How to wash dishes in a restaurant or commercial kitchen for new dishwashers

This is a homemade video explaining how we do dishes in a commercial setting. It has not been approved by any health department and simply aims to give new dishwashers basic know-how.

[mathewlisett]

as a veteran potwasher, who years later lead a kitchen of chefs, potwash for many was the best place to be to get into the zone and be at peace. but to do this you had to get your head into the game of being focused, organized, and fast. each potwasher does the job differently, just like every place has a different setup, as well as the chefs and waiting team deal with it differently.

if you ever go into a potwash area on your first day, or any shift for that matter. focus on 3 things first, 1. what items are most important right there and then for the chefs or waiting team, possibly they need some plates, and cutlery. so dont use up the time by putting through the large containers.

2. organize the shitfest you walked into or during your shift, get all the plates, cutlery, containers etc ( differently places have different things), have them all organized so you know whats what and your able to gets more of a clear surface and less danger.

3. for a tip for the cutlery, spill it into the sink ( or even better the flat tray to save your back, give it a quick spray but control the spray handle so you dont soak yourself and the floor) and get the cutlery rack and start organizing it ( on the flate tray) with the tails down, this enables it to come out hopefully streak free and easy to polish. add the cutlery with a space with the dishes or on a flat tray with some cups etc

extra tip. dont have the plates facing towards you ie towards the floor, otherwise you will end up with yourself getting soaking wet and the floor soaked. within an hour you will be depressed. face it to your right so the water goes into the sink.

[stealtheu]

brilliant video, i have my first trial shift as a dishwasher tomorrow so wanted to do some research and this video really helped. So Thank You!

[CarmineTavernaPhotography]

The overhead cost of the chemicals, water, equipment, trays, gas for hot water, electricity & labor etc
shows the public VERY IMPORTANT FACTS OF RESTURANT / FOOD SERVICE LIFE..THANK YOU.

[ryanchisholm]

As an ex underwater ceramics technician i can say that this video is informative to new coming recruits in the field. An apprentice of the trade could really use this video to see the true experience us techies face on the daily. Thanks for this, will be showing my apprentices

[motomassacre]

Watching this video after switching out of a dishwasher job almost 3 months ago. Only worked at the place for a month and a half. Hated doing the dishes the most. They'd be piled high at 6pm when you came in, and you'd stay likely until 3am just cleaning, with no breaks. Now I work at an animal shelter with cats, which I enjoy much, much more than dishwashing. HOWEVER, I do have a ton of respect for the thick-skinned and patient people in this overlooked field of work. Nice video that reminded me of some not-so-nice times!

[rk-plmk]

I have my first ever shift as a dishwasher today. This totally helped. Thank you ❤

[ms.porsche]

I been a dishwasher for 4 years so the more you do it the more u will be good and faster at it. I been doing dishes since I was 11 yrs old.

[Waterhead]

This was really well done. I have an interview tomorrow. If their setup is anything like this, I think I'll enjoy working there if I'm hired.

[riantwoninety]

watched this the day before my first shift and DAMN this was literally 1000% accurate thank you

[サブカルおじさん-ts]

I miss it! I had a part time job when I was a student, it was hard work but I looked forward to the bribes the chef would make every time!

[LizRock-pmvn]

GREAT VIDEO! Now I know I'm washing dishes correctly and I learned a few tips too. In the restaurant I work in as a closing dishwasher I get the usual dishes, glasses, utensils. Everything in constant motion. We have the same dish machine as yours in the video. We ALSO have nice a 3-sink area that isn't used for some reason - especially as it should be like you use yours in your video. I have wondered why that is, honestly because we need it! I'm a newer dishwasher struggling to find a way to logically get everything properly handled throughout the night and I see that un-used 3-sink station and wonder why we are not using it.

Our dishwasher area is small like yours. There's usually two of us working; however, our work styles are completely opposite:
>> I give the dishes a rinse and a pass with my scrubber to loosen the stuck-on food -- especially cheese! I also rinse the greasy items and even use a little Dawn to break it up with a quick swipe of my dish wand.
>> The other dishwasher takes shortcuts and might give things a quick spray, but that's all. He assumes the "dishwasher" is going to take care of it. More often than not, items need re-washed when he works the dishwasher area.
You hit the nail on the head when you said it's more of a "sanitizer" than a washer.

As a CLOSING dishwasher, EVERYTHING is coming your way as the night moves on and you are getting more tired. Every greasy container, mixing bowl, huge stainless steel pots, fry pans, fry pan and grill utensil, deep fryer equipment all dripping in grease and food particles, salad bar containers all stacked inside each other with the salad dressing still inside each one making it extra hard to separate the containers prior to rinsing them out. And now that salad dressing "goo" is on the entire container (not just the inside) thanks to that. Our restaurant uses a batter mix for fish, the batter is left inside that container and it turns to glue if not immediately soaked or rinsed out. I've gotten those "stacked inside each other" big stainless steel batter containers literally handed to me by the cook staff -- because there's no more room on the counter. They might as well tell me "Fuck you" at the same time because that's surely what it feels like. I've actually started asserting myself kindly asking them to place them in the large 3-sink station and run a little water on them until I can get to them.

I don't mind the plates coming back that weren't cleared off first, or the glasses that are stuffed with used napkins and straws. I have my gloves on all the time and I'd rather be the one to handle that than the servers. Honestly, I don't know the rules or the protocol for that stuff; that is, what the servers and bussers are actually supposed to do. We do have at least a dozen garbage cans all over the place, so I'm assuming they can use those to clear the plates before bringing them to us. For me it's these large containers from the stations that are broken down at night that we get filled with food, grease, batter... all coming to that tiny little sink area with a single-rack dishwasher and very little room move when it comes all at once. I've gotten close to tears on some nights. Again, the other dishwasher I work with doesn't think it's necessary to rinse any of these items out, he'll just flip these greasy dripping containers over and run it through unrinsed. He doesn't take full advantage of the 3-sink station to rinse and maneuver these big greasy items, items so large that you can only fit one item in at a time.

That dishwasher never stops; and I never stop because I'm setting up that next dish rack or two. The other dishwasher wants to hurry everything up, wants to get out shortly after closing -- which all depends on how busy the night was actually. He gets cranky when I take a second to scrub something or use a little Dawn dish soap to help break up that grease quickly right there at that single one sink we use. This sink drain has no drain strainer so it clogs up often unless I take 10 seconds to clear the food debris out of it about every hour. And there is no food disposal so I HAVE to clear it out. The tantrums thrown by the other dishwasher when I take these little seconds for this and that that, in my opinion, matter to keep everything flowing.

I texted the owner letting him know I'm struggling to find the method to the madness in that kitchen. I have yet to see a kitchen manager or a "lead" or anyone to that affect. No one oversees anything in the "back of the house". No one even checks in. The other dishwasher has been there only a few MONTHS longer than me and I think he thinks he knows best, calls the shots. At night the piles of pots and containers are on the floor due to lack of space. It all goes un-noticed, no shits given. The only thing that happens by anyone else passing through our over-loaded, dumped-on, fuck you'd area are the folks coming in the back to grab a quick vape.

I actually like this job. It's my 2nd job. I'm coming directly from a first job to do this very physical 2nd job and do it as best I can using straight-up logic. I'm middle-aged, and I know things thanks to time and experience. After my first job I'll come in and get into my "dishwashing zone" and doing things in an automatic fashion. I've discovered certain methods work better than others, and I do things according to priority to keep the "front of the house" staff served. The other guy trained me how to do stuff, but avoided showing me how to correctly do things. Everything's a shortcut to him and the "end of the world" if I take the proper steps. Your video shed light on the fact that I really am doing things correctly and safely and only with a few extra seconds of time. I'm just disappointed in the lack of procedure, lack of consideration, lack of "other sink usage", lack of "in-charge" person, lack of respect for the necessary job needing done correctly especially now with Covid and flu on the rise again. I love to work independently, but I just feel so shit on and forgotten back there. There's other places I can go and work, indeed. And I just might. Thank you for reading, and pardon my profanity here. Very sincerely ~

[lifeintornadoalley]

The 5 star I worked at just had their pipes redone in the kitchen when I started. It's amazing having your wash agents on your sprayer. We just usually stick with regular dish soap when we use the feature. It melts the grease off mixed with 100° water.

Great tips as well! Can we have a follow-up with how kitchen staff interact with you? For example: they have a urgent dish, you gotta cut the line and stop normal operations.

Also new washers: make sure your doors are closed! The chemicals and hot water from the dishwasher will spray out if not shut! Know where your eye wash stations are as well. You're always working with mild irritants.

[inkkSUNA]

This video is a godsend. Got a trial shift in a few hours and while i've been in a commercial kitchen before it was a delivery place and not something like a resturant. Vague similarities but this helped tidy up my knowledge from like 6 years ago. I'll update if it goes well!

[NLP]

Starting in few days at a great dishwashing position but have not washed dishes since 2018 so needed this little refresher thank you.

[josuerodriguez]

This is the first ecer video where i actually feel relieved that my old job isnt the only one that cleans up everything to ensure everyones safety. 10 stars big time, you've done a very magnificent job

[KimchiSpringRoll]

Can't imagine how much money ecolab is making with all these restaurants using their systems.

[TommyCountryFried]

I also like how you word it for New Dishwashers because after all it is a Career who else is going to do it Dishwashers are the Backbone of any successful Restaurant

[luisbrown]

This video's a lifesaver! I just had my first trial run as a dishwasher, and I would've been lost if I didn't watch this video beforehand. Thanks!

[naytewilson]

Disturbed, coming undone. One of the best classics out there.

[electricanimations]

Just started a new job as a dish hand in a cafe, its pretty tough work! I am not familiar with the most efficient way to do things in my workplace, so I appreciate you for showing me the general gist of how to do things.