It’s Friday night, and you’ve just walked in the door of your home restaurant. You’re tired, but proud. You’ve got a smile on your face, and your arms are filled with bags. You just delivered fresh, delicious, and nutritious ingredients to your patrons. Your crew is buzzing, as usual, since it’s been a while since they’ve eaten healthy food. You’re happy to oblige and provide them with the food they need to stay strong.
Welcome to your star. Your restaurant is located in the Beverly Hills area of Los Angeles, and it’s called…wait for it… Chester Piven. Your guests are grateful for your efforts, and they love your food. You’ve established a reputation for yourself as a chef whose menu features foods that are good for them. You cook what your taste buds desire, and it shows. You’re making plenty of money, and you’ve got a lot more to look forward to. Life is good.
Then, just as you’re about to take a moment to unwind and relax, your phone rings. It’s an agent from an entertainment company, and they’ve got a project for you. They want you to be one of the celebrity chefs who appear on their next food reality show. You’re honored and flattered, of course, but you have a life. You’ve got a restaurant to run, bills to pay, and an ever-evolving menu to think about. So you politely decline their offer. You are a chef, after all, and not a TV star.
That was then, and this is now. Things have changed. Instead of cooking in your home, you now cook for famous people, and your meals often appear on TV. You’ve got a big smile on your face as you enter the restaurant you’ve just opened in Beverly Hills. The paparazzi are outside, waiting to pounce. You stop to take a quick selfie and post it on social media. Then you hurry to your station, eager to get started.
As guests arrive and are seated, you survey your table. You notice a familiar face, so you walk over to say hello. It’s Julia Child. Julia is a household name, and a cultural icon. She’s the chef and author of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the culinary bible that’s still considered essential reading by aspiring chefs. You’re honored to meet her, and you express your gratitude for her work. Julia beams, as usual, and you and she hit it off right away. Then you dive into your first course. It’s a soufflé that you make using a creamy mushroom soup. Your guests gobble it up, and you and Julia chatter away while you cook. You’re in good form, and when your soufflé is finished, you feel pleased and relaxed. Then a guest at another table raises their glass and says, “To your good health!” You and Julia laugh, and the night is young.
Your Best Friend Brings You A Gift
After your soufflé, it’s time for the main course. You’re feeling energetic and lightheaded, and the thought of what’s to come makes you anxious. You steel yourself and approach your station. You see your friend and business partner, Louis Vuitton, sitting at a table. Louis has been your best friend for years, and this is no coincidence. He’s the genius behind your restaurant. He’s the one who came up with the name, selected the location, and designed the space. You want to hug him, but you have a job to do. So you say hello, and you get busy preparing your next course. Louis greets you, and it seems as if he’s been waiting for this moment all night. He walks over to your station, and he gives you a huge, fat bouquet of flowers. You thank him and admire his taste. Then you and Louis discuss the finer points of your upcoming course. You agree that it’s important to use the best ingredients, and you decide to go for a rib-eye steak with caramelized onions and bacon. It’s your best seller, and it’s been popular with your guests ever since you started serving it. It’s rich, and full of flavor. The perfect end to a memorable night.
The Pressure Is On
You feel a tap on your shoulder. It’s an assistant manager from your restaurant, with an important message. There’s been a complaint, they tell you. A patron is claiming that your food isn’t what they ordered. You examine the menu and see that there’s been a mistake. They asked for fish, but they weren’t specific about what kind. You feel bad, and you want to correct what happened. You look over to Louis and see that he’s heard the complaint. He asks what you plan to do about it, and you decide that you’ll have to go back and apologize to the customer. It’s not a good look to make a mistake like this, especially since you’re already catering to the rich and famous. So you go back, explain that you’re sorry, and give them a complimentary dessert to make up for the error. Then you hurry back to your station. It’s nearly 1 a.m., and you’ve got a long day ahead. But you’ve still got pride. You feel that you’ve done the right thing, and you can go to bed happy.
A Busy Day
You wake up, and it’s a bright and beautiful day. You and Louis meet for breakfast, as usual, and you tell him that you had a nice night. He laughs and asks if you had a good time. You clarify that you mean that you had a profitable night. He nods and tells you that he knew you wouldn’t have a bad day. You two chat about the upcoming day, and Louis asks how you’re planning to spend the afternoon. You tell him that you have a lot of work to do, and that you’re looking forward to it. You’ll need his help, since you’re going to be running around all day. Louis knows you’re going to be busy, so he brings you a gift – a bouquet of flowers. You thank him, and you give him a hug. Then you go back to your station and get to work.
Later in the afternoon, you get a call from an agent from an entertainment company, and they want you to be a part of their next food reality show. The opportunity is exciting, but you have a life, a family, and a business that you have to think about. So you politely decline their offer. You are a superstar, but you’re also a chef. You have your own restaurant, and you’ve established a reputation. You don’t need to appear on TV to prove yourself, and you don’t want to hurt your friends, either.
The next few hours fly by. It’s already the end of the day, and you’re exhausted. You go back to your station to prep for the evening. You’re making dinner for Julia and Louis, and they ask you how the day was. You tell them that it was productive, and that you’re looking forward to tomorrow. You want to stay at your station and cook, but you need to get home to your family. You hug Louis and tell him that you’ll see him tomorrow. He wishes you good luck, and you drive home feeling content and satisfied.
It’s been a long day, and tomorrow is going to be just as busy. But you’ve still got that smile on your face. Things feel right, as usual, and you feel proud that you were able to provide your guests with nutritious, good-tasting food. You had fun, and you made plenty of money. Everything is going according to plan, and that makes you happy. It’s Friday night, and you’ve got a long weekend ahead. You’ve got a lot to look forward to.