red tape makes me see red...

New year, time for new rules at work.

1) Everytime you step out of the hotel premises, you need to have a signed letter from your superior.

So, I've got to track down my ever absent Exec Chef to ask him for a signature everytime I need to step of the hotel for a smoke break because they moved the smoking zone outside before because it was disrespecting the non smokers for us to smoke inside the premises of the hotel.


2) Three days prior notice for big cake orders.

Yeah like that's going to change anything. At the hotel where I work it is imperative that we strive to be market leaders and go beyond excellence for the revered guest. This by all means making a 10kg fondant covered cake for the Queen if and when she pleases within half an hour replete with sugar flowers and gold ribbons.


3) Reminder: No handphones to be used while at work

I agree to the rule but then again there is this other rule that you are not allowed to have personal calls whilst on duty at work. I totally understand that rule as well but here's the catch: If you're working in the pastry kitchen or the cold kitchen and need to service ALL the F&B outlets (count em 10: in-house dining, french fine dining, japanese superdining, in-roon dining, poolside, lobby lounge, chinese fine dining, exclusive club floor dining, delicatessen and also the take-away cafe) then 8 hours isn't sufficient to finish up all the required responsibilities of the day let alone running new productions for the coming days ahead. So we work for up to 12 hours a day and sometimes 16 hours. And we're NOT allowed phone calls OR even have our own phones to make calls?

I believe that rules are good for structuring and regulating staff but over excessive red tape is ruinious for people who don't have the constitution for it.

There's always a way for to bend the rules if you're resourceful enough. If you can blitz curdled vanilla sauce in a blender and still make it smooth and velvety and no one notices it then you can bet that I'm going to find a way around the so called "rules".

Just don't tell my chef about the vanilla sauce bit.