Brunch (Smiles are Free)

As I arrived at work I was a little tired (as I had stayed for a couple drinks after work) however I did not feel it and it did not show. Clearly the conversations had with Exec Chef, Head Chef and the Saucier had made me feel pretty good and as I have been working at Reservation I have not found myself tired in the least. In fact I am bubbling over with energy and feel as if a Super Nova has exploded within me. Or at least a Foie Gras with Petit Brioche.

So I set up for the brunch that includes fresh made waffles, roast beef, pea meal bacon, pasta, eggs, omelettes, pierogis, potatoes, French toast, bacon, sausage, pasta, smoked salmon and all kinds of other things. It truly is a luxurious spread that might have been served to the Kings and Queens of yester year while the peasants were eating dirt.

Sure enough I had been put on the carving/waffle station but as we were understaffed yesterday I also was making some omelettes. I only made ten or twelve but as I made them each one got better and better. At the meat station I learned that I needed to cut the meat straight otherwise you are putting too much meat on the plate. You want to try and add balance to the plate and make sure that you cut thinly as well. This was fairly easy given the new carving knife that Exec Chef had given me and I also got to borrow his carving knife for the pea meal as you never want cross contamination. It was a great present to receive and it worked like the roast beef was butter.

I learned that it is important for you to speak up with your ideas in the kitchen. There absolutely is a way to do things in our kitchen but there may be a better way to plate something or to tweak a flavour. Even if your idea gets shot down it is an illustration of your passion for food and will always be well received. Even a newbie like me can add something.

While doing my duties in the front of house on several occasions people noted my broad smile and asked what was up. I would always answer that I am exceptionally well and why wouldn’t I be as I am living my dream, doing exactly what it is I want for my life. One woman said to me that it shows that I am happy because I am shining both inside and out. I haven’t heard something like that in a while and it was just another reassurance that I am in the right place. Yet another woman who had not been smiling had a massive smile come across her face and said that it was refreshing to hear that in this day and age. She came back a couple times just to see my smile. Yet another older lady was doing something for Shrove Tuesday for the office and wanted to know a few things. I answered her questions and then told her that a great resource for all things food is www.epicurious.com. She was going to do waffles and some crepes. I asked if she wanted savoury or sweet to which she said sweet. I suggested to her that she might want to rock convention and go with a savoury crepe scented with rosemary, sage or chive with a nice cheese sauce or clarified butter. For the sweet I recommended a peaces and cream with scent of cinnamon. She laughed and thanked me profusely three times and the again as she left.

By the way for any of you Jazz enthusiasts out there (I LOVES MY JAZZ!!!!) Reservation has live Jazz on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. During brunch it is a great treat for me because most of the people there are not jazz fans (perhaps more correctly enthusiasts because really how can you not like jazz). But I always ask Mr. DH if he could play me a few tunes and I tell him what they are. Sure enough he does and he smiles because I am so into Jazz and some of the songs I pick are obscure.

While the brunch was slowing down my prep master L and I started having a conversation about the world and the way that things work. He was asking me some questions about geopolitics and how certain things happen. I was happy to explain it to him and for every question I answered he would have another question. It was nice that my intellectual savvy (and what I went to University for) with regard to world events could help to broaden someone else’s point of view and understanding of world events. Just another thing to add the; “What is I am living my dream finally, Alex?”

After brunch we of course had to break everything down which took about an hour. After which it was time for an extremely messy job (under the category but someone’s got to do it) of scrubbing, pressure washing, sweeping and mopping the front line. It is an exacting and time-consuming process not to mention dirty. But it must get done and I see it all as part of the learning experience that is making me a better cook and a better man.

Before Exec Chef had left for the day I asked if he could loan me another book that I will ravenously rip through tomorrow. He loaned me Raymond Blanc’s Recipes from Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons. For those of you who are unaware Raymond Blanc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Blanc ) He is a true visionary and a master. His Michelin stars speak for themselves and his restaurants are among the most frequented by those in the know. I can hardly wait to read it tomorrow, making my notes, perhaps sipping a red wine and laughing at myself that it had taken so long for me to jump into a kitchen.

Steven Wright once said; “"I went to a restaurant that serves 'Breakfast at any time’. So I ordered French Toast during the Renaissance." I think that I would have Cake during the French Revolution or perhaps Tripe during the Russian Revolution or finally perhaps a Cubana during the Cuban Revolution. What would you order?

I hope you have an inspired today and an awesome tomorrow.

SDM