The Most Useful Things We Learned From Working in Restaurants

I learned many things working in restaurants, including big life lessons, like how to multitask, how to be patient, and how to communicate with people from all over. But there are also countless small things — repetitive tasks like carrying three plates in one hand or pulling out a chair without making a screeching noise — that, to this day, have made my life so much easier. So I polled my colleagues, many of whom have also spent years working in restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, to find out which practical skills they learned that they still use every day. From carrying dozens of wine glasses at once, to the most efficient way to peel garlic, these are some of the most underrated, life-changing takeaways from working in the hospitality industry.

The best way to throw away a paper placemat

Whenever I need to throw away a used paper towel — specifically when I’m using one as a makeshift placemat — I find myself repeating a skill that I learned as a backwaiter at abcV in New York City. After a party would finish their meal, I’d clear their plates then return to remove the paper placemats, being careful not to spill a pile of crumbs on the guests’ laps. The technique involved using your dominant hand to fold the bottom half of the paper up, then, using your thumb to repeatedly make small folds from left to right, creating a tight cone-shape. I’d lift it from the bottom, get a good handle on it to contain any food bits, then swiftly transfer it to my other hand to repeat the process with the remaining placemats. Now, it’s a simple trick that has made my desk lunches significantly less messy.

How to have a slip-free cutting board

“Before I started writing, I was a professional chef for nearly a decade. At my first kitchen job in college, I was julienning carrots for my mise en place and the cutting board was moving all around the prep table. It had been through the dishwasher a few times too many so it was a bit warped and was basically spinning on a high point. After about 15 minutes of watching me struggle, one of the chefs wordlessly walked over to my set up, moved my board, flopped down two wet paper towels, and pushed the board to indicate that it wasn’t going anywhere. I was really embarrassed, but you better believe I haven’t forgotten to put a wet paper towel under my cutting board since! The wet towel keeps the board from moving, which makes cutting easier and safer. It’s the most important trick I’ve learned and I still use it every day of my life.” — Nick DeSimone, Commerce Updates Writer

The secret to making better sandwiches

“During a stint as a staffer at Bodega Delicatessen in Oxford, Ohio, I picked up sandwich-making fundamentals that I use almost every weekday of the year (namely when putting together lunch for myself or my kids). First among them: be generous with your condiments — use at least a tablespoon per slice of bread — and spread them all the way to the crust. I can always tell when someone hasn’t followed this rule, as stingy use of condiments makes for a very sad sandwich.” — Karen Shimizu, Executive Editor

A faster way to peel garlic

“This one’s probably pretty well known by this point, but if you have to peel a ton of garlic at home (or are a prep cook with anxiety issues you need to work out), place all the garlic cloves in a metal mixing bowl. Cover the top of the bowl with a plate or something similar, and shake the hell out of it for 30 seconds or so. Like, however hard you think you need to shake it, go ahead and shake a little bit harder. Remove the plate and voila, all your garlic should be peeled, and you get a nice little workout to boot.” — Dylan Garret, Associate Editorial Director, Drinks

How to carry a ridiculous amount of wine glasses at once

“When I worked at a super busy Italian restaurant off Restaurant Row in the Theater District of New York City, I learned how to carry an obscene amount of wine glasses at once — and not necessarily in any kind of proper way. It was mainly out of necessity and lack of time. We had such an intense turnover there, a second couldn’t be wasted on return trips to the prep station. I often carried a bottle or two of wine under one arm and stacked my fingers with glasses, stem-side up, to various tables at once. If I’m ever tasked with bringing out a stupid amount of glasses to a group, you can count on me to do it well and then boast about it afterward.” — Prairie Rose, Senior Drinks Editor

The correct way to polish glassware

“My first restaurant job was at a bustling sushi spot in Boston. It was one of those places where, as a host, I said things like, ‘We won’t be able to accommodate a party of two for the next three hours.’ It was also the kind of place where I’d work a sleepy lunch shift and have to do something to keep myself busy. It was during these quiet shifts where I learned how to properly polish glassware. I’d stand with my co-worker, Nolberto (truly one of the best bussers in the game), and hold cups and wine glasses over a hot tub of water, filling the bowl of the glasses with steam. We’d use microfiber towels to polish the inside and outside of the glassware. I was always shocked by the amount of pressure Nolberto would instruct me to use, but the glasses can really take it!” — Lucy Simon, Assistant Editor

A technique to make farmers market shopping easier

“When I was a line cook in New York City, we’d meet our chef de cuisine four mornings a week at the Union Square Greenmarket to shop for the produce that would become sides, garnishes, and pasta sauces on the menu each day. This taught me how to shop efficiently and look for the best quality fruits and vegetables. To this day, I still make one lap around my local farmers market and take a mental inventory about what looks the best. Then I shop stall by stall, picking produce that looks the most pristine and feels heavy for its weight.” — Hunter Lewis, Editor in Chief

How to clear plates without causing a fuss

“You can see my experience as a waiter and bartender when I clear the table at the end of a dinner party. I can balance four plates on one arm, so we’re not stacking them and dealing with all the silverware at the table (and ruining the conversation at hand). I stash a tall container filled with hot, soapy water in my sink, so all the silverware can go directly in there until I’m ready to deal with it later. It’s a trick I learned while working in restaurants and in catering that makes dinner party cleanup so much easier, without disturbing the night’s vibe.” —  Chandra Ram, Associate Editorial Director, Food

Multitasking like a pro

“So much about cooking and working in a kitchen is time and project management. When I was a line cook, I had to learn how to manage my time well, or I would be in the weeds. This started before service and never really ended because you have so little time out of the kitchen; managing your free time to maximize it is another consideration. I credit my time in the back of house for my ability to have multiple projects going simultaneously and keep my cool while executing. It is something I use everyday.” — Jennifer Zyman, Commerce Testing Editor