Warrington restaurant GM wins a Melting Pot

Jason Long, general manager of The Melting Pot restaurant in Warrington, will soon be his own boss.

Long, 39, of Doylestown, won the top prize, a Melting Pot franchise worth about $1 million, in the episode of the A&E reality show Be the Boss that aired Sunday.

He will take ownership of The Melting Pot restaurant in Sarasota, Florida, sometime next year.

Long thought he was competing against a Melting Pot employee from Louisville, Ky., for a promotion to a corporate position.

"At first I was disappointed that I didn't win the promotion," Long said after the show aired. "When [company CEO] Bob Johnston handed me the keys to the restaurant, I was confused and completely overwhelmed as I didn't realize becoming a Melting Pot franchisee was even on the table during the competition.

"I was focused on winning the promotion, so was completely shocked by being given the opportunity to actually own a restaurant," Long said in a statement.

At the end of the show, he pulled the same trick on his relatives, telling them he had not gotten the promotion. He quickly added that he was getting his own franchise.