St Charles exchange for sale, may close.

Thanks for all the kind words and support. I've received many offers of employment for the staff and have passed it on. The vendors are all people that I've used for years. They supplied product to me longer than they should have with promises from me that the check was in the mail. Some really talented and passionate people lost jobs and it just plain sucks. I was told we were closing but to not tell the staff because i was told they would steal everything. I said fuck it and told my cooks to start looking. I'm not some evil chef who put everyone out of jobs by a facebook post. We were not just behind on food and booze vendors. Almost every single company we did business with is owed money. I would do the same thing again. I was truly looking out for the staff. We all have families and bills etc. In the year and a half I worked there I never once met the out of town investors. All I know is that they have a proven history of closing and not paying vendors or staff and that is a fact. It's not just the staff who lost jobs. I gave the vendors my word that they would get paid because that's what I was being told. These people have to explain now to their bosses why they supplied food to us for longer than they should have. So I guess I am kinda the asshole. I was privy to the financial details to this business and it was not set up for success. Classic story of people with too much money who wanted to own a restaurant for fun. I was told repeatedly that the investors had hundreds of millions of dollars and that they were not in it to make money and the doors would never close. Well if you don't pay the bills you will close.Someone with experience, a solid brand and business plan will take the space and and do great there. That's all I really have to say. Great people lost jobs. We didn't close because of some craziness I posted on facebook. The closing was already in the works. We simply closed because we didn't pay bills and made very bad financial decisions. And Chris M. the offer still stands if you would like to sit down over a beverage and some good food on me and discuss. I just did what I thought was right and I can promise that I am not important enough to close a place down with a facebook post. I mean let's get real. I was only the chef there for a couple of months. It was already over before I took the position. I had even considered taking over myself with a small group of investors but it only took a few minutes of simple math to see that in the current position it would not have been a sustainable investment. Again thanks for the kind words everyone.

Rick- based on your last post, I am happy to see that there still are professional people that will do the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do.
You will do well sir.

This thread is a shining example of why the restaurant industry has the highest failure rate of all. It is the most poorly run, least professional, least knowledgeable most incestuous industry I have ever had this misfortune of being a part of.

Let's go over the points one at a time.

1) I never said his post cause the business to fail. Sounds like it was well on it's way. I said he acted unprofessionally and petulantly. Which he did. What good came of his airing his and the companies dirty laundry publicly? Did it help the company or it's employees get back on track? Did it save creditors? Did it help make payroll? No. It did nothing good except stroke his ego. It likely hastened the companies failure, reduced the likelihood of anyone every getting paid, increased the risk to creditors and helped ensure that the vendors and employees he claims to care so much about will never see a dime of the money they are owed.
2) This vendors everyone loves so much? You telling me they didn't know the business was in trouble? Was his post news to them? Are they morons? If what he says was true they likely had the business on COD. Were hopefully making them pay back part of their past due balance with each delivery. Were making a profit on the on-going business that would at least help them get back to even on the cost of the items not paid for. Were closely watching the situation. By storming out and forcing the business to close he cut off a revenue stream to those vendors and again, made sure they will not see a penny of their past due balances. He hurt those he claimed to care so much about.
3) His employees he care so much about? Where are they now? Did he warn them before he stormed out and left them jobless? Maybe the business was going to fail and maybe it wasn't, but now it sure is. And now they all have no where to work where they maybe thought they had some time to find something else. Maybe knew the end was near but not coming right now? Again, nothing good. All bad.
4) He's a hero? He's akin to a whistle blower? Was this company doing something illegal? Did he have knowledge that money was being misused? Did he report this to anyone? Did he warn his employees or his vendors of his concerns? Did he speak with management? The IRS? The police? Did he try to change anything? I have no idea. I hope he did. I doubt it based on what I know. I also doubt there was anything illegal going on. Just a business trying desperately to stay afloat and failing miserably.
5) He handled this as badly as one can handle a situation like this. The failure of a business is hard on everyone. Vendors, customers, employees, family, friends. If you know it's coming, get out. Warn the other people to get out. If you feel the company you work for is being mismanaged, find a new company to work for. Put in your 2 weeks notice. Give them time to get a plan together. Give them a chance. Give yourself a chance. Don't quit a job until you line up a new one. Never burn bridges. Duh.

Or maybe do what he did. Storm out in a huff, leaving everyone in the lurch, and then air all of the dirty laundry in a public forum.

Whatever works.

And let's not pretend it's just a single Facebook post. That story has been picked up by all of the local media and I guarantee business has been impacted. The owners should sue the shit out of him for the damage he has caused to their operation. Unless they were doing something illegal there is no whistle blower protection and unless he has proof he could be guilty of liable, slander and doing irreparable harm to the companies reputation and that of it's owners.

Unprofessional is the nicest thing I can say about what he did. Selfish, childish and petulant are more accurate.

Next time, do the right thing. Find a new job. Warn the people you work with privately. Warn vendors privately. Give your employer the appropriate amount of notice and then walk away with a smile on your face, your head held high and enjoy the challenge of your new opportunity.

Act mature. Act like a professional. It will get you far in life.

Or keep acting like you all do, celebrate your childish behavior and continue to face being the most failed business system in the entire world. You'd think the lack of success this industry has would teach someone something.

Guess not.

Oh, and btw, chefs aren't the only ones who take pride in what they do. In a job well done. In creating something. In making people happy. In pouring their sweat, tears and soul into what they do.

They just think they are.

Chris I give up. I did not storm out of the place like a child. I asked multiple times for proof that we would be getting a paycheck. I said multiple times very calmly that I wasn't going to stay if there was no money in the payroll account. When I left it was a very calm manner. My cooks and I had already removed all of our property out of the building the week before. We knew it was coming. I COULD NOT PURCHASE FOOD. It was over and done. You obviously don't know me and have no idea what I've been through to get back to where I am today. I am very humble. I just cook food man. I have no idea of anything illegal going on. I really don't have any idea why that was even brought up. As far as someone suing me I could really care less. Everything I said was true. This had been gossip in the community for some time. Everyone knows everyone and people knew we were not paying our bills. I've had some people very close to me say that the only reason we were paid was because of my facebook post. I've had about the same amount of close friends tell me that I shouldn't have posted anything. Right or wrong there was no way possible to keep the place open for more than two days at tops. I don't know why you assume I had no job lined up. I had several options too choose from. I told my cooks to start looking for jobs instead of lying to them about the"multiple groups of investors"that were in a bidding war to buy us. I'm sorry but if a facebook rant shut the place down then that has to really tell you something about how bad the place was doing. As far as being on cod we definitely were. We just didn't have the money to continue paying cod. I was told specifically that we could not do cod because we had no money. Several companies would not even do cod unless the balance was paid in full and we gave them cash. As in not a check. That as well should tell you something. I have offered to meet with you twice to discuss but you seem like you would rather just believe all the bullshit you hear. I know exactly were your info is coming from. Honestly this is to the point of just being ridiculous. The thing is you don't know me and really know nothing about me. If you want to run my name through the mud then by all means do. If you don't want to visit my places of employment then it is what it is. As far as it going to the local media when asked I said that I had no comment. Now other media outlets want to do more stories on it and again I did not comment to any of them. I'm not a yeller. I don't throw pans. I don't talk to my coworkers in a disrespectful manner. I treat people the way I want to be treated. It's pretty simple. I won't try to convince you about the type of person I am. I twice have offered to meet and talk to you. Chris there was nothing that could be done with the place. Throwing more money at it of course would not have helped as that's what the investors did for most of three years. I loved working there. The staff was amazing. The place looks so nice it's crazy. As nice as everything was the place was run awful. There are other reasons that I knew we were closing that week. I've kept that to myself. I just simply wanted proof that we were going to get paid and not treated like the staff of their other place in Philly which was a closed sign on the door and no one getting paid (Lemon Hill). Even when I was asking for proof that we would get paid I kept being told that the chef there got a two month severance. But fuck the rest of the staff. I mean they are just the help right? Everything is great as long as the management gets paid. I did what I thought was right. I made it a big deal because no one seemed to care about the staff getting paid. But i'm the bad guy here. I only look out for myself. I was frustrated and posted on facebook. Frustrated and upset that the super rich investors that set themselves up for failure by insanely bad decisions decided that they didn't want to play restaurant anymore. They didn't pay anyone else. Why would they pay us? When it went on the news they made sure to pay us though. And just for the record I know who you are friends with and where your info is coming from so that fine if you want to listen to that. The place was in shambles and there was no fixing what was broken. Had I known the financials of the restaurant before I took the chef job I would have not taken it. Two months. That's how long I ran the kitchen. I only took the job because the chef quit and the sous walked out on oaks night. No one wanted to take over the kitchen because of the high turnover of chefs. I was perfectly happy taking my little break from running a kitchen and just being a line cook but when shit hit the fan I took it over. It is the worst run place I have ever been involved with and that starts from the very top. From the people that ran it for three years and let it become the joke that it is. Just so you know most staff members thought we were super successful and making loads of money. That's what we had all been told. Sorry but I guess the truth is hard to hear. Whatever. Sue me lol.

I would delete my posts because I really am embarrassed that I spent any amount of time debating this with you. You are an ignorant jerk. You don't even know me but you are very quick to judge based on info that is not true. I am done. Find someone else to try to bully because that's what you are doing. This is the reason I only read this forum and very rarely post.

[Robin Garr]

This is the reason I only read this forum and very rarely post.

Rick, I'm sorry to hear that. I rarely censor posts. I won't censor Chris. I won't censor you. But I hate to lose your voice. Please think about that ... and participate.

To put all this arm chair quarterback time in on the internet based on a Facebook post a man made clearly in dire straits is harsh. We have a small window that we are applying psychology and motivation to, and we can not be sure whether it is just or unjust. I have had whole months I wish I could edit out of my life and I don't think they truly reflect me, or who I am. Those times would not have been helped by anonymous web hate speculating on my intentions. I would proceed with caution flaming on cats when they are down.

Having said that, as an outside observer I would now like to suggest pistols at dawn. Carry on gentlemen.

This is the reason I only read this forum and very rarely post.

Rick, I'm sorry to hear that. I rarely censor posts. I won't censor Chris. I won't censor you. But I hate to lose your voice. Please think about that ... and participate.

You're a good man Robin, never get that wrong.



Chris, let me put it to you another way:

If you tell a Chef that they can have their salary, but the staff will go hungry- the Chef will throw himself on the sword, everytime. That's what it means to be 'Chef.'

That's a leader.

Way after this conversation, people like Mark Ford will grow and become some of the best in the business. Rick Adams did that and will keep on doing it.

It would be nice if you'd back off and respect his decision even if you don't agree with it.

There are arguments to be made that the Facebook post was unprofessional. And maybe it was. But going away quietly is not always a virtue.

However, I have learned some things about Chef Adams... he is passionate about his work, he protects his employees to the best of his ability, and he cares about his business relationships and conducting business honestly, he won't bite his tongue when ownership is blowing smoke.

Only one of those things can be construed in any way as a negative. And even that has positive aspects. If I'm an honest owner considering entering a partnership to open a restaurant, I would be personally grateful to have a chef that blows the whistle on shenanigans, come what may. Passionate, caring, honest, and courageous leaders are what every company should want. They are an asset not a liability for honest business. Anyone who cannot see that is just choosing not to see.

One more thing that I know... Quality employees want to work for honest leaders who have their back. If you want good employees, you'll be needing someone like Chef Adams.

Quality employees want to work for honest leaders who have their back. If you want good employees, you'll be needing someone like Chef Adams.

That's it. The whole shebang. Thanks Steve!

Totally agree with Steve, Ronnie, Iggy and Stephen.

I know you don't need kudos from me- but Kudos Chef Adams! I've always admired your food and keep track of where you go- now my admiration is also for your ethics and your commitment to your staff. It's tough to do the right thing and not stay qulet about the risk of them losing their jobs- but you did.

Wishing you all the best where you go next- and we will be there as soon as we can.
Deb

Jobs were put at risk by out of town investors who could care less about us and who were unwilling to pay the bills. Not by me. We had a great team but without product to sell we were dead in the water. I'm sorry that you feel the way you do about coming to anyplace i'm at. I would love to meet you in person to discuss. Maybe a coffee or a drink. I let my cooks know in advance that we would more than likely be closing in the next week. I was told to tell no one but I pulled my entire kitchen staff aside and let them know. I was not going to hide behind lies and false stories of mysterious investors. Unfortunately there was no way to turn around three years of bad business decisions. It was not profitable.

That's good that you told your kitchen staff. I understand your frustrations and why you quit. I wish you the best in your next endeavor.

Rick,

Please post when you have your next position. I will be among the first in the door.

Pay no mind to those posting from the peanut gallery!

Rick, I like the way you handle yourself. You quitting did not cause the closure of the restaurant. All chefs are replaceable. I don't know why this other guy on here is trying to take shots at you, but rest assured, we in the biz, know what you went through and your rep speaks for itself. The fact that you took a principled stand wins my vote. I may have kept it off of facebook, but I believe every word of what you posted, so if the truth hurts some people then so be it. Anyways, keep your head up and let us know where you end up.

I hate to admit that Rick Adams was not on my radar until now. But now he is and it is for good reasons.