Wk 1 EOC: Great Customer Service

I once had dinner at Giada’s restaurant at the Cromwell in downtown Las Vegas. Chef Giada is a famous, female chef, who specializes in Italian food. My classmate Isabel had just graduated from The Art Institute of Las Vegas so we decided to celebrate. We made the reservation for 8:30 p.m. on a Sunday night, we arrived at 8:15. At first it looked like no one was waiting in the designated area so we got a little excited. Once we had walked up to the front desk, the Hostess told us that the reservations are running behind schedule. So we were then told to have a seat and wait for our party to be called. So we had a seat and moments later another party walked in and were told the same thing. Finally, around 8:50 our party was called and the hostess led us to our table. The restaurant was spectacular and it was quite busy as it should be on a Sunday night. Not a minute after we had taken our seats, one of the waiters came up to us and welcomed us into the restaurant. He then offered us a drink to start off with and handed us the menus. Everything was done in a proper and timely manner which I am a huge fan of. We got our appetizers promptly and then our entrees not long afterwards. The best part of the night was that we were able to meet the Sous Chef and a tour of the kitchen.  Sous Chef Dante is actually a graduate from The AI as well. “Customers who receive better service are more satisfied. They feel more appreciated, and like the higher-quality service they receive. They also feel they are getting more for their money” (303). This is particularly true because this dining experience was amazing, but pricey. I definitely got my money’s worth and I would absolutely dine there again.

Wk 1 EOC: My Voice

Food is my passion and I am a Culinary Professional. For as long as I can remember, I have always been in the kitchen helping my mother and grandmother cook and prepare meals. Whenever I’m in the kitchen, it gives me a sense of belonging and a peace of mind. I’ve always liked seeing the faces of family members or those of friend’s whenever I present to them the dish I had prepared. Being able to create something delicious from a handful of ingredients is what drives my initiative. One day, I strive to run my own restaurant. Exact dice cuts, the perfect consistency of a sauce, the colorful array of vegetables, or the crispness of the roasted meat. This is everything I look for when I prepare a dish. There should be a balance of sweet, salty, smooth, crunchy, and spicy or sour depending on the plate you’d like.  Many people think that cooking is an easy task, let me correct them. Cooking is more than just throwing ingredients together and calling it quits. It’s about figuring out which flavors play out well, which textures compliment each other, and creating a visually appealing arrangement. Cooking for me is a way of life.