[chefcrank1]

I've been working at a private club for the better part of nine years now. I've been sous chef for around 6 out of those 9. I was recently informed that the executive chef will be let go tomorrow night and that the assistant manager ( a man who has been wheeling and dealing behind the scenes to get the chef fired and at the same time attempting to supplant the club manager as well) has been telling board members that I will be more than happy to take the position which is far from the truth. I do not want the job, I've turned it down 2 previous times now (in between each chef that has come and gone) due largely to the fact that I dont enjoy nor wish to have anything to do with the paperwork aspect of day to day opperations. Im truely, to be quite honest, scared that if I reject the job this assistant manager will turn on me and embark on a smear campaign just as he has with the chef and general manager. It's a touchy situation I'm unsure of what to do, if I wasnt married I'd quit and move on but that is not an option in my situation...Any advice would be appreciated the anxiety is tearing me apart....

[thetincook]

Country clubs suck!

Congratulations on surviving the politics for so long. Depending on the situation, your longevity might be shortened if you do take the Exec job.

Is the assistant manager going to take the CM's spot

On the other hand...

The AM could be the new rising star, and wants to take you with him.

If you take the job, you can always find somebody like me who doesn't mind doing the paperwork.

[chefcrank1]

He is definately attempting to take over his position, that much is certain. He appears to have major support from members of the board (they seem to take what he says as gospel). And yes in a country club invironment im suprized to see myself here after such a long time, we all know in this business that, (especially a country club) 9 years in one spot is atleast something that may look appealing on my resume. Well it all goes down tomorrow night, I cant seem to fall asleep with everything running through my head at the moment..If only these people knew how this man actually conducts himself behind the scenes as well as on the floor....

[thetincook]

As a rule of thumb, unless the owners are absentee, they probally condone this kind of behavior if not practice it themselves.

So it looks like from tomorrow night on, you are the interim exec. Time to embrace it.

Look at it this way...What would you do if the exec was shot on the way to work? If you think about it like, it takes all the personal issues out. You've got to focus on keeping the kitchen together first.


You find it easy to be the pliant tool. Why play power politics if you have nothing to win?

I wonder about the AM. If he just likes to play power games it'll be a difficult work enviroment no matter what. It sounds like he has serious pull with the board.

I wish I had better advice to give you.

[foodpump]

Welcome to the life of paul-ticks. It is un-avoidable and a fact of life. Your ***. Mngr seems to have a good run of the club and won't rest untill he controlls all aspects of it, which includes you--which is why he is saying that you will be happy to work as Exec (for him.... after all he promoted you, didn't he? Now you owe him, right?)

G & C.C's and Hotels are famous for this type of paul-ticking and backstabbbing. A great Chef is a good administrator and either watches his back very closely or backstabs first before others can get him. Survival of the fittest, so to speak, not much to do with cooking other than new menu ideas once a year or so... If this secenerio isn't attractive to you, I suggest you get out and try the restaurants, or, like myself, open up your own place.

[foodpump]

Hmm.. my abreiviation for assistant, as in assistant manager, was written up as "A, double S" with a period. Not my intention to make it a bad word, but maybe it fits?....

[ChefRAZ]

get a
Secretary.

[foodpump]

Originally Posted by ChefRAZ

get a
Secretary.

BEEP: Wrong answer. Life is a result of choices, and chefcrank has made a choice NOT to become the Chef, which given the facts, is a pretty sound choice.

The facts. Well, we know that chefcrank doesn't want the job, but is the backbone of the kitchen. The assistant mngr, let's call him M&S for short, for mover and shaker, is someone to watch out for. We know that he was behind getting the chef fired and is now telling staff that chefcrank is next up. The hiring and firing of top mngmnt positions is usually the realm of the GM, the member's comitee, H.R. or all three, yet the M&S seems to have a pretty good grip on the hiring and firing of top mngmt postions.

Let's assume that chefcrank takes the job. He's already in the doo-doo becasue he hasn't kneeled down and bowed to the M&S for his "promotion". M&S's need some way to control people, one good way is to either promote them into their postions or to let them think that the M&S was responsible for this--and they never let you forget either. This explains M&S's letting "slip" to others of how chefcrank is top choice for the job. Problem is, chefcrank didn't want the job, M&S is aware of this and must now find another way of controling the Chef. Easiest way is to control the staff, and judging by how he's influenced other positions, this seems to be his way of choice. Other ways are in order of preference; cooking up new budgets--effective immediately, controlling the suppliers, controlling the A/P who cut checks for suppliers, and by interfacing with the member's comitees long before the Chef knows about it, thereby having tremendous power.

Make no mistake, M & S's need to control people. While working under one particularly energetic M & S who couldn't get any dirt on me, he finally resorted to extracting a zapped fly out of the ultra- violet light fly zapper and placing it ontop of an almost-empty 6" deep hotel pan of mashed potatoes in the staff canteen. His claim was that the fly was in there since coming from the kitchen--allegedly buried under 20 odd pounds of mashed pots. The fly was remarkebly intact and devoid of any crushing or even of any mashed pots. The eejit forgot to jam and grind it into the pots before making his claim, but like a cat that lands on his feet, he came out O.K. Last time I heard, he's the GM there now.....

Yeah, yeah great story. Just watch out for the M & S's, because if they can't control you or find any dirt on you, they'll invent something. In order to survive in a managment postion in a hotel or club you can't be on defense all the time--that means just to watch your back; --you have to go on offense, which means backstabbing first.

[panini]

Crank,
If you're considered to be the natural replacement then I think you are well within your rights to make requests.
Never approach these things with problems , but with resolutions. Don't tell them about the paperwork, but request that you would not want to lessen your strengths in the kitchen, and that would involve securing a sous with strong administrative skills to create the perfect team.
just a thought.
also curious? Is your food and labor budget membership driven or revenue driven from your outlets?

[chefcrank1]

It did indeed happen tonight as I was told it would....A few highlights:

They made the assistant into a food and beverage director who now oversees the chef position, previous to this the chef answered to the GM or Board members only. Hes gained a vast ammount of power overnight and at the moment in his eyes im viewed as his right hand man, but we all know the first sign of trouble who will be blamed don't we? It's like a bad dream that I cant wake up from haha. Here I sit at the computer at work still, my crew went home hours ago, i'm here alone pondering the thought "whats next?"...Orders staring me in the face, lists of member meetings to discuss menu options for parties/wine tastings/tableside menu's ect....I hear the familiar voice stirring in my head from long ago when an old french chef I worked for told me "one day you'll understand the headaches of what I truely do and the politics of a kitchen". I've done the work between chefs for this club before, but never have the politics been as prevelant as they are now. I'll keep everyone posted as to how things shake out. Thanks for the advice so far!

[Rivitman]

The first thing to happen needs to be MORE MONEY in your pocket.
The seconds thing you need to do is smile, take the money, and plot your escape.

If they don't give up the money, get out.ASAP.

They did it to your chef, they WILL do it to you.

NOBODY and a mean NOBODY cares about cooks and chefs, except cooks and chefs.

[foodpump]

Hoo-boy, worse than I figured. ol' M & S has moved and shaked himself a plum, this gives him control over everything, including on who gets hired and fired. He's really got them in his pocket, and he figures on not buying anymore terlet paper for himself, now that he has you, and the bar manger, and the restaurant manager, and the..... Watch out, next thing will be budgets and impossible to reach food and labour costs (well, impossible to attain within two months, anyway...)

But what did YOU tell THEM?

That you are now one or possibly two men down and will insist on personally handpicking your own (Sous) replacement?

That you expext to be paid a compensation for taking on the Exec's duties in the interim?

That you will officially give in your 1 mth notice, but will require some time off during nomal hours for interviews and such?

Do something , anything, fast. Just make it fast. Or I'll guarantee you you will be miserable before ol' M&S cooks up his first report on his new feifdom.

[panini]

Hey Crank,
I just want to pop on again from the other side of the coin. While you were sitting at your desk last night, there was a little bit of a good feeling there, right?
Your there because you own it! Take control and enjoy the experience. Noone knows what tomorrow will bring, so why worry and try to second guess?
Accept the challenge and Show em what you got and you'll be compensated and have fun..
I've learned a little about the politics over the last few decades. Only commend or critisize face to face, have no confidantes, don't speak anything of someone that you would not say to their face. Most important, never put your personal business in the street.
Congratulations and enjoy your new challenge!!!
pan

[foodpump]

I dunno, Pan. In his very first post, cranks says that he most definitely doesn't want the job, he also tells us of how the assistant manager operates. I guess after 9 years of watching the Chef's enter/exit door swinging in that club, he knows what the odds are for him.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the power of positive thinking and siezing opportunities, but the odds aren't in his favour.

[thetincook]

I agree with Panini, he might as well take control of the kitchen and make the most of it. I think that chefcrank1 the OP could a very good chef if doesn't let the politics overwhelm him. Even if you have to kiss the new F&B's ring it could be worth.

Besides, if the new F&B is going to turn and burn him (worst case scenario) anyway whats the OP got to lose by making a go of it?