The glamorous life

When I started this blog, I intended to write long blog posts, pontificating on the life with a chef. Somehow it seems that I've gotten far away from that. Part of the reason is that it is not easy to write about our every day travails without getting Anthony in trouble at work. :) The trials and tribulations of a chef seem to be never ending and I guess that keeps life interesting. From food critics, to messed up paychecks, to no show staff, to incompetence in the office, to being told he would be 'fired by Gordon Ramsey!' by a guest, no less. Honestly, the list is never ending. And could make for some very entertaining blogging. But, sigh, I have tried to be responsible and so have drifted away from my objective.
However, this last week has been a busy one for one wife of the chef and thus I feel that I have the right to write about my experiences. Actually, after sitting with a table full of 'bloggers' perhaps I have a responsibility to?? Or is that going too far?
Last Friday I was 'summoned' to eat dinner at the restaurant with the owners and their children. We scrambled for a babysitter (which is a WHOLE other post) and I put on my new little white dress and headed out to eat. The occasion was the visiting of 3 former 'guest chefs' who were going to make dinner for the restaurant. There were 2 entree options and 6 courses in all. Not bad for the price and most people there seemed to be friends of the chefs and therefore there for a good time. And a good time was had. By the guest chefs - not necessarily by MY chef. The idea of turning his kitchen and restaurant over to a group of old chefs, none of whom having apparently cooked professionally in many, many years, was about enough to send him into cardiac arrest. He restrained himself as best he could and calmed himself by being the expediter, which turned out to be a good thing, as the wine was flowing. In the kitchen. And I don't mean into the pans. ;) But, though it took about 3 hours to eat, it was fun to be waited on and not have even one little boy to entertain. I had a 'wife of the chef' martini (yes, it's mine :) )and we had a great bottle of Bordeaux. Great.
So then I was asked to return last night for dinner with a group of 'bloggers'. I have to say I was a little apprehensive about this dinner. But some wonderful friends of ours offered to watch all 4! boys, overnight even!!, so I didn't make up some excuse about projectile vomiting or chicken pox, and went to dinner. Apparently, since I have a small, not even mentionable, wine blog about the wines we taste from the inn, it was suggested that I could sit with these people and have something to talk about?? First of all, I must say that I was somewhat disappointed when nary a one from our table was interested in wine aside from one of the owners and me. Can you be a food/restaurant blogger and not like wine?? Really? It just seems so much of the experience. And the pairings of great food with great wine is such a big thing these days. I was really surprised. The couple I sat by was nice and sweet and though I think he has one of the biggest blogs in the city near us, they didn't seem pretentious or snobby at all. The other couple wasn't very impressive at first glance, (I'm trying to be nice here) but I got the impression as dinner went on that they really had their fingers on the pulse of dining in our area. So I sat nicely while they took pictures of each course, drank fruity mixed drinks and otherwise kept fairly poker faces. My food was good. Delicious actually. I should have gotten out my camera and taken pictures! But I honestly couldn't tell you how the reviews will fare.
As I had NO BOYS! for all night, I stayed at the restaurant and drank wine and watched Anthony finish his prep for the next day and clean up. It sounds boring but it was kind of fun. Some of the bloggers stopped in about midnight to ask him some questions and that was interesting.
But wait, its not over! Today a large wine event was planned in our city and Anthony had gotten a table and was serving at it. So once again, a fabulous friend said she'd watch the boys for a bit, and I dressed up and ran up there. It was far less impressive than I'd hoped but anything that has to do with wine and tasting is still fun. It was disappointing that all of the wines had to be wines you could purchase at a particular local grocery store - who was sponsoring the event. Anthony tries to not carry any wines that you can find in the grocery store so I guess it was fun to try ones we don't usually drink... It was an expensive affair, which is when it certainly pays to be married to a chef! It was about 90 degrees outside and I worried about Anthony, who was wearing his chef pants, shoes, T and full jacket. He stood out there for about 10 hours. He's still not home! Still, it was fun and is definitely becoming one of my favorite extracurricular activities. :)
So that is a week in the life... Maybe I'll do a day in the life next...