Here I am setting in my office waiting for the refrigeration guy. I have already moved what was salvageable from my main walk in to another and the dishwasher is in the process of crashing the rest. Not to remarkable except to day was supposed to be my only day off for the next two weeks.

If is wasn't my day off it would have been 5:00 on Friday or Saturday morning going into a monster week end. If it wasn't the walk-ins it would have been the ice machines or the ovens. What is the synchronicity of that.

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Wednesday, August 30, 2000 - 06:13 pm: Edit

Most of the time it just sucks, but I think there is some sort of cosmic synchronicity to these kinds of things. Everything is connected and everything happens for a reason. It's not very often that the reason is easy to identify - especially in the high stress times, but usually you can find some sort of positive outcome to even the most disastrous breakdowns. For example - waiting for the refrigeration guy on your day off might put you in the right place at the right time to prevent some other disaster, or your conversation with the refrigeration guy might lead you to your next fabulous, experienced, reliable, mature, clean and sober line cook. Well, OK, now I'm fantasizing - our ice machine is down too and we are in need of a couple cooks....but you never know!

Always be ready for the coincidences and follow the synchronicity, I say.

By Raine (Raine) on Friday, September 01, 2000 - 06:48 pm: Edit

To hell with synchronicity. I'm convinced it's the repair guys. They fixed the oven, poof, the proof box breaks, fix the proof box, wham, the fridge breaks, fix the fridge, kapowie, the freezer breaks. This can't be normal.(sigh) I need a vacation

By Vatel (Vatel) on Friday, September 01, 2000 - 10:36 pm: Edit

Its Murphy's law, and Murphy had to be a chef.The timing is uncanny. but what has always amazed my is somehow and some way we always manage to make it work no matter how weeded we get. I've seen improvization by some chefs that is truly amazing.

By Chefrick (Chefrick) on Friday, September 01, 2000 - 11:54 pm: Edit

Vatel,
I know what you mean.I worked for a guy who wanted to open another outlet for his operation. the equipment was in place hooked in to utilities,and the gas/elec. was to be turned on in the afternoon.(This was on a New Years eve several years ago),any way he had sent out invites to every impartant person in the area as well as selling tickets for 100.00 per person to raise money for a local charity.You guessed it,no gas or elec., I loaded the stoves with sterno,cooked eggs ,bacon,biscits,croissants everything on sterno rigging sautee' stations and the works GOD IT WAS FUN!!! I did it,and no one ever knew there was a problem in the kitchen.

By Vatel (Vatel) on Sunday, September 03, 2000 - 09:07 pm: Edit

I had a chef create an oven out of a prep table in order to cook a large whole pig.Sterno ,foil and imagination. 3 valuable tools.He skewered the pig lengthwise. Then supended it from under the table top. Then he placed many sterno under the bottom shelf of the table . then he wrapped the whole thing in foil.It was pretty impressive. He was a nut otherwise but this trick was pretty admirable.

By Vatel (Vatel) on Sunday, September 03, 2000 - 09:08 pm: Edit

I had a chef create an oven out of a prep table in order to cook a large whole pig.Sterno ,foil and imagination. 3 valuable tools.He skewered the pig lengthwise. Then supended it from under the table top. Then heplced many sterno under the bottom shelf of the table . then he wrapped the whole thing in foil.It was pretty impressive. He was a nut otherwise but this trick was pretty admirable.

By Ramodeo (Ramodeo) on Monday, September 04, 2000 - 07:29 am: Edit

Boy - all this talk of the wonders of sterno reminds me that we've got order a couple cases to have around for emergencies - even though we have no other use for it!

By Panini (Panini) on Monday, September 04, 2000 - 09:54 am: Edit

I agree, I must also look into the stock.

By Esjay (Esjay) on Sunday, March 31, 2002 - 11:36 am: Edit

I once worked with a chef who, when the gas ran out, wraped chicken breast in cling wrap (plastic film) and poached it in the dishwasher, it took about 4 cycles, but we served out to 50 guests, no problem !!!!!

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Wednesday, April 03, 2002 - 09:36 pm: Edit

ok....what rest did you say that was?
in what city and state?
just so I don't order chix from there.