Ever cook in a pro kitchen?

[jd_1138]

When I was a 17 year old kid I helped out a family friend over the summer at his diner/cafe type of a place (picture Mel's Diner from the old 1970's-1980's sitcom Alice).

It was nice having that huge grill with the grease trap in front and the professional fryers next to it. When I'm messing around with 3 or 4 pans on our stove cooking breakfast -- bacon in one, eggs in another, hash browns in another, French toast in another, I sometimes miss that grill where you could cook all of that at once on the grill. I want a grill in our kitchen.

Anyway he would step out for a smoke after finishing up the tickets, and then I'd have to take over if any other tickets came in while he was still out there. So I'd get to toss some hash browns on the grill, crack some eggs on the grill, put some bread in the industrial size toasters. Sometimes I'd get to finish a ticket or 2 before he came back in.

But I liked how it was set up -- the bags of bread on a shelf about the industrial toasters. A basket of fresh eggs near by, etc..

He sort of acted like Mel, too. Cool guy -- old school type of fella. He made a hell of a western omelet and a mean cheeseburger.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I've cooked in kitchens from diners to high end restaurants, the most fun I ever had was in the kitchens for the University cafeteria, miles of stainless steel.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Well.... I used to bus tables way back when. Does that count?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Well.... I used to bus tables way back when. Does that count?

Did you wash dishes, too?

 

[GotGarlic]

I went to culinary school for two and a half months (had to withdraw for medical reasons), which included two classes in the kitchen lab. Cool cooking equipment, to be sure, but a PITA to clean, as I recall.

You can cook your bacon and French toast in the oven and get them out of the way.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Did you wash dishes, too?

Indeed I did. They wouldn't let me touch the stove, though.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Indeed I did. They wouldn't let me touch the stove, though.

Spoil sports!

 

[Andy M.]

I'v never cooked in a pro kitchen but I've been in a lot of restaurants that have pro kitchens. And I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[roadfix]

In the early 70's my parents owned a teppan restaurant and I helped do the dishes and scrub the long, 30' continuous grille counter. That's the only restaurant/food related work experience I've ever had. Working in a food establishment was never my thing, even as a part time job....

 

[jd_1138]

In the early 70's my parents owned a teppan restaurant and I helped do the dishes and scrub the long, 30' continuous grille counter. That's the only restaurant/food related work experience I've ever had. Working in a food establishment was never my thing, even as a part time job....

That's cool. I had to look that up.

 

[jennyema]

I went to culinary school for two and a half months (had to withdraw for medical reasons), which included two classes in the kitchen lab. .

Me too but mine were work reasons. The school kitchens were great!

Later on I worked in a friend's small but high end restaurant kitchen and it was a blast. But it made clear to me what very hard work cooking can be.

 

[Smokeydoke]

Yes, I worked at a pizzeria for years. I did everything, even cook.

It was a nightmare, but I did love the fryers. We used to fry everything when we were in a pinch. (Shhh... don't tell anyone.) Those fryers were great. If I ever have enough money, I want industrial fryers in my home kitchen.