Modern Flavor Magazine 1/2015 Modern Flavor Magazine 1/2015 | Page 30

stood on the back dock and smoked a cigarette, went. You’ve
suddenly become “management” and cannot be trusted. Things you
once turned a blind eye towards, you now have to address or, even
worse, take disciplinary action.
The staff that once loved you and invited you out for drinks now looks
at you like you’re the company snitch. Why? Simply, because you are
doing your job. The problem is, you were not doing your job in the first
place as the sous.
So, to answer the original question at the head of this article, YES
there is a such thing as being too nice. It’s easier to start off like a jerk
and back off later. It’s almost impossible to start off nice and try to be
a jerk later because things have gotten out of control. Can it be done?
Yes, but you’re going to have to clean house and start almost
completely over for changes to take place.
Below is a list of the types of people that you’ll run across in most
kitchens. Are you one of these people?
Loyal and successful . . . in spite of you
The people that always supported you will continue to do so. Most of
the time, these are the individuals that, no matter who’s in charge, did
their job anyway. These are the people that will have your back, but
when it’s time to go, they are like a fart in the wind––out and gone
quickly. All of their work will be done, and you almost never have to
go behind them. These are people you can count on. They know their
job, and do it very well. They like you but could care less if you stayed
or left because they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do,
not for the chef but because it’s in them to just do a great job and go
home.
I like you . . . for the moment
Then you have the team members that like you only when it’s in their
favor. If given the chance, they’d stick the biggest, longest chef knife
they could find in your back. They do an okay job. They are never late
and very reliable. However, they are watching you more than you’re
watching them. They are the ones that watch the schedule to see
how many hours everyone is getting. They are the ones that watch to
see how everyone is disciplined or not disciplined. They have your
back only if they know there isn’t a chance under the sun anything is