Chef told worker grabbing supplies wasn't his job — so he stood at the counter screaming every item on his list until the chef ran to get them all

Working in a fast-paced environment can be stressful, but it also requires one to be thick-skinned. A restaurant employee who goes by u/WinterStrawberries6 on Reddit usually worked as a runner (delivering food from the kitchen to the buffet area). During a busy night, runners would sometimes get a few items themselves from the kitchen without bothering the chef or other staff. But a year ago, a particular chef screamed at the author for doing so and told them to stay outside the kitchen. Frustrated, the author decided to follow his instructions and let the chef face the consequences of his own policy. The post, shared on June 23, 2026, has received 2,000 upvotes online. 

The chef said no

Each staff member at the buffet restaurant had one job to do. The author was usually assigned a runner's job since they were the fastest among their peers. Runners had to pick the food from the kitchen and return within 3 minutes. If they took longer, the leader would call them or the kitchen to ask where they were. During an understaffed shift, the author stepped into the kitchen to get some green onions. They already knew where all the items were, so it wasn't a problem, until a chef came up and screamed at them for doing a job that wasn't theirs. The chef told them to "just ask and wait." Not wanting to cause any trouble, the author complied silently. 

A taste of his own medicine

The next time the author needed something, they saw the chef prepping and began screaming all the items on their list. They wrote, "I knew where they were and could have grabbed it during the time I was screaming the names and waiting." When the chef did not respond, they screamed again. Annoyed, the chef told them to stop yelling since it was just him in the kitchen. They mentioned the 3-minute window because they would be questioned for taking too long. The chef then told them to "just go in there and grab it," but the author refused. They pointed out what happened last time and said that if things took longer, they would have to inform the leader first. Frustrated, the chef ran around the kitchen, grabbed the items, and stopped complaining about runners stepping into the kitchen. 

When rules get in the way

The chef was very stern about runners not stepping inside the kitchen, unaware that such excessive rules can often hamper productivity. In fact, an Employee Outlook Survey (of 2,000 UK employees) from the CIPD found that 28% of respondents agreed that unnecessary rules and procedures adversely affect their productivity. Moreover, 39% of respondents said the freedom to use their own initiative, just like the author did to avoid spending more than 3 minutes in the kitchen, makes them more productive at work. 

'Chefs can't take the heat'

Meanwhile, netizens noted how chefs think it is normal to scream and yell at their kitchen staff. Several people commended the author for following the rules and yelling right back. u/Pixiedragon71 commented, "I love how you just screamed it out on repeat. Chefs love to yell, but can't take it when yelled at." u/glow_rosie added, "Lol yeah, that's some classic sus behavior, acting all mad when u call out their own bs."

More on Scoop Upworthy

Barista's reply to chef making life miserable for staff is diabolical in its simplicity

Texas restaurant owner's reply to a homophobic customer's nasty review is just chef's kiss

Employees follow their beloved boss in quitting toxic workplace, eventually forcing it to shut down