A birthday party to remember
I think of every event I cater as the creation of a piece of art. The people, the venue, the occasion, the menu, and the execution all need to work together to deliver the magic. One such unforgettable event was a birthday party for the 90-year-old Greg. My friend Catherine was my client and the hostess of the evening. Our guest of honor, Greg, is an incredibly spunky ex-Navy pilot who looks about 70 and still flies small airplanes on a regular basis. The other invitees were also ex-Navy in their 80s, along with their spouses. This was an unusual group in their lively camaraderie and youthful energy.
Catherine and I started to plan the menu a few weeks ahead of the time. She wanted it to be a sit-down dinner with a variety of appetizers and side dishes, a main course, and choice of desserts. The invitees were eclectic eaters and adventurous in trying new flavors, which is always a boon for the chef. I had a flood of ideas to begin with, and we narrowed them down in order to present a variety of dishes that worked in harmony with one another. As we finalized the menu, we also took the venue, Catherine’s house, into consideration. She had a well equipped kitchen, but given that she lived in the city, her space was limited. We settled on a main dish that was distinctively Pacific Northwest: salmon and seasonal greens. We complemented the dish with Spanish-style appetizers and sides; the amuse bouche was a summery watermelon gazpacho. We ended the meal with a South Asian- inspired dessert with caramelized tropical banana.
The dinner began at 6pm. I arrived in the early afternoon to cook off a storm from her kitchen and add few magic dust ;-) A great perk that comes with cooking for someone who is both a friend and client is having a pre-party before cooking. Catherine enjoyed being my assistant, and we spent a lovely afternoon chit-chatting and sipping on a little wine while we put everything together. Since this was a sit-down dinner of 12 guests, the timing and the presentation of the dishes were important. Even though I knew very well that the guests were an easy-going bunch and would be forgiving of any imperfections, I wanted to exceed any expectations they might hold. I wanted Catherine to be proud. After all, the secret ingredient is always that extra love I give to cooking.
The guests arrived punctually, as one would expect from former military pilots. After everyone had a chance to settle down with a glass of booze of some sort, I started to turn up the dishes like clockwork. I presented 12 plates of everything, and each were properly garnished and brought to the table. The guests obviously knew each other well, and there was nonstop laughter coming from the table. Amid the festive chatters, they didn’t neglect to shower me with compliments each time I appeared at the table. They consumed everything on the plates with gusto. As anticipated, they enjoyed the main course, which was citrus salmon skewers that were zesty and juicy. Neither did they shy away from the dishes that would seem exotic to the American palate, such as the honey yuzu salad or the caramelized banana and coconut black rice pudding. In fact, they finished everything with palpable delight.
The birthday cake then arrived as well as the opening of presents. It was endearing to see this group of 80 and 90-year-olds lingering at the dinner table, talking and laughing well past eleven o'clock at night. As it eventually dawned on them that it was way past their normal bedtime, they reluctantly took leave. Just like young partiers, they crammed more jokes and banters into the process of making their way out. Meanwhile, they made sure to thank me profusely and showered me yet again with the genuine pleasure they’ve had with their evening’s food. To me, that was a magical evening delivered.
