cook

sous chef

line cook

maintenance technician

cleaner

ISS Guckenheimer

I Began my employment with Guckenheimer at the end of 2017. I was Hired on to replace or work alongside the sous chef at the time. During  my last interview ( money, work schedule, and how to step into my new role) we came to the conclusion that it would be best to have me start as a speciality Cook as to not to step on anyone's toes. The deal was after 2 months i would begin my training as the new sous chef and the Announcement would be made. So after 2 months have passed with out any training Started i began to ask management what was the deal. The answer i got was that corporate would not allow our location to have more the one sous chef. I was felt like it was legitimate answer  and put my head down and began to work to show my worth. So after a short time later the sous chef put her 1 month notice and i believed that my training/ talking about taking on the new role over would begin, But with no joy no such talk/ training  where every started. I soon found out they had Made another choice for the sous chef position with out speaking to me or giving any reasons on why it was not me. I asked Management aboth the issue i was having and they told me that they believe that there other choice for the position would tell me about what was going on. so instead of management coming to me and talking to me about there change of plans they were hoping that a cook would inform of the situation. while i was told that no decision was made by management on who was going to be the new chef and all parties had a fair shot at the position. The other cook had a very different story he told me that they wanted him and it was just a formality to talk to me and any other persons who want the position. Now i know i should of left at that time but was begged to stay  by the GM at the time and so i did. while i'm still employed  with this company because i relay do enjoy work there because of staff members and the joy we bring to our clients in to day to day services i see management repeat this story with other employs with very few with different outcomes. I still felt that this story needed to be shared as to warn those who  are promised something from this company please do not hold your breath. It is a very fun and sometimes exciting job and a relaxed job as well (compared to industry standards) with good benefits and very competitive wedges.

For a company that has been doing this for as long as they claim, the overall vibe is that they don't seem to know what they're doing most of the time.  If you're a seasoned service industry professional, you will pick up on the "amateur hour" vibes right away.  In the time I've been here,  I've seen more turnover within management than I have within the pool of fellow hourly employees,  which is a huge red flag- especially if you're hoping to work your way up in your career here. They seem to hire from outside each time a manager turns over, so there's no real opportunity for growth or advancement. On the client side of things, you couldn't ask for a nicer customer base- which makes coming to work each day feel worth it for the daily interactions with your guests. However, you will often find yourself feeling very disconnected from the actual company itself that employs you- there is no on site HR presence, and although the job is unionized- again there's no sense that the union is there for you or available on site to help you with anything should a need arise.  While I wouldn't say the workplace culture is toxic per se, it's oddly just... nonexistent. It's a weekly paycheck with good benefits and generous PTO policies, but if you're looking for much more than that in a job then you're going to be sorely disappointed and end up moving on to something less corporate with a better sense of who you are and what your purpose is each day. 

I use to LOVE my job. I was a cashier for Guckenheimer in Spokane Washington and we were located in the cafeteria at Avista Utilities! I loved the employees at Avista! Seeing them everyday made my day!!! For the first two years working there was a dream job! The hours were great because you started early and also got off early! My first manager was so amazing! Best chef ever, always treated his crew with respect and was always positive!! When he left the company it truly was the saddest day ever;( Then they brought in some guy who couldn’t cook good, food was always bland, never made enough we were always running out of entrees to sell. He was always negative and treated us ( his crew) like cattle. Very one sided only (his side) didn’t care or want to hear how anyone else thought of an idea or felt. Made coming to work a drag, you always felt like you were walking on eggshells around him. He just made you feel inadvertent, not good enough! He would always say “ I’m here for my family, that’s it. Because I need to support them” like geez, not cause he wanted to be there. It was a joke working for him the last five months. In the five months I worked with him, he had fired or let go every single person I worked with for two years until there was one person left and I had had enough! So seriously make sure your manager is a good person to work for , besides that, the company was good. Thanks for letting me vent people and I hope in future I never have to work for someone like him EVER again !!! Hopefully you guys won’t have to

A typical day at work -Constantly putting out fires caused by lack of resources, outdated systems, and last-minute decisions. Most of the day is spent compensating for problems that shouldn’t exist.

What I learned-How to survive in an environment where you’re expected to do a lot with very little support. It must be the company philosophy is it's more profitable to over work the managers than it would be to invest in technology to make the work better. 

Management-Management is disconnected from reality. Expectations are high, but the tools, staffing, and communication needed to meet them are not provided. Operation Dissonance says it all. The talk about well being but don't respect your time. They say they are grateful but actions speak louder than words. A perfect example is holding 2 hours of mandatory meetings on the last day of the accounting month, our busiest day and spend time talking about "resting" and "not being overworked" meanwhile contributing directly to overworking us by having meetings on such a busy day. 

Workplace culture-Burnout is normal. Work–life balance doesn’t exist. The culture talks about support and teamwork, but in practice you’re on your own.

The hardest part of the job-Trying to meet standards without the resources to actually do the job right.

The most enjoyable part of the job - The team on the ground. They work hard and care, even when the organization doesn’t make it easy.

This is the worst job i worked with a bunch of smack talking employees all of them did take advantage if you and oversee the stuff you do for what you didnt. I worked for them almost a year until i got fired i was a dish washer and it is the worst position to be you get taken advantage of by every single lazy worker to do stuff they dont want to do. They all cry alot they need help and they get it through the dishwashers but when the dishwashers cry for help they get nothing they say dishwashing is the most important position innthe kitchen but the manager and everyone else made it seem like your nothing your worthless. When i got fired i didnt even have my own proper uniform with my name im an XL and i was forced to be wearing larges that are tight on me and make me feel uncomfortable. The manager never took dishwashers into consideration that we need this or that he could careless about them. If the comoany could know i would say hire a better manager that takes every employee serious and that defends them as well i was screamed at by the previous catering manager over pickups i couldnt get to in front of the manager and he did nothing but as when an employee defended them selves against her he would defend her and not the worker. Guckenheimer please look into reviewing all the managers and checking all worker gear if they have it or not. For those who read this believe me or not but just know you've been warned im specifying this to the location of Newport Beach .

I have held many responsibilities at this job; I have been a dish washer, worked night shifts, day shifts, acted as a sous chef, cashier, deli cook, fry cook and caterer. I enjoy being a jack-of-all-trades, but my position can also be daunting and this is especially true when I don't get paid the wage that I have been promised. Sometimes, I am promised a raise that would apply in a few weeks only to be told later that I am just "filling in" or that I would have to wait for several months before it goes into effect. 

Nonetheless, my co-workers are good and we work well as a team for the most part. A busy, but successful day makes us all feel great. We work under a lot of pressure: most of the time we are understaffed with very demanding clients (particularly in catering) and the job takes a lot of hustle. We often have to switch jobs on the fly to cover for others who are slower or needing breaks. Because of this kind of management, days are tiring, but at the same time, I have learned a lot about working in kitchens like this. 

That being said, I would not recommend this job to anyone who expects to move up (unless you aren't like me and have a plethora of kitchen experience), wants to keep things organized or wants to have a consistent job and hours. This cafe is a wild frontier and while it can be fun at times, it is mostly as tedious as it is unpredictable.

Typical day was arrive around 4 am  , check in all food deliveries, setup all stations and get cooks setup for daily operations. Ensure quality and sanitation throughout production and ensure service was setup on time for breakfast and lunch service. Make daily menus , recipes food orders . I learned what not to do on any level in a foodservice environment or management. I have done management in multiple settings the management here was laughable. It was like a manager turf war everyday, I just stood back and watched them collaborate on projects ( all of which failed) on a weekly basis. My direct reports were great except for a few normal run of the mill issues like not showing up to work on time or multiple call outs. Hardest part of my job was watching 3 plus managers walk around and give different tasks to the same employees and threaten their jobs for the slightest errors. There was literally no training, except I was shown an order guide on where to order food from. Management had no communication skills and when they did communicate it was not transparent. The management team also would divulge personal information to the front line employees like terminations and write-ups. Not all of them but some of them. The most enjoyable part was working with some great cooks and working Monday- Friday. Started looking and found a new job almost as soon as I started working at this company.

In a regional support capacity, the day-to-day is dynamic and mission-driven. You’re working across multiple client sites, partnering with General Managers, culinary leaders, and frontline teams to improve consistency, food safety, service execution, and overall guest experience. A typical week can include site visits, peak-meal observations, operational audits, training/coaching, support for client activations, and follow-up on action plans tied to KPIs.

Success in this role depends on strong relationships, the ability to prioritize quickly, and a willingness to jump in hands-on when service needs stabilizing. The work is rewarding when you see standards improve, teams gain confidence, and client satisfaction increase—but the pace can be intense and travel can be heavy.

As the catering supervisor my day would begin at 7am, and end as late as 9pm. That's right, double shifts are an expectation, and you have to negotiate an adequate break. I helped open one of their new properties, and all seemed great during the training period with the regional staff. I received praise from regional leadership and customers alike. I was hired for my education, and experience in the catering field. I honestly felt I was viewed as an asset.

 I had high hopes for this place, as they made the opportunity look so shiny and appealing. My views of that place drastically changed once they hired the perminent GM and Executive Chef. Why they were not in place during the opening? I don't know, but they changed the entire atmosphere for the worse.

 If you enjoy having no voice, being spoken to like a child, insulted, overworked, lied to about opportunities by regional leadership and flat out disrespected, then Guckenheimer is the place for you! They will lure you in with the Monday through Friday corporate hours, and no weekends scheduling. Its down hill from there. I have been a professional chef since 2010, and this was by far the worst experience I've ever had with any employer. Don't waste your time.

I had a horrible experience with this company (location, Pasadena)
Executive Chef is a joke. He has no authority in the kitchen and works with no concept or vision. He relays his commands through a Kitchen manager; which is a total joke to the company. She has no kitchen knowledge, and is morally weak. She harasses the employees by constantly reminding them that they get paid well enough to undergo any strenuous measures to get the job done. There is no empowerment amongst staff, as everyone works individually for their own sake, respectively. First day on the job I was never introduced to the company, nor when my probation was done, I was not once welcomed to guckenheimer, There is no opportunity for growth which I find quite odd considering the "executive chef" not only did not attend culinary school, but has no kitchen knowledge whatsoever & has a weak grasp on his poorly developed menu. Overall, The quality of the food is poor. Relationships amongst staff is shockingly dreadful. The Manager has no business in the kitchen which in terms is causing the inevitable collapse of the contract with western asset. Good luck!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Cook 2 salaries reported	$17.50 per hour
Sous chef 16 salaries reported	$25.00 per hour
Line cook 31 salaries reported	$17.63 per hour
Maintenance technician 39 salaries reported	$27.01 per hour
Cleaner 39 salaries reported	$17.46 per hour

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