Team of Troopers...

This post is dedicated to all the great peeps I have working for me in the kitchen. In short...they rock! I wanted to put up a post before the month slipped by me...as it has happened before. This month although not as crazy and as busy(reads lucrative) as some years, is still a good month and one that is filled with guests that are having their special holiday party, a special Christmas dinner for the family or just a gathering of folks who want to and find the need to celebrate! It is a special time to most. They come expecting something grand, even if they do not all have the big unlimited budgets like others in a corporate glass house. It is still special to them nonetheless. We aim to please in either case. It always seems to get tough and hectic no matter the business levels. Back in the day, I recall days that flowed into nights and back into days without even going home. Many all nighters. Up till 3am just cutting salmon for the next day...like 500 orders worth, and those were just the salmon parties...not to mention the beef, the chicken, the lamb, pasta, vegetarian, and on and on. It does get more stressful and challenging when the financial end is not there as it puts severe strain on the leadership who in turn drives that challenge onto the team. A cycle of life in the kitchen. We gear up for the busy holidays slowly in august and September, then much more aggressive in October and then rapidly in November and we enter full on assault in December...only to crash in January...lay off, cut back, reduce, streamline, which always means more hours and time for the sous chefs and I,...all in all...it is a crazy time and one that keeps our livelihood alive. It is a madhouse. Controlled chaos. Havoc waiting to happen. It is kitchen life. It is cooking. It is consuming and hostile. Unforgiving and uncaring. Personal life? Forget it! Family time..."in January honey"..."sorry kids...dad has to work late"...you get the idea. Fortunately, the time is coming to a close. The end is near. To all of you in our kitchen...thank you, as I(we) could never have done it without you all. Thanks for pulling through and doing it with such positive attitude and willingness to be a part of the team. Thank you for making it a great season. Here's to the New Year in good food and cooking...Cheers!