I was recently talking to Sister Nancy about giving it our all. Nancy said, “I give 100% of myself every time I walk out the door. If I am going to [the gym], I work out until I feel like I am going to puke in the bushes because I know I will get the results I want. If I am going to work, I want to feel like I gave the best I had to give that day.” I feel the same way about my job, but not about my workouts. When I am working, I give 100% because I want to know that I gave my client the best value for their money and I want to be proud of myself at the end of the day.
You can’t “phone it in”
Of course we ALL have days where we just want to “phone it in” and slide by to get through. Do just enough to be able to say, “I did my job.” But when it comes to food you can’t do that. You can’t skip steps. You can’t “phone it in”. You HAVE to lay it all out there. As dancers say, “Leave it all on the dance floor”, because someone is EATING that product. Someone is putting your work in their bodies. Whether we are talking about cleanliness, quality of product received or quality of product put out, you can’t “phone it in” when dealing with food. It’s about pride, self-respect and the respect of your peers, your clients.
But…what if you were asked to NOT give it your all? What if you were asked to compromise yourself, your image, your brand or your standards? What if you were asked to do less, accept inferior product or put out less than stellar product for the sake of a profit margin? What would you do then? Many would shrug, shake their heads and do as the higher ups dictate to keep their job. Precious few would tender their resignation and walk away seeking a more like minded environment in which to work. As a waitron trained in NY I was held to a standard of speed, accuracy and professionalism. In other parts of the world I was asked to “not work so hard” because I made the other staff members look bad…yes, really. During those years I had to suck it up and lower my standards because I needed the jobs and the jobs were few and far between.
So people, my questions to you are these:
- Have you ever compromised your standards to keep a job? If so, how far?
- When you walk in the door every day at work, do you give 100%? If not, why not?
- Have you ever taken a job because you knew you could skate by with minimal effort? (Moment of Truth – I have)
- Have you ever turned down a job because they expected too much? (Moment of Truth – I have because the pay to work ratio was unacceptable)
And to you Diners:
- What would you think if you learned that in order to make money, rather than raise prices, an establishment started using average ingredients instead of the top quality ingredients the recipes call for?
- What would you think of a Chef who resigned because he/she was asked to lower their standards and serve less than stellar food?
- Are you willing to pay more at a resto if they had to raise prices due to supply costs?
Think about these things every time you get a little sticker shock from a menu. In general, you are paying more because you are getting more (Yes, I know that is not true in all places. Sometimes you are paying for the view, the tourist trap or convenience). And three cheers to the culinarians and beverage professionals who refuse to compromise and go the extra mile to give us the absolute best flavor experience they have to offer.
On another note: Did you know you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter? Well you can! Just look for Good for Spooning on all three outlets.
Did you also know that you can see me cook live at the Springs Preserve? Well you can! Buy your tickets HERE. Space is limited, so get in on it now! This Saturday is the first of three workshop style classes. And guess what? You get to eat too!
