As most of you know, Kyle works for the food service purveyor, Sysco. He's in outside sales, meaning, he goes around and sells food and restaurant supplies to anything and everything that serves food...restaurants (of course), day cares, hotels, prisons, etc... Anyway, a big part of what makes Kyle so good at his job is that he's confident in himself and Sysco, so he's not afraid to be told "No"...multiple times. That, in turn, allows him to walk into unknown situations and work his improv. and people skills.
Not too long after we moved down here, he stopped by a restaurant that looked like it was being built out for a new restaurant to go in. The restaurant is La Fisheria, a high-end, Mexican seafood establishment, with Chef Aquiles Chavez. Turns out, Chef Aquiles is one of Mexico's top-ten chefs; he's been touted as being the Anthony Bourdain of Mexico, but more quirky and fun...if that gives you more perspective. He's known for his Mexican-Fusion cooking, and will be one of six featured Mexican chefs at the 2012 Food & Wine festival in Ixtapa in March.
Anyway, the Mexican version of the Food Network, Utilisima, has been following Chef Aquiles around Mexico and South America as he learns more about different cooking techniques and flavors, all leading up to him opening his first restaurant in the United States....La Fisheria in Houston! A big part of opening any restaurant is getting things squared away with your purveyor...so, the producers of the series want to capture that piece of the experience by filming Kyle and the Chef working on food orders, discussing products, and what services Sysco can offer him. When Kyle first told me about a month ago that they wanted to film him, my immediate question was..."do you have to talk?". Kyle gave me a funny look and said, "well of course, why?". I said, "Kyle, I love you, but I don't think you attempting to speak in Spanish is a good idea". Luckily, they opted for both Kyle and the Chef to speak to one another in English, and they will apply subtitles later. Whew!
Kyle was filmed in two different segments last week. It was really fun to hear him talk about the production of things and how awkward it was to have a massive camera so close to his face. True to Kyle fashion, he injected a few jokes here and there. I believe at one point the Chef was ordering beef tongue and he asked Kyle if he liked it (knowing most American's aren't accustomed to eating it, and probably thinking he could gross Kyle out), Kyle quickly responded, "Yeah, I do, but I like it better in raw preparations". Of course the whole crew laughed and let out a bunch of "eeewwww's".
I, obviously, offered to pretend to be a sous chef or something and chop onions in the background...but I think that idea got nixed. What? They don't need a token blue-eyed ghost in the back?
Anyway, the restaurant opening is next week, and I'm excited to finally meet Chef Aquiles and see the fruit of all of the hard work I've been hearing about. Not to mention trying all of the food!
Anyway, the Mexican version of the Food Network, Utilisima, has been following Chef Aquiles around Mexico and South America as he learns more about different cooking techniques and flavors, all leading up to him opening his first restaurant in the United States....La Fisheria in Houston! A big part of opening any restaurant is getting things squared away with your purveyor...so, the producers of the series want to capture that piece of the experience by filming Kyle and the Chef working on food orders, discussing products, and what services Sysco can offer him. When Kyle first told me about a month ago that they wanted to film him, my immediate question was..."do you have to talk?". Kyle gave me a funny look and said, "well of course, why?". I said, "Kyle, I love you, but I don't think you attempting to speak in Spanish is a good idea". Luckily, they opted for both Kyle and the Chef to speak to one another in English, and they will apply subtitles later. Whew!
Kyle was filmed in two different segments last week. It was really fun to hear him talk about the production of things and how awkward it was to have a massive camera so close to his face. True to Kyle fashion, he injected a few jokes here and there. I believe at one point the Chef was ordering beef tongue and he asked Kyle if he liked it (knowing most American's aren't accustomed to eating it, and probably thinking he could gross Kyle out), Kyle quickly responded, "Yeah, I do, but I like it better in raw preparations". Of course the whole crew laughed and let out a bunch of "eeewwww's".
I, obviously, offered to pretend to be a sous chef or something and chop onions in the background...but I think that idea got nixed. What? They don't need a token blue-eyed ghost in the back?
Anyway, the restaurant opening is next week, and I'm excited to finally meet Chef Aquiles and see the fruit of all of the hard work I've been hearing about. Not to mention trying all of the food!
COOL
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool! Thanks for sharing...I had no idea!
ReplyDelete