If you're an Anthony Bourdain fan, or have worked service, you may have seen this quote pop up during your internet travels: ‘You can always tell when a person has worked in a restaurant. There’s an empathy that can only be cultivated by those who’ve stood between a hungry mouth and a $28 pork chop, a special understanding of the way a bunch of motley misfits can be a family. Service industry work develops the “soft skills” recruiters talk about on LinkedIn — discipline, promptness, the ability…

I've met a lot of people in my life who have scoffed at restaurant workers and bartenders . “Get a real job," they say, with contempt. The reality is, however, that restaurant and bartending work are often more stressful and physical than what any average desk jockey is up against during their nine-to-five gigs. Sure, in both cases, people can enjoy some free coffee and banter but the act of dealing with e ntitled customers , complicated orders, and an unorthodox work schedule are not for the f…

So many bosses want excessive access to their employees in manners that cross some boundaries. On the first day of my first restaurant job, I asked one of the assistant managers if I could leave at 9 PM since, on the schedule, my shift ended at 9 PM. He laughed at me, said, “it's good you didn't ask that when the manager was around,” and we continued working. At the time, I felt like such an idiot because I had never had a job before, so I assumed all jobs were like that. Now I just realize thi…

A lot of people look down on those who work at restaurants. It's true that it's not a job for everyone, but “serving” people doesn't make you “less than” anyone else. While it's stressful, restaurant work gives a lot of time to people who want to pursue their art, school, or even some daytime hobbies. Playing music all day and then working 4 hours at night is a dream for many people. The same goes for those in the fine arts or people who are grinding away at grad school. So while it's definitel…

The underbelly of working in the restaurant industry has gained a lot of attention since FX dropped their latest smash hit The Bear. The single-camera dramedy has both critics and viewers raving. Let's just say that awards season will be featuring a lot of “chef speak”. But the kitchen slang that has become so popular is only one facet of chaotic restaurant life and the jobs that make the whole operation happen. The reality is a lot less sexy than Jeremy Allen White The reality of working both…

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A good restaurant hides its behind-the-scenes chaos well. While you're sipping wine and twirling spaghetti to the soothing sounds of smooth jazz, a 90 degree kitchen full of sleep-deprived mad lads is buzzing with energy. And just because you work in a restaurant doesn't mean you have the same experience as your colleagues. The polite server and the no-nonsense line cook, though part of the same ecosystem, exist in very different worlds. If you've ever worked in a kitchen, you'll probably dig th