If you are considering becoming a line cook, there are a few things you should know. I have been cooking in restaurants for over 15 years and have learned what it takes to be a good line cook. It’s not an easy job and I have seen many newbies crash and burn within the first week because it IS a challenging job. Whether you are working at Denny’s or Mom and Pop’s, this guide should help you understand your role and allow you to put your best foot forward at your new job as a line cook.
Get the job
Most restaurants are looking for cooks who have experience. If you have never been a cook, they may still be willing to give you a chance if you are willing to learn, especially if you are a quick learner. Cooking knowledge, organization, safe food-handling practices and good hygiene, ability to multitask, ability to handle stress, and dedication to quality are all essential components of a good line cook. Additionally, you must be willing to work hard because it can be very physically demanding. Believe it or not, a good place for newbies to learn the ropes is Denny’s. The food product may not be fine dining but their training programs are invaluable. I have always considered my time at Denny’s (my second cook’s job) as my ‘Line Cook Boot Camp’ and the experience I gained has served me well throughout the years.
Don’t let the stress get to you
Cooking can be quite stressful during peak business hours. Some restaurants have one cook on duty and that cook may produce 50 or more meals in the span of a couple hours. When i worked at Denny’s, we had 8 minute ticket times. This meant that each order had to be cooked and ready to be served within 8 minutes. It’s not so hectic to cook a couple tickets for chicken strips and fries, but when you have 10 tickets and more coming in, the pressure starts to build. When this goes on for an hour, it’s easy to feel stressed or discouraged. It’s not easy when you are in the middle of a ‘rush’ but you can get through it. You just have to keep plugging away and do the best you can. Eventually, the people are fed and they go away. The ability to remain calm in a stressful environment is like gold to an employer.
Keep it clean
Think of the kitchen like an operating room. You wouldn’t do surgery on someone with filthy hands (I hope) and you certainly wouldn’t use dirty tools. Washing your hands is the most important thing you can do, and it must be done A LOT. Your hands will spread germs unless you wash your hands for 20 seconds with hot, soapy water, after you touch ANYTHING: using the bathroom, touching your face/hair, handling raw meat, touching doors or dirty plates, etc. In addition to this, always keep knives, cutting boards, counters, and equipment clean. Sanitizer is the preferred cleanser in restaurants these days, and usually there will be a bucket of sanitizer water on the cook’s line to keep your cleaning rags- Keep this water clean by replacing often. As a good line cook, you must be dedicated to keeping a clean kitchen. For bonus points as a new employee, find something in the kitchen that needs cleaning, and then clean it. Your boss will be impressed by your go-to attitude and will likely be more patient in your training, considering your efforts.
Keep Quality First
Just as you must be committed to constant handwashing, cleaning-as-you-go, and basic hygeine, you must be committed to providing quality food. Every meal you cook must be cooked properly and be pleasing to the eye. Never cook or serve something you would not eat yourself, or feed to a friend or family member. There is a saying in the restaurant world, “When in doubt, throw it out”. Granted, I have worked for some restaurants who frown on this policy, but those are the restaurants you end up getting sick from. As a cook, it is up to you to maintain quality by storing food at the proper temperature and implenting proper rotation of food to control freshness and reduce waste (First In-First Out). Every plate you serve should be cooked properly, look good, and taste good. Every plate becomes someone’s meal, and each person deserves a good experience. As a customer you have a right to expect it, and as a cook you have an obligation to provide it.
Be open to learning new things
Whether you are brand new or an old hack in the kitchen, be open to learning new things. You will learn a million things cooking in a restaurant and if you end up working at a different restaurant, you will learn a million more, if you are open to it. Most restaurants try to be consistent in their recipes, processes and plate presentation. It is important to learn their ways of doing things. It never hurts to offer ideas at an appropriate time, but during training, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. Unless you’re asking questions. Questions are good.. don’t be afraid to clarify instructions or ask “stupid” questions. Nobody knows this stuff until they learn it and a good manager/restaurant will encourage you to learn and do things properly.
Practice Preparation and Teamwork
Teamwork is crucial to a positive experience in the kitchen. Whether you are working with other cooks and need to cooperate, or you are simply being relieved by another cook at the end of your shift, a good cook is aware of the inter-relationship between co-workers. The best cooks will carry their weight, communicate kitchen needs, and cooperate to complete an urgent task. A good line cook always completes his/her ‘shift duties’, such as prepping for the next shift, cleaning the grill, etc.
Whenever I start a new job as a cook, I make a commitment to myself and my employer. Once I am in that kitchen, I am a representative of the restaurant. I am the one who makes the food, and that is why people come to restaurants. If I make good food, they will come back, and that’s the point. As a cook, you determine whether the customer comes back or not. My commitment when I start working for a restaurant is to work for it like it’s my own. I care about the customer’s experience, and I care about the success of the restaurant. If you can look at it this way, you can become a great asset to the restaurant.
Being a good line cook is not easy and is often thankless work but it can be done and the job security is there for those who can be good at what they do.. people will always have to eat. Give yourself the best chances at success by remembering these guidelines, and don’t be too hard on yourself if it takes time to learn the ropes. There’s a lot to know. Utilize the teachers around you and keep your work ethic strong. You’ll have it in no time.
