No Thank You

You can't fix people at work...

Opening a restaurant is complete insanity.

I choose to believe that every one means well.

Why else would you do it? There’s not much money in the venture, the hours are insane, the work is back breaking, and most people coming to dine remind you clearly and consistently that you are not only working for them, but serving them.

“Could I have a sauce to dip this bao in?”

“Could you fill up my son’s water?”

“Do you mind packing this up?”

All fair, all to be expected, all within the scope of the job.

When I hire people, the dream is that they stay.

Sometimes I get too close.

I know birthdays, full charts, their families, their boyfriends, girlfriends, bank balances, etc. You get very close very quickly in a restaurant and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

But when the line blurs and the personal spills into the work, I have to say, “No thank you.”