As she wiped the rim of both plates she gave herself a silent pat on the back and walked them out to the dining room.

Beaming, she presents the owner and wife with the evening’s special––Pork Milanese. Leaving them with essentially her heart on a plate she walks back to the hot line.

“How was everything?”

It can be intimidating to walk into a tightly knit kitchen and try to seamlessly slide in.

If you put your head down and perform every task with care and a sense of urgency you might earn their respect and be invited back. If you act like a know-it-all, or become a liability, enjoy the shift meal, if you get one, because it will likely be…