Stealing Recipes

So I thought my time in the industry was done. I moved states, I got a job in a different industry. I am a winemaker, I manage the vineyard and wine fermentation. I worked 9-5 M-F in year 1. Year 2, I'm being told to ignore the wet/hot conditions in the vineyard (mold condition) to power wash the vent hood of a house converted in the 80s into a restaurant. The amount of harvest is a 100% impact on my EOY bonus. I got about a 50% bonus if I had been dedicated. I spend from March to end of December splitting my time between my job and a failing restaurant that "microwaves" pizza. We have a TurboChef that was chosen by the guy I replaced.

I renovated the entire restaurant by hand, minus pouring concrete for the patio, and building the deck. I created the entire menu. We had a menu in place utilizing the TurboChef, and then a US Foods rep sold my boss a panini press on my day off. I had 15 days worked on opening, and got talked to for hitting OT, so I have to cut hours to stay around 40.

Going into year 2, I said I needed an adult who could potentially take over operations. My boss fought with everyone and it resulted in his 14 yrs old son getting hired for Saturdays. We're open Friday 4-8p happy hour but it's a waste of time. We're open Fri 4-8, Sat 12-9 (kitchen closes at 8p) and business hinges on two bands Saturday. It's an awful business model, zero marketing, and he does rides my ass about menu suggestions, because every failing restaurant should expand the amount of product they buy-rather than cross utilize.

He gave me the weekend to think of menu ideas. I gave him five. Then he told me "no, we're gonna do this." It's a grilled pimento-avocado sandwich he lifted from another restaurant, minus the fried green tomato they use.

This is the best paying job I've had, my rate hasn't changed between winemaker and "kitchen manager." I've come to understand I got hired for my resume. But, I straight up cannot sell a local restaurants menu concepts. It's a hack-kitchen, but I provided unique ideas and got overrode by a parasite to the culture.

I'd make more going back to sous, and have more pride. My two weeks will likely result in physical altercation.