In hospitality we deal with connection and instant graitifcation. As a bartender at a luxury hotel it’s my job to highlight “experience”.
Our trade is all about happy experiences of bringing people together and rising to the occassion. We don’t work on a project over night, we work as if we are putting on a production, sort of like a live performance on stage. So there’s a lot of impromptu moments, attention to detail when marking for the next course, timely fashion in executing a full house when working on the line and even when a brand ambassador shows up and buys everyone cocktails at the bar. I can only imagine, if and when that can happen again. I am going to miss that but the one thing I’m going to miss is that spark! And no, it’s not the same, I’m not going to flame a peel virtually and get the same reaction otherwise.
I’m going to miss that burst of happy, that adrenaline that’s going to pump you up cause you’re going to meet everyone for drinks.
The excitement for me as a mom, that I get to wear 6 inch designer heels just so I can have Adrien catch me. That’s all over. I don’t think the allure of “going out” will ever happen again. And I’m not going to lie and say, “Oh soon, yeah everything will be back to normal”. The fear has been instilled. The damage is basically done in that sense of having an authentic memorable night out! Now everything is going to be “private” and even more “exclusive”.
As a New Yorker, born and raised in Chelsea, it pains me to think about it. I mean this is my city, this is home and down the street, a few blocks away is the Meatpacking. “What the f*ck is going to happen?” I wondered. I thought of all the people I knew. How will the staff do Saturday brunches at Bagatelle? Places like that thrive with crowds. What about my friends who actually own businesses. I ended up reminiscing of what used to be my favorite district in New York, It rained upon me to ask myself, is hospitality a dying industry? Have I been in denial by being over positive? I ended up reaching out to Chef Jose to see how he and he and his wife Ashley were doing.
When I got on the phone earlier with my dear friend Chef Jose Luis, co-owner of Mission Ceviche in the Upper East Side, it was just a phone call of many emotions but the underlying essence was pure worry.
Despite the fact that the restaurant has reached so many successful milestones over the years since they opened 5 years ago downtown, it’s apparent that the newest one, the UES restaurant is going to experience a brutal financial shakedown that many owners are facing. Chef Jose Luis was having a great 2020 in fact, after getting a review from Pete Wells of the NY Times as well as attracting the many social media outlets, he said that the establishment was pointed toward success… in paying investments first that is.
“ We opened our business 9 months ago, after opening Mission Ceviche in the Meatpacking District 5 years ago.
When we opened MC we still didnt have glassware, we were in the process of putting together our liquor license and even getting gas,” said Chef. So this is when owners like him are really facing the emotional hardship because he has to think about the next step to pull himself and his partners out of this COVID-19 related cause. We just want what’s best for our families given that we are parents.
“Just when we were ready to get into the spring and summer too...”
said Chef. I looked at my calender (who know’s what day it is anymore) and saw we are just 5 weeks away from June. Then I thought, damn, ceviche is meant to be enjoyed in the heat with ice cold pisco sours and a lively atmosphere around. I could just picture it now. Adrien flare bartending for a full bar while Damaris is double shaking and taking orders. Miguel gracing the patrons with his dapper presence at the door. Chef Jose Luis and his team vibing great juju as they expedite the art that goes into each plate in the open kitchen. These are the things that we have to program our my mind to gravitate towards. If I could begin wrapping this up I’d like to say even though its hard to be happy or find joy right now, there things we can be grateful for. I was grateful for the talk indeed.
“Pacha mama, she is smiling.” That was the one take away that gave me so much power.
It was also Earth Day yesterday too. He pointed out that the fish were returning to the canals, the skies being clear and a rebirth taking place for the better. Chef turned our conversation into a transformative outlook, the bigger picture. We have to count our blessings for this. “This experience prompted me to turn my phone off and be with my wife and daughter. So I did. For two weeks. And it was the best choice I made,” said Chef.
“OUI CHEF!”
It’s true there are only two choices you can make at this point.
Sink or swim. Flight or fight. Afterwards when you’ve survived, you can sit back and just be present. Maybe now will be a great opportunity to learn how to cook. I’m going to tune into Chef Jose Luis’s Live Instagram tomorrow at 7PM EST! He will be teaching everyone how to make Lomo Saltado like they do in MC.
Click on his link here if you want to follow Chef Jose Luis for great energy and killer Peruvian dishes!
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