Professional Courtesy

[RETREVR]

I needed a little bit of tequila today for a dish. The stores are closed on Sunday in Colorado so I wandered up the alley to see if I could bum an oz off of a restaurant. Just up the alley is a little pretentious place called Gurtrudes. I walked in the back door to find the chef to see if they would loan me a shot. It was 2:00pm
As soon as I walked in the kitchen, a fly-weight wearing shorts and a T-shirt yelled at me asking me what I wanted. He and another guy were working a four top saute station...together. I walked over to introduce myself but couldn't even get my name out. He asked me what I was doing in his kitchen. Again I started to introduce myself and he interupted me. I am wearing chef's whites, so you would think he would know that I was not just a random stranger off the street. I tell him that I am obviosly in the business and came up to ask him a favor. He looked at me and said, "you can't come into my kitchen unannounced". I told him to just forget it and I left.
I went up the street to the next kitchen and they were nothing but friendly and comped me a shot. I gave them two bucks and told him to buy the dishwasher a beer.
It just really upset me.
Gurtrudes night chef has been in my kitchen and taken the whole tasting tour, and I even sent her away with a few sample dishes. Anyone is welcome in my kitchen. If I am really busy, I will explain that and invite them back at a later time. This is doubly true for someone in the business, let alone someone wearing whites.
It turns out that this punk is the owner.
On my way back to my kitchen I passed their front door and spit on the step. I will buy their kitchen at auction.

[brash]

The funny thing is, little things like this have a way of being bigger than they seem. My friend is going to college out in Colorado Springs and has been checking out different restaurants. I'll be telling him not to bother with Gertrude's Restaurant...

Out of curiosity, you don't happen to be associated with Jake and Telly's by any chance? I just noticed that Gertrudes is right next door to Jake and Telly's, which happens to be my friend's favorite restaurant out there!

[RETREVR]

Not jake and tellys. I had a beer with one of those guys about ten years ago and he was a hell of a nice guy. Some people I work with have a drink there now and then. We just built a kitchen on 26th and Cucharas next to the big bed and breakfast.
I sent the restaurant a comment on their website. I basically said that that was the worst lack of profesional courtesy I have ever experienced. I mentioned that their staff had toured my kitchen and are always welcome but the chef ought not to darken my door.
Here's the little prick now:
http://www.gertrudesrestaurant.com/chef_robert.htm
I laughed when I read their latest review.

[RETREVR]

By the way...we are always looking for people, especially with the holidays coming up(which may be a problem with college kids). Anything from a on-call server type, to a part-time server, to part time server/set-up or even a little prep work. Point being, a college kid can find some hours.

[RETREVR]

I hate to say it but maybe it is me.
The other morning, I was in La Baguette getting a cup of coffee. There was one table seated and the customer in line in front of me left because he had been standing there for ten minutes. There was a one-armed barista making a latte and a boy making an omelet. They then disappeared into the kitchen.
I had now been standing there for ten minutes waiting for a cup of coffee. I took a brioche off the counter and hurled it into the kitchen. That got their attention. The boy came hustling out and I explained to him that ten minutes is too long to wait and that I prefer to keep this as my coffee shop, but there were going to have to be some changes around here. I asked him if it was reasonable to keep me waiting. He said no sir and gave my coffee to me, I tipped him well.
Most people would walk out and never come back. I am doing them a service by getting them fired up. I would never do this if the place was busy and they were understaffed and hustling. The place was empty, they were not understaffed and they were not hustling. It always seems like the guy gets yelled at that showed-up to work and is in the weeds because someone else didn't show up.
How does this relate to professional courtesy?
Well, maybe I am just an asshole, but if I owned the place and the service sucked when I wasn't there, I would sure appreciate it if someone lit a fire under my slacking employees. I would prefer this, to simply loosing a customer.
Now I will have to tip those guys heavily every morning.

[blwchef]

This sound like my neighboor on decaf. Meet the biggest A$$HOLE chef in Seattle, MR. Bipolar I like to beat the crap out homeless people and spit on tourists (literally). I give you Scott Carsberg! http://www.lampreiarestaurant.com/
Most people in the industry won't even look at his food much less set foot in his restaurant.

[KneeKnocks]

Hmmm...Chef Robert's history seems sort of...um, enigmatic.
Where'd he work? Train? And who's the Bone Queen? And what's that in his right hand? A meat mallet? A hair dryer?

[RETREVR]

I have no schooling, but have been in the kitchen since I was twelve. This guy worked for a CIA chef for a few months. Not that it matters, but I have worked for several CIA chefs for several years, not to mention the ones that have worked under me.
It reminds me of my last chef, not that I would ever in my wildest dreams address her as chef. She trained under one person and her first and only job was as chef/owner of a little snotty place. Put her in a kitchen with more than one person and she couldn't deal. We ate her for lunch.
I give anyone in this business respect until they prove unworthy. At that point I make it my goal to come down upon them with great vengeance.

[dano1]

sounds like, and from the looks of him, "Little Mans Syndrom".