Heard a line cook call a burnt sauce 'caramelized with extra ambition'

I was grabbing a late lunch at a diner in Cleveland last week and overheard the kitchen crew. One cook yelled back, 'Table four's sauce is caramelized with extra ambition, chef!' The head chef just laughed and said, 'Alright, remake it, but I like the spirit.' It made me think about how the right attitude can turn a mistake into a learning moment instead of a yelling match. How do you guys handle those little kitchen mess-ups without killing morale?

2 comments

2 Comments

adams.harper1d ago

My buddy Mike worked the grill at a pub in Akron. He once dropped a whole tray of burger patties on the floor. The sous chef just looked at him and said, "Floor seasoning is extra, but we're not charging for it today. Now go make some more, but slower." It was a mistake, but the joke took the edge off and Mike was way more careful after that.

elizabeth_bailey261d ago

Wait, the burgers actually hit the floor? That's wild! Good on that sous chef for keeping it light though, @adams.harper. Mike must have been so relieved!