GriffinPaulin wrote:Rumplings fits in that category to an extent, but there were other factors that led to its closure. I've offered to clear the air on Rumplings, but at this point I'm over it.
And to be clear, I don't feel undervalued by my employer. The whole notion that chefs are underpaid is nonsense. I'm a 26 year old chef, I own my car, I own a decent home, I pay my child support, I have enough left over to do what I want, mostly.
Most chefs live a pretty exorbitant life style, as far as expending their income. I've been there.
Now, as a cook in title, yes it's easy to feel underpaid, but not everybody can be on that top rung. I do my part to make sure my guys are paid time and a half For overtime, they all make well above the proposed minimum wage, etc.... But for every investment banker you have multiple clerks. Work hard, have some passion, and you eventually move up. A lucky break never hurts, I received one. Really, I'm not any better than any cook in town.
And I wasn't slamming cubicle life. We are all meant to do different things. Most of my family does some sort of desk job, be it professor, nuclear medicine, graphic design, accounting, etc.
I don't think anyone was bringing Rumplings into this, not sure where that comes from. And I do agree that reaching exec/management level of almost any restaurant is a decent living; but line cooks have not seen a wage increase in literally 20 years despite a hamburger going from about $6 back then to upwards of $15 now-so to put it into perspective, employers are in fact squeezing out a bit more profit than cost of food on the backs of line cook wages. Servers got a raise for doing the exact same job because the cost of menu went up, and I might get slayed here for saying it, but most serving is bottom rung entry level. The back of house IS getting screwed and as a chef, you should stand up and say so because it is ok to say so. (because it's true)