Sarah trudged across her cozy living room, the soft glow of the morning sun casting a warm light on her sleepy face. It was her day off from the restaurant, and she was determined to spend it lounging on the couch. But fate had other plans. As her phone rang for the second time, Sarah grudgingly picked it up, her eyes squinting at the screen to see who was calling. Her boss's name flashed on the screen, and her brow furrowed in confusion. Mr. Thompson was notorious for respecting his employees' off days, never daring to breach the sacred boundary unless it was an absolute emergency.
"Hello?" Sarah's voice was husky from sleep, laced with a hint of irritation.
"Sarah, I'm so sorry for the disturbance. I need you to come to the office. We have a situation," Mr. Thompson's deep voice boomed through the line, sounding guilty. Sarah's confusion deepened. What could be so urgent that it couldn't wait till tomorrow? She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, her mind racing with possibilities.
"Okay, I'll be right there," she replied, already knowing she had no choice.
With a sigh, Sarah pushed herself off the couch and began getting ready. As she arrived at the restaurant, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. What did Mr. Thompson want that was so important? She pushed aside her doubts and noticed the "NOT OPEN" signboard pinned at the entrance of the restaurant. They only used the sign at closing hours; by this time, the "OPEN" sign should have been there. Even though today was her off day, there were other chefs who would be available. The restaurant always had a good management plan; what could be wrong today?
Her inquisitiveness turned into worry as she couldn't fathom what could be the issue, no matter how she thought about it. Whatever it was, she could only find out when she met the manager. She pushed open the door and rushed to his office, knocking immediately. Upon hearing the knock, she was invited to enter, which she did, taking a seat afterwards.
"Good morning," Sara greeted politely. "How are you, Sara? I'm so sorry for calling you when it's your off day, and you should probably be resting, but I don't have a choice. The restaurant landed a big gig," he explained, while her curiosity intensified, eager to know what big gig the restaurant had landed.
"You know the Ethan's family in the city, right?" He paused, waiting for her to respond. "Ethan family," she murmured, trying to recall who they were. If she could remember, the Ethan family she knew of was a prestigious billionaire family in the city, one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in New York City.
"Is it the same Ethan's family in New York City?" she asked, while he nodded in response. "Right, you know of the Ethan's family heir," he asked again. The Ethan's family heir she knew of was Alex Ethan, who also happened to be a celebrity artist, popularly known as Spark, his stage name. Spark, the glorious son of the Ethan's, was a household name, one of the biggest singer-rap artists to emerge from the country.
Sara wasn't the type to follow entertainment news or invest much time in social media. Her routine was simple: work, home, sleep, eat. Still, she knew Spark from the buzz, loved by people, and a ladies' favorite. Rumor had it he was a womanizer, always seen with different women, however, he didn't grow up in America. It was said that he'd moved to Italy since he was young, even before he became a superstar, studied there, and still lived there after becoming a star. He only came to America for visitations, shows, and events. Even her friend Anna was a die-hard fan of Spark.
"If I'm correct, the Ethan's family heir I know of is Spark. What about him?" she asked, waiting to be enlightened. "I received an email from their representative to the company email, asking if we would be available to take care of the catering and food at the home welcoming party of the heir's arrival into the country, at the Spark family mansion," he said.
Although their restaurant wasn't small and they had several big clients, she still didn't expect the caliber of the Ethan's family to pick an interest in them. "So, I accepted the offer, and the other chefs are busy making the list of meals requested at the party. We need a helping hand. I had to call you. The party is at 9 pm tonight, so we need to hurry as nothing must go wrong. I also need you to take care of the Italian dishes. Only you and Mary know how to cook Italian dishes best, and you know she traveled, so we have only you for now. Don't worry, you'll be handsomely paid and rewarded," he explained, while she nodded.
That explained why they couldn't be open to attend to other customers; handling the Ethan's family meal was already a handful, so they had to be closed for the day. And she was also needed to make the Italian meals, since Spark lived in Italy, their meals had to be available - meals like Pasta Carbonara, Pizza Margherita, Spaghetti Bolognese. She was good at making these meals because her mother was half-Italian, and she taught her how to cook these meals, even though she'd improved way better by herself. Not only Italian meals, most meals were taught by her mother, a local but very talented chef. The basic training she received was from her mother, though she was late now.
Sara stood up, ready for work, accompanied by Mr. Thompson to the kitchen. Even though it was her off day, she didn't mind taking on the offer; she needed more money, and even though she'd planned to rest today, just one extra day at work wouldn't kill her.
As the clock struck 6 PM, the kitchen was buzzing with activity. Sara and the other chefs had finished preparing the meals, and the kitchen assistants were busy storing the food in thermal containers to keep it hot during transportation. Mr. Thompson was overseeing the packing process, ensuring everything was perfect.
"Let's use the insulated food carriers with hot packs to keep the dishes warm," he instructed the team. "We can't afford to have the food getting cold during the event." The team nodded, efficiently loading the containers into the vans. Sara double-checked the menu, making sure everything was accounted for. The aroma of freshly cooked pasta and sauce wafted through the air, making her stomach growl with hunger. She had a habit of not eating while she was making food unless she was done.
As the team finished packing the food, Mr. Thompson gathered them for a final briefing. "Okay, chefs, I know you're all about the food, but tonight's a special occasion. You'll be representing our restaurant in front of the esteemed Ethan family. I've arranged for a makeup artist to give you all a touch-up, just something simple to enhance your natural beauty. And, of course, you'll be wearing uniforms that are a notch above the usual chef attire. We want you to look presentable and professional." The team nodded, some looking excited, others slightly apprehensive. Sara wasn't sure what to expect, but she was willing to go along with it.
The makeup artist arrived, and one by one, the chefs were whisked away to get glammed up. Sara was the last one to be done. The artist worked her magic, enhancing Sara's features with a light touch. When she finished, Sara gazed into the mirror and barely recognized herself. She looked... nice. Not too done-up, just polished.
"Wow, you look lovely," the artist said, smiling. "I'm done with all of you. You all look great."
The chefs changed into their uniforms, which were indeed fancier than their usual attire. Sara felt a sense of pride as she looked at her reflection. She didn't usually dress up, but this wasn't bad. As of this time, it was 7:07 pm, and the party was stipulated to start by 9 pm.
With everyone ready, Mr. Thompson led them to the waiting buses. "Alright, let's get going. We have a big night ahead of us. Remember, professionalism and courtesy are key. Let's make this a night to remember." The team boarded the bus, chatting nervously among themselves. Sara took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the evening ahead. She had no idea what to expect, but she was ready to do her best.
As the bus pulled up to the mansion, Sara's eyes widened in awe. The sprawling estate was breathtakingly beautiful, with perfectly manicured lawns and a grand entrance. As the bus approached the mansion's entrance, it was stopped by a security guard at the gate. The guard approached the bus, and Mr. Thompson stepped forward to greet him.
"Good evening, we're from Delightful Restaurant, here to cater the Ethan family party," Mr. Thompson said, holding out their identification and a confirmation letter. The guard examined the documents, nodded, and radioed to confirm their arrival. After a brief moment, he handed the documents back and waved the bus through.
As they made their way to the designated setup area, Sara could see that some guests had already arrived and were mingling in the beautifully decorated gardens. However, they seemed too engrossed in their conversations to notice the catering team's arrival. The team quickly set up the catering tents, arranging the tables, utensils, and dishes with precision. Sara and the other chefs worked efficiently, putting out the various courses and garnishes.
Once they finished setting up, they began placing menus at each table setting. The menus outlined the various courses and dishes they had prepared, including the Italian specialties that Sara had worked on.
The team worked efficiently, ensuring that every table had a menu and that the dishes were attractively displayed.
Sara notice that the bartenders, dressed in crisp white uniforms, were already serving wine and cocktails to the seated guests. The sound of clinking glasses and laughter filled the air as the guests socialized and waited for the party to officially begin.
Sara and the other catering staff took their positions under the tent, waiting for the time to start serving the food. Sara and the two
Other Chefs just had to oversee , the foods will be served by the kitchen assistants
The party hasn't officially started , even the host are not on seat yet, even though guests as started arriving , although events planners were on ground directing everyone to their seats
It's an Ethan's family party , of course there will be good management panning
As they waited, Sara couldn't help but notice the elegance of the party. The guests were all dressed in their finest attire, and the decorations sparkled in the fading light. The atmosphere was lively, with the hum of conversation and the occasional burst of laughter.