Reflect.

Hurricane Wilma passed through. Nothing. We were pretty slow this week. Today was a hard 250 covers. I was inside Expo (inside expediter) we have an inside, who sauces and garnishes all plates them puts them in the pass or window where the outside expo usually the Chef or me orchestrates where they go and makes sure the servers don't steal them or pick and choose like they are picking flowers in a meadow. Yeah, pretty hard 250. My inside grill guy was moving in a granny gear like he was towing a boat uphill. There was no communication between stations.(I HATE WHEN PLATES DO NOT ARRIVE AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!!) TIMING AND COMMUNICATION PEOPLE!!! The grill's printer fucked up for a while (SAVE ALL TICKETS!!!) I ran out of paper right after his machine went out. The paper that was put in was wound backwards so the yellow side was out....no dupes. Changed that, ticket times were OUTFUCKINRAGEOUS! BAD NIGHT. Plates coming at you, "how long on 42?", "Chef how long on apps for 18?","I need a side of Parmesan cheese", "Why did I ask for Parm, I meant a side of remoulade sauce", "How long on 42?", "Chef are these my apps for 18?", "Is that what the ticket with the number 18 on it says?" (OPEN KITCHEN....can't scream nearest table 5 feet away) want to vent. "Why am I getting tables 33,61 and 70 but no 42?" "why didn't you tell me you don't have a 42?", I need 42 on the FLY!!!", "Only 7pm?????? and 3 hours more?", "Chef, I need this brought up a temperature.", "Ticket says med-rare...That's med-rare.", "they wanted to see if they wanted it med-rare first." ???????, "Chef re-fire on 20.", whispering loudly....WHERE IS FUCKIN' TABLE FOURTY TWO???????? "In my hand chef."
I am able to leave the line around 10:09pm. Chef starts having me send certain cooks to the office for an ass-reaming session. I get mine as well for not headbutting the cooks and getting them to shift gears. We write our Friday Seafood Menu, do the order, get the numbers from FOH, input said numbers. Remember that we have not eaten a meal since the day before. Then Chef tells me after a 14hr day.... chef, I need you this weekend so take Thursday off. I am not going to refuse a day off, especially when I am so busy that I forget to send out my bills and my cell gets shut off. Worse, my lady's cell is my account, hers is off also. She works a shit load of hours too. She is in FOH (front of house) as Catering Manager at the arena where the Orlando Magic play (they suck). I don't like her working 18hour days and she doesn't like it when I work 18 hours days too.
Nature of the Beast. I chose it,it didn't choose me.
I like my Chef. He pushes me creatively to think way outside the box. We still have to remember our clientele. Tampa locals aren't really ready to eat what we want them to eat. We do come up with some twisted shit. I like syrups, oils and infusions. I also like sleep. 4:25a...........g'night. morning whateva