We have taken a break from our non-trash-TV-watching crusade, to check out Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, which was entertaining in a truly horrific sort of way.
It reminded me of those long gone days when I were just a lass, and the manager of a quite pleasant hotel in a large Yorkshire town allowed his hotel to be taken over by the post-graduate catering management diploma students, for a week.
For most of the week, we were pretty much empty, and therefore none of our untrained potential was taxed. And then on the Saturday night, for some reason, we found ourselves fully stocked with guests, and facing a full restaurant.
[Aside: Being a post-graduate catering management diploma student means that you know nothing about catering, or running a hotel, or institutional management, whatever that is.]
So, anyway, full restaurant, inexperienced staff, no supervision. One of my flatmates and her boyfriend had booked a table, and she ordered salmon steak. A few weeks later at a party, she spent a great deal of time complimenting the poor lad who had been the chef that night, and asking what he had done to make the steak so nice.
The room was full of post-graduate catering management diploma students, all holding their breath, waiting to see if Dominic would admit that the salmon steak had fallen off the grill on to the floor, been run under the tap, and sprinkled with ground black pepper, as it was the last one we had.
One thing we learned from the Blue Bridge experience, was that what the public doesn’t see, the chef gets away with.
April 28, 2004
Kitchen Nightmares
When I were at college I worked in a department store cafeteria (not the same thing as a hotel, I know) and the manager said we had to put one slice of tomato in opposite corners of a sandwich and cut it diagonally so that it looked full of tomato.
To a man, he was roundly ignored.
Nevermind that – I’m waiting for Girl Lessons I to Z…
Why has it not arrived yet??? Gaaahhh!!!
Apparently not.
well, mainly because we have jobs, I’m guessing.
Well, stop it! Right now!
what anna said, with knobs on.
I be workin’ on it. patience dear hearts.
Just remember – you have to get to the end of the alphabet by Friday night.
Or it will be 20 lashes each.
… and serve cocktails tomorrow.
Yes. And that.
*raises an eyebrown in Pete’s direction*
Oh really?
Put that eyebrown down. You don’t know where it has been.
It’s mine. I do too know where it’s been.
Are you going to tell the rest of us where it’s been?
Probably the same place as the salmon steak.
I’ll vouch for that.