Jared McCaffrey
Location: The Painted Lady
Jared checked his knives on last time before he went out the door, they sparkled looking pristine in the overhead artificial light of the Lovis. He let out the tension from his chest with a deep sigh of relief, carefully sliding his blade into his carrying case. He tossed his apron over the shoulder of his chef's coat and went down to The Painted Lady his footsteps echoing slightly in the empty halls of the ship. He doubted he would be bothering any of the other members in the staff residential area, at this time most everyone was probably still asleep. As a Sous Chef, it fell to him to inspect the kitchen for cleanliness, preparations, and the ingredients for today's menu. This week the Executive Chef, Ramirez, had fallen ill from some malady or another and it had fallen to him to prepare the menu options for the day. He quickly glanced over the menu he had prepared, ensuring that it met his standards. Along with the usual buffet of standard breakfast fare, he had prepped up a menu of 10 separate items that could be ordered.
Greek Yogurt with Tandoori Honey and Fruit
Avocado Toast
Protein Packed Quinoa Clusters
Crispy Breakfast Pita
Sweet Crepes with Caramelized Pears
Onion and Arugula Frittata with Crumbled Goat Cheese
Applewood Smoked Bacon and Sausage
Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberries
Sausage, Egg, and Avocado Breakfast Salad
Sweet Potato and Egg Breakfast Hash
His Chef de Parties began to shuffle in about a half hour after he had arrived, taking their places and beginning their preparations. By the time the customers began to arrive, food was already out set on the buffet hot and ready.
While the serving staff began their complex dance around the tables, ensuring that each order was carried out to the customer's specifications, the very vision of calm order. In contrast, the kitchen staff were all moving at a frantic pace working to ensure the food was carried out as quickly as possible.
"Chef Yates! I need those pears done immediately! Chef Phillips! Eyes on your bacon! Any longer and it will burn." Jared flicked his wrist with his left hand, flipping the latest pancake while finishing up the plating on a breakfast salad with his other hand almost like a gesture of emphasis. Quick responses of "Yes Chef!" sounded around the room.
His eyes darted around the others, but always returned to watch his own work. He finished his work and put the meals on the counter ready to be served. He looked out on the crowd, they had a nearly full restaurant, but that was still not enough. If his customers were not here, then they were waiting in line for the chance to eat at the Imperial lounge. Jared turned back to his kitchen, jaw tense. With a moment to breathe, he walked around the kitchen ensuring the quality of his prepared menu. The chefs, despite his comments, were working well together. However, as he moved over the sinks, he saw plates building up.
"Chef Phillips! Where is Sanders? He needs to be on clean up!" Chef Phillips, a short black man with some of the best knife skills that Jared had ever seen, was acting as his temporary second in command until the actual Chef de Cuisine returned. He was in charge of managing the staff, a task he had little experience with. They had simply not had enough time to prepare before Head Chef Ramirez had fallen ill.
Chef Phillips paused for a moment, presumably using his holo-contact to check his messages. "Sick, Chef. Same thing that Ramirez has."
Jared cursed under his breath. Ramirez had been out for days, it seemed that Ramirez and Sanders had a less than strictly professional relationship. The dishes were building still however, the other dishwashers needed reinforcement. He went the office directly off the kitchen and waved his hand in front of the sensor embedded into the wall. A holographic display opened up, filled with information related to the restaurant. Jared waved a hand in front of it till he found the janitorial department. With a couple quick taps, he sent out an urgent request for one of the cleaning staff to come down to his restaurant. There was not much more time left in the breakfast rush, but till it ended they needed someone else to stay on top of it all.