Joe Martinez says cooking is a passion, and he does so out of the kindness of his own heart.
But he says his former boss has pushed him to his breaking point, and refuses to be taken advantage of again.
"This is my, what I call, ‘controlled chaos,’” said Martinez as he pulled some chicken out of the freezer. “It’s because only I know what's going on, and what I need to get done."
His ‘controlled chaos’ as he called it is being in the kitchen, cooking meals and getting creative with his food.
Being a chef is something Martinez has been passionate about since his teenage years.
A survivor of two transplant surgeries, Martinez is disabled, but started working as a cook for Bella Hacienda Adult Day Care in Edinburg.
However, his time at the day care has ended on a sour note.
"I started working for her in July, and I have not seen a cent since,” said Martinez. “Plain and simple."
Martinez said the owner of the adult day care promised him over $300 a week.
But Martinez says that money never came.
And after three weeks of tireless work and no pay back in July, he had enough, and decided to quit.
However, Martinez said the owner called him again last October and promised him his money if he came back to work.
But according to Martinez, that promise proved to be false.
"I got there on a Monday, and she never got there. I got there on Tuesday hoping that she would come up with the money, and she never did. Finally after Wednesday, I gave up."
Martinez says even though not getting paid hurts his pocketbook, getting taken advantage of hurts on a whole other level.
"I feel like I let it happen to me,” said Martinez. “And that's why I don't know what else to do but to ask around."
Action 4 News reached out to the owner of Bella Hacienda Adult Day Care on multiple occasions, however our calls have not been returned.
Martinez says if he is not paid soon, he will be taking this matter to civil court.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT