Waitress Risks Job To Help Homeless Man
Who Is He?
The man Julia spent the last fortnight feeding evaporated right before her eyes. In his place rose someone that looked just like him but had an air of sophistication to him.
None of it made sense. Jean-Pierre’s harsh facial features softened as Ayaz introduced himself with his hand held out. Julia gasped when the man explained who he truly was.
Julia Brundle
Finding Zest
Julia Brundle had always been a unique individual. While girls gravitated toward dolls and doll houses, Julia found her love in cookbooks and easy bake ovens.
While most kids her age had no clue about what they wanted to be when they grew up, Julia was already detailing a career path for herself. She had no clue how challenging it was to break into her chosen profession.
The Reality Of Things
Eater SF
By the time Julia was in college, she realized how difficult achieving her dream was. There was constant competition in the cuisine field, especially in her home city of San Fransisco. The financial end of things was also another constraint.
Although Julia’s parents supported her throughout all her pursuits, they couldn’t afford to send her to the best culinary schools in the country. But Julia wouldn’t drown under such circumstances. She decided to find work so she could take care of her tuition.
A Great Beginning
Eater SF
Julia searched around for suitable work. Of course, her interest was focused on restaurants. It wasn’t long before her passion and knowledge of food snared the attention of a manager at a local restaurant.
The restaurant itself, La Vie en Rose, was a high-end 2-Star Michelin-rated place. To Julia, it was the perfect space for her to pursue her dreams. But her excitement would quickly morph into raw dread.
Dreams And Nightmares
Health Central
Julia landed the position of waitress after a somewhat rushed training period. She’d heard around that the restaurant’s management and standards had been slipping lately. It didn’t take her long to see the truth in what she was hearing.
Most of her coworkers were impatient, snobby, and outright rude. But none of them matched up to the head chef, Jean-Pierre, who was as nasty as he was mean, especially to Julia. What had started as a dream come true was now a never-ending nightmare.
An Unexpected Friend
Daveblog
Looking to make the most out of her experience at the restaurant, Julia kept a smile on her face and worked as hard as possible. Despite her efforts, she was paid the least. Her coworkers treated her coldly, and most of the time, she spent her breaks alone.
Looking for a change of scene during these moments, Julia began eating her lunch across the streets by herself. That’s when she made an unexpected friend.
Keen Eyes
Somerset Gazette
On many of her lunch breaks, Julia had seen a homeless man sitting on the pavement across from the restaurant. His gaze was always glued to the building, his concentration never wavering.
Seeing him sit through the harsh elements of their city made Julia feel sad for him. She’d seen how much high-end ingredients the restaurant wasted every day and knew she could put it all to better use.
Becoming Friends
By Food Safety Nation
Julia set on special missions to and from the kitchen. She’d sneak out ingredients every day, using them to prepare gourmet dishes in a bid to improve her culinary skills.
She’d carry these meals to work as lunch and share them with the homeless man, most of the time sitting with him to eat. Before she knew it, the two of them had become tight friends.
He Knows Things
Today Show
Julia got to know her friend more, realizing that was a very fascinating person. He was called Ayaz, and he always thanked her for her kindness. What was even more interesting was his knowledge of food.
He appreciated her approach to flavor and texture, complimenting her presentation skills and how she blended different cuisines into single meals. Although he rarely shared anything about himself, he’d listen everytime Julia opened up about her troubles.
Dangerous Grounds
WRAL
Julia and Ayaz’s friendship blossomed. But her professional career was suffering back at the restaurant. Their ratings were the worst she’d ever been, and the staff, headed by Jean-Pierre, were nastier than ever.
Although Julia knew that taking ingredients from the restaurant was wrong, she saw it as a better alternative to the wastefulness of Jean-Pierre and the other cooks. She kept taking from the stores, but she’d get caught red-handed one day.
Her Dreams Were Crushed
The Mirror
Jean-Pierre had never hidden his disdain for Julia. After catching her pinching the spare ingredients, he marched her into the back office and fired her on the spot. Julia was devastated and left the restaurant in tears.
Ayaz spotted her and was angry when she explained what had happened. To her surprise, Ayaz took her by the hand and marched her straight back inside the restaurant. That was when she learned who he really was.
The Truth Revealed
Padoooficial
The sight of a vagrant walking Julia back inside made Jean-Pierre livid. He began shouting and tried to get them both thrown out. His comments about Ayaz being “dirty” and “a bum” were vile. Instead, Ayaz calmly took off the ragged clothes he wore.
Remarkably, amid the grizzly beard and long hair, he now wore a crisp suit. His sudden transformation left Jean-Pierrel speechless as Ayaz stuck out his hand and introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Ayaz”, he said. “I’m the new owner of this restaurant.”
His Story
Padoooficial
Ayaz was actually a prominent food critic and an acclaimed chef himself. After hearing of the restaurant’s troubles, he considered buying it himself. He first decided to investigate why standards had been slipping.
Pretending to be homeless gave him the perfect vantage point from which to keep a close eye on the place. As Julia listened, she realized with dread that she had been sharing the stolen ingredients with the restaurant’s owner all this time.
A New Day
The Guardian
Aya explained that the staff’s toxic habits, wastefulness, and Jean-Pierre’s treatment of subordinates disgusted him. He was initially put off from buying the restaurant. Turning to Julia, he explained that only her work ethic, kind nature, and generosity had changed his mind
Julia epitomized all the traits he admired and respected in employees. It was because of her that he eventually decided to buy the restaurant and bring back its former glory.
It All Paid Off
The Balance Careers
As the owner, Ayaz immediately dismissed Jean-Pierre and most of the kitchen staff. From her delicious lunches, Ayaz recognized Julia’s talent and culinary instincts. He appointed her as his apprentice chef so that she could learn directly under his tutelage.
The restaurant was soon the toast of the town again. After many struggles, Julia’s persistence, kindness, and determination led to her becoming a rising star in the culinary world, and all her dreams were finally realized.
