My First Solo Gig

3:45pm, Thursday, June 25.

I arrive at 350 Park Ave, 8th flr, a bit early for my first solo gig. The admin in charge meets me at reception and shows me to the kitchen. It's an office kitchen not unlike the kitchen in The Office. Equipped with a toaster oven, microwave, coffee machine and fridge, this will be my kitchen for the evening and in it I am to make a 3 course plated dinner for 12 executives.

The Captain arrives 15 minutes later and chats cheerfully with the admin. When she leaves, he whispers (not so cheerfully), "We're in trouble." Turns out this particular catering company had four other gigs the same evening, all occurring simultaneously in Manhattan, and hired only one driver. So the equipment and food are still en route ... or not, no one seems to know. We wait an hour and a half for the driver. It isn't until 6pm that my kitchen is finally set up and I'm able to start cooking. With a 7pm service time, we're seriously cutting it close.

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On the menu

First Course
Mixed Field Greens, Pomegranate Seeds, Toasted Pine Nuts and Asiago Cheese with an Aged Balsamic Dressing served with Fire Grilled Shrimp with Three Sauces - Wasabi Aioli, Thai-Basil and Chipotle Garlic

Second Course, choice of
Polenta Crusted Sea Bass with Corn and Tomatillo Salsa
or
Pepper Crusted Filet of Beef with Mushroom Demi Glace
both served with
Grilled Asparagus and Scallion Mashed Red Bliss Potatoes

Third Course
Assortment of Fruit Tarts, Petit Fours and After Dinner Cookies
Rasberry Daquoise and Lemon Tart
Fresh Berries with Whipped Cream

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Food goes out hot and plates come back empty, which is a good sign. Once in a while an office worker, smelling the air, would wander into the kitchen. We make a nice plate of leftovers for the hard working non-executives still hanging around after 9pm.

As we clean and pack up, the Captain tells me he's worked with this client in the past and his team had previously been tipped $400! I'll have to wait for next week's paycheck to find out, but let's hope the current economic climate does not dampen their generosity.