Christmas Parties, make someone special!
Now on to one of the coolest things from Saturday night. Basically this
was a no brainier; buffet service, little over 100 people, appies social,
prime rib and a few Chicken Cordon-bleu, salad, scallop taters and green
beans. Then a dessert line replaces the appies area for the end.
So like some many others I am slogging through yet another corporate
Christmas Party. I had part of the crew eating so I was manning the
restocking of the dessert bar. I notice a couple going through the
dessert line late. I had by now cut off the restock so we could use what
was left and get ready to tear down. The lady has one tooth and the man
does not smell the best, also some type of physiological problems are
obvious. (which is probably what has led to the social shyness of a
loner.) They are looking through everything and she seems worked up or
worried over something? I went over and asked if everything was OK? Well
she says she saw the Double Chocolate Cheese cake and was coming over to
get a piece as her and her husband really wanted to try it. Then she
tells me this is their one real big dinner out per year and she they
were really hoping to get a piece of this cheese cake. 'They had arrived
late because the baby sitter was late and they just had finished the
best Christmas dinner the corporation had ever put on, And did I think I
might have some in the back?'
I had been until that point contemplating the tear down and getting
hustling to get out of there ASAP. And suddenly rule one of buffet
service as drilled into me over the years. 1.) The last person through
the line shall have the same choices and experience as the first person
through the line. And then I start thinking jeeze this is really their
big night out for the whole year. I mean she told me as much and must
have really meant it to stop and ask the Chef about Chocolate Cheese
Cake with over 10 other dessert items to choose from on the table. And
then I remember Rule 2 of buffet catering. 2.) You were hired to bring
magic and elegance to an event for every person in attendance. COULD I
Help? HE11 YA I CAN HELP I AM THE CHEF!! And I did what I knew had to be
done, I asked them where they were seated, in the back, alone at a six
top. I went in the back and asked Al (Big Dog Chef) could he please
break open another box of Double Chocolate Cheese cake and plate TWO for
me. Plates in hand out to their table I went, served them the Cheese
Cake and did the whip cream they asked for at the table. The lady looks
at me and says, "We feel so important that the Chef is doing this for
us, his self, this has been a perfect dinner and a great night." And
there it is folks, reminding me why I love this job. Does not matter
who they are, how the dress or what their history: for one night at
their Christmas Party or Christmas Dinner you can take charge and make
it magic for each client whether there is 10 or 10,000, solve their
concern and you are, for a brief moment, the hero and that person is
made special! And that is why I love what I do in catering! It is easy
to get tired near the end, but when you are tired is when you need to be
at your best.
A couple updates to tie up previous blog entries;
Wine Board dinner went well. The back to basics seems to have been a
hit. I actually cut the sirloin out in muscle groups and then did them
all in the London Broil Fashion. Since Florida is again supplying Wild
Caught Grouper I used that as the Surf part of the dish. Again with the
collard greens and again everyone wondering what was done to make them
so good. Astonishment on their faces when I explained the secret is to
not do to much to them, salt, pepper, bacon fat and that is it. Forgot
about my Asparagus in the convection oven for an extra thirty minutes
before loading out. Needless to say that needed to be repeated without
the extra time to have the veggie edible. All in all very impressive.
Jazz did not sound so good in the barrel room concrete floors and metal
don't make for good acoustics! We will drape more cloth next time to
solve the problem.
Chef Bob Ballantyne
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA
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