Got sucked into another Narccisist trap after talking multiple times in person/over zoom for a ” high end” chef who owns her own business. I moved from out of state with my partner and left my favorite job I've ever had for this position, only to be lied to, gaslit, emotinally abused and never given a break all within a half a month.
I'm quitting tommorow morning, today was a total nightmare and after disassociating to stay capable all day, I came home and cried my eyes out after being verbally attacked all day. I left an abusive family/ stalker ex situation to move for saftey and starting fresh and immedeatly have felt unsafe in the worplace by a kitchen lead and the owner/chef right away. This is probably the last kitchen job I'll ever do after this beratement and abuse.
All week we had this ” mothers day special brunch” advertised for today, took pre-orders and also we were doing orders from the window. The owner attacked me all week for asking questions about how we'd do this ( me being a week new, as well as still figuring menu and process out) she was rolling her eyes, giving passive aggressive “answers” instead of actually answering me, or providing clear communication. All before this hiring I was told how she doesnt tolerate abuse in the kitchen, likes everyone treated equally and fair, and now I see that was a lie. All day she belittled any and all work she had me do, at one point sifting through a polenta bowl I made saying I forgot beets, until I pulled peices out to show her, as well as her telling me I was fucking up the whole day. At one point I literally saw her pick up a dropped poached egg of the ground and place it on a ready to eat eggs benedict and serve it because she was too lazy to redo it, as well as almost serving vegeterians sausage biscuits till I pointed out the mistake 3 times ( I was repeatedly ignored all day). Keep in mind I was never fully trained, and then she expected me to memorize the entire menu and do the busiest day of the year on the line without assistance. All in all, worst day. I was schedueled till 4, and never communicated with that I could leave at 3, because I finished all my work, only found out I should go home after the lead stopped ignoring me as they were leaving.
I even had another coworker stop me in the middle if the chaos today and tell me I was doing great and the treatment I was getting was unjustified and it was wrong. They literally risked their job to tell me that in front of other coworkers and near the owner. It made a huge difference for me, to know what my worth was and that I wasnt making up the abuse. I really appreciated that they said that in that moment.
Shitty bosses suck, but its especially hard to get over when you have PTSD and have a trauma background. Now I have to restart the job search asap.