Families. So difficult at times, no? I can’t even imagine being in a business with a family member. Oh, wait. Yes, I can. Because I saw what it can be like on this week’s installment of Kitchen Nightmares. You know, just the other day while boating on the Seine, my Gordon turned to me and asked “Tara, luv, do you think my work is all worth it? Or as this big World just keeps spinning ’round, are we but trifle dots, toiling for naught in the scheme?”
Well, I gotta tell you; that was a stumper. However, I assured Gordon that he makes a difference in people’s lives. He brings fragmented families together. He saves faltering businesses with a flick of his spatula. And that’s exactly what he did with the owners of the Boston restaurant “Davide.” (It’s pronounced Dah-vee-day. What posers.)
Anyhoo, the brothers, Anthony and Frank are up a creek. They don’t trust each other after Anthony embezzled from the restaurant to buy drugs and subsequently went to jail. Frank got depressed and let everything go standard and quality-wise. Then Anthony returned two years ago, and has been clean ever since. However the bad vibes prevail.
Gordon had to be almost a Dr. Phil in a chef’s coat to get this place relaunched. Many pep talks and meetings later (one in which Gordon tells Frank he wishes his own brother who is on drugs would get it as together as Anthony has) “Davide” is up and working again.
I was struck by Frank’s wife and brother taking on Gordon’s challenge to sit and write a ten minute essay to Frank, saying positive things to him that he’d never heard from them before, in order to build his confidence again. Maybe a good idea for all of us who haven’t said many nice things to difficult family members lately. Or maybe not. The jury is still out on that one for me. But that’s pessimistic! In this case, it worked, and Frank found his passion for cooking again. He and his brother are still working on their issues, but it sounds as if Gordon caused a huge turn around with these two.
Clacked by Tara Shrodes
on Feb 25, 2011 @ 23:12 EST5EDT
