Production.

As a freelancer, a significant amount of my "free" time is spent looking for work.  Nowadays, that means sending out emails.  Sometimes, they include my availability.  Sometimes, they include questions that I have been meaning to ask.  Sometimes, they are just simple hello's.  All this to keep all five of my bookers thinking of me.  That's it.  Just thinking of me.  Because when a new job pops up, I want to be at the forefront of their minds.

And it works.

It works so well that four out of the five companies I work for have me as part of the core group of go-to cooks.  It's a great feeling.  And it helps prevent me from worrying about where my income will be generated.  Or if there will be any income to begin with.

Which is why I am convinced that a lot of my fellow freelancers are lying when they say that they do contact the bookers for work and claim that they are never given work.  I am especially convinced because there are a lot of people getting work who are not as skilled as the ones who say they are overlooked.  There are a lot of times I get asked to do double shifts.  There are a lot of times I have to turn down work because I am already booked or my week is too full.

I am truly convinced that a lot of my fellow freelancers are lying because one of the companies we all work for sends out an availability form before the beginning of the month.  I fill it out promptly.  I get work often.  I find it baffling when others say that they haven't filled it out and it's the second week of the month.  Really?  I guess you aren't strapped for cash as badly as you say you are.  Weird.

I guess I have to be thankful for these folks.  If it wasn't for them, I may have less work.  Because, no matter how good you are, if you don't follow up on work, you won't get hired.  No matter how good you are, your booker has no idea if you are available to work.  No matter how good you are, if you don't spend time looking for work, you'll be spending a lot of time "free".  Later.

Labels: Effort, Pounding the Pavement, Weird, Work

  ¶ 12:43 PM 0 comments

 

Doughy.

I've never subscribed to the "customer is always right" code.  Mainly because they aren't always right.  And partly because nobody has the right to everything.

I worked a gig last night in the god-forsaken area called Queens.  Just to clarify, Queens is impossible to get around.  The street labeling makes no sense.  The areas that most people need to get to are nowhere near the subway.  And the people who live and work there hate it, refuse to admit they hate it, are overly protective of it, and are super-sensitive about it.

But this isn't a post about Queens.  I'd hate to dedicate that much time to it.

This is a post about customers who are demanding but have no idea what they are demanding.  It's a post about customers whose anxiety level is so high that they act irrational.  It's about customers who's lack of self-esteem factors into their decisions.  Who's fragile emotional state makes everything they do "an emergency".

Last night, my team was accused of making fun of the event we were working.  We couldn't make fun of the event we were working because we had no idea what the hell the event was about.  We were making fun of Queens.  We were making fun of the fact we had so many cooks working what we thought was an event that one person could have worked.  We were making fun of how none of us liked Queens.  And we were mistaken for making fun of an event.

We were approached about that and we owned up to what we did.  But our event planner is so new that she had no clue how to react to it all.  And the customer was so insecure that she took it all personally.  She is so insecure that she cannot trust that true professionals are in control of what they are doing.  I found this out because after the chef served the main entree, she approached him and said that she was glad that the food was good because she had big doubts about him cooking whole fish and portioning it table side.  Seriously?

This is a chef who runs a renowned restaurant.  A chef who makes the same dish in his restaurant every night.  A chef who has run the same restaurant for years.  And you don't trust him?

When I heard her say that, I watched her walk away and noticed her wide hips and panty line.  First of all, don't wear tights if you have wide hips.  Cause you won't find an appropriate thong and your panty line will be visible.  And frankly, I don't want feel like I should be assaulted by your big ass.

And if your big ass is the the source of all your insecurity, then work on it.  Don't let the rest of us suffer for it.  Don't hide behind the "customer is always right" code because you cannot separate one's disdain for the area you are in from the bullying in your past.  Get over it and work on it.

And while you're at it, work on that muffin top as well.  Later.

Labels: Irritation, negativity, Work

  ¶ 10:16 AM 0 comments

 

For real?

I'm a freelancer.

What that means is that I only make money when I work.

What that also means is that I compromise a lot in order to make money.

But what that also means is that I come at a price.  A price that I demand.  A price that I will only change if there are reasons that warrant me changing them.

The biggest reason I will not change is because I am being lied to.  Or deceived.  Or given ambiguities.

I am not opposed to working or working hard.  I am also not opposed to donating my time for a good cause.  But I am opposed to not being told the truth up front.  I am opposed to being given ambiguities when it comes to whether or not I am going to be paid properly.

What makes people think that I would be interested in "donating" my time to their cause?  Why would anyone think that I am unreasonable for wanting to get paid for what I do for a living?

It baffles me.  It baffles me that people would think that I would do what I do for a living at a compromised price.  It's weird that someone would be willing to compromise my livelihood.

I'm a freelancer.  But I'm not free.  Later.

Labels: Irritation, Work

  ¶ 12:02 AM 0 comments

 

Stay in the box.

 
I'm doing it again.  I'm moving forward too fast.  I need to reign it in.  I may have to make sure it doesn't get too far ahead.  Or it'll just be the same thing again.

I have this knack of making people in charge think that I want to be in charge as well.  I can't help but feel that they think that I am interested in being part of the people in charge.  I am trying to just work.  A little more pay is nice.  But I'm not always interested in being responsible.

Suddenly, I am being put in situations where I am in charge.  I'm sure it's because of my work ethic and demeanor.  It's quite flattering.  But sometimes, I just want to show up and work.  Not necessarily think.  Just work.

I am giving myself 2 years to keep doing what I am doing.  Cooking.  Just cooking.  Making money cooking.  Then I'll go from there.  But until then, I just want to work.  Not necessarily be in charge.  I don't mind taking charge.  But I don't need to have the title.  You know.  Later.

Labels: Irritation, Work

  ¶ 12:15 AM 0 comments

 

Feed.

A few years ago, I decided to embrace the fact that I am good at teaching.  I never really embraced the fact that I am.  It's weird because I have had tons of teaching positions since college.  I was picked out as a teaching assistant for a technical writing course.  I worked as a fitness instructor for 15 years.  I was an educator for a major organic grocery chain.  I also taught cooking classes while there.  So, about 3 years ago, I totally embraced it and accepted that I actually know how to get people to learn.

So, it bothers me immensely when people don't teach me what to do.  Because if you ask me to do something, I'll ask you specifics.  If you fail to communicate them to me, then I'll do it the way you told me with slight adjustments which I consider necessary to create a better product.  And it bothers me immensely, when you come over and have an attitude about it rather than just ask me to do it the way you previously did not communicate.  And it really bothers me when the person I am working with, who supposedly knows what is going on, doesn't correct me, and co-signs with the person who did not communicate with me properly.

Last night, I was tasked to brown some chicken.  I asked specifically what steps were being taken to finish the product.  The response was very inaccurate.  So, knowing that we had a huge amount of time, I decided to brown the chicken carefully.  Because I was asked to get good color.  A fellow cook, who has about as much tact and class as a nail, came over and said that I was wasting time and this is how I should do it... blah blah blah. 

I guess I'm bothered for three reasons:  one, we have so much time; two, none of the lead cooks complained to me about the way I was doing it, and they both checked on me twice; three, my fellow chicken cook, who didn't do it properly the first time, and was corrected properly by one of the leads, co-signed with the asshole to make herself look like she knew what she was doing. 

Seriously, we had so much time for this event that we sat around for 45 minutes waiting.  Guess, I had time to waste.

The two lead cooks, were fine with the way I was doing it.  NOBODY, including my fellow chicken cook, said anything to me.  I'm adult enough to take criticism.  And I love when people correct me if I am doing it wrong.  Don't be such a pussy about doing it.  But then again, my fellow chicken cook is a female and they notoriously lack any confidence in the kitchen.  Most won't say it but they definitely feel it.

I know she definitely has been put on the spot at events.  I know he definitely been put on the spot at events too (one instance actually involved me).  But here is the thing:  I've been put on the spot at events before.  My goal is to help others not be put on the spot.  My goal is to also teach my fellow workers how to cook properly for the company.  Not berate them and make them feel small.

I guess that's what makes me a good teacher.  Later.

Labels: Cooking, Irritation, Teaching, Work

  ¶ 9:51 AM 0 comments

 

Cloudy skies abound.

How do you tell someone that their negativity is always going to hold them back?  I don't think it's an age thing at all.  Because the three people that I know, who's negativity holds them back are nowhere near each others age.

I worked with a lesbian that was so negative that it stopped her most things correctly.  She was in her middle 50's.  She left a career in graphic arts to pursue a career in culinary arts.  She sucks.  No.  She just is not that good a cook.  And on top of that, she is always critical of everything she works on.  Why do we not add more lemon to the hummus?  Why would you marinate the shrimp that long?  Why do we use these environmentally-unfriendly platters?  And so on and so forth.  It's gotten so bad that people refuse to work around her.

Then there's a young head chef in his late 20's.  Who is super-talented.  Who at times is very nurturing.  Who has vision that many more seasoned chefs won't ever have.  But his need for perfection leads him to doubt his work.  It leads him to constantly think negative things are going to happen during events.  And inevitably leads him to sulk while cooking.  I have noticed that when he is surrounded by people who don't feed his negativity, he actually does calm down and appreciates the work that is done.  But when he is surrounded by anyone who feeds that negativity, it becomes a shit storm.  It's only a matter of time before people begin to not want to work with him.  And the first people to leave are always the talent.

Speaking of negativity, there is a catering cook who's lack of self-confidence renders her utterly useless.  She often "bites off more than she can chew."  And while in the midst of doing things that are basic knowledge to most cooks, her self-doubt kicks in and she begins asking questions that make me think she really has no idea what she is doing.  What do you mean you just want me to grill these for color?  Should I add more salt to this?  When is this salmon done?  How do you want us to make that thing we have done a million times? 

I just don't get it.  I work one way.  I review the menu.  Ask questions about how the food is to be cooked, seasoned, finished, and presented.  And get it done.  When I get to the point of finishing the food, I ask the chef to taste it.  Adjust it as needed.  And send it out.  Done.  If I don't do it correctly, I take a deep breath, fix it, and move on.  I certainly do not dwell on it at all. 

This is probably why I have always been successful.  Negativity and drama roots people.  It forces them to take their focus away on what they should do and place it squarely on what they didn't, effectively causing them to perform poorly, leading to more mistakes.  I just don't have to time or energy to do that.  Nor do I have the desire to tell most of them.  Not that I think telling them will work.  Later.

Labels: Cooking, negativity, Work

  ¶ 11:11 PM 0 comments

 

AAHHRRGGHH!!

This past weekend, I got irritated at work.  I don't normally let stuff get to me in this line of work.  Especially because for the most part, I have my part to execute and as long as I do, nothing else bothers me.  Part of it is also age and experience.  I am to old to not know what my strengths are and how good I am.  Which is probably why I was massively irritated by a coworker.

This is not just any coworker.  She actually trained me in this kitchen.  I have come to realize that all her talk is basically self-encouragement.  She has utterly no confidence which to me means that she just is not that good a cook.  Don't get me wrong:  she can cook.  She just has so much self-doubt, it becomes an obstacle for her and eventually the rest of us.  I would consider her an okay cook.  But that's about it.

She is especially not a leader when it comes to the kitchen.  Which irritated me this weekend because for the third time in a row, she took over a position that she thinks showcases her to the owners and head chef.  The thing is, she becomes so flustered that she comes off looking like a mess.  Another coworker and I have realized that when she is not in the kitchen, the head chef leaves us to run the place.  Interesting.

So, what is one to do?  I think the next time she works a party with me, I am going to ask that she work the less stressful side.  I know she will have an issue because she once told me that she feels that everyone is trying to steal her job.  Issues!  It doesn't help that my head chef tells her how smooth things are when I work parties.  Not helping!  I guess I'll just say that I want a chance to work the more involved side; even though I already have and the head chef is confident in my skills.  Whatever.  She'll have to deal.  Later.

Labels: Irritation, Work

  ¶ 11:05 PM 0 comments

 

Gimme, gimme, more

Sometimes it's all in the perspective.  Or the timing.  With just a little bit of luck thrown in.  Plus it doesn't hurt to know people.

I just got called to do a gig for a huge catering company tonight.  Very last minute but I will take it.  Plus they pay quite well.  This all happened because I happened to be by my phone yesterday when a fellow cook texted me to see if I was available tonight.  I was.  So, she set it in motion.  I emailed the booker and... boom... bang... pow... I am working tonight!!!  And not that far from my home!!!

Of course, this inspired me to send out two more emails to get me some work.  Here's hoping my other chef, who I like, is kind enough to bring me in for a few hours on Friday to prep for the large Saturday party.  He's a new head chef, so budgets sit in his mind foremost.  I get it.  But I also need money.

Coming back into the freelance world has been a slow transition for me.  I have been a salaried person so long that I forgot that part of freelancing is emailing/calling/hustling for work.  I need to remember that what may seem like harassment to me is par for the course for company bookers.  This should especially be obvious because I was once a booker.  But for some reason, I have been slow to re-grasp this concept.

I think I am closer to getting it.  Later.

Labels: Pounding the Pavement, Work

  ¶ 10:22 AM 0 comments

 

Time to start walking

This probably happens in all other industries but in mine, it's especially irritating because they barely pay full-fledged cooks a lot of money to begin with.  It's disheartening to want to work at a "name" place only to find out they want interns, who they don't have to pay.

I kinda sorta get it.  You want to put product out there while keeping your costs low.  But, as someone who has hired, trained, and worked with interns, you get a better product by hiring someone who is actually skilled and knowledgeable about your product.

I also know that a lot of culinary schools require their students to intern at a place for a specific amount of time.  I am convinced this is a conspiracy between these schools and the companies.  My culinary school didn't require an internship.  I just cooked at the restaurant which was part of the school.  And it was not just a learning process but a teaching process.  If you've ever interned before, you know that most of the time, you are not being taught a single thing.

Anyway, I am off to pound the pavement for part-time work.  I actually would not mind being paid off-the-books but, nowadays, restaurants are so wary of that they actually do hire on the books.  We'll see.  Later.

Labels: Intern, Work

  ¶ 10:26 AM 0 comments