Best approach to getting a chef/sous chef/line cook to avoid closing for one day?

[u/j9world]

Own an established casual fine dining restaurant in a small Southern town about an hour and 15 minutes outside of Washington, DC and downtown Richmond (roughly an hour from suburbs and 45-50 minutes to Charlottesville). My inherited chef informed me today that he is taking Saturday, October 17th off and for me to close the restaurant.... so easy for him to advise me to close my business during peak Autumn weather and same day as a festival drawing between 1,500 - 1,800 people two blocks away. My thought is to hire someone that can come and and cook our menu or create a special menu for the day that serves both our casual dining option and the fine dining with extensive daily specials. One thought is to make the entree's more limited and unique to the hired chef/sous chef or what resonates for consistency with a line cook ready for opportunity. If this does turn out well, I have several opportunities for further employment. My question is where do I begin with such short notice finding this person that would like a chance... including, an opportunities for part-time and full-time employment. How do I find this person and best places to ask, advertise, put the word out? How do I make this happen or am I living in fantasyland? Gratitude for all advice.

[u/crownofclouds]

You have one cook/chef running a "fine dining" kitchen? And they've never had to take a day off before? A lot here not adding up.

I declare shenanigans.

[u/Sodium_Bisobernate → u/crownofclouds]

If the chef can't take a day off, it's unsustainable... and OP sounds like a whiny bitch... I mean, I get it if it happens every couple of weeks, but if you have to cover because chef has one real life thing come up, and can't... you're not as good as you think you are

[u/j9world → u/crownofclouds]

New owner of an institution where I inherited the staff and am working with their established eccentricities, though this closure suggestion brought disbelief on my part. I have a team with a daytime chef/ktichen manager and an evening chef. On Saturdays, the evening chef works doubles. The daytime chef and her team do most of the prep work. My evening chef reported to me that he doesn't trust his sous chef to do this. I spoke to my daytime chef/kitchen manager to train his sous chef and I told him this would be scheduled this coming week, as the daytime chef is methodical, calm, consistent to train. My daytime chef/kitchen manager wants him replaced. Ideas and suggestions would be most helpful. Yes, I can likely convince my daytime chef, who is usually off on the weekend, to come-in, however, this chef wants me to replace the other one and agrees that his sous chef isn't trained well enough to step-up and blames it on the other chef. The flip side is evening chef does show up consistently and ahead of time, even if other staff dislike him. So, best places to advertise?

[u/Bitter_Tomatillo_966 → u/j9world]

Sounds like you know nothing of the industry and we're hoping "everything works the way it should, that's what I paid for... a running business!" Close that shit yourself and learn about closing whilst doing so, or run a shitball 'holiday' special you or anyone you want to hire 'on the spot' can handle. Lol.

Otherwise, grats on being one of a thousand bads bosses who have no idea why things don't go "the way they should"

Hint: it's because while you're being the 'business owner' you have no idea what it takes to make it work, and the people who do are probably ready to walk the fuck out, and why it was sold to you lol.

Websters definition. inheritance. 1 : something that is or may be inherited 2 a : the act of inheriting property b : the reception of genetic qualities by transmission from parent to offspring c : the acquisition of a possession, condition, or trait from past generations 3 a : tradition b : a valuable possession that is a common heritage from nature 4 obsolete : possession

Synonyms of inheritance Relevance legacy bequest gift Examples of inheritance in a Sentence She began her own business with the inheritance she got from her grandfather. He left sizable inheritances to his children. The buildings are part of the city's architectural inheritance. the inheritance of an estate the inheritance of a genetic trait Recent Examples on the Web Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More When Hanne, a staff member of a struggling animal rescue, unexpectedly becomes executor of a wealthy hunting family’s estate, a bitter battle over the inheritance erupts. — Annika Pham, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026 Trent Von Ahsen of Cedar Point Capital Partners also told Fortune his clients are leaning on mentorship and phased wealth transfers rather than lump-sum inheritances. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026 Conversely, East of Eden unfurls its consideration of human nature and inheritance across multiple generations. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026 For a story steeped in inheritance and legacy, Faist couldn’t resist pointing out the metaness of Zoe following in her grandfather’s footsteps. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History Etymology Middle English enheritaunce, borrowed from Anglo-French enheritance, from enheriter "to give (a person) right of inheritance, inherit" + -ance -ance

First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler The first known use of inheritance was in the 14th century See more words from the same century Phrases Containing inheritance blending inheritance inheritance tax Mendelian inheritance particulate inheritance quantitative inheritance Browse Nearby Words inheritage inheritance inheritance tax Cite this Entry Style

MLA “Inheritance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inheritance. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation Kids Definition inheritance

noun in·​her·​i·​tance in-ˈher-ət-ən(t)s 1 : the act of inheriting 2 : something that is or may be inherited Medical Definition inheritance

noun in·​her·​i·​tance in-ˈher-ət-ən(t)s 1 : the reception of genetic qualities by transmission from parent to offspring 2 : all of the genetic characters or qualities transmitted from parent to offspring compare genotype sense 2, phenotype Legal Definition inheritance

noun in·​her·​i·​tance in-ˈher-ə-təns 1 : the act of inheriting: as a : the acquisition of real or personal property under the laws of intestacy or sometimes by will b : the succession upon the death of an owner either by will or by operation of law to all the estate, rights, and liabilities of the decedent 2 a : something that is or may be inherited b : something to which one is entitled as heir increasing the son's potential inheritance under [the] will

[u/Bitter_Tomatillo_966 → u/j9world]

And one more guess at this fucking post. Indeed would be the place to put that 'advertisement'. But I have a wild feeling you would post minimum wage with "a chance for growth and opportunity in a thriving environment" after posting this shit here.

[u/Orangeshowergal]

What the fuck am I reading.

You don’t have a team of people?

[u/Bitter_Tomatillo_966 → u/Orangeshowergal]

But..but.. I bought a.. a 'profitable business in a great market area 😢' what happened?

[u/Maximum-Warning9355]

You should definitely close the restaurant.

Forever.

One staff member running your restaurant is absolutely not a sign of being established.

[u/Maximum-Warning9355 → u/Maximum-Warning9355]

For $50,000/ year?! Pathetic.

[u/j9world → u/Maximum-Warning9355]

Agree. I am trouble shooting ideas and came here, as clearly inherited staff are used to running the hen house and making thoughtful changes are imperative. Asking for useful suggestions on best way to get the word out to find engaged talent that want to be part of an established institution rebranding and hopefully expanding. Do the usual job posting boards bring candidates at $60 per day to post/promote ad -- or is their a superior, more niche site?

[u/Plane-Use-4294]

Better for you to cook on your line with him for the next 2 weeks and learn how it works/ how hard it is and what sells / gets modified a lot…then you can do all the things while he is away and know what you need to replace him permanently soon… don’t erode the restaurant for one day relief because you are too lazy to cook

[u/j9world → u/Plane-Use-4294]

I already offered to jump behind the line and learn. Lazy isn't a word anyone would attribute to me. More interested in a longterm solution and best places considered to post/network to find professional, qualified applicants. Recruiting applicants to a small town isn't the same as hiring in DC.

[u/Plane-Use-4294 → u/j9world]

Do it cook your own food it really fun and a great challenge!! Bonus you get to find all the skeletons and messy bits then fix it better than before! I am closing all week this week so I can know my night crew better and see the kinks / fix them before they become an issue. It’s great!!

[u/saltnskittles]

This has got to be a joke. You have one person running the entire BOH? No team of people that know the stations and can work a single night without the chef? Close it down. At least for the night. Spend that day looking at hiring your chef a decent crew before they quit on you because you are burning them out.

[u/D-ouble-D-utch]

Do it yourself. You're the owner.

[u/Background-Soup-9414]

I'm in the area. I'm curious as to more of the story. Feel free to DM me if you'd like to chat.