I had a long career in the restaurant business before the web came around and I decided to work on that instead. You name it, I did it in the business, but primarily I was a chef and later a manger and a consultant when I burned out from the kitchen.
One night, in a particularly posh restaurant I managed a couple came in for dinner. He had all the trappings of a young attorney and she, all the trappings of his bimbo. She wore a fur coat that said “honey, you’re worth a fur coat… but not Mink” and wore the attitude well. As she scanned the menu she asked her server if the manager was available and thus I was summoned to the table. I was expecting to find a cockroach in her drink or something really embarrassing (which would have been unusual for that restaurant). I didn’t suspect their service was an issue since the server was very professional, one of my best.
“Excuse me sir” she started. “Are there any Snow Peas in the vegetarian stir fry?” (Something she could have asked her server). “Yes” I answered, along with sprouts, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, celery, and whatever else was in it at that time.
“Oh” she moaned with a disappointed look. “I can’t eat Snow Peas, I’m a vegetarian” she explained. Instead she ordered the Chicken Marsala and enjoyed it as much as wearing her dead animal coat.
And all I could think of was “This guy has people’s lives in his hands”.
Comments