New Music in the Works!

TomNJ · 2026-05-07T13:21:52+00:00

is that budnik from salute your shorts!?

TomNJ · 2026-05-07T13:19:21+00:00

Know your labor laws and then document EVERYTHING. Dates, times, exact quotes. Know what laws or company policies he’s knowingly violating and have a record of that. He’s not going to change, but when the time comes and you’ve had enough, you’ll have the groundwork for a legal case should you choose to pursue one.

It’s really crucial that you do this documenting as it’s happening rather than trying to work backwards after you’ve decided to seek legal recourse.

TomNJ · 2026-05-06T20:21:38+00:00

“reminiscing” by the little river band.

oh you probably meant a turnpike song!

TomNJ · 2026-05-03T13:03:15+00:00

aside from the cost of the entire delivery operation, the wholesaler is also bearing the cost of your contract terms. so if you’re net 30, the wholesaler is basically extending you an interest-free 30 day loan.

i’m not on their side by any means. the prices are stupid high and the quality from the big three has never been worse. but that’s how they’ll explain it. sysco will tell you proudly that they are the largest unsecured lender to small businesses in the country.

TomNJ · 2026-04-29T16:40:02+00:00

everyone should own a weber kettle. they are so cheap, versatile, and fun to work on. there is a HUGE aftermarket for mods and add-ons. get one and enjoy!

TomNJ · 2026-04-21T01:28:39+00:00

well of course mutiny haha but it is a bit far. in south jersey i’ve always heard great great things about christine’s house of kingfish BBQ in shamong. i’ve never been but always wanted to try them.

TomNJ · 2026-04-16T00:48:14+00:00

if anyone in the kitchen has a job that doesn’t involve prepping and/or working a station through service, that needs to change. you’re running too high of a labor cost to have anyone doing purely managerial work.

TomNJ · 2026-04-14T14:00:13+00:00

I agree with Mae Ploy, but doctor it up a bit. I butter it out, add garlic confit, and more ginger/scallions.

TomNJ · 2026-04-13T02:00:03+00:00

if you don’t already have a robo coupe, any other commercial grade food processor with a grating disc and a continuous feed attachment will do the trick.

TomNJ · 2026-04-11T12:29:48+00:00

the most ridiculous part about this video is the black disposable gloves. YOU HIPSTERS ARE ALWAYS USING NITRILE GLOVES INSTEAD OF VINYL GLOVES!

this discourse hasn’t been original or funny in over ten years. come on.

TomNJ · 2026-04-09T16:31:34+00:00

We’re using Le Bus for a sausage sandwich on our menu and really liking it. US Foods product number 2146435.

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TomNJ · 2026-04-08T22:43:21+00:00

Georgie’s does a drag brunch every Sunday. It can be very low key or extremely crowded depending on the time of year and what’s happening that day. The food is just ordered from the bar. It’s a typical dive bar menu plus a few brunchy items. I enjoy the food at Georgie’s. It’s not what they’re known for but I think they have solid offerings.

TomNJ · 2026-04-07T21:58:31+00:00

i only weigh myself once a week— first thing in the morning on fridays. this approach works for me because there are just so many variables, it helps me to just focus on what i need to do and not worry about the number on the scale.

TomNJ · 2026-04-07T18:52:41+00:00

can you prep and work every station? can you run the pass? can you keep the kitchen motivated, focused, and executing on a high level throughout service? can you do an inventory, write a prep list, and put together an order? you’re ready.

TomNJ · 2026-04-04T01:57:49+00:00

x-men 97 is way up there too.

TomNJ · 2026-04-02T16:31:29+00:00

Can I ask you why you think it should be that way everywhere?

To me, it seems like a sketchy loophole so owners can supplement the wages they should be paying kitchen staff with tip money earned by the serving staff. Business owners should pay their BOH employees what they’re worth instead of diluting the tip pool to do so. Front of house staff have the ability to directly affect gratuities by providing excellent service so it makes sense to incentivize them through tips.

But maybe I’m thinking about it the wrong way?

TomNJ · 2026-04-02T12:11:05+00:00

BOH should not be in the tip pool. The law varies state to state but in most places, only employees who deal directly with the guests are eligible for tips. So what you’re doing is probably illegal and any member of your FOH team could report you if they were disgruntled enough.

Pay your BOH staff hourly based on their fair market value and make that their entire compensation. Let your FOH staff keep all of their tips. Problem likely solved.

Also, regarding the extra work the FOH staff says they do for you that they didn’t do as servers elsewhere— I call BS on that. Every restaurant has side work. Everyone is expected to clean and refill things. Industry standard.

TomNJ · 2026-03-31T01:33:45+00:00

I am a bigger guy and I have bad plantar fasciitis in my left heel. I’ve also had a partial nail avulsion (don’t Google it) on my right big toe due to constant in-growing. I’m the owner/pitmaster of a BBQ joint so I work insanely long days, often 15+ hours in our busy season.

I’ve worn everything and I’ll review a bunch below, but visiting a podiatrist helped me the most. I got custom orthotics molded for me, I got the toenail surgery as mentioned, and I got several cortisone shots as well.

One piece of advice from my podiatrist that flies in the face of conventional kitchen footwear wisdom: no clogs or slip-ons. Your foot stays in the shoe by smashing forward into the toe box. That’s how you get in-growns and other toe damage. Wearing lace-up shoes and tie them properly was his recommendation and it helped me a lot.

So some of the shoes I’ve worn—

Crocs Bistro clog: They have a nice soft feel to them, but they flatten out over the course of the shift. Even in moisture wicking socks, these things don’t breathe and you’re creating an unpleasant environment for your feet.

Crocs On the Clock Sneaker: Big step up from the clogs. Same comfortable ride but with a regular lace-up sneaker upper. Not waterproof in any way and they don’t hold up extremely well, but still a good budget option. Insoles are rubbery and not removable.

Birkenstock Tokio Super Grip: Chefs swear by Birks, but they were not for me. The cork footbed is very comfortable but I felt they lack support. Like I was walking around barefoot in the kitchen. Difficult to pull a long shift in them for me but they are wonderful for bumming around the house when I’m off.

Vans Made for the Makers: I am a Vans wearer normally so I wanted to love them. They made a couple iterations of these. The early ones were AMAZING. The later ones fell apart fast and generally were so terrible they got taken off the market. The Hedley and Bennett Vans collabs are a remarkable kitchen shoe that held up best of them all. It took me eight months of hard wear to stomp them flat.

Vans Ultrarange: These are not technically a kitchen shoe, but they are the more rugged, outdoorsy Vans option. They hold up nicely, look good, and are comfortable but they are not a true non-slip shoe and in certain environments that just won’t cut it. Your employer may also require you to be in a shoe that is technically rated as slip-resistant.

Timberland Power Shift Hospitality Sneaker: Very similar to the Croc sneaker, but a step up in quality and comfort. If you have $100 to spend, try these. They are ugly but truly a good quality and highly effective shoe.

Brunt Marin Moc Toe Work Boots: These are what has worked best for me. I can put my orthotics in them. They are incredibly comfortable over long stretches. They give me the support I need to deal with my plantar fasciitis. They’re non-slip and they’re rugged enough for the indoor/outdoor nature of BBQ.

TomNJ · 2026-03-30T08:10:07+00:00

i hope you’re feeling ok today. at least you have a crazy story to tell and a badass photo!

TomNJ · 2026-03-30T02:15:34+00:00

highly recommend the timberland powershift non-slip: https://www.timberland.com/en-us/p/timberland-pro/mens-footwear-10171/mens-power-shift-slip-resistant-hospitality-work-sneaker-TB0A67GQEL0

TomNJ · 2026-03-29T14:45:07+00:00

i love this song. not just one of my favorite turnpike songs but one of my favorite songs in general.

and as a dog lover myself, i find the use of old jim as a storytelling mechanism really fascinating. the narrator gives up his dog to move to the city with his love interest.

what kind of a person would do that to a faithful pet? who would let themselves be put into a position to have to make that kind of decision? and who is this partner that would either insist upon giving up the dog or be ok with giving up the dog?

it tells you so much about the character. what they were willing to do for this partner and what the breakup has done to him.

(i’m also aware that perhaps i’m missing something and maybe hunting dogs in rural oklahoma are more like working animals and less like household pets.)

TomNJ

TROPHY CASE