Hi,

My name is Griff. I am a Restaurant Geek. I've been in the business for 24 years. I've done it all. I have washed dishes and managed several restaurants and opened countless others.

Along the way I have learned a few things.

I also cooked for many of those 24 years. That was my passion. "Was" being the operative word, the desire to make more money took precedence.

There is something called politics that is prevalent in the restaurant business, as well as everywhere else. The game that people play - there are no written rules - there is no way to learn how to play well and to keep to your values - Lies and deception are tools of the successful player, and I've been tooled.

Remember that scrumptious BBQ pizza you considered ordering from a national pizza chain?

It was my idea.

Did I get credit for it?

NO WAY! My boss did.

I was bored one day at work and started fiddling around with stuff I found in the walk-in cooler. Every restaurant has stuff in the walk-in that has nothing to do with the menu items . Anyway, I made some hand-tossed pizzas, brushed on a healthy layer of BBQ sauce, found some BBQ beef an employee had left from his lunch, added that, and topped it all off with a triple cheese blend of Mozzarella, Monterey Jack and Cheddar.

Ya Know What? That was one awesome pizza!

So I offered a slice of it to my District Manager...and I found MY BBQ PIZZA on the National Menu 6 months later. I felt violated, right there in the kitchen. My immediate manager, after hearing my story, said he would ask the DM about MY BBQ PIZZA. Nothing ever happened. It is a good bet he said nothing, even though he said he would and said he did. What a wuss.

Look for MY BBQ Pizza from time to time and I'll see you later "In The Weeds".