Monday 18 July 2011

Hotel Manager. Helps the staff or helps themselves?

I have worked for some dedicated Hotel Managers in my time. People that have worked 12 hour days, who lead from the front if things are going bad, they get stuck in first and ask questions later. Now these are my type of managers. They understand the business, they know that not everything can be perfect every time, they see that you are giving everything to your job and they thank you for your hard work and after busy service they get a round of drinks for the kitchen. These people care about the Hotel and Staff and these are usually the ones that have a highly successful career with staff that will follow them into battle anywhere anytime.
On the other hand I have also worked for the other sort of managers, the ones don't only work 9 til 5 monday to friday, who only come out of their office to bollock someone over a complaint letter that stated the hotel isn't 4 star because it has thread bare carpets, someone who picks up the phone an orders a busy member of staff to make them a coffee because they are to lazy to walk to the kitchen and make it themselves, someone who treats themselves to bottles of champagne because the staff have reached budget that month, someone who wants every bit of paper work in place so that if anything goes wrong the blame can quickly go down on to someone else and there favourite motto is "Shit goes downhill!". I have heard that more than once, but it never goes down past me, it sort of hangs around at my door because I am not prepared to stitch one of my chefs up.
These type of managers often have rules in place where staff aren't allowed to eat or drink at the hotel, but the hotel manager usually has all their family come and stay for weeks at a time on a complimentary account that never gets paid just forgotten about.
These people never stay in a job that long, probably because they are thieving bastards on the verge of getting caught by the owners!

Sunday 17 July 2011

I want to be a trainee chef again!

There are days when I would love to be 16 years old again. I look at my trainee chefs and they haven't a care in the world. They get paid nearly £250 a week, they have no responsibility and all they have to think about is trying not to chop their fingers off and when they will get there first taste of pussy! I remember those days fondly, I would listen to the sex stories from the senior chefs or the excitement of going out clubbing when I was underage or learning a new dish for the first time.
Its so funny watching a young chef walking around with a massive grin on his face almost as big as his hard on after a young waitress has paid him the smallest bit of attention and of course all the senior chefs play along and tell him how much the waitress wants him.
I love watching the enthusiasm and how proud they are of themselves when they get praised for doing something well.
I do feel the kids have it a lot easier these days. I was on £50 a week when I started. Back in those days it was hard to pop your cherry. Nowadays it seems easy for these youngsters, i have a 17 year old commis who is shagging the 25 year old assistant restaurant manager and she does everything for him (he must have a huge knob!)
Would I really want to do it all over again? I don't think I do!
I love my life now with my family, own house, holidays abroad and any gadget I want. I don't really fancy the days of clubbing til 3am then up for brekkie at 6.30am still hanging and trying not to be sick while serving breakfast.
Would any of you go back?