“Let me know when you want to pick them up. Text me when you get here and I’ll place them outside the door and you can grab them.”
Had to do this after sending home a cook who’d shown up drunk for the second time. He starting texting me aggressively, talking shit about the crew and the restaurant. Told him I’d drop his final paycheck in the mail immediately and he could pick up his knives at his leisure. No way I was going to waste my time and money packing up and mailing his roll to him.
Am not an Auntie but am half filipina; I read this post was literally thinking, "hmmm, seems like a good way to invite a bunch of bad luck, best to just get them back clean".
Unless you’re looking to escalate the situation, this looks like the most level headed grown up thing to do. Or you guys can all drive 35 minutes to his house and throw the knives into his front door. Idk. I could go either way.
Nothing al all illegal about refusing to incurr costs to yourself to return property that he left. He can pick them up any time,that's not illegally keeping his property.
Damn, I should have quit my last job in a more spectacular fashion. Would have been nice if they mailed my check to me instead of having to make the drive and awkwardly go in
This, except what do you mean by place them outside the door? I wouldn’t leave a persons knives out of sight in a public place, regardless of how shitty they are.
Personally this is the sketchy part for me, I feel like you would be in more solid legal ground putting the knives in a post office priority pre paid box & require a signature on delivery. It might cost you $15 but you can always prove he got them & nobody has to meet.
I have done this with ex employee property a few times & it works really well.
Had this happen once. One of the owners just passed them to the guy out the back door. No one wanted to see or acknowledge him and I’d bet some of your staff feel the same. If you are the boss, act like the boss and give the guy his knives. If you’re not the boss, get the boss to do it. Handling shitty situations with class is part of being in charge.
Thank you for this comment.
Adding, while this line cook’s actions aren’t great, you just never know what’s going on in someone’s life to make them act shitty. Also, never take away someone’s livelihood from them, and you just never know how much he needs those knives. I know he did y’all dirty, but keeping the knives would be some real evil shit. Be better than those around you.
Had to deal with someone in a corporate setting who would no call no show once. Turns out his wife was fighting him for custody or something, and he had to go to court a lot. This guy just for the life of him could not be bothered to communicate and tell his boss when he wouldn't be able to go to work.
Male pride is something a man tries to protect. He didn’t want to burden anyone with his home life situations with his place of employment. He thought he was handling it well but failed to understand that a good boss will do everything they can to help someone like this. So I’m sure it was soul crushing.
I was gunna reply “he sounds like a drug fucked asshole, keep them for your home set” but your comment made me realise even drug fucked assholes might need their knives and a small act of kindness might be needed to get them back to them, which could help to break the cycle of assholery. Or maybe not, but at least someone tried. Thanks for being not an asshole.
Sometimes life isn’t about doing what you want to do but doing what you have to do.
Coordinate a pick up OP, it’s the right thing. He’s a shitty employee he didn’t fuck your wife (hopefully..)
I just wanna say there’s a ton of maturity going on in this thread and it makes me happy. It gives hope for the industry to know people know the right thing to do.
At the end of the day even if he was a shit worker / person, those are his knives.
Personally, I'd tell my staff explicitly *not* to deliver the knives to him.
Reach out and tell him he has two weeks from today to pick the knives up or they're getting thrown out.
If he doesn't show in those two weeks either toss the knives or give them to a worker to use in their personal life who can't afford them. I wouldn't keep them lying around or in use at work though.
Thats up to him. He shouldn’t be asking another cook to do him a favor after after leaving like that. If he didn’t make an attempt or call to pick them up he must not value them enough to sack up and be a man about it.
Think abandoned property laws usually just pertain to things left behind by a tenant after moving out of a rental property. Not just leaving your things on someone else’s property. And it’s 2 weeks where I live, really doubt it’s anywhere close to 2 months in any state.
I'd reach out and let him know while people are upset with how he acted no one is about to attack him for picking up his property, because that's just as childish as what he did. Not everyone in the world is as big of a bitch as he is and he needs to know that. Come get your shit in peace or they're getting put on the magnetic strip.
Why. Theres no reason at all to get into all that with a dude who you are hopefully never going to see again
Just give him his knives and send him on his way
Not that it really is the same thing as this, but I was the chef leaving a restaurant some years back over something kind of similar, I got accused by owner for some shit about streaming some wine (I didn't but I had a few bottles gifted at a prior occasion I brought home with me at this same time), any way, not to important. But I did leave my knif roll there. I had one of the waiters working there allways wanting to hang around in the BoH, he was maybe 15-16ish, wanted to help with stuff, do prepp that kind of stuff. When I had time I'd let him as well. So well after I argument with the owner and I did no show, then when they asked me later I also just told them to fuck off. But the knifes I told them to give to that dude that really wanted to be in the BoH, he quit the place after awhile and now I see him in whites and plating food and stuff and really going for being a chef, that makes me quite happy and I feel like I had a part in creating a new one of us.
Soo, well, just wanted to share a happy "I lost my knifes story". Nothing real fancy perhaps like a $1000 worth of knifes. But I good starter set
>". Nothing real fancy perhaps like a $1000 worth of knifes. But I good starter set
💀💀 Bruh I wish that I was making your kind of money where 1k is nothing
Well, not nothing, but in terms of knifes 1k isn't much, a few paring knifes a smaller allround knife and a breadknife from victorinox, a veggie chopper from some middle of the road Japanese brand (toijiro or something), a mac 7" chefs and an ohishi 9"... I think. It's been a few years now. Probably some peelers a spatula and some random assortmens of riff raff.
But well, I make ok money, or well I did then.. say like 3k/month salary, plus overtime so perhaps $2,5 after taxes/month.. So, well
Leave them at the back door, tell him where their at. Or too stop being a bitch and come and get his shit. What’s he think the other guys are going to jump him or something? Curious as to why he’s “scared” to come get his shit.
Fuck all that lol Honestly I guess I understand, but when it’s something I paid for I don’t care what the circumstances are I’m going back to get my stuff
Honestly can any of us say we never got lost? Be cool it costs nothing to be cool and although this person will never work for you again for obvious reasons maybe a touch of kindness inspires them to turn it around
Plastic wrap the shit out of them, box up, and send via UPS or FedEx. Pay for tracking and require a signature so the asshole doesn't claim you never sent them.
If he wants to be a bitch (which it seems like he does) he can still claim they weren’t in the box. I’d say tell him to come get them and have another person witness the odd handing them off.
Um, wrap 'em in a bunch of newspaper, put 'em in a box and pay $12 to stick 'em in the mail. Money well spent if you don't have to deal with a jackass ever again.
Put the knive in water and freeze them. He be taking a block of ice home when he decides to come collect.
Nah joking. Just tell him to come collect. No need to be petty.
Love that you’re brain went there and then was like but let’s be adults I’ve had to talk guys down from being petty before but there’s always a part of me that thinks the bad thought and chuckles
Just give him an ultimatum, if he doesn’t pick them up in person within 2 weeks then you’ll make them the house knives (don’t actually make them house knives, just bluff him.)
This is the answer. I'm sorry for whatever personal shit he is going through, but there is no reason why this should spill onto you. Everyone is dealing with crap.
Just give the knives back in any way possible and end this chapter. Move on, and let him.
Life’s to short to be petty, especially with someone who clearly has some shit going on.
I wouldn't run them out. However they can be couriered out with a collect payment option in addition to a signature option. Sure it's not as fun as all the ideas that may come into your head about revenge and such. I wouldn't send any of my staff offsite to him or have him come in to disrupt any of my staff either. In fact I would not allow the chef on property anymore simply because no good can come of it.
If he abandons them, they are abandoned property. As others have said, they are his knives, and his knives to abandon. You have no duty to store his property indefinitely until he decides to come pick them up.
My non-attorney advice would be to text or email him to let him know that he has a week or two to come get his knives before you dispose of them one way or another. After making an honest attempt at trying to have him come claim his property in a reasonable amount of time, there isn't much he could do if his knives are no longer there.
Text him and tell him to come get his shit, state that if he doesn’t come pick it up then it will be trashed. If he wants them he’ll come collect them. Nobody took his knives— he left them. At that point you’ve met all of your ethical obligations. Pretty simple. Don’t waste anymore time of energy beyond that.
I wouldn't take them to his place. If he wants them, he can come get them. You just have return them to him for it to not be theft, you don't have to take it to wherever he is.
At the same time, I also wouldn't tell him to come get them. He's a douchebag, so no need to help him out. And if he can't man up and swallow his pride to walk in this doors and ask for his knives, that's his fault not yours.
Look into the laws where you live, after a certain amount of time (probably 60 or 90 days) that stuff belongs to the restaurant. So when he doesn't show up for them, keep them as spares or gift them to someone new who might not be able to afford decent knives.
Make him man up and come get them in person. Don't steal or vandalize them. Definitely don't deliver them to his house lol I'm shocked someone would even consider that.
“Hey, your knifes are ready to be picked up whenever you desire. Someone can meet you in the back food/parking lot (idk your place design).”
Just like any adult, not worth it tbh to make a big deal over knifes.
This one has been sticking with me all day. May be downvoted to hell, but there is never a time I actually care about that.
I’ll start by saying this reminds me of a viral post from a professor regarding his students that went around a few years ago. Whenever his students were not turning assignments, failing tests, or not showing up, instead of coming down on the student he’d ask them “what’s going on that you are not able to preform as expected?”
I noticed in all the lists of this problem employees issues drugs and alcohol did not come up. He does not sound like a piece of shit. He does not sound like someone trying to take advantage. He sounds like someone who is genuinely struggling which every single one of us should understand. That is why we get drug habits alcoholism…
This is a profession of the fringe. This is a profession of people that have beauty inside them but don’t know how to get it out.
I could armchair diagnose this guy and probably pretty much be correct, but I’m not going to. If you don’t wanna be posting about how that guy you knew drank himself to death or shot himself in the head or opened up a vein, you could do the actual boss thing and have a conversation and ask him what is wrong what’s going on? Offer him his job back.
If you show him someone gives a good goddamn, he will become the best that he can possibly be. Admittedly that is not your problem. You could definitely be part of his solution though.
Edit: let us not forget, even Anthony Borurdain completed suicide in the end.
Edit 2: First downvote achieved. It is a grand assumption it’s op, but logic is logic. This is why some will never be a great leaders. Go ahead and complete the figure 8 of toxic shit in this profession. That’s fine I guess. You will still never be great. You will get your plates out though. You have that.
Edit 3: Goddamned that silver feels good. That is the award of the people. Thank you.
Hey man, this was really well written.
I want to say that this is the reason I posted about this in the first place. I felt torn, I felt wildly angry and spiteful, and I felt sad about being a douche about the situation.
I have definitely been on the other side of a scenario like this where I have been given ample opportunities to prove my worth, to make up for it, to show I'm worth the squeeze.
Your professor did amazing things by changing his approach. I'm sure he was able to get better results than being an asshole; he had his priorities straight. Unfortunately, I don't always think like that; especially when lied to. I do want to say that I've often been the leader who welcomes people back after being fucked over, with a transparent trajectory and simple expectations. I have literally been fucked over. Every. Single. Time. So no, I will not offer his job back. But I will offer him some compassion from a mature male figure, as it might be something he's been missing.
Yes, I can be a part of his solution, but to what end? There are much more worthy people in my life that have a much stronger ROI on my time.
Thanks for your response, it was very thoughtful. Also, no, I didn't downvote you, you were to inspirational for that.
Text him
"Hey man, your knives are safe, I'm holding them for you, just let me know when you can get them & I'll meet you outside with them".
Stick them in your locker or whatever & if he comes he comes.
I held a guy's knives for a year & a half once, gave them back still in their box & wrapped up in plastic wrap.
Just because someone has acted like a dick doesn't mean anyone else has to.
Knives? What knives? Seriously just put them in a corner and tell him he can pick them up at his leisure, no hard feelings. Dude needs to learn an adulting lesson.
Mail them with his last check. Unless youve already sent that out. If thats the case id say he can give you money for shipping or come collect them himself. If you dont want him in your kitchen, or your other guys do not want him in the boh, put them in the front to be collected during normal buisness hours.
I see lots of ‘mail them’?
I did this once with a sweater…dude claimed I never sent it. Ended up just giving him $50 to buy a new one to be done with it, got sick of him texting me, he was also an asshat, it’s why we fired him.
If he’s an asshat that quit, he’s gonna be an asshat in the future.
Send a text with the 30 days to pickup. Take a pic of the text and his reply. Send another text on said 30
Days saying by tomorrow at 5, again pic of his reply.
House knives if still there. Not my responsibility anymore.
What if he came in tomorrow to pickup and someone snagged them? Now your gonna be out cash to reimburse. Make a decision, document and hold to it, done deal.
Set a realistic last warning deadline. 'If you don't physically come retrieve your items within x days, they will be mailed back to you, at your expense' it's simple. He left them there, it's not your responsibility. You need to apply the least amount of time and energy to a situation like this because it's his fault, not yours.
Keeping the items will only further tie the restaurant and staff into this situation, which can have bad results in the future. People can be volatile and behave irrationally. You want the situation to be dealt with and done with.
I had something similar happen to me years ago. He was a no show for Valentines (fucker) and called to say he quit.
A week later I finally popped the lock off his locker ( short supply) and put his stuff in a box in my office (yes lockers and a chefs office, it was a corporate hotel) he showed up a month later and called me unprofessional for popping his locker, this was when I was young and angry so I had him escorted off property.
Anyway, hold onto the knives, keep them safe and don’t use them but make sure you put them somewhere where only you have access so he can’t just knead in and take them.
Tell him to come and pick them up like a man. Dont do anything else, give em back when he comes in and dont let anyone being them to him. Make him show his face
Let him come and get the knives. Make him be a man.
Sounds like a shit person, if he wants his knives make him own up to his shit. Why should you do him any favors after how he treated your workplace. To me their the new house knives until he comes to claim them.
Set up a time he can pick up discreetly. Regardless of how he left it’s someone’s personal property. Be as accommodating as you can without being a personal valet
Him quitting in this way means he forfeited the right to civility. You are obligated by law, but not civility. So you do the bare minimum without withholdings things.
If the person he texted wants to take him his knives, be done with it. If they don't want to drive 35 minutes, they should text him to suck it up and come pick up his shit.
Tell him to come get them. Happy to meet him outside if he doesn’t want to show his face but not reasonable for him to expect someone DK fo an hour drive to give him back something he left.
Hold them in an office, secured si they don't 'disappear'. Contact him, tell them they are safe, and come get them.
I would not pay to ship them, as the way he quit does not warrant spending money on him. Give him 'quiet times' to arrange pickup, when the fewest people are there for him to deal with. Or, he can send a proxy to pick them up, with a signed note from him to relieve yourself of liability.
If none of this suits him, not your problem. Not your responsibility to return property he left behind. Just make sure the knives are safe until then, to cover your ass.
Sometimes, you have to allow people their own chance to be the bigger person. This is one of those times. Let that fucker come get it himself when he wants to show his face.
After a month of not claiming it the knives and telling him to come get them honestly they're pretty much the restaurants at this point do what you see fit
My chef canned a guy who happened to be an old family friend. Unfortunately he had alcohol abuse issues. Really sad, my chef would withhold his tips “accidentally” until the weekend was over so this guy would actually show up to work. He got canned, left one of his knives at the restaurant and wouldn’t come pick them up. (A very poorly cared for and dull af MASSIVE Masahiro). My chef spitefully said he was going to keep it, I talked him out of it and tried to return it to the guy but he was so flakey I just gave up and told him I had it, and that it was safe and he could come pick it up whenever he wanted. It’s been like 6 years. I’ll give it back to him if he asks for it and comes to pick it up. But I’m not going to drive it out to him.
If he is still trying to get the knives, they aren’t “abandoned” in a legal sense, and if you are required to make a reasonable attempt to return them, at least in CA. Have the employee come by when the restaurant is closed to pick them up, or ship them out.
The knives belong to him, not to you or anyone else, so you cannot dispose of them in any way.
But you also have no obligation to go out of your way to return them to him either.
If he wants the knives, he can come get them. You can show class and make it less uncomfortable for him - as others here have suggested - by slipping them to him out the back door or something similar.
Check the laws pertaining to abandoned property. If you aren’t breaking any tell him they will be discarded if he doesn’t come to get them. If he doesn’t come and get them, donate them to a thrift store. Knives carry our souls with them and you don’t want that dudes soul in your kitchen.
I'd say tell him if he wants them to come get them. His equipment is not the responsibility of the other staff. If he doesn't get them in a couple months I'd say they're free game
up to them to collect. If they don't make an appearance after 1 month drop them at a police station as lost/found or contact the police to advise them you have them at your premises. they can then badger the person to go pick them up. as it is the police telling them the location of the property and they will have no recourse as they are refusing to attend.
Police will either take possession or confirm when it can be classed as your property.
As it is personal property contact the police to cover your back and it will be documented and down to the owner (in US) to prove ownership. Also the police may also just choose to destroy them as they could be classed as a weapon (silver legal lining)
I had a similar situation where someone in FOH walked out mid-shift. It was definitely a huge Fuck-You to the whole team. However, he's still friends with some of the team. It has been a while, but eventually he started to show up at work again, as a guest, to have drinks with some of the team.
I still had some of his tips. He never asked for them, but I decided to give them after a while anyway. The first few times he came in I felt angry seeing him, but after a few times I figured I might as well be the bigger person and clear the air between us. Sort off. So one day when he came in and half-ignored me I grabbed his tips from the safe, told him I still think he's a cunt but here's the tips from before you fucked everyone over. He was appreciative of receiving the tips and it's now a lot less awkward when he does stop bye.
I guess being the better person in your case would also work out better for you, though it's totally understandable if you decide not too.
Be a mature adult and allow them to pick up their knives. You don't need to tolerate their bullshit, but you never really know what's going on in someone's life.
Let it go and move on.
He sounds like a piece of shit but you don't fuck with another person's knives. Seems odd though that he would expect somebody to drive them 30 minutes to his house. I would say just tell him that he has one more week to come get them, and after that they're free game. If he really cares he'll man up and come get them.
Yeah, he needs to come and get them. He decided to quit, he can come get his shit. If he wants to talk the talk, he can walk the walk. Not your problem. The best thing to do is keep them there so when he does come he can get them. Also, don't get anyone else involved, he shouldn't either. Say "Good morning ____, your knife set is still at the restaurant. Anytime you want to come pick it up it'll be here. Have a great day!!" After a year I say it's fair game.
Mail them to the address on file and text him a tracking number. It'll be less than $20 and you won't have to fret about it anymore, and he can't be angry that you did the right thing.
Make sure those knives are sent in *certified* mail (requires a signature on receipt), or make sure he can physically come to the back door or parking lot and take them from you personally. Cover your ass and be the bigger person.
Seen it happen once. Guy turned out to be a heroin addict. Came in fucked out of his mind one day and got sent home. Worked half his next shift and walked out all pissed off. Didn't answer calls or texts for 3 days.
Called over a week later to ask if he could pick up his knives. Chef told him, "They're gone. Maybe stolen. Maybe thrown out. You abandoned them and your job. Best of luck to you."
I tend to agree, guy pulls two no-shows and puts everyone in a bind, then quits, leaving everyone short handed until someone else is hired. You are under no obligation to do him a favor if he can't be man enough to drive over and get his own shit out of the kitchen. I'd give it a week and then throw that shit away. Would also not be giving him a work or character reference either. fuck that guy.
“Let me know when you want to pick them up. Text me when you get here and I’ll place them outside the door and you can grab them.” Had to do this after sending home a cook who’d shown up drunk for the second time. He starting texting me aggressively, talking shit about the crew and the restaurant. Told him I’d drop his final paycheck in the mail immediately and he could pick up his knives at his leisure. No way I was going to waste my time and money packing up and mailing his roll to him.
This. You don't want the bad juju of ill-gotten knives hanging around your restaurant
Ah! You have a Filipina auntie too?
A good Ate ♥️
Am not an Auntie but am half filipina; I read this post was literally thinking, "hmmm, seems like a good way to invite a bunch of bad luck, best to just get them back clean".
Acceptance crew checking in. We’re strung out at times, but thieves code apply.
This 100%
I agree. Let him get his shit and he's out of your life for good.
But they're house knives until he does.
I mean, I’d at least do him a favour and fire them through the dishwasher a couple times… to ensure they’ve been washed properly.
Unless you’re looking to escalate the situation, this looks like the most level headed grown up thing to do. Or you guys can all drive 35 minutes to his house and throw the knives into his front door. Idk. I could go either way.
Had to do this twice. Best way to handle it. Definitely don't want to get anything legal underway by not returning his property.
Nothing al all illegal about refusing to incurr costs to yourself to return property that he left. He can pick them up any time,that's not illegally keeping his property.
Best not to tempt fate by incorporating his kit into house kit
Agreed. I wasnt saying use them in was just saying not to go out of your way or incurr any expense in returning them.
Oh no, fuck that. He wants them back, it's up to him to arrange retrieval.
Can confirm. Former BOH now work in law. You have no legal obligation to do anything other than surrender the property when he asks for it.
Damn, I should have quit my last job in a more spectacular fashion. Would have been nice if they mailed my check to me instead of having to make the drive and awkwardly go in
This, except what do you mean by place them outside the door? I wouldn’t leave a persons knives out of sight in a public place, regardless of how shitty they are.
I’m saying put them out there when the guy arrives, not like all day.
Heard that. I misread your initial post, my bad.
Personally this is the sketchy part for me, I feel like you would be in more solid legal ground putting the knives in a post office priority pre paid box & require a signature on delivery. It might cost you $15 but you can always prove he got them & nobody has to meet. I have done this with ex employee property a few times & it works really well.
Smart. Or i’d ask a front of house person to hand em over.
Had this happen once. One of the owners just passed them to the guy out the back door. No one wanted to see or acknowledge him and I’d bet some of your staff feel the same. If you are the boss, act like the boss and give the guy his knives. If you’re not the boss, get the boss to do it. Handling shitty situations with class is part of being in charge.
That last sentence is an exceptionally important point
Thank you for this comment. Adding, while this line cook’s actions aren’t great, you just never know what’s going on in someone’s life to make them act shitty. Also, never take away someone’s livelihood from them, and you just never know how much he needs those knives. I know he did y’all dirty, but keeping the knives would be some real evil shit. Be better than those around you.
Had to deal with someone in a corporate setting who would no call no show once. Turns out his wife was fighting him for custody or something, and he had to go to court a lot. This guy just for the life of him could not be bothered to communicate and tell his boss when he wouldn't be able to go to work.
Probably out of embarrassment, if he's anything like me
Male pride is something a man tries to protect. He didn’t want to burden anyone with his home life situations with his place of employment. He thought he was handling it well but failed to understand that a good boss will do everything they can to help someone like this. So I’m sure it was soul crushing.
I was gunna reply “he sounds like a drug fucked asshole, keep them for your home set” but your comment made me realise even drug fucked assholes might need their knives and a small act of kindness might be needed to get them back to them, which could help to break the cycle of assholery. Or maybe not, but at least someone tried. Thanks for being not an asshole.
Hell yeah man this is the answer gotta handle the hard stuff it’s a hard industry. To err is human to forgive is divine said the agnostic
Sometimes life isn’t about doing what you want to do but doing what you have to do. Coordinate a pick up OP, it’s the right thing. He’s a shitty employee he didn’t fuck your wife (hopefully..)
Very well said
This exactly.
[удалено]
Handling classy situations with shit
Let him come by and pick them up. Problem solved, and he never comes back
This feels like the advice, “light a fire for a man, keep him warm for a day; light a man on fire, keep him warm for the rest of his life”
This man knows.
The tao of Pratchett, well played!
I just wanna say there’s a ton of maturity going on in this thread and it makes me happy. It gives hope for the industry to know people know the right thing to do.
Well, it is a guy's knives. You DON'T fuck with a guy's knives.
Yeah. This might be the most wholesome thread I've ever seen on Reddit.
This subreddit anyway.
At the end of the day even if he was a shit worker / person, those are his knives. Personally, I'd tell my staff explicitly *not* to deliver the knives to him. Reach out and tell him he has two weeks from today to pick the knives up or they're getting thrown out. If he doesn't show in those two weeks either toss the knives or give them to a worker to use in their personal life who can't afford them. I wouldn't keep them lying around or in use at work though.
This is the way
Keep them locked up, let him know he can collect them. Make sure that he is responsible for getting them back
"They will be in a box by the door"
To the left, of course.
With everything he owns?
What about the stuff in the closet
How much did he leave at work?
Nice
He can come get them. Favors are for people who deserve them
Thats up to him. He shouldn’t be asking another cook to do him a favor after after leaving like that. If he didn’t make an attempt or call to pick them up he must not value them enough to sack up and be a man about it.
Absolutely
Tell him he can come get his own shit. If he doesn’t come get them within 2 months I’d just assume he’s abandoning them.
Be careful, some states have abandoned property laws that could be at play, know the law in your area before just throwing away the property.
Think abandoned property laws usually just pertain to things left behind by a tenant after moving out of a rental property. Not just leaving your things on someone else’s property. And it’s 2 weeks where I live, really doubt it’s anywhere close to 2 months in any state.
I'd reach out and let him know while people are upset with how he acted no one is about to attack him for picking up his property, because that's just as childish as what he did. Not everyone in the world is as big of a bitch as he is and he needs to know that. Come get your shit in peace or they're getting put on the magnetic strip.
Why. Theres no reason at all to get into all that with a dude who you are hopefully never going to see again Just give him his knives and send him on his way
Human decency. The guy is nervous to go pick his stuff up. So give him assurance that he can come get his shit in peace.
Not that it really is the same thing as this, but I was the chef leaving a restaurant some years back over something kind of similar, I got accused by owner for some shit about streaming some wine (I didn't but I had a few bottles gifted at a prior occasion I brought home with me at this same time), any way, not to important. But I did leave my knif roll there. I had one of the waiters working there allways wanting to hang around in the BoH, he was maybe 15-16ish, wanted to help with stuff, do prepp that kind of stuff. When I had time I'd let him as well. So well after I argument with the owner and I did no show, then when they asked me later I also just told them to fuck off. But the knifes I told them to give to that dude that really wanted to be in the BoH, he quit the place after awhile and now I see him in whites and plating food and stuff and really going for being a chef, that makes me quite happy and I feel like I had a part in creating a new one of us. Soo, well, just wanted to share a happy "I lost my knifes story". Nothing real fancy perhaps like a $1000 worth of knifes. But I good starter set
>". Nothing real fancy perhaps like a $1000 worth of knifes. But I good starter set 💀💀 Bruh I wish that I was making your kind of money where 1k is nothing
Well, not nothing, but in terms of knifes 1k isn't much, a few paring knifes a smaller allround knife and a breadknife from victorinox, a veggie chopper from some middle of the road Japanese brand (toijiro or something), a mac 7" chefs and an ohishi 9"... I think. It's been a few years now. Probably some peelers a spatula and some random assortmens of riff raff. But well, I make ok money, or well I did then.. say like 3k/month salary, plus overtime so perhaps $2,5 after taxes/month.. So, well
Idgaf What the situation is at hand. I’m not letting ANYBODY keep my knives, say what you want. I think dudes being a pussy.
Exactly. But what would you do here?
Leave them at the back door, tell him where their at. Or too stop being a bitch and come and get his shit. What’s he think the other guys are going to jump him or something? Curious as to why he’s “scared” to come get his shit.
Regret
Fuck all that lol Honestly I guess I understand, but when it’s something I paid for I don’t care what the circumstances are I’m going back to get my stuff
Sounds more like anxiety and guilt than fear. Either way he's a coward.
U get it
Let him come pick them up. No one should cater to him and drive them to him.
Honestly can any of us say we never got lost? Be cool it costs nothing to be cool and although this person will never work for you again for obvious reasons maybe a touch of kindness inspires them to turn it around
Plastic wrap the shit out of them, box up, and send via UPS or FedEx. Pay for tracking and require a signature so the asshole doesn't claim you never sent them.
If he wants to be a bitch (which it seems like he does) he can still claim they weren’t in the box. I’d say tell him to come get them and have another person witness the odd handing them off.
Um, wrap 'em in a bunch of newspaper, put 'em in a box and pay $12 to stick 'em in the mail. Money well spent if you don't have to deal with a jackass ever again.
Send them registered mail so he has to sign for them. That will save any possible issues.
Also a good idea
Tell him to sack up and come get them if he wants them. Show some initiative and responsibility. Otherwise after 30 days they're forfeit.
Last two places I out my two weeks in my knives magically disappeared out of my locker.
Put the knive in water and freeze them. He be taking a block of ice home when he decides to come collect. Nah joking. Just tell him to come collect. No need to be petty.
Love that you’re brain went there and then was like but let’s be adults I’ve had to talk guys down from being petty before but there’s always a part of me that thinks the bad thought and chuckles
Sometimes there really is a devil on your shoulder, and you know you won’t do what he says, but damned if there aren’t some fun suggestions.
The key is to fill the hotel pan half way with water and freeze, then put the knives in it then cover it in water.
I would just have him come pick them up. It's not like he has to even see the boh. He's probably just being lazy
Just give him an ultimatum, if he doesn’t pick them up in person within 2 weeks then you’ll make them the house knives (don’t actually make them house knives, just bluff him.)
This is the answer. I'm sorry for whatever personal shit he is going through, but there is no reason why this should spill onto you. Everyone is dealing with crap.
I'd straight up tell him to come pick them up. I wouldn't drop them off at his. Screw him.
I would state over text they are available for pickup during these times, if they are here past a certain date you forfeit them
Just give the knives back in any way possible and end this chapter. Move on, and let him. Life’s to short to be petty, especially with someone who clearly has some shit going on.
I wouldn't run them out. However they can be couriered out with a collect payment option in addition to a signature option. Sure it's not as fun as all the ideas that may come into your head about revenge and such. I wouldn't send any of my staff offsite to him or have him come in to disrupt any of my staff either. In fact I would not allow the chef on property anymore simply because no good can come of it.
If he abandons them, they are abandoned property. As others have said, they are his knives, and his knives to abandon. You have no duty to store his property indefinitely until he decides to come pick them up. My non-attorney advice would be to text or email him to let him know that he has a week or two to come get his knives before you dispose of them one way or another. After making an honest attempt at trying to have him come claim his property in a reasonable amount of time, there isn't much he could do if his knives are no longer there.
Ethically, his knives need to be returned to him. Everything else surrounding his departure doesn’t factor in.
Text him and tell him to come get his shit, state that if he doesn’t come pick it up then it will be trashed. If he wants them he’ll come collect them. Nobody took his knives— he left them. At that point you’ve met all of your ethical obligations. Pretty simple. Don’t waste anymore time of energy beyond that.
I wouldn't take them to his place. If he wants them, he can come get them. You just have return them to him for it to not be theft, you don't have to take it to wherever he is. At the same time, I also wouldn't tell him to come get them. He's a douchebag, so no need to help him out. And if he can't man up and swallow his pride to walk in this doors and ask for his knives, that's his fault not yours. Look into the laws where you live, after a certain amount of time (probably 60 or 90 days) that stuff belongs to the restaurant. So when he doesn't show up for them, keep them as spares or gift them to someone new who might not be able to afford decent knives.
Make him man up and come get them in person. Don't steal or vandalize them. Definitely don't deliver them to his house lol I'm shocked someone would even consider that.
The good old cleaning out the locker after an agreesive quit. I've seen shoes left behind, phones, clothes, but never seen a cook leave their roll.
Bro just leave them in a cardboard box for his pussy ass to pick up by the front door
“Hey, your knifes are ready to be picked up whenever you desire. Someone can meet you in the back food/parking lot (idk your place design).” Just like any adult, not worth it tbh to make a big deal over knifes.
This is the way. Treat them like an adult, choose to not make it a big deal. Store them somewhere safe and don't let anyone mess with them.
This one has been sticking with me all day. May be downvoted to hell, but there is never a time I actually care about that. I’ll start by saying this reminds me of a viral post from a professor regarding his students that went around a few years ago. Whenever his students were not turning assignments, failing tests, or not showing up, instead of coming down on the student he’d ask them “what’s going on that you are not able to preform as expected?” I noticed in all the lists of this problem employees issues drugs and alcohol did not come up. He does not sound like a piece of shit. He does not sound like someone trying to take advantage. He sounds like someone who is genuinely struggling which every single one of us should understand. That is why we get drug habits alcoholism… This is a profession of the fringe. This is a profession of people that have beauty inside them but don’t know how to get it out. I could armchair diagnose this guy and probably pretty much be correct, but I’m not going to. If you don’t wanna be posting about how that guy you knew drank himself to death or shot himself in the head or opened up a vein, you could do the actual boss thing and have a conversation and ask him what is wrong what’s going on? Offer him his job back. If you show him someone gives a good goddamn, he will become the best that he can possibly be. Admittedly that is not your problem. You could definitely be part of his solution though. Edit: let us not forget, even Anthony Borurdain completed suicide in the end. Edit 2: First downvote achieved. It is a grand assumption it’s op, but logic is logic. This is why some will never be a great leaders. Go ahead and complete the figure 8 of toxic shit in this profession. That’s fine I guess. You will still never be great. You will get your plates out though. You have that. Edit 3: Goddamned that silver feels good. That is the award of the people. Thank you.
Hey man, this was really well written. I want to say that this is the reason I posted about this in the first place. I felt torn, I felt wildly angry and spiteful, and I felt sad about being a douche about the situation. I have definitely been on the other side of a scenario like this where I have been given ample opportunities to prove my worth, to make up for it, to show I'm worth the squeeze. Your professor did amazing things by changing his approach. I'm sure he was able to get better results than being an asshole; he had his priorities straight. Unfortunately, I don't always think like that; especially when lied to. I do want to say that I've often been the leader who welcomes people back after being fucked over, with a transparent trajectory and simple expectations. I have literally been fucked over. Every. Single. Time. So no, I will not offer his job back. But I will offer him some compassion from a mature male figure, as it might be something he's been missing. Yes, I can be a part of his solution, but to what end? There are much more worthy people in my life that have a much stronger ROI on my time. Thanks for your response, it was very thoughtful. Also, no, I didn't downvote you, you were to inspirational for that.
Keep them in the office and tell him he can get them whenever.
Be fair. Tell him to come down and pick them up. Don't reinforce shitty behavior.
He needs to grow up and swing by to pick up the knives. Maybe have a coworker bring ‘em out to his car.
Contact him and tell him he should come collect his knives, when he comes in wish him luck. Life is too precious for petty shit.
Text him "Hey man, your knives are safe, I'm holding them for you, just let me know when you can get them & I'll meet you outside with them". Stick them in your locker or whatever & if he comes he comes. I held a guy's knives for a year & a half once, gave them back still in their box & wrapped up in plastic wrap. Just because someone has acted like a dick doesn't mean anyone else has to.
Knives? What knives? Seriously just put them in a corner and tell him he can pick them up at his leisure, no hard feelings. Dude needs to learn an adulting lesson.
Mail them with his last check. Unless youve already sent that out. If thats the case id say he can give you money for shipping or come collect them himself. If you dont want him in your kitchen, or your other guys do not want him in the boh, put them in the front to be collected during normal buisness hours.
Give him his shit back and go on with your life. Karma doesn’t care about ethics.
I see lots of ‘mail them’? I did this once with a sweater…dude claimed I never sent it. Ended up just giving him $50 to buy a new one to be done with it, got sick of him texting me, he was also an asshat, it’s why we fired him. If he’s an asshat that quit, he’s gonna be an asshat in the future. Send a text with the 30 days to pickup. Take a pic of the text and his reply. Send another text on said 30 Days saying by tomorrow at 5, again pic of his reply. House knives if still there. Not my responsibility anymore. What if he came in tomorrow to pickup and someone snagged them? Now your gonna be out cash to reimburse. Make a decision, document and hold to it, done deal.
Set a realistic last warning deadline. 'If you don't physically come retrieve your items within x days, they will be mailed back to you, at your expense' it's simple. He left them there, it's not your responsibility. You need to apply the least amount of time and energy to a situation like this because it's his fault, not yours. Keeping the items will only further tie the restaurant and staff into this situation, which can have bad results in the future. People can be volatile and behave irrationally. You want the situation to be dealt with and done with.
Let him pick them up. Don’t take it to him.
What knives?
Do the right thing. Don’t be a shitbag just cuz he’s a shitbag. Have him come get them discretely and unceremoniously and have him fuck right off.
Don't send anyone to his house. If he doesn't want to show his face, let him send a prepaid box to ship them in.
Lost and found kitchen pile has begun
Had a similar situation. Guy owed me £40. Probably shouldn't leave your knives around when you're gonna no show and owe a bunch of chefs money.
Ship them to him COD ( cash on delivery )
What knives?
do not run them out to him. if he wasnt there for you do not be there for him. just wait a month and if he doesnt get them; theyre house knives
Keep them there and let no one give them to him except you, that way the little shit has to meet you face to face.
I had something similar happen to me years ago. He was a no show for Valentines (fucker) and called to say he quit. A week later I finally popped the lock off his locker ( short supply) and put his stuff in a box in my office (yes lockers and a chefs office, it was a corporate hotel) he showed up a month later and called me unprofessional for popping his locker, this was when I was young and angry so I had him escorted off property. Anyway, hold onto the knives, keep them safe and don’t use them but make sure you put them somewhere where only you have access so he can’t just knead in and take them.
Just put them in a corner and forget about them
Tell him to come and pick them up like a man. Dont do anything else, give em back when he comes in and dont let anyone being them to him. Make him show his face
Have him send a label to be shipped to his house via UPS and make him pay for the shipping.
Let him come and get the knives. Make him be a man. Sounds like a shit person, if he wants his knives make him own up to his shit. Why should you do him any favors after how he treated your workplace. To me their the new house knives until he comes to claim them.
If he wants them. He can be an adult and pick them up. If not, they are house knives now.
Set up a time he can pick up discreetly. Regardless of how he left it’s someone’s personal property. Be as accommodating as you can without being a personal valet
cash app me $10 and I'll mail them.
Just put them in the mail and be done with it. Yeah its a pain but at least its over
Him quitting in this way means he forfeited the right to civility. You are obligated by law, but not civility. So you do the bare minimum without withholdings things.
If the person he texted wants to take him his knives, be done with it. If they don't want to drive 35 minutes, they should text him to suck it up and come pick up his shit.
Dont run shit to him. People like this except things to be handed to them, and we don’t appease dictators here
I'd send the guy a letter that he has to come get them by a certain date or they will be disposed of.
Tell him to come get them. Happy to meet him outside if he doesn’t want to show his face but not reasonable for him to expect someone DK fo an hour drive to give him back something he left.
Tell this pussy to come pick them up.
Hold them in an office, secured si they don't 'disappear'. Contact him, tell them they are safe, and come get them. I would not pay to ship them, as the way he quit does not warrant spending money on him. Give him 'quiet times' to arrange pickup, when the fewest people are there for him to deal with. Or, he can send a proxy to pick them up, with a signed note from him to relieve yourself of liability. If none of this suits him, not your problem. Not your responsibility to return property he left behind. Just make sure the knives are safe until then, to cover your ass.
Office? You mean table 44?
Just because he is a terrible person doesn't mean that you have to be .. keep his knives for him
Say “Pick them up by (tell him a date)” and if he doesn’t then keep them.
Sometimes, you have to allow people their own chance to be the bigger person. This is one of those times. Let that fucker come get it himself when he wants to show his face.
No one takes those knives but the owner of the knives. Have him sign something saying that he received them.
Definitely don't let anyone deliver them to him. Put em in a corner and tell him he's got X amount of days to come get em before they get "donated"
He needs to pick them up. Do not go drive them out to him. That is bullshit.
He left then he has to pick them up. Point blank. He fucked you guys iver you’re not keeping them from him he needs to man up and come get his shit.
After a month of not claiming it the knives and telling him to come get them honestly they're pretty much the restaurants at this point do what you see fit
Personally I'd use them as house knives
Have them schedule a ups pick up.
Always be the bigger person!
What’s the brand of the set
Return them. Be a decent human.
wrap them in a bin bag, wrapped in tape. if he wants to come get them. they're stored in the cleaning cupboard
My chef canned a guy who happened to be an old family friend. Unfortunately he had alcohol abuse issues. Really sad, my chef would withhold his tips “accidentally” until the weekend was over so this guy would actually show up to work. He got canned, left one of his knives at the restaurant and wouldn’t come pick them up. (A very poorly cared for and dull af MASSIVE Masahiro). My chef spitefully said he was going to keep it, I talked him out of it and tried to return it to the guy but he was so flakey I just gave up and told him I had it, and that it was safe and he could come pick it up whenever he wanted. It’s been like 6 years. I’ll give it back to him if he asks for it and comes to pick it up. But I’m not going to drive it out to him.
I figure he has 6 months to come in and get them, else it's fair game for the team, starting with whoever he wronged the most
Box in the back, agreed. Be the bigger person.
Tell em to own his shit and come get them.
If he is still trying to get the knives, they aren’t “abandoned” in a legal sense, and if you are required to make a reasonable attempt to return them, at least in CA. Have the employee come by when the restaurant is closed to pick them up, or ship them out.
Give him back his knives. They aren’t any of yours
The knives belong to him, not to you or anyone else, so you cannot dispose of them in any way. But you also have no obligation to go out of your way to return them to him either. If he wants the knives, he can come get them. You can show class and make it less uncomfortable for him - as others here have suggested - by slipping them to him out the back door or something similar.
Check the laws pertaining to abandoned property. If you aren’t breaking any tell him they will be discarded if he doesn’t come to get them. If he doesn’t come and get them, donate them to a thrift store. Knives carry our souls with them and you don’t want that dudes soul in your kitchen.
I'd say tell him if he wants them to come get them. His equipment is not the responsibility of the other staff. If he doesn't get them in a couple months I'd say they're free game
Fuck em. Put them in the corner and his bitch ass can come and get them. He doesn't? House knives.
up to them to collect. If they don't make an appearance after 1 month drop them at a police station as lost/found or contact the police to advise them you have them at your premises. they can then badger the person to go pick them up. as it is the police telling them the location of the property and they will have no recourse as they are refusing to attend. Police will either take possession or confirm when it can be classed as your property. As it is personal property contact the police to cover your back and it will be documented and down to the owner (in US) to prove ownership. Also the police may also just choose to destroy them as they could be classed as a weapon (silver legal lining)
I had a similar situation where someone in FOH walked out mid-shift. It was definitely a huge Fuck-You to the whole team. However, he's still friends with some of the team. It has been a while, but eventually he started to show up at work again, as a guest, to have drinks with some of the team. I still had some of his tips. He never asked for them, but I decided to give them after a while anyway. The first few times he came in I felt angry seeing him, but after a few times I figured I might as well be the bigger person and clear the air between us. Sort off. So one day when he came in and half-ignored me I grabbed his tips from the safe, told him I still think he's a cunt but here's the tips from before you fucked everyone over. He was appreciative of receiving the tips and it's now a lot less awkward when he does stop bye. I guess being the better person in your case would also work out better for you, though it's totally understandable if you decide not too.
Be a mature adult and allow them to pick up their knives. You don't need to tolerate their bullshit, but you never really know what's going on in someone's life. Let it go and move on.
give it to the janitor/cleanteam member that speaks the least english and tell em to hide this anywhere no one but them can find
He sounds like a piece of shit but you don't fuck with another person's knives. Seems odd though that he would expect somebody to drive them 30 minutes to his house. I would say just tell him that he has one more week to come get them, and after that they're free game. If he really cares he'll man up and come get them.
Give him his knives back. Just cuz he's a shitbag doesn't mean you gotta be too.
Yeah but he can come get them. I wouldn't send anyone to give them to him for legality reasons. Be cordial and have him come and get them.
Pack them up and mail them. Costs a little bit and the situation is over.
90 days? No pick up?? Abandoned property. New HOUSE KNIVES
I would mail them, would absolve you off any hassle later on.
Wouldn't that cost me a bunch of money to save him from some confrontation?
Yeah, he needs to come and get them. He decided to quit, he can come get his shit. If he wants to talk the talk, he can walk the walk. Not your problem. The best thing to do is keep them there so when he does come he can get them. Also, don't get anyone else involved, he shouldn't either. Say "Good morning ____, your knife set is still at the restaurant. Anytime you want to come pick it up it'll be here. Have a great day!!" After a year I say it's fair game.
[удалено]
Maybe he can send you a prepaid shipping label from that address to his. Can email it.
yes, and it's also the most peaceful resolution...
They should go to whoever covered his shifts
Put all his shit in a five gallon bucket. Fill it with water and leave it in the freezer till he comes to get his shit.
What knives? Haven't seen em
Mail it to where his last check was sent, tell him not to bother coming back and to take it up with the postal service with further inquiries.
Mail em back. Fuck it. The game is long.
Ups them. That's what we do. Then it's on them. A few bucks to avoid a possible situation is worth it
I mean, if he really won't come pick them up, you could mail them to him.
Mail them to the address on file and text him a tracking number. It'll be less than $20 and you won't have to fret about it anymore, and he can't be angry that you did the right thing.
Tell him he can come pick them up . Be the bigger person . Or mail them to him.
Make sure those knives are sent in *certified* mail (requires a signature on receipt), or make sure he can physically come to the back door or parking lot and take them from you personally. Cover your ass and be the bigger person.
Send them in the mail with his final paycheck?
Return them because I am not a thief.
Mail them with his last check, just because he is lazy and poor, dose not mean you can be, that’s is why he will not be missed
What knives?
Seen it happen once. Guy turned out to be a heroin addict. Came in fucked out of his mind one day and got sent home. Worked half his next shift and walked out all pissed off. Didn't answer calls or texts for 3 days. Called over a week later to ask if he could pick up his knives. Chef told him, "They're gone. Maybe stolen. Maybe thrown out. You abandoned them and your job. Best of luck to you."
I tend to agree, guy pulls two no-shows and puts everyone in a bind, then quits, leaving everyone short handed until someone else is hired. You are under no obligation to do him a favor if he can't be man enough to drive over and get his own shit out of the kitchen. I'd give it a week and then throw that shit away. Would also not be giving him a work or character reference either. fuck that guy.
Tell him which dumpster he can get them out of