This is the unspoken code of the professional kitchen. If you have worked in the industry then you realize that the code is true at the best places you have worked. And conversely, everyplace you worked which had crappy food or low moral had staff/management which did not follow “the code”.
To those who have never been in a professional kitchen, these rules seem harsh, archaic even. But for everyone who has endured the long, hot, stressful shifts of a full-service kitchen these standards make total sense. You understand that with every dish sent from the Kitchen, we are being judged by a person who is going to be either happy or dissatisfied with our work. Judged not just once per shift, but judged a hundred or more times every shift, every day!
To reach the level of perfection which we must attain requires an extreme demand upon personal responsibility, reliability, and execution. It takes pride to do what we do daily, and pride in our work does not come cheaply…it demands personal integrity and commitment. The unspoken rules of the Kitchen Code make our lives easier, not harder. It brings order and discipline to the chaotic, difficult environment in which we work.