So you've heard Vegas now is a culinary mecca, probably you heard that all the big name chefs are opening restaurants on the strip, sounds great right? sounds fun! and heck wouldn't hurt to add on your resume that you worked with Thomas Keller, right? well..... I would say don't! while Vegas glamor has always succeeded in attracting tourism and dollars it is certainly not reflecting on wages and work conditions for culinary professionals. Hundreds and hundreds of culinary professionals are flocking to Vegas seeking new opportunities and a better pay scale only to find out that it is simply not there, pushing them to sacrifice their trade for other jobs such as serving tables, bartending and even parking cars. We ask ourselves why? when we have restaurants such as Tao breaking records in earnings, when Mario Batali just opened his third restaurant, when Lettuce entertain you restaurants are simply making a killing. Here's some facts you should know:
Average wage for a line cook: $10-$12 dollars an hr (culinary school graduate)
Average wage for a hostess: $15 dollars plus tips
Many "celebrity chefs" restaurants expect you to work on prep "off the clock" for an whooping average of 20-30 hours per week.
And if you don't play by their rules, you'll be gone!
Restaurants such as Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill will ask job prospects to work on the busier nights (without pay) 8 hours, never to be called again.
Worst offenders?
Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill
Thomas Keller Restaurants
Michael Mina's Restaurants
Mario Batali's Restaurants
Charlie Trotter
Charlie Palmer
MGM Mirage Resorts
Mandalay Bay
Wolfgang Puck Restaurants
Emeril Lagasse 's Restaurants
Lettuce entertain you Restaurants
Paris Hotel & Casino
Reality is that in Vegas the sweatshop mentality reigns inside the kitchens, Chefs are not welcomed here, but low skilled workers are. Servers will drive their BMW's while sous chefs come riding their bicycles to work.
Thinking about Vegas? Think again.
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