Running Events (file under pay attention to the sheet)

So on Thursday passed (July 31, 2008) we had an event for 65 guests to take place on our patio and the mezzanine for a law firm. With most of the work being done L was sent home early which left me to make sure that the event ran smoothly.

Sure enough, despite the client running late we promptly and efficiently sent out 24 dozen canapés. Bruschetta, Cold Salad Rolls, Peking Duck Crepe, Risotto Cakes, Fish and Chips and Butter Chicken Satays. No problem. I can now send canapés out in my sleep.

This event is what we call a manned station event. Essentially that means for the stations there is a cook there to present and serve the dishes. Think buffet style but at remote stations. This is what I affectionately refer to as the monkey dance. As that is essentially what it is.

Preparing the stations fell on another one of the cooks. But when I went to check the set up I found that it was not prepared properly. This meant that I would have to make adjustments for the way the food was going to be going up. Then after making those adjustments we reverted as quickly and best as possible to the way that it should have been done. Double the work. Double the fun.

As L was gone, not only would I have to be cooking the food to be run to the stations but I would also have to run it to the stations. Everything was going really smoothly minus the mishap with the way the stations were set up. We were serving Slow Roasted Tenderloin, Tea Smoked Salmon, Cold Salads and two types of Pasta. The tenderloin was no problem at all. Simply bring it up to temperature and serve it. Cooking the salmon is easy enough and presented no issue. Neither did the cold salads. The two types of Pasta being served were orrechetti noodles with spiced root vegetables in pesto garlic cream or tomato basil coulis.

The three of us working the party got everything up for the client on time and I thought that everything was great. The food tasted and looked good. Needless to say I felt pretty good that I had done all the cooking and running and everything was good. I continued to feel good about myself until the next day when Chef B pulled me outside and asked how the party went. I told him I thought it went fairly well and that I was happy with myself. He looks at me and asks what the pasta was which I told him from memory. He pulled out the function sheet and asked if there was anything missing. It took all of about two seconds for me to realize that I had not put the spiced root vegetables into the pesto garlic cream orrechetti. I immediately felt stupid and explained that I was being pulled in multiple directions at the time of the cooking. I apologized and assured him that I would look at the function sheet three times before I sent anything again.

This is the lesson to be learned here. I could be in a hurry. I could be distracted. I could be any number of things but I have to pay attention to the details. Especially considering that in our business the details ARE the business.
For the rest of the day I tried to think of the exact thing that caused me to forget about the spiced root vegetables. Ultimately it was my fault. Ultimately I should have paid better attention. Ultimately, I walk away from the experience knowing that I can correct the detail in the future but not in the past AND THAT TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY.

All in all it is a valuable thing to learn at this stage in my career. You can do one hundred things right and one ting wrong which upsets the other hundred. Truly a good lesson to learn and I know I won’t make that mistake again.

Lewis Carroll once said; “That's the reason they're called lessons, because they lesson from day to day.”

Are you dreaming inspired and big?

A la prochaine

SDM