It’s so much fun to sit in on staff pre meals–the all staff meeting that occurs before each meal service, to discuss specials for the evening, hot issues, a training refresher or two, etc. And, pronunciations.
I love that the beloved (Latino) sous chef explains the soup du jour as: “Begetable with beans and topped with pasta and grated Romano cheese…”
And I love when one server in the room says: “Is it vegetarian?” (Yes) And another server says: “Is it vegan without the cheese?” (Yes) And another server says: “Can it be gluten free without the pasta?” (Yes. The pasta is added at the end, to insure both al dente and the ability to serve it gluten free)
And I love the way the special dessert (lemon meringue) is displayed on an oversized plate with a cookie tuile, fat raspberries, lemon curd and raspberry “paint.”
And I love that the sous chef pronounces the tuile as “ta-hoo-lie” (Because, duh, he’s Latin). And I love that the staff wondered respectfully what the proper pronunciation was. And, then, what a tuile (“tweel”) actually is. (A wavy “tile” in French, that in culinary represents a wavy wafer. Or cracker. Often used to garnish a dessert. Or soup.
And I love when pre meal is over, everyone jumps up with forks and samples all the specials, humming, mm-hmm’ing and, as one waiter comments on the “tartness” in the lemon buerre blanc–but pronounces, blank, rather than the correct French “blonk”, the feisty expo teases: “It’s pronounced blonk. Big dummy.”
Pre meal’s over. Please go check your tables.
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