When a new hire keeps tasting from everyone's stations

We have a new cook who samples food directly from each station without asking. It's disrupting our flow and seems disrespectful. I want to address it without coming off as harsh. Have you dealt with similar issues in your kitchen? What's the best approach?

4 comments

4 Comments

roberts.leo3mo ago

Man, I used to think tasting was no big deal, but I saw how it messes with portion control and timing. Just pull the new person aside and say they gotta ask first, because you're counting on that food for orders. It's about respecting the station setup.

drewr153mo agoTop Commenter

Yeah, I read a blog post from a chef who broke it down perfectly. He said an unasked for taste isn't just a bite, it's stealing time because you counted that garnish or sauce for a plate. @roberts.leo is right, it throws off the whole flow. Like if someone grabs a pinch of prepped herbs, now you're short for the next three tickets and have to stop to fix it. It shows they don't get how the station works as a system.

beth2762mo ago

Exactly, it's like they think the line is a free sample station at the grocery store. That missing garnish means you're suddenly doing math in your head while tickets are printing. Drewr15 nailed it with the time stealing thing. You're not just eating a carrot, you're eating the thirty seconds I now have to spend fixing my set up. New person just needs to learn the station is a clock, not a buffet.

jamie_webb673mo ago

Honestly that line about stealing time from drewr15 is exactly right. I mean i used to be the guy who thought tasting was no big deal, like it was just being curious. But seeing how it messes with the count for orders totally changed my mind. It really is disrespectful to just grab stuff when someone is in their flow. You gotta pull them aside and just explain how the station works, that every piece is planned for.