In May of '04 I was approached by a close family friend whom just purchased a restaurant in Marin County. Although it was about an hour and a half away I decided to go check it out.
The new owner/family friend, Mario Bunyi, and I met up and discussed what he had in mind for the restaurant. He admitted he had absolutly no experience, he had been selling cars for the last 10 years. With my background and degree in the culinary arts I informed him I could make all the changes he wanted.
When I began working the following week, I was putting in about 18 hours a day. I had to get hotel rooms some nights because I was working so many hours and was too tired to make the long drive home. I finally moved my wife, who was 4 months pregnant, and I out closer to the restaurant.
Once I moved out, only about 5 min. From the restaurant, they called me and used me for everything. Mario told me that since I had done so much to help him and the restaurant he wanted to make me a partner. He also promised me bonuses and benefits.
Everything was perfect.
Mario and I began advertising at local events, I also helped him find a few bands to play on weekends. I assisted him in proper procedures for hiring, training. I basically showed him how to run his restaurant, with the hopes of it one day being part mine.
As soon as the restaurant started profiting, Mario's attitude started changing. He wanted me on a schedule, which he switched daily. He started questioning my judgements about the way I ran my kitchen and the food I was preparing. Yet, the business had tripled in the four months I was there.
The day after I won first place in a local chili cook-off for the restaurant, I came in to work only to be told by Mario that the restaurant was going in a different direction and I wasn't going with it. He gave me my check and I left.
I created three new menus for him with my name all over them, and today a month later my name is still on the menus. The trophy's are still on the wall. And when you ask Mario what happened he can't even give a straight answer.
The truth is Mario had no experience he needed someone who did. He brought me in on the pretense that I would become partner. He used me to turn a profit, and teach him the ways of the business. He lied to me everyday I was there, and overworked me for half the pay I should have received.
Now I have two months before my baby is born, my wife and I are living hours away from the friends and family we were close too, and Mario is still profiting with my name on the menu.
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