My Life on the Pass

by Phil Neil - Head Chef, Gaucho Broadgate

7.00am, the alarm rings, it can’t be time to get up already. First thought of the day, hope the Dulce de Leche comes in early, need to make cheesecake for lunch. Phone the supplier from the bus, and they ensure me my delivery will be in before midday, I believe it when I see it.

Get to work, first thing I check the lunch bookings, 100 covers so far, it will be 200 by lunch time service no doubt. The morning preparation flies by, 11.00am already, time to clean down, double check and triple check the sections, all looks good, the boys are ready and geared up for a busy one.

Head office in for lunch, I’m sure there will be a few special requests before long. On the pass now ready for lunch, got to get the first wave of orders in and out or it could get messy by 1.00pm. Here we go, food runner by my side, waitress on support, nothing can go wrong. Midday, first tables in, easy, no starters and rare steaks, a gift for us. Things pick up very quickly, push the guy’s to get those starters out quickly or there may be trouble. 10, 12, 14 tables, now on the go, my griller’s calling tables to me that he is ready to go on, sides are on the pass, it all starts to come together.

“Table 23” why don’t I have a docket for table 23, the runner finds the waitress and retrieves the ticket, all back in order. Food is coming out thick and fast. Check the tickets, “no monkfish on the grill” tell the griller that table 62 has monkfish on and it needs to be on the grill, he puts it on straight away, it’s okay, the starters have not gone yet, loads of time.

Got a guy on trial on the grill, looks like he is having a brain meltdown, lots to absorb for the first time. Lunch flows without a hitch or hesitation. The food looks great and is leaving the pass on time, it’s now 1.30pm.

Head office order coming my way, here comes that special request, “Mushroom Risotto” what risotto!!! Need to make a plan quick, knock something up, and hope they approve. I’m sure I will here about it later, feedback is a wonderful thing. Lunch grinds to an end, time to clean down and re-set sections, the boys are off to prepare a delicacy for staff food and prep up for the busy night ahead.