Kuwait seems to defy all laws of time and space. Sometimes time never seems to elapse at all; people drift in slow motion with no particular destination or arrival time in mind. Tasks that could take minutes manage to take days. Other times, the country moves with lightning speed. One morning I walked in the mall to discover that an entire wing that had previously been nothing but plaster walls had transformed into an entire new offshoot, a gold market. After being ill and away from the restaurant for days, I expected things to be the same as when I left them, existing in the limbo of daily life here. However, things felt different as soon as I entered.
“Where is everyone?” I asked, noticing a significant lack of servers.
“They’re at the catering event at the University. Tonight we’ll also have less people because other servers are going to the evening catering event,” the Assistant Manager informed me.
Catering? Since when did we do catering? He quickly got me up to speed: the restaurant had always had the idea since its opening, and now that business had somewhat stabilized they were going to see if they could enact it. The two events today were trials, a first attempt to see how it would go. In the evening, Figs would cater a party for food and lifestyle bloggers, a perfect opportunity to garner publicity for the cuisine.
I knew that I had to be a part of it even though I was still nursing the remains of my illness. As guest relations manager, I feel it is important that I am up to date on any restaurant developments. Usually I am, but the sickness had struck in the days this suddenly transpired. In addition, I hoped that maybe I could come in handy. My knowledge of Todd English from the United States and my own experiences as a food blogger might be of use. Why not? I gave my manager a call and he agreed to let me come as long as I felt up to it physically.
Once more, I found myself with a backstage pass to a side of the food industry I had not fully considered before. Though the event began at 7, an array of chefs from all restaurants, servers, drivers, and other staff assembled at the restaurant at 5. They arranged massive wheeled coolers in the back hallway behind the restaurant. Then, they began moving food that had been pre-prepared from the kitchen and into the coolers. That took hours. It might sound simple but consider the following. Every single condiment, salt, herbs, any garnish, had to be accounted for. Like in the photo shoot, the components of the dishes had to be grouped together and labeled. And they somehow had to make it so that refrigerated items had a place in the cooler. It was like a giant jigsaw puzzle, but in the end every last food item was accounted for.
A catered event transcends food. In this case, we needed to bring all of our own cooking equipment as the party was located in an office building. The chef rounded up burners, microwaves, pans, and all items we would need in the space. The operations manager worked with the servers to pack extension cords, tables, and other miscellaneous items. They ultimately required an entire small truck, akin a small Uhaul, to fit everything.
I rode over with our corporate chef, Andy, and arrived after the servers and chefs had started to set up in the office. My jaw dropped as I walked in the door; the entire team was literally crammed in a small office, the restaurant recreated on a smaller scale in a mere room. Our “beverage section” stood to the direct left as I walked in the door. Bartenders worked hidden behind walls of soda cans, glasses, and juice. To my right, less than a foot away, was the “kitchen:” a table for plated food up front with another table with burners and equipment behind it. The chefs, too, were encased by boxes of food, the coolers, and, of course… office furniture. The servers, corporate chef, and I managed to find a space crammed between these two areas. (I spent much of my time in the back wedged between a bookshelf and shoulder-to-shoulder with a bartender.) It was truly a sight to behold.
The event proved sleek and sexy: the soft glow of a blacklight gave a blue tint to the party. Curved modern shoulder-height tables stood around the room for guests to lean and eat on. Club music drifted from a DJ booth in the corner. Guests signed a wall of the office in permanent markers- graffiti style- giving the space even more edge. When the hum of conversation started outside, our servers began going out with mini versions of some of our most coveted menu items: mezze platters, grilled shrimp, veal tenderloin, cocktails, sliders. I was mesmerized; the talented chefs had managed to recreate these complex plates as h'ors doeurves. Every component was accounted for in bite-sized potions.
I slowly made my way around the room, mixing my usual guest relations duties with the vibrant milleiu of a party. As I chatted with the bloggers, I made sure they were enjoying the food, having a good time, and publicized the restaurant. Although working, I had a blast. As a blogger and food writer, I found myself sharing stories with some interesting people. An amazing array of blogs were represented, and I learned about influential social media personalities in Kuwait. It was a great opportunity to network professionally and personally, both for the restaurant and myself.
Throughout the evening, the talented, dedicated chefs and servers hustled to send dish after dish out into the party. I counted at least 20 of our signature menu items and there were at least 50 people at the event. The climax of the evening was seeing some of our most famous, intricate desserts go out as bite-sized goodies. The “s’mores” dessert was recreated in all its glory: ice cream, smoked graham cracker, AND TOASTED MARSHMELLOW (perfected with a blow torch in the back) were all accounted for. Mini fried apple pies and chocolate tarts pleased the crowd as well. Like in the restaurant, the contrast between front and back of the house proved almost comical. Outside the doors of the “kitchen,” a chic, casual affair was underway. Behind the door, a loud, fast, full production unfolded at light speed.
Adam, the guest relations manager who worked with me from the American team, told me that I should “learn at least one new thing a day.” I thought back to his words affectionately as I considered everything I had learned in the span of a single evening.
Party on.
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