Monday's Are Just as Fun as Saturday's...

Just yesterday, I set up the Wood oven station at the Tavern and I wrote out some specials for the restuarant and while I was not really sure how busy we were going to be, I was just as happy to see the restuarant lull for an hour into service.
This let us make sure we were all set up and could be ready when the dinner rush came. It did.

During the night a number of things happened. First off my 1st line cook burned his hand, trying to pan sear a steak black and blue. Very charred on the outside and cold in the middle. So when my friend ignited the pan into flame and then tryed to put it out he scorched his right hand's knuckles. I filled out the accident report later after finshing the push without him. Fun Fun. I did give him first aid before filling out the report form and after closer inspection. I found only very minor burns. To the dissapointment of the Restuarant manager, who had been running around getting in the way and shrieking , excitedly" He's got second and maybe third degree burns" and " He will have to go to the hospital for sure."

Shut Up I remember thinking, that behavior only adds to the chaotic confusion already stemming from the now short staffed entree line. So i whittled away at orders until my line cook came back out to service and said he was fine to continue.
"Good" I said. Although I made sure he was fine before letting him continue.

So I told him I would finish working his shift as a nice 11 hour day always appeals to me write after a dinner rush.

Standing in the second lull of the night I was approached by two men in dark suits.
They said that the meal was superb, no , better than that, and the were very impressed, but as I dislike allowing myself to casually talk to guests when service is still operating. "Thank You gentlemen. Iam glad you enjoyed dinner." I said quickly, getting myself ready to make sure that my dinner station was still all right and I wouldn't be running out of anything, in case of the next rush.

The two men stayed where they were and said that thanks again , That as representatives from the State Restuarant association and the National restuarant association.

I was really trying not to smile to much , but instead i sort of felt awkward and stammered out another thank you. Later i found a note at the front desk saying how much The two gentlemen had been impressed , that they had written the Tavern a compliment, and given it to the front desk , to be passed on to the owners.

Now things were really getting into full swing as the next rush came through the restuarant . I had persuaded my linecook to stay on till 9pm and he said sure. I don't think he was really hurt as bad as he wanted to hang out at his house with his roommate. During the next rush the dinners went out quietly enough with no problems and I was getting ready to let 1st linecook go, as my pantry chef had just come back from break. He looked crushed and when I approached him he said that he just had news that a good friend of his had been killedin Iraq. I took him asideand talked to him for a minute, He seemed like he was out of it but he was O.K.

Strange what you think about in the span of a few hours, concern for my cooks. Pride at the dinners, compassion and devotion are a really stunning pair that never fail to unlock my innermost emotions. I felt charged for the rest of the night and was feeling very out of my skin.

Just at 10pm/ I had sent my burnt linecook home. I had sent my pantry chef downstairs to put gear away for the night. I was cleaning my counters when, the Dining Room manager asked me if I was able To prepare Halibut for two regular guests, who had come in too late to eat at the formal dining room. But they had requested halibut and it seemed that these people where so regular that the Dining room manager had rushed to tell them that Chef James was a fantastic cook, who would be able to take care of them.

I quickly put together a Pan seared Halibut, Basil Rissoto , Asparagus Ragout.
With Slow Cooked Red Onion Confit.

I served them through the front waiter and instructed him to carefully explain what the where eating as they would not get to see it on a menu, at least not one that had been written yet.

As I was dropping off my paperwork that night. The front desk clerk told me that she had been instructed by a guest to write another positive review for me. I smiled and asked what about. It seems that the two "Halibut " guests had enjoyed their meal so much that they wanted the Owners to know that "Chef James had cooked them the best meals that they had while ever staying at the Inn. "


Sweet I thought that so many different emotions could come out in one night.
Saturday's may be busy , but Monday's more personal and that's a good thing too.