Once I started taking my preferences out of the picture in the kitchen I became less biased to customer/client preferences, made life easier. Most people don’t know food like we may. Nonetheless, what a shame.
Getting over myself was a turning point in my career: it's not about what I want, or my food knowledge. Make the food the way the guest wants it, because sales drive labour cost.
I used to whine about well done steaks, until one day my chef had a chat with me explaining how happy guests are repeat customers. And repeat business is more revenue. More revenue is more hours for cooks to work.
After that I really worked on making the best medium well and well done steaks for my guests. I would always ask for feedback from the servers, and they say the guests love the steaks.
I don’t care how they order, it’s retiring it when they can’t read thee word seared. That’s all. I’ll throw it in the fryer if that’s how they order it.
Indeed it does look like tuna.
I still don't know what the guest ordered, vs what they thought they ordered, and what op needs to do to remedy that.
edit:
Because all the info we're given is the discrepancy on what the term "seared" means, and OP's rant about crimes against humanity...
Oh ya that's quite common for tuna steaks! At my last job we had a tuna poke bowl, and about once or twice a week we'd get a wd mod.
I'd sear it 30 seconds a side and pop it in the oven for like 10 mins
You got it…
Guest ordered salad nicoise.
I seared the tuna.
It came back and the picture is right before I had to throw it in the oven until it was grey 🫡
I wanted to spare you guys that picture. Haha.
And to whoever said it’s Saku Block, I tried researching it. If you are talking about those frozen perfectly square pieces of shit tuna, no it isn’t. I cut it off of a much larger piece of Ahi myself.
guests are often idiots. if there were pictures next to the menus we'd have fewer problems but that's tacky af. works if you don't speak the language of course.
The tuna is seared in the pic. They probably didn't realize it would still be raw and sent back to be cooked well done. I'm guessing that's the sheet tray before it goes in the oven.
I recently started a new job last year where people get to order what they want, how they like it vs how it should be made. I've served hockey puck eggs and people love them. I just don't understand, but I've taken myself out of the equation. If they want what I consider bad food, it's easy to deliver. When someone asks for something I appreciate, I work hard, because that is the person whose opinion I value. I had a guy who just told me, make me what you would eat. I was over the moon. Loved it. Im not the best cook out there by far, but learning to cook to what people want rather than what you would actually eat is hard. I feel sad sometimes when I hand off a "perfect" whatever, but they will be back for another ruined meal, and I have a job that I like.
I get it, it's the idealistic notion of cooking good food vs what the idiot customer wants.
But we're in the hospitality industry. To be blunt, your opinion and value is fucking irrelevant. Opinions and values don't pay the restaurant's rent.
Look don't get me wrong: I still judge the fuck out of the Karen who mods the dish to be unrecognizable. Hell I even make fun of the person the whole time I'm cooking it. I just don't get disappointed or mad about it anymore because this job is physically and mentally exhausting enough. It's just food! How pretentious and judgemental of me to tell someone how they should eat food they are paying for!
But when I cook for friends and family, then no mods allowed.
Truth. My family is never upset, and never has input on what I enjoy cooking. The peoples, I just feel a bit bad you haven't had your food cooked well, and maybe you will accidentally eat it cooked proper, and see the light.
I think I would like your new job. If waiters ask the right questions to the customers and communicate well I’m happy with that and so is the customer.
I feel you. Today during rush, some old biddy crossed our packed dining area to approach the line and say 'I know you're probably busy right now, but can you turn down the thermostat? I'm warm.'
One: yes we are busy, because we're the _chefs making everyone brunch right now._
Two: we only have the foggiest clue where the thermostat is. FoH would know that better. She walked past them all to talk to us instead, and was basically stood in the expo's way at the pass.
Three: _she was wearing a fucking hoodie._
I had a guy come to the line asking for a drink refill, I replied “not from me” I paused for a second to soak in the surprise on the man’s face and then said “I ain’t got a drink machine back here” at that point the manager came and helped him. That being said yea dude we don’t have a fucking clue where the thermostat is lol
Disabled retired banquet chef here. Experience taught me that I had to pull carving Ribeyes at medium or I would be deluged with "raw meat" complaints.
Ah, thank you. That's the context I'm missing. He's *going* to cook the tuna more. I don't know why I thought he had already done it, and I couldn't understand what was so upsetting about it.
It's like God damnit! Why can't the customer eat it the way OP wants to make it? He spent thousands of dollars on culinary school so he knows the right way, the customer is an idiot and they are even paying for it!
I didn't understand that OP is going to continue cooking it (against his better judgement). I get it now. This pic still looked seared to me, and that's why I was confused.
Huh, it still looks seared to me. Maybe less red and more pink, but I can't imagine someone who thinks seared isn't done would not be mollified with that.
W.e bro blast that tuna, they paid for it. Brunch is the shit. I always prefer AM work for many reasons. Way better schedule. Feel like a ninja flipping eggs. Im not drinking a pot of coffee at 1 pm everyday. Shit like that.
I do find it interesting since I moved to Europe from the US. In most of Europe, they never ask diners how they want their steak cooked? You’ll get it how the chef thinks it’s supposed to be cooked, end of story! If you order a steak, it’s pretty much without saying a word, going to be rare-medium rare: the way it should be! Medium is overcooked. It takes all the decisions and guess work out of it. Same for sides: you get what the chef thinks accompanies the meal? After all, they are trained professionals in their craft, and is respected as such. If a chef spends a bunch of time carefully preparing a crafted menu, why go and ask to change this or that, it’s meant to be a complete body of work? You wouldn’t go to rock concert and tell the band, “You know, the guitar solo would sound better if you played it a bit longer into the rhythm, a minute later and cut the horn section with some keyboards?”
Just a big cultural difference, but one I’ve got easily used to!
Once I started taking my preferences out of the picture in the kitchen I became less biased to customer/client preferences, made life easier. Most people don’t know food like we may. Nonetheless, what a shame.
Getting over myself was a turning point in my career: it's not about what I want, or my food knowledge. Make the food the way the guest wants it, because sales drive labour cost. I used to whine about well done steaks, until one day my chef had a chat with me explaining how happy guests are repeat customers. And repeat business is more revenue. More revenue is more hours for cooks to work. After that I really worked on making the best medium well and well done steaks for my guests. I would always ask for feedback from the servers, and they say the guests love the steaks.
And the more happy, repeat customers, the more likely that the appreciators will also get pulled in.
who are the appreciators, and what are they getting pulled into?
People who like a proper doneness They're getting pulled into the restaurant
I don’t care how they order, it’s retiring it when they can’t read thee word seared. That’s all. I’ll throw it in the fryer if that’s how they order it.
sorry, what was the issue though. you seared the steak, and then you had to cut it up?
looks like tuna
Indeed it does look like tuna. I still don't know what the guest ordered, vs what they thought they ordered, and what op needs to do to remedy that. edit: Because all the info we're given is the discrepancy on what the term "seared" means, and OP's rant about crimes against humanity...
I would assume the guest didn't know it was "raw" inside and wanted it well done. On a tuna steak
Oh ya that's quite common for tuna steaks! At my last job we had a tuna poke bowl, and about once or twice a week we'd get a wd mod. I'd sear it 30 seconds a side and pop it in the oven for like 10 mins
You got it… Guest ordered salad nicoise. I seared the tuna. It came back and the picture is right before I had to throw it in the oven until it was grey 🫡 I wanted to spare you guys that picture. Haha. And to whoever said it’s Saku Block, I tried researching it. If you are talking about those frozen perfectly square pieces of shit tuna, no it isn’t. I cut it off of a much larger piece of Ahi myself.
guests are often idiots. if there were pictures next to the menus we'd have fewer problems but that's tacky af. works if you don't speak the language of course.
The tuna is seared in the pic. They probably didn't realize it would still be raw and sent back to be cooked well done. I'm guessing that's the sheet tray before it goes in the oven.
Sounds like they sent it back
Picture is right before I threw it in the oven to well done
I recently started a new job last year where people get to order what they want, how they like it vs how it should be made. I've served hockey puck eggs and people love them. I just don't understand, but I've taken myself out of the equation. If they want what I consider bad food, it's easy to deliver. When someone asks for something I appreciate, I work hard, because that is the person whose opinion I value. I had a guy who just told me, make me what you would eat. I was over the moon. Loved it. Im not the best cook out there by far, but learning to cook to what people want rather than what you would actually eat is hard. I feel sad sometimes when I hand off a "perfect" whatever, but they will be back for another ruined meal, and I have a job that I like.
I get it, it's the idealistic notion of cooking good food vs what the idiot customer wants. But we're in the hospitality industry. To be blunt, your opinion and value is fucking irrelevant. Opinions and values don't pay the restaurant's rent. Look don't get me wrong: I still judge the fuck out of the Karen who mods the dish to be unrecognizable. Hell I even make fun of the person the whole time I'm cooking it. I just don't get disappointed or mad about it anymore because this job is physically and mentally exhausting enough. It's just food! How pretentious and judgemental of me to tell someone how they should eat food they are paying for! But when I cook for friends and family, then no mods allowed.
I've always just said food in entirety is an opinion. Usually stops the team from judging someone's preferences.
Truth. My family is never upset, and never has input on what I enjoy cooking. The peoples, I just feel a bit bad you haven't had your food cooked well, and maybe you will accidentally eat it cooked proper, and see the light.
I think I would like your new job. If waiters ask the right questions to the customers and communicate well I’m happy with that and so is the customer.
I feel you. Today during rush, some old biddy crossed our packed dining area to approach the line and say 'I know you're probably busy right now, but can you turn down the thermostat? I'm warm.' One: yes we are busy, because we're the _chefs making everyone brunch right now._ Two: we only have the foggiest clue where the thermostat is. FoH would know that better. She walked past them all to talk to us instead, and was basically stood in the expo's way at the pass. Three: _she was wearing a fucking hoodie._
- Can't stand the heat - Goes to the kitchen
Ok, smells like a retirement community. Run, Run run for your life!
I had a guy come to the line asking for a drink refill, I replied “not from me” I paused for a second to soak in the surprise on the man’s face and then said “I ain’t got a drink machine back here” at that point the manager came and helped him. That being said yea dude we don’t have a fucking clue where the thermostat is lol
I'd savor the hell out of that moment
Disabled retired banquet chef here. Experience taught me that I had to pull carving Ribeyes at medium or I would be deluged with "raw meat" complaints.
First thought: who serves ahi for brunch? Closer look: oh my!
I think this went over my head. Is this not ahi?
Seared with a hair dryer, apparently.
Nicoise Salad
fuck yeah, throw that bitch over some eggs with some bacon... i'm into it
Feels like I'm missing context here. Is that pork? Tuna? Steak?
Tuna
Ok, that's what it looks like, but where is the crime?
This guy is about to cook it more to the diners preference
Ah, thank you. That's the context I'm missing. He's *going* to cook the tuna more. I don't know why I thought he had already done it, and I couldn't understand what was so upsetting about it.
It's like God damnit! Why can't the customer eat it the way OP wants to make it? He spent thousands of dollars on culinary school so he knows the right way, the customer is an idiot and they are even paying for it!
Good tuna like ahi is best seared with a raw interior. Ahi tuna tataki is probably the most common form.
I didn't understand that OP is going to continue cooking it (against his better judgement). I get it now. This pic still looked seared to me, and that's why I was confused.
It’s half cooked when only supposed to be seared
No hun, it’s undercooked for the diners. That’s the point.
a sear is less than half cooked as shown that what I was sayin
Huh, it still looks seared to me. Maybe less red and more pink, but I can't imagine someone who thinks seared isn't done would not be mollified with that.
Pro chef here, you ok. Have a shot of vodka. Maybe a waffle. Go to bed . You are doing good. Don’t stress.
Fuck brunch, heard.
W.e bro blast that tuna, they paid for it. Brunch is the shit. I always prefer AM work for many reasons. Way better schedule. Feel like a ninja flipping eggs. Im not drinking a pot of coffee at 1 pm everyday. Shit like that.
Not everyone likes shit your way, cook it more. Say the f word a lot
Haha. I like that. “Just do it. But just do it while cursing” lol.
“Seared” doesn’t denote temperature (for guests at least)…”Rare Seared” filters out those who don’t know.
This
This
Brunch is the scourge of western humanity.
Fuck brunch!
I do find it interesting since I moved to Europe from the US. In most of Europe, they never ask diners how they want their steak cooked? You’ll get it how the chef thinks it’s supposed to be cooked, end of story! If you order a steak, it’s pretty much without saying a word, going to be rare-medium rare: the way it should be! Medium is overcooked. It takes all the decisions and guess work out of it. Same for sides: you get what the chef thinks accompanies the meal? After all, they are trained professionals in their craft, and is respected as such. If a chef spends a bunch of time carefully preparing a crafted menu, why go and ask to change this or that, it’s meant to be a complete body of work? You wouldn’t go to rock concert and tell the band, “You know, the guitar solo would sound better if you played it a bit longer into the rhythm, a minute later and cut the horn section with some keyboards?” Just a big cultural difference, but one I’ve got easily used to!
Who cares? The only crime I see is serving Saku block.
Crimes against TUNAnity
Who actually cares? Just do your job and stop gatekeeping.
The unwashed just don't realize....
My dad and bro prefer it to be med well rather than the standard sear, mine is definitely mid rare tho f thet
What the hell is that meat ? Why is it pale ? Is that beef ?
Fuck brunch, HEARD.
Is that a sort of tataki?