When's the last time you went out to a fancy dinner and tipped your cook? You probably tipped your server because that's what's socially expected, but what about those who are actually preparing and making your delicious meal?
Most of those cooks who are working over hot flames, spending their days (and nights) preparing delicious foods that cost more than their monthly paycheck are getting paid minimum wage while struggling to pay rent or even student loans from culinary school.
Realistically, most cooks cannot afford to live here.
The wages simply do not cover the cost of living in NYC,
so it's no small wonder that New York City is currently experiencing a cook crisis.
Most classically trained cooks are turning to other professions that hold the promise of greater wages and potential for upwards movement in the field. A lot of cooks become servers or bartenders, succumbing to the allure of tips rather than a fixed amount of hourly wages.
Others are packing up their knife kits and moving to cities where they can afford rent or where the Department of Health isn't as stringently involved in every step of food handling.
It comes as no surprise that owners are attempting to stem the exiting flood of talented cooks by changing dining system.
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Some restauranteurs, like Danny Meyer (Shake Shack), believe that eliminating tipping will solve the issue of the wage gap that separates cooks and servers. It allows them to raise the wages of all employees, rather than relying on tips to pay the servers.
Others, like Adam Eskin (Dig Inn) feel that cooks need to feel more empowered through education of new cooking techniques and through education of the business skills required to run a successful restaurant of their own some day.
northendgrill @ekorshie in the zone! 🔥🔥 #kitchen #openkitchen #dinner #cooking #chefslife #nofilter #chefsofinstagram #chef 📷: @wheresmabelt
Whether these techniques will encourage cooks to keep their talents in NYC remains to be seen. What we do know is that this mass exodus of cooks from the city will negatively affect your future dining experiences in the form of price and quality.
It's time for NYC to take a good, hard look at the restaurant industry because if this trend continues, there won't be any skilled cooks left here.
Check out 7 Best Spots for French Toast in NYC.
[via Mashable] [Feature Image Courtesy Mashable]