What it's Like to be a Line Cook at a Top-Rated NYC Restaurant | Bon Appétit
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- Опубліковано 18 вер 2024
- A day in the life of Nana Wilmot, one of 1.6 million line cooks working in America's restaurants.
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What it's Like to be a Line Cook at a Top-Rated NYC Restaurant | Bon Appétit
I Googled Ms. Nana Wilmot and she opened her own restaurant finally! I hope she's able to earn a liveable wage and continue to succeed
What?? That’s awesome so happy for her!
I wish Bon Appétit would make more videos like this. Bringing the viewer into the life of those cooking professionally. From a real perspective. Maybe one video is a food truck owner and the hardships they face, or a culinary student going through school, or a another line cook at a different restaurant. Something to bring the realness of the industry to the masses. Brad is great and all, but people should see how it really is.
Curran Leeds Agreed.
Yup
I can only partially agree. Though it would be great to see a series being made about different line cooks etc, I must say that what we see on f.e. It‘s Alive is something comletely different from cooking in a restaurant and I don‘t think that you can compare the two.
Curran Leeds yeah but it would be good if they also show a more amateure restuarant with no stars
Bon Apetit pays their employees minimum wage
$15/hr for the second-highest line position in a fine dining restaurant in NYC is an insult. Hell, minimum wage for a business that size in NYC is $13. The Le Coucou management should be ashamed.
stormbob sorry dude but thats the true of all restaurants... most of them is around 9.5/hr
Shes the 3rd position, if not 4th
You should also realize that working in a restaurant like that is akin to graduate school for a cook. If you're fresh out of culinary school and you want to open a place of your own you need to learn how the pros do it
"You should also realize that working in a restaurant like that is akin to graduate school for a cook."
You should also realize that restaurants need steady staff that's paid a living wage and given time off to actually live their lives instead of going into work before the sun comes up and leaving after it goes down. Some people want to have their own spot, sure, but the vast majority of the skilled laborers in this industry need a job where they can be supported because if they're not there the food simply does not get made and the place simply does not get cleaned. It's the service industry, not the servant industry.
Wow. A lot more pushback to this comment than I expected. This woman (and all of the cooks at all restaurants) produces a product for her company, which the company then turns around and sells for high prices. The product (the food) would not exist without her. She should be paid accordingly, as should everyone working at every job everywhere. $15/hr in NYC is not enough money to live on, and her employer should be ashamed.
She seems like a great person. I hope she feels that fulfillment one day.
We're All Thieves hopeing to be fulfilled one day isn't the choice of words I would use. Hypothetical question, why can't you be fulfilled always?
Fulfillment is a process; it's not something you achieve one day. Life is a struggle and this woman is living it to the fullest.
Ian Krasnow I commented above
Ian Krasnow this woman can't pay her rent. STFU.
Yeah, sounds pretty stressful.
She’s a damn badass. I hope she’s able to get her restaurant
Treyola The crayola not really
BIG FAT FISH hater
How is she not ? It takes a badass to take that much pressure
15 bucks a hour while a typical date there cost about 200 bucks.... you know a restaurant is expensive as hell when its $$$$ on yelp. They should pay them a lil more
Supreme Bape at least 20-25 an hr at least if not a little more! But that's NY
Its an internship, the skills she is learning are extremely valuable. That's how fine dinning kitchens work.
and that's why everyone is leaving lol
Yeah it's hard doing 40 hrs a week is 600 bucks a week and so it's like 25-28 thousand a year that's like nothing my mom makes 42 thousand a yr and she works at a nail salon not the best restaurant in New York
issue with restaurants is that costs have to be super tightly controlled, wind can blow in a different direction and suddenly your restaurant is tanking. Its not a fun business to own or work in, at all, unless your passionate about it.
My bro works as a doorman in nyc making 24$ an hour. Not including tips and bonus’. I would be pissed making $15 an hour working as hard as her.
She could leave and find a better job, but the on the job training and experience won't be the same.
i just started as a line cook and i’m already making 14$ an hour
Most restaurants give raises when they see how good someone actually is, they have to to keep the good ones around somehow. Otherwise most would quit.. I gotta 3 dollar raise within 6 months.
But how much fun is it to stand at a door all day every day? Regardless if you talk to people going by. You're still stuck there standing.
@@Jay-eb7ik 🤦🏻♂️
Chefs are some of the hardest working people on the planet. Major props.
15$? That's what I make as an assistant at university, wtf. How can she work at such a highly rated restaurant and earn so little, that's disgusting. Should be paid more than what I get for basically just photocopying and hunting down literature.
Her job is about getting experience to move on and open her own restaurant. That’s why they don’t get paid a lot. It’s New York. How about instead of asking the restaurant to pay her more, you ask the state to lower its cost of living.
keeponrockin lmfao in Canada minimum wage is $15 everywhere
brother you don’t take in account the owner has to pay rent in nyc, utilities, ingredients, and head chef salary dishwashers waiters matree d then all the line cooks there is a reason
Zack Miller You can’t compare the minimum wages of different countries. Canada taxes are very high compared to the United Stated.
@@zackmiller8153 no it's not...
Need more of THIS, not everyone that cooks is a celebrity chef.
Keep working for your dream, girl! Show them what you are made of. You've got this!!!
Deanna McIntyre flmawousa
Film awssa
R
My mother owned two restaurants and worked in the industry more than 40 years. My step-father who died last year worked in food up until he died in his 80s. My sister went to Johnson & Wales, my nephew to Le Cordon Bleu. One of my closest friends since we were kids is Toba Garrett, master cake maker (I am mentioned in her first book). I literally grew up in this industry, staring out washing dishes. I have many, many chef friends. I love to cook but hate the industry. It is a thankless job. I have cooked literally for thousands, but still prefer to think of them as close friends, so no pressure there. In order to survive in this industry, I guess, you have to see everyone as your close friends or family lest it burn you out. Great story, my heart goes out to her.
Tonessa West Crowe would you do it differently if given the chance or do you still believe doing what you love is the best descion?
Its an unforgiving job yes but the rush, ill tell you the rush of a good service, tickets flying out of the machine thats what makes me going. you have to be a little psyco too work in this industry :)
Mike, I prefer to share my passion of food with friends and family. Yes, I believe in doing what you love and I also believe that if any part of it is burdensome, you can change the game to fit you. I have opened my home for the last 40 years to so many folks, your head would spin. That is my joy. As I am sure you know that food industry is as fickle as the movie industry. And the burden is always on the underlings who work many hours, whose feet hurt from standing, whose exhaustion is immeasurable. My reward, as any cook, is the satisfaction and smile on the faces of those who eat what you have shared.
Tonessa West Crowe im trying to get into Culinary arts school its always been my dream but ive seen so many negative comments about it and im conflicted because i have a 2 year old daughter to take care of but i love to cook since i was 9...can i ask you is it really worth it should i even try?
Chris, you have to love the restaurant business. I have friends who were formally trained chefs and who no longer want to cook. It is a particular type of person who can withstand the hours. If you love to cook and you love service then it is worth it for you. My step-father loved cooking and was only happy when he cooked. He once was a chef at Gillette. He would rather be cooking than anything. I learned so much from him. I was recently asked to be on Chopped. I would only do so, if I could take one or two of his knives with me. I would feel his presence. So yes, if you love it go for it and never forget your dream. That is the prize your eye should be on.
Truly tip my hat to her and everyone else who are integral pieces of the food industry. Hope that they can find more success and happiness in life.
I really like this video. I would so want see a series based on line cooks from different restaurants.
Not about line cooks, but check out Chef's Table on Netflix. It has the same half and half mix between being a documentary style about the cooks as well as the restaurant and food itself, but the main focus is on the chefs and what motivates and inspires them.
EXACTLY!!!
What I like about content focused on people like Nana vs the people who have already made it (Chef's Table) is what she's really getting to at the end: racial issues across industry and profound examples of how generational wealth really lends white men advantage in ways that people like Nana don't have access to advance their own careers. This format is really great at getting to the heart of these issues without feeling so incredibly contrived like an hour-long mini-doc in each episode of Chef's Table. More please!
Perfectly put, DigitalSciGuy. Perfectly put.
How is generational wealth portrayed in this video? I didn't see any of that. I didn't even see a "white" man advantage either. I did however see that all line cooks, regardless of gender or race, having to work long hours while being grossly underpaid. She has the same access to advance her career as anyone else in that restaurant. They even show that she was promoted to right under the sous chef. What you just said was completely wrong with regards to this video.
over worked under paid never appreciated, why I had to find a better paying job.
Current cook here, looking for an off-ramp so to speak. What did you get into?
Tbh that's most jobs not just cooks
Dave yea but look from 10 to 1 am lmao cant say thats not alot
Arch 9 wait she starts at 10 am?
In the same industry is hard
She works in a restaurant like that but still isn't paid enough to cover her rent sometimes ? thats wack. I hope she gets her own restaurant one day
Achy ka It's also the second most expensive city in the United States. I imagine the same situation in California
Knoxus99 california here, can confirm
Achy ka $15x40hrs=$600 a week
160hrs a month =$2,400
$2,400x12= $28,800. This is your salary for the year.and you not even looking at tax deductions yet.👈👀
Been there than that and yes it’s true 😪
Self sacrifice.
As an incoming freshman at the Culinary Institute of America and a proud Hispanic woman, I needed this!!! Thank you BA, and all the best to you Nana- hopefully I can work for you someday! xx
Good luck. Only survived a year there right out of HS before trying to literally kill myself. Stereotypically, sounds like you can handle the pressure
its a tough industry but i suggest find other means to express you culinary desires and capitalize while you go to school. Money is gonna play a huge factor while working in this industry but mostly from the lack of it. As a creative person, find creative ways to make money doing what you love.
CIA . . . most of you don't last a month. I've had a few of you not make it to lunch on day one.
Good luck.
Wow! So much passion for $15 an hour.
LA Fresh Life I like that chefs are becoming celebrities now and it's becoming more loved. Hopefully one day she'll own her own spot. It'd be nice to see her on chopped. She could use the money
LA Fresh Life for hour? Is that low? Why? Im from Philippines, i converted the rate and its crazy high
JRfoodie lovefun it's quite low for a professional. Consider bartenders get an average of $10-11/H in the US (obv state dependent). An entry level accountant to compare warm $20-25/H so yeah with that much stress $15 is low
She also lives in New York City, one of the most expensive places to live in America. $15 can barely get you by in NYC. In the part of the country where I live, $15 an hour allows you to rent a small house.
I wouldn't even get up for work for $15 in NYC.
Please do more series like this. Really take a look into what it takes to work in fine dining.
The details of how a restaurant works and flows. Specific positions at well known restaurants! I’m sure your viewers would really enjoy a look into this life.
Victoria Ho agreed!
Everything about this woman is fantastic. I hope shes enjoying her journey and finding success!
Seems exhausting, but rewarding! Power to you Nana!
you are half right. it is extinguishing. but it is never rewarding.
Infinite Athletics rewarding? How?
Infinite Athletics probably hell
Infinite Athletic yaw jjkn l bc dfazs
live video
Infinite Athletics
Absolutely horrible that a high end restaurant in NY pays her so little. Actually a huge demotivator for me. They should be embarrassed.
Stevzy xo how the world works. Many people work in that field, a business can’t afford to always pay that much. She enjoys here job, and it makes end’s meet. If she doesn’t like it, she can threaten to leave. Find something else to do. Maybe she can start her own restaurant.
They didnt say how much she made just that the average is 12 to 15 in the US. She makes much more in NYC.
Nick L it said she she's paid 15 and the median is 12
15 an hour for the kind of work she does and in such a high end restaurant and with nyc cost of living is unforgivable owners should be ashamed
For you
$15/hr is a DISGUSTINGLY low wage for someone as highly-skilled as her. owners of this restaurant should be absolutely ashamed.
Dont forget tipout
Out of touch.
Guts and talent. Hats off, Nana- and to all of you. From Michelin starred down to Waffle House, thanks for what you do.
wilakt4fud this comment really hit home and means a lot to me personally let alone every other line cook out there. It’s hard work, horrible hours, and awful pay but comments like that keep us going, thank you
Thank you. Super awesome to see.
Weneed more people like you in the world.
I'd watch an entire series about her
Same. Or at least get a follow up. I want to know how much closer she is to fulfilled any/all of her dreams. Does she find the female culinary inspiration she desires? Does she become that inspiration? Family? So many things.
This video story is super accurate. For both life in NYC & working in the restaurant biz. She must really love it cause I got terror in being reminded how much the industry sucks. It barely helped me get through college and I'll never go back.
As a kid I thought being a Chef was glamorous, that is until I found out the dark side of things. Chefs can work up to 12 hours a day. It really is stressful being on your feet that long.
I have had two meals at Le Coucou in past year and a half, and the best dishes were.... THE FISH.
This is such a beautiful story! Former NYC pastry cook, now own my own bakery. I'm 31 as well and trying to figure out how to marry my sweet heart, grow my bakery, and start my family all at the same time in the next few years. It's HARD. To think that I have to be here, mothering this bakery while I grow a human and then figure out time to mother that new human.
Also wow this kitchen is beautiful. I miss the restaurant life so much most times. That camaraderie when you have a good team is unparalleled. That flow of dinner service is such a high, too. Nothing beats it.
How?? How does a top rated restaurant pay cooks only $15??
because they're top rated, people flock to work for them cheap so they can put it on their resume and learn the skills. It's a hands on job, if you cook for the best, you learn the best. It's like going to school. That's how the industry works. You don't cook to make money, if you want money, you're in the wrong business. Do construction if you want to make money without a strong educational background. Owners will always make the profits in restaurants and chefs (upper management) are the only ones making a "living" wage.
so what's the pay off then, i highly doubt all these people can open their own restaurants one day and get paid a proper wage with what they're getting paid the whole time they're 'training', let's be real these owners are all rich to begin with, there's no mobility except for an extremely lucky few
I wonder how much the chef de cuisine makes... The line cooks are the most important people there. They should be making $1000 a week
Because they are probably paying $20k a month in rent. It's economics 101 . . . pay is what the market will bear.
Some people forget they get tips... I know an average restaurant some staff walk out with 200 to 400 a night on tips alone so I wonder how much does a high end restaurant staffs walk out of per day
The grind!!!
ExtrAAOrdinary Brand $15x40hrs=$600 a week
160hrs a month =$2,400
$2,400x12= $28,800. This is your salary for the year.and you not even looking at tax deductions yet.👈👀
Nana is going places. Bless her heart and may God help her live her life to the happiest and fullest
Huge respect. I really don’t know much about back of house. I just know it’s always hot. And noisy. And the floors are slippery.
As a female line cook in Los Angeles this hit so close to home for me in so many aspects thank you Bon Appétit for sharing Nana's story we need more stories like hers under the spotlight!
I was inspired and depressed out of mind all at the same time WHAT
Lol i feel her, I’m an Asian woman working as a line cook, and it’s not easy but I always tell myself it’s all go the best. And my mind also goes to “how will I have a life once I get married and have a kid? Would I need to quit? How can I work while I’m pregnant?” It’s hard trying to keep up with the men who may have similar dreams to get married and have kids but as a woman who wants that too, we are the ones growing the child. The choices are hard and confusing and unsure
"Or be that woman." YES!
This lady deserves all the good things. I hope she goes far.
line cooks deserve more appreciation /pay . its really not worth it when it comes down to the pay/stress but yet people still have the passion. few people work harder than a good line cook
You walk in and it is show time. Probably the truest statement. I miss so much about cooking but I don’t miss the pay or the hours.
$15 an hour as a line cook in NYC? That is insane. I work for an international hospitality company we pay $15 to line cooks in Kentucky. Honestly she seems talented enough that if she has any kitchen management experience I would want to hire her to run any of our kitchens. $45k plus bonuses. Everything made from scratch run your way. It isn’t fancy food but you are making a living cooking
Ugh it’s tough :(
Cooked for 8 years and I burnt out, totally washed out.
Couldn’t do it anymore.
Working constantly to make rent and bills.
So little time for anything else.
The restaurant becomes your family though and I do miss all the great people I met in my career.
A lot of us coped with drugs and alcohol and were certainly good times, the best times! Wouldn’t trade those memories for the world.
Hats up off though to the ones still pushing it.
Have deep respect for this industry.
I love that part when the flow is going and they're speaking their own way of communication during a busy rush. I miss those days.
This video is inspiring and most humbling
This is great, I'd love a whole series of her day to day! Amazing
I clicked on this because I saw a Black woman as a cook in fine dining. I love that more of our stories are being shared because visibility is often the seed of many dreams. 💕
ayanada06 Agreed ☺️☺️ I love our work ethic.
this is the truth! Watch “premature” if you haven’t. rahsaad ernesto green
This video is extremely well done. Loved hearing about Nana's story and I hope she finds that fulfillment wherever life takes her.
Can't help Nana out (age difference/different continent), but if my wife had that kind of ambition, I'd be all about that. No reason a man can't hold the family side of things down while his significant other attempts to acchieve excellence in her chosen profession.
Excellent video, great story. Would love to watch more content like this!
fdostoevsky $15x40hrs=$600 a week
160hrs a month =$2,400
$2,400x12= $28,800. This is your salary for the year.and you not even looking at tax deductions yet.👈👀
Underpaid overworked extremely underappreciated. Why did I choose this job again?
"Choose".
itsregal how long have you been a line cook for?
mike kober 13 years
itsregal would you change path if you could go back 5 years?
I ask myself that same question on a monthly basis and the answer is because i truly love working with food and even when it gets crazy busy and im swamped in tickets, i still love it. its not just a job for me, its my passion. I truly enjoy being on my feet all day and having to work as hard as i can to stay ahead. I like the challenge, i dont want an easy job
I eat out a lot and am very thankful to people like Nana. I was shocked at the pay being so low, especially in NYC. It does not seem that it would even pay for rent.
I resonate with her so much. I'm also a woman of color who is also a line cook. I want a family as well and it's hard being a woman of color in fine dining. Man, I wish I could meet her one day.
Damn Nana, you're killing it and an inspiration. Take it one day at a time girl. I'm older than you, started the culinary career at a late age, but I sense that you and I share that same passion to keep going. I have a husband, no kids, but we make it work. You'll make it work. Good luck to you and your future!
RESPECT
Being a cook is and has been my dream for when I grow up since I was 5
I've been cooking in restaurants my entire adult life, expect: low pay, high stress, poor working conditions,burns, falls, cuts, dont even think about complaining,cuz. there is always somebody waiting in line for your job, go into mgmt. expect more of the same. if you go on salary, double your hours for no extra pay, get lucky and get a good owner they might let you eat free. get good enough you wont go hungry, and you might make a living wage, I.was in restaurant mgmt. for 25 yrs. considering the hours I put in I was the lowest paid person in the kitchen. cool people to work with is a plus. good luck to all you new chefs out there ! just sayin.
Such a raw and real story! THANK YOU!!!! Bartending made me able to relate to her story.
Respect! Same road
She's been on the road, has the passion and has worked towards it for a while and she's making $15. I guess try it, see if you like the culture (which can admittedly vary kitchen to kitchen), and you find a worthwhile sense of joy on the job then go for it. Also make sure the physical cost is worth it to you. But without that, there's far easier jobs out there for similar and more pay.
Edit: Compensation is a form of respect, and the industry doesn't respect it's workers. If all you need is camaraderie, fine. But if you want the respect that says you deserve to buy a house and a car, and go on vacation to neat places, and not freak out when there's a sudden emergency that wipes out your checking then look elsewhere, let me know when you find it, I clearly have my own issues.
Impressed with you NaNa, you can and will accomplish your hearts desire. You can have it all,best wishes to you!
$15/hour seems like highway robbery. Surely that place could afford to pay them more
Only people making real money in a restaurant are the stupid waiters. It should be the cooks who make the big bucks.
joel diaz that’s because they get tips...
I used to love cooking and wanted to be a chef but when I became a line cook it changed my perspective. Not worth stress. Line cooks deserve all the respect
Being a linecook is one thing pure stress the hours take their toll and the chaos adds up im been in a kitchen since i was 19 im almost 27
Beautiful story, beautiful woman. I hope you find your perfect balance Nana, my mother was a chef too and would sometimes come home at 2am but then she would be up early getting us ready for school and packaging our lunches.
Cooking in a well-known restaurant is a great privilege...if you can handle the stress that comes with it.
It's a powerful American industry that deserves care from the rest of us who enjoy eating! The workers who make it possible need to be recognized.
kirby march Barcena $15x40hrs=$600 a week
160hrs a month =$2,400
$2,400x12= $28,800. This is your salary for the year.and you not even looking at tax deductions yet.👈👀
I work stretching dough and topping assistant and also front counter at the most popular pizza restaurant in my town, line out the door every Friday, tables full for lunch specials tuesday-thursday. It's good money for hard work and coming home covered in flour and working in a good environment every night makes me appreciate my effort when it's rushing
Kaiti Kemp Funny how you're covered in flour while on your way home...we'd love to see that one.
I drive myself home from a pizza shop 5 nights a week, kind of impossible not to be covered in flour 🙄
More videos like this please!! I loved this and Nana Wilmot is inspiring.
God Bless You, Nana for your hard work and such dedication to your craft! You make many people, most of whom you will likely never meet, very happy I'm sure, with your skills.
She shows passion, i hope she fulfills her dream
You're tellin me... a top rated, expensive NYC restaurant can't pay it's line better than $15/hr? How the hell do they even get employees?
Nana, i hope you have your own kitchen one day. god bless. 🙏🏼
How can you call it the greatest country in the world if people can't even live of the work they have......
Chainman93 don’t really grasp the concept of a spectrum do you lad
when did she say she couldn't live off what she had
As a home cook I find cooking very exhausting but at the same time very calming. I can't even begin to see myself as a line cook in a fine dining restaurant; the stress alone is mind blowing! And why are they so under paid? $12-$15? Minimum wage in N.Y. was just raised to $15 in some areas. I would think a line cook would make at least $17 an hr for the long shifts they work. I hope Nana will succeed in owning her own restaurant someday. She seems very down to earth and very pleasant.
So what's the deal with underwage in great NYC restaurants? I'd imagine even considering the typical expenses of running a kitchen (ordering, waste, electricity, insurance), a place selling bomb food must charge pretty high. Can any other city chefs and cooks confirm the imbalance regarding pay? A prestigious restaurant especially in NYC seems like it should be paying more for a fish position
The cost of owning a restaurant is ridiculous amid the volatile government regulation and market fluctuations which directly reflect a restaurant's bottom line, not to mention astronomical rents in major cities.
Amazing story! Honest, authentic, and heartfelt. A cooking story with perspective.
First word that comes out of her mouth, "Kitchen is Lit" Im ded XD
Im a sous chef at an from scratch Italian restaurant and my daily routine is go in open up start my sauses, soups, pastas, doughs that are all made from scratch. Start that at 7am, by 11am we are open orders start coming in and prep and orders must be done together to finish whatever prep is needed. Do that till 4pm sit out back for 15 minutes then back on the line for dinner till 9pm. It's a life that is not meant for everyone and I live in Phoenix AZ and make 16 an hour which isn't too bad compared to living costs here but we are still underpaid that is for damn sure the amount of blood sweat and tears we put in isn't something people outside of the industry will never understand. I love all 1.6 million of u brothers and sister! Keep reaching for your goals!
i love this channel so much!
Wishing you the most success Nana!!!! Don’t give up , you will have days and weeks even months that will exhaust you but remain patient and trust god will give you what you want! You have the personality for it and gaining the skills it takes ! Be strong !
Such a stressful job. I'm getting ptsd just watching this.
I live it daily
nicholas danca lol the other day the busboys were telling me if they’d be able to handle the line, I told them hell no and they insisted that it’s easy
This video doesn't even capture the actrual stress tbh.
It's why I'll never return to the restaurant industry. There's no fulfillment if you're not the chef passionately living out your dreams.
bro you dont even know 😑.
absolutely love her honesty and heart.
One of the best jobs I've ever had. there is something about a kitchen rush that you won't find anywhere else. And yes, being a woman surrounded by men, you have to have thick skin, and some type of sexual harassment tolerance.
true that haha
+xhottestpink - No one, regardless of gender, should *ever* have to tolerate sexual harassment.
Taylor Salazar shut up little boy
lisarenee3505 You wouldn’t survive in a kitchen then. We talk and joke like sailors. I’ve seen a fair share of what you’d classify as harassment but we call respect in a twisted way lol
lisarenee3505 I know..but, the food industry low key excluded from that. I had co workers pinch me, hug me from behind, talk about my body or play with my hair and even management would laugh it off. You grow a tolerance for it. You become family. I don't know how else to explain
I have no doubt that you will come into your own space and own whichever kitchen you choose to work in - even better if it's your own kitchen one day. Persevere Nana.
Admire her passion...That’s the most important thing...
Chef Mike z y
TheTopSpeedz y. S
TOTALLY AGREE! Passion, next to character, is EVERYTHING in Life!
I wish her a prosperous journey Nana Wilmot. God Bless ☮️🙏
Wendy's by my house is paying 14 an hour. And hell, you could probably move up the pay chain faster than her. Sometimes people forget that Culinary art is as financially rewarding as any other art. Butt he fact that she has to live in NYC on that, and probably forced to pay for her uniform and everything else is just shameful. The ratio of price per customer per employee wage of that magnitude is criminal.
I'm taking Culinary arts, and I'm so excited I've been dreaming abt this haha
Look up this restaurant and it's menu and prices ... does $15/hr seem appropriate? Shameful.
People willing to comment without understanding the industry. Shameful. You do realize you destabilize this girl's job when you go off knocking her employer, right?
@@jeydub8541 She deserves more pay, that’s all. Someone should say it.
I'm a 22 year old line cook, this is sort of what that's looked like. I started off washing dishes for a month when I was 20, when the chef approached me and asked if I would be a good student for him to teach how to cook. He said he knew I hated the dishes but I did them anyways so that's why he wanted to offer me a job learning. He said his old dishwasher needed a job and he was gonna let me decide where we both went, dishes or cooking. I knew nothing about restaurants. I thought to myself "wait, so anyone can just pick up a job and cook at a restaurant? I don't need any certificate or anything?" I immediately said that sounds amazing. I had watched the cooks in wonder from across the kitchen all month and was so excited to be one of them. So I began, they handed me a knife and asked me to slice 50 lbs of onions. I looked at the 120 or so onions and thought oh my god what have I gotten myself into. It starts exactly as I expected, slow. This is impossible I think. The chef who said that I was going to be his student walks over laughing, he says keep going slow, it takes practice and I'll naturally get better, this is normal. He starts peeling the onions next to me, I realize he is peeling and slicing about 5 onions for every one that I get through, and one of the cooks is telling me mine aren't the right size and I need to slow down. He was right. After 6 months of this work, 12$ an hour, for 50 hours a week, almost all they had me do was use my knife, even while they sat and ate together 5 times a day. I didn't care, I needed to learn, I was literally obsessed with becoming as good with my knife as these guys. And after those 6 months I actually was. Then I moved to Colorado, still looking to take things further. I decided to take a job at the first place that would hire me. That place was applebees. I started at 12$ an hour, and when I left 6 months later i was at 14, now working between 50 and 60 hours a week, it was enough to be independent where I was living, and I always had spare cash for activities, though I was never going to afford a nice house or anything, I was happy enough at 21 just starting out in something. I'm getting paid to learn I thought. And I was getting pretty good at keeping up with the restaurant pace, I smoked a lot of weed but I always took the work dead serious lol. Then I get fired for smoking weed, so again I thought i would just find a job somewhere I actually care to work this time. I go to a pretty respectable pub grub place and I'm back prep cooking. A week later they say ok you're pretty good want to move to the line? Sure I say. Now I'm making 13 an hour but I'm assured I'll get a "good raise" in 3 months. A week later I spur of the moment move back to CA without so much as a goodbye. Now I'm back in California. I need a job asap at this point so I go online. Hey this place is hiring and they're kinda fancy! It's a breakfast and lunch cafe with its own bakery. I apply as a prep cook, 3 days of probation in the kitchen later I'm a full time employee. I'm going on 6 months here now and Im the saute cook, i make 16 an hour to work a set 5 days a week, 8 or 9 hours a day but the first 40 hours are guaranteed. I have put thousands of hours into this and a ton of my passion to get to a place where I feel like I'm working rather than learning in a real restaurant. I'm not sure where I would want to go from here, I'm worried about getting too comfortable and not advancing any further. The thing about your value in a kitchen is that it's difficult to estimate because it is so often seen as a learning experience. The best restaurants don't have to pay a lot because there are actually quite a few skilled cooks willing to work at these kinds of places for free. I don't think I would still cook if it weren't for the fact that the world seems to work for you after a productive day at work, no job has ever made me feel so useful or motivated. I get better and more valuable every day and i can move anywhere and have a job waiting for me and no one can take that away. I can't afford to go to college because I'm on my own. One day i would like to but the sad fact is that i don't want to spend my 20s working full time so I can be at school every waking moment. I would rather enjoy myself while doing something I'm good at and passionate about, even though I know I can't do this forever. Is it worth it? I think for most people no but it is for me.
I was proud to read your story. It's worth the work. I did it. Worked two jobs. Put myself through culinary school and later college. Worked every job in the kitchen. I have owned restaurants and am now a silent financial partner in several restaurants. If you are willing to compete, the rewards are out there.
Put the work in man. You can achieve much more than you think.
A young woman putting her life in order instead of blaming everyone and everything around her. Need more like her.
@@YhurHurt Taken a chance? Sounds more like taken advantage of.
Those that are to blame seldom want fingers pointed at them and never accept responsibility for their actions.
Keep pushing girl....I'm in this with you...a sister in fine dining...we are a rare breed. When I started I was 37...finding balance is HARD in this business. You have to fight for it!
A beautiful diversity of ppl working in the kitchen.
Red Yumi what do you mean by diversity?
Absolomb there are men and woman of different background working together.
Red Yumi that's cuz it's in nyc
How can you live your life and view people, not as people, but as they are based on the color of their skin or the sex of that person? When i watched this video not once did i view any of them as different. The thought never even came close to crossing my mind. It is just simply odd to me that people dont see others as others. Always a label...
For all you hating on the OP. It's just a fact chill the hell out. There's just a mix of different people, inside and out. Coming from 7 years as a line cook.
So much passion! I once started loosing it bc I was over working but then I created my own Meal Prep Business and I’m so much happy now!
This is great!! She will be an executive chef soon!!
Nana you're a rock star. Keep killin' it.
$15 an hour! In N Out pays that much...
actually 16$ now
A brave, strong woman. I hope she succeeds in her career
Wouldn't a 3 star restaurant make a lot of money? 15 dollars an hour doesn't seem to scale with the reputation. Or is there more to it?
Rick Boon look at the number of cooks. Restaurant margins are razor thin to begin with. Maybe 15 percent. Many Michelin starred restaurants have more free cooks, staige, than paid cooks. It's the only way to make any money. More profit is made on quick turn busy places like chili's or tgif than fine dining restaurants. It's a crazy world and a crazy life. Meanwhile the servers are working half as much and making 2 or 3 times more money easily.
If you get alot of interns you can cut a bit of costs, but for that you need a high caliber reputation, and even their, you need a steady flow of interns to make sure you constantly cut staff costs in the back. Yes, the FOH makes more than us , by alot, im happy to see that many places have begun profit sharing with the BOH
Interns can't be used to do things you would normally pay someone for, it is illegal to do so. While many businesses get very close to the line, no one reports them which is why there is such a warped perception of what an unpaid internship should be. The internship is for the benefit of the intern to learn, the company shouldn't be profiting from them.
Rick Boon $15x40hrs=$600 a week
160hrs a month =$2,400
$2,400x12= $28,800. This is your salary for the year.and you not even looking at tax deductions yet.👈👀
Toysoldier34 there's 52 weeks in a year dude..
*Makes me appreciate the food I'm being served at a restaurant and the fast pace coordination that was involved!*
Background music at the beginning really sounds like Runaway by Mars Argo
Festive Husky i thought i was only one who noticed nice
My joy is seeing people light up when they see their order coming to them and seeing that it's made with love for what you do.
This is why I left the restaurant industry for the automotive industry....
I bet u making bankkkkk playa !!
Power to Nana YOU GO GIRL.