Chapter Sixteen: Part Two
Their business was now fully booked out many months ahead. The spaces in their calendar that had been available when she’d gone to Rick’s place on Thursday were filled. As she re-examined the numbers, Kate noted that all of the new bookings were for very solid events. She looked forward and back through the months, not seeing a small job anywhere. Randomly opening the notes on different bookings, Kate recognised many of the city’s genuine power players as either the booking party, or high on the lists of attending VIPs. The girls just sat there, grinning, watching Kate catch up with what they already knew.
Dee said, ‘They started coming in on Saturday from mid-morning. I went through two phone charges just taking the bookings. When I called Juanita to ask if it was them, she just said that we deserve every success we get. She never said yes or no, but I know it had to be them. Girls, I believe we have been Dominiqued.’
After a few moments of thought, Kate said, ‘We have to find the right kind of chef for you, Carrie. Your kitchen and your call, but we can’t split into two teams until we have a second kitchen team running to your satisfaction.’
Carrie nodded and said, ‘We’ve thought the same thing. Kate, how about you train Giselle to understudy you? It would be good to have someone else backing up all of our roles. Dee can do the same with Suzette. They work well together, and at events like Dom’s and the mayor’s, where we’re overstaffed anyway, you can let them take the lead. You two are paid to watch anyway.’
Clinking their glasses of fruit juice in celebration, Kate felt the distinct awareness that their little enterprise was rapidly growing up. ‘Alberto’s?’ Kate asked, voicing a single thought shared by the three.
‘Perfect,’ said Dee and Carrie at the same time.
Dee picked up her phone and called Alberto, excitedly telling him how special the celebration was, and why. Alberto was as close to them as family and he rejoiced in their good fortune as if it was his own. Whilst Dee talked to Alberto, Carrie and Kate called their five staff, all part-time until tonight. Everyone affirmed their attendance at once. A night at Alberto’s was always fun, loud and happy, and a teaser hinting at some positive announcements just made things more interesting.
~~~~~
Alberto consistently received rave restaurant reviews for the standard of his food. The starters he served tonight were of exceptional quality and had their whole table talking excitedly. When the last of the platters was emptied, Dee stood and rung a spoon on her glass to get the table’s attention. ‘Ladies, and gentleman, of our little enterprise, and significant others,’ she started, grinning at the staff's partners sitting amongst them, ‘we want to let you all in on some changes. Our business has recently experienced a significant growth spurt and we are now officially booked out months ahead. This means regular hours for everyone.’ Pausing for effect, she let that first wave of good news wash around before she went on.
‘Promotions!’ Dee announced, watching everyone become very attentive. ‘Suzette, Giselle, we would like you both to come on board full-time. Your tasks will be to understudy our roles. Giselle with Kate, and Suzette with me. In our overstaffed events, Corey learns under Suzette and Latisha under Giselle. Of course, that means you two will need to be full-time as well.’ Dee smiled, watching the grins around the table growing wider.
‘Paula, you have only been with us for a few weeks, but you are the first assistant Carrie hasn’t thrown out of her kitchen in forever.’ Chuckles around the table affirmed Dee’s statement. ‘We want to offer you full-time too, with view to an apprenticeship if things continue to go well. Full-time for everyone is base salary plus profit share bonuses each month. What do you say ladies, and Corey, of course?’
All affirmed loudly amid shoulder-pats, hugs and congratulations. Alberto and his wife congratulated everyone on their promotions before signalling his staff to bring out the main courses in a couple of minutes.
Returning to her seat, Dee nodded to Kate as she stood. ‘Some of the functions we have coming up are over two-hundred seats, others are as small as thirty. This means that we all need to be able to adapt and scale our roles. The focus of our full-time staff, after flawless gigs of course, is to cross train everyone for every role. Learn and teach. On that note, we are now looking for at least another four part-timers. You know the roles and you know how we work. If you know of someone reliable, fast and discreet who might fit into our little family, please introduce us. Remember that you have to work with them, so recommend wisely.’ Kate looked at Carrie and resumed her seat.
Carrie stood and said to the table, ‘We have some intense gigs coming up. Especially during service, we are going to have to move fast and communication will sometimes be shorter than normal. We need to ensure that we leave our personal days at home and stay focused on what we need to do without distractions. Most of all, we need to remember to say please and thank you when tensions are high and the pressure is on. Our collective aim is to be around for a long time. We can only achieve this if we are all working towards the same goals, we stay professional, and we keep communicating with respect. We need to keep it fun as well.’ Cheers affirmed everyone’s agreement. ‘Enough talk. Let’s enjoy this amazing food. Thank you, Alberto.’
More happy chatter affirmed that their staff were very much on board with everything that was happening. The thought of permanent employment and profit share – at a time when well-paid full-time work was scarce – ensured that the smiles around the table were broad. Kate found herself wishing that Rick could share the moment with her until the joyous mood of the table once again distracted her.
Alberto’s food was above spectacular tonight and the whole table was chatting animatedly about it and sharing tastes from each other’s plates. Alberto invited Carrie into the kitchen when she’d finished her meal, and she jumped at the chance. He only ever asked her into his kitchen when he had something wonderful for her to see or try.
Alberto held the door open for Carrie, and she walked in to find two new faces in the kitchen. He followed her in and said with intense pride, ‘Miss Carrie, this is my nephew, Luka, and this is Melissa. They cooked for you this evening.’ Luka was wearing the full whites of an experienced chef and Melissa wore apprentice’s checks with a chef’s jacket.
It was not often that Carrie was speechless. She had thought that Alberto was having a great night for a great chef. From the food she had tasted that evening, she knew Luka cooked with pride and intent. He clearly had an exceptional palate, and considering the variety and quantity of food that had come out of the kitchen tonight, Carrie knew that he and Melissa worked well together. Especially for someone who must only be in his early to mid-twenties, she thought.
Luka extended his hand and said, ‘It is a great pleasure to meet you, Miss Carrie.’
‘Luka, your food is exceptional!’ she said, shaking his hand before turning to Alberto. ‘He’s even a shade better than you on some of the contemporary flavours and his Calabrese flavours are right up there with yours. Where have you been hiding this lad?’ Looking back at Luka, she continued. ‘That is not praise given lightly, Luka. I am very impressed.’ When both Luka and Melissa acknowledged her praise, Carrie looked back at Melissa, intrigued.
Alberto said, ‘Miss Carrie, Miss Danielle told me this morning that you were seeking a chef. I was hoping that you might consider Luka?’ Alberto might have only mentioned Luka’s name, but his gestures showed that he was asking on behalf of both. Carrie shifted mental gears, nodding slightly to acknowledge what Alberto had asked before she looked at the young man.
‘Why are you unemployed, Luka?’
‘Miss Carrie, the last man we worked for, he was not a good man. He said for me to serve what I could not. It was bad, spoiled, Miss. He insisted, but I refused. He said to Melissa to serve it. She said no, and he pushed her, and, well… well then I hit him. We could not serve the food he was trying to make us serve, Miss Carrie. It was not right that I hit him, but it was not right he pushed Melissa or told us to serve bad food. It would have made people sick Miss…’ When Luka’s arm had protectively gone over Melissa’s shoulder, Carrie quickly understood the full picture. She looked to Melissa. ‘And you?’
‘Ma’am, I was three months off completing my apprenticeship and he fired me because I said no, and because Luka hit him. He told everyone that I stole from him, but I didn’t, I swear.’
Alberto added quickly, ‘Luka is a good boy. I know this man he talks of. A saint would hit him and the Father Himself would cheer. He is a worthless… person!’
Carrie heard the way Alberto spat the word “person” and knew by the contempt on his face that he wanted to use a very different word. She looked back at Luka and Melissa. ‘And now he’s spread the word and you’re both persona-non-grata in the city’s kitchens?’
The three nodded, Alberto included, and Carrie made her decision.
‘Alberto, will you and your good lady join our table? Luka, I know what you can do already. For this course, would you switch roles please? Melissa, would you please prepare a degustation dessert for us? The kitchen and menu are yours, and yours only. Luka, are you able to step back enough to let Melissa run the kitchen and the pass and act just as her assistant?’ The smiles of pure joy from the nodding young couple dazzled her.
Their eyes told Carrie that dessert would be spectacular, and it was far more than she expected. Carrie had intended that the dessert be for their table only, but the couple took the initiative to demonstrate to her that that they could produce excellent food in quantity by cooking for all of Alberto’s guests. Melissa and Luka demonstrated exceptional understanding and talent by preparing both sweet and savoury desserts that set the whole restaurant abuzz.