Regeneration 101

You know how they say that the body completely rebuilds itself with entirely new cells in a certain amount of time? (Sorry- I remember the concept but not the figures). Well, the same thing goes for the restaurant business.
I guess some of the bones are still the same. Like me and one or two others, mainly family. But the rest changes, changes and changes.
Thus we are constantly re-generating new cells here.
The manager we had when we first opened was let go after a couple of months. He died less than a year later.
One of the first cooks I hired didn't show up on his third day.
We went through waitstaff like most people go through underwear. Only one lasted more than a year and I let her go in January.
A mean crazy pastry chef walked.
Dishwashers were the worst.
They come and they go. Sometimes they come back. I get attached to some but I've learned to let go quickly. Firing people is the worst job on earth. Maybe cleaning septic tanks is a little worse but at least nobody hates you for it and curses you out afterwards.
I just went through a period of being very short staffed. This is when you learn who is really dedicated and comes through for you. Luckily I have a few of those.
Having now been through this before I put my nose to the grindstone and just made myself get through it. When a waitress started sobbing and ran out the door I figured it would be a good idea to make a couple of phone calls for a replacement.
When the cook took off back to Mexico, I decided I better place an ad for a new one.
In the meantime, I informed all friends and family that I'd be out of commission to cover these positions while in crisis mode. That I'd be working double time till we filled in the cracks.
By day I waitressed. I still have my chops, I still got the moves but my lord, it is exhausting having to deal with the people constantly! Why can't they order water, ketchup, coffee, more napkins, etc. all at once instead of making the server run back and forth 15 times? And hearing that bell ringing in the kitchen for pick-up when you are trying to place an order in the computer, answering the phone for take-out and interrupted by some grubby little kid that's being led in by a parent just to use the bathroom. It's one thing when I walk around and pitch in, greeting customers. It's a whole other game when half of the tables are mine and I've got to service them all.
Then lunch is over and the chef coat goes on. Now I'm a cook. Tons of prep has to be done. Specials? Have I had a moment to think, to be creative? That would be a no. Front of the house is exhausting in that you've got to keep your face on, but back of the house is more exhausting physically. All the prep and set-up. The organization of your station. Working in all the heat and being quick, quick, quick. Timing it all with your fellow cooks on the line. At this point someone else was helping out a bit and she and I had not worked together before. This is like dancing with a new partner. You tend to step on each other's feet a bit in the beginning. If we get lucky, we get busy and the adrenaline flows. Before you know it we're done. But the worst part of being a cook is the clean-up. It just never seems to end. Every blessed thing that you had to take out for set-up you have to now clean up. And all kids know it's a lot more fun to take your toys out than to have to put them away.
In one week I had the new daytime server.
In two weeks I had the new night cook and had him trained.
And now, after three weeks I get a night home with my grumpy teenage son. The organism has regenerated itself with new cells, and will continue to grow. The crisis has passed again, for now. Till the next time.