long time no update. lots has happened.
We were able to get rid of our weakest sous chef, well actually he quit. But that means we all went from working 6 and 7 day weeks to finally getting two days off.
We had a $99,000 in sales day at the restaurant.
I spent a bunch of money to go visit Pam in MN and then two weeks later we broke it off. Actually she broke it off, and I couldn't be happier. I think I was totally kidding myself into thinking it would actually work and that I wanted it to work. Deep down I know I didn't. In fact, I was trying to figure out how I was going to break it off. The last visit was all well and good, until night came and she starting drinking wine. She drinks a lot and I don't. She drinks every night, excessively, and I was never comfortable with that, even in college when we dated. That last trip to MN I really had had enough. She kept trying to be sexy and kiss me but her mouth tasting like cheap wine and I kept pushing her away. the next morning, she barely remembered half the night. I couldn't wait to get on the plane back to Chicago. We didn't talk over facetime for two weeks, and when we did she told me the anniversary of her divorce had come that week and she realized she missed her Ex. So it was over.
And then she wanted to talk again, to "clear the air". Right about that time I was working 80 hour weeks and when she started drunk texting me that I was avoiiding her I had had enough. I laid into her, pretty harshly, after a 15 hour work day during an 85 hour week. I told her I didn't give a shit about her clearing the air and that was pretty much how I left it.
All in all I couldn't be happier. I already have some good prospects, flirt constantly with a hostess at work, and have finally restarted furnishing my place. For four years I was a wreck over this girl and now I feel free of her for the first time since we dated in college.
Dragon slayed.
so i'm single . . . ladies?
We were able to get rid of our weakest sous chef, well actually he quit. But that means we all went from working 6 and 7 day weeks to finally getting two days off.
We had a $99,000 in sales day at the restaurant.
I spent a bunch of money to go visit Pam in MN and then two weeks later we broke it off. Actually she broke it off, and I couldn't be happier. I think I was totally kidding myself into thinking it would actually work and that I wanted it to work. Deep down I know I didn't. In fact, I was trying to figure out how I was going to break it off. The last visit was all well and good, until night came and she starting drinking wine. She drinks a lot and I don't. She drinks every night, excessively, and I was never comfortable with that, even in college when we dated. That last trip to MN I really had had enough. She kept trying to be sexy and kiss me but her mouth tasting like cheap wine and I kept pushing her away. the next morning, she barely remembered half the night. I couldn't wait to get on the plane back to Chicago. We didn't talk over facetime for two weeks, and when we did she told me the anniversary of her divorce had come that week and she realized she missed her Ex. So it was over.
And then she wanted to talk again, to "clear the air". Right about that time I was working 80 hour weeks and when she started drunk texting me that I was avoiiding her I had had enough. I laid into her, pretty harshly, after a 15 hour work day during an 85 hour week. I told her I didn't give a shit about her clearing the air and that was pretty much how I left it.
All in all I couldn't be happier. I already have some good prospects, flirt constantly with a hostess at work, and have finally restarted furnishing my place. For four years I was a wreck over this girl and now I feel free of her for the first time since we dated in college.
Dragon slayed.
so i'm single . . . ladies?
its been a pretty good first week at the restaurant. business steadily increased over the course of the week during lunch and dinner. We had no idea what to expect so we were very overstaffed and finally figuring it out as the weekend began. We walked into dinner today with 260 reservations, the highest yet for that service period. Everything was flowing nicely and the kitchen was putting out some nice looking food. We are all waiting for patio season to start, that is when business will really take off. its 300 more seats, beautiful, with its own bar complete with flat screens. 16 foot heated umbrellas, and two fire pit tables. its seriously amazing.
my big sister came in with friends to celebrate her birthday. i won't lie, i like having my name and title on my jacket.
my big sister came in with friends to celebrate her birthday. i won't lie, i like having my name and title on my jacket.
tomorrow we open. all the hard work leading up to this and it is exciting. both soft openings have gone really well and we are confident in our team and that good things are on the horizon.
i have had two days off so far in March. been working mostly 14 hour days and am exhausted but couldn't be happier with the job.
come see us Chicago.
Howells and Hood 435 N. Michigan Ave
i have had two days off so far in March. been working mostly 14 hour days and am exhausted but couldn't be happier with the job.
come see us Chicago.
Howells and Hood 435 N. Michigan Ave
Last shift at the hotel today and I couldn't be happier. It hasn't been a terrible job, but it hasn't been a great on either. I did make a bunch of money there, but really had to struggle internally with the way the place was managed.
The guy taking my place is a friend of one of the sous chefs. A real good guy and an excellent cook, coming from NYC where he worked at a 3 Michelin starred restaurant before being seriously injured and almost dying (he was hit by a bus!). The way he is talking, "we need to change this and change that and tell the morning cooks to be cleaner" is like listening to a recording of myself when I first started there. It makes me laugh because deep down I know nothing will get done because the union cooks who have been there for years don't listen to anyone and don't give a shit.
That being said over the 1.5 year I was there I feel that I made a positive impact. The food certainly improved over that time. I did help to keep things cleaner and organized. Trained a few cooks who went on to gain a promotion. Mentored a few young cooks who have made fantastic strides.
I am ready to move on and excited.
The guy taking my place is a friend of one of the sous chefs. A real good guy and an excellent cook, coming from NYC where he worked at a 3 Michelin starred restaurant before being seriously injured and almost dying (he was hit by a bus!). The way he is talking, "we need to change this and change that and tell the morning cooks to be cleaner" is like listening to a recording of myself when I first started there. It makes me laugh because deep down I know nothing will get done because the union cooks who have been there for years don't listen to anyone and don't give a shit.
That being said over the 1.5 year I was there I feel that I made a positive impact. The food certainly improved over that time. I did help to keep things cleaner and organized. Trained a few cooks who went on to gain a promotion. Mentored a few young cooks who have made fantastic strides.
I am ready to move on and excited.
well.
I got the job. I will be a Sous Chef at Howells and Hood opening in march in the tribune tower in chicago.
saw The Book of Mormon tonight with my family. it was fucking hilarious and awesome.
I got the job. I will be a Sous Chef at Howells and Hood opening in march in the tribune tower in chicago.
saw The Book of Mormon tonight with my family. it was fucking hilarious and awesome.
took five days off of work this week. it was my first time taking any significant time off in a while and i sure needed a recharge.
Pam came in town for the stretch and it was very nice to have her here.
I made dinner for us on thursday, it was the first time she has tasted my cooking. before we reconnected the last time she saw me was my first week of culinary school in 2006.
No pictures but i made a roasted heirloom carrot salad, artesian greens, Persimmon puree, Diced Persimmon
Seared Ribeye with Alligot Potato, Bacon and Garlic braised Kale, glazed carrots, Demi-Glace
She really enjoyed it and it was nice to finally cook for her.
Friday we went shopping during the day, and in the evening went to the Hotel's end of year employee party. We got dressy and partied with my coworkers which was a lot of fun.
Saturday was a pretty lazy day, basically nursing our hangovers, but we made it out for a romantic dinner at a neighborhood italian joint called Caro Mio. Its BYOB and we had a great bottle of Cab and some seriously delicious housemade pastas.
We spent today looking at possible house furnishings as the idea of her moving to Chicago seems to be gaining steam. Its not in stone yet, but she seems down with it. She liked the apartment and neighborhood I live in so i think that calmed some of her fears. I dropped her off at the airport around 6 and am bummed she is gone.
In other news I have made it my goal in 2013 to finally take the move up to Sous Chef, where ever that may take me. I have taken a break from my relaxing hobby of smoking weed until this day arrives. I had set a sort of timetable for the spring to really start looking, trying to nail down a good tasting base to take to my interviews. I hadn't said anything to my bosses as of yet, but things took an unexpected turn on Wednesday morning. My Executive Chef texted me that a friend of his is looking for Sous Chefs for his new venture in Chicago and wondered if I was interested in having my name passed along, which of course I was. I had met this chef before at a charity function so the interview was pretty low key, and I guess my boss gave me a very strong reference. I am doing my tasting tomorrow morning and have a starter, salad, two meat course options, and two fish options all written out and ready to go.
Its a hell of a opportunity, but its going to be interesting if I take the job. It will be a high profile opening in a high profile location, and 700 seats. that's right. 700 fucking seats. The whole place is being built from the ground up and the kitchen will be brand new and state of the art, and have two mirrored lines. The restaurant group has five existing locations and only growing so that is good. The number of seats is scary, but getting comfortable doing high volume again would be nice.
My other general options are to take a spot in another hotel and have to deal with all the union bullshit I see my chefs dealing with every day, which doesn't thrill me at all. Or take a spot in a private restaurant and most likely take a sizable pay cut, also not so thrilling.
So yes, exciting, a little unnerving, and lots of thinking to do. Deep down I really want the job.
Pam came in town for the stretch and it was very nice to have her here.
I made dinner for us on thursday, it was the first time she has tasted my cooking. before we reconnected the last time she saw me was my first week of culinary school in 2006.
No pictures but i made a roasted heirloom carrot salad, artesian greens, Persimmon puree, Diced Persimmon
Seared Ribeye with Alligot Potato, Bacon and Garlic braised Kale, glazed carrots, Demi-Glace
She really enjoyed it and it was nice to finally cook for her.
Friday we went shopping during the day, and in the evening went to the Hotel's end of year employee party. We got dressy and partied with my coworkers which was a lot of fun.
Saturday was a pretty lazy day, basically nursing our hangovers, but we made it out for a romantic dinner at a neighborhood italian joint called Caro Mio. Its BYOB and we had a great bottle of Cab and some seriously delicious housemade pastas.
We spent today looking at possible house furnishings as the idea of her moving to Chicago seems to be gaining steam. Its not in stone yet, but she seems down with it. She liked the apartment and neighborhood I live in so i think that calmed some of her fears. I dropped her off at the airport around 6 and am bummed she is gone.
In other news I have made it my goal in 2013 to finally take the move up to Sous Chef, where ever that may take me. I have taken a break from my relaxing hobby of smoking weed until this day arrives. I had set a sort of timetable for the spring to really start looking, trying to nail down a good tasting base to take to my interviews. I hadn't said anything to my bosses as of yet, but things took an unexpected turn on Wednesday morning. My Executive Chef texted me that a friend of his is looking for Sous Chefs for his new venture in Chicago and wondered if I was interested in having my name passed along, which of course I was. I had met this chef before at a charity function so the interview was pretty low key, and I guess my boss gave me a very strong reference. I am doing my tasting tomorrow morning and have a starter, salad, two meat course options, and two fish options all written out and ready to go.
Its a hell of a opportunity, but its going to be interesting if I take the job. It will be a high profile opening in a high profile location, and 700 seats. that's right. 700 fucking seats. The whole place is being built from the ground up and the kitchen will be brand new and state of the art, and have two mirrored lines. The restaurant group has five existing locations and only growing so that is good. The number of seats is scary, but getting comfortable doing high volume again would be nice.
My other general options are to take a spot in another hotel and have to deal with all the union bullshit I see my chefs dealing with every day, which doesn't thrill me at all. Or take a spot in a private restaurant and most likely take a sizable pay cut, also not so thrilling.
So yes, exciting, a little unnerving, and lots of thinking to do. Deep down I really want the job.
just got through our first real fight. maybe it can work this time. phew, i was nervous as shit.
2005. Pam visiting Iowa City from New York.i spent the last four years trying not to love her. it never took. i am stepping very slowly, but deep down she's all i ever wanted.
2 days off in fourteen days. sunday can't come soon enough.
last week i went down to the burbs and had dinner with the family. i hadn't seen them in about a month. not since my grandfather was in and out of the hospital. so it was good to get to see them. apparently my niece had been asking about me. we spent a lot of time together, its rare she attaches herself to anyone besides my mom, so you can't waste your opportuinity when she wants you to hang out. we played with play-doh, and some letters, and i drove an imaginary train. i read her some books and put her to sleep.
so the ex and i have been emailing. we had a complicated relationship which ended with me in Colorado and her engaged and in New York. I asked her to stop contacting me four years ago. she very bitterly agreed. it hurt her very much i know, but i didn't very much care at the time. all she wanted, she said, was to deeply apologize, and hope that i'd consider letting her speak to me again.
I responded that night, something i'm sure she didn't expect. i basically told her i'd think it over and i'd get back to her. she texted again the next day and that night I wrote out pretty much everything i was feeling from 2004 until now. i ended it by telling her that her and her husband should stay separte from my life. i decided to sleep on sending it.
While i was laying in bed i was thinking it all over i realized two important things. 1. if i tell her off now that's it. i would never hear from her again. 2. I couldn't realistically say that i never wanted to see or speak to her again. i let her know that this is a slippery slope for her. this has to happen slowly. She laid it out for me as well from her point of view. its the most honest we've ever been to each other. it began with "Brian, I have loved you for the last ten years" and ended with her telling me she was no longer married.
last week i went down to the burbs and had dinner with the family. i hadn't seen them in about a month. not since my grandfather was in and out of the hospital. so it was good to get to see them. apparently my niece had been asking about me. we spent a lot of time together, its rare she attaches herself to anyone besides my mom, so you can't waste your opportuinity when she wants you to hang out. we played with play-doh, and some letters, and i drove an imaginary train. i read her some books and put her to sleep.
so the ex and i have been emailing. we had a complicated relationship which ended with me in Colorado and her engaged and in New York. I asked her to stop contacting me four years ago. she very bitterly agreed. it hurt her very much i know, but i didn't very much care at the time. all she wanted, she said, was to deeply apologize, and hope that i'd consider letting her speak to me again.
I responded that night, something i'm sure she didn't expect. i basically told her i'd think it over and i'd get back to her. she texted again the next day and that night I wrote out pretty much everything i was feeling from 2004 until now. i ended it by telling her that her and her husband should stay separte from my life. i decided to sleep on sending it.
While i was laying in bed i was thinking it all over i realized two important things. 1. if i tell her off now that's it. i would never hear from her again. 2. I couldn't realistically say that i never wanted to see or speak to her again. i let her know that this is a slippery slope for her. this has to happen slowly. She laid it out for me as well from her point of view. its the most honest we've ever been to each other. it began with "Brian, I have loved you for the last ten years" and ended with her telling me she was no longer married.
