The Xmas Rush...

So...here's what we have been battling;

The Rush~ It comes on like a hurricane...slowly building velocity while seemingly dormant in the wake of the fall months. Then, like a freight train coming without any intention of stopping, it hits and the intensity thickens. Ala carte and especially banquets become overly saturated with clientele, searching for gastronomic pleasure with hunger-stricken eyes in which which we provide.



The People~ hoards everywhere! They come from near and afar. Out of the depths of the cellars and from the grain of the wooded walls, or so it seems. As most service industry will testify, this season is crazy! It seems to propel the thirst for entertaining all at once. Unfortunately, for us in the thick of it, it gets to the point where it sucks and sadly for some, they flat-out hate it, and it shows! What will tend to separate the professionals from the hacks, is that those that are here to see it through until the end, even if it kills us, are the only ones left standing.



The Chaos~ The chaos comes in many forms, in every second of every moment. It is something that early on, one must learn to manage and deal with, and ultimately live with. Being able to control it and still cope on a somewhat conscience level, is the goal I chose in this pursuit long ago. I am not freaking dead just yet!

The Hours~ All of them...fed by adrenaline, excessive amounts of coffee, extreme lack of sleep and copious levels of inner self-propulsion towards achieving excellence and reaching the finish line at the end of the day, only to come to and go at it the next! Another thing that works for me to get through the rush, or so it appears at the time, is the constant musical mayhem that replays itself in my head to the likes of a conductor of a symphony in his or her zone... where ever i may roam, outlaw torn, alive and once, cochise and birth ritual to name but a few. 15-18 hours @ 6-7 days a week, for several on end do not make for a very savory lifestyle, but we love it! My only real regrets are to my wife and kids, as they take on the grunt of it.

The Physical Demand~ The toll this takes on the human body is one that is not for the frail, the weak or intolerant. Or for that matter, the social queens that need that beauty sleep and time out with friends- forget it! This takes serious stamina, commitment, dedication and devotion to making it through the battle. The strong will to succeed & sound piece of mind to persevere are those that endure the holocaust.

In the end...it is all just cooking, and the pursuit of something great in which to share with someone else who chooses to dine in your establishment, which we should all be so lucky.