Bittersweet

Last night a former employee came to visit. He left last year because his girlfriend was going to be going to nursing school a few hours north of here and he was going to be going along with her.

He was a great cook and really passionate about food, probably one of only two really thoughtful, committed cooks I've had in this kitchen. When he left it was rough for all three of us (him, me and the GM), he cried when he told us he was giving notice and we were close to doing the same. but it was the right thing for him to do.

He and his gf are getting married this summer which is wonderful. They'll be having the ceremony down here since this is where she's from and her family is here. In the meantime he's working in a kitchen north of here. He told me he's working with a bunch of people around his age who are all passionate about what they're doing, that there are an amazing number of farms they're dealing with and he's having a really great time. They found a great place for affordable rent a few blocks from where he works.

This is all great. I'm really happy for them. But his girlfriend didn't get accepted to the nursing program so there was no reason for them to leave in the first place. I know it's the thing for him to be doing but I miss him in the kitchen and I know the rest of the crew, particularly the waiters miss him as well.