It had to happen...

Well... it had to happen.  In March of last year I got laid off.  I don't think it was due my performance on the job but due to the economy.  When you work in a five star hotel and you are barely filling up 10% of the rooms a night for almost a year something has to give and one of those that gave was me.  After doing some soul searching and thinking about what I could have done differently to keep my job I decided to continue writing here about all the crazy shit that went on while I was cooking for this particular hotel.  Since I have a lot of free time on my hands I will be recollecting the different things that went on while I was employed.

One of the best nights I ever had was when U2 was performing at the San Jose Arena.  I usually started my shift around five in the evening and god willing I would be done just before the bars made last call at one-thirty in the morning.  Around ten in the evening I got word from the front desk that U2 was going to be holding an after-party in our Chinese themed lounge.  They needed appetizers for about 100 people and they needed them in about two hours.  Since I was the only one that could actually cook food without mutilating it in the hotel I was given the job.

First stop was the freezer...  I started pulling all of the high-end appetizers we keep on hand for just such an emergency.  Bacon wrapped prawns, empenadas, crab cakes, and filet mignon skewers.  I was running around like a crazy person.  Not only did I have to cook the food, but I had to tray it up, garnish it, and deliver it to where the party was going to be.

After an hour I had most of the food trayed up and ready to go.  I started carrying it down to where the party was going be when out of the corner of my eye I saw a very familiar face.  It was Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica.  He was wandering around and I asked him if he was here for the U2 after party.  He said he was and it was all I could do to keep from humping his leg.  You see, Metallica is my all-time favorite band, and Lars is my all-time favorite member of that band.  Have you ever seen him bang the skins?  There is nothing like it.  I've seen them live nine times and been backstage once, but  wasn't able to ever get this close to him.

I asked him if he would do me a favor and sign my chef's jacket.  He was the nicest guy and of course obliged me and I whipped out a Sharpie from my jacket.  He signed his name and I was the happiest chef that night.  I still have that jacket... food stains and all.