The Agile Dinner Party – Episode 8: The Actual Dinner Party

It was the best time of the day.?The last bell had rung, and all the students had left.?Today, she did not have bus duty so now she could relax.?Some cold water, lean back in her chair, and exhale.?

Then she her the pop-crackle and hum of the intercom.?“Mrs. LeMay, report to Principal McGee’s office immediately!”?Never a good sign! Worse, she had no good reason not to go right now. So, she got up, downed the rest of her cold water, and headed out.

Normally a hive of activity this time of day, the halls we deserted and quiet.?“Another bad sign”, She sighed.?Even the reception office was empty as she walked through to the office she never liked to enter.

“Oh, good”, said Principal McGee.?“I just heard back from the district’s legal department, and it looks like you have created quite a problem for us!” Mrs. LeMay shook her head as she sat down.?“I have no idea what you are talking about!”

“Are you denying you have been spending time on a dinner party for the Chestmir’s?”

Her brow furrowed.?“Of course not!?You even signed the permission slips! This has always been out in the open.?What could legal possibly be concerned about!”

The principal leaned forward.?“Lawsuits!?You have opened us up to potential lawsuits and according to legal, our insurance would not cover anything that arises from this poorly thought-out exercise!”

She stood up.?“What do you mean, poorly thought out??Every plan has been submitted to the vice principal for review and he has been nothing but encouraging.”

“Well, I’m not too surprised as he has no background in this area but that blasted head of the Culinary department may have made a career limiting decision.”

She threw up her hands.?“I’m getting whiplash!?Can you just tell me what the problem is, please?”

“It couldn’t be simpler, Mrs. LeMay, and I’m disappointed that you did not realize this yourself.?The school does not have a catering license! If just one person gets sick and blames it on the food, we could be liable. And with no Insurance coverage the town will have to pay.?We might need to cut staff!”

Mrs. LeMay put her on her hip (never a good sign).?“All you ever do is find problems.?I thought you were here to help find solutions! Just don’t do anything until I have sorted this out.”?Before Principal McGee could react, she was out the door and marching towards the culinary department.

She had not known much about Florence Irdap until this dinner came up but had begun to bond with her.?She did not seem like the type of person that would make this big of a mistake, she knew her field well.?In fact, her classes made all the product the school sells at sporting and theatrical events!?Would she still be in the building??Her fears subsided as she approached the teaching kitchen and could hear sounds and voices.?Turning the corner, she found a small group of teachers at different learning stations, and Florence at her teaching station, giving instruction.?“Now tuck the ends towards the middle and tightly roll your burrito, securing with a toothpick.?You can finish cooking them here or finish at home.?Enjoy your dinners!”

Mrs. LeMay started.?“I hope I have not interrupted anything important, Flo, but I really need to talk to you rather urgently”.?Surprised, Flo turned towards the open door.?“Nothing of the kind, sweetheart! Once a week I give the younger teacher a quick cooking lesson by having them prepare a dinner for themselves.?It’s quite fun and we all get a good hearty meal.”?Flo put her hand on Mrs. LeMay’s shoulder and guided her to the office.?“Let’s talk in here, it looks serious.?Sit down and have some tea.” Flo poured two cups from a teapot and pulled down a small plate of cookies.?“Tell me everything.?Let’s start with the gossip!”

Mrs. LeMay giggled then dropped the entire exchange she just had with Principal McGee.?Flo shook her head through the whole thing.?“How ever did he get his job??He knows just enough to be dangerous.?Why in the world did anyone use the term catering??Words matter, you know.?What you make, where you make it, where you purchase the food, who’s utensils you use, is the end-product perishable, are you getting paid in some way, do the foods last at room temperature??All of these are critically important and bring in different Cottage Laws or state regulations.?Trust me, we are perfectly legal in the way we are going about this.”

You could see Mrs. LeMay start to relax.?She even ate a cookie!

“First, I have given Twinkles the shopping list.?We will be bringing nothing into the house.?The Chestmir staff is responsible for storage and cleanliness of the kitchens.?We will be preparing all items in house and will be using only the Chestmir’s cooking equipment.?I personally have all the credentials needed and will be overseeing the student’s work. We’re FINE!”

Mrs. LeMay stood up.?“Once again, I can’t thank you enough.?And I can’t wait to tear into that, that, MAN!”?Flo giggled, then added: “Better you tell him than me, I’d use my rolling pin for emphasis!”.

She caught him just as he was leaving. “Wait right there, buster!”?Principal McGee spun around and responded “Mrs. LeMay!?How dare you address me like that?”?She stopped just short of running in to him and suddenly realized how short he was.?“When you send me running across the entire campus on a wild goose chase, that’s what you get.?But, your right.?I apologize for the outburst.?You got some incorrect information that I would like to fix.”?She more politely explained the situation to him and waited for him to respond.?“Well, IF what you say is true, then Chef Irdap should have no problem convincing legal, which she should have already done. If legal tells me that are satisfied, you may proceed.?Just don’t cause any more problems.” And off he went.

The next morning, she sent an email to Flo asking her to set things straight.?It was a busy day, and tonight was the final meeting with the students.?In between every class she checked her email for Flo’s response.?With two classes left, she got it.?Flo had forwarded an email to her and the principal from the legal department, agreeing with Flo’s view and stating the dinner could proceed.?Flo’s forwarding comments, marked PRIVATE, simply said “tonight’s dish: McGee Fricassee”.

That night, the energy in the meeting room was tangible.?All the students were excited to return to the estate.?They decided to arrive in two waves.?The culinary students and their helpers would leave the school at 1PM.?They needed to start preparing the food by 2:30 according to the schedule they had previously created.?The other students would come 90 minutes later and start setting up the touch-to-connect tables and decorating.

Sleep came hard for most everyone.?Some were just restless, some kept thinking about everything that could go wrong.?A few folks thought about how good it was going to feel after they pulled it off.

The first trip was full of energetic and excited teenagers.?It was much like the previous time they travelled to the estate.?However, they were not going there to eat this time.?Snacks and cold drinks were everywhere, with three large coolers tied down in back.??When they arrived, Chef Irdap marched them up to the kitchens where they met Twinkles.?Each team was assigned a work area, as prearranged with the household staff.

The first step was basic setup.?Students without a specific assignment brought out all the ingredients purchased by the estate and put them onto the center tables.?From there, station-assigned students took their portion of the lot and moved them to the station tables.?Cookware and utensils were likewise brought to each station. The students that would be doing the cooking taped the recipes up to the wall.?The tarts, served last, would take the longest time to cook.?The needed tart pans and bowls were set out.?Bags of cherries were brought to the sink and folks began pitting.?Some pitted cherries found their way into worker’s mouths, but soon each station had a pile of them.?

Pastry was made, pressed into the tart pans, and they were loaded with cherries.?The cream mixture was completed and just as they were about to put it into the tart pans, Chef Irdap stopped them.

“I have not once seen anyone taste their dish.?In just a minute it may be too late to make any changes.“ They had ALL forgotten.?Small tasting devices came out. They looked like a single chop stick.?A tiny dap of the mixture and they all seemed confused but okay. Chef Irdap said “consistency is now the key.?Once you have tried and finalized a recipe, the rule is that your customer will expect it to taste the same way from now on.?No more experimenting.”?She went to each station tasting the dish.?One station needed a bit more salt.?Another more almond. Now, they went into the ovens.?The non-assigned students swept in to start the cleanup.?Some started by licking the spoons from the custard filling!?The lamb chops would be the next thing to start on.

While all of this was going in in the kitchen, the second wave of students had arrived along with the truck holding the tables.?It took them quite some time to carry the tables up because nobody had thought about bringing dollies.?After wiping off the sweat and drinking water, they went about setting up.?CLANK. CLANK. CLANK.?And in no time the 30-section table was installed in the Great Hall.?Some students began placing the chairs at the tables while others placed low-height plants in pre-arranged patterns.?After all, you can’t talk to the person across from you if you can’t see them!

More tables were set up outside using all three heights.?Some for standing at.?Some for sitting.?Some for flat out relaxing.?Mrs. Chestmir was delighted by the work and ushered in the florist, giving specific instructions where every piece should be placed.?Mr. Chestmir was working with Sam and Edward and setting up the bar and serving area.?Sam would play bartender.

Sam saw Mrs. Chestmir walk up to a table and secretly press the button that had earlier disengaged the table.?Nothing happened.?She smiled large and winked at Sam.

Eventually, everything was ready.?The students went outside to park cars.?The staff had several rooms ready, just in case.?Guests began to arrive.?Mrs. C surprised all the students when she announced “Alexa, Play the Four Seasons on all outdoor speakers at volume 3.”.?Classical music wafted across the Great Hall and the grounds.?One of the students whispered to another “too bad she didn’t choose Wu-Tang Clan”!

In the kitchen, the tips had been cut off the artichokes, the kitchen was kept clean, and everything was going near perfect.?And then Mr. Niles came in.?“Oh, god! It’s Mister Stiffy-pants”, whispered Yellow.?He walked around the kitchens, inspecting, and tasting.?He would comment to each station in mostly encouraging terms.?But he was firm in reminding then they were the kitchen staff and should not be seen outside the kitchen.?“I have to say I’m impressed.?I may need to rethink some things.” He stood near the door and watched for a while longer.

Flo leaned over and whispered.?“Twinkles, can you tell me more about him?”?Twinkles, stared at Flo and asked, “Are you talking about Mr. Niles?”?Flo blushed.?“Oh dear, I haven’t felt flutters like this since I was a teenager.”?Astounded, Twinkles said a little bit too loudly “Are you kidding?”

The students turned toward the commotion.?Flo stood erect, stomped her foot and said “Nothing over here is any of your concern.?You know where your focus should be!”?That did it.?Their eyes were back on their work, but you could see glances back and forth if you watched carefully.?Something was definitely up.

Soon, Edward came into the kitchens and announced “the guests will begin arriving soon.?Please finish setting up the hors d’oeuvres and the drink fountain.”?As usual, a man totally in control, right to the point, expectations obvious.?Until.?He turned and began to leave when Flo eased up to him and pinched him on his rear.?The reaction was instantaneous.?He spun around, indignation on his face.?“Madame, I do not know how chefs conduct themselves but that was totally inappropriate”.?Flo, fluttered her eyes as she put a hand on his shoulder, “Edward, may I call you Edward??I know I should say I’m sorry, but the fact is, I’m not!”?She put her other hand on his other shoulder.?“In fact, there is something you should know about me.?When I find something I want, I go for it with everything I have.”?She pushed slightly on his shoulders making him a bit unstable.?“And, frankly, I want you.” One more slight push and the two backed out the door. ?The students lost all composure!?

“FOCUS” yelled Twinkles.?Get out there and back before the first guests arrive.?Sam and I will take care of the bar and the servers can keep food coming out.?HOP TO IT!” They knew their job, but you could tell they wanted to pounce on the surprise that had just happened.?

Outside in the garden area things were going well.?Fellow charity workers were interacting, walking through the grounds, sampling the food, and having a good time.?Sam and Twinkles kept the drinks flowing and the students brought ice and constantly cleaned up.?Mr. and Mrs. C looked very pleased.?He looked at his wife and asked “Dear, do you want our guests to be seated and then served or have the first course waiting?”

“Now I think I would like the table set.?Once done, they can open the doors to the Great Hall which will be the signal to move inside.”?Mr. C looked around for Mr. Niles but could not find him.?He relayed the information to one of the students who ran off to the kitchens to find Chef Irdap.?But she was not there.?“Okay”, he said”.?“Let’s just do this.?I’ll go close the doors and you can serve like you practiced.?Let me know when you are all done, and I will tell Mrs. C.”?Off he ran to close doors.

Yellow piped up.?“Hey guys, all the plates have been plated according to the place picture.?Just make sure you put them down on the table exactly the way this picture looks.?Every place setting needs to be identical!” All 32 servings were on the table within minutes.?They were told to open the doors and to press the blue switch behind the last one.?With doors opened, the switch turned on a light waterfall against the side wall of the Great Hall.?The guests were delighted as they found their nametags.?Servers surprised Mr. C when they held chairs for the ladies.?Mrs. C beamed!

Sam handled the wine while Twinkles went back to the kitchen to manage things.?There was still no sign of Flo, and she was beginning to worry.?Flo had trained the student well, and the visual aids ensured consistency.?One of the boys stood just guard outside the door to the kitchens where he could see Mr. Chestmir.?A mere nod of his head and someone was sent out to retrieve a plate or answer a question.?When it was time for the next course, most plates had already been removed, charger plates left behind.?Four trollies rolled out the next course and everyone was served within a couple of minutes.?Both of the Chestmir’s seemed pleased.

When the lamb chops were served, Mr. C nodded for the student on guard to come over.?“Please ask my wife to discretely look over to the main fountain in the garden and to signal to me if she wants me to do anything.”?Confused, the boy returned to the kitchen door and came out on the other end of the Great Hall.?None of the guests had noticed but Mrs. C was waiting for him.?The message delivered, she glanced over at the fountain.?On the far side, almost in the dark, she saw her House Steward and the school’s chef dancing a waltz. She placed her hand on her heart, looked at her husband, and smiled.?Message received.

The only significant problem came when plating the tart.?They have not cooked enough extra cherries so that each plate could have the full complement of decorations. (Or, they had eaten too many!)?“I really need Flo!” exclaimed Twinkles.?“Where could she have gone for so long?’?The student guard whispered to her what he knew.?Twinkles looked shocked, and went the long way around the Great Hall, through the English Garden, and into the main garden.

“Excuse me, Flo, but we could really use your help with the dessert.” Whispered Twinkles.?Flo spun around “What do you mean, dessert??How long have I been gone?”?Twinkles laughed softly and said, “Oh, just most of the evening!”?The three of them headed back to the kitchens.

“Oh, kids, I am SO sorry.?I just lost all track of time.?Someone bring me up to speed on the problem” said Flo as they entered the room.?Yellow leaned over to her friend and said, “what she lost was her senses!”

Flo decided to pipe whipped cream in between each decorative cherry, solving the crisis.?Only half the number of cherries were needed.?“Just a lesson that in the culinary world you can fix most anything.?My worst night was when we dropped the cake and it fell apart.?We just scooped it into bowls and called it a deconstructed Black Forest.”?A look of superiority on her face masked her real embarrassment.

?The tart was served at 7:15, almost exactly according to plan.?The kitchen was almost spotless, just waiting for the dessert plates to come back.?Flo and Edward started a large pot of coffee and a pot of water for tea. The kids just stared at them, wondering what was going on.

The guests slowly migrated back to the main garden, getting an after-dinner drink from Sam, or pouring themselves coffee or tea.?Conversation was becoming more muted.?Mr. C found Edward and whispered to him.?He took Flo’s hand and returned to the kitchen.

“The Chestmir’s are quite pleased with how tonight went.?He will be talking to his volunteers in a moment regarding the mobile medical/food clinic.?He has asked for your transportation to return and take you back to your school.?He has things he would like to tell you, but it will have to wait until your next meeting at school.?His focus tonight is on his guests”.?Mr. Niles was actually very polite, but it was clear to all that they were being dismissed and that their part of the evening was over.?The ride home was quite – they had all worked very hard.

It was to be their last meeting as an after-school activity.?They had done so many things and were a little sad to see it end.?Worse, they had a sense of let-down.?The night had gone well, then suddenly they were told to leave. What had they expected would happen??Nobody really seemed to know, but it felt underwhelming.

There were several adults in the room already.?The Chestmir’s and advisors, of course. But several district staff members were there.?Mrs. LeMay seemed to in high spirits, a stark contract to the students

“Why so GLUM??It was a great event, and you should all be so proud!?Sit, sit.?We want to get started right away”. Then Mrs. LeMay coaxed everyone to sit and walked the Chestmir’s up to the mic.?Mr. Chestmir started.?“Kimberly and I are very proud to run the mobile medical clinic and food kitchen.?It has done a tremendous amount of good in our city, especially the urban sections.?Our volunteers are all successful business folks.?They own stores and restaurants and other businesses.?They are senior executives.?They all work so hard with us because we are fortunate to have the resources to help those in need.”?He gave his wife a passing kiss on her cheek, and she continued.?“We wanted to show them a night of deep appreciation and then talk about how we move forward.?I was not surprised in the least when the conversation turned to these students and what they had accomplished for us.?And how they grew in the process.?To thank you all, we have some announcements.”

That got the tongues moving in the audience!?“First, throughout the summer, any student that was involved in the event will have a summer position, all paying above minimum wage.”?The crowd volume picked up.?“You can work either on the clinic, or in any of the businesses we represent.?There will be culinary jobs, building jobs, medical jobs, just about any type of job you want to learn more about. All of our members have agreed to ensure each and every one of you has a position.”

Mrs. LeMay had to quiet the students.?Mr. C continued.?“We were all quite impressed by the tables you created.?Mr. Rapier, of Rapier furniture.?Can you please come up?”?That hushed the students.?“Randolph here could hardly wait to show me these unique tables and how easy they are to use.?We are right now in discussions with the school district to manufacture and sell, on a non-exclusive basis, your fine tables.?Five percent of the profit will go to the school district and another five percent directly to this school.?Upon obtaining a patent, which will include the names of everyone involved in the creation of the tables, each person will receive $1,000.”?The shop crew erupted in cheers.?

The Superintendent stepped up to the mic.?“One last announcement.?These find folks have also agreed to fund an annual scholarship award to students that participate in events like this or other community focused efforts.?A total amount of $20,000 per year that we can award in various amounts up to 10 students.?You have all done such good work and we are very grateful to the Chestmir’s and their associates.”?Most of the students did not hear the entire thing.?They were way too busy celebrating.

Mrs. Chestmir had managed to wind her way around the crown and settled in next to Mrs. LeMay.?“And I have a special thanks to give you.”?She nodded to the back of the room.?Her house steward and Chef Irdap were leaning against the wall, holding hands.?“The man hasn’t snapped at anybody for days!”

End of story. In the final installment:

Why did I call this the Agile Dinner Party?

What did I hope you would take away from this effort?