You know when the server brings your food to your table and puts it down in front of you, and you’re thinking, “This looks amazing!”? Well, had you known what was involved in getting that plate to your table, you would probably have thought twice about going out to eat.
In My Wife Works Nights, I expose some of the wild, chaotic world covered in grease of the restaurant kitchen.
First, there’s The Pit, where dishwashers are fighting against a barrage of plates, utensils, and possibly some leftovers- the real unsung heroes of the trade. If you think your job is hectic, imagine the scenes of scrubbing dishes while dodging waitresses, desperate to avoid the wrath of an irate line cook, and perhaps contend with an occasional cockroach.
Next comes The Line, an incredibly hot cacophony of cooks yelling at the top of their lungs, “86 the chicken parm!”, and “WHO THE HELL TOOK MY SPATULA?!” Cooks are volleying orders out fast and furious, both maintaining cool heads and heavy hearts. If an order is messed up, that cook is usually the one giving you the evil eye, and he probably hasn’t slept in 24 hours.
Finally, there’s The Walk-In Freezer, a mysterious sanctuary. Need to cry? Walk-in. Need to chill after a spat with a coworker? Walk-in. Trying to hide from an obnoxious customer? Oh, yes-walk-in.
Food is really not the only thing that goes on behind those swinging doors. It’s all about survival. You might be able to get through anything life throws at you if you make it past a Saturday night service without losing it.
