/ck/ - Food & Cooking

>>5400960
Sometimes I believe my restaurant is too strict. We have to present the food we serve, but more often than not I ruin the punchline of what would've been an hilarious story. Sometimes we have guests that simply aren't familiar with fine dining and they obviously feel out of place.

>>5400987
Yes, that was the story about the americans. I added that for flare.

All I really want is to load off some steam after a harsh day at work. I'm surprised anyone even remembers.

>>5400974
>>5400960
This is copypasta now? I posted this a few months ago on /ck/ as the original creator.

>Italian tourists. 3 children and their mother.
>She asks if there will be northern lights this evening. Regrettably inform her she won't see it due to the midnight sun making it too bright.
>Pulls out some sort of travelling brochure stating it says she'll see northern lights.
>Somehow this is my fault. Being a passionate Italian shes never heard of inside voice and is causing a scene.
>Trying my best to calm her down.
>"At least you'll be able to experience the midnight sun!"
>She calms down, asks me if she'll at least be able to capture both suns in one picture.

Tried to explain once again, but she wouldn't have any of it. I was now the sole destroyer of their vacation and that was that. Some people just can't be reasoned with.

Fuck.

General restaurant stories. Tell your stories as either a guest or employee.

>Work at fancy fish restaurant in northern Norway.
>Realize during tourist season that every stereotype is true for a reason.
>The asians always want shellfish and more bread when they realize its free.
>French people understand English perfectly well but refuse to speak it out of arrogance. The only time they speak English is when they order their french wine, stating its superiority.
>Everyone English are usually old retired couples, really nice people.
>Americans panic when they want to tip. They don't know if its included, considered rude or how much %. Its really not expected of you here in Norway, chill guys.
>Australians are broes.
>Russians are untrustworthy guests.
>The japanese are sex tourists that believe conceiving a child beneath the northern-lights make it grow up to be happy.
>The local population are the most entitled.

>mfw people ask for salt before tasting a 80$ dish.

In addition to everything else said you can throw the onions in water before you start prepping. A sharp knife won't do much if you have to prep a few kgs of onions.

>>5270493
Accept anyone, that is.

>>5270444
>>5270445
>>5270473
I'm from Norway. Most places expect anyone, but you need experience and/or culinary school to get a job at fine dining.

>>5270370
2 years school and 2 years apprenticeship to become a waiter or cook and even then you're still not fully trained.

>unskilled

>>5249568
They're somehow very grateful and appreciative after you've helped them. But they never ask nicely about anything.

>>5249259
You think working as a line-chef is demeaning just because you work to serve others? Is being a lawyer demeaning or a doctor? Not hating, I know how hard your work is compared to mine, but would be sad if you don't hold any pride about your job.

>>5249231
>Meanwhile my support is running back and forward with bread to them after they all figured out it was free.
>After 5 minutes of waiting they ask me if we can bring their food asap because they want to go for a walk.
>Tell them its soon done.
>"OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE IT IS TAKING SO MUCH TIME"
>Food arrives 10 minutes later.
>"If this halibut is baked how do you know its not raw?!?"
>"... We use a cooking thermometer."
>They ask for salt and pepper before trying it.
>They then ask for tabasco.
>MORE BREAD PLEASE.
>Later on give them the bill.
>"OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS PRICE, IT IS INSANE!!"
>Thinking to myself "Welcome to Norway bitch"
>"Can't we settle for less? We have been good customers! NINE PEOPLE!"
>"No"
>"OH MY GOD AT THIS OTHER RESTAURANT..."
>"Afraid not"

No tip ofc, didn't care whatsoever. Just glad to see them gone.
Fuck indians. They're incredibly rude and nice at the same time. Fuck their culture.

>>5249211
>They ask about our Skreimolja, a traditional Norwegian cod dish bound by season.
>"I'm sorry but the season is between january to february, we sold our last skreimolja one hour ago."
>"Then why is it in the menu, that is very sloppy!"
>7 of them decide on the baked halibut.
>One wants the reindeer dish well cooked.
>And the last one can't decide if she wants the reindeer or not. She asks me about it.
>"Today we serve our reindeer dish with reindeer steak and rille from the leg. It comes with some raw and baked pumpkin, a lingonberry cream and red-wine sauce with honey."
>"Reindeer with honey, but thats sweet! And berries? NO, I dont like it!"
>"I want you to ask the chef if I can get the reindeer without any of that and something else."
>Go to ask our chef. Everything has already been prepared and they're too busy to make something else for her. I have to tell her no to ease the load on the kitchen.
>Tell her, she stands up and rushes to our open kitchen and gets up to the counter.
>HEY CHEF! My name is Sonya and when I was in Aalesund I was served the most AMAZING reindeer dish. Can you please make something special for me?."
>My chef gives me the death stare.
>"Yes, ofc. If you're willing to wait we can make you a pepper-sauce."
>"YES THANK YOU, I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!"
>She gives me the death stare.
cont

>Work at fancy fish restaurant in northern Norway.
>One hour after opening, suddenly 9 indian women drop in unannounced.
>They don't have a reservation. They get mad when we try to explain we can't get them the the tables next to a window because they're booked for half an hour later.
>"In all the other restaurants we always get to sit where we want!"
>In the end they decide to sit where we're able to make space.
>The second they sit down they order bread.
>"And we want it for free! Don't be stingy!"
>"... Its free of charge"
>My station support brings bread.
>"HOLLA HOLLA We want bread straight from the oven!"
>"... We just took it out of the oven."
>They glare at us and try the bread. Doesn't say a thing even though its clearly hot, can see the butter melting.
>Try to present todays menu, we change it every day so its not written in the menu.
>"JUST GIVE US THE MENU, YOU DON*T HAVE TO WASTE OUR TIME!"
>"... Its not written in the menu"
>"Then we don't want it!"
>"..."

cont

>>5228607
Well, its great in theory. But like I said it takes too long time and you also have to have place for a cart. Still, I'd love to do a flambè of some sort, I do it at home and its fun as fuck.

>>5228599
Send me an email if you want to talk. Can't offer you a position, but I'll be ready to answer questions or concerns you're having about your current place and work.

>>5228526
Tromso, but we just hired two waiters so no positions open before summer (maybe).

>>5228469
>>5228485
When you prepare food next to guests its called russian serving, like a flambé or tranching. The reason it went out of style is because it takes a long time and when other tables see it they want to have that as well creating a snowball effect. Kinda sad really, feels like a lost art these days.

>>5226503
Shit like that is highly unnecessary. I only remember one instance were guests made a scene and that was purely because a colleague of mine casually slipped that they had used the wrong cutlery and that she would bring new ones before their next dish np. They got ridiculously fast angry and wanted to leave without paying shouting how dared she imply they didn't know how to eat at a fine dining. Our current restaurant manager managed to salvage the situation by talking to them and they decided on a 50% discount and free wine.

>Trough this entire ordeal all I could think about was that they actually DID use the cutlery in the wrong order.

>>5226338
>Got one dishwasher. Only one.
>Emmanuel from Cameroon. The jolly giant.
>He works EVERY night.
>Also goes to the university taking degrees in fish health.
>Always listens to christian music, christmas spirit all year around.
>Dat feel when shitty day at work and you bring dirty plates to Emmanuel.
>"HEY MAN, HOW ARE YOU DOING MAN! :D:D:D"
>My short moments with Emmanuel is fucking therapeutic.
>"How can you work every single day and go to the university at the same time?"
>"I'M A MACHINE MAN!"

Fuck I love you Emmanuel.

>>5226311
Don't order lobster unless you see a fish tank with live ones on display.

>>5226282
You're payed what you're worth. If you've finished your apprenticeship, know wine, lead house and coordination you'll make a lot. It doesn't take long to reach this status either, in Norway its 4 years, two of them culinary school. If you're new without references you'll make 25$ an hour at my restaurant.

>>5225849
>>5225514

I'm very proud of my job and I make 50$ an hour and usually 80$ tip each day even though you're not expected to tip in Norway. Since I went to culinary school for two years I can work as a waiter, chef, butcher, or whatever if I'd like and I can do so in any country because its an international trade. A new waiter at my restaurant moved here from Romania because his skills allows him to work wherever he wants.

I'm also guaranteed work and good pay and later when I'm burned out I'll start teaching in a culinary school. All my friends went to university and they have huge debts, work at a patrol station because they can't get a job and have no pride what so ever in what they're doing. They're just doing it because they felt it was expected of them.

My job isn't shitty, but sometimes its fun to talk about the shitty people you meet.

>>5223391
A huge drop in like that should only be a problem around and after dinner times, not around lunch.

If you order various meals then everything will slow down, but that restaurant obviously had priority issues in the kitchen if they can't get you free bread and salads within 30 mins.

Cold food and dirty cutlery is unacceptable.

Either your waiter messed up your order or the kitchen got a bad head chef and staff because only half of your main meals got out.

If you didn't complain to the waiter before you had eaten you're in the wrong for not paying. If you complained before you're in the right.

A waiter should never threaten a customer. A police report can go to the media and you don't want angry customers to be interviewed. Also, waiters are supposed to give you a pleasant experience. The kitchen is supposed to give you pleasant food. The experience is part of what you pay for.