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I went to a job interview this week, wearing brown boots, a pair of jeans, a multi-coloured striped shirt and a blue jacket.
So it's true you're going from the BBC to Sky, then, Jeremy?
I am sat in John Lewis cafe, having a bit of carrot cake.
Oh, how the other half live.....
Simply stunning.
We had an early table so it was a wee bit intimidating to start with - didn't want to talk in much above a hushed whisper as it was so quiet but as it filled up and the ambience grew it became very enjoyable.
Food was superb, as you'd expect. I'm maybe controversial here but I've eaten some good food in my life, and while I'm sure it was technically brilliant, and beautifully presented, I'm never quite sure how to judge one plate vs another when they can be totally different things - a fantastic classic french plate vs a Japanese Kobe beef steak vs a rustic Tuscan taverna's sausage and bean stew...... So whether it was the 'best' I've ever had; I can't say.
But it was without doubt the best service i've ever had. It's true what they say, in this country we treat waiting jobs as something you do to make ends meet while going through college. A professional waiter is something else, and I can't describe how much they enhance the enjoyment by being just perfectly there when you need them, but unobtrusive when you don't.
Brother is a chef at a Michelin star restaurant.
To climb the ladder they have to do 18 hour days for about 6 hours worth of pay, get punched or cauterised for dicking up a service and generally spend most of their lives getting sworn at more than a squaddie gets from a staff sergeant. They all have stockholm syndrome. All to serve some toffee nosed posh ****s and the landed gentry what you are only going to shit out 24 hours later.
I'm never going to eat at one, think about that next time you eat at one, that for the hours done and the abuse given you're giving money to something that is no better than a sweatshop and far far closer to home.
A professional waiter is something else, and I can't describe how much they enhance the enjoyment by being just perfectly there when you need them, but unobtrusive when you don't.
It's great having an army of underpaid serfs doing their utmost best to make sure you are absolutely not annoyed by anything completely inconsequential, isn't it? I don't know about outside of the EU but generally the better a waiter or chef gets, the less they are paid compared to their mainstream counterparts.
the better a waiter or chef gets, the less they are paid compared to their mainstream counterparts.
?
How does that work?
Brother is a chef at a Michelin star restaurant.To climb the ladder they have to do 18 hour days for about 6 hours worth of pay, get punched or cauterised for dicking up a service and generally spend most of their lives getting sworn at more than a squaddie gets from a staff sergeant. They all have stockholm syndrome. All to serve some toffee nosed posh **** and the landed gentry what you are only going to shit out 24 hours later.
I'm never going to eat at one, think about that next time you eat at one, that for the hours done and the abuse given you're giving money to something that is no better than a sweatshop and far far closer to home.
It's great having an army of underpaid serfs doing their utmost best to make sure you are absolutely not annoyed by anything completely inconsequential, isn't it? I don't know about outside of the EU but generally the better a waiter or chef gets, the less they are paid compared to their mainstream counterparts.
Nonsense 🙂
I'm never going to eat at one, think about that next time you eat at one, that for the hours done and the abuse given you're giving money to something that is no better than a sweatshop and far far closer to home.
are you genuinely saying they're slave rings? That's one of the best things I've read on here! You can have one of these: 🙄
I'm never going to eat at one, think about that next time you eat at one, that for the hours done and the abuse given you're giving money to something that is no better than a sweatshop and far far closer to home.
Maybe one of the most laughable things I have ever read on here.
You forgot to mention drugs, most professional kitchens are rife with gak and wizz.
@theotherjonv - thanks for the update and good to hear you had such a great time.
@theotherjonv - can we all sit here and say, told ya so?
Glad you enjoyed it, always put an open mind into the dress code, essential.
Sounds like a great evening. Sometimes the best meals are also the unexpected meals. During a trip due to foreign language + unknown city I booked a business group into a 3star Michelin. No-one was expecting the meal to be what it was. All the better for being unexpected. The folks I took still talk about it 5yrs later.
So, what [i]did[/i] you wear?
suit, open necked shirt.
Tom_w; thanks for those comments. I'll bear them in mind next time. Just one thing, why does your brother do that for a job then? I assume it's his choice as compared to a true slave ring?
Some very interesting posts in this thread, I'm currently reading it on a staff toilet in a Michelin star restaurant.
Questions? Fire away (chef with almost 20 years experience/ 6 in starred restaurants)
Sorry to read that ronnie.
This being STW, can we set up a collection for ronnie, maybe an offer of accommodation to get him out of the situation he's in. With our support we should be able to rescue him back from 20 years of slavery and with counselling reintroduce him to mainstream life.
Questions? Fire away (chef with almost 20 years experience/ 6 in starred restaurants)
What's the optimal time to leave the water in a pot noodle before eating?
Some very interesting posts in this thread, I'm currently reading it on a staff toilet in a Michelin star restaurant.Questions? Fire away (chef with almost 20 years experience/ 6 in starred restaurants)
How many times, on average, are you punched each day?
get punched or cauterised for dicking up a service
If I was to ask for ketchup would you be offended?
Hardy ever see violence nowadays.
Ketchup is fine.
It's not all bad, but absolutely no way on earth will my children be encouraged to work in catering.
The biggest ball ache, is service charge theft, if you dine and they stick a service charge on the bill, please ask who is the recipient of this?
Hardy ever see violence nowadays.
Ketchup is fine.
It's not all bad, but absolutely no way on earth will my children be encouraged to work in catering.
The biggest ball ache, is service charge theft, if you dine and they stick a service charge on the bill, please ask who is the recipient of this?
Are you gonna wash your hands?
Just one thing, why does your brother do that for a job then?
****ed if I know.
How does that work?
From what I gather, generally chefs will do anything to have a Michelin star place on their CV, even if it means taking a pay cut. So the supply of labour for Michelin star restaurants is quite high and the demand is fairly low, hence the head chefs/owners can get away with a lot. The job my brother worked at his first michelin star restaurant was given to him on the basis that he worked the first two months for free.
If you think Gordon Ramsay is an arsehole, you're only just beginning to scratch the surface of what the industry is really like.
I ate in this place [url= http://www.davittorio.com/en/ ]3 Michelin Stars in Italy.[/url]
It was a surprise business lunch booked by a potential partner company.
Fantastic service and incredible food.
However, it was a Monday and I had been working all weekend but also pissing it up. I was hungover and had been expecting to travel that morning.
I had 3 days stubble, wearing jeans and a scruffy t shirt. They still treat me perfectly and never blinked an eye. I did feel a little underdressed!
If you think Gordon Ramsay is an arsehole, you're only just beginning to scratch the surface of what the industry is really like.
Having eaten at, then had a very nice chat with Tom Kerridge at his place I'd say that was horseshit.
There's good chefs and there's arseholes. Some arseholes can cook, that's all.
johndoh - Member
Again - why the *%$£ would you want to eat somewhere that tells you to put your jacket back on despite it being hot.
Standards must be maintained, dear boy.
Been to a couple of dinners with the Navy and a few SSAFA Balls - very formal and great fun.
Was a bit nervous at the first one in my hired dinner suit but after that it was fine.