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Thrash that budget

Comments Off | This entry was posted on Jul 01 2008

Oh dear. I think I’m going to be dipping into savings money this month. It’s not that I’ve been splurging (well at least I hope I’m not), just some unexpected expenses that have popped up:

  • A new monitor so I don’t grow a lump over crouching my back like a crazy trying to follow the words on my computer screen
  • $132 for a General Manager’s renewal fee
  • $156 for a mandatory student loan payment… thanks Gov’t
  • PETROL. I wish I could ice skate to work or something to save on costs, seriously.
  • I haven’t bought clothes in about a year (especially ones suitable for work), so perhaps that will be even more costs. In no particular order I’m in need of new business shirts, dress pants, a jacket
And through all of this I’m still tempted to buy $180 tickets to Alain Devahive’s masterclass at the NZ Hospitality Fair this year. For those not familiar with the cuisine world, Devahive is one of the Research and Development Chefs at el Bulli, the legendary Spanish restaurant that’s judged the best in the world, and have been pioneers in molecular gastronomy – using the latest scientific method to craft the most innovative and interesting new culinary tastes, textures and timbres.
Why oh why does money not grow on trees.
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Hospitality Field Trip

Comments Off | This entry was posted on Sep 03 2007

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As a duty manager of a restaurant, you get to do some cool things.  Today it was the Hospo show – basically a collection of all the players in the Hospitality Industry (sans Licensing Nazis), and had a whole host of things to see and to do!

Stalls for companies promoting their products – things like stemless martini glasses, point-of-sale systems, Tequila D’or RTD samples, chef uniforms, olive oils, Prenzel, boutique hams and pestos etc, gelato yum!

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Saw the Culinary Fair competition – basically Hospo schools or big hotels etc send out teams of 2 chef/1 silver service wait staff and they compete against each other.  Judges are hardcore watching their every move: so fantastic to watch their pressure-cooker pedantics! (waiter: apron on, move fork, move knife, set towel, set glasses, set flower, apron off, prepare sth else, new apron on, gloves on, set champagne bucket, set water, set blar, set pretentious customer…)  Iron chef wannabes all hard at work on the other side of the hall, lots of people watching and cheering, would have been great to have eaten the food.

Picture of some courses prepared from a different day:

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Also seeing the patisserie awards section, and the margarine sculpturing: some really creative people are out there baking and carving and preparing!!  My favourite was an Alice-in-Wonderland themed cake with accompanying Cheshire Cat, a picture frame and 2 potions.  There was also an entire Chocolate fantasy section which had desserts immaculate in presentation… if only NY did desserts to this standard!

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The piano man is so cute and adorable, who would ever eat him!