Speaking of things culinary.
Ireland’s closest approximation to a celebrity chef is a troubled young man by the name of Conrad Gallagher.
I once worked in a Gallaher restaurant after lying through my teeth about silver service training etc.
Now I know chefs expect abuse and I know its a high pressure environment and thats expected ; but when it comes to physical abuse how much can one take?
One night I was taking care of a particularly demanding group of people that Chef was very eager to impress. My main concern was trying to look competent. I went into the kitchen and was absolutly appaled at what I saw.
Service had been in full swing for about an hour but I hadnt been in the kitchen this far. At the back of the kitchen I noticed one of the chefs had his tunic rolle dup around his neck. Now this chef had obviously gotten in to the game because he liked his food. He was perhaps nineteen and 6"2" and built like a …well like a really big guy. There was one hell of a lot of him exposed and he was working one of the hotplates. His body was covered in welts and great swathes of his torso looked red raw. He was obviously in great pain and it was already going to be a long night.
His crime ? He spilled a bowl of soup that he was taking for himself 2 hours before service started.
SHouting , cursing and demaaning slagging and innuedo are all part of chefhood but this ???
The Chef concerned has since encountered severe financial difficulties and has moved restaurant many many times and has even been accused of stealing paintings from one of them.
Perhaps he will think twice about throwing a customer out of a restaurant for asking for some salt. Karma’s gonna get you Conrad.