Rahm Emanuel ate at my restaurant last night!

[RandomKoolzip]

Okay, that sounds misleading. I don't own the restaurant, so it's not really "my" restaurant.

ANyhow, Rahm came to the place I work (as a line cook) and ate at a table right in front of the window of the kitchen - it's an open kitchen. It was about 10:30 or so last night.

We were incredibly busy, so I didn't get a chance to go over there and ask him for an autograph or a job or anything.

He was with two other people. They ordered onion rings and frites for a first course, then a butternut squash salad (NO RAISINS!), a frisee salad with blue cheese and apples, and a french onion soup. He ate with his companions at a sedate volume.

I decided to give them a special dessert - I sent them out a chocolate macadamia nut tart slice, and put it on a plate on which I'd written "Congrats!" in caramel sauce. THe food runner sent it to the table, he said "thanks!" and again, ate and talked in a very sedate manner.

When he was getting up to leave, he began waving goodbye to his servers, and i made eye contact and piped up:

"Hey Rahm! Good luck, buddy!"

"Hey buddy!" He came over to the kitchen window and shook my hand, which was brave of him, since I was a weirdo cook in a greasy, dirty uniform and a bright orange watch-cap.

So I shook back.

"Hey, you guys are gonna do great. I believe it."

"Thanks, buddy." He let go of my hand and continued to put his coat and scarf on. "Keep the faith!" he said, and walked away.

It was cool.


Anyhow, I was a bit surprised about how affectless he seemed. His eyes communicated little besides perhaps weary resignation, or maybe just simple fatigue. Obviously, the dude works pretty hard. I began to think that maybe what I was construing as affectlessness and/or weariness might have actually been the kind of steely pokerface of a shark - and them i felt relieved, since our side has been getting devoured by sharks pretty regularly since 1988 or so, and we need some of those stealthy assassin-types around to do battle with the right's veritable army of policy sharks.

Oh, and I never brought up Howard Dean.

And I never "confronted" him with accusations of being too "center-right" or any stupid shit like that. I didn't coat my hands in ketchup and thrust them at our Democratic chief-of-staff-elect, screaming about complicity in war crimes or any of that melodramatic claptrap. AND my story might read as pretty dry, narrative-wise, because that's exactly what happened, without any exaggeration or embellishment, post-event.

So, no, I never tried to ruffle Rahm. He was just a guy who wanted to enjoy a dinner out with a couple of friends, and that's it. And he seemed like an okay guy.

[malaise]

1. Nice post

:fistbump:

[flor-de-jasmim]

2. Sounds great! - Now, how 'bout some recipes?

[RandomKoolzip]

19. See below.

Welcome to DU!

[madokie]

3. It says a lot for you too

Buddy
add:fistbump:

[RandomKoolzip]

20. Hey! First time I've seen the fist-bump smiley.

Nice!

Thanks.

[ProfessorGAC]

4. Cool!

Or should i say Kool!

Nice upbeat post, RKZ.
The Professor

[RandomKoolzip]

21. Thank you, sir!

[terrya]

5. That's a great story!

I've had the distinct pleasure of eating at your (ok, as you said, you don't own it, it's not really "your" restaurant. But you are a cook there) fine restaurant. Considering in just about 2 months from now, Rahm Emanuel will be one of the most powerful people in Washington, he was pretty much down to earth and unaffected. Perhaps that will bode well for the new Administration.

[RandomKoolzip]

14. Thanks, Terry!

Yeah, i mean, he certainly DID seem down-to-earth. He definitely wasn't throwing "fame" vibes around, wanting everyone to lokk at him or requesting a table away from the rabble or any of that shit. He was dressed in a dark green sweater, too - no suit, no tie. And he smiled when he walked away, genuinely.

[John Q. Citizen]

6. Did you send a baked horse head to his table?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. Cool of him to shake your hand

a good pol to remember who got him into office--glad he remembers that.

[nickyt]

8. Great story!! So do you know (speaking as a server of many many years):

did he leave a bodacious tip?!

[RandomKoolzip]

10. Not to my knowledge.

Everybody I work with is a big-time liberal, though. So I think they just felt pretty honored that the man was eating there. I mean, I did send out that dessert for free, not even thinking about tips.

I'll ask his server tonight if she got tipped well.

[ruggerson]

9. Traitor!

Good job. It's nice when hardworking, well intentioned people are given props. So back atcha.

:thumbsup:

[aquart]

11. I have never tried onion rings for an appetizer.

However, I do love them so it makes sense. But how do you make a salad out of butternut squash?

[RandomKoolzip]

18. Well, these o-rings are sliced paper-thin and them dredged in

a combination of rice flour, enriched flour, and corn starh, then deep-fried; they look more like aplate of calimari rings than typical o-rings. And we serve them a spicy mustard aioli on the side.

Butternut squash salad - well, I don't know what's in the dressing, since I'm not a prep guy, but the elements of the salad themselves are: chopped radicchio, golden raisins soaked in brandy, roasted pecans, and pre-roasted butternut squash, diced and warmed up in the oven at service. Then we give them a maple syrup and yogurt dressing.

[blm]

12. heh...no doubt your orange cap spoke volumes, RKZ.

Thanks for the slice of life.

[RandomKoolzip]

15. Well, I HATE getting mistaken for a five-point buck...

:hi:

[blm]

22. Still rummaging through forests trying to find where they hid the money, eh?

.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

13. What a neat experience! Kudos to you for being so supportive to him.

He is going to have one of the hardest jobs in our country.
:toast:

[brianna69]

16. Cool story

Rahm sounds like such a down to earth guy.

[Belial]

17. That's pretty damn cool...

If you get a chance to see him again.. ask him how you can get a raise. This guys is awesome at making money!

[Peregrine Took]

23. Are you in Chicago - can you name your restaurant or the area?

The food sounds great!

[Poll_Blind]

24. Heh heh, your last 7 lines had me cracking up- thank you for the TRUTH!

Very cool.

PB

[KoKo]

25. Thanks for sharing that....and your comments at the end

were pretty "Kool," too. :D

"And I never "confronted" him with accusations of being too "center-right" or any stupid shit like that. I didn't coat my hands in ketchup and thrust them at our Democratic chief-of-staff-elect, screaming about complicity in war crimes or any of that melodramatic claptrap. AND my story might read as pretty dry, narrative-wise, because that's exactly what happened, without any exaggeration or embellishment, post-event."

[dhpgetsit]

26. Nice! I had to laugh

"His eyes communicated little besides perhaps weary resignation, or maybe just simple fatigue. Obviously, the dude works pretty hard."

He looks like a man who sleeps about 3 hours each night. I think he is extraordinarily driven.

[Iggo]

27. Yeah, but is he a good tipper?

B-)

[bleever]

28. Kool!

Thanks for sharing that great story.

[rucky]

29. I would've totally given him the smackdown.

yeah, that's the ticket.

[Joanne98]

30. Butternut squash salad? Do u have a recipe for that?

Sounds good.

[RandomKoolzip]

40. See above.

[BrklynLiberal]

31. It sounds like it was a really great experience. It was very cool of him to come and shake your hand

Must be a pretty good restaurant....

My son lives in Chicago. What is the name of your restaurant? I will send him and his friends there.

[mopinko]

32. hey, sounds like business is good.

sounds like you are still at the same place (?). did they ever set up a service bar for the restaurant servers? it went from hard to get a beer to impossible to get a beer when they added the food.
i was thinking i would spend more time there, but goose island has resigned their lease, so i have staved off homelessness. i should come by and say hi, tho. at least now that you can't smoke in restaurants i can breathe in there. can i drink is the question.

anyway, sounds cool. how are things with you?

[RandomKoolzip]

43. Things are okay...

I'm spending less time there, since I'm going to school full-time out in the suburbs and working a second job at the school's library - so obviously i like to stay busy and work hard.

It's become even MORE impossible to get a drink there, since we made the cover of Time Out Chicago and made it onto "Check, Please!" and got all sorts of "good" publicity (yikes!) we've been up to our goddamn eyeballs in business. That might sound great, but us guys in the kitchen are none too happy, becuase our wages stay the same no matter how much or how little business we do. So we're working twice as hard and making the same wage. Where's our incentive? It ain't worth it, which is why I'm in school now (job re-training).

Man, come to think of it, i shoulda ranted and moaned to Rahm; maybe he coulda given me a job....:sarcasm:

[mopinko]

49. start lobbying for a bonus.

glad things are good, but i had a hard time being patient back in the day. if it was busy, i just did not come in. let me know if it cools off. maybe someone will find a finger in the salad, and all will be good again.
but seriously, if they are doing that well, they should spread a little around. shit.
damn, good thing the goose did not fold.

so, what are you taking in school?

[davsand]

33. Can you give us the NAME of a fine establishment that you personally know he frequents?

I can see how you might be reluctant to mention the name of your employer in a political forum online, but I was wondering if you know of any fine dining establishments where Rahm Emanuel has been known to dine?


Just, you know, in case any of us downstate folks might ever manage to get to Chicago for a weekend...


:shrug:

FWIW, I am deeply proud to say that Pres Elect Obama has eaten my cooking. I made several quiches for a brunch fundraiser for his Senate Primary. (I was one of the hosts, so it was the expected thing to do.) I noticed he had a slice of my Quiche Lorraine on his plate when he strolled by.




Laura

[Enrique]

47. you can probably rule out Arby's

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahm_Emanuel

At some point during his high school years, while working at an Arby's restaurant, Emanuel severely cut his right middle finger. He sought medical attention only after suffering severe infection as a result of the wound, resulting in the partial amputation of the finger.<13>

[davsand]

50. Those Arby's slicers are a HUGE danger!

I completely understand why he would harbor ill will for Arby's!

I worked at one for a couple of years in college, and if you worked the slicer it was pretty much a given that you were gonna get cut sometime. I saw any number of folks go from work the the ER while working there with digits in varying states of detachment.

My own personal story with the Arby's slicer is that I was running slicer during a lunch rush and I looked down about halfway thru the rush and realized I'd cut off about a half inch of my fingernail at some point without realizing it. I have NO idea where that fingernail went, and if anybody reading here got a slice of fingernail with "Tropical Copper" nail polish on it in an Arby's sandwich in Illinois back in the early 80's, you have my DEEPEST apologies.


:puke:



Laura

[madmax]

34. Thanks for posting

Great story.

[PeaceNikki]

35. Yay!! That's some RandomKoolShit right there!

:bounce:

[RandomKoolzip]

42. Damn skippy, Rahma-jama!

:hi:

[natrat]

36. god they are up against such long odds, sad

edit , we are up against long odds

[Olney Blue]

37. Thanks for the fun post! Good job.

[KoKo]

38. I'll give you a kick for restraining yourself with "bloodied ketchup hands."

Again...it was a great post.

[RandomKoolzip]

41. Hey thanks!

Believe me, it took some restraint. :eyes: (just kidding)

[DeepModem Mom]

39. K&R!

[RandomKoolzip]

44. Wow...thanks for all the recommends, y'all!

[orleans]

45. how fun!

my best friend is a jack of many trades (calls himself a freelance creative) and one of his gigs is playing piano for parties--he played at a fund raising party in chgo. for obama who was at the party. i don't remember if he met him, but he was quite taken with him. (this was during the primaries). barack spoke to the crowd and my friend was totally sold.

[lamp_shade]

46. Hey... thanks for the "feel good" story. Very nicely written. n/t

[immoderate]

48. Well done! (Not a food reference.)

I'm glad you didn't confront him. This is not a time to eat our own. :)

We need to nurture good feelings. That's what Barack would do. And even politicians need some time off.

--IMM

[tigereye]

51. that's so cool!

It's a very, very cool restaurant.



:hi: :thumbsup:



I saw Mark Shields eating at Midway once! :bounce:

[Coexist]

52. how dare you not berate him!

:eyes:

its your civic duty to smear our Democrats at every turn.



nice story.