Big boss visit and 3 cups of coffee!! Recount of a day in Chef’s life and the passion for doing job well….

Not a big fan of caffeine, in fact everyone around me thinks I am weird for not taking Sutta(smoke) or coffee breaks. But today is going to be an exceptional day.

My Director of Operations (India head) is scheduled to take rounds in my kitchen and this means me and my team of chefs need to be at the top of the game. He is scheduled to arrive at night at 23.00 for the next day rounds at 07.00 am so guess what our day has already begun. Keeping the running kitchen spotless at all time(specially when he enters and trust me you have no clue when he will) goes without saying. So after all the deep cleaning and a busy dinner service I am still smiling waiting to welcome him at 23.00 pm. A bunch of mix thoughts about our first impression are colliding in my skull, but the most strongest and realistic thought is the fact that I have to come back again early morning before he comes down for breakfast. So that's it,I need my 1st cup of coffee to stay focus (frankly to stay awake). So before he arrives I rush to get my coffee. Ok I am sipping my coffee to be 'focus' ; ) while I remember reading somewhere that coffee only starts reacting after 30 minutes so be it. I am done with the first cup and reach to the lobby only to know that Boss has already arrived and rushed up to his room as he was extremely tired. Great!!!!! So the night ends but like I said the day has just begun. I am at home trying to fight the adrenaline (30 minute coffee funda) using Facebook as my time travel tool and finally doze off by 12ish. This next few hours when i am fast asleep is the best part of the story, at least for me. But this will not last long. 4 am I receive a call from the night shift chef that the other night shift chef has not turned up so here I am back at the hotel helping my night chef for a good breakfast buffet set up before the big boss comes down for his perfect breakfast. No credit for guessing who helped me through these hours, my 2nd cup of coffee. The breakfast set up is done by 6.45 am. Big boss is down by 7ish along with my GM accompanying him, the restaurant is full of guest having their breakfast and I am busy with refiling the buffet as I am filling up for the night shift chef whose job is refilling the buffet. As along as everything goes smooth I am happy. He orders for Bread Pakoda and banana smoothie for his breakfast and he is done for breakfast. I greet him briefly when he is around buffet and he gently greets me back, this indicates he is happy with the surroundings. This gives a sigh of achievement, he skips the kitchen area but takes round of the garden area outside the restaurant and the kitchen back area, gives a few suggestion to GM regarding changing layout to increase covers in the restaurant and few other things. At around 12.30 pm he checks out as he has flight back to Delhi not before he meets all the associates to take a quick feedback of their well being. As he is gone now we all appreciate each others hard work and finally sorted for the big day which has passed. After this a busy Lunch and group bookings for dinner doesn't seem much of a task but the reason for my 3rd cup seems like one, our Finance manager who has worked with the hotel for 2 years is going to get a farewell treat tonight and I have to be there for it too. Though I do not drink this sounds like loosing your self and relaxing so around 8.30 pm after the rush in the dinner service settles down I am sipping my 3rd cup. The day has finally ended and the night has begun....