made the cut, I don't know how I feel about the new job.

I don't know about you, but I could not work at a job being constantly in fear of losing it.

Walk away.....be afraid....be very afraid.

Forgot which section I was in.  I have no business commenting in this forum.  Sorry. 

My stomach did flips just reading your post.  I couldn't work like that. It's like being on thin ice all the time whether or not you've done anything to deserve it.  Good luck in whatever you decide.

I could never work in an environment like that! I'd be putting out my resume, just in case.

I couldn't handle working in that sort of environment and I would be putting my resume out there and getting myself out of there as soon as possible.  The way they handle things is a bad way to do business and sooner or later word is going to get around that it's not the best place for job security and people will slowly stop applying to work there.

Best of luck with whatever you decide and it sounds like you are doing a good job with the desserts.

Been there, done that.  Treat your food cost like it was a supermodel-trophy-wife, hope your supplies don't jerk up the price and that rooms division keeps the place full.

The only way to combat the fear--for me anyway--was to cheat.

Figuratively speaking, of course.

You mentioned two previous Chefs, and I'm sure you made a good impression on them.  Keep in touch with them.  Don't send out resumes, don't see the head hunters, but make lots of friends.  When you figure the time is right, that's when you casually mention to your friends that you're ready for a change of scenery. 

This is the only way I could do it.  That, and dreaming about opening my own place. 

How'd the AM Sous survive?

Learn from experience  ! They let the others go when they had no more use for them, the minute you teach them everything you know., they will find someone cheaper and you are history. Do not give them any recipes or formulas or show them how to do anything.you do., . be careful of any new assistant they give you, he or she could be your replacement. Get your resumes current and send them out as feelers. Trust me, the mob as you say does not operate like this. You make them money and do right by them and  you have a job forever and they appreciate .You on the other hand  work for jerks. Good Luck

Good luck on your journey you can only enjoy it if you see that vision everyday and look though the crap that is hap-ping but there is always something to learn just work hard like now  one is watching and all great things will come if you put forth the highest standards you should always be proud of what you do

Best of luck but .........don't expect that it won't happen to you too!   Keep your eyes open for  a new gig because you won't even know when it's your turn.  I think we should enjoy our jobs, not just be happy to have one.   Good luck!

Like all the other posts, I'm only a couple of months late. Rat, you are in a very typical situation. Don't get too worked up about it. And Ed was right on when he said don't give anything away as far as your expertise goes. Only enough to make your job easier (as in training people). If it makes you feel better, I got fired in August. Everyone was telling me I was doing a great job, the a la carte desserts were great, the wedding cakes were beautiful, the artisan breads were awesome, blah blah blah. Well, it didn't help because me my boss just looked past all the good things I brought to the table and concentrated on the most ridiculous minutiae. In short, he was gifted at pointing out things nobody else would notice. I was 1/4" off center one tier on a large, 4-tier wedding cake which was so heavily piped nobody did notice. Anyway, you get to work with all kinds in this business. Just keep your mouth shut and do your job as best as you can.

That's scary and makes no sense to me. If you're doing a good job and nothing is wrong, why would one get fired? Sure, nobody is 100% perfect, and there's always going to be small mistakes made occasionally, but that's to be expected. In fact in most jobs I've had, it's the other people making the mistakes, and me having to cover for them. My theory is it's always the bottom line. If a boss thinks he can get a pastry chef to do the same job for less money, no matter how good a job YOU are doing, you're outta there. For us, it's a real ego killer. Doing your best almost seems like it's just not good enough. Not to mention, we'd like to get paid what we're worth but always seem to be grossly underpaid for the skill and hard work it takes for us to do a great job.

Welcome to my world. You can be straight-aces for twenty years in a row and one bad day gets you a cigarette and a blindfold.

At that point, just do the best you can to leave work at work and home at home.

The owners are human exploiters. Any valuables they own were probably taken from prisoners on their way to a camp somewhere. Get away from them.

Sorry it took so long to get back to your question, but after I got "let go", they ran through three more pastry chefs in quick succession. I heard later that the boss didn't like the fact that I was a Democrat.

   wow. Maybe you should take up filmmaking and go back with a camera. These folks sound like high drama reality show material. I'll bet their entire world is chaos.