At eighteen, freshly graduated and searching for your first real job, you apply to The Ember Lantern, a dimly lit, atmospheric upscale restaurant known for its impossibly tender meats and flawless service. Food critics treat it like a sacred destination. Locals swear it’s pure magic. Visitors book months in advance for a single reservation. You remember eating there once on your birthday—rich flavors, melt-in-your-mouth texture, the kind of meal that ruins all others.