May The Stars Light Your Way
   It’s official. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve worked at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s, but I was there again today, working prep only (arriving at 1:00pm and staying till about 5:30pm). While there, I topped-and-tailed snow peas, sliced shallots, helped with the…
Dinner? What’s that? No dinner tonight, as I went from work at UC down to work at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s preparing a special dinner for a bunch of wine people. I nibbled a bit here and there, but no real dinner was consumed.
After working a full day at UC, I headed down to Jean-Robert at Pigall’s to help prepare a special dinner (the restaurant is usually closed on Mondays) for 60 members of a wine club.
When I arrived around 5:15, the kitchen was in full swing. Jeremy, Rob (who left for class around 6:00), Mike, Richard, Luke, Raymond, and Karen were well into their mise en place and I was immediately put to work plating a duck salad hors d’oeuvre, a one-bite item on the end of silver spoons. Once that was complete, I worked on a tuna salad with melon on toast hors d’oeuvre. There were other hors d’oeuvres, too, including a very tasty sweetbread wonton.
Once hors d’oeuvres were sent, we worked on the rest of the banquet-style multi-course meal and I assisted with plating, cleanup, and fine-dicing shallots (I diced up a LOAD of them). I don’t have a listing of the complete menu to share, but if I can find one, I’ll post it.
I left the kitchen around 10:00, tired and sore, but glad to help.
On Sunday, November 12, 2006, a few days of involvement on my part (and many, many additional days involvement on the part of Chef Neace and other employees of Cincinnati State) came to fruition with the serving of a recreation of the last dinner served…
 For the first time in about 6 weeks, I worked at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s. For the first time in far too long, I stayed all the way through service instead of doing prep and leaving, which has been the style for some time owing…
After working at my day job, I headed down to Jean-Robert at Pigall’s to work a party with Raymond in the third-floor kitchen. The atmosphere in the main kitchen was very different than when I work on Saturdays. Saturday nights are very busy at the restaurant, and everyone is extremely focused. On Wednesday, we’re not quite as busy so the mood and tone are a bit lighter; still focused, but lighter.
I enjoyed working with Raymond and having the chance to converse with folks in the kitchen — Mike, Amanda, Sarah, Abby, Karen, Rob(bie), Jeremy, Emily, Luke, and Raymond. Did I forget anyone? I don’t think so… Ah yes! The two guys in the dish tank. That’s everyone. I’ve mentioned everyone.
I finished the party and hung around for a bit before heading home for the evening. It was still early — only 9:30.
Tonight, Wendy & I drove up to Columbus Ohio to have dinner with Jon & Dawn, a very nice couple we met on our most recent trip to Mexico. We met them at Cap City Fine Diner, a restaurant that Wendy adores (and which happens…