Diary of The Food Whore: With a Wink and a Nod

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With a Wink and a Nod

August 31, 2005

When meeting with potential clients, we try to do so in as much of a "non-business" atmosphere as we can. While we don't go so far as to ask ourselves for dinner or share secrets only our best friends know, we do try to make a connection with the people we are going to work for. Making food for people can be a very personal thing and when you're completely on the same page as The Client, things go better. The atmosphere is one of mutual admiration and everyone comes out a winner.

Clearly, as you have read over and over and over, that doesn't always happen. But when everyone clicks, it's fabulous. We've made some very good friends in this business. Some are repeat customers, and some are just those people you run into on the street and you greet one another like old friends.

Two days ago we met with The December Client who's panicked message on Sunday night left a lot of room for speculation.

"This is Mrs. Smith and I am hoping and praying you have the 3rd of December still open. Please. I pray. Please don't be booked. I know it's short notice but we've got a wedding. Call me as soon as you get this message."

There are a few reasons weddings are rushed. Like...the groom's visa has expired and in order to stay in this country he needs to marry a citizen. Or...the couple met and fell in love on a flight home from Tampa and they need to be married before running off to teach at the Department of Defense school in Greece.

Or... someone's going to have a baby. And even though this is 2005, babies before bridal registries still causes panic in many, many people.

The December client is a repeat customer. We've tricked for her many times, both large and small functions. And she's strictly business. No light chit chat, no personal banter. Which is fine. She's a very reserved and classy dame with impecable taste in food - and impecable taste in Whores. (If I do say so, myself) We enjoy working for her.

So to hear the panic in her voice was odd - very unlike her normal professional manner.

We met over coffee with The December Client and her Bride-to-Be Daughter. The meeting was not our normal meeting. There was an anxiousness and urgency in the air, and The December Client was actually somewhat fidgety. Very odd behavior. But we didn't ask. We have always respected her professional manner and we kept to the task at hand.

Our last topic of discussion was champagne service for the toast. "We would like to have a few bottles of sparkling cider on hand. Is that possible?", she asked.

"Of course", I replied.

The B2B Daughter shifted in her seat and gave a glance to her mother.

The Partner gave me a smile and I asked, "And as far as placement goes, shall we place a bottle or two at the head table?"

And with a wink and a nod The December Client replied and not another word was said.

There's a baby coming.

Posted by Foodwhore at August 31, 2005 10:37 PM

Years ago when I worked on the "Women's Section" of our local small town newspaper, I did the Engagements and Weddings. So the new brides to be came in ahead of the wedding with their engagement portraits (NO grooms allowed, back then!!!) and their writeups for the Sunday paper. So this one gal comes in with her mom. She hands me the 8x10 B/W glossy and says, "Do I look OK in this one? I kind of passed out during the photo session, so I hope I look OK." I looked at it, and reassured her she looked just fine. And wondering all the while, WTF??

Well, needless to say, about 5 months later.. maybe less, I called to get the local births announcements from the local hospitals (Like I said, this was a while ago!! HIPAA will never permit this ever again!), here was this couple's married name. LOL... she was pregnant during the photo shoot, and everyone knew it, but no one would acknowledge it.

What a hoot.

Oh, that reminds me... your customer with the onion on the burger problem made us laugh 'til we cried!!! I think we customers have all seen that A**hole in the dining room and wished SOMEONE would put him/her in his/her place!!

Posted by: kd at September 1, 2005 06:28 PM

Just a quick note in agreement, on getting to know clients on another level, if possible.

I'm usually shooting the bride in her birthday suit or new lacy thong on her big day ... it just feels more comfortable if we get along like really good, for-one-day-only, best friends.

Posted by: annex at September 1, 2005 08:12 PM

our family got an invitation once to this wedding, just to get another call 3 days later to postpone it for a month's time... the bride-to-be had her baby, that's why...

Posted by: Lil at September 3, 2005 03:19 AM

Your blog is realy very interesting.

Posted by: Sofia at September 17, 2005 04:04 AM