The Sounds of Silence

The Sound of Silence

The lack of good chefs, the shortage of available skills and staff shortages have received a lot of coverage in the past months. We are no different as we suffer the same as any other kitchen. It is hard, hard on the individual and even harder on the families.

Last Christmas was no different to any other before, we know what is coming, we prepare, we work and cook hard, really hard. But The Christmas and the week that followed in two thousand and fifteen was a new character test for my staff.

It almost three months later and the flickering candle lights on Christmas eve in our dark kitchen still haunts me. We counted the seconds expecting the micros to start its spluttering again. Just echoes of silence. No one panicked as we have regular power failures, this was going to routine.

Instead, scribblings on paper indicating orders for the night started appearing. With minimal light, we started scrambling for torches, candles it was going to be long one.

By 01:00 the sounds of silence echoed through our kitchen, the humour had left our systems, nothing was funny anymore, we could not see the end. Instead we saw darkness, seeing the faces of our fellow chefs might have discouraged us even more. By 2:00all the refrigerated trucks were loaded. The critical foods were saved. We went home way after our usual late night bed time, with the adrenaline still rushing through my system, bed had to wait. We still had to process.

By five most of us were back to try and salvage what was left. After all it was Christmas day. While the majority celebrated this day with family, you cannot help but ask “why” – why do this, Why on earth do we come back year after year for more. While others celebrate we give and give. Every year, everyday we ask and expect our staff to give more and more. Every year it is the same, we just give.

On Christmas weekend like Easter weekend it is challenging when we purchase in excess to ensure we do not run out of food. Two thousand and fifteen was no different, as we had to buy enough for almost five days, as most of our suppliers form part of that majority group that take off. So imagine the stock levels that had to be moved, our gift, dark and powerless.

With every shift hand over we were all hoping for power, reality had not set in, as we realise that if the power had to come back on, it will still take two days to get to fifth gear and be able to do service in all areas.

Two days after Christmas we still had nothing but candle light and gas. It was while I sat in darkness after service I realised how special my staff were. They were all at work, they all made Chrismas day a success and the days that followed. Our expectations are high from our staff. Like the previous, they did it again!

I do not have the words to thank my staff for the effort and dedication working by candle light, with no ovens, moving produce back and forth, no extractors or light.

Not a single person complained, they all just simply pulled together and put out buffet after buffet, plate after plate left the pass. They hid their pain in silence, silently wishing for an end to the madness.

Thankyou to my chefs, commis and scullers, you gave more than what was reasonability expected. Thankyou for being part of a great team and a great family.

None of you disappointed. Not only was this a low point, but a high point in my life as chef. We were only to be back to full five days later. This is the second time in my life that I have experienced a powerless Christmas, but it feels more like a victory, we have a special team.