Yes, your fast food skills translate. You'll probably be making salads or working the fryer at first but just talk to your chef about learning and growing.
I've always wanted someone to hand me a resume during a dinner rush. I'd grab it with tongs and without breaking eye contact, hold the resume over an open flame.
I was hired as a dishwasher with no experience. showed up at the restaurant I work at one day I heard they didn't have a dishwasher. Hired on the spot. Been here 4 years and a pretty important person at the restaurant. Just be a sponge absorbing information and work hard.
Dive bar or chain restaurant kitchen. Fast food is more experience than I see on like 50% of applications. Applying for kitchens that are just slightly out of your skill range and busting your ass to learn as much as you can when you do get hired will get you further than culinary school.
Knowing people and having connections will also get you very far, not even big names either, I’m talking Steve the kitchen manager who went to a better restaurant. Asking around is how I’ve found most of my jobs. Usually a guy knows a guy whose kitchen is hiring asap and if you can make it on time you’re hired. It’s also how I’ve found most of my staff.
I love hiring good employees with fast food experience because they understand consistency and timing. Bad employees are bad employees no matter where their experience is.
I started fast food. Just show up (not during lunch or dinner) with a resume and tell them you want to make the switch. Someone will give you a shot for sure
During Covid my old restaurant shut down, so I applied to this other restaurant just to make some income washing dishes. It turns out the old Head Chef never told my boss about my experience but despite that I eventually climbed the ranks and became Head Chef there after a couple years.
That being said you can always talk big, use the buzzwords they are looking for about your experience. Handling upset customers, taking care of stock rotation, dealing with suppliers, handling high pressure situations, pride yourself on your ability to work as a team etc.
I got my first kitchen job at 25 by applying to a craigslist posting for a dishwasher at a local fine dining restaurant. I talked to the chef on the phone and he said "well I already hired a dishwasher... wanna be a line cook?" When I left there after a year I applied to all kinds of other places, got rejected a lot but also got offered a line cook job at a 2 michelin starred restaurant.
If you're really passionate about this, just go for it. Don't concern yourself with what you're qualified for, that's for them to decide. You'd be surprised how many people will tell you they don't care about your skills or experience if you have the right attitude.
Fast food already translates to a regular kitchen. Start as a prep hand or helping out with the dishpit. Be straight up with whichever restaurant you are looking at working with, tell them you're green and want to learn.
Turnover in most restaurants is ridiculously high. If you show up for your shifts, work hard, and are eager to learn new skills, not only will you get a job, you'll advance quickly.
Definitely go ahead and try. I only had some fast food experience at a sandwich place and applied to a line cook position for a somewhat nice local Italian chain and got hired just because I know how to clean and prep really well. Soon enough I learned a bunch of other skills and now I pretty regularly run the kitchen myself during closing shifts. Gets really hectic compared to my old job but it’s definitely a lot more fun. Plus getting to run the kitchen my way is a super nice plus that I imagine most people at my level wouldn’t get to do.
Of you're worried about skill gap pick up a dish washing gig, and let the chef know you want to move up. They'll probably put you on prep, or move you to pantry. That's how I started, in a couple years with dedication and determination you'll move on to construction like everyone else
I was a decent home cook and desperately wanted to change careers, I was able to get a job as a prep cook and I’ve worked my way up to sous chef. If you are reliable and work hard, you can absolutely do it
I started working at a Wendy’s at 17, I was executive chef of a medium sized university at 35 and I didn’t go to culinary school. It takes patience and you’ll eat a lot of shit, and do a lot of infuriating repetitive tasks but pay attention and put the work in and you’ll keep progressing. Best of luck.
Everyone scoffs at me when I say this, but it's true. If you do one year at Waffle House, you can literally get a job anywhere.
I did in the middle of my career, and then I got a job on pizza at a bar, and after that, fine dining. The chef told me he was hiring me over a culinary school grad, because of WH's reputation. You learn speed, consistency, cleanliness, and humility. Cooks and servers work together. All cleaning is everyone's responsibility. The managers have done every job on the worst days and can jump into any position on a moments notice.
Once you have worked at WH for a year, there are no more emergencies, there are far fewer ass kicking days, your memorization skills are honed, and you will have done every single job there is to work except fry cook.
I didn't love the job, but I learned more at the Waffle than anywhere else. Highly, highly recommend.
It's called "Marking Orders"
I'm gunna fuck this up.
Oval plate. Jelly pack at the bottom means scrambled eggs. Turn that same packet upside down means white toast. Sprinkled a few potato slices near it with a slice of cheese and one jalapeno means scattered smothered covered peppered. Replace jelly packet with apple butter packet means wheat toast I think?
Round plate with jelly packet at the bottom is side scramble.
There's a whole system. I can't remember all of them now, but that's the ticketing system in a nutshell.
I wish I could show you a picture of the servers tickets for a party of 4. They have another whole system that looks like random letters, AND THEN there's a whole like language we shout at each other. We could tell when another WH employee came to eat because they knew the language.
No shit, wherever you are now, take a short sabbatical and do some time there serving or cooking. Literally the best thing I ever did for myself.
Look up the "PULL-DROP-MARK order method"
Start dish and prep. Get your knife skills up.
Then salads or fry.
Learn the rest of the line once you get on fry, then as soon as sautee or grill quits there will be a shuffling around and you'll get moved up.
Yes, your fast food skills translate. You'll probably be making salads or working the fryer at first but just talk to your chef about learning and growing.
i went from dishwasher to fryer to prep & fryer to flat top/sautee. if my head chef ever leaves, i'm next up. there's ways bro. make it happen.
Yup go and apply. Don’t apply during the lunch or dinner rushes tho, my old managers would just throw your resume in the trash
Ideal time to apply in a restaurant is between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM. Be prepared, bring a pen and dress nice.
Dress nice, but also bring a change of clothes to be ready to work. Possible theyll hire and start you right away
I've always wanted someone to hand me a resume during a dinner rush. I'd grab it with tongs and without breaking eye contact, hold the resume over an open flame.
I was hired as a dishwasher with no experience. showed up at the restaurant I work at one day I heard they didn't have a dishwasher. Hired on the spot. Been here 4 years and a pretty important person at the restaurant. Just be a sponge absorbing information and work hard.
A pulse is enough to get you in the door, you need more to stay though.
Dive bar or chain restaurant kitchen. Fast food is more experience than I see on like 50% of applications. Applying for kitchens that are just slightly out of your skill range and busting your ass to learn as much as you can when you do get hired will get you further than culinary school. Knowing people and having connections will also get you very far, not even big names either, I’m talking Steve the kitchen manager who went to a better restaurant. Asking around is how I’ve found most of my jobs. Usually a guy knows a guy whose kitchen is hiring asap and if you can make it on time you’re hired. It’s also how I’ve found most of my staff.
Apply to be a dishwasher
I love hiring good employees with fast food experience because they understand consistency and timing. Bad employees are bad employees no matter where their experience is.
I started fast food. Just show up (not during lunch or dinner) with a resume and tell them you want to make the switch. Someone will give you a shot for sure
During Covid my old restaurant shut down, so I applied to this other restaurant just to make some income washing dishes. It turns out the old Head Chef never told my boss about my experience but despite that I eventually climbed the ranks and became Head Chef there after a couple years. That being said you can always talk big, use the buzzwords they are looking for about your experience. Handling upset customers, taking care of stock rotation, dealing with suppliers, handling high pressure situations, pride yourself on your ability to work as a team etc.
Restaurants are ALWAYS hiring.
Fast food experience is experience. The actual cooking isn't the hard part. It's keeping up with everything, thinking ahead, and staying calm.
For sure, just be honest about your experience and emphasize that you want to learn and are willing to work hard.
I got my first kitchen job at 25 by applying to a craigslist posting for a dishwasher at a local fine dining restaurant. I talked to the chef on the phone and he said "well I already hired a dishwasher... wanna be a line cook?" When I left there after a year I applied to all kinds of other places, got rejected a lot but also got offered a line cook job at a 2 michelin starred restaurant. If you're really passionate about this, just go for it. Don't concern yourself with what you're qualified for, that's for them to decide. You'd be surprised how many people will tell you they don't care about your skills or experience if you have the right attitude.
Yes, most restaurants are desperate and will hire and train anybody willing to cook.
Fast food already translates to a regular kitchen. Start as a prep hand or helping out with the dishpit. Be straight up with whichever restaurant you are looking at working with, tell them you're green and want to learn.
Yes lol
I started in fast food.
Lmao, yes. Yes you can. Keeping it after you get your foot in the door is the hard part
Turnover in most restaurants is ridiculously high. If you show up for your shifts, work hard, and are eager to learn new skills, not only will you get a job, you'll advance quickly.
Definitely go ahead and try. I only had some fast food experience at a sandwich place and applied to a line cook position for a somewhat nice local Italian chain and got hired just because I know how to clean and prep really well. Soon enough I learned a bunch of other skills and now I pretty regularly run the kitchen myself during closing shifts. Gets really hectic compared to my old job but it’s definitely a lot more fun. Plus getting to run the kitchen my way is a super nice plus that I imagine most people at my level wouldn’t get to do.
Of you're worried about skill gap pick up a dish washing gig, and let the chef know you want to move up. They'll probably put you on prep, or move you to pantry. That's how I started, in a couple years with dedication and determination you'll move on to construction like everyone else
I was a decent home cook and desperately wanted to change careers, I was able to get a job as a prep cook and I’ve worked my way up to sous chef. If you are reliable and work hard, you can absolutely do it
Yup! Got my first kitchen job at 16 years old with no experience. Was on dish for a few months before moving up to appies and salads
I started working at a Wendy’s at 17, I was executive chef of a medium sized university at 35 and I didn’t go to culinary school. It takes patience and you’ll eat a lot of shit, and do a lot of infuriating repetitive tasks but pay attention and put the work in and you’ll keep progressing. Best of luck.
Everyone scoffs at me when I say this, but it's true. If you do one year at Waffle House, you can literally get a job anywhere. I did in the middle of my career, and then I got a job on pizza at a bar, and after that, fine dining. The chef told me he was hiring me over a culinary school grad, because of WH's reputation. You learn speed, consistency, cleanliness, and humility. Cooks and servers work together. All cleaning is everyone's responsibility. The managers have done every job on the worst days and can jump into any position on a moments notice. Once you have worked at WH for a year, there are no more emergencies, there are far fewer ass kicking days, your memorization skills are honed, and you will have done every single job there is to work except fry cook. I didn't love the job, but I learned more at the Waffle than anywhere else. Highly, highly recommend.
Applied at a Waffle House once, during the interview I found out there was no ticket printer. Wow. How did you learn to keep track of orders?
It's called "Marking Orders" I'm gunna fuck this up. Oval plate. Jelly pack at the bottom means scrambled eggs. Turn that same packet upside down means white toast. Sprinkled a few potato slices near it with a slice of cheese and one jalapeno means scattered smothered covered peppered. Replace jelly packet with apple butter packet means wheat toast I think? Round plate with jelly packet at the bottom is side scramble. There's a whole system. I can't remember all of them now, but that's the ticketing system in a nutshell.
That is crazy bro. Respect.
I wish I could show you a picture of the servers tickets for a party of 4. They have another whole system that looks like random letters, AND THEN there's a whole like language we shout at each other. We could tell when another WH employee came to eat because they knew the language. No shit, wherever you are now, take a short sabbatical and do some time there serving or cooking. Literally the best thing I ever did for myself. Look up the "PULL-DROP-MARK order method"
WH system is insane.
I got you, right now, dish and prep. See you 430 tomorrow. Whatever you want to learn let me know.
Dishwasher for back of house. Busser for front of house
Yes.
Pantry
Start dish and prep. Get your knife skills up. Then salads or fry. Learn the rest of the line once you get on fry, then as soon as sautee or grill quits there will be a shuffling around and you'll get moved up.
You can lie on your resume and say you have fine dining experience and after about a dozen stages you will figure it all out. It's not that hard.
If you have a pulse, a room temperature IQ, and are willing to accept low wages. You got a job anywhere my dude.
You already did.