Diary of The Food Whore: Hot To The Table

Hot To The Table

March 14, 2005

Our entire philosophy centers around four words, "Hot To The Table."

And that means that whether it's on a buffet line or plated in the kitchen, our entire being is centered around every person in the room having hot food. Whether they are the first person to be fed or the last, we want steam rolling off that plate.

The tough dynamic, of course, is dealing with serving times and making sure everything rolls with ease. When you have an assembly line in the kitchen and you're passing plates from pan to pan, you have to be fast or at least keep the food on or very near the heat source if it cools down.

It can make you crazy, really. I know we make ourselves and our staff crazy with it all but it's something we can't compromise on.

So last night I found myself yelling at the TV as I was watching a special on The Food Network. The chef's were getting ready to plate dinners for 200 when they had to hold off getting started because someone else decided to stand up and speak, putting the service on hold. This happens a lot and it's so frustrating. A really good reception coordinator can keep things on a militant schedule but no one in the room wants to be responsible for telling Crazy Uncle Harry that now is not an appropriate time to share the story about how glad he is to be there in light of his recent hemerroid surgery. And that now is the time to sit down and shut up so the salmon doesn't get cold.

So you have to adjust for that in the kitchen. You cover your pans or put them back on the stove or you do whatever it takes to keep that food hot. And you complain a lot of course, which I know those guys wanted to do last night, but with a camera in your face you have to smile and pretend it's all so fun.

But the pans just sat on the staging table and I know it was all about the magic of Television and I wasn't there to actually time it, but they seemed to sit for a really long time. So I started yelling, "Cover the pans...cover the pans...hot to the table. HOT TO THE TABLE!" And I actually threw my hands in the air as a show of disgust.

I looked around the room and even though alone, I was somewhat embarassed of myself.

But it was nothing a good lemon drop couldn't cure.

Posted by Foodwhore at March 14, 2005 03:19 PM

It's amazing what a good lemon drop can cure! The candy or the cocktail.

And aren't you supposed to yell at the TV? I now I do........and without a trace of embarassment.

Posted by: ChefCDL at March 14, 2005 06:22 PM

I have the opposite problem with my mother-in-law.

If you rest your fork for longer than about a minute during a meal she will snatch your plate off the table - right out from in front of you - and say 'Your food must be cold - here, let me warm it up for you!' and swishes it into the overworked microwave.

And then you can't eat it for another five minutes because it is way too hot.

Posted by: kitchen hand at March 14, 2005 09:27 PM

I bow to you.

My family refers to me as "one ingredient short of a recipe" because I can never seem to keep the pantry stocked (literally). I would never be able to make it "hot to the table".

Posted by: Barb at March 15, 2005 03:20 AM

"And I actually threw my hands in the air as a show of disgust."

Doesn't that just make you feel crazy? I do it all the time! LOL!!!

Posted by: J at March 16, 2005 08:39 PM

I throw up my hands all the time. I actually narrate my words with my hands. Standing too close to me is dangerous.

Kitchen Hand, The Mother In Law does the same thing.

Posted by: The Food Whore at March 17, 2005 09:55 AM