What I've been up to:

Well played Tallen.

Congrats.

Is that kosher? Using your 2 weeks notice time as vacation time? I thought the whole point was to give them time to replace you?

Either way, huge congratulations man.

Seriously... I would reconsider the whole "vacation" for the last week. Notice gives them time to replace you... One week gets an ad in the paper... That's it. It takes a minimum of 3-4 weeks to replace someone.

Congrats Tallen!

It really depends on the job these days about the 2 weeks notice bit. However, most employers(in my field at least) won't allow you two weeks before hiring. So it is really tough to give 2 weeks notice. I had that happen to me last week. I got a job offer that I couldn't refuse, so I gave my boss my 2 weeks and when I call back to take the I am told I have to start in a week and if i gave 2 weeks notice they would give someone else the job.

It's a shame I won't get to eat at O'Connell's anymore for free.

But here is to a vacation into Virginia. Good luck.

Also, will you be able to do any menu development or is it locked since it is a larger chain?


Edited by agentwhale007 - 15 September 2010 at 3:15pm

brihard wrote: I'm with FE et al. on this one. It'll reflect poorly on you if you leave them in the lurch.

I get the feeling that finding a replacement head chef in a well-established place such as Tallen's now-former employer isn't something they are putting out an ad in the paper and hiring a yokel for.

I'd bet dollars to donuts that the upper management of that place has a list of people to go after for the job who would be ready to go, and has had this list as long as Tallen as worked there.

The business he is in works kinda weird compared to others.

Whale's got it down.

In my business, you give two weeks at most. Most people don't give any notice. References aren't based on companies, but individual people. Furthermore, half the time you don't even need them if you've got enough years at your current job. We chefs tend to job hop until we find something that is retirement worthy. Whereas an engineer, or journalist, or lawyer will stay with the same company from the end of college to retirement, or only change jobs once or twice. Chefs tend to hop jobs anywhere from 1-2 years in the beginning of their careers to 5-10 years towards the end. Most places don't want you around for fear of you sabotaging production after you give your notice. Most release you right away, hence most companies that pick you up make the offer to pick you up immediately if that's the case.

Steps for the resigning chef:

Print letter
Sign letter
Throughout the day, clear the premise of any of your personal stuff (knives, cook books, etc)
Finish shift
Give notice, hand over letter
If they accept and are cordial, you go about your way
If they get all aggro on you, you hand over your cease and desist letter informing them that they must remove your name from any and all menus and cease using your recipes within 1 week or else they start paying legal fees.

Trust me, the last thing you want is your outgoing chef "training" your incoming chef. It's best to have a sous or supervisor hold down the fort until you can find a new one.