I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

I just crawled into bed.

It’s 2:38.

I worked a 14+ hour days.

It was filled with anger, yelling, ultimatums, veiled threats, accusations, and a whole list of other things.

This describes at least 6 people today I encountered.

However, one encounter stood out.

When I first started, I became friendly with a family that came in every six weeks or so.

They often requested the chef’s table so after a while I just made it happen.

So imagine my surprise when I had the following encounter.

The phone rings at the new restaurant.

I recognize the name as the son of this family.

I answer.

A voice immediately says, is this Jeff.

I reply yes.

And the voice introduces itself as the father.

He then becomes angry.

Are you no longer at the old restaurant?

Well it depends on the day of the week.

Well are you or aren’t you? I called tonight and they told me you were MIA. I don’t appreciate having to speak to some one else about my reservation.

I say I’m sorry.

He continues on very angry.

I truly don’t appreciate not being able to speak to you when I call. This won’t work if you are going to not be there.

I say I’m sorry again.

He then tells me that he has called to make a reservation and was told he’d have to speak to me to get the chef’s table. And how is that supposed to happen if I’m not even there to answer the phone.

I ask what he’s looking for.

Without missing a beat he demands to be seated at the chef’s table.

I ask how many are in his party and he says 7.

I explain that we can’t seat 7 at the chef’s table and we don’t pull them together.

He demands to know how many it can seat.

I say 6.

He demands that I make the reservation for 6 and change it from 4:30 to 5:00.

He continues at any chance to point out that I’m no longer there.

I tell him that I’ll accommodate him, and he says great.

Then he demands that I give him the name and number of a contact at the restaurant who can accommodate his requests.

I realize this is beyond acceptable.

Way beyond.

He has mistaken my kindness for weakness and privilege.

I’m not weak.

He does not have privilege. If he did he’d have my cell number to access me directly.

I think this might be his last time at the chefs table. That is if it’s not booked by the time he gets there.

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Today.

Tuesday was my first day off in 13 days.

I almost cried when I realized I had a doctors appointment this morning. M

Adam told me under no circumstances could I cancel.

So on 6 hours of sleep, I got up and got there on time.

It was an appointment with my neurologist.

In case you are new here I have a tremor in my left hand. It is an essential tremor.

The appointment went well.

I discovered that my exhaustion, lack of sleep, stress, and pain are the reasons it is seeming worse.

I also discovered that from a scale of 1 to 10 it is a 1.

My doctor, who I adore, said that based on five years of observing it, it will much likely get worse around the time I get to 100.

I told her, that I was looking forward to 100 so I could sleep as much as I wanted and needed.

But I was happy to have good news.

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

10 years ago I opened my first restaurant.

Leading up to the opening day we conducted training.

Part of that training was a speech I put together about hospitality.

It went splendidly.

When I have notes and speak off the cuff I’m pretty good with public speaking.

I’ve longed cease to be nervous.

Especially in my element.

The talk went well.

About 6 minutes in that day I noticed one of the owners watching and listening.

At the end he congratulated me and said that the company should have me share this message with all the teams.

That never happened and fast forward 5 years and he handed me my termination papers and severance details.

Last Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I gave a series of talks with our new team. I forgot my notes but they were off the cuff.

I mostly talked about the passion that exists behind everything we do.

I talk about this often.

It’s the reason our restaurant is so different.

Everything we do we do with passion.

The food.

The service.

The ambiance.

I shared with this new team.

What I didn’t know was that I was doing these talks our marketing team from Argentina who was in town to take photos of the new space we’re listening.

They left on Friday.

And as we hugged goodbye they shared that they gave photographed 100’s of restaurants but they’d never seen anyone who spoke so clearly about what they did. What they were about.

I was told they learned a lot.

And had a new view of what we do here.

And it was reassuring.

Because sometimes you wonder if anyone is listening.

You wonder if anyone cares.

It reminded me that I’m pretty good at doing what I do.

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Last Wednesday we opened up the new restaurant for friends and family.

At around 10:45 someone walked in the unlocked doors.

He introduced himself, and told me we’d met before. Back in the winter. He’d worked at the prior restaurant and wanted to see tha changes.

He stayed way longer than he should considering how tired I was.

He told me he’d be back next week.

I told him to reach out if he needed help with the reservation.

Fast forward to tonight.

At 8:40 the new host comes down to say someone has arrived saying they have a reservation.

We had no more reservations and were all in at 7:45.

I arrive to find the guy from last Wednesday.

He says he has a reservation.

I assure him that he did not. And that is asked him ti reach out if he needed help he says he did.

I ash him when.

He says around 5:30. Tonight.

I tell him that I don’t read email after service starts, and that not only did he not have a reservation he has shown up 15 minutes after her thought he had a reservation and we haven’t sat anyone in over an hour.

I apologize and say we can’t accommodate him.

He asks if I’m serious.

I assure him I am.

He leaves.

And I think to myself, what restaurant employee would do this?

I’d like to speak the manager!!!

Back in 1907.

I graduated from college.

I think it was 1987 actually.

I moved to Atlanta in September of that year.

I got a job as a telemarketer.

I lasted ten days.

I did take no for an answer.

We were selling the little footballs that get thrown out at sports ball events.

I would call a high school In Arkansas. Ask for the football coach and ask if it was okay to provide these footballs.

A lot of coaches said no because of fear of hurting someone.

A lot said no.

When I finally got a coach to say yes, I’d take the yellow pages and start calling businesses to convince them to sponsor said footballs.

I was not good at this.

And quit after 10 days.

I hated it.

But it led me to my next job.

I’ll tell more tomorrow!

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

New restaurant was busy tonight.

Summertime busy.

And it was near perfect.

Around 7:30 we slowed down seating. The team was getting bogged down.

The only reason is we are struggling with muscle memory.

To quote someone I used to know, everything is a choice.

Where are the water glasses? Where are the knives? Where is the button for the halibut? Which wine is the California Chardonnay?

I three weeks tonight will seem slow.

The team killed it tonight.

But we did slow down seating.

And everyone.

And I do mean everyone was gracious about it.

Except for table 25.

They were pissed.

They were the only ones who pushed back.

The only people all night who had a food complaint and the only person who grunted when I skied how dinner was.

I’ll take that as a win.

The one fun story is that table 53 ordered a bottle of wine.

The server was trying a new J1 server who just arrived from Serbia.

She let him open the wine.

I could see across the room he was struggling.

I walked up to the table.

Gently asked if I could assist.

Explained to him how to do the proper service.

Looked at the guests and said I have done this anywhere except for home in 15 years. And gently opened the bottle.

The server poured the wine.

The guests loved everything.

The nerves will be great when he’s a little less nervous.

New country.

New language.

New job.

I’d be nervous too.

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Since I stopped running, after I broke my foot I’ve been over weight.

And for twenty years I’ve struggled with this fact.

On January 1, 2023 I told myself to say fuck it.

I’m too old to worry about it.

And so I said fuck it.

And a week ago, after my knee doctor appointment, I stepped on the scale and I was down 35 pounds.

And it happened without trying.

It’s really just stress.

Today I was asked at work what I wanted to eat.

I told them to surprise me.

I got a salad with grilled shrimp.

It was fucking delicious.

I took three bites.

2.5 hours later I realized that’s all I’d eaten.

Shrimp after 2.5 hours. No thanks.

I forget to eat.

Tonight I got home and there was no bread. I had pictured a peanut butter sandwich all the way home.

Actually I was going to go to Burger King but they were closed after some police event.

But I get home and there was no bread.

I was had for about 6 minutes till I reminded myself I was tired. Not mad.

My vegetable soup was delicious.

Meanwhile.

Not eating because if stress is not great.

But the side effects are.

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Hi.

It’s me.

Your trusty very tired manager.

I had a friend reach out today and say NO. Really… how are you.

Truth is I’m great emotionally.

The adrenaline from the week is getting me through.

Physically.

My left foot is still numb. My new medicine seems to be helping my knee. It’s a solid 2.5 pain until the end of the day today.

The same friend was worried that my bartender who walked out eft us high and dry.

He did not.

He was 30 minutes into training.

Better after 30 minutes than 3 days.

Tonight a regular texts to see if they could come to the new restaurant. The downstairs restaurant.

They arrive 20 minutes later.

For upstairs.

They are just going to have a drink.

They were seated at 5:00.

At 6:30 they ordered the first course of their three course meal.

The left at 7:30.

Ugh.

At 10:00 tonight the front door opens. I hear it. I’m sitting at seat 1 at the bar.

I turn and it’s Martha and David.

They moved to Naples Florida last summer.

I got great big hugs.

We chatted about 30 minutes.

It felt good when they said they had called today and were confused when I didn’t answer the phone. They were worried I didn’t work there anymore.

They are coming to the new restaurant tomorrow. I told them to text me.

Speaking of texting.

I’ve given out my phone number to so many people this week I feel like I’m 23 again.

I’ve given up caring.

Chef arrived at 10:30.

Service at the old restaurant went great. Perhaps I’m not needed anymore.

However. We did toast that Friday was my two year anniversary.

Another person who has my cell texted tonight to see if they could come tonight.

I said yes.

Their experience was not perfect.

But they were so gracious.

Also he is very hot.

And he kept giving me hugs.

And his beard was against my face.

But mostly he kept saying he appreciated me.

From 7:00 to close I knew all the parties in the restaurant. It was like having friends in your home for dinner.

At 6:00 four regulars walked and said they’d come for drinks early. I told them the bar was booked they should go to the downstairs bar.

It wasn’t till they left that I remembered we have an oyster bar they could have sat at. Whoops. New employee here.

30 minutes later I sat our first guests at the oyster bar.

We were semi busy tonight.

It became stressful at 7:30.

Servers confused.

Lost orders.

Missing drinks.

Thankfully I knew everyone. They all left happy.

All opening issues.

No one yelled.

So much kindness.

Lots of hugs.

The new bartender I hired from another restaurant in town killed it.

The server I stole from our other restaurant killed it.

Will someone remind to change the batteries in the lamps tomorrow.

And.

Chef came in and the first thing he said was it’s too bright in here.

Thank you for pointing it out.

I’ve told 3,876,593 people that it was too bright.

We’ll do better tomorrow night.

I think that’s it!

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Day 2 is in the books.

First day open to the public.

I’m already tired of the friends and family question.

Just because you eat at the restaurant every couple of weeks does not make a friend or family.

And.

A bit of advice.

It is rude to invite yourself to a party.

And to question the host about you were not invited to to opening.

Today’s fun events.

My new bartender walked out after 30 minutes saying this is not for me.

A woman walked in at 3:10. She is very old.

I ask her if I can help her and explain that we are closed.

She says I know, I just want to take a look.

I say, I understand but we are closed.

She says I know, I just want to take a look.

I say once again that we are closed.

She says that I should stop being so rude she is just taking a look.

And she does.

She calls me rude again when she is done.

Why did I not want her to take a look you ask?

Because I had 20 minutes to get the task I was working on finished.

No one just looks. They want the menu. They want to ask about the purchase. They want to ask about the memorabilia. They want to ask about reservations.

These are 20 minute conversations!

A man comes in with an older woman at 4:45. I’m on the phone with Toast our POS company.

He tells me they are going to just sit at the bar. I explain that we have reservations for the bar.

He becomes angry.

And very pretentious.

He then says it’s a good thing you are saying this to me and not my mother.

I’m not swayed.

We do have reservations. At 4:45.

A single man comes in and sits at the bar.

On his way out he gives me a list of his suggestions. He stands at the host stand for 20 minutes doing so.

Another man comes in and brings me a container full of photographs of an encounter he had with a famous person. He shared this story when he was last in town. I looked at photographs for 10 minutes.

Another man came in with a phot on his phone saying our new restaurant wouldn’t be complete until we rehung a photo of a light house that is in the harbor.

The list went on and on.

But it was a great night.

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Tonight was opening night.

Friends and family.

And it was all friends.

All family.

But that didn’t stop Suzy from popping in and insisting I seat her.

She got mad when I said we were not open for the public. That it was friends and family.

She insisted she was a friend. M

She knew people who were invited.

But it took them 10 minutes to remember who she was.

I had never seen her before.

So not really a friend or family.

My favorite???

The woman who popped in 30 seconds before Adam arrived.

She steps in the front door and stands in front of me.

And berates me because no one is answering the phone. The email. The website. Social media.

Why have we not returned her calls?

She continues.

Absolutely pissy.

I’m about ten seconds from telling her to ….

I say of course I can take your reservation.

She gives me her number.

No one wants your land line.

She gives me her cell.

And tells me her name.

Oh.

Yes.

I know who they are.

Your husband has sent 79 emails.

54 voice mails.

I wish I’d said we were full.

She’s still complaining when Adam arrives.

I finally say, m’am our reservation system went live about 37 minutes before you arrived.

Calm the fuck down.

I paraphrase.

I make her reservation.

I say thank you.

Then I hug my boyfriend, and friends.

And go back to work.

PS. Chef let me sit and have dinner. It was fucking delicious.