Pretty sure you should do something to make sure that doesn't happen to other people. Tell everybody that the business is a hostile work environment. Hit his wallet until the owner understands that his employees well being matter to customers too. Upset or angry employees create bad service. It's management 101.

How has no one picked up on 'laugh me at'?

Well done for sticking out 8 months in a place like that.

Srry op

It's unfair to be fired for doing the right thing, OP. FYL

You should have been ******** on the busboys. Every place has a food chain -- you've got to take shit from those above you and give it to those below you.

**** your boss!

This is long!!!! But it's advice to any young cooks. It's a shitty industry. The nicer the food the shittier the enviornment can be. I've seen knife fights in fine dinning!!! A bit of hazing or abuse is perfectly normal. Taking it for 8 months is not. At that point you should have proven yourself, or they just hated you. You didn't fit in is a better way to put it. I've been in places where I though my fellow cooks were Beavis and Butthead. If you're an intellectual in a frat house kitchen it's going to suck and vice versa. Losing your cool during service was a mistake. A big one. It showed lack of focus. You may have walked right into a trap. I don't like my staff (I'm usually a Sous) behaving that way, and I don't tolerate ******** on the lower levels. I once was discplined for punching a saucier who was giving the dishwasher attitude, the DW was pissed about scorched pots and complained. The saucier told him he's lucky to have the job and replacable with another (slur) refugee. I punched him and said a saucier that keeps burning pots is a hack and even in more danger of being replaced. "Wash your own pots. the DW won't complain, and you'll take more care about scorching" Maybe you were supposed to stand-up for yourself sooner. 8 months of keeping your cool is commendable, but it doesn't show that you've got balls. Maybe you were expect to shoot back occasionally. I don't know. Every kitchen has it's "vibe", and it's usually dictated from the top so it sounds like you were kinda screwed. There was a little bird that waited too long to fly south for the winter. Come November the chill gets you him, and he takes off for Florida. Unfortunate the late departure meant that it was too cold to fly and freezing and weak he crashed to the ground. He accepted his impending death. Shortly after a cow dump a huge turd on him. The warmth of the crap saved him from freezing and he sang with joy that he wasn't dead. A cat heard the singing, dug the bird out of the cow patty, and ate him. The moral of the story. Not everyone that ***** on you is your enemy. And, not everyone that digs you out of a pile of shit is your friend. So if you are HAPPY in a pile of shit keep your mouth shut Good luck with the next one

The kitchen enviroment is pretty rough, in the lovable way, but if they are down right picking on you, you're better of somewhere else.

Anyone who is confused or shocked by this FML really should go out and read Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential." Or just read nine4t4's post above, that's great too.