Tips

I'm a chef. Well...to be perfectly honest...I'm a cook. A cook has to go to culinary school to be called a chef, and all the chefs I've met (yes, all 2 of them) guard that title as though it were the very last morsel of food they will ever taste again. So I'm a cook...a damn good one, but a cook nonetheless. I also manage a large group of people in a gourmet food store, which is a job I love...some of the people that work with and for me...wow, I can't imagine a day without them...but we'll get to them in due time.

For now it's good enough to know that on Thursday nights, I'm a cook. I do wine tasting dinners for 15-60 people...and I dearly love doing it, because it gives me a moment to be creative and have it appreciated by others...strangers who don't know me from Adam (and if anyone would care to explain the "Adam" thing at some point, I'd be most grateful) come to sit at my table and taste what I have to offer...that should be reward in and of itself. It's not.

I have a great front of the house girl, Stephanie, she keeps her head cool and the water glasses full and knows her way around customer service so that I don't have to worry about that end of it...a moment of silent thanks for Stephanie.

*MOMENT*

Stephanie and I bust our asses for these dinners...we both feel a sense of import and elegance whilst doing this (despite the fact that some diners arrive in shorts and flamingo-laden shirts) and try to make all the events special ones. The food I serve isn't 5-star, maybe 3...4 on a really great day. Last night we had Epoisses as a starter, which is a creamy, earthy, grassy camembert from France...paired with some hearty honey wheat crackers, and fresh bing cherries. The main was salmon poached in white wine, garlic, peppercorns and just a kiss of olive oil...and dessert was a simple vanilla bean ice cream with a cabernet reduction sauce and fresh raspberries...so...not 5 star...but still. The total for a tasting with 5 wines and the food is 22.95 per person, not a bad deal all the way 'round, in my opinion...

...and what do you suppose people tipped on that total? Guesses? Anyone? Anyone?

13%

I'm here to tell you...13% is an insult these days...a slap...a spit...a...well, you get the idea. STANDARD tips are around 20% now...10%? That's gone the way of the Bush administration...they are no longer, but there are apparently quite a few people who still long for the days of killing for oil and other adventures of that sort...

PEOPLE! Think for a moment...if you can't afford to leave a decent tip for outstanding food and service...stay home and make some hamburger helper.

Please.