Day 2: Dos Palillos

This is going to be another short post with no pictures, as it’s actually Day 3, my time, and I have to run out the door to work in a few minutes – just a short 7 hours after I got home from Day 2.

More things I like: 1) I made mochi from scratch. I had never done it and it was a great process. 2) I made almond milk from scratch. Ditto. 3) The clientele is from all over the world. Some German guy at the bar asked if I was the sommelier and said he wanted to compliment my service. Really? I just brought some wine and explained some of his 17 course dinner. Anyway, it was nice to hear a compliment during a rough day. 4) Vincente and I are getting along great. Whenever I get yelled at, he quips back at the chef de cuisine and says it’s his (Vincente’s) fault for not showing me. Thanks, Vincente. 4) I piped up and told Antonio in my bad Spanish when he told me something I did looked like “f_ing shit”, “Listen kid, I’m old enough to be your mother and I have sharper knives. Be careful.” I think I was channeling Kathy Bates in Fried Green Tomatoes when she bashed the young girl’s car and said, “Face it girls, I’m older than you and have more insurance.” Plus, earlier in the day, another young kid asked if I was doing okay and if everyone was helping me. I said yes and that I liked everyone. Then, I smiled and pointed and said, “Well, maybe not him” and winked at Antonio. I think everything translated okay as at the end of the night, Antonio said, “I’m crazy. Don’t worry about it.” I think we’re going to be friends – haha. 5) I learned that tomorrow, Saturday, Vincente is going to essentially give me control of pastry. So, I’m going to have a lot of responsibility in the short term.

Dislikes: 1) Crazy hours, 2) getting yelled at, 3) not understanding half of what’s going on due to the language issues, 4) not being able to try any of the food. They don’t let you. Hmmmm. How am I suppose to tell people about the food if I haven’t tasted everything? That will not be a mistake I make in my restaurant. You want believers to work for you.

Off to Day 3!