SCPL Online NonFiction Book Club discussion

If you're a little ways into Jen Agg's book, you'll be getting a real sense of her personality. She is very creative, extremely confident and is never short on opinions. Not to mention driven. She is extremely driven!

That's why I was surprised to read about when Jen offered a partnership to her Chef Grant van Gameren when she opened the Black Hoof. She always seemed like the person who needed to be "large and in charge" and that sharing the limelight was not an option. Granted, Jen was not actually a Chef, so there was a need to have someone who could prepare food be a part of her restaurant. The fact that she offered him a partnership though was fairly unexpected.

Although on Page 167 Jen says that "having a cook as talented as Grant was essential of the Hoof's explosive success," it's clear that as you continue to read through the chapters, Jen and Grant's relationship and partnership was headed in a permanent downward spiral.

Initially, Jen has a lot of good things to say about Grant but in chapter 11 she airs all the dirty laundry making comments like, "Grant was constantly trying to interfere with how I ran the front of the house, while I tried never to interfere with how he ran the kitchen and always gave him the benefit of the doubt." (Pg. 194) Throughout the chapter, Grant is often painted as the one in the wrong while Jen is at the long-suffering receiving end. In a Globe and Mail article, however, Grant points out that Jen doesn't get the respect she wants because she is a bully.

What do you think about Jen and Grant's relationship? Are they both in the wrong in how they treat each other? Do you think it's fair in how Jen described their interactions?

I got really confused at this part. In fact I stopped reading for a bit. I do not understand WHY she basically gave him half her restaurant and then bought him out. It’s a great deal for him! It seemed really out of character for her though. Maybe I missed something about the importance of having a good chef on hand but I still don’t get it.

The way Jen described their interactions is obviously her version which is totally fair. It’s her book. If he wants his version of the story out there then he can write a book too. Is she a bully? Probably but it’s also gotten her where she is. The fact that she turns around and plays the victim is a bit weird. I personally can’t imagine working for her but then again I doubt I’d cut it in any restaurant.

I have worked in negative stressful environments though and they’re terrible. No one should live dreading going to work because of the atmosphere. I’m glad Jen finally cut Grant loose. I’m just surprised it took her as long as it did.

You make some great points in your comment Heidi!

I second it that Jen essentially giving up half of her restaurant to someone else seemed really out of character. Maybe she was experiencing 'growing pains' as an owner and this was just one of those lessons that was learned the hard way? She does seem like someone who wants to believe the best about a person and then is really let down when they are not the type of person who she initially thought they were. Do you think that's a fair opinion?

You're absolutely right that Jen is allowed to write whatever she wants in her book! (I would do the same!) The conflicting personalities though (strong feminist vs. martyr) is sometimes confusing.

She definitely did the right thing in the end - going separate ways from Grant. They're both better people for it though it's too bad that they couldn't have parted on friendlier terms! They had very different personalities though and were creating a toxic workplace that likely would have imploded eventually.