"Let me be the head chef?" Alan was stunned. "But, Master, what about you?"
In Alan's mind, since Jake had opened this restaurant and possessed extraordinary culinary skills, it made sense for Jake to be the head chef. That's why Alan had initially thought about assisting Jake and learning some culinary skills. However, Alan never expected Jake to offer him the position of head chef, leaving him wondering about Jake's role in the restaurant.
"Me?" Jake smiled and said, "I have other things to do. Why? Don't you want to be the head chef of this restaurant?"
"No, that's not what I meant." Alan hurriedly clarified, "I was just worried that I wouldn't do a good job. My culinary skills aren't as good as yours."
"How could you not do well?" Jake replied. "You were the head chef at Kailomen before. Your culinary skills are solid. Of course, since you're my disciple, I'll teach you personally. I'll set aside some time every day to mentor you."
"Really? That's great!" Alan's face lit up with excitement. "Master, I promise to work hard and not let you down."
Ever since he discovered Jake's culinary skills, Alan had been eager to learn from him. However, due to various constraints, they had only been able to work together at the barbecue stall, and Jake's teaching had been limited. Now, with the opportunity to return to the kitchen, Alan was determined to make the most of it and learn from Jake.
Jake nodded in satisfaction at Alan's enthusiasm.
"Before that, we need to hire waitstaff and some additional chefs. We also need to do some basic renovations in the restaurant," Jake explained.
After Gage had decided to sell the restaurant, he had laid off all the staff. Currently, the restaurant only had Jake and Alan, and they were severely understaffed.
Alan nodded and said, "I know some chefs, Master. If you trust me, I can try to invite them."
Jake smiled and said, "I trust you completely. You can take care of the chef recruitment. I'll handle the recruitment of waitstaff."
Jake had limited knowledge of the culinary industry, but Alan, with his years of experience and previous position as the head chef at Kailomen, had a network of contacts. Jake was more than willing to leave the hiring of chefs in Alan's capable hands.
After their meal, they split up to work on their respective tasks. Jake returned the 500,000 he had borrowed from Alan earlier. Alan set out to contact the chefs he knew, while Jake reached out to a renovation team to plan some basic improvements for the restaurant. As for hiring waitstaff, they would tackle that task at the job market the next morning. Typically, job markets opened in the morning and were less crowded in the afternoon.
Thanks to the proceeds from "Farewell to a Guest," Jake had over 40 million in profits, and the restaurant purchase had cost around 20 million. Therefore, Jake had a substantial budget for renovations and hiring staff.
With money at hand, finding a high-quality renovation team was not a difficult task for Jake. It didn't take long for him to locate a team that met his requirements. After discussing renovation plans and securing an agreement, they assured Jake that they could start working the next day.
The following morning, after Jake finished his workout, he headed to the job market. At this early hour, it was just past 8 a.m., and the job market was yet to open. However, a crowd had already gathered outside, most of them clutching their resumes with hopeful and nervous expressions.
As Jake observed these expressions, he couldn't help but reflect on his own experience a few months ago. Back then, he had been one of these hopeful job seekers, carrying his resume with a heart full of unease, repeatedly going to the job market in search of a suitable job. Each time, he had returned disappointed.
Now, just a few months later, Jake's circumstances had changed. Returning to the job market, he had gone from being a job seeker to an employer.
At 8:30 a.m., the job market opened its doors, and the eager crowd rushed in. Jake had already arranged for a booth at the market after contacting them in advance.
However, when he arrived at the market, he realized how ill-prepared he was. He hadn't brought any recruitment posters, and he hadn't filled out any recruitment information. Moreover, he had come alone, without any assistance.
In a hurry, Jake filled out information on the positions he wanted to hire for, including job descriptions and salary expectations. He was the only one doing this on-site, but it did attract some people who stayed to take a look. However, many left when they saw that Jake was only hiring for positions like waitstaff and front desk roles.
Most of the job seekers at the market had higher education backgrounds and were not interested in working as service staff. This was especially true for recent graduates who still held some pride and were reluctant to take up positions they considered low-status.
However, not everyone left; some people with lower educational backgrounds remained. Jake didn't mind this as he didn't have high educational requirements for these positions. As long as they could read and write, he was satisfied. Of course, for higher-level roles like the front-of-house manager, he had stricter requirements, including experience and education, as he wanted to make his restaurant exceptional.
Jake interviewed three or four candidates who were applying for waitstaff positions. They were all young and had less education, and Jake chatted with them briefly before hiring them.
However, the position of front-of-house manager, which Jake had high hopes for, had not attracted any applicants until now. He considered this position essential because he couldn't be present in the restaurant all the time, and the manager would play a significant role in running the establishment. If the manager's capabilities were lacking, it could have a considerable impact on the restaurant.
"Hello, I'd like to apply for the position of front-of-house manager," a clear voice rang out, catching Jake's attention.
Jake looked up. Even though he was used to seeing beauties like Wendy and Xenia, the person before him left him momentarily stunned.
Delicate features, elegant eyebrows, a cherry-red lip, and a waterfall of luxurious hair neatly tied behind her head gave her an air of both beauty and professionalism.
Fortunately, Jake had met and interacted with women of Wendy and Xenia's caliber quite frequently, so the stunning appearance of the woman before him didn't leave him speechless. He was simply amazed by her beauty but quickly regained his composure.
"Viola?" Jake lowered his head to examine the resume she handed him, and then he said, somewhat surprised, "Your resume is quite impressive."
Viola, 24 years old, had excelled in her studies from a young age, receiving various scholarships. She had attended a renowned university in the M country, graduating a year early with high scholarships every year. In her final year, she interned at a five-star hotel, working as a front-of-house manager.
Viola's resume was indeed impressive. She had both the education and experience required for the job. Jake couldn't understand why someone as talented as Viola would be interested in working at his restaurant.
Although Jake had confidence in his restaurant and believed it would become nationally renowned, others might not see it that way. To most people, his restaurant was just a fledgling establishment in its early stages, and its future was uncertain. It could even go out of business after a short time.
"Why did you choose to apply to my restaurant?" Jake asked. He couldn't fathom why such a remarkable talent as Viola would be interested in his restaurant.
"Because I want to start from scratch," Viola replied confidently. "My dream is to create a top-tier restaurant known nationwide, even worldwide! Your restaurant is just starting out, and from the description, it seems to have excellent basic conditions, meeting my requirements. So, I decided to apply."
Indeed, Viola was an ambitious and confident individual. Even Jake, who had his own aspirations for the restaurant, only aimed to make it nationally renowned. In contrast, Viola aimed to build a world-renowned top-tier restaurant, a goal even more ambitious than Jake's. However, her ambitious spirit wasn't a bad thing, especially considering her abilities. Her determination would provide her with the motivation needed to achieve great things.
"I think your idea is excellent, and I also want to take my restaurant to that level," Jake said with a smile. "I hope we can work together harmoniously and achieve this goal."
"Looking forward to a harmonious collaboration," Viola replied. With the manager position settled, Jake moved on to hiring waitstaff and other positions. These roles had fewer educational and experience requirements and quickly attracted applicants.
Jake had hired all the necessary staff, and there was no need for him to stay longer. As he prepared to leave, he heard someone calling his name. Turning around, he saw someone he didn't want to encounter.
Cody, Jake's college classmate and one of Zora's admirers.
During their college days, many people had a crush on Zora because she was undeniably beautiful and popular. Cody was one of the more prominent admirers.
Cody had been Jake's classmate, and he came from a wealthy family, often spending money extravagantly. He had openly pursued Zora with flowers, gifts, and more, but despite four years of trying, Zora had never agreed to be with him.
Back when Jake had his embarrassing incident with Zora, Cody was one of the most vocal mockers, second only to Winni. Due to his past interactions with Cody, Jake didn't have a favorable impression of him.
"Oh, it's really you. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me," Cody said as he approached. "What? Are you here to find a job?"
Before Jake could respond, Cody continued, "Jobs are hard to come by these days. Look at all these people here; there must be thousands of them. Some have degrees, some have experience, but even with all that, it's tough to find a good job. J City, being such a developed city, has fierce competition. I don't understand why you're staying here. If I were you, I'd have gone back to my hometown long ago. Those small towns in the middle of nowhere have less competition. You might find a good job there."
Cody went on, seemingly giving Jake advice, but in reality, he was belittling him in various ways.
"Thank you for your advice, but I already have a job," Jake replied calmly.
"You have a job? Is it at a clothing factory or an electronics plant?" Cody asked. "Why work so hard to stay in J City? My dad's company is hiring. Didn't you see those students from prestigious universities crying and begging to apply?"
Cody shook a thick stack of resumes in his hand and continued, "See? All of these are applicants."
Jake nodded and said, "Yes, there are quite a few."
"No kidding," Cody said. "In the spirit of being classmates, I wanted to help you out. I could have pulled some strings to get you a position in my dad's company. However, with your qualifications and abilities, I doubt you'd be suitable for any significant role. Fortunately, our company is currently hiring security personnel. You can give it a try."
Jake declined and said, "No, thank you."
"Don't look down on the security position. Many people are vying for it. If it weren't for you being my classmate, I wouldn't have given you this opportunity," Cody said.
"Thanks for your kind offer, but I'm not interested," Jake replied.
Cody commented, "You're quite prideful, huh? Well, if you don't want it, so be it. I'll be on my way. Take your time looking."
Jake watched Cody leave and shook his head slightly. He then left the talent market and went to the restaurant. The renovation team had arrived and was starting the renovation. Since the previous establishment had been a restaurant with a decent interior, Jake didn't plan for a major overhaul. Instead, he focused on refinements to elevate its style.
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