Restaurant Nights...

So this post is not specifically about food, it does not include recipes or measurements, it does not have fancy pictures of rolled sponge bread, or strawberry compote. I do not mention intricate baking pattern of famous chefs. No, this is a post about the madness and craziness that the restaurant industry can have. The stress, the emotions, and then the calm that is much appreciated.
I hope to give those that have never worked in restaurants a little blimp of what it is.
Last night the restaurant I work at, ran out of Alfredo sauce in the middle of a Friday night busy shift. OMG. The two managers on duty were overwhelmed when they started to realize that other dished were coming out, but hey the ones that had alfredo were not. The GM who had opened and was about to take off, stood watching as the cooks scrambled and hurried to not go insane with all the tickets popping up on the blinking screen, and the ones that were backed up. The servers having to deal with customers who had to wait up to 45 minutes for a bowl of pasta. Some took it lightly like my table, that laughed it off, and patiently waited, other however were not so lucky and got blamed for what was a culinary mistake.
"How can this happen?" asked the managers, who is to blame in this situation. the cooks for not making more, the managers for not checking? And who is held accountable?
Servers kept coming to the line and telling the manager expoing, "where is my food?" "my table has been waiting" "what do I tell them?" "they are mad". She was doing the best she could, the manager running the floor, probably went to half the restaurant and apologized to the tables. the managers aid ended up "comping" (taking off) many of the dishes so the customers would not pay. My whole table's check was paid by the restaurant. Oh, the loss of profit on a night like that.
At some point the manager on the line, yelled at the one running the floor... Oh, all the things that happen when people are stressed.
But as much as can go wrong, there are many things that go right, as you see other servers helping those that were behind, people helping the expo manager, apologizing honestly to their tables.
And it is those moments when the customers realize you care, when they thank you even though they waited an hour to eat, when everyone helps, and laugh it off. When after all is over, you can throw the towel on the line and exhale. Those are the moments that brighten my day. When you are so tired than instead of asking for a dessert you ask for sauce and everyone laughs. When you ask your table is they would like you to grate salad when you really meant cheese.
And when in the end, we are one big dysfunctional family.
I LOVE IT!!!

Dinner...

yesterday was my dad's birthday... Oddly enough I took him out to eat to where I work the Olive GArden.

The irony of it all is I work there 24 /7 so I get bored with the same food. I went in sat down and ordered a pasta that I always make during my break... correction ... have the cooks make it.

It consists of simple wheat pasta, no sauce, I have them add shredded carrots, sun dried tomatoes, and spinach. Once at the table I add a bit of fresh grated Romano cheese and pepper.

It's a simple and delicious way to alter restaurant food.. =)

Maybe I should send it to corporate?

Try it at home or order it when you visit us?

home made pasta, pesto and trip to fresh and easy

Today has been very eventfull, in the morning I headed to sing up for decorating classes and my local Michaels (arts and crafts store). Then I returned on my bicycle and got my car to the local auto parts store, then my mom and me headed to fresh and easy to grocery shop!!
http://www.freshandeasy.com/

my favorite part of the day!!!

Arriving at around 4 pm, I set out to do the cooking. I had a lot of basil in the fridge, but didn’t feel the traditional pesto…

So I came up with a funky Three-Cheese-Basil Pasta


Ingredients:

20- 40 basil leaves…finely chopped
4 oz butter
½ cup creamy blue cheese
½ cup shredded parmesan
1 cup feta cheese

Procedure:

Heat a non-stick skillet, melt the butter gradually the three cheese, stirring constantly.
As they become a gooey mass, add the basil and stir. Pour immediately over hot pasta, toss and server.

In this occasion I used home made wheat pasta, but any pasta (fresh or dried) can be used!!

Everyone loved it. Great father’s day recipe!!!