Can’t Take the Heat? Stay Out of the Kitchen!

You won’t hear too many complaints about the heat outside from Napoli Café, Deli and Catering cook Dave Polchies. A longtime pizzeria and restaurant chef, he still remembers the job he had before coming to Napoli’s, working in an 8-foot by 12-foot space, surrounded by a pizza oven, sandwich grill and two fryers.

“You are just pouring sweat, working hard to keep it off the food and get things done as quickly as possible,” he said. “Temperatures were about 20 degrees higher than it was outside that summer and you just try and find anyway you can to keep going.”

Although the conditions are better at Napoli, located on South Main Street in Plantsville, he said trying to get more than a moment of cool air is virtually impossible.

“You just do what you can,” Polchies said.

Napoli owner Mike Truss and his team of employees have put together an award-winning restaurant, named by several media outlets as one of Southington’s best places for deli grinders, take out, chowder and pizza. But the success comes with a cost.

As temperatures outside reached the mid-90s and the heat index passed 100, the thermometers in the kitchen read particularly hotter. In the front, near the entrance with a fan blowing, employees were experiencing 105.5 degree temperatures. In the area near the stove out back, you could easily add 10 degrees or more.

Truss said it’s one of risks of the job – and on some of the hottest days, it can lead to illness if you aren’t careful.

“We’ve had people turn ill before because they are just overheating. You do what you can, but sometimes, it’s just not easy to recover,” he said. “I tell all my employees to drink plenty of water and take a break into the walk-in freezer when they can.”

Joe Hayes, another employee said he loves the job, but it’s tough to hear people come in and complain about the temperatures outside. When they do, he said he just smiles and agrees but inside, he’s having other thoughts.

“You think it’s hot out there, try standing in a kitchen all day opening and closing a 500 degree oven,” he said. “It’ll change your mind.”

What is the worst job to have in the summer heat? Give us your take and let us know what your worst summer job was.

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