Pet peeves

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Great thread.

I'm an annoying chef. I'm happy - just happy to be in a kitchen. I whistle and sing, yet have pretty high standards.

Pet peeves? This is easy:
Carelessness
Waste.
Not taking cling wrap off a container (i.e just punching your fist through).
And THEN re-wrapping over the top of it.
Old labels on containers.
People not tasting their mise en place.
The word 'should'. "do you have enough artichokes prepped for tonight?" "I should chef..."
People that use the phrase 'that's not my section.'
People who aren't interested in improving their performance.
people who can't spell what they're cooking.
Spelling and grammatical errors on menus.
 
This thread speaks to me... I'm very OCD.

Walking without purpose drives me nuts.
Letting a service fridge door slam shut, don't even get me started...
Leaving a scrunched up towel on a bench 'cause you can't keep it on your person properly...
Re-using one mixing bowl for a dish over and over.
Spazzing out and moving quickly but not efficiently.

Just off the top of my head
 
:rofl2: we pro cooks/chefs are touchy eh? (to all) Standing in the way and culinary school are good ones ( i never went to a culinary program,turning into a chemist over a cook. lol!)

I only smoke when appropriate with line work, and every 4 hours in production. one ever has to pick up slack for me. one chef said smokers are more productive when they smoke then bitchy non smokers.

knyfeknerd said:
People complaining about how tired they are or how much their vaginas hurt that day

Not dressed acceptably.-If you can't figure out black pants, shoes and a white tee, you should be removed from the gene pool.

Standing in my way when I'm busy- Seriously GTFO my way.

Being happy and cheerful-Keep that kind of crap to yourself. Your good attitude makes me 10x grumpier and highlights the fact that you are an idiot.

Telling me "This is how we do it in culinary school"
.
Click to expand...
 
Totally agree with ^ on the smoking. I never walk off the to smoke, and only every few hours during prep. Excuses are my big downfall. Or the "that's not how I learned in school" BS. I went to culinary school, but one thing I learned there is no matter how you think it should be done. Do it chefs way, he is your superior, unless chef says to do it how you want.

One more big one that after starting and reading this thread that no one has said, and happened during lunch today is sloppy server tickets when hand written when the the ticket machine craps out.
 
Gumbys, people who can't dance during service, continually in the way or bumping into others . I've worked with a couple over the years.
This seems unrelated to the persons physique, fitness or experience.
 
Another one I hate: taking orders after you've finished up. Happens all the time where I work "Oh I couldn't say no!" Sometimes it's 5 mins after stop time which ain't so bad because you haven't cleaned everything down yet, but other times the whole kitchen is clean and someone brings an order in. A couple of times I've literally been about to leave, changed and everything and I have to turn everything on again because some dumbass waitress wouldn't tell people we're closed.
 
+1 ... especially the 'dumbass' waitstaff, but what do they care anyway?
 
Servers who ask if an item is "home made".

Touching my knives without permission. I had a student ask to try my Saji cleaver last month. I told her "Yes, but understand young lady-drop it and you're going down with it." Got a letter from the Chancellor on that one.

Hax the Cook CLEAVERS RULE!!! :D
 
Smokers that want to take a "cig break" every 15 min. Cooks that complain that their station isn't set up when they walk in the door. Hello its your station to set up.
Managers that have no clue. Managers that have other things to do, and nothing at the restaurant. Managers that get tied around the waitstaff's fingers.
people that don't want to learn the job, or even care.
 
Ohya, if you dislike people smoking, just swap their station around everytime they go for a smoke. Or hide their ****. Obviously not if they take responsible breaks, but you know the person I'm talking about.
 
It's been a while since I've actually been in a pro kitchen, but my main pet peeves were:

Walking off the line when a crowd starts to order.
Not prepping enough.
Wiping crap onto the floor.
Not cleaning the grill.
 
Finding the plastic wrap where one side has been caught so the wrap gets more narrow when you pull it out and you know the last person that used it knew that they left it caught but were too lazy to fix it so you have to slide your fingers or a knife under the overlayered one side of the wrap to rip or cut off the excess to even it out.
 
tkern said:
Finding the plastic wrap where one side has been caught so the wrap gets more narrow when you pull it out and you know the last person that used it knew that they left it caught but were too lazy to fix it so you have to slide your fingers or a knife under the overlayered one side of the wrap to rip or cut off the excess to even it out.
Click to expand...
+100
 
tkern said:
Finding the plastic wrap where one side has been caught so the wrap gets more narrow when you pull it out and you know the last person that used it knew that they left it caught but were too lazy to fix it so you have to slide your fingers or a knife under the overlayered one side of the wrap to rip or cut off the excess to even it out.
Click to expand...

Sometimes it's the person's fault and sometimes it's just a bobo roll of plastic. I've had brand new rolls do that to me(it always happens at the worst possible time) and they will track through the whole roll.
As for the people.........
,,,,,,,it's like the person that takes the last paper towel or uses the last of the toilet paper! If you kill it, you fill it!
I am not your mom or maid.
It's not cool to leave your chef or co-workrers hanging with the dookie-butt.
 
Using my knives without my permission is a huge one.
Whistling. (Drives me nuts.)
Speaking so loudly in a one on one conversation that the entire kitchen can hear you. (I.e. Talking to the guy at the station right next to you and I can hear one side of the conversation very clearly at the other end of the kitchen.)
Grabbing a sharpie from my pocket or grabbing one of my side towels because you don't have one on you. (It always seems to be the guys who give you a hard time about always having two towels on your person. Why is that???}
Dull knives.
Leaving your station a mess.
Talking on the phone when you should be working.
Generally, not being organized and squared away for service.

Not really a kitchen peeve, but flip flops. Unless you're in a locker room, at a pool, or within a five minute walk of a major body of water, leave them at home. With the possible exception of a few attractive females, I just don't want to see everyone's feet. :)
 
^^^ +1 on the flip flops. My kids call me the flip flop nazi because I don't let anyone leave the house with flop flops on unless we are headed directly to the pool.
 
barramonday said:
Gumbys, people who can't dance during service, continually in the way or bumping into others . I've worked with a couple over the years.
This seems unrelated to the persons physique, fitness or experience.
Click to expand...

+10

Gumby's, I gotta remember that.
 
Not really a kitchen related pet peeves, but when people make the assumption because I flip burgers for a living, I am poor, unskilled and uneducated.

Others include:
Asking for a smoke break during volume.
Not putting something away in the correct place in the walk in.
 
kalaeb said:
Not really a kitchen related pet peeves, but when people make the assumption because I flip burgers for a living, I am poor, unskilled and uneducated.
Click to expand...

Oh, yes! ... +1

And how about servers who aspire to being actors? 'I'm going for auditions/studying acting/am an actor/just doing this for $...' Yeah, sure. Well, we're all doing this for money and you've already been at it for 7 years, sugar.
 
:whistling:
knyfeknerd said:
People complaining about how tired they are or how much their vaginas hurt that day

Not dressed acceptably.-If you can't figure out black pants, shoes and a white tee, you should be removed from the gene pool.

Standing in my way when I'm busy- Seriously GTFO my way.

Being happy and cheerful-Keep that kind of crap to yourself. Your good attitude makes me 10x grumpier and highlights the fact that you are an idiot.

Telling me "This is how we do it in culinary school"





and you guys don't pay any attention to cutty, he doesn't like fancy/custon handles on knives either. Tattoos don't bother me, bad tattoos do.
Click to expand...

:rofl2::whistling: Hey this is America, speak english!Tatoo's tribal,Likes people who make me laugh.
 
Dishwashers putting stuff away wet.

I have to admit 90% of the previous mentioned pet peeves don't happen in my kitchen. Bad habits yes, bad work habits no.
 
What not Pau yet?Hurry up!

Dull knives,other persons knives appearing next to me when I'm sharpening mine.

Banquet persons who print up a whole new banquet sheet for every little change instead of coming down & making the change on the original sheet.

Flip Flops? We call them slippers here,a fact of life.Likes soft comfortable Flojo's wt. good bottom grip so you don,t fall on your okole on wet smooth concrete.Likes bare foot Hula dancers.:hula:

Late orders when closing up,just do it.You are a professional to serve the customer wt. good food it's your job.The beer can wait.

Not using first in first out,over ordering,waste.

Homo Sapians invented language so they could grumble

Like efficient workers wt. little wasted movement,they do exist.

Major pet pieeve is eating seafood at a rest. & getting the runs,me & my sweetie both got sick eating fish taco's,being in the buss.,know exactly how it happens,No Excuses!
 
I'm glad to see the comments about using a timer. The people I work with seem to think setting a timer makes them less cool if they set one. Like they feel only Hoke cooks set timers not pro cooks.

I'll add another one. People I work with seem to think they will lose their man card if they use a thermometer. You have one in your jacket, USE it! I'd rather you stick every piece of meat than have one come back from customer.

-AJ
 
Standing in tight spots and not moving when you know someone is trying to get past you.
When you call "Legs!" to get into an oven or service fridge during service and the other person refuses to move (I realise this may be hypocritical, but still pisses me off).
Cliques in a big kitchen.
Generic pop radio stations (Thankfully I'm not subjected to it now, but my tolerance for Fox Fm has it's limits)

Cheers,
Josh
 
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