Share the Worst Job You've Ever Had
After graduating from culinary school I was hired as a pantry chef in a five star Northern Italian restaurant, where movie stars came to dine, preparing salads and desserts. It was a hellish job experience for me being the only woman working among 35 foul-mouthed, misogynist male chefs and waiters in a very tiny, hot kitchen with an average temperature of ninety degrees. Each night, the owner would come running into the kitchen and yell at me to make the salads bigger. Once he left the kitchen, the chef would yell at me to make the salads smaller. Yes, the chef at this place also threw very hot pans at us!
What Made This Job Your Worst Job - Ever
Being treated like a sub-human at the five star restaurant was what got me to leave my job there as pantry chef. After hanging in there as long as I could, I left and began baking at night for another Northern Italian restaurant. I came in to work in the middle of the night, just as the rest of the crew was leaving, so I had the whole place to myself. I would clean the kitchen (again) spotlessly each night so I could work in a quiet and clean environment. I began baking beautiful breads, cakes, and all kinds of nice things for the restaurant. When the owner, cooks and waiters came in every morning there were racks full of beautiful breads and rolls, and assorted desserts that I had baked for them to serve to the customers all day and evening.
Tips and Tricks
- I was a brand new culinary school graduate when I was hired as a pantry chef in a high pressured five star restaurant. Although I knew I could handle the job in the pantry, I had no idea just how badly I'd be treated working there as the only woman among 35 angry, high pressured males? So, I recommend to other hopeful new chefs to consider what kind of work environment they would be happiest in and try different places until you find the right fit.
