without complaint. Be ready to lead, follow, or get out of the way.
- Learn Spanish! I can't stress this enough. Much of the workforce in
the industry you are about to enter is Spanish-speaking. The very
backbone of the industry, whether you like it or not, is inexpensive
Mexican, Dominican, Salvadorian and Ecuadorian labor—most of whom
could cook you under the table without breaking a sweat. If you can't
communicate, develop relationships, understand instructions and pass
them along, then you are at a tremendous disadvantage.
Should you become a leader, Spanish is absolutely essential.
Also, learn as much as you can about the distinct cultures, histories and
geographies of Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador and the Dominican
Republic. A cook from Puebla is different in background from a cook
from Mexico City. Someone who fled El Salvador to get away from the
Mano Blanco is not likely to get along with the right-wing Cuban
working next to him. These are your co-workers, your friends, the people
you will be counting on, leaning on for much of your career, and they in
turn will be looking to you to hold up your end. Show them some respect
by bothering to know them. Learn their language. Eat their food. It will
be personally rewarding and professionally invaluable.
- Don't steal. In fact, don't do anything that you couldn't take a
polygraph test over. If you're a chef who drinks too many freebies at the
bar, takes home the occasional steak for the wife, or smokes Hawaiian
bud in the off hours, be fully prepared to admit this unapologetically to
any and all. Presumably, your idiosyncrasies will—on balance—make
you no less a chef to your employers and employees. If you're a sneak
and a liar, however, it will follow you forever. This is a small business;
everybody knows everybody else. You will do yourself immeasurable
harm.
Don't ever take kickbacks or bribes from a purveyor. They'll end up