Working at a restaurant is kind of bad for your health. I've seen both front of house and back of house people succumb to alcoholism, drug addiction, burnout and dark depression. I've experienced some of these ails as well. Unfortunately, working a high-paced and high-stress job kind of goes along with those pitfalls. But for all the glaring problems with restaurant work , the industry can help people develop much-needed empathy and compassion. Servers, bartenders, and even broke line cooks are…

😬

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…

Working at a restauran t isn't for the faint of heart. For some reason, before I got my job at a Mediterranean restaurant on the Upper East Side, I thought I was a natural-born server. Describing food to people is basically my hobby, and if I could get paid for it? Dream gig. I was so, so wrong. Before reaching server status at this restaurant, I had to do some time as a backwaiter. Backwaiters are glorified busboys. They're integral to the operation, gracefully pouring water and pulling empty…

There's a very specific camaraderie you develop when working in a restaurant/bar. People are actually relatively on point when they refer to working together as “being in the trenches.” When the rush comes around it's almost like you're put on autopilot. Swerving through the bus stations, screaming “Corner!” to prevent a terrible accident, and going back and forth from the table because they refuse to order their drinks at the same time. The stress of it all is pretty unparalleled - and if you'…

Servers are going to another dimension when they walk from your table to the kitchen…

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…

In these trying times, don't forget to tip

No one wins here

They both suck, let's be real.

It's a very, very hard job.

We salute you.

They don't care if you live or you die.