Tag: pigalls

CULINARY: My something-th night at Pigall’s

CULINARY: My something-th night at Pigall’s

     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 261: Monday, September 18, 2006

DINNER 261: Monday, September 18, 2006

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.

CULINARY: Another night at Pigall's

CULINARY: Another night at Pigall's

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.

DINNER 266: Saturday, September 23, 2006

DINNER 266: Saturday, September 23, 2006

Tonight, Wendy & I continued the celebration of her birthday with an absolutely wonderful meal at Jean-Robert at Pigall’s in downtown Cincinnati. I had made reservations with Richard for 8:00, and we arrived a few minutes early, thinking we would have a drink at the…

DINNER 314: Saturday, November 11, 2006

DINNER 314: Saturday, November 11, 2006

I went to work at Cincinnati State again this morning, arriving at 8:30am and leaving at 1:00pm. During that time, I prepped for the Titanic party being hosted at school on Sunday, working on proteins. At 1:00, I went down to Pigall’s where I’d spend the rest…

CULINARY: Another Pigall's Night — Nov. 11, 2006

CULINARY: Another Pigall's Night — Nov. 11, 2006

 

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 to my schedule. And, or the first time ever, I hung out with the gang after service as well.

I arrived at the restaurant at 1:30pm and was greeted warmly by Raymond who was working hard in the butcher shop. Jeremy came downstairs and presented me with my own Jean-Robert at Pigall’s chef’s jacket — with my name embroidered below the restaurant’s logo. I am the only non-employee ever to receive such a jacket. I switched out of my generic chef’s jacket and into my new one. Suddenly, everything changed — I feel like I am truly part of the team, and am very, very happy and proud to be so.

We moved into prep mode, getting everything ready for the evening’s service. My general approach is to speak with Jeremy, the chef d’cuisine, and find out who needs the most help and then do whatever I can for them. I bumped into Luke in the cooler and commented to him that his back must ache working day after day, because mine was killing me after only a few hours. In his trademark deadpan delivery, Luke simply said to me, “Andrew, I’m young” and walked away. I’ve never felt so old.

I made raviolis, parsley puree, cous cous purses in phylo dough, and more. After getting cleaned up from prep, I was invited by Jeremy to work on appetizers during service. I helped with opening oysters, painting plates for various dishes, and more (quenelles, my long-time nemesis, were flying off my spoons onto plates — looking great).

As service heated up, Jeremy moved me over to work the fish line with Amanda, who was getting slammed because everyone seemed to order fish tonight. She trained me briefly on what to do, which mostly involved setting up items as orders came in, searing off proteins (scallops, red snapper, black bass), and working garnishes as they were called for pickup. Amanda and I had a good time while keeping ourselves out of the weeds (too deeply). I really enjoyed working the line. During half-time (the eerie eye-of-the-storm quiet time between seatings), Jeremy and I discussed moving me to the meat station, but decided against it because fish got slammed again the in the second half. So, I worked with Amanda again for the second half. I feel a good rapport with her; I think we work together well.

After service, I was feeling pretty tired (and my back was hurting) but I hung out (sitting on my butt, a glass of wine in hand!) while the gang did a quick-but-thorough cleaning of the kitchen. I accompanied them to O’Malley’s in the Alley, a bar just down the back alley from the restaurant for a few drinks before heading home.

It was a very good evening.

CULINARY: Pigall’s Night — Nov. 15, 2006

CULINARY: Pigall’s Night — Nov. 15, 2006

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…