Of course it’s Monday again. How do we escape this inevitable work day of it being Monday again? The beginning of the grind, catching up from what depleted this past weekend. Last weekend before Easter, which is also the first weekend for many Spring breakers. Ahhh, the rush. Initially, an inexplicable rush, but then the chef discovers the amount of kids’ meals sold over the weekend and it’s likely to repeat itself throughout the remaining week until after Easter.
It isn’t a big deal, but for those coming in on their Monday, it can be overwhelming. First thing is first, what is priority? What needs to be replenished? Make a quick list and hopefully there will be a pair of extra hands to fulfill any mise en place that wasn’t completed or done. This is rarely the time to complain, though there’s plenty of temptation to do so. What happens is really a reflection of where the kitchen is. Of course there will be plenty of items depleted, but who measures up to assist and gets things done is what counts.
Even if there are many things that need to be done, the cook must remain calm throughout. That calmness is what will generate enough energy to finish and get through the impossible. Mondays can be rough on the cook, trying to catch up and get reoriented with the kitchen again. Being assigned to a different station may make it a bit more daunting because of unfamiliarity as well as whether mise en place is readily available. This is where the importance of making a list and multi-tasking comes in handy. Busy nights are a test of what a cook has learned over the years. Do they have what it takes to measure up and perform or, in failing, then needing more time to practice skills useful in plowing through a busy service?
There are some cooks who take it easy. These cooks who take their responsibilities lightly place themselves at a disadvantage. There’s no escaping the prolonged rush of a line. As with anyone who has a certain craft they are trying to master in this lifetime, cooking on the line with speed, focus and dexterity is a craft that must be practiced everyday. It is one that is followed through, improved and worked on. There may be shortcuts involved, but shortcuts sometimes compromise quality. It is better to master the craft in a well-paced manner. Trying to rush the knowledge and the practice of cooking forces one to look for shortcuts that ultimately cuts them short of truly knowing what it takes to run the line independently. This, in turn, cuts their ability to see through some important lessons in how to run a kitchen effectively and properly. The path to being a chef, after all, is rooted in owning up to the responsibilities of being a cook in the first place.