Peking Garden fined 25k for numerous health violations

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by AcGold

restaurants are breeding grounds for psychopaths and poor hygiene.

Oi... that's horrible. I wonder if this a product of the working hours or just the available pool of people that are drawn into these jobs?

[Jacks]

I used to work with an auction company that would occasionally go in to liquidate a restaurant when the bank closed them down. You can't imagine some of the things I've seen.

[btimbit]

Should start a 'nasty things you've seen in restaurants' thread.

I'm trying to find some pictures I took a few years ago but no luck yet...

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

Oi... that's horrible. I wonder if this a product of the working hours or just the available pool of people that are drawn into these jobs?

monotony, high egos, pressure, lack of respect between employees, bosses that work in the offices that are condescending, claustrophobic hot loud environment. There are people that get into it because they genuinely love to cook/bake/etc but their passion is easily taken when they get yelled at for the most minor mistakes and almost never get any praise.

This one girl I knew was the best baker I've ever seen, she could make you a pastry that made your knees weak but she ended up quitting and working in a farmers market because of the crazy ex-bouncer/dj that screamed at her for the smallest mistakes. That same guy would sabotage my work because I just ignored his craziness, I'd be filling up a sink to wash a big soup pot and he'd empty it when I'm not looking and take all of his stuff in his station and dump it in the pot to make it so I couldn't get the soup made on time. I've got an endless list of stories like this.

The last restaurant I worked for told me they'd cut off my balls and burn my house if I didn't give them their keys back immediately, that was a nice voicemail. I was doing their invoices, some of the accounting and building orders all of which they had no idea I was doing. A workplace environment where nobody had any idea that the worst paid guy was doing most of the organization in the kitchen. I am aware maybe I'm just jaded from my experience but I found most of the restaurants to be very negative places to work.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by AcGold

monotony, high egos, pressure, lack of respect between employees, bosses that work in the offices that are condescending, claustrophobic hot loud environment. There are people that get into it because they genuinely love to cook/bake/etc but their passion is easily taken when they get yelled at for the most minor mistakes and almost never get any praise.

This one girl I knew was the best baker I've ever seen, she could make you a pastry that made your knees weak but she ended up quitting and working in a farmers market because of the crazy ex-bouncer/dj that screamed at her for the smallest mistakes. That same guy would sabotage my work because I just ignored his craziness, I'd be filling up a sink to wash a big soup pot and he'd empty it when I'm not looking and take all of his stuff in his station and dump it in the pot to make it so I couldn't get the soup made on time. I've got an endless list of stories like this. The last restaurant I worked for told me they'd cut off my balls and burn my house if I didn't give them their keys back immediately, that was a nice voicemail.

I would save that for posterity. I would make that the message on my voicemail.

[DuffMan]

Just look at Gordon Ramsey. He can go from being the nicest guy to a screaming psychopath in minutes. He has bipolarish mood swings. He's fun to watch but I couldn't imagine working for him.

When I was a teen I worked at a pizza joint and the owner was always throwing stuff at us. Baked potatoes, undercooked pizzas, dishes. Once he threw a knife at someone and he realized how crazy that was, and laid off the throwing stuff for awhile.

[AcGold]

^you think I'd give you the names and risk legal action? Pinebrook golf course and Cobs Bread were positive environments and that's about all I'll say.

Funny thing is Ramsey is actually really nice. He is mean on Hell's Kitchen because he wants to see if they will crack under pressure because those people will be working in his kitchen and will effect his bottom line. In comparison to most places he's a saint, I've never seen him hit anyone or throw anything.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

Just look at Gordon Ramsey. He can go from being the nicest guy to a screaming psychopath in minutes. He has bipolarish mood swings. He's fun to watch but I couldn't imagine working for him.

Ramsay is pretty mild. The real Ramsay on his UK shows at least, not the character he plays on his US shows.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Ramsay is pretty mild. The real Ramsay on his UK shows at least, not the character he plays on his US shows.

Agree, the UK version of Kitchen Nightmares is actually a really good show. The US version is a crapfest made for pure shock value. He was pretty nuts early in his career though, watch "Boiling Point" on youtube, what a psycho.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by AcGold

^you think I'd give you the names and risk legal action? Pinebrook golf course and Cobs Bread were positive environments and that's about all I'll say.

Funny thing is Ramsey is actually really nice. He is mean on Hell's Kitchen because he wants to see if they will crack under pressure because those people will be working in his kitchen and will effect his bottom line. In comparison to most places he's a saint, I've never seen him hit anyone or throw anything.

Wait, I just picked up a loaf of lekkerbrot and cinnamon raisin bread! Is there something I should know?? Are those not raisins??

[East Coast Flame]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Here you go - if you want to search your favorite restaurant:

http://www12.albertahealthservices.c...h-inspections/

All the details for the last 3 inspections for this particular establishment:

http://www12.albertahealthservices.c...ationName=Main

I used to date a girl who worked for AHS doing those inspections. Going out to a restaurant with her was not a fun experience.

[btimbit]

ACGold must have worked in some really crappy establishments (bars, pubs, boston pizza). Like you said, you're jaded from some bad experiences, as I've never seen anything like that

[AcGold]

Originally Posted by btimbit

ACGold must have worked in some really crappy establishments (bars, pubs, boston pizza). Like you said, you're jaded from some bad experiences, as I've never seen anything like that

wrong on all of your guesses, like I said, I've worked in some of the most expensive restaurants in Calgary. Never worked in any major chain, bar or pub. My job was to deliver orders of pre prepared food every day to restaurants all around the city and then help cook if they needed an extra hand during rush or pretty much do anything if one of the particular restaurants or bakeries needed help badly. I wouldn't even help because I was ordered but if I didn't things would spiral out of control, some of them were losing money every day and the chain of command just ended when it shouldn't. Where there should be a su chef, head chef, accountant etc. in some places there would just be nobody.

It was more than 8, I can't really remember how many there were because there were so many. Just really hesitant to name establishments, but the places I worked in often looked clean and nice in the dining area which had nothing to do with how things were handled in the kitchen. All you need is one crazy person in the chain of command to screw up the whole place.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by AcGold

wrong on all of your guesses, like I said, I've worked in some of the most expensive restaurants in Calgary. Never worked in any major chain, bar or pub. My job was to deliver orders of pre prepared food every day to restaurants all around the city and then help cook if they needed an extra hand during rush.

Wow I've never heard of a restaurant that does that... Do you mind pm'ing the name of any of these places? I'm genuinely curious. If you don't want to I understand.

Most restaurants, and certainly the successful ones, don't run like that I can assure you.

[AcGold]

I'd tell you if I wasn't concerned about physical or legal retaliation, won't step foot in any of their establishments. I know it's just a forum and all but those people were seriously crazy.

[btimbit]

No worries I was just genuinely curious who'd run their restaurant that way.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by AcGold

I'd tell you if I wasn't concerned about physical or legal retaliation, won't step foot in any of their establishments. I know it's just a forum and all but those people were seriously crazy.

Hmm... Was it Ginger Beef? They seem to have a distribution center in the SE that I drive by occasionally. Is that pre-prepared food for their restaurants or some stuff for grocery stores?

[Pizza]

Originally Posted by fotze

Ok you have to give us a hint just for common decency. Do you hate all of us so much as to potentially put us in danger?

I know a Sunterra manager threatened my wife with violence once when she noticed they were not doing vacation pay to regulations.

there I started.

Sunterra? that's weak. it means nothing when you point out flaws in a chain establishment...

start with singling out a mom and pop Restaurant, that's where the crazies are and have the most to lose

[calgarywinning]

Commissary kitchens are very common and used all over town. I am not a fan, there is a disconnect between the customer and the produce which creates a form of "who cares what I do here", then you get into food preservation, fixed menu's, freezing and not fresh cooking which shows in the end product.

I am surprised you can't tell which restaurants these are. What kind of food do you cook at yours?

I've been very impressed with the CIBO italian chain restaurant in deer foot meadows that cooks everything in front of you fresh and the noodle box near the south costco. Amazing, pricier fast food chains that literally make it in front of your eyes.

I think more and more restaurants are opening their kitchens up because it forces a code of conduct.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

Commissary kitchens are very common and used all over town. I am not a fan, there is a disconnect between the customer and the produce which creates a form of "who cares what I do here", then you get into food preservation, fixed menu's, freezing and not fresh cooking which shows in the end product.

I am surprised you can't tell which restaurants these are. What kind of food do you cook at yours?

That's not the part that surprised me, it was having the delivery guy jump in and help cook it that had me baffled. Me and everyone I know puts so much emphasis on training that that surprised me. Freshness too, but I know that one isn't the norm, unfortunately.

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

I think more and more restaurants are opening their kitchens up because it forces a code of conduct.

My first kitchen job and kitchen management position was in an open kitchen concept. Absolutely loved it. Better for the chefs and the guests