A Culinary Hi-Wire Act!

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Last night I did something amazing.  We had 2 tables in the book, and the GM came back and told me that there was a 5-top VIP regular coming in, and he wanted me to just cook whatever.  Great, right?  Well, the kitchen was on sort of a short crew for the slow night.  Me on GM, a pizza guy, and my shakiest saute cook on saute, and no expo at all.  Plus, I had a trainee working with me on GM.  It was his first night.  Not second, or third, first.

I couldn't plan the meal until I knew what the wines were, but he didn't pick them until they all sat down.  So I have a VIP tasting, on a short crew, with no menu or prep.  Hmm....  This might get dicey.

So he picks two big, bold reds for his meal.  Dammit.  The only red meat I have in house is steak, so I start to look around for other things I can use that can stand up to these wines.  Chorizo, speck, mushrooms, cool, I have options.  I start to get a plan together.  Then, his server comes back and orders a round of apps "to get him started."  A chorizo and speck plate, a mushroom appetizer, dammit dammit dammit.  There goes my entire plan.  The server (a rather attractive young Viking named Carlie Van Horn) comes back and tells me to go ahead and get it started.  Then, we get crushed.  Walk-in 15-top, VIP 2-top, 3 4-tops AT THE EXACT SAME GODDAMN TIME (7:30, to be exact).

So my shaky saute guy gets clobbered, I am training my new guy who doesn't know how to do anything, and pizza stays busy, all while I make up dishes for this guy WHILE HIS TABLE IS FIRED.

And it all came out ok.

The menu:

First Course (while they were having a round of Champagne)
Seared Sea Scallop, Butterbeans a la Tourangelle, Onion Soubise

Second Course (CA Syrah)
Hot Duck Confit, Red Potatoes Cooked in Duck Jus Rotie, Buttered Green Asparagus, and Reduced Shortrib Braising Juices

Third Course (Cab/Merlot blend from Alto-Adige, Northern Italy)
Medallions of Flatiron Steak, Walnut-Truffle-Parmesan Farrotto, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Vin Cotto, Shaved Bone Marrow Torchon

And for dessert (with their Alois Kracher Chardonnay/Welshreisling blend late-harvest white)
Heather the Elf's Passionfruit Panna Cotta with Lemon Jam, Bruleed Bananas, and Plantain Chips

All's well that ends well, but I really don't want to do that again.