Chapter 30 - 28 Secretly Adjusting the Quality
The dishes were served one after another. Li Si took a few bites and, using the excuse of going to the restroom, headed to the office to find Cui Hao.
She pushed open the door to see Cui Hao sitting on the sofa, a cigarette in hand. The ashtray already held several extinguished butts.
"Uncle Cui, is there something wrong?"
Li Si sat down, coughing twice from the smoke, and asked curiously.
"Li Si, the man you just saw is the head chef of our restaurant's kitchen. He was introduced to me by a friend. I originally thought he was trustworthy since we were all acquaintances. Who would've thought he'd pull something like this!" Cui Hao stood up to open the window for some fresh air, then turned back and let out a sigh.
Li Si nodded, signaling him to continue. "Since the opening, our reputation for the food has been excellent, and we've had a lot of repeat customers. According to the contract, we've already been paying the staff the highest standard wages. But just now, he came to negotiate terms. Besides his salary, he wants all kitchen staff's wages doubled. Otherwise, they'll leave together!"
Li Si rubbed her fingers thoughtfully. Money wasn't the issue—the problem was his attitude. Did he think just because of his cooking skills, he could suddenly raise his terms? If they gave in this time, what about next time? Would something like this keep happening?
"Uncle Cui, what are you planning to do?"
"The day after tomorrow is New Year's Day, and after that, it's close to the Spring Festival. This is the worst time to hire replacements. He likely thinks we have no way to deal with them!"
"Can you still find kitchen staff, Uncle Cui?"
"I can do it, but I'm worried it might affect our business. That's why I wanted to discuss it with you. If things slow down during this critical period, it wouldn't be good!" Cui Hao couldn't help but feel frustrated. If this were his own business, he would have replaced them without hesitation. But since it was Li Si's business, he felt it was important to consult with her first.