Tonight a regular was in. It was the first time she’d been in for a while

I knew she’d need a broad attending a wedding.

I only talk led to her briefly tonight because we were busy.

But the wedding was in India.

And was 5 days long.

And cost more than 8 million dollars.

Yes.

You.

Read.

That.

Correctly.

8 million dollars.

She has photos she said she’d show me when it was slower.

She said she snapped them as subtly as she could.

8 Million.

Dollars.

Tonight at 8:30 one of my bartenders approach me to ask if I have time to speak to someone wanting to know if we are hiring.

Seriously.

8:30.

Saturday night.

Still cranking.

Read the room, fellow.

Read the room.

I had her give him my card.

We’ll see if he emails me.

We have two regulars at the bar.

Super nice. They take good care of the bartenders.

But.

They are full of suggestions as to what we should serve.

Two weeks ago, one of them pulls me aside to tell me we need to serve mac and cheese with Gouda.

Hmmm. Okay???

Tonight he pulls me aside to tell me he doesn’t like one of our new additions to the menu. Actually, it’s a reworking of an old item, which makes it easier to prepare.

Which brings me to my lesson of the night.

Chef’s don’t just write recipes. Throw the item on the menu and make a million dollars.

There are tons of reasons something is on the menu or removed from the menu.

Chefs like a one pan pick up. It means the dish can be made in one pan. If the recipe calls for items from three different stations it will be offered in off season, not in busy season.

We just put potato salad back on the menu. Why? Because it means the guy working our grill no longer has to roast potatoes to order. Potato salad is scoop and go.

We also make sure that the dishes are spread evenly among the different stations. Sauté. Grill. Salad. Ovens. Fry. If too many popular items come from one station it buries the cook and things back up.

So we often pull things from the off season menu to help spread the wealth.

We also lose items based on cost. If the cost of avocados go up, we might remove a salad. If lobster goes up we might increase the price or change the item.

It’s all about streamlining the amount of work it takes to execute the dish to the standards you expect.

The chef changed a dish. But our regular sent it back. And called me over to complain.

And I listened. Said I’d pass along their thoughts.

Knowing.

The recipe was changed to make everyone’s life easier.

It won’t go back till October.

PS. Any time a restaurant can scoop and go they will. Rice, mashed potatoes, Cole slaw, potato salad, corn, etc.

The more you know.

It’s Victoria Day on Monday!

It’s National Patriots Day on Monday.

Both Canadian holidays.

My staff learned this tonight around 10:00.

Why you ask?

Because my staff rarely makes less than 20% on a check.

Rarely.

Last night a server made $500 on a $500 check.

That’s unusual but 24, 25, 26 percent tips are the norm. After tip out my staff easily still walks with 20%.

That was not the case tonight. From the start the servers were asking what was going on.

One server made 15% on a big party. Another was tipped $40 on $375. A server who prides herself on her average was making 17, 18 percent all night.

Then around 10:00 a server came and said. I know what’s going on. It’s a 3 day weekend in Canada.

Ahhhhhhh

That explains everything.

And before anyone says anything.

They know better.

They all know better.

All of them.

Yes, it’s not done that way in Canada.

But fun fact: Before I left for Europe I knew what the customs were. Fuck. Before I left for Oklahoma, I knew the customs.

They are just cheap.

That is all.