Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll ...and French Knives

The world of restaurants is so unlike other industries. Because of the crushing stress and never ending hours, any friend or person you socialize with will most likely be from within the same place of employ. The waitresses are dating the chef, cooks, waiters. The managers are screwing the bartenders. The list goes on and on. Frankly, nobody even flinches when folks move from partner to partner week after week. This is part of the crazy culture. Everyone is super social, stressed out and looking for some company after work. Since "after work" is usually after 1:oo am, there is always alcohol, often drugs and frequently mischief. The pool inevitably gets a little incestuous.

One night, in a super busy high volume restaurant, the dating game played out like this;

The restaurant was fairly new, and it was the nutty time while staff is still not settled so schedules can change in an instant. Several chefs had already come and gone in the first couple months. Which, is not particularly unusual, but its always tumultuous.

Most of us were aware that the General Manager and Pastry Chef were married. Many of us were aware that the G.M. was a bit of a flake. All of us became aware that the G.M. had taken up with the Executive Chef. This is a retelling of the drama it caused as we were opening for service one day.

First you need to understand that departments in a restaurant kitchen are more often than not, all in the same place. The hot line is directly across from the cold line. The pastry department is jammed in a corner and doubles as the prep area at a different time of day. Low profit margins make it a necessity to maximize productivity from any space. Space is tight. You get to know the guy on your right, and left, a little better than you might like.

So, the new Executive Chef, who is sleeping with the General manager (apparently in the building sometimes...wait thats not sleeping! LOL) saunters down to the Pastry Chef's area and informs him that he is screwing his wife. He also implies that she will be leaving him. Comments fly and someone raises a French Knife. During this time waiters are setting tables, cooks are prepping, customers are filing in for tables. You get the idea.

Now you need to understand that it requires a Katrina like act of nature to stop a new restaurant from opening its doors to a line of patrons. Yup, let em in. Pay no mind to the knife fight playing out on the hot line. Not even in this, an open kitchen!

Thankfully, nobody was killed, injured or maimed. After diffusing the situation, everyone went back to work serving thousands of plates to unknowing diners.

Both managers were fired unequivocally, BUT NOT until after service was done. Just another crazy flair up between high strung co-workers in a stress infected atmosphere. I actually doubt they saw their firing coming.

That's the biz...I swear to God.