Bill did the whole setup by himself. In one way it was no big deal, but in another together they could have done the work in half the time.
Jimmy G slept. When he woke he smoked a cigarette and sat reading his Greek magazine. Kalista implored him several times to get up and help Bill but Jimmy G sat listening with deaf ears.
Jimmy Banquet Chef brought dinner for them all. He was later than usual but it didn’t matter because everything was low key. He came with a kitchen truck on which he had the specials too.
The first special was stuffed baked chicken breast with a ham and cheese stuffing and which would be topped with mushroom sauce. The second was rolled filet of sole stuffed with spinach and mushrooms topped with white wine sauce and mushrooms. Bill knew the banquet chef was using up the sauces from the morning parties and he was also using the remainders of the chicken and fish that had not been cooked off for the parties. Everything was super fresh, Bill knew. It was good business from the food cost standpoint.
They all sat down to eat only when everything for the dinner service was set in place and ready to go. It was a jovial dinner. Jimmy Banquet Chef served everyone stuffed sole. He had made a dozen extra portions. Jimmy G ate again. He had eaten twice from the buffet table. Kalista added her usual wonderful Greek salad.
The one difference in tonight’s meal was that the waitresses were invited and extra chairs were brought in. This had unintended consequences for the first part of the meal, mostly until they got to the dessert. The Greeks spoke English and everyone participated in a friendly, holiday discussion. Even Caesar came in and spent a moment with the crew. Jimmy Banquet Chef offered him dinner, but he declined. He left them after a short while saying he had to watch the front.
Dessert was Kalista’s homemade baklava and an assortment of other Greek pastries. She served the baklava herself and put out a full tray of the sweets. Then she made espresso for everyone. That done, she told everyone she’d leave the sweets out all night so they could help themselves.
Only thing missing from the dinner was drink. Would have been nice if Caesar had brought out a bottle of white wine. Might have been nice if he’d cracked open a champagne. He could have done that, maybe should have done that, but he didn’t. Well, at least he had come out to wish everyone a good meal.
After they ate Bill and Jimmy Banquet Chef went down the ramp a ways to smoke a cigarette. They stood side by side leaning against the wall.
“I’d apologize for my cousin,” the banquet chef said, “but he should be doing that.”
“It’s okay,” Bill said.
“It’s not okay. I don’t know what to do with him. I don’t want to lose you.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Other cooks have said the same thing. A few more months, you’ll be able to work in any hotel. There’s other chains in this town. You could go now and get a job. A few more months and you’ll make more money.”
“Why would I leave?”
“Sooner or later everyone gets pissed off at my cousin.”
Bill didn’t say anything immediately. Finally he said, “I like your aunt. I like you and Victor. I even like Jimmy.”
“You still have to watch out for Caesar.”
“We made a little inroad tonight. I initiated it.”
“That was smart.”
“It just came to me, popped into my head. Seemed like a right thing to do.”
“I still wouldn’t trust him.”
“I’m dying to hear about that waitress he made quit. Your aunt has teased me with it but she hasn’t let me know anything about it.”
“My aunt sees and knows everything.” Jimmy Banquet Chef smiled, puffed his cigarette. “She’ll tell you when she sees fit,” he said.
