Her question is a valid one. I had had the foresight to really pay attention to what went into this particular party from the cost of the high-quality ingredients, to the extra serviceware I had to buy in order to accommodate extra guests to the time involved creating the event. And the time is where it's at.
Up until we got into the car to drive to the client's home, I had already put in 18 hours of cooking time.
After discussing some of these details at length, I summed it up for her. "In the end, I want our client, who is hiring a professional chef to serve guests in his home for the first time, to be wowwed. I want him to feel and for me to know that he got a bargain." I want every client to feel this way.
I actually hired a professional photographer, Doug Armstrong of DA Visions to capture the evening. Working with him and his assistant, Nicole was a joyful breeze. The biggest advantage I realized when working with Doug is how he uses of his own space. As artists working with small subjects (plates of food, cubes of pear, etc.) we both need to get close to the subject if we're going to get it right and Doug just seems to meld himself into my space as though we've been dancing partners for many years.
And then the photos came back. I am stunned by their beauty. My favorite (and it was so hard to choose one) does not involve people. It involves the salad bouquet. It was the first time we had served salad this way and we were taking big chances because the dish involves height and there's no going back. If the salad falls, the dish is just another salad. They all worked. Doug got the shot (several of them). When we viewed it on our computer screen we were speechless in wonder. How do you get a bargain from the professionals you hire? Hire the right professional for the job.
I got a real bargain.
Photo credit: DA Visions/Doug Armstrong
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