Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-16

Never" exclaimed the buyer. System
| system, system, is the eternal cry herv
! and system, you know, means 'nre
| things-order, promptness and success
! Suppose, as you suggest, that man goe
| into the restaurant and orders one por
| ton of oyster poulette. The waiter write
| the order down and takes II 10 I'M
sauce-cook, for the principal OF oyster
roulette is sauce. The sauce-cooK orders
| Immediately from the fish-butcher on
portion of oysters for poulette. Whll'
the oysters are passing from the nsh
butcher 10 the sauce-cook kitcher
checker records the order on his DOCK
stamping the exact time, so that nc
order can be forgotten or delayed. Wher
the waiter gets his oyster poulette there
is only one way for him to leave the
kitchen, and that entrance is guarded
by a number of controllers. In passing
with the poulette the waiter hands his
check to controller. who stamps the
price Of the poulette on the check, and
this is presented in the dining-room TO
the guest. The controllers are nothing
more nor less than bill-clerks, while the
walters are statesmen. An order for an
elaborate dinner receives no more atten-
ton than an order for one plain dish.
The order for the oysters goes TO the
fish-butcher. for the soup to the soup
cook, for the fish to the fish-cook, for the
roast to the roast-cook, or rather TO the
chief cook of each of these departments,
and so on through the menu.
You see Adrien, the cher, has left
the ranges and is sitting at that high
desk at the right Of them. He has on
the board in front of him orders which
have been given days beforehand for
several elaborate luncheons These lunch
cons are now being served upstairs in
the restaurants and in private rooms. He
orders the different courses put on the
fire, so that they will be cooked just 20
q turn when the proper time for serving
them comes. An experienced waiter
takes this labor off the chef, for he can
give his orders so that each course will
be properly done when the time OF SER
vice arrives.
zone of our greatest drawbacks is that
everybody wants to be served about the
same time. Most people dine about
o'clock, and all want to finish nowadays
about s, so that they can spend the even
Ing at the theatre or elsewhere.
1T requires a great deal Of tact and
a vast amount of patience on the part of
walters and cooks not to get embarrass-
ed or out of temper when orders are
crowding in on them until they are up
to their ears and eyes in them. oscar
sets them a good example upstairs, and
Adrien down here. Observe Adren
for yourself as he sits there at
the desk giving his orders He is as
calm and compIacent as a self-satished
parson who feels that he is one Of the
elect. He hears every order that is be-
ing given i'm this kitchen. The minute
that an order is given for something out
of season, something that is not on the
market, he says, I'VE haven't that in
the house. Ii isn't on the market" The
chef is giving his orders, and answering
all questions without becoming in the
least ruffied, and as you see him now he
is always, day in, and day out.
That's why he is much a successful
chef.
Does Oscar have to exercise such self
control and what does he have to do?"
asked the reporter.
Are you thinking about going into the !
hotel business?' rejoined the buyer with |
a laugh. IF you are, I'm not going to |
give away any more of our Sc |
rrets. But then nobody could ever |
get on to Oscars arts and wiles. |
Oscars business is TO know every
prominent person who comes I'm |
lere or is guest of the house. He not |
)nly remembers their faces, but adj |
resses them by name If he hasn't seen
hem for months or even years. Oscar |
hears all complaints of the guests served
With meals and takes all orders given
beforehand for elaborate meals or even
nipple ones. He has TO be and is able
o read people as you would read an
! y primer.
His object in life is not only to please
ktte 10, L.. a. 7
nth themselves. When very rich
roman comes in to order a luncheon.
ay, for dozen ladies', If she rs a new
ich woman, Oscar must help her 10
make out a menu consisting of rich and
ostly dshes-a menu that will
how off her wealth. on the other
and, IL refined aristOcrat comes
n he must serve her with things
D please her refined taste. He must
i've the less wealthy woman who wants
o entertain here the worth OF her money
nd help her to make the best showing
ossible. and he must let everybody who
pplies to him go away feeling that he
r she knows more about uncheons than
scar knows. and he's got that down
me-"
What Is the average number OF per-
ons served with meals here daily?"
Impossible to say onhand." answered
he buyer. why, we begin the day by
crying an early breakfast to more than
200 employees. We serve four meals
day to guests. They are breakfast,
Incheon. dinner, and supper, and now
'e serve afternoon tea In the tea-room
is not at all uncommon for US TO serve
lore than 1000 suppers after the theatre.
nd / should say when the season is In
all swing that we serve from 5000 to
900 dinners. and II isn't unusual for US
, have $500 people In the tea-room be-
ween the hours Of half past and T."
How does the cookery OF the day
Iffer from that OF twenty years agoY'
sked the young woman. And how do
lnners differ from the way OF serving
hemp
Hear that, Adrien" exclaimed the
ian, addressing the chef
mon Dleuw calculated Adrien and ,
len ne added. How doesn't II differ
ould be easier answered." but he was ,
70 busy 10 say more
"Adrien and | have long talks about
lat" continued the buyer. This Is !
French kitchen. Everything here Is
,oked In French style Twenty years {
20 when man ordered dinner Tor
party he wanted huge joint, or
large roast with plenty OF vegetables
nd buildings. and so on. Then people.
believe, went In for quantity rather '
ian quality and the cookery was rather !
steless. OF late years the American
ibhc has become so accustomed 70 the