I haven't posted anything in a while but there's been some interesting developments during the weekends, namely having two pantry cooks. At times like these, depending on who's in pantry with me, I'll let my former trainee be as independent as possible. The best trainees are the ones who ask plenty of questions or the ones who just get things done with minimal input. Once they know what needs to be done then I can go do other things. Kitchen staff rarely needs help so I'll do some things for the servers like putting away the silverware or other dishes, stock, or other miscellaneous... server tasks. Occasionally the kitchen staff will ask me for something. Sometimes servers ask me to do something. Sometimes management asks me to do something. Sometimes I ask myself to do something. The biggest request, by far, is:
It's been requested a few times
Unofficially, of course. Front end management isn't an officially sanctioned position. I shy away from management positions because I've done it before and it's not quite up my alley. I will do it if it's necessary and I have been stepping up my game. I suppose we can't expect me to do the same thing every single day without some growth! Besides, what's the challenge with doing the same old shit on a different day? My coworkers won't let me view the job that way anyway because each person brings something new to my experience. In turn. I'll bring something new to the table... err... counters... Keep it fresh. Keep it fun!
In order to step up my game I've been learning more about the front end from the servers. Just a little bit at a time just so I have another tool in my toolbox. I've been mostly putting away dishes that the servers normally do because that helps out Dish too. The dishwashers need their racks and bins back. The point is, in my mind, to keep the front end running as smooth as possible with very little worry. I shy away from management positions because I hate telling people what to do. The servers have their own form of leadership anyway, COs and DCOs who assign tasks to each other.
Pantry, at this restaurant at least, can help out with most positions in the restaurant. It's technically a kitchen position but it helps the servers. I'm taking this as an opportunity to do more and making it into a habit (because I'm forgetful). I'll bet the kitchen staff would like to have a few words though...
I heard that pantry has enough on their plate as it is, but as often as I get sent home early I see it as not enough.
In other news, I had this rather cryptic message on this ticket from the bartender:
There are a lot of tight friendships at the restaurant then there are coworkers who work with family. Brothers, sisters, and cousins all around! I'm not sure how I'd feel working with family though. I'm the most patient person of my family and I rarely get angry about anything (except family but that's another story) so having to put up with family would be a challenge. One person, though, said it's pretty cool and they can give their sibling a hard time. I can understand that since I give people a hard time and they return the favor! Lately I've been joking about charging people 5 cents for each 'sorry' I hear...
We'll always bump into each other! Don't need to say, "Sorry" every time!
We always bump, touch, and squeeze each other and they always say they're sorry. 5 cents. Kitchen staff doesn't get tips so this is my sneaky way of getting a little extra... if they actually took me seriously.
Last weekend I decided to be social and go out with my coworkers to celebrate a birthday. I wasn't sure what to expect since I haven't been out partying for a long time and I don't drink alcohol (20 years!), and we ended up closing a very popular dance club! What a night! Wall to wall people dancing with some seriously awesome people! We talked about it the next day and the general manager mentioned it could be claustrophobic but I said my pantry position trained me for that 😄What prevented me from going out for the longest time was that I don't drink and I thought I'd be too old to hang out with these fine people. But now I realize:
I'm too young to worry about it and too old to care!
Enjoy life and enjoy being around people you love! Friendships can spawn whenever and anywhere, so take any opportunity to be around people who make you feel great.
I may have life experience but you have taught me a lot!
Another thing that's been on my mind is: we work to live only to live to work. Don't forget to live! We're brought down by finances and money truly does not buy happiness.
I forgot to live at some point
Working nights at a restaurant fits my personality pretty well being a night owl and all. I can imagine it can be rough with relationships for those who work nights versus those with 9-5 jobs. Weekends are nonexistent for us since we work through the weekends, while potential significant others would have those days off. Rarely any time together. How does that work? It can't be easy.
Which comes to me thinking about how society views being in a relationship with a coworker. WHY NOT? Who would know you better than a coworker? Who else would know how you handle pressure? Especially at a restaurant? Sure, don't be too affectionate with each other, but the workplace is great for meeting people and there's a better chance of having schedules work out. Is it professional? No? But that's another test in the relationship. Restraint and professionalism. But what do i know? I'm single most of the time!
It's been a while since I posted a new blog entry but this lead from one idea to another, then the next thing you know I married the bread oven.
I'm never sure which is worse: being really busy or being really slow. What is irritating is when you finally commit to the idea that it'll be slow when a late dinner rush happens.
When a late dinner rush hits
There could be very little reason for someone to be on the clock and they're struggling to find something to do. All you can do is clean everything... twice... three times... then someone starts singing...
Disclaimer: This is not an actual picture of me and my coworkers
The guest list could be 10-20 people at any given time for a couple hours, then it'll spike up within an hour & a half of closing time... right when you think it's safe to do your closing duties.
Actual picture of guests when we're doing our closing duties (not really)
These late guests, which is the current trend for the last month, erase all of the cleaning and closing you've done in the last hour.
No matter how many times it happens, and it has happens frequently, you end up getting frustrated and tired! So the moral of the story is:
Be prepared for inconveniently timed dinner rushes. They will happen often because, well, we deal with the general public. On top of that, the people who haven't been cut yet will have to pick up the slack.
The restaurant closes at 9:00 or 10:00 so we tend to get things ready to close an hour before the doors are locked. Late diners tend to derail any closing attempts we try and sometimes we end up staying later than we want to. I come up with sayings, mantras, to deal with the job. In this case it's, "If it doesn't happen around 7:00 then it won't happen at all." Normally that's the case, but there have been frustrating exceptions! Last minute guests. UGH!
Sometimes the restaurant gets so busy, we get stressed out and nearly run out of everything. Here are a couple posts from Facebook this past weekend, and I did have Sunday night off where I enjoyed an orchestra concert where one of my coworkers played violin.
Friday night:
This is the parking lot at [work] and yes, those are two buses. This was one of our reservations that
came early tonight. 60 top. I commandeered another cart to fill with
salads. I wasn't expecting a big top soon after I clocked on but this is
the restaurant business! Things went smoothly on my end and a lot of
waiting for them to leave so we could resume business.
It was
steady afterwards for a couple of hours and then a delayed dinner rush,
current trend still, which had everyone busy until 9:00. I closed
pantry, did a trash run, then helped out dish until my 6 hours was up.
Whew!
Saturday night:
...I clocked in early tonight so I could tackle a 50 top reservation, a wedding banquet where they actually got married at [the restaurant].
Married. At. [the restaurant]. Well... I guess it's better than married at the drive
thru at McDonald's. At the same time the staff was busy with catering.
Tonight was busier than last night! People just kept coming in until
8:30. Between 7-8 was probably the longest hour I have experienced in a
long time! So busy we came close to
running out of a lot of things many times during the night. I lost count
on how many times I filled the croutons.
I steered away a 3 top 10 minutes before closing time as I walked out the door... Now I have 3 days off. Yay!
On Sunday night, I had the pleasure of experiencing an orchestra concert where a coworker was performing. They played Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 and Bruckner's 7th Symphony.
Me on the left, Rolly on the right
Rolly is one of the nicest guys I've met at work, and whenever we pass each other we joke around. He's currently the kitchen's 'High Five' king.
Corvallis Oregon State Symphony during intermission
There was very little interaction with coworkers due to business, aside from the concert which was a nice break. When busy weekends hit like this, you definitely need to stay on top of everything! Many times the back zone would fill with servers and managers, which could make or break a person. I'm grateful I'm not claustrophobic or haphephobic (fear of being touched).
This is a short blog post since I can't think of anything else 😝
These are edited and cherry picked posts about work with new memes:
But first is a mugshot of some of our crew! This was from our holiday party (from left to right: Savanna, that weird pantry guy, and Jessica). They're doing their best to contain me. Thank you for the picture, Natalie!
Photo courtesy of Natalie Brandt
February 17 at 10:04pm·
I mis-quoted Savanananananana (sounds like a motorcycle starting up)
last night. It's "The LB in the BZ" as in 'Little buddy in the back
zone'. Now that we're clear on that she's handing out nicknames but some
started their own!
When I walked in I was called "Scottzilla", by Josh. "Kota"calls me "Scotty" (I think 'Coda' since I'm a musician) Sav calls me "LB" Kristen said I was acting broken today. Yep I was. After a night like tonight it's easy to be broke.
I was talking with Cesar about insanity... We're thinking it's a loop.
We're crazy then we add more craziness until it loops into sanity.
Mobius Strip.
We keep each other entertained
This is a fairly good representation of my brain too
February 9 at 10:03pm ·
I decided to give my coworkers Italian mobster nicknames... Scott=Scottini Marvin=Marvoni Jesse=Jesterno Micah=Micahgio Adam=Adamo (really is an Italian name btw) Savanna=Savandria Kristen=Kristendra Kayla=Kaylanetta Mary Rose=Marietta Rosello Alex=Alexandra Dakota=Dakotella (sounds like a yogurt brand... market it!) Devin=Devinemo Josh=Joshinio Chris=Christofo Emily=Emilia Nikki=Nikkintia Natalie=Natalia Oliver=Olivier (Oliviay) Shyanne=Shyandra Anthony=Antonio César=Césarigio
Coutesy of https://www.pinterest.com/fernandoddrc/mafiaitalia/
February 3 at 9:55pm ·
It was a circus, thus this linked youtube vid :D
It felt like I worked very hard with very little to show for it.
Anything I stocked went bye-bye soon afterwards and servers were all
over the place making mobility a challenge. I'm sure other kitchen staff
doesn't envy my position... it gets cozy up there!
January 19 ·
What does a sassy redhead, a teasing Ukrainian (if I remember right),
a new party balloon lady, a lady who's always asked "North or South?", a
smart-ass guy (you know who you are!), a studly guy (not on my friends
list), a jolly guy, a Caribbean guy, and more people, salads, bread, ice
cream, and a steady stream of tickets have in common?
I don't know but I work with them. It was a fairly steady night at work with a bunch of small tops.
December 13, 2017 ·
I often write in run-on sentences...
I was pretty busy with the spag position since I had a lot to do so I
could keep the line cooks happy but it was kind of hard to tell if they
were happy or not because I'm pretty much alone in the back of the
kitchen portioning and cooking noodles while the kitchen manager was
running around making sure everything was running smooth but things tend
to get slippery in the kitchen so you got to be careful or you could
end up with stitches like I did which is very inconvenient but tonight I
didn't slip so I could keep working which can be lonely in the spag
position except I had some very lovely visitors that brightened up my
night and made me feel young again and I needed that boost to finish my
shift that included a hug which I like very much and would I would
highly recommend hugs if they don't cause too much anxiety but most of
my coworkers are pretty awesome and I bought a bluetooth speaker so I
could listen to some tunes which kept me boppin' and rollin' throughout
the night except I don't roll very well.
Summary: Slow night. I kept busy. Music. Great coworkers. Hugs. Did I mention I like hugs?
November 10, 2017 ·
I
don't know how much I slept last night. It seems like I was awake all
night but I know I slept a few times. On top of that I'm getting over a
cold! So my Friday night at work was a bit of a wrestling match between
me & tiredness. I was distracted by my coworkers too. I spent a lot
of time talking and hanging out when I'm usually busy with the job. It
was fairly busy but there was plenty of time for some socialization.
Socialization? ERMERGERD! (yeah I know I'm using an antiquated
meme/joke but... bite me) Maybe I'm underestimating my social skills.
Maybe not. Maybe I don't care about my awkwardness when I'm tired. Maybe
tiredness didn't factor in. A lifetime of habits of underestimating
myself is a hard habit to break! Does it matter if I underestimate
myself? I think it keeps things real and humble. I'll still perform the
same however I may perform. Maybe. It's all relative. I'm aware of my
strengths and weaknesses. Well... maybe I have strengths and weaknesses
that are hiding in plain sight. For that I'll have to rely on other
people's perspectives. But the nature of perspective is in the
interpretation of information. Do I make up my own mind or rely on the
views of another? Both? Ramble on! Improvise! Just enjoy it.
If you can untangle that last paragraph then I'll congratulate you.
December 2, 2017 ·
...the crew contends with another 30+ reservation, and then some, around
8:00. It went smoother tonight although everyone's brain seems to have
been hijacked for some alien experimentation. Hopefully we'll get them
back. We'd often go somewhere to do something but forget what we were
doing including yours truly (yours truly? What does that really mean?). A
lot of us were tired too. Me? Because of a hamster in my head with ADHD
and too much sugar.
I really want to record some of the sounds
my coworkers make and make a mix tape. "UGH!" "GROWL!" "AUGH!"
"*censored expletives*". There's been a lot of singing too with strange
made up lyrics and all. I'm grateful someone wasn't singing Christmas
music like last night... "GROAN!"
October 29, 2017 ·
@ the ER. I slipped and caught my pinky on some metal. ...crew be careful walking around corners! Slip resistant shoes my ass! As
I wait here bleeding... quick xray and stitching up. Will keep you
updated
I ended up getting 8 stitches that night. The company manager was there too.
October 13, 2017 ·
Lively ... crew tonight! It's good to see that every now and then. Not all the time though or you'll give me an aneurysm.
I uploaded these to Facebook but it makes better sense to post them here...
I used to put pun memes onto a coworker's FB wall. She said she's terrible with puns but she'll think of one before the year 2027. I didn't have to wait that long.
A coworker walks by drumming on his bread with a knife.
I say, "Bread isn't percussion!"
She says, "Drum roll!"
When you start running low on supplies, servers are all around you needing their order, and salad is flying everywhere:
The next one doesn't need an explanation... also I sympathize with how my cat feels during a bath.
Even though I work part time, the days I work vary from week to week.
I think we all could relate to this one... unless you're a full time worker with a fixed amount of work hours.
This happens often when dinner rush hits. It comes in waves and from what I understand it's because guests have to leave to make room for more business. Then servers have a chance to get orders from the new guests.
This is a little personal since I do feel like I'm taken for granted at times. There are other great employees who deserve more recognition than me who, sadly, do not get it.
Prepping ice cream for the dinner rush is a necessity but, when I need to stock pantry in order to keep it running, there's a better time to scoop ice cream! Not when things are falling apart.
Should I pull a unicorn out too?
This is the look on servers' faces when the kitchen yells, "Food Runners!"
Kitchen staff do not get tips. This is our face when we hear servers complain.
Servers are trained for pantry so sometimes they don't need someone working the pantry position... but for someone who's sole job is pantry, this is how it feels.
The bread timer is awfully annoying but sometimes servers, who are standing next to it when I'm busy, ignore it.
You can't live without the other cooks so pantry seems like an afterthought. Labor is the biggest, and most confusing, dirty word of the restaurant. I get called off a lot and I get cut early.
Why are the servers out of bread? Oh yeah, you took some out of the oven without putting more back in... rule of thumb (provided by Billy): ALWAYS HAVE BREAD IN THE OVEN AT LEAST UNTIL 7:00!
I wish there was detention for those servers who only work their own order without helping with other orders...
You have no idea how many times I was bumped into, or I bumped into someone who was behind me. This was very much the case during Valentine's Day.
Instead of summing it up, I'll paste my Facebook status after my Valentine's Day shift:
Restaurant workers need a badge that says, "I survived Valentine's Day!"
I don't how many strings of 2xCreamy Pesto salads I made tonight.
Everything was going fine until everything ran out at once! Then it was a
scramble to get everything back into working order. I had to clock out
with unfinished business since I hit my 6 hour limit. The restaurant was
still busy after 9:00 which is our closing time.
Ahh... "Por Una Cabeza" by Carlos Gardel. No other tango music is as popular in cinema! No other person could present that like Al Pacino. So saucy!
Wait... what does this have to do with a restaurant? We're one day away from Valentine's Day! We're working on Valentine's Day! Working on V-Day doesn't mean we can't get in the mood. Guests are going to bring their significant other to the restaurant. Dating coworkers are going to be working with each other. Some of my coworkers are married and leaving their S.O. behind. I'm single and I have very little reason to celebrate, but we can celebrate Valentine's for other people! We can celebrate for the single people! This shouldn't be just for couples. It should be for all of us! Valentine's Day could be for the hopeful singles too!
I'm taking applications!
Valentine's Day normally comes and goes without much thought, but I realize there's more to the world than just me. There are many hopeful singles I work with, and many who are taken, who do consider Valentine's Day as being a big day for them. How to make it special if you have a S.O., and how will an introverted pantry guy going to help? I'll tell ya!
People love being treated like they're special. How can that happen in a crowded restaurant? It could be distracting so be close, make eye contact, have some physical touch... appropriate physical touch. Some people are PDA-phobic (public displays of affection), I.E. single & jealous onlookers. It's Valentine's Day. We should allow for some. Let's not have make-out sessions in the booth though.
Gifts. We have flowers, candies, and corporate interests to uphold, and a gift can show you thought of them. We have busy lives, stressful studies, and social drama, so that gesture will mean a lot especially if it's a handcrafted gift.
Present your significant other like you're showing them off. Flatter them! Show the world that they are the most special guest in your life. If you embarrass them, it's a good sign. Here are some benefits of embarrassment.
Romantic music. Dance to a tango!* Part of the flirting game is copy another person's movement, but I think synchronized movement would be more potent! This will get the person out of their head and into the moment. They have to pay attention to the here and now! You are front and center. You're everything.
*You'll have to wait until after the restaurant though. This is a blog about life at a restaurant after all!
You're not done with flirting, no matter how long you've been in a relationship! There is no, "Okay, the flirting part is done since I won them over!" It's a commitment! The more successful couples flirt with each other all the time. Need a refresher? Here you go! Flirting tips...
You should know some details about your S.O. that nobody else knows. Remind that person that you pay attention! Make a list and remind yourself why these details are important!
This is not a day to play therapist. This is a time to enjoy each others' company!
Seduction. Nobody, ever, ever, ever, is done with seduction. You have no choice! Single or taken, it's a necessity. You don't have to be Casanova. You don't have to be that attractive. It's all about how you make a person feel! The best way is through proximity and touch. The warmth of your bodies, the smoothness of your skin, your fragrance, the feel of another's hand as they firmly hold you in your arms... whew! *ahem* Just be a little more conspicuous if you're working, but sometimes it isn't conspicuous. Good thing there's a walk-in freezer.
What about us single people? Some of the above tips would help too, but I'll add a few things:
Learn! Pay attention. There are signs someone is flirting with you, but sometimes that flirting means they like you, or they're a playful flirt. Do they stand close to you despite having plenty of room to stand elsewhere? Do they tease you? Do they copy you? Do they spend more time around you than anyone else?
You will be tested. Everyone tests everyone especially at a restaurant. It could be for the job, it could be for friendship, or it could be for romance. Most of the time the testing is subconscious. Would you buy shoes without trying them on first? I've had a few interesting tests at this job, like being asked to do menial jobs they could've easily done for themselves. Did I pass? Probably not. I'm a pushover. Some people test your comfort zone too. How does it feel to be close to this person?
If you're afraid of rejection, chances are the other person is just as afraid. This is why I'm single most of the time. I'm still learning but the fear is still too much.
Give them attention. Call them by name. It's great to be recognized! People will appreciate it.
Any self image issues you have does not matter. All that matters is how you make someone feel! I mentioned this several times in this blog because it is the single most important thing I've learned. My head was buried in the sand to realize this. If you think you're too ugly, too skinny/fat, too dumb, too awkward, or too messed up, then you have to let ALL OF THAT GO! Remember, even the most physically beautiful person in the world could be a total douchebag. You can't feel good with that type of person. All of these tips I'm sharing will contribute to making someone feel WONDERFUL! Even awkward geeks like me have a chance.
Now matter which side of the spectrum you are on Valentine's Day, there's plenty of room for you! Scoot over...
Here's some music I wrote for Marc Camoletti's "Don't Dress for Dinner":
I present "A Friend, A Cook, and a Tango"
Happy Valentine's Day!
Valentine's Day is normally a day that just comes and goes for me since I'm single most of the time. Yet I get to cater to guests who will celebrate V-Day while I'm working. On the bright side, I'll be surrounded by gorgeous women at work as the pantry guy! Woot! This is not an occasion to rack up sexual harassment claims, since I value my job, so I tone down any interactions I may have. Although... some ladies haven't toned things down for me... *ahem* 'Nough said about that. Careful with that twerking though. Aimed twerking. Intentional butt bumps. I thought I said enough about that... But we don't have to behave while we're off the clock... Face turning red yet?
I work with a bunch of beautiful people of all sorts. Guys included, so says the straight guy. I find beauty in all sorts of people, some have a beautiful heart, some are physically attractive, some are shy and quiet, some are loud and extroverted, some are comfortable with their sexuality, but there's one commonality between most: self esteem of varying levels. A few people turned a 180 while I worked at this restaurant. One went from an anxious jumble of nerves to a confident and outgoing lady, one went from buried into her work into a strong woman, one went from courtesy smiles into one of the most beautiful smiles I've seen. There are some people (guys included) I hardly interact with, but when I start talking to them, they surprise me with their responses which makes me want to interact with them more! All people are beautiful when they're given a chance. I usually give guys a hard time and they return the favor. I may have changed the most. I'm more confident doing my job, I no longer panic during a rush, and I'm more open to helping people out when they need it.
All of these beautiful people have taught me some valuable lessons in life. These self-esteem issues I had do not matter to them. It's how I make them feel! That's all that matters. In return, they're more relaxed, they smile more, and they're appreciative, and they can get more flirty. *straightens back, chin up, strut around*
This is me with beautiful women around...
What I would like to see more is my coworkers outside of work. They don't have to worry about guests, getting orders together, dealing with a dinner rush, and not worrying about having a manager scrutinize their every move. I've seen my coworkers on social media. I'm envious!
Coworker hugs... how can you NOT love this?
The above picture was something I took tonight. I love these interactions! This was their second hug because I didn't have my phone out for the first. Aren't they gorgeous? I love my job. Well... the job could be better but I love my coworkers!
Maybe I'll make a special Valentine's Day post since we do have a couple of coworkers who are dating each other... if I don't make such a post then: Happy Valentine's Day!
I normally come early so I can have my nicotine, get dressed (no I'm not naked beforehand!), wash hands, then clock on to participate in the insanity. Here's my typical night:
I walk into the restaurant.
Obviously, unless it was an outdoor restaurant. Outdoor restaurant in the Willamette Valley? Get real.
I say ,"Hi" to coworkers.
They'll normally say, "Hi" back. We're not stuck up! I make sure I get to know everyone's name. They really appreciate it when they're recognized. I was recently thanked for talking to someone who was rarely talked to. My dad has shown me that it only takes one person to make another person's day. Could you be that person?
I check reservations.
It's really nice to know what the night is going to bring so we can prepare for it.
I hang out near the food warmer when it's cold.
I'm half Eskimo but the other half is white. I'm blame my white half for being cold.
Sometimes someone would want me to clock on early.
It depends on how busy it is, but I can wait if it's not. Someone told me my middle name should be patience. I already go by my middle name, which is Scott. My first name is Aaron. How awkward is Aaron Scott Patience Kingston? My initials wouldn't be as cool... ASPK instead of ASK. Go ahead, ASK me for my initials.
I clock on.
I need to get paid.
I check how much I need to stock.
Sometimes pantry is stocked when I clock on. Sometimes it's a total disaster. What I like about the pantry position is that I can normally get it caught up within an hour, depending on how busy it is.
I stock.
A running pantry is a stocked pantry. That's what my momma always says. No, she never said that.
I scoop ice cream.
I'm always complimented on my ice cream scoops. I've seen better.
I make salads and bake bread.
Better than baking salads and making bread.
I stock.
A running pantry is a stocked pantry. Déjà Vu. Welcome to the Matrix.
I take a break... or two... or three. Rarely take them consecutively.
That rhymed.
I make it through dinner rush
Sometimes the rush is delayed, which is bad for the closers.
I stock
Déjà Vu. Featuring Van Hagar:
As I said before, pantry is a kitchen position that's surrounded by servers. It gets busy up front and it's really hard to get around sometimes. The managers will often get into discussions right in the middle of the aisle. If you're haphephobic (fear of being touched), or claustrophobic, then you're going to have a long night!
Once things die down, then we can focus on closing the pantry station. Sometimes I get sent home early, sometimes I don't. I'd like to get as much done before I leave though. It also depends on how we're staffed too. Maybe Dish will need some help so they can get out. Sometimes I'll do a trash and recycling run. That can get messy.
And now is the time everyone loves at a restaurant...
