I’ve always found that a touch of humor goes a long way in the stressful, nomadic environment of the professional kitchen. To that end, my Get Back To Work missives would have an edge of the ludicrous to them. Motivational Posters are mocked because they take themselves too seriously. Mine were actually read and followed. Posters like these adorn my kitchens. This one hung in the dishpit of the Latin Fusion Joint as a gentle reminder to the dishdogs that their job description went beyond mere plate juggling. If i ever saw someone slacking off in the pit i could point to the sign and say, “Find something.”
It usually worked. My prep books were so full of crazy shit like this that they were often followed meticulously so as to not miss any of the jokes. They were also kept much cleaner than they had been before the ridiculousness. Bored lackeys would read the posters a hundred times a day simply because they were fun to look at, and without knowing it they’d have my to-do lists burned into their skulls. There was never any excuse for Shit Not Getting Done. Everyone else may have thought i was crazy, but my ends justified these means.
A smile is the key to communication.