Kitchen Nightmares has been my current hyperfixation. There's just something about the crossover between a cooking show and reality TV that really tickles my funny bone. And then there's Gordon Ramsay.
But of course, we mustn't forget that it does have that reality aspect. Real people, real problems, and sometimes scripted drama (allegedly!). So it's no surprise that restaurants struggle, and not everyone has an Ayo Edebiri around to save the day. That's how we end up with stories like today's: a man who worked at a restaurant for five years and ended up bringing it all down in a satisfying act of revenge.
Read more: Reddit
It's practically impossible to have a good and successful restaurant, but what's even rarer is having a good and understanding boss on your side
Image credits: magnific / Magnific (not the actual photo)
A man worked at a Chinese restaurant while he was in school, where he learned to be a line cook and chef's assistant under his boss' mentorship
Image credits: EMANUELE Ricciardi / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
After five years, they lost the owner of the restaurant, who left the business in the hands of his irresponsible son
The man turned the place around, breaking several health laws, changing the products for cheaper alternatives, and even firing most of the staff
Image credits: ThomasofHookton
The student decided to leave upon seeing the health hazards, but after working for a man who ruined his father's legacy, he decided to report the place to authorities
The Original Poster (OP) of today's story is a man who, during the '90s, worked as a line cook after school. During that time, he explains that the restaurant's owner was an impressive person. From being a fantastic boss to a caring and passionate cook, the OP praised the man relentlessly. While working there, he says he learned a lot, including how to make the owner's signature soup stock, which no one else knew how to prepare.
However, during his fifth year at the Chinese restaurant, the old man was no longer with them. Naturally, the restaurant ended up in the hands of his son, whom the OP describes as a real piece of work. From dropping out of college to blowing through all of his parents' savings and spending years unemployed, he was never interested in the business. So once he took over, everything changed for the worse.
Whereas his late father had morals and never even watered down the broth, the son did the complete opposite. He changed the soup recipe, the way it was made, and even went so far as to throw customers' unfinished soup back into the stock pot to be reused. Whenever the OP confronted him about any of it, he was threatened with losing his job. Then the restaurant started losing customers, and then came staff cuts.
The OP says he finally had enough after the owner completely replaced the fresh, high-quality ingredients with cheaper alternatives, so he handed in his notice. Of course, drama followed, and insults were thrown around. But that only fueled the OP's rage. After leaving, he emailed the local Food Safety Board to report the restaurant's terrible sanitary practices. And, well, not long after he left, you guessed it: the place shut down.
Image credits: Zhen Yao / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
For starters, let's address the elephant in the room: the health hazard in the kitchen. It's no coincidence that the FDA strictly prohibits this practice. Unlike what the new boss believed, there are plenty of toxins that are extremely heat-resistant and can, without a doubt, cause severe food poisoning.
According to statistics, though, the business had a higher chance of failing than you might think. Case studies have concluded that when leadership of a family-owned small business is passed down to family members, those businesses are more likely to fail than succeed. This is often because there's a lack of interest or a shift in the company's core values.
The OP's values at least stayed the same, because he did the right thing by informing the authorities, even if it wasn't necessarily a legal requirement. Under U.S. regulations, choosing not to report a manager for violating health codes generally wouldn't result in penalties for a line cook. In the end, it came down to the man's own morals and, perhaps, a little desire for revenge.
Unfortunately, the restaurant's reputation didn't survive, and netizens were quick to point that out. Many commented that, at least, the original owner never had to see how much the restaurant failed after he had poured his heart and soul into it. Still, the OP confirmed that the place only lasted a few months. So, did the cook do the right thing, or should he have simply walked away instead of seeking a little revenge?
The place closed down after getting inspected, and netizens praised the man's attitude for keeping the old man's legacy alive and untainted
