cuisinier

directeur de restaurant

surveillant du service alimentaire

cuisinier à la chaîne

restaurant manager

Swiss Chalet

A typical day of work started at 8 AM (4 hours before open). I finished whenever I finished. I was production and started close to christmas time. In the beginning, I would spend as long as 11-12 hours just completing my job. Later on it turned into 5-8 hours and if I finished early, the boss allowed me to leave. I was given a list of recipes/items that needed to be prepared but it was just a matter of time before other associates (whom were slacking on their responsibilities) tried to pass it off to the blancher and I. 

In the start I was paired with another prep associate, but once I learned the job, I was on my own. The only other form of company you have is the blancher (stationed behind you) and anyone coming and going from the fridge.

I learned quite a bit, since I've never worked in anything that prepares food by hand. Things such as: how to properly handle a knife ( I only cut myself 3 times!), and the recipes that came with making the food, how to roll spring rolls and wraps (even if they made me want to quit sometimes)...

Management on the Swiss side was in disarray. Even when we had adequate staffing, they would find reasons to complain that their work wasn't getting done on time, or because they were 'SO' busy, they couldn't complete their other responsibilities. There was only one manager that actually tried to reinforce some kind of structure, while others said "there's only so much I can do". Unfortunately, that one manager relocated to another store. If the other team mates were genuinely busy from start to finish, I would have a little more respect for them, but they're standing around on their cellphones (Which are prohibited) and when they're not busy, they're in a group singing and doing karaoke to the speaker they installed onto the wall above the fridge. Meanwhile, they could have been working on one of those five things they've asked me to do.

The boss is someone that I can respect. He gives a lot of people the opportunity to learn and grow, but (especially with the younger staff) he is often taken advantage of. There are so many disrespectful and unreliable people that snake their way in and leave or resign as soon as they're called out on their B.S. He is only one man and can't work the store 24hrs and head office isn't helping when they demand they put out more work when they have 1/3rd of the staff required to complete it. Unlike most of my prior employers, he is very down to earth.  All he asks is that you do the job you were hired for and if you want time off, plan it off.

Given the fact that it is a kitchen, tempers can sometimes get hot. Sometimes there is no reason or provocation, and a lot of people carry their own personal baggage with them. Even though I don't work the front, I am always seeing reviews and complains pinned on the walls in regards to neglectful servers (eventually) showing up smelling like smoke or just completely ignoring their customers. Having worked in the back, I can confirm they spent most of their time leaning against the counter with their cellphones out, or just sitting at one of the tables chatting with other servers. It's so bad that head office had to come up with a sign promoting proactive behavior and used a vulture and an eagle to compare their behaviors! 

Aside from listening/witnessing/hearing the other employees, 
the hardest part about the job was learning and remembering all of the different measurements and recipes that came with the list. Lack of communication often left you thinking you were done, but really, someone forgot to mention to you that they ran out/were low on something.

If you’re looking to work for Swiss Chalet, do research about franchises and franchisees. If you’re looking to be part of management you are in for a ride. So, because it is a franchise the amount of staff is smaller than let’s say a McDonalds(Franchise or not) or Jack Astors. The work/life balance is almost non existent. In fact that is not a priority at all. The owners—mine and others I’ve heard stories about— have the mentality that whether or not you’re job is so small like a dishwasher (which where I work at they don’t ever miss to remind you of how small you are to the company) to being a supervisor—that the restaurant is your responsibility on the same level as the owner. For example, I’m being paid the supervisor wage but myself and the other supervisors are not only manager on duty but we do tasks that the non existent store managers job is to do. Those tasks can range from doing the employee schedule to making sure that there’s enough coins in the restaurant because the owners don’t cash in the deposits enough. 

Although the location that I worked at is known for having a small number of employees— not only are you doing tasks that is far out of your pay grade but most times you’ll be working with 1 other Takeout employee and 2 line cooks or just yourself is working takeout. You’ll be taking care of guest satisfaction( takeout, over the phone or dining room), your employees takeout, dining room AND delivery drivers, third party delivery services (most SC have UberEats, SkipTheDishes AND DoorDash) but you’ll also have to be aware of your surroundings and make sure the food is always on point because the “guest satisfaction guaranteed or your money back” is like an unspoken rule among guests and managers. For whatever reason people LOVE to complain about the smallest things. Whether they are missing A SOUR CREAM for their baked potato or they prefer their chicken well done but didn’t disclose that information in the first place these customers are absolutely ruthless. Customers basically expect you to not only send out a brand new meal but they’ll also want their money back. No matter if they are wrong—YOU will ALWAYS be wrong and they want you to hear you say that. Or they WILL write an email to head office making the situation look worse than it was.  
All in all, Swiss Chalet is better for part time work and not full time. You will go crazy or start taking work home with you to your parents/spouses. You are guaranteed to leave crying or some situations may stick in your brain more than it should. Your job duties will not only be what is written in the description (which I also expect) ; you will be CONSISTENTLY doing more tasks than you can handle and expect to be okay. 

Potentially a close, friendly workplace, though on occasion the teamwork tends to suffer based on the attitude of the customers on a given day.

For example:
If the customer, or guest, is irate, they take it out on their server; complaints of food quality that are found by all staff along the product line to be false, clipped tones and impolite mannerisms, etc.
The server then reflects that impatience when interacting with the expediter or host, and kitchen staff such as cooks and line cooks.
When they are feeling pressured, or belittled by constant demands for products (food) to be delivered 'faster' or 'better', with an apparent lack of compassion or empathy, then they too are irate.
When bickering and negative attitudes end up in the kitchen, managers are then drawn away from other tasks (usually assisting in smoothing out wrinkles in the process-- prepping extra portions of food, running meals out to tables, taking orders, supervising quality in all orders, from delivery to dining room) and the frustration spreads.

When the restaurant is busy, and everyone works hard at their particular job, there is a real sense of accomplishment, and the entire team, manager right down to the hostess, all feel like they contributed, and that their effort was valid and meaningful.

Teamwork is very important, and physical ability somewhat plays a part. (Lifting dishes or cooking equipment [heavy pots, roasting spits, haunches of beef, etc] stacking items, mopping or sorting boxes in fridge/freezer)

The most enjoyable part really is seeing the customer, grandparent to grandchild, happy and satisfied with a warm meal and friendly service. Their enjoyment becomes yours, in a way, and those unique connections you make with each guest are very gratifying.

A Typical Day at Work: My role at Swiss Chalet involved long, physically demanding shifts, often working in fast-paced conditions. The work itself helped me improve my efficiency and time management, as there was always a need to stay on top of various tasks.

What You Believe You Learned: I gained experience in multitasking under pressure and working in a team to meet the demands of the kitchen. This job also allowed me to enhance my ability to manage time effectively and ensure that tasks were completed on schedule.

Management: Unfortunately, management at this location lacked professionalism. Despite my strong work performance, management made inappropriate and unwarranted comments that felt sexualizing and demeaning. These behaviors created an uncomfortable work environment, which ultimately overshadowed any potential for growth in the role.

Workplace Culture: The workplace culture could have been better if management had taken their leadership responsibilities seriously. Instead, there was an atmosphere of disrespect, particularly from management, who, rather than fostering a supportive environment, often contributed to discomfort and accusations that had nothing to do with my work performance.

The Hardest Part of the Job: The hardest part of the job was navigating the inappropriate behavior and accusations from management. It created a toxic environment where I often felt judged based on factors unrelated to my job performance. This made it difficult to focus on the tasks at hand.

The Most Enjoyable Part of the Job: Despite the challenges, I enjoyed completing my tasks efficiently and working with colleagues who were supportive. Being able to overcome the daily challenges of a fast-paced environment and help ensure smooth operations was satisfying.

I was supposed to work as a cashier at Swiss Chalet at the Scarborough Town Centre location in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I was set up to fail by my employer and I applied to a job as a cashier and I never recieved proper training as a cashier and instead I worked as food prep. The most I worked a week was 8 hours and that was for one week. Randomly I was given no hours for one week and then for the following 3 weeks before I was terminated I only worked once a week for 3 hours. I was never told that Swiss Chalet is unionized and I found out because money was being taken off my paycheck, I never recieved any information about being unionized and I still dont know who my union rep is. I was yelled at by my trainer for simply forgetting something that I may or may not have been taught. I was discouraged by the lack of faith by my co-workers and I was set up to fail because I was given very few hours and expected to come in on Friday during rush hour which is one of the busiest days especially for me- when i worked exactly 20 hours in a month and a half's time. It was hard to memorize all aspects of the job if I got barely any experience and my supervisor and co-workers didnt take that into consideration while I was being yelled at for making small mistakes or clarifying what I was supposed to do. The hardest part of the job was to remember all the little details that each dish needs before it is sent out for delivery or take-out. The most enjoyable part was getting to drink as much pop as i wanted. I also got $9.60 which is student wage but I looked up that unionized workers automatically make more then minimum wage in almost all cases and minimum wage is $10.25-$10.75. ( not exactly sure what minimum wage is.

I think the most enjoyable part of my time at Swiss Chalet was my co-workers, they made everything so much better. Most people complain about 1 or 2 co-workers but I'd have to any since my time their, I've never really had any trouble with my co-workers or the delivery drivers. I had 3 managers, each with a different style of handling things, but all fair. 
    Since starting dish washing, I've learned to better organize my time and prioritize the more important things, but also learning what it means to keep a sanitized work area. Since starting to work as a Kitchen Line Coo, I've learned what it means to be under pressure; handling multiple orders while again, prioritizing the orders from first to last, making sure food is cooked properly and making sure its all done while maintaining cleanliness. 
     The hardest part of the job I would have to say is maintaining composure while under the pressure and the heat, on both sides of the workforce. Servers don't want to wait too long for the food because that means less tips for them, which makes the cooks look bad. The Cooks want the food to go out as fast as the Server wants it too, but the food has to prepared and cooked to standards if not more so tension could be high some days.
     I never felt like I didn't belong there, the first day I walked in I as greeted by everyone, saying how its nice to meet a dishwasher that can reach anything for them. The management makes you feel unique; that's what really stood out about them. They actually cared about you and how you are. Not a lot of companies actually do it genuinely, but this Swiss Chalet wants it employees to want to come into work. I can honestly say I loved my co-workers and my managers.

this is my review story about my work at swiss chalet, everyday get ready at 11:00 to go to work, I arrive at work by 11:25. prepare the dishwasher for my shift at 11:30. the day starts off like any other, i separate the dishes and cutlery. then at 12:00 i walk around to see if there are side duties that need to be done. by 13:00 it is busy i clean dishes  and put them away, this goes on til like 14:30, in between i do some side work like, break down boxes, clean building and the parking lot, garbage out front, potato cleaning, washroom cleaning, and so on. by 14:40 to 15:20 normally i would be cleaning my area and ready for the evening crew.15:20 to 15:29 little extra work or last minute work, then 15:30 clock out, depends on some days i may get out early, depends on what the boss says. most of the time i do get everything done before 15:15. from the boss, management, co-workers i learned work is very competitive and i take the 7 years of skills i learn and in the future i will use them to my full potential. the management team was very helpful and so were the co-worker we may have goof around sometimes but we always got along. the hardest part of work i sometimes fall back and get behind, sometimes i don't follow threw and slack on the job. but i try to remain positive and see right through to the end, even if i messed up badly i try hard to correct myself and make sure it does not happen. final the most enjoyable part is having a good conversation with co-workers, boss, managers. i am a person that keeps to himself. but i talk alot. i hope this was helpful and i hear from you soon.

Swiss is a good place to get your toes wet in the food industry but not a good place for long term employment. Management is more focused on the customer satisfaction than the general happiness and wellbeing of the staff, pay is abysmal, alcoholism and substance use/abuse is rampant amongst the lower managers.

Play rear-end kisser or see your hours dissolve into nothingness, racism and favouritism is the name of the game here. Be S.A./SA descended, or be gone. 

You will be paid minimum whether you have 10 days experience, or 10 years, with a raise being equivalent to a miracle from God. You will be talked down to, treated like a slobbering idiot, and any issue or concern will be dealt with via empty promises. The staff stays there out of necessity or convenience, not because of the encouraging atmosphere. My suggestion is to work just long enough to learn what you need, and then cut for a company that pays better, offers benefits, addresses concerns properly, and won't talk to you like a malicious emperor does a peasant. All who have worked here can attest that unless you can get lucky and break into a management position, you're nothing more than a wage slave, and they only learned your name to make you feel good about yourself.

Starting off the, this location specifically is horrible, the man who owns the restaurant is great, a really really nice man!  But the managers it’s self needs improvement.  The only way you can get hours is if the manager who makes the schedule likes you.  Seniority doesn’t really have much factor in it.  During festive you get lots of hours but other then that there’s not much point unless you are liked.  Favouritism is really really big here, and some of the girls gloat about how they manage to get their hours 5-6 shifts a week... because of how they use and “whip” the manager(s).  Besides that, they are really territorial and refuse to train, there’s only a small couple people who train and train well.  They will self sabotage you for the future...  a typical work day is just getting things for the person who’s packing to get orders out, which is fine but at this location it isn’t when the workplace is so toxic.  It’s easy to learn here as long as you have a good relationship with the management.  The employees that are favourites run the restaurant.  Make sure you’ve got thick skin before you come here, just because they may say something that will hurt and the union can really do anything at all!  Also Including the management about your personal life, and more... think about some of the worst things people could make fun off and could offend you... that’s a regular here. 

The franchise owners only care about 1 thing, labor cost.  Nothing else matters in these workplaces like health and safety and compliance with any sort of laws either.

No WHIMIS training was given too the staff so unsafe chemical usage common.  Staff would mop the dining room area with oven cleaner, so every guest that came into the restaurant was exposed too/walking on oven cleaner.  It got so bad that at one point every single kitchen staff member had skin rashes from the unsafe chemical use.  If you complained about it too management they would just cut your hours.

Franchise owners make you falsify all the HACCAP food safety logs.  Also if food was expired we had too peel off the expiration date stickers and put on new ones saying the food is good for another few days.

Canadian food inspection agency advertising rules have no effect here. They advertise the chicken as being fresh and cooked for 90 minutes, this is a total lie. At night they just pull cooked chicken spits out of the oven and put it back in the fridge.  In the morning they are just put back in the oven.  Same with the ribs being advertised as being marinated 24hours, most of the time the ribs come in frozen an hour before they are cooked.  

The most disgusting thing of all were the deep fryers, every day at every restaurant they are supposed too be drained/filtered and cleaned out.  Not here thou, deep fryers were NEVER filtered or cleaned out.

At this company, they will always put there own personal financial gain ahead of the health and safety of there own guests and associates.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Cuisinier 70 salaries reported	$18.23 per hour
Directeur de restaurant 45 salaries reported	$30.35 per hour
Surveillant du service alimentaire 16 salaries reported	$17.84 per hour
Cuisinier à la chaîne 17 salaries reported	$25.53 per hour
Restaurant manager 2 salaries reported	$22.50 per hour

Working at Swiss Chalet: company overview and reviews

Swiss Chalet

Swiss Chalet ratings

Popular jobs at Swiss Chalet

Salary satisfaction

Job seeker tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected