We're going to have a dangerous experiment involving flank steak, chicken, eggplant, a barbecue grill, limes, turbinado sugar and cachaca . . . possibly some Brazilian music as well!

To Maree:  The bill you give clients should reflect all the costs of any last minute changes and add ons.  Maybe when you take a deposit, you can have them sign a contract stating this and giving proper timeframes and rush fees, etc.

Do these people take extra friends to restaurants and then expect the restaurant to accommodate the extra people and not charge them for food and do they expect the restaurant employees to work for free?

It's taking advantage of someone in business for your clients to ask you to add on plates for 15 people at the last minute.  It's the type of client you probably don't want repeat business from.

Last edited by MsPablo (Tue 05 Jun 12 9:30pm)

To Minnie and MsP: I do have them sign a contract when we draw up the menu list (taking in food likes/dislikes, allergies, numbers etc) and I take the deposit.

Quite an (unpleasant) surprise to have 15 more than agreed turn up and expect me to cater for them. Like Minnie, I want to send people away fed properly and happy. Apart from that, it makes good business sense- repeat custom and they tell their friends etc etc. Everywhere, but especially in a city with a relatively small customer base, reputation is everything.

Main issue was that I'd confirmed details the night before and was suddenly thrown into this situation on arrival and my butcher, fishmonger and hire spply people had shut at 1pm (the time of the lunch) and I couldn't get more of those items. Had they let me know the night before (or even that morning), I could have organised things (and more people).

Anyway, it's done now but has left me with that "blue funk" that Minnie spoke of.

Not sure what I'll do for dinner tonight.

Thanks Minnie and all. Just past breakfast here. Am taking (some of the day) off and going for a long overdue trip to the hairdresser and then hitting the sales .

Dinner will be what it is and I will indulge in a Thursday night glass of white (watered down with 1/3 ice and a 1/3 water (otherwise I'd fall asleep in front of the tv).

Family coming up tomorrow for the long weekend so no bookings accepted. Yeh!

Marinated, grilled flank steak, field greens and cucumber salad with vinaigrette, zucchini cut very thinly on a mandolin topped with balsamic vinegar, fresh basil and feta cheese and the others also had potato salad.

We had a wonderful joint of Topside of Beef for dinner last night (plus Yorkshires & all the usual stuff).............a gift for services rendered...........I like those kind of wages!!!.

There is plenty left so not sure what, but I will do something with the remains..........hmm, now I wonder what?

Suggestions on a postcard, please!