Sunday, January 5, 2014

Foodlife

ca·coph·o·ny
kəˈkäfənē/
noun
  1. 1.
    a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.

To many not used to this environment, this would be the most fitting word they could use to describe a busy kitchen. But amidst the chaos as I stated in my first post some truly remarkable things come from the noise. Using practiced techniques and honed preparation skills the artist creates shining examples of their art if only to be admired for a moment before a hungry diner ruthlessly cuts into it and makes it disappear bit by delicious bit. I hope to highlight that creativity here, I only hope I can accurately represent the time and energy that really goes into it. But first I want you to have a little better understanding of where it all goes.
The prep kitchen. Recipes on the wall.
I'll get into the food a little bit more later, For now I want to say that the place in the photo is a busy busy place. Any idea how many veggies need to be cut, fish and steaks need to be trimmed and how much/many sauces need to be prepped to serve several hundred people dinner on any given night? Astronomical amounts.

Last night was one of those nights where you wonder if you are going to get a big hit (you know you are, with 2 thirty tops on the books and a slew of smaller reservations it's inevitable) So you fall into a lull waiting for it and then BOOM! The printer starts it's robotic droning, the wheel guy starts hollering out what needs to go on at each station, the servers have all but disappeared because it is clear the entire dining room got sat at once so all the orders are en route to slap us around in the kitchen for awhile. As the line yells back and forth with all days and what's working and pans are clanking, I'm running through what tickets are up with the wheel guy, the servers are all looking for their food, couple of flames from the saute area as a little booze hits a hot pan, vaporizes and takes to thermal event status, this is cacophony to many and to those involved an orchestra of events that all add up to remarkably busy, but smooth dinner service where high fives, fist bumps, and "whews" with raised eyebrows are exchanged when it simmers down.


Timing is everything. This was the case several times last night. If it works out that the dining room fills up all at once and flips in a similar timeframe, that is how it goes.Over and over. You get through the push of what you are pretty sure is every GD table ordering at the same time, it tuckers out, you relax for a minute and then whoops! False alarm, time to rock and roll.And then it starts all over. Throw in a 30 top that is all entrees, and another 30 top in the same timeframe that is all apps, well, remember that buzz I talk about in my last foodlife post?




1 comment:

  1. Nice write up Joel. It's been a few years since I've worked in the kitchen setting, but everything that you said, i can relate to. Keep up the good work.
    I was in the area debating on stopping down there last night to check out the food, but time ran out on me. I will definitely make the trip in the upcoming weeks.

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