No, not the 15th of The Fieldston, but the 9th since I stepped through the swinging door, got hit on the way in and decided to assume the culinary responsibilities of the restaurant. Yes sir, it was time to learn how to cook and become the chef.
It was a major decision to open my own place, but I was confident that I could smile, greet people and make it work. Why not? I was a friendly host who would bend over backwards to please, but to be the chef, that was another story. I didn’t really know how to cook (I couldn’t even make mashed potatoes), I didn’t know my way around the kitchen (I didn’t even know how to use the blender) and I really didn’t want to leave my cushy job, in the front of the house, for the heat and the stress of the kitchen, but I didn’t have a choice, if I wanted to keep my restaurant.
You see, I had gone through ten chefs in six years. That’s not counting the five that lasted less than a month. I had some serious problems with my hired help. For example, I had to close on a Sunday, in July, one year, because my main man and his main man went fishing. That’s no lie! I had to find a new chef and sous chef in two days, so I could open on Wednesday. That’s just one of many stressful situations. Maybe, I will fill you in on others, another time.
One thing all my chefs had in common, they were moody and often grouchy. I could never understand it, until I walked through the door to chefdom. A metamorphosis started to unfold.
Remember one of the myths and facts, about the Fieldston, in a previous blog.
Myth : The chef/owner is a grouch.
Fact: The chef /owner is a grouch…. so on and so forth (see other blog).
This was meant to be a bit humorous, but there is a lot of truth to it.
My personality started to change.
I started to get moody, way out of character for someone, who once had one mood …. good.
Yup, I have to admit, I even started to get grouchy. How could that be? I was the guy who could have fun in a closet. I liked to wear the lamp shade even when I wasn’t drinking. From Santa to the Grinch…it happened fast… I didn’t like how I felt and I didn’t like how I was.
Well, something happened on my way to “Hell’s Kitchen”. My friends tolerated me with good humor, my patrons tolerated me with loyalty and my staff tolerated me with hard work and a smile.
We all have our little moods. I know in the heat of the kitchen (sometimes 110 degrees), under the gun ( putting out 100 dinners ), I will have some moods, but I have no reason to be a grouch, with all these good people in my life. Thank you, all, for enlightening me.
Jan Perrin
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
A Roller Coaster Ride
Owning a restaurant, much like living, has its emotional highs and lows. It can be a real roller coaster ride, another one of those microcosms of life. This Easter weekend was one of those times. I don’t even like thinking about it, let alone writing about it.
On Saturday night I reached an all time restaurant low.
I prepared all day for what I expected to be a moderate night of business. We opened at 5:00, knowing the next day, Easter Sunday, would be a busy day (100 customers) and Tuesday night we would have a six course wine and tapas tasting for 50 people. We anticipated our first customers. Well, that’s all we did that night was anticipate. That’s right, believe it or not (I still have a hard time believing it)… zero… goose egg…. blanked… shutout. I accomplished the impossible, not one single paying customer on a Saturday night. I’ve had far better nights during raging blizzards and on one hundred degree beach days. I felt like I was kicked where you don’t want to be kicked. I actually felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to quit my job, but sometimes it is hard to quit on yourself, besides I had to face the Easter Bunny on Sunday and Tapas on Tuesday, with some of my most loyal patrons, family, friends and first time customers. So, like a game of dodge ball, when you get hit hard, you get up, dust yourself off and continue to play the game.
Easter turned out to be a wonderful family day, at The Fieldston, and the wine dinner was a fantastic success.
I went from an emotional Death Valley to a euphoric Rocky Mountain high…with a little help from my friends, patrons and staff…. Thanks to all of you for cheering me up.
I know that things could be a lot worse and if this is as bad as it gets, I’m a pretty lucky guy!
Jan Perrin
Click on www.southshorewoman.com for this months appeteaser Spicy Caribbean Rum Chutney
On Saturday night I reached an all time restaurant low.
I prepared all day for what I expected to be a moderate night of business. We opened at 5:00, knowing the next day, Easter Sunday, would be a busy day (100 customers) and Tuesday night we would have a six course wine and tapas tasting for 50 people. We anticipated our first customers. Well, that’s all we did that night was anticipate. That’s right, believe it or not (I still have a hard time believing it)… zero… goose egg…. blanked… shutout. I accomplished the impossible, not one single paying customer on a Saturday night. I’ve had far better nights during raging blizzards and on one hundred degree beach days. I felt like I was kicked where you don’t want to be kicked. I actually felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to quit my job, but sometimes it is hard to quit on yourself, besides I had to face the Easter Bunny on Sunday and Tapas on Tuesday, with some of my most loyal patrons, family, friends and first time customers. So, like a game of dodge ball, when you get hit hard, you get up, dust yourself off and continue to play the game.
Easter turned out to be a wonderful family day, at The Fieldston, and the wine dinner was a fantastic success.
I went from an emotional Death Valley to a euphoric Rocky Mountain high…with a little help from my friends, patrons and staff…. Thanks to all of you for cheering me up.
I know that things could be a lot worse and if this is as bad as it gets, I’m a pretty lucky guy!
Jan Perrin
Click on www.southshorewoman.com for this months appeteaser Spicy Caribbean Rum Chutney
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Myths and Facts of THE FIELDSTON
Myth: The menu is high priced!
Fact: The food is made from the freshest ingredients and is delicious.
The entire menu is now priced under $16.95 on weekends
with unbelievable $9.95 weekday promotionals.
These are not type-os we are under priced and a great value.
Myth: We are never open!
Fact: We are open sometimes; you just have to catch us at the right time.
New hours (honest and for real) open Wednesday- Sunday at 5 P.M.
Myth: There is a dress code.
Fact: You hardly ever see a dress even the woman wear jeans.
Casual attire in a rustic, elegant and romantic dining room.
Myth: The owner/chef is a grouch!
Fact: The owner/chef is a grouch.
(Only when he prepares all day to make The Fieldston’s food special for you
and you don’t show up for the party)
The staff and I thank you for getting The Fieldston through the winter.
We hope to see you this spring.
Jan Perrin
Myth: The menu is high priced!
Fact: The food is made from the freshest ingredients and is delicious.
The entire menu is now priced under $16.95 on weekends
with unbelievable $9.95 weekday promotionals.
These are not type-os we are under priced and a great value.
Myth: We are never open!
Fact: We are open sometimes; you just have to catch us at the right time.
New hours (honest and for real) open Wednesday- Sunday at 5 P.M.
Myth: There is a dress code.
Fact: You hardly ever see a dress even the woman wear jeans.
Casual attire in a rustic, elegant and romantic dining room.
Myth: The owner/chef is a grouch!
Fact: The owner/chef is a grouch.
(Only when he prepares all day to make The Fieldston’s food special for you
and you don’t show up for the party)
The staff and I thank you for getting The Fieldston through the winter.
We hope to see you this spring.
Jan Perrin
Saturday, March 21, 2009
The Pleasure of Pleasing
I aim to please, that is my pleasure. Oh, what a feeling!
The best a restaurateur can experience, but what if you don’t.
The pain of disappointing…it really does hurt (another microcosm of life).
I could entertain 100 guests… 98 could leave pleased and happy… 2 could leave disappointed.
The letdown and failure, I once felt, outweighed the pleasure, until I received an anonymous letter early in the ownership of The Fieldston.
“We were in for dinner Friday night. You have a beautiful restaurant. From lace curtains, double floor length linens, crystal glassware, candle light and classical music. Your menu is creative and the food delicious. You are obviously a man who pays a great deal of attention to detail. So, I wanted to tell you that our night was tarnished when dessert, a creamy lemon mousse, presented on a beautifully patterned Villeroy and Boch plate was served on a tablecloth full of crumbs.”
Oh My God!!! I forgot crumbers. My week was ruined. This is no lie.
An old adage came to mind that night and how true it is in the restaurant business, as in life.
You can please all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.
I now embrace that wonderful pleasure of pleasing and to the others,
I don’t please, I have a glass of red wine. That brings me pleasure too.
I hope The Fieldston will continue to please you…. to the others, I apologize with pleasure.
Thank you for those pleasing comments.
Jan Perrin
I aim to please, that is my pleasure. Oh, what a feeling!
The best a restaurateur can experience, but what if you don’t.
The pain of disappointing…it really does hurt (another microcosm of life).
I could entertain 100 guests… 98 could leave pleased and happy… 2 could leave disappointed.
The letdown and failure, I once felt, outweighed the pleasure, until I received an anonymous letter early in the ownership of The Fieldston.
“We were in for dinner Friday night. You have a beautiful restaurant. From lace curtains, double floor length linens, crystal glassware, candle light and classical music. Your menu is creative and the food delicious. You are obviously a man who pays a great deal of attention to detail. So, I wanted to tell you that our night was tarnished when dessert, a creamy lemon mousse, presented on a beautifully patterned Villeroy and Boch plate was served on a tablecloth full of crumbs.”
Oh My God!!! I forgot crumbers. My week was ruined. This is no lie.
An old adage came to mind that night and how true it is in the restaurant business, as in life.
You can please all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.
I now embrace that wonderful pleasure of pleasing and to the others,
I don’t please, I have a glass of red wine. That brings me pleasure too.
I hope The Fieldston will continue to please you…. to the others, I apologize with pleasure.
Thank you for those pleasing comments.
Jan Perrin
o view this months Appeteaser and lots of other good stuff
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Thoughts on success
I opened The Fieldston 15 years ago, it was with a bang.
I remember standing out in my parking lot, every space filled, viewing the silhouettes of all the new patrons enjoying a night of culinary delight. I was also delighted. My dream had come true, success.
A euphoric feeling embraced my entire being. Oh, what a night!
Fifteen years have passed, lots of ups and downs, gains and losses, happy times not so happy times.
You could say a microcosm of life. Well anyway, 15 years to the night I stepped outside to my parking lot, not so filled, and viewed the silhouettes of a handful of loyal patrons. What no euphoria! Had I lost that lovin’ feeling? Since, several days have passed, thoughts and feelings have been explored and I’ve dug a little deeper. An attitude adjustment surfaced. I stepped outside to my parking lot late the other night, not a space filled, and to my surprise, if only for a few fleeting moments, euphoria. The passion still exists only hidden by the obstacles on the way to success. I’m ready to take the next hurdle.
What I’ve learned from this ongoing experience is overnight success takes 15 years, but only with passion, hard work and an unlimited supporting cast of family, friends, staff, loyal patrons and a little surprise inspiration.
I thank all of you for helping me fulfill a dream.
If you would like to know more about The Fieldston’s history, click here.
If you would like to try my simple to make, monthly appeteaser, click here.
Jan Perrin
Thursday, March 12, 2009
A Great Place to Go to Escape or Celebrate!
Whether the stock market tanks or ticks toward an upswing—as it did earlier this week—this is not the time to be shuttered in and away from the rest of the world wallowing in your Campbell’s chicken noodle soup. Personally, I have to get out during these dreary economic times-- for my own sanity! But, I’m still on a budget. In order to balance my desire to bust out of the house with my need to stay within budget, I often find myself pulling into The Fieldston to grab dinner and drinks with family and friends in the restaurant’s cozy fireplace room.
The great thing about The Fieldston is that it feels like home (without the hassles of making dinner and cleaning up). The staff is friendly, the setting comfy, and Jan, owner and executive chef, makes delicious appetizers and entrees that are half the price of some of the other places in the area. Honestly, what more could you want?
Stephanie Neil
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