Facing the challenge in New York – part 15

Roland Oláh, formerly the chef of Café Erté, has been working in the USA since July 2009. He regularly reports to our magazine: ‘I am working really hard in La Panetiere to prove that I am good enough. The French owner, Jacques does not like if the employees are on good terms with each other. I am the head chef but he does not communicate with me either. My colleagues accept me – they appreciate the hard work that I do. Friday and Saturday are the busiest days and there are days when we have reservations for 100 people and at the same time we also do a party for 30-40 guests. The problem is that 60-70 percent of orders come to me and Dean, the owner’s nephew does not help me at all. Luckily I manage to do everything on time. Half of the dishes on the menu are new: they are my creations, really nice, colourful meals, which are popular among our guests. I often think about leaving but I am not the kind of person who gives up the fight. Jacques only speaks about changes but he always goes with the good old safe choices. The guests are the same who started coming here 25 years ago: the young generation does not frequent the place. There are weeks when there would be no point in opening if there were not parties and other events. The other night we organised a wine dinner and at the end of the evening we had to go out and meet the guests. This was when I understood I was nobody in Jacques’ eyes. This is how he introduced us: ‘This gentleman here makes the meat dishes (he pointed at me and did not say my name) – and Dean makes the fish dishes.’ From the following day I make my colleagues call me ‘the meat guy’, whenever they say ‘chef’ I correct them.’