SC - Re: SC Kitchen Crew management

[Karen O]

    Anahita asked:

>I've worked two feasts and i finally attended one at which i didn't work
for the first time last weekend, but i don't yet know how to  "manage" the
cooking crew. >

    What  is your experience being a "leader?"  Same things apply.   The
crew has agreed to work (for) with you  -- so you need to say what needs to
be done when.   As people entered my kitchen saying it was their "shift",
I told them "first, wash your hands  -- and the pots/pans/utensils in the
sink need washing too, so you can do that and  *then*  I'll have something
else for you."   A person who hasn't ben cooking much/has no experience cqan
be assigned (asked) to keep up with the dishes, and keep the counters wiped
down.  Plus,  you can always  ask ahead of time for a "scullery crew" of
people every couple hours (like I did)  to keep the kitchen clean.


>What happened last year was one or two people worked on each dish -
chopping, mixing, cooking. When the dish was done, they moved on to another
dish or took a "play" break.<

    Announce  ahead of time, that the dish ain't done til the utensils used
are clean and ready  for the next person.


>Last year i spent about 5 hours washing when i noticed that the  serving
trays needed to be "recycled" and no one else was washing. <

    It's one thing to clean the things  *you* are using,  but as Head Cook,
you shouldn't be chained to the sink that long  --  You're the Leader, and
you should be overseeing the tasks being accomplished.  A planning meeting
with the crew is advisable, so that people know that things need to be
cleaned as they go along.   don't know how the group there operates,  Here
there are people who just wanna wash dishes to be part of the crew.
Sometimes that's the easiest thing to do  -- and be in the kitchen.


    My hints  -- and experience
    Caointiarn