About a week ago I was at work chopping onions and crying my eyes out when I felt the presence of someone standing behind me. Sure enough it was my head boss. I assumed I was going to get scolded for a variety of reasons or instances, which most likely would have been warranted. Expecting the worst I put on my George Costanza frustrated face preparing to pretend like I a gave a shit.
To my surprise instead of it being the usual negative feed back I have come to love I was asked to come up with and execute an Italian menu for a special event at the Westmont Dinning Commons. My first thoughts were “awesome more shit I have to do for way too little money”. Then I warmed up to the idea and decided to really give it a go. I have been boasting for years that if I was given the shot I could turn out a scrumptious meal. Finally I was handed just that.
I sat down with my friend and Sous Chef Chantelle and we figured out a good, feasible, cost effective menu. I am not one to use my own personal recipes with anyone especially for commercial purposes. Those are mine for my restaurant if I ever decide to be ambitious again. My heart was in this project and I committed two of my original dishes. By the weekend I was rather excited although a bit nervous. We always do special events like this at Westmont and on paper they sound amazing, but in reality by the time they get to the front line it is far from what we had hoped it to be.
One of the Sausage Sicilian Pizzas
Wednesday was the big day. We had Sicilian style Sausage, Pepperoni and Cheese pizzas for our pizza station, an authentic Anti Pasto Salad on the salad station, Fettuccine Florentine on the saute station, Chicken Parmigiana Sandwiches on the grill station. On top of that there was Chicken Marsala over spaghetti. I did my own personal Pasta alla Rossado and Eggplant La Fresca as well. Chantelle was amazing in helping make my vision come to fruition. If it was not for her hard work and organization I don’t think I could have pulled it off.
The Anti Pasto Salad
She had everything prepped out the day before, a strategy and a check list. And ff course the infallible help from all of the other cooks in the kitchen with out whom this task would have been impossible. When I first walked into the kitchen Wednesday morning I was a bit apprehensive about how things were going to go. In the end we all pulled it off and considering all the positive feed back I got on the entire meal I must say even my negative ass would have to deem it a success.
Fettuccine Florentine
Surfing Ruined My Life 
i think the heat lamp could
use a scrubbing, but the food was good!
what are you talking about, that is regulation health code bacteria ridden dirt on that lamp