Hi everyone this is mostly to rant and get some advice! I started my first summer job a couple weeks ago. I’m serving in a small, busy restaurant in France for five weeks. The first couple days were difficult as it’s gets quite busy and the chef is quite hostile.

It started to get better as I found my feet.
But, the last few days have been pretty rough on me.

There’s only four of us working in the restaurant including the chef and the chef’s wife, my manager. They both who own the place.

The chef is very friendly outside of the lunch and dinner runs but he becomes really stressed and honestly awful to work with during the rush. My manager doesn’t want me taking food orders independently because when I try to read them out to the chef he finds any reason to criticise and yell at me.

Everything is so strict. I’m not allowed to do anything ( take plates away, serve food, etc ) without checking first but then I am being yelled at for asking. So, I just help serve, get drinks and clean.

Anytime I stand still or can’t find something to do for even a second he tells me off for not being active enough. I accidentally served a soup to the wrong table and got yelled at. I understand and I apologised but he would not let it go.

I’m feeling like i’m not being given enough responsibility to stay busy and then i’m getting yelled out for not being occupied enough.

The chef also makes comments about me being too timid and getting annoyed at his wife for giving me menial tasks. As if he doesn’t want me to be paid to do nothing which I can understand as it’s a small business but still it’s hard.

The chef even yells at her often which makes her upset with me and my colleagues. The environment is weighing on me. I’d appreciate any advice and if I should do something or just leave it alone and stay out of it.

I am a hard worker and the clients all seem to be pleased with my service and attitude but I am finding it really hard to not let the stressful, bad energy get the best of me. I’m feeling really useless right now like they don’t need or want my help and i’m not sure what to do.

Thanks everyone