Why I Had to Fire Myself From My Own Kitchen

When I first opened my restaurant, I thought the secret to success was simple: never stop moving.

So I cooked, served, plated, poured drinks, wiped tables, ran to the stockroom, and, when the night was done, probably scrubbed the toilets, too.

I was clocking 38 hours a week in the kitchen and on the floor, basically auditioning for the role of World’s Most Exhausted Employee.

Except… small problem. I wasn’t hired to be the head chef, dishwasher, bartender, and waiter rolled into one. I was supposed to be the owner. The one actually steering the business.

But instead of being the captain of the ship, I was down in the engine room shovelling coal.

What Went Wrong

I thought being everywhere meant being in control. Spoiler: it didn’t.

•  My hands were on the pans, but not on the finances.
•  I was serving tables instead of serving up strategy.
•  I was plating curries when I should’ve been cooking up marketing campaigns.

And the bank account? Yeah… let’s just say it wasn’t impressed by how many plates I could carry at once.

The Wake-Up Call

One night, after another 14-hour shift, it hit me: I didn’t own a business. I was the business.

And if I keeled over tomorrow, the whole thing would collapse like a badly made soufflé.

That’s when I realised something had to change. Fast.

How I Fixed It

1. Hung up my apron (well, mostly)
   I stopped being the “everything person.” The team could cook and serve. My job was to run the show, not star in every scene.

1. Started doing CEO work
   Instead of chopping onions, I chopped down costs. Instead of making curry paste, I started making marketing plans.

1. Let go of control
   Turns out my staff were not only capable—they were better at some things than me. (Don’t tell them I said that.)

1. Stopped confusing busy with productive
   Newsflash: you don’t get a gold medal for working the most hours in your own business. You just get tired. Really, really tired.

What I’d Do Differently

If I could go back, I’d spend less time sweating over the stove and more time sweating over the spreadsheets. I’d stop trying to be the hero of every shift and focus on building a business that didn’t collapse the moment I stepped out the door.

Because here’s the truth: If you’re too busy serving customers, you’re not serving your business. And if you’re too busy cooking, you’re not cooking up growth.

👉 And if you’re stuck in the same cycle—working in your business instead of on it—that’s exactly where I can help. Inside Booked, I’ll show you how to reclaim your time, focus on income-generating tasks, and finally step into the CEO seat (without your business falling apart).