The delights of working in a restaurant usually revolve around being in proximity to food. However, this does not afford the privilege of feasting on anything at will. In most establishments, the staff receive specific menu items either for free or at discounted rates. Some courteous employers even provide a complimentary meal prior to working hours.

One would initially assume that this gratis meal would be delightful. Yet, as a former restaurant worker, I can attest to the contrary. My experience in a celebrity-chef-owned restaurant renowned for fresh, organic, and locally-sourced ingredients painted a different picture. Our staff meals were starkly different from the restaurant's reputation, built on a different set of principles.

My stint in another restaurant presented a similar situation. Our pre-shift meals were crafted from kitchen scraps. We therefore had to create our meals using our culinary creativity, utilizing available resources to form our original dishes.

During my tenure in a Texas-based restaurant, we employed this ingenuity to put together something delectable yet non-existent on the menu. We cleverly sandwiched ice cream between two freshly baked cookies, and after the lunch rush, we treated ourselves to these divine, homemade frozen desserts.

In a mini-survey, fellow restaurant workers shared their unique recipes. Some seemed appetizing and others were hard to fathom outside a desperate scenario. Yet, all bore the mark of creativity and the potential to satisfy the appetite of a hungry worker serving others.

A resourceful staff worker shared their creation comprising prime rib, cheese, and free bread, panini-styled with a waffle maker. The dish was perfected with housemade au jus, honey mustard, and creamy horseradish sauce. This ingenious item certainly strayed from regular menu offerings.

A Cracker Barrel employee mentioned their preferred work snack was a simple or sweet sandwich built on biscuits. Another Denny's employee highlighted an item named "Boss Sauce", a blend of housemade ranch, honey mustard, and barbecue sauce. They also prepared something called a “Fat Kid Bowl”, a heavy dish requiring some stamina to carry on working after.

Notably, many fast-food eateries have secret menu items known to the public, like Taco Bell's "Incredible Hulk" or Wendy’s "Barnyard Burger". However, these secret concoctions at independent restaurants are a treasure trove known only to the staff. So remember, behind each restaurant menu are countless secret dishes that patrons like you will probably never taste. Alas, you may never experience the marvel of “totchos”.