Monday, February 1, 2010

More work woes

So we are going to start serving dinner next week; after 10 months of only serving lunch and Sunday brunch. The menu looks good. The wine list looks good. The FOH staff is coming together. The major problems are the BOH staff and the owners. For the most part, the cooks suck. The owners are nice, bit clueless. We have an experienced chef who is helping us plan the menu, but he is not able to work the line like he should because of his age. Today the owners decided to sit down and rework the menu. I fear that they are going to mess it up and make it something that only appeals to the lower class of customers. I don't want this to happen. I want to appeal to a higher class of paying customers so tips will be higher. It's impossable to explain this to he owners because of their lack o restaurant experience. I'm scared for the future of this place. I need to make more money and they're not helping by dumbing down the menu. Any thoughts?


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Saturday, January 23, 2010

Day off

I'm bored but content. Haven't done anything work related all day. Just ate, read and watched movies. I need more of these days. One of the reasons to work in a restaurant or bar; alot of downtime.


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Thursday, January 21, 2010

Working

Working for someone else sucks. Especially when your not sure what the owner would want to do in a given situation or when you know what he/ she would want to do but it is the wrong thing. I just want to work for someone who is willing to spend money to see his/her business suceed and puts their employees first. Someone with money, smarts and experience. Is that to much to ask?


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Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Facebook keeps me busy

It's amazing to me how pervasive Facebook is in my everyday life. It doesn't help that I now have push notification my iPhone. I really enjoy talking to people and Facebook doesn't require that I travel too many places. I can stay in my normal life and still keep in touch with just about everyone I know. Of the hundred or so friends I have on Facebook there are only three that I don't know in real life. (Two wine reviewers and this random hot chick from Australia.) Everyone else is someone I either know from my high school or college era or who I have worked with or around in the past/present. And I do have some actual friends on there as well. (See, I'm not that much of a loser.) My roommate makes fun of how much I admire and enjoy technology. I just think its fun and interesting.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Life...

is pain. Work is work. I don't love it or hate it. It just is. Its cold. I don't want to leave the house. My roommate is back in school for the quarter. That means its just me and the dog home alone most of the day. I'm still not driving cause I can't afford to pay the reinstatement fee. My car is broken. I'm behind on bills. I do have food. I do have friends. I miss my parents and want to see my brothers and my nephew. I just need money to pay everything down and then, maybe, think about traveling. I need to not live in Ohio any more. I want to move, and meet women, and work in a kick-ass place, and have more money. It might happen someday.

hiring and firing

I have been both hired and fired a few times now. Doesn't the hiring process suck great big donkey balls? I have been blown off and treated so rudely by many regional and general managers that it makes me not want to job search ever again. Regionals think they rule the world, but if you break one of their little rules or inconvenience them one bit, that's it, your outta here! If anyone ever comes into my bar looking for work I make every effort to treat them like human beings. I act politely towards them, I offer them something to drink, I answer any questions they might have and (if we are not hiring at the moment) I tell them of opportunities at other restaurants. I want them to get a job. If they are the right people I want them to work with me. Keep in mind there are a few things that I find unacceptable when looking for a job in a restaurant. Come in during a slow period. The general rule is between two and four, Monday through Friday. Dress appropriately. You don't need to be in a suit, but don't wear sweat pants and/or anything ripped or ragged. Don't dress slutty. Turn your phone off. (Really? Do you need to talk to buddy a or buddy b RIGHT NOW!!!) Bring a pen. (You knew you were coming here to try and get a job? Be prepared!) Bring a resume and all your previous job info and references. It just shows that your serious and organized. Don't apply for something for which you are completely unqualified! (I can do any job in a restaurant. Most of you can't!) If the manager is anywhere near capable and not looking just to hire some hot chick, he/she will at least give you an interview if they are currently hiring. If they are not, come back in a month and try again. I just wish that managers would be honest with prospective employees and treat them like people and not cattle. Don't blow people off just cause you don't have time or you don't think they are pretty enough! Give them information. Make them want to work for you. I have walked out of places and not called them back or answered phone calls because the manager was a dick and didn't treat me like a person. (Why would I want to work for a dick, again?) Hiring is hard. Everyone needs to do what they can to make it better.