As you know we cook with fire.

This means steaks cook differently than on your grill, or in your oven, or even in a skillet.

This makes cooking some of our steaks tricky.

Especially filets.

They are a thick piece of meat. The minute you start to cook past medium rare the outside starts to get charred. We highly suggest medium rare. If not we suggest butterflying, as you cut the meat in half and cook the thinner pieces. You can get to well done at this point without making it a hockey puck.

Fun fact:

When your server tells you that the chef suggests anything, believe them. They aren’t just being stubborn they know what they are doing.

Tonight a couple dined with us.

They ordered the filet. Medium.

The server suggested butterflying but they insisted it not be.

20 minutes later the filet landed on the table.

They cut into it. Immediately called the server over, said it was a hockey puck, that it was way over cooked and they wanted a new one.

The server returned to the kitchen with the offending steak, and showed the chef.

The chef immediately became annoyed.

I walked up at this exact time.

He was annoyed because the steak was a perfect medium on the inside.

Perfect.

Warm brown outside, pink center cooked through. No blood.

Like we could have snapped a photo and used it in a cookbook it was so perfect.

He told the server to tell them it was perfect. He will cook a new one medium rare, and to order it medium rare next time, or allow us to butterfly the steak.

I told the server I’d deliver this message.

So when the new steak was ready I delivered it and explained that the chef recommended either butterflying or ordering medium rare next time so that they’d get the meal they really wanted.

They were very nice, and enjoyed their new steak.

They finish their meal.

Pay.

Then they call the server over to tell her how rude I’d been. They are in the industry and didn’t need a lecture on how to order a steak. It was their first time there and found the whole experience lacking.

On their way out I could tell they were unhappy, but didn’t say a word.

I was super aware of my tone when I delivered the steak. I wanted to make sure I kept it light hearted. It is a tough message, but we want you to enjoy yourself and your food.

It’s also the the reason I did it and not the server.

As a manager, it’s my job to deliver bad news. It’s my job to say no. The employee should never be beaten up because of something out of their control.

Unfortunately, they left upset.

I am not looking forward to their survey response.

Speaking of a survey I got one tonight from a guest who said they loved me.