02.26.08

A Surprise Field Trip

Posted in 1. The Story at 3:48 pm by Chef Matt

Coming in on Wednesday mornings is always tough since it is my version of a Monday morning. Last Wednesday though I was greeted to an unfamiliar sight, as there was a long table set up in the middle of the dining room complete with little aprons tied to each of the chairs - all with names on them. I stared at this odd site for a minute, trying to process this oddity through the haze of my early morning sleepiness, but soon gave up as I was sure someone would explain it to me soon enough.

I went about the rest of my normal morning set-up duties, dodging the questions from the rest of my line staff who all wanted to know what was up with the weird table set up in the middle of the restaurant. I just kept responding with, “I have no idea,” until they stopped asking me the same question over and over.

They’re coming… Be ready!

Eventually the AM manager showed up and explained that a field trip of kindergarteners was coming to the restaurant at 10AM, and they would be done by 11 or so - hopefully giving us time to clean up before we began service. I looked at my watch, it was 9:30.

“So they’re coming in half an hour?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Is there anything I need to do to set up?”

“I have no idea.”

Recognizing this tell-tale response of, “Stop bothering me,” I let the issue drop, which was just as well since as if on cue, Chef walked in at that exact moment.

“So we’re all set to have the kids come in?” he asked as he went back to the walk-in to check on things.

“Well, the table is set up, but this is really the first I am hearing of all this, Chef…”

“Oh no, I told you about it last weekend before you left.”

“I DID tell you about these kids coming, and you WILL clean out the latrine!”

Allow me to break into this conversation right here and inform all the uninitiated that the conversation track that naturally follows, otherwise known as the “Did Not, Did Too,” is extremely unproductive form of argument to engage in with your chef. It makes about as much sense as correcting your drill sergeant. Keep that in mind as you hear my eloquent handling of this obvious miscommunication between us.

“No, you didn’t chef.” (I knew that was a mistake as soon as I said it, but it was a reflex, I couldn’t help it.)

The back and forth that followed was unproductive, and of course I lost, but that’s just how things go. Basically we realized this was wasting time we didn’t have, and we worked together quickly to set up the stations so all the kids could make little pizzas when they arrived.

Come, my young brethren! We must storm Rustico and liberate them from all of their pepperoni! Who’s with me?!?

And arrive they did. Like a day care tidal wave, the kids came pouring into the restaurant at a clip that would have successfully reclaimed the Holy Land had this been the Children’s Crusade. They attacked their pizza making project with gusto and enthusiasm that can only be described as a “mozzarella tornado”, and soon we were feeding their pizza-esque creations into our waiting oven.

My job was to stand by on the pizza station, and any kids’ pizzas that didn’t survive the baking process due to being overloaded or whatnot, I would quickly remake so as to make the kid think all was well. For the record, two of the pizzas didn’t make it out of the oven alive, but their makers didn’t seem to notice the difference…

And then, just as quickly as it came on, the storm was over. They disappeared into the suburbs of Virginia like a modern-day John Mosby. All that was left was a wind-swept table of cheese, flour and assorted pizza toppings for us to clean up before the first customers arrived. By the time we started serving lunch, it was as if the whole event had never happened.

All the same, I have to admit, the kids seemed to have a lot of fun. And who knows? Maybe somewhere in that group is the next youngster who wants to pursue a career as a chef based on this experience. Well maybe that’s what he wants to do for now, at least until they all take a trip to the fire house next week…

Chef Matt

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