I don’t know that you can assume they [meaning the restaurant’s owners] don’t care about this.
Who says they know anything about that - perhaps she’s the manager?
Who says YOU know anything about that, for that matter - maybe it was just an allergy?
That said, you bring up an interesting point. Just what kind of rules, and enforcement of those rules, exist in restaurants regarding infected employees and their being on the job and their compensation if they are not (especially in small joints)? I am sure Micky D’s and other large chains have solid rules and pay for sick leave, but does fucking Destroyer?
Whatever office those city inspectors that dole out the A, B, C’s are from must have rules on this [that I am unaware of, and far too lazy to look up].
Well if she is the manager that seems even worse… shouldn’t a manager be able to know when they should take a day off?
Yeah couldv been allgeries I guess; I’m not sure. As someone with allergies it goes both ways… I feel like someone shouldn’t be forced to to work with such a miserable condition, but from a customer perspective it feels somewhat discomfiting.
Idk maybe I am the only one perturbed by having to hand my debit card to someone with an actively runny nose and no tissues handy. That’s possible. I am somewhat of a germaphobe (as if I didn’t have enough problems).
Idk, not exactly bad enough to warrant a boycott, but just something that affected my personal experience of the restaurant.
I would also be curious about the rules. I guess in my mind if you are going to have an ethos about serving a community it seems like you should care for your own staff, sort of like how you secure your own oxygen mask before helping others with theirs in a crashing plane? I guess the point was more in reference to the earlier discussion of their whole ethos and such that people were having. Regardless of rules, I guess you’d hope they could care for the employees as much as for their nasturtium. But maybe that’s the cost of such low prices
It would be cool if they had that Amazon tech and you just went inside and your phone auto synced to their app and charged you for whatever you ordered. It would fit the vibe perfectly.
I wonder when restaurants will be able to integrate that.
This was my experience with much of Jordan Kahn’s food at Red Medicine. The proportions were off due to odd plating, making it hard to actually get the right mouthful of food. It seems like they insisted on a certain kind of visual presentation that actually ended up being a disservice to the food.
I’m reminded of the wagyu and (very long) charred ramps at Hashiri. No knife of silverware, just chopsticks, which would be totally fine if they cut the ramps. But uncut, it’s either awkward to take a bunch and tear them with your teeth (they were stringy due to the charring) or you end up taking too much or too little, which throws off the balance they were ostensibly aiming for. This is when presentation gets in the way of the dish. Food may look pretty, and ingredients may be great, but too many places don’t consider how it’s going to taste and feel in the mouth vis-a-vis proportions.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the perfectly proportioned cold lobster roll at Connie & Ted’ stands out from most other lobster rolls because it eats well of the ingredients’ ratios. Proportions are especially important in good sushi, where great ingredients are but one of the factors.
That already exists in SF and NY. Allset is like Uber / Lyft for restaurants. You reserve, order, and pay on your phone. Show up at the restaurant, sit down, your food comes out, eat, leave.
I have a family member who is a young chef. He has actually worked at a few of the restaurants mentioned on this board. They all work sick and it is indeed because most places do not offer sick pay. In fact there is a subtle pressure (or subtle threat) to show up. The awesomeness we experience in these cool restaurants does not always reflect what is going on behind the scenes. The restaurant business in L.A. is super competitive. I actually call it war. The profit margin can be shockingly low. So, places are frequently under-staffed and under pressure. Or in some cases these talented chef/owners don’t know how to properly run a restaurant or are at odds with their investors. Management often takes it out on employees.
I would hope well run, well established places like the Mozza Complex provide benefits, but you can’t be too sure. Some give the employees the benefit of a group policy, but deduct it from their pay check. Places like Jon & Vinny’s are charging that confusing surcharge. They are trying to find a way to better take care of their employees.
Some establishments do offer full benefits, but mostly these are corporate type places: Hotels, clubs (Soho House), studio commissaries, hospitals, etc. But young ambitious chefs typically get bored making the kind of food these places serve. Some with a lot of drive work at these places for the steady pay check, regular hours and benefits, then moonlight at the hipper spots.
If you ask me, it’s slightly masochistic to want to work in or own a restaurant. It’s why as much as I’m obsessed with food (I have cookbooks on my nightstand) and love cooking, I never wanted to work in a kitchen. Waitressing was enough of an eye opener.
Obviously I have a lot to say on this subject. It’s something I was hoping would come up. I thought it would be a good education for some in the community.
[quote=“Sgee, post:113, topic:4311”]
One of my top 3 worst meals in LA.[/quote]
Actually my worst But if he pares it back, the food can be good. Just no more snow-in-fish-bowl dioramas and dehydrated forest everything, please! I know he has pedigree from his earlier training, but Red Medicine was the kind of place that gave experimentation a bad rap. FWIW, I like Destroyer’s website and some of the dishes sound more down to earth.
I’m not sure which part of my post you’re referring to. Competition is more intense in certain cities. But no doubt the treatment of restaurant workers is probably and unfortunately universal.
(as if I didn’t have enough problems).
But if he pares it back, the food can be good. Just no more snow-in-fish-bowl dioramas and dehydrated forest everything, please! I know he has pedigree from his earlier training, but Red Medicine was the kind of place that gave experimentation a bad rap. FWIW, I like Destroyer’s website and some of the dishes sound more down to earth.