Advice needed

Hey everybody, I know I'm not the most active member in the forum but I feel like I need advice from someone outside of my usual circle. I'll start by saying I've been working as a sushi chef at a pretty average hibachi restaurant for about the past 5 years. I started as a server and was trained by a great traditional japanese sushi chef.
He worked with the company for over ten years but has been doing sushi for around 20. Management at the restaurant is horrible and because of the the quality of everything outside our small sushi bar has gone wayyyy downhill.
Two weeks ago, the day before my chef left for his yearly japan trip my chef and the gm got in a big fight. Gm accused him of not liking him and talking **** behind the gms back. My chef said he liked him as a person but didn't like how the restaurant was run. He suggested a meeting with the owners, assistant manager, and the head hibachi chef. That's when the gm backed off.
On return from his trip to japan my chef was pulled in the office within 5 minutes of being back and fired. The gm told him he couldn't do his job with my chef there.
Here's the tough part. I was offered the head chef position. I feel like if I stay I'm stabbing the guy who taught me everything in the back. The gm told me if I took the position I couldn't hold the firing against him because he had to let him go (I believe to keep his position safe).
I was so uncomfortable working yesterday, especially with te majority of customers asking where our other chef was. I know this restaurant isn't where I want to stay in the long run, I'm only 25, but the money is good. If I take the head chef position it would be great money but I feel like I would be stabbing him in the back/ making a very classless decision. My chef and I were actually in the talks of opening our own place in the not so distant future(money being the limiting factor) I really would like to find another job. Ideally one where I could work under my old chef still but I know the likelihood of a place hiring the both of us is pretty slim. The other thing I know is I wouldn't be able to find another job making anywhere near the amount of money the gm is currently offering.
Sorry for the rant an if you read this far thank you. I know it's kind of all over the place but that's how my head has been the past 24 hours.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

And let me add that the gm has been there for 17 years, and has the most contact with the owners so pretty much his side of the story is what they know

I say take the job. I think your chef/mentor would understand. If you don't like it, you can always move along, but this will be excellent for your resume. Being the boss teaches you a lot about yourself and other people.
How will you feel if they find someone lame to take the job? You will beat yourself up for not taking it.
You've got bills to pay and need a job, leaving now would be taking a big risk. Save the extra $$$$$ you make from this place to open up your own, if that's the plan.
Keep us posted!!!

Talk to the ex-chef/ your mentor if you are concerned prior to accepting the position. Keep the door open for following him to a new place. And just because you take the head chef job right now it doesn't mean that you can't leave next year for a place where you would rather be. Or next month. Or next week.

30 years of owning and operating my own business and I can tell you without hesitation, it was not your fault things went as they did. As such, there is no need to feel guilty taking the position.

That being said, if you intend to grow and develop as a manager, you must have a positive working relationship with your manager. You must be aligned and have a mutual respect. You will never succeed if you secretly detest his skills as a manger. It will show in your actions and possibly your words to others.

My advice is take the position, open your mind to the possibility that there is another side to the story, and throw yourself into to it.

Be open and honest with your manager, and seek his direction on what his goals for you would be in this new position. If you are putting your heart into it, and going in with an open mind, you can get a real feel for yourself what the issues are and then decide if this is for you or not.

I wouldn't take it. I'd focus on finding a new job.

If management is the issue, and the manager is staying and not going to change, you're just going to face the same issues as your chef. You're just a different person in the same situation as your chef before you.

I wouldn't take it either.

You stated in the beginning, "Management at the restaurant is horrible and because of the the quality of everything outside our small sushi bar has gone wayyyy downhill."

I would assume this is your opinion and not your chef's on the state of the place. To take a position as the face or lead of a place you don't believe in is quite a compromise to make as a 25 year old, when your stakes aren't nearly as high I'm assuming unless you're one of those young guys that has all his stuff together and already has a wife, mortgage, kids, etc. etc. beyond having to take care of his rent/knife habit. I don't doubt you have faith in your abilities and that doesn't seem to be the question buy your previous chef seemed to be well versed in your opinion and couldn't do anything about the state of the place save to keep up the quality in the realm that he had direct control over to a point, which ultimately came to a head showing that he could only do so much for so long.

How is your professional network in Charleston and how serious were your discussions of opening a place? What's the possibility of expanding your focus, learning new techniques in another cuisine while working on a pop up venture with your former chef? Where is his head at?

Learning to be a boss is a very important skill to have, but who you are learning from is incredibly important. Good luck.

WildBoar said:

Talk to the ex-chef/ your mentor if you are concerned prior to accepting the position. Keep the door open for following him to a new place. And just because you take the head chef job right now it doesn't mean that you can't leave next year for a place where you would rather be. Or next month. Or next week.

Click to expand...

+1.

Money shouldn't be the deciding factor at this point in your career unless you are a clock puncher then whatever floats your boat I guess

Don't take it. Not just because of loyalty, but because it sounds like the GM is a problem. You will be next, or you will need to compromise your values. I would not make that choic at 25, you have your whole life ahead of you. Start by defining what you stand for, be strong and don't make decisions based upon fear of the unknown. Doesn't mean you need to quit know, but I would start looking for a another opportunity. My 2 cents