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Should I take the job?
Epi
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So I've been cooking professionally now for a little over a year. First half was spent as essentially a short order breakfast/lunch cook. The last 5 months I jumped on board with an opening restaurant. It's semi-fine dine, local farm-to-table fair and is rapidly becoming one of the more popular restaurants here in Boulder. It's a good place to work and a great place to learn.
But no I have a dilemma. My sister is an architect in Kansas. She's being designing a restaurant with her husband in Wichita. It's going to be a gourmet hot dog place. The business plan actually looks pretty sweet. Very sleek design with huge windows, full kitchen to do more than just hot dogs (which are getting sourced from a sausage maker in Chicago) and a liquor license with a bar.
She called me up the other day and essentially asked if I would like to manage the kitchen. It wasn't an official offer but it was implied that if I wanted to do it, I would probably get the job.
This got me pondering whether I have the skills for the job or not. I seriously lack management experience in a professional capacity though I have natural leadership tendencies and am confident I could manage people.
I also don't have experience with management responsibilities such as food ordering and schedule writing. I'm planning on going to talk to my chef later today about the job offer and ask if he's willing to train me on those topics and any other management tasks he can show me. While I think he'll be disappointed to see me go, I'm pretty sure he'll show me the ropes.
My time frame is a little short though. The restaurant's soft-opening is tentatively in just over 2 months.
So the question is, Knowing I don't have a ton of experience, can I learn what I need to learn quickly enough to make it out there and be successful or am I damning myself by taking the job offer?
Note: Considering my sister recommended me to the owner the question of how hard I'll work isn't a problem. I'd bust my ass reading, studying, practicing, what-have-you 24/7 to get ready for and maintain this job as it's both my and my sister's personal reputation and my the success of my sister's professional work on the line.
tl/dr: Cooking for a year got a job offer to help manage a gourmet hot dog restaurant my sister is designing. Should I take it?
But no I have a dilemma. My sister is an architect in Kansas. She's being designing a restaurant with her husband in Wichita. It's going to be a gourmet hot dog place. The business plan actually looks pretty sweet. Very sleek design with huge windows, full kitchen to do more than just hot dogs (which are getting sourced from a sausage maker in Chicago) and a liquor license with a bar.
She called me up the other day and essentially asked if I would like to manage the kitchen. It wasn't an official offer but it was implied that if I wanted to do it, I would probably get the job.
This got me pondering whether I have the skills for the job or not. I seriously lack management experience in a professional capacity though I have natural leadership tendencies and am confident I could manage people.
I also don't have experience with management responsibilities such as food ordering and schedule writing. I'm planning on going to talk to my chef later today about the job offer and ask if he's willing to train me on those topics and any other management tasks he can show me. While I think he'll be disappointed to see me go, I'm pretty sure he'll show me the ropes.
My time frame is a little short though. The restaurant's soft-opening is tentatively in just over 2 months.
So the question is, Knowing I don't have a ton of experience, can I learn what I need to learn quickly enough to make it out there and be successful or am I damning myself by taking the job offer?
Note: Considering my sister recommended me to the owner the question of how hard I'll work isn't a problem. I'd bust my ass reading, studying, practicing, what-have-you 24/7 to get ready for and maintain this job as it's both my and my sister's personal reputation and my the success of my sister's professional work on the line.
tl/dr: Cooking for a year got a job offer to help manage a gourmet hot dog restaurant my sister is designing. Should I take it?
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Cash reserves are not something I would claim to have. Enough to make the move.
I'm living in an apartment with a buddy in Boulder, though I lease is about it. I also ended a long term relationship a couple months a go so the change of scenery is attractive.
My sister's place is open to me until I can find a place of my own out there.
My current job is a good one but it doesn't pay a great deal. I would be salaried in Wichita and can guarantee I would make more than the 10/hr I make here but I would also be working a great many more hours. Advancement at this restaurant would take time. I could work up some more responsibility and potentially a little more pay, but the sous chefs and any other management positions are pretty solid so I doubt they'd be opening up soon and if they did, there are others ahead of me.
I don't know what their contingency plan would be if I don't work out. My plan would be to never given them the chance to consider it.
That right here says it all. If you've got the fire, you can learn the skills.
Go for it, dude! Opportunity doesn't knock often.
Learn the ops side while you're at your current job. I don't know what kitchen manager's do per se, but if they have a business plan and they know your experience level going in, they'll be able to clue you in on your duties.
Opportunity does not knock that often. That's why I'm inclined to agree. Seems like a good thing from almost every angle.
I'm off to talk it out with my boss. Wish me luck!
Keep you guys updated
Management is a mother. I'm assuming you'll be in charge of inventory, keeping it stocked, paychecks, scheduling, etc. That's a huge load. Restaurant businesses are super stressful and it takes a long time for the investment to turn around into the black.
If it's HELP MANAGE and you'll be in charge of the kitchen, in a role not unlike a chef, then I'd go for it. Especially if the pay warrants it. If you've been in a kitchen for a year then you probably have a good idea on how to setup stations, expedite orders, keep things running, etc.
You may have to do inventory/stock, but that's not as difficult when you don't have things like payroll on top.
EDIT
Whooops. Had thread open in a tab and didnt refresh.
I'd go with it then. Especially if you trust your sister to handle or have someone handle the financial side. Managing a kitchen is super fun and rewarding and if you're in charge of hiring and firing, then I'm sure you have a good eye for picking the right people.
Nothing's worse than a money man hiring people to work a kitchen.
"Oh, well, she's cute so she'll be a good server."
Cute never ever instantly makes some one a good server.
I never officially ran a kitchen, but I had a big say so in who got to work at the last kitchen I worked in. I rarely said anything positive about teen agers. Down on their luck hungry college kids make the best workers if you manage to keep the thieves out. Now, teens can do good work, but sometimes it takes a good kick in the pants.
Hiring people isn't fun, but having hire/fire power is a helluva lot better than managing a team where you can't get rid of the dead weight.
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Just talked to my sister and the man behind it all wants to meet. He's paying for my gas to drive out so I'll be making the trip in the next week or two. I believe at that point we will be able to nail down all the details from duties to pay, etc. A little advice on what I should be asking for pay wise would be helpful as I'm pretty in the dark on salary for that kind of work.
In terms of number of hours I'll be working, I'm prepared for that. I am fully aware that being paid salary = working however many hours are necessary to get the job done. My sous chefs right now probably clock something closer to 70 a week. I figure though, moving to a new city (Especially since that city is Wichita) and living on my own, I won't have that many other activities (At least at the start) that will warrant frustration over number of hours. And I think I can manage the exhaustion level.
Now off to pick up my paycheck and break the news to my chef for real. Fingers crossed he takes it well...
Do not put tell your current employer anything until you have a set offer/start date.
On the salary/whatever. I am not in the industry, but I would try and get a little profit sharing as part of your comp plan, Especially if you are going to be there 60 hours a week.
Normally sage advice. But how else am I supposed to broach the topic that I suddenly need training in food ordering and schedule writing and need to learn it fast?
Sorry about that. I have a strong gut reaction about telling employers shit before shit is set in absolute stone, but you know the chef better than anyone here. If he's a chill dude, he may even be happy for you. It's super risky though.
Honestly if you are talking executive chef, I'm going to have to disagree with the crowd and say NO, you shouldn't do it, and for two reasons:
1 - A very large number of restaurants fail. Even big ones with big budgets and a "great concept." While not all failures are because of the head chef, it certainly can be a cause.
2 - You've been working as a chef for a year. Most executive chefs have 5 years experience minimum and for a reason. If you've been a programmer for a year and your friend says "Hey do you wanna run Microsoft", do you think you have enough experience to do it? Been in med school a year, can you run a hospital?
I'm exaggerating the issue a bit, but I think you'd be better off continuing to learn where you are.
Also, a third possible problem: You're going into business with your sister. Presumably as an architect she's got a lot of experience and is putting in a good bit of money. Do you want to be responsible if it fails? Even if you aren't necessarily the sole problem if it fails, it could strain your relationship.
Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but just trying to be realistic here.
If you go for it, good luck, but my advice would be that you're too green to try this.
I agree with neville and for all the same reasons. That being said, its ultimately your decision and you will know if it is within your limits once you have the meeting. Also, watch Ramseys Kitchen Nightmares. It will give you lots of ideas of what not to do.
Along with this find out what the cost of living is there and how it compares to where you live now so you'll know how far that 35k will get you.
Home Inspection and Wind Mitigation
http://www.FairWindInspections.com/
I'm gonna go against the grain too and say these two points alone would be reason enough not to do it.
How involved will your sister be? Is she a co-owner, or just hired for the design? Does it seem like they've done market research to support the need for such a concept?
You mentioned Chicago - I hope they're not just getting Vienna beef and calling it "gourmet".
Seriously invaluable information there.
Try to watch the UK version.
The American version is entertaining cause of all the drama, but the UK version is more serious.
All the more reason to be cautious: if it's a new 5-star restaurant, chances are it has a serious backer behind it, not someone he is related to. And New York has a much bigger chance for press than Wichita.
It's a great opportunity, I just don't think it's the smartest with the main investor being related closely to him and with as little experience as he has.
If you go ahead with it anyway OP, best of luck to you though and let us know how it turns out.
I hope if you do that I am wrong!
I need to do some quick clarifying and then some updating.
I think I've been misleading in the way I've phrased my sister's involvement. She was hired as the architect for the project. Part of her pay is profit sharing for as long as the restaurant is in business. I don't know terminology on that so I may have mislabeled that.
She and her husband will likely be involved in the restaurant for the first 6 months. Bar tending/Managing, etc. but at the end of the summer they're planning on moving.
My sister recommended to the primary investor and overseer of the project that he look into me for the position, communication has just been primarily through my sister.
On to the update:
Talked the situation over with my current chef. He's alright with it and said he'd be happy to start training me on management responsibilities ASAP. He also gave me Wednesday through Friday off this week so I can drive out and have the meeting. Walls are up so I'll be able to check out the building (maybe I can snag a couple pics) and have an honest talk with the Man. I'll let him know exactly where I'm at and that I'll be training for the position while I'm still working here and he can make the call.
I understand that restaurants tank more than most any other business, but that's the nature of the beast. I have to face that possibility with my current job (This place having only been open 5 months) and with practically every potential kitchen job I might have in the future. Again, my outlook would be that if the restaurant should turn south, my lack of effort won't be the cause.
Thanks for the salary advice I'll definitely keep it in mind and do a little more research. I'll go slap Kitchen Nightmares onto netflix right after this.
From what I'm told the sausage is being sourced from an independent specialty shop in Chicago. Might just be one guy doing it, but don't have the exact details.
Thanks for the advice guys, I'm taking both sides into account and will have more info after the meeting.
Meeting with the owner/backer guy should give you a good idea as to his style and how well you'll work together.