Fortunately, I was able to score a job within the first week of moving out to Jackson. Thanks to the help of a good friend Delaney Campbell, I got in good with a local chef working at an upscale mountain dining mainstay in the Jackson community. The restaurant, authentic italian cuisine, Il Villagio Osteria was nestled right into the bottom of a mountain side resort known as Hotel Terra. Really super nice. One of the more consistently popular and well run establishments in a place that seemed pretty tough to succeed (in the restaurant biz.) It was hard to think about spending time at work in such beautiful surroundings, but you get over it fast. It's all relative. I came in for a "working interview" which translates to "lets see if you can not screw up too bad and we'll feed you dinner in the process." Carter Light would be my boss. Super cool guy, originally from Vermont that came here in search of something more just as I had. He loved to cook and loved to hunt and fish. Mention waterfowl around him and you were sure to have a new friend. Plus he was young enough to still relate to all the young people in the restaurant. Big plus for a boss. Above the small parking deck and below the first floor of the hotel sits the restaurant and the kitchen and prep area. Upon entering, two servers eat whatever was for lunch and giggle in the hallway as the dinner rush nears. Throw on a chef coat and time to see how screwed you are before service. (in reference to what all prep needed to be done to finish out the night.) Sometimes there's a lot to do, sometimes there's nothing. I would be working with one of three people. All of whom couldn't have been any different. There was Katie, who was a solid 7 months pregnant and still working hard despite her looming responsibility and protruding belly. She was pretty intense. She took a liking to my sarcastic sense of humor after a while though and I enjoyed working with her. Next there was Fernando. A mexican dude, hard worker. Don't want to stereotype but since he held a more responsibility-related job, and not a dishwasher, he didn't have a very good attitude. He made it seem like we all owed him something. The shifts I worked with Fernando went by quickly. And finally, Mike. Mike had rolled his SUV 10 or 12 times and was in a back brace. Translation: "here carry all this heavy stuff." My job ended up being pretty awesome. It required minimal kitchen skills, but those who've done it know, cooking great pizza takes some practice. Especially if you've got 6 pies at once in a 640 degree oven. 12 inch pies, all great quality toppings, and of course fresh mozz. Whoa they were good. It was a woodstone pizza oven outside of the kitchen in the bar/ lounge area. Sweet, I thought. Most kitchens are hidden from the restaurant i.e. the customers, so this meant I'd have to be on my A-game at all times. A good and a bad thing. No goofing off or listening to music too loud.
Working in a restaurant in a resort town is a funny thing. You see all these people come in with their families and enjoying their vacations in this incredibly beautiful place. And here you are stuck at work in a marinara stained chef coat with a pregnant chick trying to tell you how to stretch dough. Like I said, it's all relative. Yea, I am at work, but I LIVE here. It takes a few times of realizing this before you think about it and smile. Or at least that's the feeling it brought to me. I hate all things paparazzi and TMZ/celebrity gossip related, but it was sweet to see a few celebs escaping reality in The Tetons. I saw Gary Cole a few times (not Gary Coleman,) (Bill Lumbergh from Office Space.) If anyone doesn't know who that is, it's your own fault. I saw Quentin Tarantino, there filming a new flick in Grand Teton Natl. Park. No big deal. The restaurant industry was pretty good to me out west. It got me on the slopes every day, kept my belly full, and a roof over my head. Got a lot to be thankful for. Friends, family, fresh pow, and pizza.
#grateful
