# blood, sweat, and tears.... and then some



## chef from va (Nov 13, 2003)

anyone who is reading this has hopefully been in a similar situation and can give me some advice; or will be in this sit. and may be able to get something from it. 
enter me fresh from my last job where i loved working looking to make a name for myself far from home freinds and family. just a somewhat green "chef" his knives and a head full of good ideas. so here i am in a summer/fall vacation and weekend spot working for some jerk who promised me alot to get here and never delivered when an opportunity came along that was to good to be true (apparently). the current chef of another local rest. here in nowhere VA walked out. i know a few people in the marina that the rest. calles home and they call me up to help. its the 2nd of july and the have a huge bash planned for the 3rd with a fireworks display and thousands of $'s in advertising they said they were supposed to have an enormous BBQ with a whole pig roast ect. and noone to cook. so naturaly being the nice guy i try to be i asay i will help. i get in the kitchen the night of the 2nd and realize there is barely anything in the walkin. i put in a call to the rest. food rep and manage to get what i need that night (anyone who has anything negative to say about US foodservice has obviously never had this rep SHE ROCKS) i wakeup at 5 am on the 3rd and start my oak fire on a portable pitt, make my dry rub, my moms recipe for jack daniels bbq sauce and start cooking the pig over indirect heat. long story short it was a huge success. the owners approach me that night after a 20 hr day and tell me they want me to take over i have controll of the menu the pay i asked for and a house rent free. weeks go by and i am still picking up the peices of a shattered rest. that the last guy left. lets just say i am the first chef to be in this rest. in 2 yrs that passed a health inspection. anyhoo i bust my tail building a customer base and turn the rest. around 180 degrees. then i get the word 2 nights ago that they are selling the rest. to the same jerk i was working for in the first place whos motto is "a little floor spice makes everything nice" or "the heat will kill the smell". and to make it worse the owners new about it for a whole month before they brought me on. i just feel like the old saying is true "nice guys finish LAST". i am sorry to vent on the forum but i thought that there was no better place than on a site surrounded by fellow chefs who might have some insight for me. the jerk takes over oct. 4 should i stay and ride out the dying ship or do i go back home where i already have a following and family and freinds. what would you guys do.


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## marion (Aug 8, 2006)

Chef,

That's a tough one.... sorry to hear you're going through something like that.

Marion


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## chrose (Nov 20, 2000)

Hey Chef, if not here, where else would you go? That's why we're here!
This is a toughie. All we can do is toss out ideas and you will have to figure it out. One thought would be to stick it out. It's "possible" that the "jerk" having bought this restaurant will see what you did and will want to make it a decent place. Sometimes that happens. Who knows maybe he was in a bad situation of some sort and had a don't give a %$% attitude. Only time will tell, but for your own rep and resume, if it sucks again leave, but go out on good terms. Bad karma may or, may not show up again.


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## marion (Aug 8, 2006)

I agree with chrose. Do all possible to leave on good terms, with no regrets. That's good advice.

Marion


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

The "leave on good terms" thing is important...

My son was partners in an industrial-valve supply company fifteen years ago with a fellow fraternity member from the U of Iowa. The company finally went broke, and the guy left owing a lot of people, including my son. He was pretty bummed, but held his tongue. They remained in infrequent touch.

My son was doing cabinetmaking and scraping along, when he read his frat brother had put together an investor group to purchase a major hotel-casino property in Nevada. He called to say congrats and the guy said "we need you here to take over our sales operation- I've seen what you can do." He's now Director of Operations at a six-figure salary.

Dunno how long it will last, but... don't burn any bridges!

Mike :bounce:


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Just my 2 cents.
I'd hit the road yesterday.
I'm sorry, there is just no excuse for a person to have a dirty facility. There is no situation that a chef is in, that can find an excuse for not having a clean kitchen. It speaks volumes. Even if the guy was trying to get the people sell it to him by running it into the ground (which also speaks volumes), your customers, if any, deserve to get healthy food. You can go broke, have empty walk-ins, still no excuse for dirt.
To say this guy will turn around is a stretch.
Just how I see it. Sounds like a good lesson learned. But who cares, you know in your heart how you care. There will be more situations coming alone, I just hope for you they will be less extreme. I feel for you, really. 
Panini
BTW, you are leaving on good terms, you helped out greatly. I'm not saying, don't give notice, but beware of empty promises when you resign.


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## andrew563 (Oct 12, 2005)

I agree with Panini, get out. You have a history with this guy and its not good.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

Chef VA
I just reread my post and I gotta tell you, my feeling probably got in the way for rational. That was not advice. Just thinking out loud.


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## chef from va (Nov 13, 2003)

thanks guys it always seems like this is the place to go for folks who may have some good advice or oppinions based on passed exp. some things have happened since that post and i am finishing my last few weeks at that place i have an offer from a well known country club nearby thanks to my awesome food rep putting in a good word for me so looks like i am gonna go there. thanks again guys.


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## oldschool1982 (Jun 27, 2006)

ChefVA,
Just leave it on good terms as in give the proper notice to whomever! It would be nice to have the "turn-around" notch in the belt on the resume plus ask for a reference letter from the prior owners.

There's a whole wide world of culinary opportunities out there. Don't just settle for the schwag peddler you had left already. Seems like you have done it once already so Take the show on the road again. This time to a place that you never thought you would be and has a more stable employment base. You might just be surprised. Richmond, Charleston, Atlanta, Orlando or points West all have year-round opportunities in abundance!

I would like to add that I too agree with Pan. No reason you should have to lower your standards. But like I said a the begining...Do it professional like. JMHPO


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