Hi, how are you?

As some of you may or may not know, Alex and I ran the backstage kitchen (aka 'La Cuisine') at the Winnipeg Folk Festival for 13 years.  Two years ago, that relationship came to a bit of a rocky end.  This year, the new Executive Director of the festival, Tamara, invited us to sit down and talk for bit.  She talked about many things with us but the highlight for me was when she suggested that people working the gate of festival will be encouraged to start their interactions with patrons with the following: "Hi, welcome to the Winnipeg Folk Festival."  I felt joyful! Which seems kind of silly and a bit of an over-reaction but this simple phrase has the power to change so much.  

When customers walk into the restaurant, I try to greet everyone with, "Hi, how are you?" and look them in the eye.  I want people to feel like they belong.  Sometimes our place can be so busy and so intense, it might be a little bit overwhelming and I want people to know that they are welcome here.  But, it's more than just that.  I want to engage in a relationship with people. I am welcoming them into my home (some days I'm at the restaurant more than in my house) and I want them to feel comfortable.  I was just listening to a piece on Definitely Not The Opera and it was about the power of looking people in the eye.  They were suggesting that not only does it build trust (as in, I want you to have a good time here today and you have faith that you will) but it also creates a 'willingness'.  This is a trickier idea but it certainly has come in handy.  

Last night, I kind of got confused by how many people were still to come in and how many walk-ins I had accepted and really, generally what I was doing.  It happens.  I get a little tired, I get a little overexcited by customers I haven't seen for awhile at the door, I let everyone come in!  So, I got to that point of the night (mind you, it was almost 10:00 at night... if I did this at 6:00, I'd be a little worried...) where I didn't have enough tables for everyone.  I had this lovely couple come in with a reservation and I wasn't sure where to put them.  I greeted them and had a little visit.  I then asked them if they would like to start at the chef's table and they agreed. Within about 10 minutes, it became obvious to me that I wasn't finding a table.  Here comes the moment when I take a deep breath and go in for the are-you-happy-at-the-bar conversation.  I even wince as I type those words.  It can go horribly awry and I spend the evening dodging people.  Fortunately, they were happy!  Yeah!  I suspect that if we hadn't had time to connect, have a look-each-other-in-the-eye conversation, it may have unfolded differently.  Relationship is a brilliant concept and when it comes to life, great things can happen!

And so, before they need to search your bag at the Folk Fest this year, they will welcome you. And, if you volunteer or perform, you will eat our food.  See you there!

Taste of the Nation Part II

Well, it was definitely a party.  A party with a lot of bodies, food, alcohol and very little air conditioning.  It is such a treat to see so many industry people playing together.  It starts off with a bang - they open the doors at 6 pm and you get kind of trampled at your little table.  Fortunately our table was stationed between the Hendricks gin table and the espresso vodka table which meant some nice diversions.  We were serving Thai mussels and pig snout salad - the snout is done two ways, braised and crispy fried, and served on fennel citrus slaw.  It was surprisingly well received.  It's the precursor to our new appy menu item snout to tail, which is snout, pork belly and pig tail.  And to think, we used to be vegetarians...

After we served all the guests, we got to go and eat!  It was fun to try all the different chef offerings, see old friends, see which (single) chefs were chasing girls (no names but it was quite the display!).  I loved the ravioli in brodo from Dacquisto, the duck from Gusto, and I love Chef Tristan's foie gras with Sauterne gelee (yum!  I had more than one...) and I am a sucker for the mini yorkshire puddings stuffed with prime rib and gravy from 529.  

Usually at the end of the night we wind up in a lounge hanging out with people and visiting but sadly Alex is really sick so we ended it early.  It's a great life but it can wear you out sometimes...

Taste of the Nation Part I

Tonight is Taste of the Nation.  I must confess I know little about what this function is or how it works but I do know it was a hoot last year so I'm glad to be going back.  Taste of the Nation is held at the Fairmont and the public buys tickets to come and eat little dishes made by local chefs. The money raised goes to provide food for people who are struggling with attaining the basic necessities.  I usually know much about the charities I give my money to but found myself along for the ride with this one.  One of my goals tonight is to find out more about it.

The event itself is a bit of an opportunity for the chefs to show off to each other so the food last year was pretty fantastic: my favourite was Barry saunder's foie gras cotton candy... yum!  Alex did marrow bones which went over surprisingly well.  This year we are doing thai mussels and pig snout salad - I love seeing the ladies all dressed up and being polite and trying Alex's food.  Speaking of all dressed up, again the pressure about clothing.  Hopefully I can figure out what to wear sooner rather than later...  Will update on what food we get to try!

Rent-A-Nerd

Well, the title says it all.  Rent-a-Nerd.  Sigh.  

My apologies to the party involved in the story but how could I not share?  I think we all agreed in the end, it was a tale worth telling.

It all began with a relatively straight-forward Saturday night at the Bistro: multiple parties, fun people, parties 'camping' at tables, not enough water glasses or small forks, the kitchen buried in orders and generally a feeling of delightful chaos.  We managed to seat our big party a little late (see aforementioned 'campers') but everything seemed to be going well.

Then there is this very loud voice saying, "Didn't this used to be a fireplace store?"  In that moment, many thoughts raced through my mind.  Is someone lost? Did I mishear?  Is someone really drunk?  Again, "Didn't this used to be a fireplace store?" Okay, now my brain is really racing and I'm looking around to see where this is coming from and then I see him: the Rent-A-Nerd.  My heart sinks.  (When I was telling this story to my in-laws, my recently retired nuclear physicist father-in-law piped up with, "I can rent myself out?") 

My eyes landed on this guy wearing shorts (it was -5 outside) pulled up above his waist, an oversized suit jacket, oversized glasses and slicked back hair, holding balloons.  He was shouting something about the customer and a stay in the hospital... Every minute or so he would interject with "Didn't this used to be a fireplace store?"  He was so loud.  The cooks and dishwashers in the back kitchen stopped working because it was so loud and awkward.  Fortunately, the one birthday group was seated next to a second birthday group and for the most part, it seemed to be okay.  Unfortunately, every single person in the restaurant was forced to stop their evening and hang out while this show took place.

I wish I could say that I handled this seamlessly and knew exactly how to behave but that is not the case.  Alex and I exchanged about a thousand looks, hoping to see that the other one had figured out what to do.  Nope.  I walked outside and stood on the street for a few minutes.  When I came back in, I got to hear the Rent-A-Nerd yelling "SHUT UP everyone, we have to sing happy birthday."  Now I caught the eye of some of the birthday party guests and they looked as confused as me.  So, I went over to one end of the table to offer to get them drinks.  The guests asked me if I could get rid of the Rent-A-Nerd.  Could I?!  You bet.  I discreetly went to the back of him and suggested that it was time to wrap it up.  He tried to turn me into part of his show but that wasn't really going to happen...

In the end, he left and everyone exhaled a sigh of relief.  Now we have a funny story!  Second only to the couple that hung out in the bathroom together for a long time the same night... but that's for another day.