Fire, a term used to prepare to start an order that the waiter has just made. The guest has probably been waiting at least ten minutes from the time she first sat down at her table, and is now waiting for the food to be prepared by the kitchen staff.
The front line of the kitchen is where most of the food is cooked. It is divided and usually consists of a stir-fry section, a rotisserie, a grill, a fryer, a salamander, cold drawers or drawers, and hot water wells. Those who work in this line, which can consist of 2 to 3 or even 4, depending on the size of the restaurant or the menu, are called line cooks. Sometimes the chef likes to get in on the action.
As a line cook, you need to be prepared, you need to know the menu, all the different recipes, have all your tools at hand, have all your ingredients on the online menu, and of course you need the cooking skills.
Being mentally prepared is by far one of the most important ingredients a line cook must have. One must be able to focus on the task at hand above all the hustle and bustle of the kitchen. the chef would shout out the orders, the waiters would ask all sorts of questions, maybe you’re working on three or more things at once, and timing is crucial, everyone in line has to be in sync. With all these distractions one must maintain composure. Being stressed or angry doesn’t help, but it does happen. The waiters ask you how much longer, the chef tells you to shoot one more thing from another order, your stir fry is a little behind schedule, it’s been almost an hour since this chaotic mess started and you wonder when it will be over. Temperatures rise on the front line and I’m not referring to the burners.
After all is said and done, no complaints, no one waits long for their food, guests are happy, some compliments, waiters got their tips, line cooks get ready to clear the line and list the prep what should be done when they return the next day. Everyone gets a pat on the back, job well done. That is the reward and one of the goals of the frontline cook.
Guest satisfaction is the first line chef’s priority. The quality of the food is their main concern along with the presentation. All ingredients must be fresh, every cook must be on the same page when it comes to recipes, there must be consistency to make sure what you cook today will taste the same tomorrow or next week. This is what attracts repeat customers, this is what a restaurant focuses on and depends on. The line cook along with the rest of the kitchen staff strive to do this every day. As a line cook, you should take pride in your work, because if you do, that pride will certainly be reflected in the meals you prepare.