At the End of the Day, We’re All Short Order Cooks

I’ve always loved that name "short-order-cook" because, to me, there’s something bigger behind it.

In this industry, we love titles. Chef de Cuisine. Executive Chef. Sous Chef. Pastry Chef. Culinary Director. Whatever.

And yeah, you should be proud of how far you’ve made it. You should be proud of the kitchens you’ve worked in, the things you’ve learned, and the positions you’ve earned.

But you should never get so far up the ladder that you forget where this whole thing comes from.

For a lot of us, it started somewhere pretty simple.

A flat top. A fryer. A breakfast rush. Burgers, eggs, sandwiches, tickets hanging everywhere, and somebody yelling that table 12 has been waiting too long.

That work matters.

Short order cooking doesn’t always get treated like the glamorous side of the culinary world, but anybody who has actually done it knows there’s nothing easy about it. Its what differentiates a good home cook from a restaurant or foodservice cook. Two completely different skill sets. 

You have to be fast. You have to stay organized. You have to remember ten things at once. You have to cook food correctly while somebody is asking you for three more things you don’t have time for.

And you have to do it again tomorrow.

There aren’t a lot of people who can actually do that job well.

That’s really what this design is about.

It’s about giving some respect to the people who show up every day and make food for people. Maybe there’s no tasting menu. Maybe there’s no fancy dining room. Maybe nobody is writing an article about the place.

Who gives a shit?

People are getting fed, and somebody back there is taking pride in making it happen.

That counts.

I also think there’s something healthy about chefs remembering this as they move forward in their careers.

You can become the executive chef. You can run a huge operation. You can have awards, titles, teams, and a really nice coat with your name embroidered on it.

But don’t forget how to cook.

Don’t forget what it feels like to be buried in tickets.

Don’t forget the person working the grill, the fryer, the flat top, or the breakfast station while everybody else is enjoying their Saturday morning.

And definitely don’t start believing you’re somehow above them.

Because when you strip away all the titles, the ego, and the fancy shit, the job is still pretty simple.

Someone orders food.

You cook it.

You try to make it good.

That’s where all of this started.

So if you’re a short order cook right now, be proud of it.

And if you haven’t been one in a long time, don’t forget that part of yourself either.

At the end of the day, we’re all still short order cooks.

Check out the new design HERE