60 Promotion (2/2)

Ye Jiayao quickly put her book away in her clothes. This was what she was going to become wealthy with, she had to take good care of it.

Manager Li made the decision, after careful thought, to promote Li Yao be the head chef.

There was nothing to doubt about Li Yao's cooking skills. The business these few days have been getting much better. A lot of customers came back, reacting avidly to their new dishes. Li Yao also got along with everyone quite well. It seemed that other than Zhong Xiang, who didn't seem to like him, other people have already taken in Li Yao as the leader. He was able to accomplish this in such a short time, it was a solid testament to his ways of socialization.

If he didn't give this valuable asset higher privileges and a better contract, he would likely be poached away by others.

Ye Jiayao knocked on the door and called, ”Manager Li?”

”Come in.”

Ye Jiayao pushed the door and stepped in, smiling politely. ”Manager Li, you were asking for me?”

Manager Li waved his hand to the envelope in front of him. ”Come look at this first.”

Ye Jiayao took it and opened it. It was a contract raising her to head chef.

”Manager, this….”

”Li Yao, I look at your abilities favorably. From the first day you came here, I knew you had the capabilities to be the head chef. After a few days of observation, you didn't disappoint. The kitchen needs a head chef, and you are the one I'm putting in this task,” Manager Li said.

Ye Jiayao was very happy to have reached head chef this quickly. A head chef's salary was more than double of what normal chefs get. The salary was 18 pieces and it would increase by five each year. It was said that great chef level was at least 30-40 pieces, but the top chef had no limit. It could be 100 or more. Some owners would even give the top chefs a share of their business just to keep them.

She hesitated when she noticed the date. It was for another five years. If she just wanted a job to feed herself, this was perfect. However, her goal was to open her own restaurant. Five years was too long, and from the contract, the cost of leaving halfway was a bit too much.

”Manager Li, can we change this period? I don't even know if I'll be staying in Jin Ling for five years,” Ye Jiayao said.

Manager Li shook his head and said, ”This is the rules of the profession. A third-grade chef has a minimum of one year, and a first-grade chef has a minimum of three years. Brother Yao, cultivating a head chef is hard, and the treatment I'm offering you is much better than other restaurants. Even Xiang Yi Tower and Fu Ji only give their head chefs 15 pieces a month with only two to three pieces increment. I can prepare you to be the greatest chef in Jin Ling, Brother Yao.”

”Manager, I'm grateful for this, I really am. It's just that... I'm used to traveling all over the place. If you can change it to three years, during of which, I'll prepare someone to be as good as me, I can accept it,” Ye Jiayao offered.

Manager Li hesitated. From the restaurant's perspective, the longer the contract the better because changing chefs also meant losing customers. However, Li Yao has offered to prepare a head chef that would be as good as him. A chef's art was the basis of their survival so Li Yao's proposal had him thinking.

”I can see the merits of that, but... how about both of us think about it some more? Okay?” Manager Li still wanted Li Yao to sign with the restaurant for five years.

Ye Jiayao headed downstairs and was immediately dragged to the backyard by Deng Haichuan and Cui Dongpeng.

”What are you guys doing?” she protested.

The two looked around to make sure no one else was within hearing distance.

Deng Chuanhai asked conspiratorially, ”Brother Yao, I heard that the manager was promoting you as the head chef?”

Ye Jiayao laughed. ”Wow! Your ears are really good, where did you hear this from, again?”

Cui Dongpeng laughed and said, ”Brother Yao, tell us, is it true?”

”Do you want it to be true?” Ye Jiayao asked them instead.

”Of course, Brother Yao. We all want to work with you,” Cui Dongpeng said honestly.

Deng Haichuan nodded.

Ye Jiayao actually really liked the work environment here, there were no higher-ups abusing them nor people scheming against each other. Everyone worked together happily here. If it was just for three years, she would've signed the contract in an instant.

”Yes, the manager wants me as the head chef, but I'm still thinking about it.”

Their jaws dropped.

”Brother Yao, this is a good thing! Most chefs could only dream about this! What else do you need to think about?” Deng Haichuan asked in disbelief.

”He's right, Brother Yao. If you don't accept this, the manager would get a head chef from somewhere else. If it's someone that's hard to get along with, everyone would suffer again,” Cui Dongpeng said, his face sour.

”It's not that I don't want to do it, the problem is that the manager wants to sign me for five years,” Ye Jiayao explained.

”Did you reject it?” Deng Haichuan asked.