As a chef at Jolly Roger OBX, one of the busiest seafood restaurants on the Outer Banks, my day begins early. I arrive at the restaurant at 8:00 am and start by checking the day’s schedule, reviewing the inventory, and prepping the kitchen for a busy day ahead.
Our restaurant is located right on the beach, so the views from our kitchen are absolutely stunning. As I prep the kitchen, I can hear the sounds of the waves crashing outside and feel the salty breeze coming in through the open windows.
Around 9:00 am, our team of chefs starts arriving, and we gather for our daily briefing. We discuss the day’s specials and any changes to the menu, and we assign responsibilities for the day’s tasks. Each of us has a specific role to play in ensuring that everything runs smoothly in the kitchen.
With our plan in place, we start prepping the ingredients for the day’s dishes. This involves chopping vegetables, cleaning seafood, and preparing sauces and marinades. We work in harmony, communicating with one another without saying a word. It’s a dance that we have all become very skilled at.
Around midday, the restaurant starts to get busy. The lunch rush is on, and orders are pouring in. The kitchen becomes a flurry of activity as we work to get every dish out on time. We move quickly, but we never sacrifice quality for speed.
As the lunch rush dies down, we take a short break to rest and recharge. We discuss any issues that arose during the lunch service and brainstorm ways to improve for the next one.
In the afternoon, we start prepping for dinner service. This involves prepping additional ingredients, making sure our stations are clean and organized, and double-checking that we have everything we need to create a successful dinner service.
Dinner service starts around 5:00 pm, and it’s even busier than lunch. But our team is ready, and we work together like a well-oiled machine. Each dish that goes out is a masterpiece, carefully crafted with the freshest ingredients and the utmost attention to detail.
As the night wears on, we continue to work hard, making sure that every customer is satisfied and happy with their dining experience. And when the last plate is cleared, we clean up the kitchen, restock our supplies, and head out into the night, exhausted but satisfied with a job well done.
Being a chef at Jolly Roger OBX is hard work, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. The satisfaction of seeing happy customers enjoying our food is priceless, and the camaraderie of working with a talented team is second to none. It’s a job that I love, and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.
