# Kitchen Attack



## turbochef422 (Sep 25, 2012)

So at work today I caught someone eating a piece of chicken, clean to the bone and putting it back on a sheet tray with other cooked chicken that's gonna go out soon. Obviously I called him out on it. The first problem was he is a prep guy that doesn't speak English at all. He has worked for the owners for close to ten years and even when they bought him tapes or wanted to pay for school he wouldn't go. He thought I was mad about him eating which I never had or would. I was mad he put it with the other chicken. So he slammed the table, I'm bigger than him and thought he was gonna try to fight me which I have no intent of doing. But to my surprise he grabbed my cck 1303 newly sharpened and a great cutter by the way and comes after me. He was literally 5 feet from me swinging. So I picked up a sheet tray as a shield and talked him off the ledge. We called the cops but I didn't press charges but the look in his eyes I thought I was going down. I'm definitely shook up. I'm not the type of chef yelling all day and when ever I tell someone they are wrong I show the right way and explain. Everyone in the kitchen froze and I like to think of myself as a tough person but I'm telling you I couldn't work the rest of the day. I guess I just had to vent. It might not sound it on paper but for that to happen in a real kitchen with real people not in a movie or book it's crazy. I have a 1 year old daughter and a wife the last thing I need is to worry at work. Work is hard enough as it is


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## tgraypots (Sep 25, 2012)

I've seen that "look in the eyes" only once. I thought I was going to embarrass myself by trickling down my legs. Good thing you had that tray handy. I hope tomorrow is better!


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## Dave Martell (Sep 25, 2012)

I hope he saw his last day of work there and I'm glad to hear that you're Ok.


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## tkern (Sep 25, 2012)

A couple years ago in Boston a server was sleeping with one of the line cook's girlfriend. The affair came out in the kitchen and during service one night the line cook got so enraged he came out from behind the line and stabbed the server.


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## SpikeC (Sep 25, 2012)

I'm really sorry to hear this, Turbo. I hope that you can work your way past this. The guy definitely needs to get some help, somewhere else!


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## Johnny.B.Good (Sep 25, 2012)

How scary.

I take it today was his last day? I would be worried about firing him, but equally worried about letting him stay.

I remember my father taking a pistol to work to keep in his desk for a few months after letting a shady character go.


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## Ucmd (Sep 25, 2012)

Press charges for everyone's safety


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## turbochef422 (Sep 25, 2012)

We let him go but now what. Do I have to look over my shoulder everytime I get to work. Plus you don't want that environment for the other employees. Plus anyone who worked for me knows anytime someone needs off or has to leave early or even needs to borrow money I don't even ask why. It's always a yes.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Sep 25, 2012)

I would probably be nervous for a little while, but there's nothing you could have done differently to prevent it and the guy obviously brought the trouble on himself. If anything, he should be thrilled that he only lost his job and isn't sitting in jail as we speak facing serious charges.

Sorry this happened to you.


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## brainsausage (Sep 25, 2012)

That's a friggin nightmare. I'm glad you're ok. There's a coue of our dishwashers that I worry about freaking out someday, but not like that...


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## lumo (Sep 25, 2012)

'bout 10 years ago this guy in my kitchen pulled something similar. One day this cook is just off and destroying the food. I ask him if he needs help or if something is wrong. He says no why? I patiently start pointing out the things he's doing wrong and his response in a really loud yell is, "you're a Latino just like me and you should be cutting me some slack and helping your people to succeed, not criticizing their work". The owner of the restaurant was walking by and overheard the whole exchange and comes and tells this guy to have some respect for the chef that's trying to help. Cook starts throwing plates and grabs his chef's knife and starts waving it at him. Owner turns neon white, yells somebody call the police and runs away like I've never seen anyone run in my life. Line cook just calmly walks past me with his head down and walks out the door. Apparently the cook was an emotional mess because his wife back in Columbia stole all the money he had been sending home, 42 thousand, took the kids and ran off with another guy.


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## knyfeknerd (Sep 25, 2012)

Ucmd said:


> Press charges for everyone's safety



+1
I know it might not be the nice thing to do, but a restraining order or something should happen. Try to make the law protect you -for a change.
It's probably best for your safety and to make sure your kid continues to have a dad. 

And, I hate to say it, but I would be bringing senor Glocky to work with me for the forseeable future.


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## kalaeb (Sep 25, 2012)

Sheet pans can make great defensive weapons, I bet they can even be used in the offensive if there was room on the line. 

Personally, the unobtrusiveness of the Ruger LCP works for me, but a CCK pigsticker might do the trick too.

Glad you are okay, as long as everyone else in the kitchen has your back, you should be just fine.


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## Salty dog (Sep 25, 2012)

I don't know the size of your community. (Ney York? State, City?) but in my world there is usually a connection amongst the Hispanic workers and their community. Put the feelers out with the amigos you're closer to, find out what his deal is. Chances are nothing will come of it. 

Also, I find comfort in the relationship I have with my Mexican crew. They wouldn't let anything happen to me. They'd know about peligro well before me.


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## Eamon Burke (Sep 26, 2012)

Press charges, the dude tried to murder you over a chicken bone.

Also, have a meeting with employees. 

Sorry to hear this happened. Glad you are ok, and took the day.


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## ThEoRy (Sep 26, 2012)

Sounds like you were just the catalyst for an outburst that has been building for a while. There must have been some issues outside of work that led to this. Glad you're ok, but definitely look further into it and see if everyone is going to be safe from now on.


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## Von blewitt (Sep 26, 2012)

As if kitchens weren't stressful enough already! I'm thankful my brigade consists of a 17 year old with zero attitude and my brother! No pay cheque is worth that kind of stress! Good luck getting this situation resolved.


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## ecchef (Sep 26, 2012)

Always remember the words of Tuco Benedicto Pacífico Juan María Ramírez: _When you have to shoot....shoot! Don't talk._


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## NO ChoP! (Sep 26, 2012)

The guy was having a bad day. He snapped. Now he is jobless, and his tomorrow will be even worse. 

I've seen all walks of life in the kitchen. I've been attacked, and I've snapped myself. It is a high stress environment, mixed with bravado (and possibly some drugs and/or alcohol, too). 

People who reach a snapping point will calm down and usually regret their actions...


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## Cutty Sharp (Sep 26, 2012)

I definitely don't miss the pro kitchen - from my experiences, and hearing stuff like this.


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## Korin_Mari (Sep 26, 2012)

That is horrifying, but quick thinking when grabbing the sheet pan. I'm glad you're okay. 

+1 to pressing charges too. 

My goodness, so many horror stories. I admit I worry a lot about people losing it at Korin. Thankfully, nothing of that sort has happened. ::knocks on wood:: 
:[


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## DeepCSweede (Sep 26, 2012)

Glad you are ok.

Aggressive nature can be had anywhere. I used to have a client at a gravel pit where there were several attractive scale girls and some of the drivers thought they could bully these ladies around. The owner kept a tommygun style AA-12 -12 gauge loaded with buckshot as a deterent to these guys and actually had to pull it out on someone who was trying to bring in dirty fill soil and was threatening to rough the girls up if she didn't let him in. I was meeting with the owner in the front office at the time and he heard some commotion, jumped up and grabbed it from behind the door and stepped out - I don't think the guy walked out of there with a clean pair of shorts.


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## Crothcipt (Sep 26, 2012)

NO ChoP! said:


> The guy was having a bad day. He snapped. Now he is jobless, and his tomorrow will be even worse.
> 
> I've seen all walks of life in the kitchen. I've been attacked, and I've snapped myself. It is a high stress environment, mixed with bravado (and possibly some drugs and/or alcohol, too).
> 
> People who reach a snapping point will calm down and usually regret their actions...



Ya he def. needs some time to cool off. Having blown up myself before and ended up working at the place after made it such a better pace to work for me. But I never pulled a knife either. If he comes back then you have grounds for a restraining order. With the arrest the cops already know about it, and will go into effect if anything else happens. 

Hope everything works out for the better.


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## turbochef422 (Sep 26, 2012)

Thanks to everyone hearing stories makes you feel a little better. The cops said because I didn't press charges just wrote a report they won't grant a restraining order even if he comes back. To get one I have to feel threatened again. Hopefully it's over


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## Carl (Sep 28, 2012)

It was a good day, no one was injured. Sounds like the guy made his own bed and is now sleeping in it. 10 years is long enough to learn to speak the language of your employer, and if he's eating food in the kitchen and throwing the waste onto the serving trays after this long, who knows what he's been doing all this time, and for how long. No regrets.

As for looking over your shoulder, it's happens to most supervisors who manage young men with egos. Try handing over a demotion with pay reduction and forfeiture and then going to the gun range with him and his buds. Yeah, that's fun.


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