- 4 minutes ago
What's it really like working as a professional line cook? Bon Appétit follows Lindsey Hubbard through a demanding 10-hour shift at One White Street, a Michelin Green Star restaurant in New York City. Just four months into her career, Lindsey tackles her first shift on the meat station, cooking $90 ribeyes, navigating a chaotic dinner service, and learning under pressure.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00It's 10 30 p.m. We just finished service and this is the life of a line cook. My
00:05hands are burning so bad. I'm feeling lost. I'm tired. I'm feeling fairly destroyed.
00:11This is the hardest job I've ever done in my life. Hello, I'm Lindsay. I'm a line
00:17cook here and we're at 1 White Street. I've been here for four months and I am
00:22starting on meat roast today which is the final station of the four. Very
00:26nerve-racking because it's the person who handles the ribeye. Hello chef. This is
00:32Chef AG. So he's our CDC and he's the head of everything around here. Yesterday
00:37the person on meat roast made this list for me. Today I have to make mashed
00:40potatoes so I'm gonna have Chef AG teach me how to do that. Bring out some
00:44parchment for the for the potatoes. Okay. This is my first day on meat roast but I
00:50have already worked hot apps, Garde Manger and Entreme. Two hot stations and then a
00:55cold station. This is our hobbit hole back here. This is where we store all of our spices.
01:00You have to be really small and it goes all the way back. Okay. Two parchment
01:06papers. Honestly I don't know what this is for but we'll find out. Okay. All right.
01:12Eight potatoes. It's a game of Tetris. So this might work.
01:21Oh thank you. Okay so it's two o'clock. This is when we start. Most of us get here early
01:28because we're all just anxious and ready to start the day.
01:33We're a Michelin Green Star restaurant so we still do a full tasting menu and we also have a la
01:40carte. Chef, so I know I need to make mash. Can you just like walk me through it really quick?
01:45Now we're gonna rinse them, peel them, cut them up to as close to identical size as possible.
01:52Okay. And then we're gonna put them in here with salted water, come up to a boil, pull them and
01:56let them cook all the way through.
01:57Then we'll pass them through the riser, tammy and then we'll add our seasoning. Okay. Sounds good. Great.
02:032.18. So we need to be quick. I started at One White Street this past April. I walked in
02:11and I got our lovely AG. He was like, let's set up a stage where you come in for one
02:16night and basically showcase your skills. AG offered me a full-time job and I knew in my gut that
02:22it's what I had to do. So here I am. And it was the best decision I ever made.
02:27So here, so I just want to cut them in half, especially what I do. And then again in half
02:32and then as evenly as possible so they cook all at the same time.
02:36Okay. And then into the rondo, cold water, salt. Okay. I always remind myself I'm pretty new at this and
02:43it takes time to get all of those skills that you see on TV from all these famous chefs. So
02:50I, yeah, I'm getting there and I'm okay with that.
02:58Also, then I can just handy dandy fill it up. Salt the water. Chef, about how much? Just feel.
03:07Say enough. Enough.
03:11Okay. 2.57. So we're going to be going to the meeting in two minutes. The meeting happens outside because
03:17it gives us a little breath of fresh air before we go into service.
03:21All right, everybody. Happy Thursday. Happy Thursday.
03:25122 covers tonight. Super slow. 5 o'clock to 5.45. We only have three tables. But then from 6
03:31o'clock to 9 o'clock, it's going to be very busy.
03:35Questions, comments, concerns? Feeling good? All right. Let's have a good service.
03:39122 covers. It's kind of a lot for Thursday. It's a beautiful day in Tribeca. So obviously we're going to
03:45pick up. I feel a little bit nervous. Not going to lie.
03:50Come on. Someone get the door. Thank you.
03:59So, bread's here. This is a chicken roulade. Basically a way of rolling up chicken. I don't honestly know all
04:09of the ins and outs of it.
04:12So that's tempering. How is it? It's 319. Let's check the potatoes. Chef, I feel like it's mashing pretty well.
04:19Yeah. So we need to strain it out now?
04:20Okay. So let's do this. So I have my spider and...
04:28Just like that. If it's too tall for you, I would kind of set up properly.
04:34Did I break it? That is. Okay. I've never used these before in my life.
04:41Not quite as fast.
04:44Super often I find myself doing something that I don't know what I'm doing.
04:48I kind of just have to do it and a lot of times I really do it wrong, but then
04:51I learn from it.
04:52Now I'm going to push it through. Chef, I almost feel like I should get a bigger spatula.
04:57Oh, you used it. Oh, yeah.
04:59See? I would have just sat there doing it.
05:07He made that look way easier. And it's hot, too.
05:13Lift it up. You can check. I can see some coming off of the side.
05:17It's like nothing. It's like a cup.
05:21Sorry, I can give you a push on this if you want to go do a family rule quick.
05:26Okay. That's a bad feeling.
05:30Because that means I didn't finish the task.
05:35Feels like I'm letting them down.
05:40This is our third floor, and this is where a garde manger happens, and we take our family meal.
05:46I have 20 minutes to finish my break.
05:49I hate when AG has to pick up my tasks. I like to finish a task completely.
05:54So now I feel like I need to prove to him and myself that I can work quickly to get
06:01everything else done.
06:05I always like to go to our market for your help and grab a coffee.
06:09Look how high!
06:10I'll take one moment to take in the sun. I love coming outside during family meal because it's my only
06:17time to breathe.
06:19Let's do it.
06:22So we have one hour till service.
06:24So here, try the potatoes.
06:25Let's check the potatoes.
06:26You should know what they taste like.
06:27Okay.
06:28They look good.
06:29So you always want to salt them a little heavier because they're going to go into the ISI.
06:32Okay.
06:32You want them creamier as well because they're going to lose a lot of that saltiness and all that flavor.
06:37Mash is done.
06:39All right.
06:39So pork.
06:43Chip, what do I do with the pork shoulder exactly?
06:46You sear it.
06:46Okay.
06:47You cook it for five minutes.
06:48Rest for ten.
06:49Cook five, ten.
06:50About, I would say at least four hits, four to five.
06:55This one will probably take the full five.
06:57Okay.
06:57It's a little bigger.
06:58So you want oil on your plancha.
07:00Oui.
07:01You want like a nice sear.
07:05My pork cooking over here is a bit of a blur right now for me.
07:10I don't feel like I'm able to learn because I'm not able to stand here and watch it and touch
07:15it.
07:15I learn by touching the product, by being the person who does it.
07:19So it's a little bit hard for me to learn by hearing it, but you have to start somewhere.
07:25We gave it a nice sear on all sides.
07:27Okay.
07:27So we're going to throw it in the oven now.
07:29Okay.
07:30Five minutes, right?
07:31Five minutes, oui.
07:31Perfect.
07:33Now I have five minutes to cut my carrots.
07:36It should be enough time to cut my carrots.
07:40Carrots are for our lion's mane mushroom dish.
07:43We just do a few on top, kind of as garnish.
07:45We char them.
07:47Pull.
07:48Oui.
07:48Three.
07:49So I'm going to pull this.
07:51Let it rest for five.
07:53Ten.
07:53Like squeeze it.
07:54Give it a nice squeeze like that.
07:56Yeah.
07:56It's like super bouncy.
07:57Yeah.
07:58Right?
07:58So we'll do another four hits.
08:00Perfect.
08:01So, oh my gosh, the time is flying.
08:05I need to be downstairs by 4.30 doing the welcome drink.
08:12Okay.
08:13I'm going to go do the welcome drink.
08:18All right.
08:19I got the welcome drink.
08:22And did you find the bottles?
08:25Oh, I'll get them.
08:27I only see one bottle.
08:28It's going to be a busy night, so are we worried?
08:30Do we need two?
08:31Yeah.
08:32So other bottles you'll find on the fourth floor.
08:34I'm going to show you one.
08:36Okay.
08:36And you can do the rest later.
08:38One.
08:38Two.
08:39Three.
08:40Pull.
08:41Pull.
08:42Then you got to take out the excess carbonation by pressing this button.
08:47Okay.
08:48That's it.
08:49So you'll find more bottles on the fourth floor.
08:51Okay.
08:52I'll be right back.
08:53Yeah.
08:54That's really horrible news.
08:55It being on the fourth floor is now going to probably take a few minutes out of my day.
09:00So he didn't tell me where.
09:02This is all like front of house area, so I don't really touch it.
09:06It's not there.
09:08There it is.
09:09He told me to grab one.
09:10I'm going to grab two just in case because I'm not coming back up here again.
09:14I have two minutes now.
09:17Probably less than that.
09:18I'm going to run by my floor.
09:19See how the pork is coming along.
09:2150 seconds.
09:22So I'm going to run this down.
09:2610 seconds.
09:27Time to put it back on.
09:28Take the whole tray.
09:32No, no, no.
09:32You got to dip in the oven.
09:34Yeah.
09:34No more.
09:35No more searing.
09:36No more searing.
09:36That makes sense.
09:37Yeah, straight.
09:39Okay.
09:40Now I'm going to do it again for five minutes.
09:42Five minutes.
09:43And I'm going to go finish the welcome drink.
09:47Okay.
09:48At this time, I'm usually like really thirsty because I've forgotten to drink water.
09:53One, two, three, four.
09:57Pull it.
09:57Pull it out.
09:59Pick this up.
10:01Slowly release.
10:02And spin.
10:03Okay.
10:04Easy.
10:05Now that I did it, I'll know how to do it again.
10:08I'm going to run that upstairs.
10:10I need to switch my basil and I forgot to bring it down.
10:13So I'm going to have to run up the stairs again.
10:16Oh gosh.
10:17There's my timer.
10:19I'm going to have to run.
10:21I will come back for the welcome drink.
10:24Well, he took it out.
10:25So, okay.
10:27Now I'll take my Thai basil back.
10:29How many times have I gone up the stairs?
10:31I'm thinking it's a little bit more than 10.
10:36Plenty of this.
10:37Yeah.
10:38Now I'm going to go pick this.
10:39Order.
10:41Five minutes.
10:42He already swept him up.
10:43All right.
10:43I forget.
10:44It's a meat roast job to do the floor.
10:46So he just swept for me so graciously.
10:48Thank you, Willis.
10:49And now I'm going to mop.
10:51This is the life of a wine cook.
10:54This is kind of like the most relaxing part of the day.
10:57There's my timer.
11:01Service has started, but it looks like our first reservation has not arrived yet.
11:06We're going to start a service.
11:07So I don't want to look at this anymore.
11:09I'm going to throw it away because I'm going to start fresh now.
11:14This is, in my opinion, the hardest station just because you're handling the most expensive products.
11:22Our hot app station requires you to be fast.
11:25It's a burger.
11:25If something really goes wrong with one patty, you can throw it back down.
11:28It's like a five minute fix.
11:30But if something goes wrong with a ribeye, it's going to set us back like 20, 25 minutes.
11:35Bye, Brennan.
11:35Butter.
11:36BB.
11:37Okay.
11:37So I have to slice my sourdough.
11:40Make sure they're nice slices.
11:42And then in the oven for how long?
11:44Two minutes.
11:45Two minutes.
11:48It's time to canel.
11:50My favorite thing in the world.
11:52Basically a canel is a perfectly round football shaped scoop.
11:55You can do it with ice cream.
11:56You can do it with butter.
11:57With something like butter that's tempering, it gets soft.
12:01And that can be hard.
12:02How is it?
12:04I would do it.
12:04Okay.
12:05We'll try it again next time.
12:06You got all night chef.
12:07I do.
12:13Taking the bread out of the oven.
12:15Plate it.
12:17Which is the world's easiest plating.
12:20Besides the canel part.
12:21This is my only moment when I can drink coffee and the rest of the night I'm going to be
12:26sweating and swinging around and cooking.
12:28So.
12:31Cheers.
12:32I go to table 31 please.
12:34We just had about an hour and a half of almost quiet time.
12:38But a ton of people just sat down so it's about to get really crazy.
12:42I have one chicken that ordered in and so I'm starting to work that right now.
12:47So chef will you show me how to slice the chicken?
12:52This piece will be for us to try.
12:54We want slices.
12:55Try to be careful with the farce.
12:57The farce is the stuffed part at the bottom?
12:59Yeah.
12:59We want it to break.
13:00And that's it.
13:01So you're using the whole length of your knife right?
13:03Yeah.
13:04Okay.
13:05Passing chicken.
13:06Chicken.
13:07A little bit of a crazy half.
13:09My job.
13:10I hit it off.
13:12And done.
13:12All right.
13:13Fire, bread, butter, focaccia, shrimp.
13:15I'm feeling okay about my canels.
13:17I feel like I'm still struggling a bit, but I do think that they're getting better.
13:21A little wonky.
13:22A little wonky.
13:23Yeah.
13:23Chef, when they use the edge, are you like flipping it up?
13:28You know what I mean?
13:29Yeah, I kind of.
13:30Yeah.
13:32A lot of the board is red, which is the color for the first floor.
13:36Our floor is blue.
13:37Upstairs is purple.
13:38And most of the orders are red.
13:40Imagine you're like on a train and you're in Japan and you see Mount Fuji and it's really
13:45far away, but you see it.
13:47You know you're going to arrive to it at some point.
13:48So that's how I feel right now.
13:51I know it's going to come.
13:54Service.
13:56We just got ordered in on a ribeye and I'm about to learn how to cook it for the first
14:00time.
14:01I mean, I know first I'm going to salt it.
14:02That will salt higher.
14:04Okay.
14:04So you got more.
14:05So it goes up.
14:06So you want to burn the fat first, right?
14:08Yeah.
14:09Yeah.
14:10This is a $90 dish.
14:12So it better be good.
14:13Lay this one flat.
14:14Yep.
14:15And put the weights on.
14:18You said for five minutes?
14:19Yeah.
14:20Let it go for five and then we'll see where it's at.
14:22Okay.
14:24Oh my gosh.
14:25Three minutes.
14:26Let's go.
14:27We'll pull this one too.
14:28Cool.
14:29That one's looking more cooked.
14:30Yeah.
14:31It's also thinner, right?
14:32Okay.
14:33Okay.
14:33My concha.
14:34Cakes are resting.
14:36We pulled them around 727.
14:38So we'll rest for at least five minutes and then check the temperature.
14:44Where do we want to put it in exactly?
14:46So here's fat.
14:48So you got to keep that in mind if you're putting it this way.
14:50Like that part of the cake tip is going to be a lot hotter.
14:53Okay.
14:53Yeah.
14:54So actually that one.
14:55It's actually like super far off.
14:57Yeah.
14:58I feel confident about getting a good crust, but I don't feel confident about,
15:02I guess doing the multiple hits and getting it to the right temperature.
15:06I'm afraid of overcooking it.
15:07If I overcook it, then we have to refire it.
15:10And yeah, I'm going to have to pay for a steak.
15:15I'm kidding.
15:16So we're working two ribeye, three skate, a chicken, and that's it.
15:21Two ribeye, three skate, and a chicken.
15:22On back we got two chicken and a skate.
15:24Two chicken and a skate.
15:29Let's go.
15:30Yeah.
15:30Ready.
15:31Yeah.
15:32All right.
15:37That was a clean cut.
15:38I know that.
15:39So steer that and then from bottom to top.
15:43It feels perfect and it looks beautiful.
15:46The knife is amazing.
15:49It feels like driving a Porsche 911.
15:54Although I think my cutting needs to be a bit more smooth.
15:57I can feel that because I'm having to go in twice.
15:59So I need to use the length of my knife more.
16:02Passing ribeye.
16:04Now I need to clean up my nose.
16:05Looks great.
16:07Perfect.
16:09Carving chicken.
16:10Chicken.
16:11So hot.
16:12AG taught me to use a wet towel.
16:15So just to cool off my fingers.
16:17Struggling with it a bit.
16:22He says I have hostess hands.
16:25I'm working on that.
16:27Passing chicken.
16:30Carving ribeye.
16:31I'm going to flip it so I can see.
16:33Bone.
16:35Oh .
16:37Yeah.
16:37Well, I have to commit to that slice now.
16:39I probably should have gone a little bit more in there.
16:42Through the bone down.
16:43This was a little bit too thick.
16:44I should have left some of the fat on the actual ribeye.
16:47Last time he passed it back to me because I needed to slice all the way through more.
16:51So my goal for this one is to be perfect ready for him to plate and no notes.
16:57But my bok choy and my bone are burning.
17:01My chicken is definitely done.
17:06Never seen that much smooth.
17:11Here actually.
17:12Passing ribeye.
17:14Carving chicken.
17:15I feel like this is a bit of a better slice already.
17:18Super hot.
17:19It's pretty intense.
17:21Like I can't even get all the way through.
17:24Obviously my hands have not built an extra layer yet.
17:27I hate that.
17:29Passing chicken.
17:30Chicken.
17:31It kind of broke.
17:33We just got through our first push.
17:35Going into our second seating.
17:38We're about to get a lot of orders in.
17:39We're fired on two ribeyes.
17:40Two ribeyes.
17:41Sweet.
17:42So we're fired on the medium and the mid rare.
17:44Ribeye.
17:44Medium rare?
17:45Yep.
17:46Fire bread and butter.
17:47Focaccia, shrimp.
17:48Bibi, focaccia, shrimp.
17:50Butter and ribeye, mushroom.
17:52Ribeye, mushroom.
17:53I'm actually stressed for the first time right now that I really need to review what's going on.
17:59So I got a ribeye ordered in.
18:02I'm finishing medium rare, cooking another medium rare.
18:06Oh my God.
18:08I forgot about that chicken for a minute.
18:10Did we get ordered in on another chicken?
18:13Yes.
18:13Yeah.
18:14Feel like I should pull this.
18:15My oven's getting a bit full.
18:18This chicken's getting a little, like that's the most color I think it can ever be.
18:28Rest it up here.
18:30That's my first out.
18:43Service?
18:44Yes sir?
18:45I have a BB going to...
18:48We gotta redo that one.
18:49We gotta redo that one.
18:50We can't sell that.
18:51Okay.
18:54I'm feeling lost.
18:56I have a lot of ribeyes happening.
18:58I have four.
18:59And I feel like I'm getting a little bit lost on the temperatures on everything.
19:05My fingertips got a little bit burnt.
19:07I was grabbing things bare handed.
19:09I just have to push through it.
19:10It's okay.
19:11I forgot the bok choy.
19:12Fire not skate.
19:14Fire not ribeye.
19:15Ribeye.
19:16Let's go ribeye.
19:16I'm just thinking about that we're going to get fired soon on the five tasting pork.
19:21And I really need to focus on my ribeyes right now.
19:23We're firing on five pork.
19:24Okay.
19:29So my burn is indeed hurting now.
19:32When I touch hot things.
19:35So it's actually making me slower at slicing my chicken.
19:39Casting chicken.
19:40You're carving another chicken right now?
19:42Oui.
19:44Carving chicken.
19:45Oh, that one's really hot.
19:55So here the roulade is breaking a bit.
19:58My fingers are dying.
20:00The massacre.
20:01Yeah, it was bad.
20:03What do I do?
20:07Give me another one.
20:08Oui.
20:09It sucks.
20:10It's not as bad as messing up a ribeye, but it still sucks.
20:13Because now it's going to set us back.
20:15We're going to push this out, yeah.
20:16Oui.
20:16Give me skate.
20:17Give me mushroom.
20:18Chicken.
20:19Oh my God, the pork.
20:21Pork is going to season it.
20:22Salt.
20:23And then on the grill, yeah?
20:24Okay.
20:25So I am seasoning these pork for our tasting menu.
20:28It's been a minute on this ticket.
20:30So I'm going to hurry.
20:32It's not actually been a minute.
20:34It's been way longer.
20:35All right, another chicken.
20:36Chicken.
20:40This is called a binchotan.
20:41It's a Japanese grill.
20:44Like this needs more color.
20:45That needs more.
20:46This is done, obviously.
20:47Four mushroom carrots for the table.
20:49Let's carve rib eyes first, please.
20:51Rib eyes.
20:52My hands are burning so bad.
20:54Start going rib eyes, rib eyes, rib eyes.
20:56Carving two rib eyes.
20:57Two.
20:58This is the hardest job I've ever done in my life.
21:00This is actually the worst I've seen the board since working here.
21:03The blinking on the board means hurry up.
21:05Service.
21:06I feel like I'm in an ocean and I'm drowning and I'm just trying to stay above water.
21:10All right, five pork.
21:11Carving pork.
21:13I just cut this against the grain, right?
21:15Yeah.
21:16One time I was going down so bad and I thought to myself, huh, one day I'm going to be
21:21retired
21:21and I'm never going to have to do this again.
21:23And that's what got me through it.
21:25Passing pork.
21:26Sweet.
21:26All this being said about the job being hard and kind of ugly sometimes.
21:32At the end of the day, we're plating beautiful food and I think all beautiful things in life
21:37have to have an ugly side.
21:38So this is it.
21:46I think it slowed down just a little bit.
21:48We got through the hardest part.
21:50I think we're almost to the top of Mount Fuji though.
21:52I can feel it.
21:53We're going to make it.
21:55Service.
21:55You breathe and you look down and you're like, I just did that.
22:00I just climbed all the way to the top and nobody died and we're surviving.
22:06Yeah.
22:06That was the perfect car.
22:11Service.
22:1117.
22:12Last dish of the night is finished.
22:16Let's clean up and go home.
22:18It is 10.06.
22:20One hour to get out.
22:22So that's what Willis says.
22:24So we're going to try to reach each other.
22:26I ice my quanta right away because it's going to cool it down and then it'll make it easier
22:31for me to clean.
22:32This came from the basement.
22:33Willis blessed me tonight and grabbed it for me.
22:36Typically, I'm supposed to grab it though.
22:40Holy .
22:41Look at this kitchen.
22:43All right.
22:45It's a hood stick just so you know.
22:47Oh.
22:48Yes, chef.
22:51So my chef just came up and told me that it's the hood stay so I have to take all
22:54of these
22:54down.
22:56I don't love doing that but.
23:02It's part of the job.
23:05Heavy.
23:07That's the worst part.
23:11Corner.
23:13Corner.
23:15Very tired.
23:19Back upstairs.
23:21All right.
23:22Last best trip.
23:23Corner down.
23:24When I first started here, people would ask me, are you good?
23:28Is everything good?
23:28And everything in my body was like, no, I'm just, I'm dying right now.
23:33But I just had to spit out yes.
23:35I have two minutes to scrub the floors.
23:38Two minutes.
23:39Two minutes.
23:42Sorry.
23:47Squeegee time.
23:49I have to put the hoods back now.
23:51Willis, you said this way.
23:56At an angle.
23:59Bye, Naya.
24:01Oh, I see.
24:02All right.
24:06I don't honestly do this too much because normally there's a tall person in the building
24:13room.
24:13I can do it.
24:14The drawer where the cutting boards.
24:16Oh .
24:17Cutting boards, drawer.
24:19Okay.
24:19One cup of the oven.
24:20The soap does not go over here.
24:23And here.
24:23So you take a sand and you go inside.
24:26You watch your finger, there's a nail over here.
24:28And then you put the same sand just inside the skull and bring it up.
24:33Oh.
24:34Well, I've like failed it.
24:36I've failed the test.
24:38I think.
24:38The inspection went not very well to be honest.
24:43But it is my first day.
24:45I didn't know some of these things.
24:47Trash done.
24:48All right.
24:48We're going to do trash.
24:52This is the best part.
24:57I'm going.
25:00We normally take the trash all the way around the corner, but we're not because there's
25:04guests here.
25:07Yes.
25:08Okay.
25:09Time to do it.
25:111140?
25:11Yeah.
25:14All right.
25:15Let's get change.
25:16Can we go home, please?
25:18Yes.
25:19Every night she says that.
25:21Yes, chef.
25:22Let's go home.
25:27Basically, we're going to go home.
25:28I lost my lock just now because I can't see anything.
25:32I'll be taking these home with me because my brain is fried and I can't think.
25:39It is 1148.
25:40I just finished and I'm feeling exhausted.
25:44I have 13 hours till I have to get back here.
25:46So I'm going to go home and sleep and shower.