Knife's Edge - Restaurant Rants & Raves

The Sardine

is 2 today

Independence Day 2008

My four day workweeks were short-lived. My chef du cuisine quit a month ago and I'm spending more time in the kitchen again which is not a bad thing at all. And while his departure threw a slight wrench in the summer works, it's the biggest opportunity really.

Two of the Mexican guys on the line should really be running the place. One has been with me nearly 8 years, one 5. This is the time for them to step and move into positions of responsibility. The biggest hurdle: English.

They both have excellent comprehension but the one who has been with us 8 years is so painfully shy that he rarely speaks in Spanish, let alone English. He's 30 years old and has his first girlfriend ever now. He knows how to do everything in the restaurant and handles any station gracefully. The other guy is more outgoing, has an Anglo girlfriend and would probably be a better choice for running things. He was a police officer at home.

My part in this is not insisting for the past 8 years that they speak English, but rather relying on Spanglish to get the job done. I have in the past bought books and tapes for them but haven't used English exclusively at the restaurant I've changed that behavior and am only speaking English.

Here's to real independence