About a year ago..
I started working at a brand new restaurant in Melbourne. The building had been an art gallery for about 20 years, and the people who owned it had more money than sense, and decided they wanted a restaurant.

I came on board just before the place opened, which happened to be about 6 months behind schedule, due mainly to the three partners' complete lack of organisation. (As evidenced by the fact that, despite having business cards printed to hand out on opening night with their web address on them, the restaurant's website wasn't even up and running for another 8 months..)

Anyway, I worked in the kitchen, and as a team we were all very passionate about the restaurant and worked our asses off to make sure everything ran smoothly at our end. (For all you I.T. lads, you know how you cracked a huge bone when you got your hands on your new PDA or iPad or whatever you kids are playing with these days.. Well that's what we were like with our new combi-oven, icecream maker, woodfire grill etc...)

The front of house side of things, on the other hand, was a clusterfuck from day one. While the kitchen staff had been working together for a week before opening night, the waiters and bar staff got about a 2-hour crash-course on how to use the POS system, where everything was kept, order of service etc.. No time was spent on them being introduced to the people who would be cooking the food they'd be carrying, nor having them see or taste any of the menu items.

The most incredible act of mind-numbing stupidity was the hiring of a restaurant manager who regularly drank a full bottle of vodka a night (while working), let the other floor staff drink on shift (for free), supplied the staff with cocaine when they started to lose focus from drinking too much and regularly gave free or discounted food to customers, to cover the floor staffs' fuck-ups (thus, blowing the kitchens budget out and making us look shit..).

Oh, I also worked there for 6 months without signing a contract or receiving a pay-slip. Needless to say, I left after 6 months, which is such a shame, because the food was fucking amazing. If anyone is in Melbourne and wants an awesome and reasonably priced meal in the city, PM me and I'll give you the details.. Just don't want this post popping up if somebody googles the restaurant in question..
(r0ach, Thu 10 Jun 2010, 15:05, 3 replies)

Sounds like an episode of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmare
You don't get paid after 6 months? Or did you get cash in hand?
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Thu 10 Jun 2010, 15:08, closed)

An alcoholic chef?
Isn't that standard?
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Thu 10 Jun 2010, 16:10, closed)

Industry standard then.
I worked in a restaurant where:

The Maitre d' regularly touched up the waitrons, boys and girls alike.

The head barman had 2 tills, into the second of which went every third drink.

The saucier sold poppers, and would bugger the prep chef in the dry goods room. You were bloody careful picking up the potato bags. Especially as we all used it after hours.

The head chef bought poached game. Some of the rabbits had no marks, so had probably been gassed.

Best 3 weeks of my life. Never had so much random sex, or washed so many plates.
(all my scars face forward possesses 2.5% of a hyperalloy combat chassis, Thu 10 Jun 2010, 21:30, closed)