Oh my God, my new job scares the hell out of me.

[J Arcane]

As some of you may know, I am a cook by trade. I've got about 3 years under my belt, all in total. I recently went through a series of unfortunate calamities that ended with me getting stuck in a town with the worst job market I have ever seen.

I've spent the last two days canvassing every last restaurant in walking distance from the apartment I'm sleeping at right now, and today, I finally found one that was actually, really hiring. Had a very long interview with one of the owners, got a good long look at the kitchen, and the job is basically mine at this point.

There's just one teensy problem: I am absolutely terrified to take it, even though I really don't have a choice.

It's a strip club, the only one in town, and it seems the previous cook did a piss poor excuse for a job of it, and pretty much let the kitchen go to shit. The place is filthy, there's almost no food in the kitchen that doesn't come from a can of a freezer bag, it honestly wouldn't be terribly out of place on Kitchen Nightmares or something.

And it's gonna be my job to some how get things back in shape, all on, if I'm lucky, 3 hours a day, and without any time to close and get things back in order. I'm theoretically being given free reign over the entire thing, though I'm a little nervous about the owner lady potentially interfering a little on that despite her promises to the contrary. I've got a month basically to make a real kitchen of the place, and start turning out a profit, and on top of that, even the rest of the business, the bar, the strippers, etc., aren't exactly swimming in customers or cashflow.

I'm honestly just shit scared about the whole thing. On the one hand, the concept of really having my own bloody kitchen to run is exciting. It's also terrifying as hell because it's all on me, and there's a serious amount of pressure here, and a lot that needs doing.

Fuck. This is sort of like one of those "be careful what you wish for" things I guess. I finally have the opportunity to go all Gordon Ramsey on a place like I wished I could've done at some of my previous jobs, but now I'm realizing what the hell's gonna be involved in it and it's making me more nervous than I think I've ever been about a job.

The strippers are hot though. Whoever is responsible for the hiring must have the same thing for girls with small boobs that I do, either that or they're all bulemic. I guess that's one perk.

[Psykoboy2]

The money should be damn good as well. I worked two nights a week at a strip club for about 5 hours a night and would pull in 600 or so each week.

It was a nice gig. Then they shut the place down.

Oh, and I did the DJ'ing there....before you people make with the smartass comments.

[Mot Wakorb]

Well, all I can say is good luck - sounds like a unique fixer-upper to take care of. Just keep a level head, plan out what you want to do and attack.

[LongStepMantis]

That's a really interesting position I have to say.

I would give it a shot for a couple weeks at the very least, and see how it goes. If they were feeding you bs about how things were supposed to work (your getting to call the shots in the kitchen especially) I think it would be apparent pretty quickly. Especially if you need some income asap, and who doesn't?

Now when you say they aren't exactly popping off business-wise, is it slow, or is the place "on the verge of closing" slow?

Also I would recommended purchasing stock in a condom company of your choosing, and double-up. Also, find out if they sell Penicillin in economy sizes. ;)

[Blue]

Are you allowed to be in there any more than 3 hours a day? I know it would suck to work and not get paid (if the owner is only offering you just that) but if you are able to that would at least give you more flex time to get the kitchen up and running the way you'd like.

And really with anything I've found that you almost need to get a little in over your head to really work your magic. My wife and I just bought our first space and opened a photo studio (had been working out of our home) and with my English and Theology background I know nothing about running a business but we're doing it anyway. The only thing I can really say is that it's exciting and incredibly rewarding when it's you making the calls. Not that it isn't still spooky as all get out.

[rein]

Dude, you have it made. Come up with a couple of decent recipes for things like chicken wings and other strip-joint foods and you can really shine here. Not to mention.... ...you work at a strip club. I hate my current job but if I saw boobies all day I would probably hate it a little bit less.

[Generation ABXY]

Wait, strip clubs serve food? I've never actually been in one before (or a bar for that matter)...

[J Arcane]

Wait, strip clubs serve food? I've never actually been in one before (or a bar for that matter)...
Quite a few do so as a loss leader to get people in the door, cheap happy hour appetizers or even buffets and stuff, and then make up the scratch with drinks.

Unfortunately, the business is in a hard state, so pretty much until things pick up and the kitchen starts makin' money I can only really count on 3 hours a day and minimum wage. I get a little cut of the tips, but over all I'll be lucky to make $600 a month. From the sounds of it they could barely afford even that.

The lady actually encouraged me to try and find another part time job because of how little I'd be making until the place turns around.

[Murtaug]

My two cents, for what it's worth ($.02?)

Go with your gut first, you seem like you have a level head, and if your gut absolutely says no, what are you losing? A minimum wage job that may or may not be there for very long. I take from your posts that you are out of work? I can't blame you for being so on the fence about taking it, work is work, and a person needs money to survive.

Reading the post, I put myself in your shoes and asked what I would do.

Take it. What would I have to lose? Not much. It sounds like a huge task to turn the kitchen around, If you can (or have) convinced the owner to maybe invest a bit into the thing so quality can come out of it, well, I get the impression you can do it.

At worst, you get to seem some tits for a month while you look for something steadier.

[Loki]

Go with it and try as hard as you can. If you have to go in on your days off to handle it; all the better. If it fails, c'est la vie, you can try harder, find a new job and take the experiences that you had trying to remake the restaurant into your next job. I'd much rather higher a person who has had a failed restaurant since they know which pitfalls to avoid. If it works out, all the better. You need to coordinate with the manager on advertising. A strip club with good food?! Hell yea. How big is the town/surrounding area (in terms of population)?

[maharahaj]

I agree with Murtaug. If you are in a situation where nothing else is available, you might as well take a chance at a challenge like this. It sounds like it could not get any worst. How much, if any, of an allowance do you have to change things? It may take some initial money to get new food deliveries/cooking equipment/general order in this situation. Whats tough is if they are only giving you one month to turn things around for them, they don't necessarily have a long term plan and may be hesitant to give you free reign (checkbook wise) to get things moving.

If it doesn't work out, its not like you necessarily have to tell the next company's your interviewing with that you worked at a strip club either.

Edit: And with only 3hrs of work a day, you'll still have plenty of free time to search for other jobs, even if they aren't in the food industry.

[J Arcane]

About 25k people. Poor, with a smattering of rich folks that don't spend anything in town but prefer to go to the next city over from here.

Most of the restaurants are failing here, though in fairness, most of them are shit. There aren't enough cooks in this town, I guess, even some of the "high end" places are actually quite mediocre. There's only like two places left I'll even eat at, since the Mexican market made my stomach bleed out.

EDIT:
How much, if any, of an allowance do you have to change things?

Nothing whatsoever. It actually left me a little worried as to how much of the food I'd actually be able to change, because if it costs just a teeny bit over the frozen crap they're buying now, I have a bad feeling that'll be curtains for me.

[Voodoo]

An opportunity like this comes once in a lifetime, twice if you are lucky. Take the job. You'll be starting at a part time basis but if you do well and your part of the puzzle has an effect as a whole on the customer base, the rewards to you will be very good.

[Purple Santa]

The money should be damn good as well. I worked two nights a week at a strip club for about 5 hours a night and would pull in 600 or so each week.

It was a nice gig. Then they shut the place down.

Oh, and I did the DJ'ing there....before you people make with the smartass comments.
Now what smartass comments could we possibly make? We just want to know...how comfortable was it wearing that G string :D:eek:
My two cents, for what it's worth ($.02?)

Go with your gut first, you seem like you have a level head, and if your gut absolutely says no, what are you losing? A minimum wage job that may or may not be there for very long. I take from your posts that you are out of work? I can't blame you for being so on the fence about taking it, work is work, and a person needs money to survive.

Go with this. Nothing to lose and all that. We often fear failure being taught that to fail is some kind of flaw. It's not. If this doesn't work out it's not failure. It's you gaining experience and knowledge. How else do you acquire that without trying different opportunities. And the anxiety you feel...is of course normal. It would be worrisome if you didn't...

If you do take it...good luck..and let us know how it goes...

[J Arcane]

Status update: I took the job. Largely because every last one of my other prospects proceeded to disintegrate over the course of the next few days.

I got a grand total of 5 hours work in, one the first day, 4 the next. I actually managed to make some noticable progress in the cleanliness of the kitchen, and was slowly starting to come around to something resembling cautious optimism.

So of course, I walk in for work this even, get as far as zipping down my coat about two inches, when the boss walks in and tells me that they're not going to use me, that business is too shitty to afford the extra labor, then shakes my hand and sends me on my way.

This of course after earlier in the very same day arranging an interview for a possible new place, and getting a not so friendly reminder from my current roommate that my place in the apartment was intended to be temporary.

Motherfuckers.

[Blue]

I'm really sorry to hear about that J. I hope things turn around for you.

[VerseD]

That's bad times, and really lame on the part of the manager. Hope you find a job and a new place soon, or get out of that town.

[J Arcane]

I've learned of a very intriguing culinary apprenticeship in New Hampshire, which I am very much hoping to get into, but I'll still at least need around $400 or so to get there.

Once I do man, I'm fucking out of here.

[Hellbug]

It sounds as if that would be a great job for the time being. You say the cook before you was horrible? Well, I guess that means that you'll have pretty low standards to fulfill. ;)

EDIT

Nevermind, I didn't see your last post, J. Sorry about that.

[JayVe]

Ouch. Sucks on the bad news.

Guess strip clubs are hurt by recession to, eh?

[Purple Santa]

Ouch. Sucks on the bad news.

Guess strip clubs are hurt by recession to, eh?

Yep. No extra money to see boobs. Now that is a depression...;)

[OrangePulp]

I've learned of a very intriguing culinary apprenticeship in New Hampshire, which I am very much hoping to get into, but I'll still at least need around $400 or so to get there.

Once I do man, I'm fucking out of here.

Aren't you in Redmond or something? Godspeed, man.

[VerseD]

Aren't you in Redmond or something? Godspeed, man.

You're in Redmond J? Get the fuck out of there!

[J Arcane]

You're in Redmond J? Get the fuck out of there!
Yeah. I sorta got stuck here because it was the only place I could go after my roomie in Bend threw me out.

It's a hole. There's no jobs whatsoever. I just got done discussing with my mother the possibility of going into nursing because if I go through the right employers I can get all my training paid for, because short of military service, it's the only damn hope I think I might have of getting out of here.

[KingGorilla]

The money should be damn good as well. I worked two nights a week at a strip club for about 5 hours a night and would pull in 600 or so each week.

It was a nice gig. Then they shut the place down.

Oh, and I did the DJ'ing there....before you people make with the smartass comments.

600 for what you did on the table, a cool 2 Gs for what your hands were doing UNDER it.

[Whunpo]

The money should be damn good as well. I worked two nights a week at a strip club for about 5 hours a night and would pull in 600 or so each week.

It was a nice gig. Then they shut the place down.

Oh, and I did the DJ'ing there....before you people make with the smartass comments.

Now what smartass comments could we possibly make? We just want to know...how comfortable was it wearing that G string :D:eek:

600 for what you did on the table, a cool 2 Gs for what your hands were doing UNDER it.
Scott, did you really post about how you worked at a strip joint and think it was even semi-possible some of us wouldn't find a way to make fun of you?
*facepalm*
C'mon. You know better than to think there is an ounce of maturity in this forums.

J Arcane - Sucks that the job didn't work out. But on the flip side, you don't have to be a cook at a strip club! :)
Also: GTFO Redmond. Srsly.

[MagGnome]

Hey J - sorry to hear the job didn't work out, although it sounds like you are better off for it. Hopefully something else will turn up really soon!

I've been holding on to a crappy job for ages now because I'm too afraid to leave it in search of something else, especially now that the economy is sliding into the abyss.

[Thanasimos]

Oh, and I did the DJ'ing there

What did you do? Scratch with your tit-tassels?

[PathMaster]

Damn, sorry to hear about the job stuff. I sort of got laid off for the second time this year. Now I can either grab some sat internet and run the biz (PC repair) from the house, or move back to Albany for a job.

What did you do? Scratch with your tit-tassels?
How is RPI and Troy?