recipes I've seen for pulled pork recommend browning the outside of the pork butt prior to tossing it in the slow cooker? Good idea?
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Definitely. The it will get a nice crust that really brings depth of flavour to it. Although I wouldn't bother with the slow cooker. Just slowly braise it in the oven at low temp and its a similar effect but can brown the uncovered part as it cooks. Cover it for the first few hours then uncover it and crank the heat.
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Yea, would be pretty awesome - revscene cook meets LOL
gastronomy is a big interest to me (though I haven't caught up with it)

Yep; huge difference!
When I use to be at a fine dining restaurant near north Barnaby/Hastings, I'd work around 10-11 hours (6-7 for mise-en-place, 3 for dinner service 1-2 for shutting down) a day salary based ($ as opposed to $$$ in hotels), which would barely cover anything LOL. To be honest, cooking is really repetitive (as we look for consistency) and would eventually rotate stations roughly every 6-8 months. Standing a lot and...generally gotta keep your mouth shut for the 5-6 hours of service or else you get told to st*u by the chef. Don't want to continue on rambling about it but..all in all, no complaints; one of the toughest careers but really rewarding if excelled in it.

first ever attempt at a pulled pork this morning. browned the shoulder in butter then rubbed it down with a mix of spices and seasonings, filled bottom of crock pot with onions and garlic and put about a cup and a half/2 cups of Beef stock mixed with hoisin, sriracha, garlic, seasonings, jalapenos, chilli powder and honey

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It's like, ya kidding me? Hands down best pulled pork I've ever had by a mile, Jesus

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Nice work.

That's the beauty of slow cooker pulled pork as well, get up 30 mins early for work, toss everything in and have a delicious meal when you get home.

i think it's really cool that some of your guys are giving us inputs. people don't understand doing something for fun versus working on the line is totally different. You are right, you stnad there for hours on end and you hvae to work with perfect timing to ensure the other parts of the dish is incorporated properly. people are good to judge but when it comes down to cooking, it's totally different.

Simple meal tonight, but my god these ribs were tender.
Ribs with garlic redskin mash, and a mickeys.
Ribs rubbed with smoked paprika, crushed garlic, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, cayenne. Braised on a bed of mirepoix, then finished roasted with homemade bbq.
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Dinner was pizza

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For the sauce I made a spinach pesto with roasted sun flower seeds. Toppings were beef sausage, caramelized onion, crimini mushrooms, tiny bit of shredded pepperoni and chèvre. Drizzled with roasted garlic oil and black fig balsamic reduction.

Haha totally forgot to toss on the grape tomatoes before I cooked it so just ate em as I had the pizza :)

Moderately healthy dinner yesterday.
Arugula and spinach salad with shaved shallot and roasted cherry tomatoes. Burnt lemon vinaigrette.
Seared steelhead trout with a light citrus beurre blanc.
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Probably healthier than 90% of what people post in the "Last place you ate" thread. :fullofwin:

Maybe not 15-18 hour, but my wife has worked at a number of fine dining restaurants, and her shifts would frequently be ~2-12 or 3-1.

So even though 10 hours isn't too crazy, I found that the fact that it's the latter half of the day really screws you over, unless all of your friends are also chefs.

Working 10 hours a day from M-F, 8-6 is completely different than working W-Sun, 3-1AM, even though its the same amount of time..

^
How does one get paid for that amount of time? Is it typically a set salary + tips or are you paid for your hours worked + overtime + tips?

(Sorry for the noob question - I have no experience in the restaurant industry unless McDonald's counts.)

For a lot of places it's a day wage, which ends up working out to minimum wage or less + tips. Any place with a proper business plan pays hourly like a normal job though or offers appropriate day wages or salaries. All depends on the place and position, but some places are embarrassing about the way they treat staff in order to offer "learning experience"
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japanese style braised pork belly with daikon

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Korean inspired chicken with glutinous rice soup

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Dessert was baked apple, cinnamon, and pecans

First go at baked Finnish pancakes... delicious!

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Chocolate Protein Greek Yogurt Pudding

Hahahahhah yep, "learning experience" = underpay workers. Though as a cook we may think this is an excellent idea but for others with "bigger" bills to pay - they usually stay with hotels as compensation + benefits will be fine enough.

enough said

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