Hello everyone Johnny here and today I want to share with you a story full of funny memories and life lessons in the kitchen of the famous The Savoy London.
Well, let's get started!
I remember like it was yesterday my first day working at The Savoy as Senior Chef de Partie under Executive Sous Chef Francisco Hernandez. It was 8 years ago and, my mother, how many interesting things I have experienced since then!
I still remember the moment when I first saw green oil, which is now used all over the world. In those days I had come from other restaurants in London, but this was a different story when it came to fish food.
There, there were no less than 3 restaurants where the managers rotated us regularly. Thames Foyer, which also served Room Service at night, Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay and Kaspar's at The Savoy, specializing in seafood. It was total madness, as if we were in a theater! And let's not forget the Melba dessert restaurant, where 150-160 people worked daily. We're just talking about chefs! Plus the restaurant that supported the famous weddings at the Savoy, run by Executive Chef Holger Jackisch. He was like a mystical presence in our lives, but he was the one who made all the decisions, and everything unfolded under his hand. A paradox, but that's how it worked.
And yes, celebrities were a regular occurrence. During that time, I was posting a lot on social media with all these remarkable people.
But let's move on to the funny moment. On the first day, to show those below me how to cut green onions with a santoku knife, I managed to cut off half the nail on my left index finger. It was an...unpleasant moment, shall we say. I rushed to the bathroom, started defecating, almost passed out from the pain. I even wanted to go back to Romania to how I felt. The locker room was full of famous swear words, and just then Chef Cisco Hernandez appears in the bathroom. Me, with my pants down and my finger bloody and dirty with urine, and he tells me: "Johnny, pride comes before fall". And there, in an instant, I understood everything. The first day I cried like a baby and stayed home for 7 days because the cut was pretty bad. Add to that the personal problems at home and I was completely destroyed.
I took the bus from Trafalgar Square to Wandsworth, a 2 hour round trip. The traffic was absolutely hellish. But I got over the pain and began to heal, just a little, and returned to The Savoy for another day in the kitchen.
I had arrived and Cisco was waiting for me. I was unshaven and he wanted everyone to be flawless. So he said to me: "Are you stupid or are you stupid?" (Are you stupid or are you stupid?). He took me to his dressing room, gave me a blade with aloe, no foam or other artificials, and said: "Go shave, Chef!" (Come on, shave, Chef!). It was the first time he called me "Chef", but it was an irony on his part. I got out of the bathroom, still irritated, and he started preparing 40 kg of Bolognese sauce in a huge pot. I don't remember exactly all the ingredients, but it was hellishly hot in there, steam everywhere, and I was getting more and more nervous. I was thinking, "Who the hell is this dude who put me here? I want to go home!" I was almost determined to give up when, for the first time, Executive Chef Jackisch comes and puts his hand on my shoulder. Have you ever felt that warm hug from an important person in your life? Well, I felt it then, and he said to me: "Cisco spoke well of you, keep it up." It was the psychological moment of my future career. I was about to give up and this hug motivated me and gave me confidence. Chef Cisco believed in me and my recommendations. That's what I always lacked, encouragement and confidence. In such a competitive environment, you don't get a job like this without references, resumes or phone numbers. There, it was not like in Romania.
I tend to think that embracing Chef was the defining moment of my career. If it wasn't for that encouragement, I would never have achieved my dream. I was the only Romanian in all the kitchens there, and I can tell you that I am now experiencing an indescribable happiness when I relive all these moments.
So never give up on your dream. Maybe you don't know how close you are to success. Always surround yourself with the right people, people who care, people you can learn from and respect everyone. PRIDE COMES BEFORE FALL! (Pride comes before a fall!)
I hope you enjoyed this little foray into the kitchen of The Savoy London. I wish you to always follow your dreams and never get defeated by life's challenges. Until next time, have delicious adventures and memorable moments!
