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sdchanel
  • 3 weeks ago
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00:00:17I was the banquet chef for high-end events in New York.
00:00:22With just $60 worth of ingredients, I helped Emerald Banquet and Fletchick
00:00:26land a million-dollar wedding reception for about 990 guests.
00:00:32Management even praised me in the group chat for saving the day.
00:00:35But the next day, at the meeting,
00:00:37the purchasing manager slammed the employee handbook in my face in front of everyone.
00:00:42Ethan Lin, you changed the ingredients without approval,
00:00:46went over budget by $60, and now you're fined $600!
00:00:51I just laughed and sent the money over.
00:00:54From that day on, I stopped bailing them out.
00:00:57Ethan Lin, why did you switch the ingredients during yesterday's tasting without permission?
00:01:03Because the frozen lobster they ordered held too much water,
00:01:06and the smell was too strong to cover.
00:01:09I asked who approved the switch.
00:01:11By then, Mr. Whitman was already in the tasting room.
00:01:13The other 12 dishes were on the table, and only the lobster Thermidae was left to decide.
00:01:18If that dish failed, the Whitman family's wedding reception for about 990 guests would be off the table.
00:01:25Ethan Lin, explain exactly what happened.
00:01:28Victor, it's simple.
00:01:29The purchase order said frozen lobster.
00:01:33He swapped it for fresh Maine lobster on his own.
00:01:37That tasting ran $60 over.
00:01:43Monica, that wasn't just any tasting.
00:01:46Mr. Whitman frowned after the first bite yesterday and almost walked out.
00:01:51Chef Ethan switched the ingredients last minute and made a new stock to keep him there.
00:01:54Who told you to speak?
00:01:57And then, then I pulled the frozen lobster, replaced it with two fresh Maine lobsters, and made the stock again
00:02:06from scratch.
00:02:08After Mr. Whitman tasted it, he said the soup was excellent, and locked in the wedding reception on the spot.
00:02:17Victor, you said in the group chat yesterday that Chef Ethan saved the day!
00:02:21Saving the day is still saving the day.
00:02:26Rules are rules.
00:02:29Today, you go $60 over budget just to please a fussy client, and tomorrow someone else could blow the budget
00:02:34by $600.
00:02:40Does that mean anyone in the kitchen at Emerald Banquet Hoss, flushing, can swap out ingredients whenever they please?
00:02:47I weighed the risk before I made the swap.
00:02:50Two fresh Maine lobster tails only cost $60 more, and the Whitman wedding contract is worth millions.
00:03:02So, you think landing the contract means you can ignore company policy?
00:03:11I think if the company keeps saying customer first, quality first, then they shouldn't let a dish that'll clearly ruin
00:03:18the brand go out.
00:03:20I know what you can do.
00:03:22These past few years, Emerald Banquet kept its high-end clients because of you.
00:03:28But a restaurant doesn't run on one hero.
00:03:31But I was the one who saved the tasting room yesterday.
00:03:34Ethan Lin, nobody's denying you saved it.
00:03:37But the rules have to stand.
00:03:40Otherwise, every person in the Emerald Banquet in Flushing will start using for the customer as an excuse, and costs
00:03:47will spiral.
00:03:48Per the cost management rules of Emerald Banquet Hall's kitchen in Flushing, any unauthorized ingredient substitution that results in cost
00:03:56overreads incurs a penalty of 10 times the overspent amount.
00:04:00Ethan Lin, your overage totals $60, so the fine is $600, and half of your monthly performance bonus will be
00:04:09deducted.
00:04:10Victor, Chef Ethan pulled three all-nighters just to secure the Whitman family's big booking.
00:04:16Don't bother.
00:04:19Ethan Lin, I'm doing this for you.
00:04:22$600 for a lesson.
00:04:23Don't be so reckless next time.
00:04:25Emerald Banquet can't do without you, and the Whitman wedding still depends on you.
00:04:31Fine. Send me the bank account.
00:04:35Good. At least you know you were wrong.
00:04:39Paid.
00:04:40And I've got the rule memorized now.
00:04:42That's better. It's over. We're still a team.
00:04:48If the company only abides by the cost approval forms, then starting today, I will follow them to the letter.
00:04:56Ethan Lin, what are you saying?
00:05:03I mean I only follow the rules now.
00:05:09Chef Ethan, this black pepper short rib dish, he's a regular.
00:05:13Back when you made it, you always picked out the two best, most tender pieces.
00:05:21If the cost approval form says seven ounces, then it's seven ounces.
00:05:26But these clients have extremely discouraging palates.
00:05:31Picky or not, we still follow the rules.
00:05:34Chef Ethan, standardization's actually not such a bad thing.
00:05:39It'll stop everyone saying the whole kitchen at Flushing's Emerald Banquet House only stay afloat because of you.
00:05:47Then watch closely today.
00:05:49I'll show you what standardization looks like.
00:06:04Chef Ethan's still handling the main course today, right?
00:06:07Chef Ethan is working in Flushing's Emerald Banquet Hall kitchen.
00:06:11All dishes served today will strictly follow the venue's newest production standards.
00:06:16Latest standards?
00:06:18I came here for Chef Ethan's cooking, not your forms.
00:06:21Don't worry, Mr. Harris.
00:06:23The food will be consistent.
00:06:37Who made this soup?
00:06:39All dishes are produced uniformly out of Emerald Banquet Hall's kitchen.
00:06:43I'm asking who thought it was a good idea to turn old chicken soup into dish water.
00:06:53This tastes like any regular restaurant.
00:06:55Mr. Harris, didn't you say this place was always solid?
00:06:58It used to be.
00:06:59Not anymore.
00:07:03Chef Ethan, Mr. Harris says the soup's off.
00:07:05He wants you over here to explain.
00:07:08Chef Ethan, maybe you should just start a fresh pot?
00:07:11The old chicken soup's been simmering for six hours.
00:07:14Too late now.
00:07:15Then what do we do?
00:07:16Mr. Harris is a longtime client.
00:07:20Tell Mr. Harris the broth meets company standards.
00:07:23The ingredients match the cost approval form.
00:07:26And the prep followed procedure.
00:07:29With no violations.
00:07:32Can you even say that?
00:07:34Yeah.
00:07:35Because it's the truth.
00:07:39Mr. Harris, here's the production log for today's soup.
00:07:44The kitchen staff at Emerald Banquet House in Flushing confirmed everything complies with company standards.
00:07:50Company standards?
00:07:52Yes.
00:07:55Then your company standards aren't good enough for my clients!
00:08:06Ethan Lin, come to the office of Emerald Banquet Hound in Flushing at once!
00:08:14Mr. Harris just canceled next month's corporate banquet.
00:08:17You know how much money that is?
00:08:19I know.
00:08:2030 tables a month, about $1,900,000 a year.
00:08:23Then why would you do this?
00:08:28The soup stock uses the broth packets approved by finance.
00:08:31Shrimp are allocated per receiving batch.
00:08:33Beef is portioned to the regulated weight.
00:08:35And every single procedure fully complies with company rules.
00:08:40Don't keep hiding behind the procedures.
00:08:42If the customers are unsatisfied, the kitchen staff at Flushing's Emerald Banquet Hall are to blame.
00:08:49When I tried to raise the quality, you said I was breaking rules.
00:08:52Now I follow the rules and you say I don't care?
00:08:55Monica, which one is it?
00:08:56Whose standards does Emerald Banquet Flushing actually follow?
00:09:01You're slacking off on purpose!
00:09:03No.
00:09:04I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to do.
00:09:07Ethan Lin, don't think the Whitman family's reception still needs you.
00:09:12That doesn't mean I won't fire you!
00:09:15Victor can touch me, sure.
00:09:16But the Whitman wedding menu approval better get locked in now.
00:09:21Victor, I can help with the Whitman wedding too.
00:09:24Chef Ethan is too old school.
00:09:25I think younger style plating fits weddings better.
00:09:27Kyle's right.
00:09:28Weddings today are about looks and buzz, not some old school timing and technique.
00:09:34You sure about that?
00:09:35Yeah.
00:09:36I know the menu inside out.
00:09:38I've seen pretty much everything Chef Ethan knows.
00:09:40Seeing it isn't the same as knowing how to do it.
00:09:43Chef Ethan, you can't keep acting like nobody can get by without you.
00:09:47I never said that.
00:09:50Fine.
00:09:51Tonight's a small corporate banquet.
00:09:53Kyle Parker handles the main dishes.
00:09:55Ethan Lin watches from the side.
00:09:57About time everyone saw Emerald Banquet doesn't run on one person.
00:10:05Burner 2 now.
00:10:06Steamed Atlantic grouper first.
00:10:10This fish is bigger than usual.
00:10:12Nine minutes may not be enough.
00:10:14The menu says nine minutes, then nine minutes.
00:10:16Just follow the menu, Owen.
00:10:17Chef Ethan?
00:10:19Kyle Parker is on the mains today.
00:10:20That's right.
00:10:22Do it my way.
00:10:23Do it my way.
00:10:39Fire table two.
00:10:43This fish is underdone.
00:10:48Even the quail skin is soft.
00:10:50You guys switch chefs tonight?
00:10:52My apologies.
00:10:53I'll have the kitchen at Flishing's Emerald Banquet Hall.
00:10:56Sort this out immediately.
00:10:58The fish is undone.
00:10:59The roasted squab isn't crispy.
00:11:01And the guests want to send it back.
00:11:04Chef Ethan, help me pull this off.
00:11:06Just this once.
00:11:07By policy, no one else can change a chef's dishes without approval.
00:11:12And you're still talking policy right now?
00:11:14When I ignored policy, I got fined 600 and shoved out of the executive chef's seat.
00:11:29Chef Ethan, enough.
00:11:31You're on the main course.
00:11:32Handle it yourself.
00:11:45You blew a corporate banquet!
00:11:48Victor, the ingredients were off.
00:11:50I'm still getting used to the pace on the chef's station.
00:11:54Young people need a chance.
00:11:56You can't write him off over one mistake.
00:12:01Ethan Lin, you were right there.
00:12:03Why didn't you step in?
00:12:04You put Kyle Parker on the main course.
00:12:07I was just watching.
00:12:08Stepping in without approval would have crossed the line.
00:12:10Stop hiding behind the rules and be flexible!
00:12:13Last time I was flexible, the company fined me $600.
00:12:19The Whitman wedding cannot go wrong again.
00:12:22Starting tomorrow, every menu item gets checked again against the cost approval form!
00:12:28Get out!
00:12:33Ethan, on the wedding day, I'll prove Emerald Banquet doesn't need you.
00:12:38I hope you can back that up.
00:12:42Chef Ethan, accident!
00:12:47Ethan Lin, this is really going to blow up!
00:12:50Whether it blows up or not, don't look at me.
00:12:53Look at their standards.
00:12:53Can they handle a million dollar wedding reception or not?
00:13:08They already blew a corporate bank with this badly?
00:13:11And now you're letting Kyle Parker handle the main course?
00:13:14What are you saying, Owen?
00:13:15That was just a fluke last night!
00:13:17The fish was undercooked, the roasted squab sent back into the oven,
00:13:21and the soup went to the wrong table.
00:13:23You call that a fluke?
00:13:24Don't bring up one mistake like it means everything.
00:13:26When Ethan Lin first got on the line, he made mistakes too!
00:13:32I did make mistakes back then.
00:13:34I just never passed the blame.
00:13:36Ethan Lin, that's not what I meant.
00:13:38By the time we do final menu checks for the Whitman wedding today,
00:13:41you'd better know exactly what you're taking on.
00:13:44It's just a wedding, right?
00:13:45I already went over the timing, plating, and course order!
00:13:49Seeing the fire doesn't mean you can control it.
00:13:55This is the plan after I reworked the numbers with procurement.
00:13:59We're cutting all fresh lobster and switching to frozen lobster tails.
00:14:03House-made stock is out.
00:14:05We're using a concentrated base.
00:14:06And dessert goes from scratch to pre-made shells.
00:14:09Mr. Whitman sampled live main lobster and house-simmered lobster stock during the tasting event.
00:14:15Switching over to this, the difference in flavor will be stark.
00:14:19You run front of house. You don't run the cost approval form.
00:14:23Whether the client can tell is not your call.
00:14:28The Whitman family has eight head tables.
00:14:31At the bare minimum, the head tables cannot use, cannot use frozen ingredients.
00:14:36There you go again, Ethan Lin.
00:14:38First thing out of your mouth, you want to drive up costs?
00:14:42This isn't about increasing costs. It's about protecting our bottom line.
00:14:46This wedding reception isn't a regular walk-in service.
00:14:49If something goes wrong with the head tables, the entire event will suffer the consequences.
00:14:55Ethan Lin, you say something's going to go wrong every time.
00:14:58The restaurant has to make money.
00:15:00We're not here to chase perfection.
00:15:08Victor, the Whitman family job is Emerald Banquet's biggest showpiece this year.
00:15:13Save a few thousand, and you could lose the whole high-end wedding market.
00:15:18There you go again, scaring people.
00:15:21Last time you said the same thing, and what was it?
00:15:24One hundred bucks extra?
00:15:25And that one hundred bucks got us a million-dollar contract.
00:15:29And then you got hit with a six-hundred-dollar fine for breaking the rules.
00:15:35Enough!
00:15:36The Whitman wedding will follow the finance approval plan.
00:15:39You sure about that?
00:15:40That's final.
00:15:41The back-of-house kitchen at Flinching's Emerald Banquet Hall will follow the cost approval form.
00:15:47To the letter.
00:15:47Fine.
00:15:48Victor, I have a suggestion.
00:15:50Since the Whitman wedding is going for a younger feel,
00:15:53why not let me handle the plating for the reception,
00:15:55and let Chef Ethan run point on the process?
00:15:57I think that works.
00:15:59Kyle Parker is young,
00:16:01he gets how short-form video works,
00:16:03and looking good on camera matters for a wedding reception.
00:16:06A wedding reception isn't a photo shoot.
00:16:09Service timing matters more.
00:16:12Laura, stop acting like I'm useless.
00:16:15That table last night was an accident.
00:16:17I can prove it today!
00:16:20For the Whitman wedding, Kyle Parker will serve as executive chef.
00:16:25Ethan Lin will be the technical advisor.
00:16:28Ethan Lin, any objections?
00:16:30None.
00:16:30If that's the company's call, I'll follow it.
00:16:33That's the right approach.
00:16:35Emerald Banquet House runs as a team.
00:16:37It is not your personal kitchen.
00:16:40Ethan Lin.
00:16:42Right.
00:16:44Let's just hope when the wedding blows up,
00:16:46the blame gets split like a team, too.
00:16:52This menu looks a little different from the Mr. One Mr. Whitney tasted last time.
00:16:58We made a few plaiting upgrades.
00:17:02It'll play better at a wedding reception.
00:17:08The lobster looks beautiful, but the sauce doesn't smell as rich.
00:17:16At a wedding reception, people want something lighter.
00:17:20Too heavy just feels off for younger guests.
00:17:22Chef Ethan, is that your call, too?
00:17:24This is the plan that fits Emerald Banquet's new cost standards.
00:17:36I'm asking about quality.
00:17:38Can it match the tasting?
00:17:40If the ingredients and the method change,
00:17:43the taste won't be exactly the same.
00:17:48What Ethan Lin Lin means is the final version works better
00:17:52for large-scale service.
00:17:54But the quality is still there.
00:17:58Mr. Whitman hates last-minute changes.
00:18:01If the food on the wedding day comes in below tasting level,
00:18:03that's on you.
00:18:05Absolutely, absolutely.
00:18:07Don't worry.
00:18:09I'll keep eyes on it myself.
00:18:11Who are you?
00:18:12I'm the executive chef for this wedding reception, Kyle Parker.
00:18:15Mr. Whitman specifically asked for Chef Ethan to handle the main course.
00:18:20Chef Ethan is on hand.
00:18:21Kyle Parker is just assisting with the operational side.
00:18:25Victor, that's not what we agreed in the meeting.
00:18:28Ethan Lin!
00:18:29Victor, I need you to understand this.
00:18:32The Whipsman family wedding reception is not your training ground.
00:18:36Understood, understood.
00:18:37On the wedding day, Ethan Lin will be in full control the whole time.
00:18:42Victor, shut up!
00:18:49What was that about?
00:18:50You're throwing me under the bus in front of the client?
00:18:52I'm just telling the truth.
00:18:54The truth?
00:18:55The truth is you're getting harder to control.
00:18:58Victor, the client expects what they sampled at the tasting,
00:19:02not the budget-trimmed substitute.
00:19:06Chef Ethan, this is just because you're scared I'll take the chef's file.
00:19:11If you're really that good, stop hiding behind the client.
00:19:15I'm scared you can't handle it.
00:19:18On the wedding day, I'm going to make sure everyone knows
00:19:22your old-school way should have been gone years ago.
00:19:27Then prove it.
00:19:32Ethan Lin, you have to be there the whole time for the Whitman wedding reception.
00:19:37But every ingredient goes through the cost approval form.
00:19:40No swapping anything on your own.
00:19:42No adding extras.
00:19:43No buying anything without approval.
00:19:46Understood.
00:19:48One more violation, and forget the $6,000.
00:19:52You can forget the chef, job two.
00:20:02Victor, remember what you said today.
00:20:09Cut it by 13%.
00:20:11A wedding reception can make a lot more money that way.
00:20:14Food service profit should be squeezed that hard anyway.
00:20:18Ethan Lin's way lets the guests eat well, but the company makes less.
00:20:23But the Whitman family wedding coordinator is a pretty hard note today.
00:20:28They're this far into the reception plan.
00:20:30They're not going to switch venues that easily.
00:20:33Even if something goes wrong, it's just a discount and an apology.
00:20:47Ethan Lin has been out of line lately.
00:20:50Once the Whitman reception is over, let Kyle Parker slowly take over his spot.
00:21:01Kyle Parker is easy to handle.
00:21:05Guys like Ethan Lin can cook all they want, but they need to remember they're not bigger than the people
00:21:10running the company.
00:21:15These are the Whitman wedding reception ingredients.
00:21:18Delivered exactly to the specs, your finance team approved.
00:21:25How long have these frozen lobster tails been in storage?
00:21:28They've already discolored.
00:21:34At this price, this is what you get.
00:21:36If you wanted fresh Maine lobster, finance never approved it.
00:21:44Chef Ethan, can we even use this batch?
00:21:48That's not my call.
00:21:49The cost approval form says we can.
00:21:53Just sign it.
00:21:54Don't hold up tomorrow's prep.
00:22:00Kyle Parker, tomorrow's main course is on you.
00:22:03Make sure you cover up the taste on this batch.
00:22:07I can handle that.
00:22:09Then let's hope Mr. Willman feels the same way.
00:22:16Chef Ethan, these lobster tails have been frozen for almost half a year.
00:22:20You really want to serve this at the head table?
00:22:23Purchased order, intake sheet, finance approval.
00:22:26It's all there.
00:22:27By the book, it's usable.
00:22:28Usable doesn't mean it belongs on the Whitman family's head table.
00:22:35Owen, stop freaking yourself out.
00:22:37A little sauce, a good plate up, and nobody's going to notice.
00:22:47People don't eat with their eyes only.
00:22:50Chef Ethan, stop acting like your old school experience makes you untouchable.
00:22:54At a wedding reception, it's all about the vibe.
00:22:56It has to look good on camera.
00:22:57If all you want is something that looks good on camera, go to a photo studio.
00:23:03Don't stand in front of the stove.
00:23:05Say that again.
00:23:10Shut up, all of you.
00:23:13Today, we sort and weigh the prep.
00:23:15Everything gets measured against the form.
00:23:24Reduce the lobster stock first, then bake the lobster.
00:23:27There's too much water.
00:23:29The sauce won't cling to the meat.
00:23:33Just crank up the heat and reduce it.
00:23:36Any hotter and the meat will turn tough.
00:23:38It won't cover up the fishy smell either.
00:23:41Then what do you suggest?
00:23:42Switch to fresh Maine lobster and redo the stock.
00:23:47Take that up with finance.
00:23:52I already did.
00:23:54They rejected it.
00:24:03This is nothing like the tasting.
00:24:06There'll be too many people at the wedding reception.
00:24:08No one's going to taste it that closely.
00:24:09Mr. Whitman will.
00:24:12The head table will.
00:24:15And the wedding coordinator of the Whitman family will taste every bite.
00:24:20Take photos of these test batches and log all the issues.
00:24:24Lobster weeping excess moisture, thin flavored stock, rubbery meat.
00:24:28Document every single one.
00:24:37Chef Ethan, are you trying to create a paper trail?
00:24:40I'm logging these production risks for the kitchen standard operating procedures at Emerald Banquet Hall, Fleming.
00:24:46You just want evidence so you can dump the blame when things go wrong.
00:24:50I didn't burn the pot.
00:24:51Why should I take the blame?
00:24:53Then I'd like to see how you explain this to Victor.
00:24:57Victor.
00:25:06Ethan Lin!
00:25:07You have to badmouth Emerald Banquet every single day!
00:25:10I'm documenting real problems, not venting.
00:25:15Lobster weeping moisture, thin bodied stock, rubbery texture.
00:25:19You framed this so harshly.
00:25:21Are you positioning to shift blame onto the company if this wedding goes south?
00:25:26If the company moves now, there's still time to fix it.
00:25:29Fix what?
00:25:29Spend more money on fresh lobster?
00:25:31We can swap out the 80 VIP table.
00:25:33The regular tables can stay on the current plan.
00:25:35Costs won't spiral.
00:25:36Give people an inch and every chef will use quality as an excuse to jack up costs.
00:25:41Not every chef is handling the Whitman family's million dollar wedding.
00:25:44Enough!
00:25:45The wedding is tomorrow.
00:25:46You want to change ingredients now and drag purchasing, finance, and front of house into your mess?
00:25:51If you don't change it, the client pays the price tomorrow.
00:25:54The client hasn't even said a word.
00:25:55You're already panicking for them.
00:25:57Scrap that risk log.
00:25:58Tomorrow, the kitchen at Flushing's Emerald Banquet House follows the approved plan.
00:26:03Anyone staking unnecessary anxiety is gone.
00:26:07Fine.
00:26:08Then have Victor sign the log and confirm he sees the risk and still wants to proceed.
00:26:13Are you threatening me?
00:26:14I'm protecting myself.
00:26:17No need for all this formal stuff.
00:26:19The company decides.
00:26:20Employees follow it.
00:26:22Fine.
00:26:22Then I'll follow orders.
00:26:27Laura Evans, we've added 100 guests for tomorrow.
00:26:30Mr. Whitman has a few more important people coming.
00:26:32100?
00:26:33You're telling me this now?
00:26:34The final list was locked in tonight.
00:26:37Money's not the issue.
00:26:38Quality can't drop.
00:26:41I'll liaise with the Flushing Emerald Banquet Hall kitchen right away.
00:26:48The Whitman family just added 100 guests.
00:26:51Everything has to be ready by noon tomorrow.
00:26:54Another 100?
00:26:55How are we supposed to make that happen?
00:26:59Stick to the backup plan.
00:27:01Keep the head table, swap the dishes on the regular tables, and add simple banquet sets for the extra tables.
00:27:05Can we do it now?
00:27:06The backup ingredients got cut.
00:27:08Emergency buying needs a manager's sign-off, finance approval, and a purchase confirmation.
00:27:12Then call them.
00:27:17What is it?
00:27:21The Whitman family just added 100 guests.
00:27:24We need to activate the backup purchasing plan.
00:27:27I thought we were controlling costs.
00:27:29Why are we buying more?
00:27:30The extra tables are client-mandated.
00:27:33Skip the additional purchases, and the food quality will inevitably suffer.
00:27:40Use what we have in stock first.
00:27:42We don't have enough.
00:27:44Then figure it out.
00:27:45You're the executive chef, not a messenger.
00:27:48I don't have purchase authority.
00:27:50Ethan Lin, are you doing this on purpose?
00:27:53I'm following company policy.
00:27:56We're screwed.
00:27:58Tomorrow's gonna blow up for sure.
00:28:00Not necessarily.
00:28:01It's a wedding reception.
00:28:02If the portions are a little tight, we can still get through it.
00:28:07What do you think the Whitman family's wedding reception is?
00:28:11Employee meals?
00:28:14Extra table request, purchase request, and risk log are all filed.
00:28:18Chef Ethan, you really not gonna fix this?
00:28:21I already did.
00:28:23Nobody asked me to serve it.
00:28:26Laura Evans.
00:28:27Why is the first hot dish for the head table still not confirmed?
00:28:30The kitchen at Flushing's Emerald Banquet Hall is making adjustments, and fast.
00:28:34Mr. Whitner said there can't be a single mistake today.
00:28:37Understood.
00:28:38This plate can't go to the head table.
00:28:42If it doesn't go out, we're dead in the water.
00:28:45Log it clearly.
00:28:46Frozen lobster tails, reduced broth, handled by the approved cost standard.
00:28:51Then I'm sending it?
00:28:52Send it.
00:29:01That's not the lobster from the tasting.
00:29:03What's wrong, Mr. Whitman?
00:29:04I'll send someone right away.
00:29:05The meat's dry, the broth's greasy, and that fish smell never got cut.
00:29:09Yes, Mr. Whitman.
00:29:11I'll have someone handle it right now.
00:29:13Kitchen!
00:29:14The head table guests say the lobster isn't right.
00:29:17Mr. Whitman wants Chef Ethan over there immediately.
00:29:21It's the first course.
00:29:22How the hell did he catch that so fast?
00:29:24I told you.
00:29:26That frozen stuff should never have gone to the head table.
00:29:28What good is saying that now?
00:29:30Move and figure it out.
00:29:32Slow down the second course.
00:29:34Hold the soup for the head table.
00:29:36Don't let the problems pile up back to back.
00:29:39Hold it.
00:29:39They're already chasing the food.
00:29:41Push it now, and it'll blow up even faster later.
00:29:47That's way too skimpy.
00:29:49The head table guests will spot it right away.
00:29:51Spread the plate out.
00:29:52Lay some garnish greens underneath.
00:30:00This isn't tasting madam quality either.
00:30:02Mr. Whitman, I'll call the manager right now.
00:30:05In the tasting notes, the head table's prime rib was supposed to be a thick-cut premium piece.
00:30:10So what is this?
00:30:11This is what you serve at the Whitman's daughter's wedding?
00:30:14Emerald Banquet Hall's really gone downhill.
00:30:19Mr. Whitman wants Ethan here now.
00:30:21Victor's on his way too.
00:30:23Chef, go calm Mr. Whitman down first.
00:30:26Tell him the rest of the meal's gonna make up for it.
00:30:28Make up for it with what?
00:30:31The backup ingredients got cut.
00:30:33No fresh seafood, no made-from-skitch stock, and the extra headcount wiped out the inventory.
00:30:38You're great at this.
00:30:38You'll figure it out.
00:30:42Skill isn't magic.
00:30:51What happened?
00:30:52The first dish already pissed off Mr. Whitman.
00:30:55Did front of house send the wrong table?
00:30:56No, the table's right.
00:30:57The head table got that batch.
00:31:00Ethan Lin, how exactly did you run the plating and service?
00:31:04Follow the finance-approved ingredients, use the gram weights on the cost sheet, and run
00:31:09today's service exactly as laid out.
00:31:11I'm not here to hear you recite the playbook!
00:31:14That's the playbook you wanted.
00:31:20Victor, Mr. Whitman wants to see you.
00:31:24Right, right.
00:31:25I'm on my way.
00:31:28Victor, explain this.
00:31:31Mr. Whitman, we had a last-minute jump in headcount.
00:31:34The kitchen's under a lot of pressure, so a few dishes might be a little different.
00:31:40I paid for a wedding banquet, not your internal headaches.
00:31:47Ethan, you explain it.
00:31:52Mr. Whitman, today's ingredients don't match the tasting.
00:31:55Fresh main lobster was swapped with frozen lobster tails, and the main table beef was rent
00:31:59at the lowest cost sheet spec.
00:32:00Who told you to make those swaps?
00:32:01That's the company's cost-cut plan.
00:32:03Mr. Whitman, all of these changes were made without affecting the overall quality.
00:32:08Ha!
00:32:09You call this not affecting quality?
00:32:12This is my daughter's once-in-a-lifetime wedding, and you cut costs on it?
00:32:16Mr. Whitman, the kitchen dropped the ball on this.
00:32:19As head chef, Ethan Lin failed to keep the quality in check.
00:32:25This is the risk log from two days ago.
00:32:27This is the rush headcount purchase request.
00:32:30This is the call log where Victor turned down backup orders.
00:32:33And this is the plated weight for every dish today.
00:32:38You recorded all that?
00:32:40The company said to keep the process closed loop.
00:32:42I just kept the records.
00:32:47So you knew the quality would drop?
00:32:49Do you still push through the cheap plan?
00:32:53Mr. Whitman, that's not what happened.
00:32:55In catering, cost control is normal.
00:32:58We were just trying to protect the business.
00:33:00You're trying to ruin my daughter's wedding.
00:33:02Just to save your operation.
00:33:05Emerald Banquet House owes me an answer today.
00:33:08Yes, sir. Absolutely.
00:33:09We'll take responsibility for every issue today.
00:33:12The final payment is on hold.
00:33:14The wedding damages will be handled separately.
00:33:17From now on, the Whitman family is cutting all business ties with Emerald Banquet House.
00:33:22Mr. Whitman, it doesn't have to come to that.
00:33:24You dare half-ass my daughter's wedding?
00:33:29And you expect me to trust you with our corporate events?
00:33:35The Whitman family is canceling the partnership?
00:33:38So this is your guests won't notice?
00:33:44This is on you.
00:33:46Why'd you say all that in front of Mr. Whitman?
00:33:48He asked.
00:33:48I answered honestly.
00:33:50You work for Emerald Banquet House, not the Whitman family!
00:33:54I'm a chef.
00:33:55If the food is wrong, the guest has a right to know what they're eating.
00:34:05Ethan, were you waiting for this day?
00:34:08I warned you.
00:34:09You wouldn't sign the risk log, wouldn't approve backup orders, and wouldn't buy fresh ingredients.
00:34:14You set the budget sheet.
00:34:15You're the head chef, so why couldn't you fix it?
00:34:18I tried.
00:34:19You docked me $600.
00:34:21You blew the wedding, so you're taking the hit.
00:34:24The Whitman family's compensation and the lost bookings all come out of your pay and bonus.
00:34:29Victor, before you dock anything, give me a written finding of responsibility.
00:34:34Now you want paperwork?
00:34:36Yeah.
00:34:37Rules are rules.
00:34:37Let's make it clear.
00:34:39Victor, we're screwed.
00:34:40The wedding blowout video is already online.
00:34:42What?
00:34:43The headline says, a million dollar wedding got pre-made food.
00:34:47Emerald Banquet Hall in Flushing passed off frozen lobster on the head table.
00:34:51Screwed.
00:34:52No, Victor.
00:34:54This is just the beginning.
00:34:59Who can tell me who leaked that video?
00:35:06There were a lot of people out front, and guests were filming too.
00:35:09It might not even be someone on our team.
00:35:12Victor, who posted it isn't the point.
00:35:14The point is how we bury this.
00:35:16How dare you even say that?
00:35:18You were in charge of the main dish.
00:35:19You altered the plating.
00:35:21And the very first dish made Mr. Whitman lose his temper right in front of everyone.
00:35:26Victor, I was just following the plan.
00:35:28I didn't buy the ingredients.
00:35:29I didn't set the budget.
00:35:31Chef Ethan was there too.
00:35:32He's the head chef.
00:35:33The meeting made you the exec chef.
00:35:35I was just the tech consultant.
00:35:37But the Whitmans asked for you by name.
00:35:40You knew this could blow up.
00:35:41Why didn't you stop it sooner?
00:35:44I did.
00:35:46Fresh lobster got crossed off.
00:35:47My call for house-made broth got shot down.
00:35:50Backup ordering was denied.
00:35:51No one signed the risk log.
00:35:55Ethan Lin, saying that now just means you're trying to throw the company under the bus.
00:36:00I didn't put the company on the bus.
00:36:02You put frozen lobster on the head table.
00:36:06Right now, Emerald Banquet House needs damage control.
00:36:10Not you dragging up old fights.
00:36:12And what's Victor's PR plan?
00:36:15The company's first step is to put out a statement.
00:36:18Bottom line, a few kitchen staff failed to follow procedure which caused the food to fall short.
00:36:23The company has already dealt with the people responsible.
00:36:25Ethan Lin, sign it.
00:36:28Admit the wedding food wasn't properly controlled that day
00:36:31and we'll tell the public you're already suspended and under review.
00:36:34Suspended pending review?
00:36:35This is us giving you an out.
00:36:38Once things cool off, you can come back to work.
00:36:44This says I changed the process on my own and the whole menu went off the rails.
00:36:48You're the head chef.
00:36:49If the food's bad, that's on you.
00:36:51Pretty normal.
00:36:52What did I change on my own?
00:36:53Don't split hairs.
00:36:56I'm not signing it.
00:36:58Ethan Lin, think it through.
00:37:00If you don't sign, the company can only fire you for a major incident.
00:37:04And we'll come after you for damages.
00:37:08Fine.
00:37:09Then give me the written fault finding and the basis for those damages first.
00:37:16Victor, the Whitman family's legal team sent a letter.
00:37:19They want a full explanation and a compensation plan within three days.
00:37:26Three days?
00:37:28Mr. Harris, Mr. Wilson, and the Queen's Chamber of Commerce are all calling to cancel.
00:37:32Thirteen corporate banquets for next month are already gone.
00:37:36First, calm them down.
00:37:38Tell them Emerald Banquet Hall has already handled it internally.
00:37:42The first thing they ask is whether Ethan is still here.
00:37:46So what did you say?
00:37:48I said Chef Ethan is still here.
00:37:51But Emerald Banquet Hall doesn't exactly let him speak right now.
00:37:55Laura Evans, are you trying to get yourself fired?
00:37:59Victor, I work front of house, not to lie to people.
00:38:03Guests aren't stupid.
00:38:04They can taste the difference.
00:38:08Since the company already decided I'm the fall guy,
00:38:11I won't waste everyone's time here.
00:38:13What are you saying?
00:38:16I quit.
00:38:18I quit.
00:38:20You think walking out now gets you off the hook?
00:38:23This is my resignation.
00:38:27These are copies of every risk log before the wedding,
00:38:30plus the fine records and the performance duction screenshots.
00:38:34If you want arbitration, call me anytime.
00:38:37So you had this ready all along.
00:38:40The day you made me send frozen lobster to the head table,
00:38:43I knew this wedding was already dead.
00:38:47Fine.
00:38:48Fine, Ethan Lin.
00:38:49You think you're still a top chef without Emerald Banquet House?
00:38:52Clients come for the Emerald Banquet House name.
00:38:55Not your damn walk!
00:38:58Then let the clients decide.
00:39:00Don't flatter yourself.
00:39:02This industry is full of cooks.
00:39:05Yeah.
00:39:06And full of restaurants that sink.
00:39:14Ethan, you're really leaving?
00:39:17I've kept the Emerald Banquet Hall stove running long enough.
00:39:20But if you go, they'll pin all the blame on you.
00:39:24Dirt doesn't cook food,
00:39:26and it can't hide the smell of a table full of frozen lobster.
00:39:30Then what do we do?
00:39:33Get your skills up.
00:39:35Be better people.
00:39:36Don't learn how to pass the buck.
00:39:38And forget how to run a kitchen.
00:39:44Walk out,
00:39:45and don't come crawling back to me.
00:39:48Don't worry.
00:39:49With that attitude, nobody's hiring him.
00:39:58Chef Ethan, you've been put through enough.
00:40:01Director Bennett.
00:40:02I've kept the executive chef's seat open for you at Granville Banquet Group.
00:40:05You move fast, Director Bennett.
00:40:07Not me.
00:40:09When a good chef gets treated like dirt,
00:40:10the whole industry hears it.
00:40:13I just quit.
00:40:14And I'm already coming with baggage.
00:40:16You still want me?
00:40:17Of course.
00:40:17Granville wants a chef who can cook,
00:40:19stand up, and handle clients.
00:40:20As for baggage,
00:40:21we've got legal and policies,
00:40:23but we don't use them to bully people.
00:40:25Then I've got one condition.
00:40:30Name it.
00:40:31You can control costs in the kitchen,
00:40:33but don't let a budget sheet kill the quality line.
00:40:36That's not a condition.
00:40:38That's how Granville should already be run.
00:40:44What?
00:40:45Ethan Lin went to Granville Banquet Group?
00:40:47That's right, Victor.
00:40:48Since Chef Lin's gone from Emerald Banquet Hall,
00:40:50we're canceling next month, too.
00:40:52Mr. Harris, hear me out.
00:40:53Emerald still has a team and Kyle Parker.
00:40:55If we need a banquet, we'll call Granville.
00:40:57I'm paying for a dinner,
00:40:58not some rookie practice run.
00:41:03Victor, eight more bookings just dropped.
00:41:05All because Ethan Lin walked.
00:41:07No, because you pushed the guests out.
00:41:12Chef Ethan,
00:41:13this is Granville's main kitchen.
00:41:16Clean, and the flow smooth.
00:41:20We have a cost sheet, too,
00:41:22and there are rules we can't bend.
00:41:25The core ingredients in the VIP area
00:41:27can't be downgraded.
00:41:29The broth can't be swapped out,
00:41:30and the tasting standard the Klyer signed off on
00:41:33doesn't just change because someone feels like it.
00:41:37Says who?
00:41:40Says the lessons we learned after a guest sent a dish back.
00:41:43In this business, you don't just count profit.
00:41:45You count mistakes, too.
00:41:49You're Ethan Lean?
00:41:51Yeah.
00:41:52I heard about what went down at Emerald Banquet Hall.
00:41:55Your skills are real, sure,
00:41:57but Granville Banquet Group is not a safe zone.
00:42:00If something blows up here, you still own it.
00:42:03I'll own what's mine.
00:42:04I won't take what isn't.
00:42:08Got some fire in you.
00:42:09We've got a rush lunch today.
00:42:11The Whitman's people are coming in for a tasting.
00:42:13You're on soup.
00:42:14Chef Morgan, Ethan just got here.
00:42:16No need to throw him in that fast.
00:42:17In this kitchen, it's skill over resumes.
00:42:21Whether he stays comes down to what he can deliver at the line.
00:42:27What soup?
00:42:28Double consomme.
00:42:29Mr. Whitman asked for it by name.
00:42:37That's the chef who got Emerald Banquet House all over social media.
00:42:40He already tanked a wedding over there,
00:42:42and now he's at Granville Banquet Group.
00:42:44Director Bennett's got guts.
00:42:49Soak the beef bones and shanks in cold water to draw out all the blood.
00:42:57Trim away all sinew and excess fat.
00:43:00Save the beef trimmings.
00:43:01We'll use them for the clarification raft.
00:43:03Yes, Chef Ethan.
00:43:07You're not using a rich stock base?
00:43:10Mr. Whitman already got served a cheap cut-corner stock once.
00:43:14He won't fall for that a second time.
00:43:17You know he's coming today.
00:43:20Yeah.
00:43:21He's not here for the food.
00:43:23He's here to see if Granville Banquet Group is going to turn a second Emerald Banquet Hall.
00:43:30So from the first bite, we have to put him at ease.
00:43:38Chef Ethan, long time no see.
00:43:41Mr. Whitman, what happened at the last wedding was on me.
00:43:44You don't need to apologize for Emerald Banquet Hall.
00:43:47I looked into it.
00:43:49It wasn't you.
00:43:50If the guest didn't eat well, the chef can't be completely off the hook.
00:43:57That line sounds more human than Victor Chemis' ten phone calls.
00:44:04Mr. Whitman, today's tasting opens with our double beef consomme.
00:44:10The ingredient list, prep sheet, and cost sheet are all on your right.
00:44:17You're showing me the cost sheet too?
00:44:19Granville Banquet Group makes its money the right way, not by swapping ingredients to save a buck.
00:44:31That's the taste.
00:44:33Even steadier than the wedding tasting.
00:44:34This time, we cut the lean beef mince by 10% and bumped up beef bones by 50%.
00:44:40Cleaner meat-forward aroma with no heavy cloying finish.
00:44:44Works for me.
00:44:45The Whitman family appreciation dinner is yours.
00:44:47We can talk budget, but one thing's non-negotiable.
00:44:50Nobody gets to mess with the quality on a spreadsheet.
00:44:52We can put it in the contract.
00:44:54Once the client signs off on the key ingredients, they can't be swapped out unlaterally.
00:44:58I want one too.
00:45:00If the guest count goes up last minute, the quality line has to be locked in ahead of time.
00:45:04Now that's what someone in this business should say.
00:45:17He left for one day, and Mr. Whitman already went to him.
00:45:24Mr. Whitman did that on purpose.
00:45:26He wanted to make a scene for us.
00:45:28So cancelling the bookings was on purpose too?
00:45:32Mr. Harris?
00:45:33Mr. Wilson?
00:45:34The whole Queen's Chamber?
00:45:36All of it on purpose?
00:45:41Victor, I can redo the menu.
00:45:43We can bring people back.
00:45:44With what?
00:45:45Frozen lobster?
00:45:46Or that undercooked gropper of yours?
00:45:50I'll fix it.
00:45:52Right now, the priority is controlling the story.
00:45:55We can put out a statement saying Ethan Lin left behind files on purpose before he quit,
00:46:00and misled the clients into thinking Emerald Banquet Hall was at fault.
00:46:04Yeah.
00:46:05Throw it back at him.
00:46:09Emerald Banquet Hall put out a statement.
00:46:11About what?
00:46:13They're saying you slacked off before quitting,
00:46:16misled the clients on purpose,
00:46:17and took business contacts with you.
00:46:22They're a little late.
00:46:23Granville's legal team can handle it.
00:46:25You don't need to step in.
00:46:26No need.
00:46:27Emerald Banquet Hall is putting out a motion.
00:46:29I'm putting out receipts.
00:46:31You ready?
00:46:32The second they made me sign that scapegoat statement,
00:46:35I knew this day was coming.
00:46:43I respect every restaurant's rules,
00:46:46and I respect every guest's right to know the truth.
00:46:49They're all about rules when handling out fines,
00:46:52yet they let the chef take the fall once everything blows up.
00:46:56They swapped out the ingredients the client approved.
00:46:58That's not cutting costs.
00:47:00That's lying.
00:47:01No wonder the regulars kept asking where Chef Ethan was.
00:47:04It turns out the real value was the person.
00:47:08Chef Ethan, I said the wrong thing this morning.
00:47:10Sorry.
00:47:11No need to apologize in the kitchen.
00:47:13Just make the food right.
00:47:15Got it.
00:47:19Double clarified consomme got a perfect score from Mr. Whitman.
00:47:22You can stay.
00:47:23I've got no issue now.
00:47:24Thanks, Chef Daniel.
00:47:28Starting tomorrow,
00:47:29you're leading the Whitman family thank you dinner.
00:47:31I'll give you the people,
00:47:33the burners,
00:47:33and the authority.
00:47:35Then my first move is changing the flow in the prep line.
00:47:38You're changing it already?
00:47:40You just got here.
00:47:41Big banquets don't get saved in the moment.
00:47:44They stay safe because you never let the fire start.
00:47:47Good.
00:47:48I'm putting that into Granville Banquet Group's new banquet stand.
00:47:54Quality first.
00:47:55Costs clear.
00:47:57Responsibility assigned.
00:48:00Chef Ethan, for this thank you dinner,
00:48:02I don't just want good food.
00:48:06I want steady.
00:48:08Steady means three things.
00:48:10Steady ingredients,
00:48:11steady plating,
00:48:12and steady backup plans.
00:48:15And Mr. Whitman,
00:48:16rest easy.
00:48:17The core ingredients are in the contract.
00:48:20Any swap needs written approval from the Whitman family.
00:48:24Now that's how you do business.
00:48:26Not like Emerald Banquet Hall,
00:48:28talking quality first,
00:48:30then cutting costs behind your back.
00:48:3390 VIP guests get their own prep.
00:48:37The regular guests will be split into three waves.
00:48:41Any last-minute additions go on the backup menu.
00:48:44They do not touch the VIP table.
00:48:48Chef Ethan even built in a plan for surprise headcount changes.
00:48:55That wedding fell apart because of last-minute additions
00:48:58and zero backup plan.
00:49:00Good.
00:49:01We'll sign the contract today.
00:49:07The Whitman family thank you dinner
00:49:09goes to Granville Banquet Group.
00:49:10And to you.
00:49:17Another cancellation?
00:49:18How many is that now today?
00:49:20Ten.
00:49:21Mr. Harris canceled his corporate banquet too.
00:49:24Isn't Mr. Harris a regular?
00:49:25He said last year we'd be working together long term.
00:49:28He says Emerald Banquet Law
00:49:30doesn't have Chef Ethan anymore,
00:49:32so we can't trust the quality.
00:49:33Victor, don't lose your head.
00:49:35The clients are just getting swayed by the buzz.
00:49:38It'll blow over.
00:49:40Blow over?
00:49:41Granville Banquet Group
00:49:42just signed the Whitman family thank you dinner.
00:49:45The Whitman family really signed?
00:49:47About 1,300 guests.
00:49:49Bigger than the wedding.
00:49:50Ethan Lin is riding Emerald Banquet Hall
00:49:53all the way up.
00:49:54He didn't ride on Emerald Banquet Hall.
00:49:56Emerald Banquet Hall's pushed him out itself.
00:50:00Laura Evans.
00:50:01Say one more word for him
00:50:02and pack your stuff.
00:50:06No threat needed.
00:50:07I quit.
00:50:09You're leaving too?
00:50:13I'm in service.
00:50:15I'm not here to help you lie to clients.
00:50:18Chef Ethan is gone,
00:50:19and so is the soul of Emerald Banquet House.
00:50:29The Whitman family thank you dinner
00:50:31isn't a one-table show.
00:50:32It's about serving about 1,300 guests
00:50:34all at once with no drop-off.
00:50:36You tell me how to split it up,
00:50:38I'm with you.
00:50:40Start plating the cold dishes 45 minutes early,
00:50:43but hold the main table until the last 15 minutes
00:50:46so they don't dry out.
00:50:48Then what about the main course?
00:50:50The main course has two lines.
00:50:52One for the VIP table
00:50:53and one for everyone else.
00:50:55The VIP line only gets four people.
00:50:58Chef Ethan,
00:50:59what if they add VIPs last minute?
00:51:01No one gets swapped in at the last minute.
00:51:06Good question.
00:51:07We've got three backup menus.
00:51:09We can add seats with class,
00:51:11but we don't fake main table standards.
00:51:13Your whole setup is tighter than I expected.
00:51:19The kitchen's biggest enemy is winging it.
00:51:22Once the stove goes bad,
00:51:23the food goes bad.
00:51:25And so does everyone's head.
00:51:30Chef Ethan,
00:51:31I heard you're here.
00:51:32That makes me feel a lot better.
00:51:37Mr. Harris,
00:51:39long time no see.
00:51:42Our company gala was supposed to be
00:51:44at Emerald Banquet Hall,
00:51:45but I moved it to Granville Banquet Group.
00:51:48Can you still fit us in?
00:51:51If you mean the 19th next month,
00:51:53we still have a prime slot open.
00:51:55I don't want the cheapest thing.
00:51:57I want what you gave me last year.
00:51:59The kind of food that makes me look good
00:52:01when it hits the table.
00:52:02Last year you liked the lighter style.
00:52:04This year we can add a seafood hot dish.
00:52:06But I wouldn't make the soup too heavy.
00:52:08It'll kill the wine.
00:52:10Yeah, exactly.
00:52:11That's what I want.
00:52:18Victor,
00:52:18I redid the lobster in Golden Broth.
00:52:21The plate looks way more modern.
00:52:28Still smells fishy.
00:52:35Maybe the broth ratio still needs work.
00:52:41Work on it.
00:52:42Work on it.
00:52:43You've been working on it for three days.
00:52:45Why can Ethan Lin get Mr. Whitman
00:52:47to sign off with one pot of soup?
00:52:49And you can't even kill the fishy smell.
00:52:57He's been doing this for years.
00:52:58I just took over.
00:53:00Now, you want to say you just took over?
00:53:04Should have said that when you were fighting for the spot.
00:53:08Victor, I'll keep training.
00:53:10Train.
00:53:11The clients are already gone.
00:53:14Who are you training for?
00:53:17You're the front office manager
00:53:19from Emerald Banquet Hall?
00:53:21Yeah.
00:53:22I quit Emerald Banquet Hall.
00:53:24If Granville Banquet Group
00:53:25has a problem with that,
00:53:27I can start as a regular server.
00:53:29Laura Evans.
00:53:31Chef Ethan,
00:53:32I'm done helping them lie to people.
00:53:34Chef Ethan, you know her?
00:53:36Yeah.
00:53:37On the Whitman wedding day,
00:53:38she was one of the few people
00:53:40brave enough to tell the truth.
00:53:42Granville Banquet Group
00:53:43could use someone who knows front of house.
00:53:44Welcome aboard.
00:53:45Thank you, Director Bennett.
00:53:47Thank you, Chef Ethan.
00:53:48Once you're at Granville Banquet Group,
00:53:50you do things our way.
00:53:52Understood.
00:53:54Victor,
00:53:54the bank wants to see the books tomorrow.
00:53:56How much are we down this month?
00:54:0280% less than last month.
00:54:0880%?
00:54:10Ethan Lin's only been gone a few days.
00:54:13Ethan Lin,
00:54:14and what you really think you can blow up
00:54:16Emerald Banquet Hall without us?
00:54:20Only three bookings tonight?
00:54:22We had eight.
00:54:23Five canceled last minute.
00:54:25Why?
00:54:27They said they'd rather wait in line
00:54:29for Granville Banquet Group
00:54:31than take their chances
00:54:31at Emerald Banquet Hall.
00:54:34Victor,
00:54:35the suppliers are chasing us again.
00:54:36The seafood guy said if we don't pay
00:54:38last month's balance tonight,
00:54:39no delivery tomorrow.
00:54:41There's still money in the account, right?
00:54:42We've had too many cancellations lately,
00:54:44and a lot of deposits got refunded.
00:54:46Cash is tight.
00:54:47Tight?
00:54:47Or is the account just empty?
00:54:51I'm trying to figure out a way to cover it.
00:54:53For tonight's thank you dinner,
00:54:55I want to give a special shout out
00:54:57to Granville Banquet Tube in Manhattan
00:55:00and to Chef Ethan Lin.
00:55:02A great dinner
00:55:03isn't about how much cost you cut.
00:55:06It is about whether you actually care
00:55:08about the people at the table.
00:55:15That's real.
00:55:18Director Sophia,
00:55:19our company wants Chef Ethan
00:55:21to handle our anniversary dinner
00:55:22next month, too.
00:55:23You can check with the front office first.
00:55:26Chef Ethan's schedule is already packed.
00:55:29Chef Ethan,
00:55:31Mr. Whitman just thanked you
00:55:32by name A stage.
00:55:33And now all the business people downstairs
00:55:35are asking about your schedule.
00:55:39Lock in the dessert first.
00:55:40The finish can't fall apart.
00:55:43Man, you really don't breathe easy
00:55:44until the very last second.
00:55:48It's usually the last bite they remember.
00:55:55A great dinner isn't about
00:55:56how much cost you cut.
00:55:58It's about whether you actually care
00:56:00about the people at the table.
00:56:05He's trying to embarrass me.
00:56:08Victor, forget Granville Banquet Group for now.
00:56:10The bank's coming in tomorrow
00:56:12to review our books,
00:56:13so we need the numbers to look clean.
00:56:17What do we do?
00:56:18Push the vendor payments back.
00:56:20Don't refund the prep payments yet,
00:56:21and we can delay staff bonuses, too.
00:56:25We just need to get through this.
00:56:27Once the heat dies down,
00:56:29I'll win the customers back.
00:56:32Victor,
00:56:33those two tables walked tonight.
00:56:34They said they're never coming back.
00:56:37You can't even hold on to two walk-ins.
00:56:39What the hell can you do?
00:56:42They weren't even here to eat.
00:56:43They just wanted to see if Chef Ethan was here.
00:56:47Enough!
00:56:48Starting tomorrow,
00:56:49all dishes are 40% off.
00:56:51Banquets are 30% off.
00:56:53I don't care.
00:56:54If it's cheap,
00:56:54people will come.
00:56:56Cut prices any lower,
00:56:57and there's no profit left.
00:56:59If we don't cut prices,
00:57:01we lose the customers!
00:57:02Chef Ethan,
00:57:04tonight you saved the Whitman family's face.
00:57:07No.
00:57:07We all did that together.
00:57:09That's right.
00:57:10A good chef can make a great meal,
00:57:12but a good system
00:57:13can handle about 1,300 guests.
00:57:24Mr. Whitman's approval
00:57:25is the biggest praise
00:57:26Granville Banquet Group could get.
00:57:29Next month is the Chamber of Commerce
00:57:3110th Anniversary Gala.
00:57:33I'm on the planning committee.
00:57:35The budget is bigger,
00:57:36and the stakes are higher.
00:57:38Chef Ethan,
00:57:40I want you to bid on it.
00:57:42I'll put a proposal together.
00:57:44Emerald Banquet Hoss will be bidding too.
00:57:48We have to win this gala.
00:57:50Victor,
00:57:51the Chamber wants a $300,000 deposit up front.
00:57:53We don't even have that much in the bank.
00:57:58We can scrape it together,
00:57:59but if we do,
00:58:00it'll be hard to keep stalling the vendors.
00:58:03Victor,
00:58:04if we pull this off,
00:58:04I'll bring Emerald Banquet Hall's rep back.
00:58:06Then get the fishy smell out of the soup first.
00:58:10I'll fix it.
00:58:17Chef Ethan,
00:58:18I was at the Whitman family thank you dinner.
00:58:21That double claride consomme
00:58:22was rock solid.
00:58:25We'd like to book Granville Banquet Group
00:58:27for our company's year-end family dinner, too.
00:58:30Thanks for the love.
00:58:31For the exact date,
00:58:32check with Director Bennett.
00:58:37A bunch of fair-weather friends.
00:58:43They're only here for Mr. Whitman's name.
00:58:46Once the bidding starts,
00:58:47it's all about price.
00:58:49Yeah,
00:58:50we've squeezed the price down so far.
00:58:53Granville Banquet Group can't even match it.
00:58:54For this gala,
00:58:56we're expecting about 1,600 guests
00:58:58with around 100 in the VIP section.
00:59:00We're not just judging the bid.
00:59:02We're also looking at food supply,
00:59:04plating plans,
00:59:05backup plans,
00:59:06and your track record.
00:59:07Why does it have to be this damn complicated?
00:59:10600 guests,
00:59:11100 VIPs,
00:59:12looks like last-minute extra seats
00:59:14are pretty likely.
00:59:15You lead the plan.
00:59:16Granville Banquet Group
00:59:16doesn't do low-ball bids.
00:59:18Got it.
00:59:21Victor,
00:59:22I put together 13 main dishes.
00:59:23The names sound big time.
00:59:25They'll look great.
00:59:27The cost,
00:59:28the pacing,
00:59:29what happens if they add more guests
00:59:30at the last minute?
00:59:32We can adjust on the fly.
00:59:33The Whitman wedding
00:59:34still hasn't knocked some sense into you!
00:59:38Victor,
00:59:39I really did my best.
00:59:44Victor,
00:59:45Kyle Parker's young guy plan
00:59:47can be fixed later.
00:59:48The real thing is the quote.
00:59:50If we come in 30% below
00:59:51Granville Catering Group,
00:59:53won't the chamber bite?
00:59:5430% isn't enough.
00:59:56Make it 40.
00:59:5940 means no profit at all.
01:00:01No order,
01:00:02no loss.
01:00:06Today is the final review.
01:00:08We're looking at the quote,
01:00:10the menu,
01:00:11delivery capacity,
01:00:12and the risk plan.
01:00:14Emerald Banquet Hom
01:00:16has handled high-end banquets for years.
01:00:18For this chamber gala,
01:00:20we're bidding 40% below market.
01:00:2440%?
01:00:25Then how do you keep the food standard up?
01:00:28We've got a solid supply chain.
01:00:29We can cut the middle costs.
01:00:30For 100 VIP guests,
01:00:33fresh sea bass,
01:00:34Maine lobster,
01:00:35and made from Stokes soup.
01:00:37Can you really deliver that at this price?
01:00:39We can.
01:00:41We'll keep the costs tight.
01:00:43Some places dress up cost-cutting like it's skill.
01:00:46But in the end,
01:00:47business is about saving the client money.
01:00:50Saving money is fine.
01:00:51Just don't save it off the guests' plates.
01:00:56Granville Banquet Group's quote is higher.
01:00:58Why?
01:00:59Why?
01:01:01We lock in key ingredients,
01:01:03run a separate prep line for the head table,
01:01:05use a four-zone plating flow,
01:01:07keep three backup plans for added guests,
01:01:10and require the chef in charge to sign off.
01:01:12We don't bid the cheapest.
01:01:14We bid what we can actually deliver.
01:01:181,600 guests isn't about copying one menu 1,600 times.
01:01:22The hard part is keeping the pace clean
01:01:24and the food hot.
01:01:25What if another 200 guests show up that day?
01:01:29Emerald Banquet House can flex.
01:01:30How?
01:01:31Pull from the VIP table's core ingredients
01:01:32or cut portions for the regular guests?
01:01:35Case by case.
01:01:37Granville Banquet Group has three plans.
01:01:39If we get up to 100 extra guests,
01:01:41we switch to the backup menu.
01:01:43Up to 200,
01:01:44we use the scale-down add-on menu.
01:01:46Over 200,
01:01:47the client has to sign off on the quality line.
01:01:49We don't pull core ingredients from the VIP area.
01:01:52And we don't pass off a downgrade as premium.
01:01:58My daughter's wedding got ruined
01:02:00because of case by case.
01:02:05The fresh lobster I approved
01:02:08got swapped for frozen.
01:02:10The head table soup got downgraded on the fly.
01:02:13And when guests complained,
01:02:15you wanted the chef to take the blame.
01:02:17Trust issue.
01:02:19That's not a misunderstanding.
01:02:21That's a trust issue.
01:02:22No locked rack,
01:02:24no separate supply line,
01:02:25no overflow plan.
01:02:26So where's this fix you keep talking about?
01:02:28We can still patch those in
01:02:29before we roll it out.
01:02:31No matter how good
01:02:33Granville Banquet Group's plan looks on paper,
01:02:35once you're at the stove,
01:02:37it all comes down to skill.
01:02:40Then let's do a taste test.
01:02:43One soup,
01:02:44one main,
01:02:45and one emergency overflow dish
01:02:47from each team.
01:02:50One hour.
01:02:51Enough.
01:02:55Where's the stock-based packet?
01:02:58The judges want it made fresh on site.
01:03:00No ready-made stock packets.
01:03:04Without the stock packet,
01:03:06how are we supposed to make golden broth
01:03:07in an hour?
01:03:10Chef Lin,
01:03:11you can't build a proper banquet broth
01:03:13in an hour.
01:03:15Then we make the emergency version.
01:03:18Don't fake a six-hour broth.
01:03:20Keep the flavor clean,
01:03:21give it body with ham,
01:03:23and finish with dried scallop oil for aroma.
01:03:28Start with Emerald Banquet Hall flushing.
01:03:35Thin broth.
01:03:36Salty finish.
01:03:38The meat's tough,
01:03:40and the fishy smell isn't covered.
01:03:42With a last-minute kitchen
01:03:43and limited setup,
01:03:44we do better back in the kitchen
01:03:45at Emerald Banquet Hall flushing.
01:03:48There'll be surprises on gala day, too.
01:03:51That's exactly what we need to see,
01:03:53how you handle it in real time.
01:03:55This is a test run
01:03:57for Granville Banquet Group.
01:03:58That's not the soup
01:03:59from the Whitman family thank-you dinner.
01:04:01That soup takes six hours.
01:04:03This is the one-hour emergency version.
01:04:05I'm not passing off an emergency soup
01:04:07as the real banquet soup.
01:04:09Clean flavor,
01:04:10nice layers, too.
01:04:14Even the extra-covered dish
01:04:15is classier than I expected.
01:04:17Extra-covered dishes can be simple,
01:04:19but they can't be sloppy.
01:04:20Once a guest sits down,
01:04:22you can't make them feel like
01:04:23they're just there to fill a seat.
01:04:25Emerald Banquet Hall gave the lowest bid.
01:04:27The chamber has to think about the budget,
01:04:29too.
01:04:31If cheap gets you a flop,
01:04:32it's the most expensive choice there is.
01:04:34After all scores were tellied,
01:04:36the caterer for the 10th anniversary gala
01:04:38of the Queen's Chamber of Commerce, New York
01:04:40is Glanville Banquet Group,
01:04:43Midtown Manhattan.
01:04:47We lost?
01:04:49What about the deposit?
01:04:53Your revenue keeps falling.
01:04:55The overdue vendor bills
01:04:56and the chamber deposit
01:04:57both have to be dealt with.
01:04:59The bank is freezing the credit line
01:05:00and opening a special audit.
01:05:05$970,000?
01:05:06You said all the money
01:05:07was tied up in operations.
01:05:09I can explain.
01:05:10Those vendor re-bolts
01:05:11weren't something I decided alone.
01:05:13You used client and employee money
01:05:15to cover your own accounts,
01:05:16and now you want to spread the blame?
01:05:19The frozen substitutions,
01:05:20the purchase cuts,
01:05:21making the kitchen carry the load.
01:05:24Every signature of yours
01:05:25will be checked, too.
01:05:26The audit will trace every dollar
01:05:28and every signature.
01:05:29For now,
01:05:29start by settling
01:05:30what you owe
01:05:31the vendors and employees.
01:05:34The investigation
01:05:35into commercial bribery
01:05:36and company funds
01:05:37is now open.
01:05:38You need to cooperate
01:05:38with the next steps.
01:05:40Victor Chemis,
01:05:41don't think this ends
01:05:42just because you pushed me out front!
01:05:47Because of the food safety investigation,
01:05:49Emerald Banquet Hall's
01:05:50food service permit
01:05:51is suspended.
01:05:52No public service
01:05:53may resume
01:05:53until it passes re-inspection.
01:05:56It didn't fall apart today.
01:05:58It started when we decided
01:06:00the guests wouldn't notice.
01:06:03The confirmation for 180 extra guests
01:06:06is signed.
01:06:07We are using backup plan two
01:06:09and the VIP ingredients
01:06:10stay untouched.
01:06:12Run the four plating zones
01:06:13by the schedule.
01:06:15Front of house reports
01:06:15every 20 minutes.
01:06:20keeping the soup,
01:06:21the main course
01:06:22and the overflow menu
01:06:22this steady
01:06:23for about 1,600 guests?
01:06:25That's rare.
01:06:26Looks like you made
01:06:27the right call,
01:06:27Mr. Whitman.
01:06:28I didn't recommend a venue.
01:06:29I recommended people
01:06:31willing to be accountable
01:06:32to their guests.
01:06:33About 1,600 guests,
01:06:35no complaints.
01:06:36And they renewed
01:06:37next year's date
01:06:38on the spot.
01:06:43So it isn't about
01:06:44waiting for someone
01:06:45to save the day.
01:06:46It's about everyone
01:06:47knowing what they own.
01:06:48A banquet hall can't run
01:06:50on one person
01:06:50carrying everything.
01:06:52What keeps it standing
01:06:53is clear rules,
01:06:54people willing
01:06:55to take responsibility,
01:06:56and someone checking
01:06:57every dish
01:06:57before it goes out.
01:06:59From now on,
01:07:00every change
01:07:01gets client confirmation,
01:07:03a front of house record,
01:07:04and a kitchen check.
01:07:07So every change
01:07:08needs to be made clear
01:07:09before it reaches the table.
01:07:41I'll see you next time.
01:07:42Bye-bye.
01:07:42Bye-bye.