r/KitchenConfidential

I'm a 34 year old cook. Most of the servers at my job are 18-30, with a good percentage under 25. Most of our cooks are 30+, with a number of them in their late 40s to late 50s. I grew up with a gaggle of sisters 8-16 years younger than I am, I'm the oldest, so my default mode is big brother for sure lol I've been at my job about a year now and the servers adore me. But I'm also not weird with them, I look out for them and help where I can. They are just more little sisters to me 🤣

I was recently transferred to a smaller kitchen at our facility then went on medical leave for a few weeks for surgery recovery. Right before my surgery I trained a 50 some odd year old cook how to run the station I was leaving for the other kitchen. He seemed like a cool guy in general, plenty capable.

I happened to be scheduled a shift on my old station recently and come to find out, this guy spent pretty much my entire leave bugging the servers. Asking them if they missed me, asking them why they don't like him as much as they do me, pointing out when they don't say good morning to him or smile at him, etc. The day I worked the station he was on a station nearby and even went out of his way to ask a young female server in front of me why she likes me more than him. Poor thing was giving me the help eyes as I looked on in horror. I did step in and tell him it's because I've been here a year and took the time to make friends with them and he's only been here a couple of months. It was freaking bizarre.

And really, he's not the only one. At my new kitchen, one of our other cooks who's also in his 50s being trained there was following one of our 19 year old servers around. Everywhere she went, he would appear within a few minutes. To the point that she actually yelled at him in front of everyone a couple days later to leave her alone and stop being a creep and took it to HR. We also had a cook who was recently fired that would follow girls into the walk in when they were alone and touch their shoulders or back any chance he got. This came out AFTER he was fired because they were scared of him, they just started going into the walk in in pairs to stay safer. I have assured them they can tell me if anything is happening and I will back them up if they need it.

I see this ALL THE TIME and maybe I'm just too young to understand it lol but why on earth do older cooks get so weird with really young female servers?? It's not even just this job, it's happened at all of the jobs I've had with servers and it's just so gross and unsettling.

I have five years experience in kitchens as a prep cook, anywhere from fast food/casual to bistros and fine dining. Recently I got an opportunity to interview for a sushi restaurant and I’m really nervous for the first time in a few years. I’ve never worked with Asian cuisine at all and haven’t a single clue about making sushi. I’m also nervous because my aunt was my in for the job and she found it on a Chinese messaging app. The owner was vocally worried about me not speaking Chinese. (I speak very little - lived in China for a year a decade ago.)

I really want this to go well because they’re starting me at $13/hr, 40 hours a week guaranteed, and will teach me everything. Once I can work on my own they’ll move me to $20/hr. (For reference I don’t mind the low pay because I’m currently working for $13.50)

And advice for me? Thanks guys.

I'd like to preface this with a disclaimer that I'm doing fine now and don't need to talk mental health, I just need some practical advice.

A couple days before Christmas I cut myself to the point I needed a lot of stitches and have some nerve damage. The scars are visible well below the cuff and they don't look accidental.

I'm interviewing at a couple places this week for the first time since then and I don't know whether to hide them or not. I could cover them with a compression sleeve while interviewing but I know they'll be visible my first day regardless.

Thanks for any input chefs.

If you call me in on my day off, then my current *ahem* physical state is none of your concern as long as I remain capable of performing the lord’s work in the back of house. A hill that I am more than ready to die on a pile of empty brass casings for.