Back in the late 90's or early 2000 I was working as a sous chef in Kitsalano, a sub urb of Vancouver and during my days off I was the "chef" for my best bud/mentor chef's slow pitch team. All season I hung out with the boys and did up the BBQ eats agter the game while they were enjoying the wobbly pops after the game. Good times were had by all through out the year.
Anyways this one December saturday night I was working for a closed door private event for a big global tech company ; we were catering a big buffet feast including carved beast and pizzas. For this event I was working the pizza station facing the front door and smiling / showing off to guests as they came in. Lo-and-behold one of the ball team guys walks in, takes a look at me and yells out "Scott what F%$# are you doing here?" The question is obviously rhetorical as I was clearly working on the meals about to commence.So I talked to him for a little bit and came to realize not only did he work for the company but he was actually the vice-president for western Canada.
So I went back to work as my friend went back to having his office holiday cheer party. Through out the night the general manager of my restaurant Brent mentioned to me a few times that my friend was doing him a favour by drinking up the port bottles that we had and were not selling. An expensive taste to have but as always we were happy to supply the product as long as the customer pays, win win for everyone.
So the night began to wind down and as I was due to work the next morning I headed off but first had to say good by to my friend known as Goosh. I walk up to the bar where he was sitting and said good night only to be told to sit my ass down and have a drink with him. Goosh then asks me "Have you ever drank port before?"
"No" came my response.
" Get my friend a port." Goosh asks Brent who was doing some bartending.
Brent brings over a glass of the sweet nectar and tells Goosh that it is the last bottle.
"Well you should go to the store and get some!"
After a brief conversation Brent went and got 4 bottles. The night progressed and as one of my co-workers went to leave he came and said good bye and Goosh made him sit down too and enjoy some of the sweet nectar. Long story short, we were the only ones drink port that night and ended up polishing off 6 bottles; apparently we only had 4 bottles in stock as they never sell. My buddy said I can crash on his floor instead of driving as he only lived 2 blocks away.
Working in restaurants you realize it is a small world and that you should never take someone for whom they seem to be as I would never would have guessed that Goosh was a VP of a multi milliion dollar company.
I found out a year or two later that he was offered a promotion which would have him move to New York to work at the World Trade Centre a couple months before 9/11. He ended up declining to make the move.
Be thankful for every moment you have with friends and family as you never know what fate has instore for you or them; especially thank them if they introduce you to some great port!
So I went back to work as my friend went back to having his office holiday cheer party. Through out the night the general manager of my restaurant Brent mentioned to me a few times that my friend was doing him a favour by drinking up the port bottles that we had and were not selling. An expensive taste to have but as always we were happy to supply the product as long as the customer pays, win win for everyone.
So the night began to wind down and as I was due to work the next morning I headed off but first had to say good by to my friend known as Goosh. I walk up to the bar where he was sitting and said good night only to be told to sit my ass down and have a drink with him. Goosh then asks me "Have you ever drank port before?"
"No" came my response.
" Get my friend a port." Goosh asks Brent who was doing some bartending.
Brent brings over a glass of the sweet nectar and tells Goosh that it is the last bottle.
"Well you should go to the store and get some!"
After a brief conversation Brent went and got 4 bottles. The night progressed and as one of my co-workers went to leave he came and said good bye and Goosh made him sit down too and enjoy some of the sweet nectar. Long story short, we were the only ones drink port that night and ended up polishing off 6 bottles; apparently we only had 4 bottles in stock as they never sell. My buddy said I can crash on his floor instead of driving as he only lived 2 blocks away.
Working in restaurants you realize it is a small world and that you should never take someone for whom they seem to be as I would never would have guessed that Goosh was a VP of a multi milliion dollar company.
I found out a year or two later that he was offered a promotion which would have him move to New York to work at the World Trade Centre a couple months before 9/11. He ended up declining to make the move.
Be thankful for every moment you have with friends and family as you never know what fate has instore for you or them; especially thank them if they introduce you to some great port!
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