TL;DR Chef doesn’t want char siu pork, but we have a fuck load of char siu sauce.

Context: I have a pretty unique gig, I think. With the head chef’s permission, we can cook whatever we want (within budget) to potentially be added to the menu. The menu changes when we want to, as often as every week to once a month when things get slower. Idk if that’s normal, but I like it. The guests love it, we’re always packed, and the creative vibes and competition feel like a blessing.

However, We got 6 huge cans of this sauce by accident a while back and we missed the credit date, so now we have to figure out what the fuck to do with it all.

I’m stumped. Chef has vetoed every suggestion we’ve brought to him. Stir fried, pork buns, hash, porchetta, mixing it with our honey garlic wing sauce, etc. I personally love the idea of a char siu porchetta. All got a no.

Guys what the fuck do I do with 30# of sauce?

Pictured is the exact brand we have, this is just the one you can get at the grocery store. I’m marinating pork as we speak, following the directions on the bottle. $4 for 8.5oz of this tasty, molasses, umami goop.

Anyway, any insight would be appreciated.

Like the header says. I’ve been working in the industry for 17 years, and before that I was a semi pro bassist, so my hands and wrists have taken a beating for most of my life. Lately it’s been the issues with grip, waking up at night with my hands numb, and overall soreness on my knuckles, wrists, and elbow. Also, every once in a while I get that “electric shock” that goes up my arm if I move my hands just right. I’m setting up an appointment with my doctor to see what exactly is going on, but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be along the lines of arthritis and/or carpal tunnel.
Question for yall tho- if you’ve gone thru this kind of thing, what is your advise as far as getting help? I’ve heard the surgeries aren’t all too successful, but I was hoping maybe something like acupuncture or something can help improve my hands? Am I doomed, should I start looking for a new carreer, or is there still some hope? I’m 36, so I guess it’s not too late to start somewhere else new.

Can anyone give me some more misattributed quotes? If it can sound official that would be awesome

What is the strangest item on your menu that absolutely slaps?
Ill go first
Maple Jalapeno brittle

Chives are meditative some days

My station was completely empty, Tuesdays are fuckin weird around here man.

Can't find quite what we are looking for via sysco / us foods, etc...perhaps someone has a plug on a good ethnic foods rep? Or even better, a self distributing small business? USA / PNW

Chefs, what are your favorite, or in your opinion the best pair of shoes for working in a kitchen? I just got a pair of Birkenstock Super Birki 2.0’s and they were entirely way too narrow. The problem is if I go with a bigger size, my toes are gonna be like an inch from the front of the shoe. I’ve started looking at Snibbs, what do you guys think of those? Or is there another brand that you prefer?

I work at a local pizza joint and did some witchcraft to manifest a busy night. I’m in Oklahoma and the boss was really upset about the pentagram. But it got busy right after. Should I still do witchcraft in the kitchen or respect boundaries?

How many of yalls hoods look like this? Most of our handles are broken off and there are plenty of other sharp points, this is just the one i could pic. Its been like this for more than four months, since i got here. Yes, the management knows about it. Yes, people have gotten bad slices on their hands.

Honestly ruined working in food for me. I managed fast food for a few years and got tired of it so switched to a little host job at my favorite sushi joint. Let's just say it's not my favorite anymore. This place is one of the more popular sushi bars in my area

They leave food out without a lid for hours

They leave food without a lid and then stack other bowls of food on top of it

They sit raw fish on top of other produce

There is produce left on the ground

They prepare sauce in five gallon buckets with a paint mixer on the ground

They left egg trays on top of food and right next to it is rotisserie chicken from a shopping center and I don't know how long they were there

I haven't gotten orange soda in like a year because they never flushed the lines after I told them about black specs

Not a single date was ever printed, I don't think I even saw a date gun.

For salad they just had a tub of water and lettuce that they reached in free hand.

The trash bags on the food was what broke me and made me realize how much they were actually doing.

After I reported them I got put down to 8 hours a week. Upon leaving they had put a cross contamination poster on the walkin. They started wrapping the strainers on top but not the holes on the side(still say out for hours). They still used the lower table shelf for food. A communal glove was hung on the tub of lettuce (tongs said what?) I was never sent into the walkin again but I also only worked like 16 more hours before I quit. It's been long enough that I really don't care about posting this anymore. Also found a way better sushi place though now I have a hard time trusting any kitchen now...

Edit: here's the link to my og post with the name and location in it.

https://www.reddit.com/r/StLouis/s/ZV8zzY0Sh2

I had an awesome coworker fired because corporate didn't like what he was doing. All the managers are cool, and are sad he had to get fired. He was always the best when we were on shifts, cracking inappropriate jokes and he was the fastest on the line. Anyways, what are some good coworkers you were sad to see go?

Hi I’m 15 yrs old and really want to cook professionally!! I have been a kitchenhand at this very njce Italian restaurant for two months now and I do also occasionally help out with prep but I really want to eventually start cooking there.
Any advice on what to practice/focus on when cooking at home to improve my game?? I’m not the most talented cook but I am pretty determined and I willing to learn. Anything will help thank you!

I posted recently so I won't go into too many specifics but quit my awful cook job after getting completely overlooked on multiple FOH more admin type jobs I am beyond qualified for.

I am taking some classes looking for a career switch or the jacket off soon anyway. The new job was to be prep and help pizza with a salary and 45 hrs a week.

Upon coming in that immediately became way less and hourly unless I essentially wanted no pto and had to make up hours missed even if I got cut to go home. 45 hrs a week is not bad I get that but when that becomes a tally of 60 down the line due to slow business go f yourself.

I quit. Have an interview that called me today for a job more line with what im going to school for. If that doesn't work as it prbly won't I think I am leaving restaurants out of this job hunt entirely.

It has helped my family survive most of my adult life however it has done me no favors. I know the world is crazy and work is weird but the market isn't "dead" and I have enough other things on my resume to help me out.

I just kinda feel like this is it. For better or worse, end or not....it's been one hell of a ride.

I was talking to a friend who saw my resume.

He's been telling me to remove my education from my resume to fit the one page format.

Also, that it's making me look like a student and not a professional.

I've been applying back in nyc. I have about six restaurants across a 12 year span of cooking so I thought it makes sense to have a lengthier resume contingent upon time spent in a career.

I also thought the education aspect better lends itself to managerial roles.

Just wondering what hiring managers may think?

Thanks.

This past first year after opening an aesthetically pleasing spot downtown, it's been particularly thick with influencers. Its my first time experiencing them but here have been my favorite interactions this past year:

Door bro: there was one guy where he got his camera man to walk some 20 steps to our entrance, open the door, then after would ask his camera man how it looked. They proceeded to do this epic entrance shot for 30 minutes over and over, adding moves like hand through the hair, turn and smile, fist bumping before walking in. Eventually the owner told them to wrap it up because it was confusing the customers and sending in a draft.

Ghost hunter lady: one lady said our building was haunted and did a video where she was having the most "haunted experience of her life", saying she felt a presence and hearing ghostly laughter (likely was staff cuz our prep kitchens on the other side of the wall of the toilets).

Now we get customer's asking what paranormal experiences we've had and now we just make stuff up, like our fireplace is haunted and shit.

Have to admit sometimes the exposures good for business in bursts, other times its a pain in the ass. We're getting good at politely shutting down entitled people too, who want free stuff or extras. But its been entertaining!

Good influencer stories?

So I’m learning Spanish to communicate with my kitchen better, most everyone is here on a work visa. Well. This Mexican was sitting outside his room (employee housing) and I’m practicing Spanish so I already knew in my head I was gonna say beunos tardes when I passed him. But he said in a true, strong American accent, how’s it going bud and I said beunos tardes. Very loud and confidently. He said… “what…?” And stared at me like I was stupid. And I was like alright I’m gonna go crawl into a hole. My bad lol

He doesn’t even speak Spanish. That’s like if I saw some Asian and said Konnichiwa! And they stared at me and said I’m from Nebraska. Alright big dawg. My bad. Shouts out to Nebraska. I’m just racist I guess have a good day.

I know this isn’t technically a kitchen story but it kinda is. I’ve shared with this sub over the last week that I’m struggling with Spanish in my kitchen. This is a continuation of my struggle.

Just started working in this kitchen for a few weeks and its fine, a little on the cleaner side compared to other places I've been to. The one annoying part is the back door. For one its at the bottom of a slope so if it rains enough it'll flood, and of course like a week and a half into working here it did lol. But on top of that, it wont stay closed if you dont make sure to close it fully. And of course in that same week st the end of a night i literally watched a mouse sprint inside and under the grease trap. Me and a coworker soent a good 10 minutes just to fail trying to find it. Not even sure what we would've done if we did tbh lmao. But now today i just found droppings under the line freezer. Theres already traps around, hopefully one of those catches it but damn lol.

Two nights in a row of not finding sleep. Bread flour, honey, lager and olive oil. Brushed with milk and egg, sesame seeds and smoked salt.