You wouldn’t think it to look at him, but on some level Jake is afraid of this man. Who is he? The owner of Gorgeous George’s Mediterranean Restaurant in Greenwood. We had heard good things about this restaurant, and so had planned to go sometime in that way where you say to yourself “we should really try that place sometime.”
Then I read a reader review on some restaurant rating site that said “George doesn’t just cook for you. He sings and dances and comes to your table.” This information I relayed to Jake who was completely horrified. When we passed the restaurant one day on an evening stroll we peeked in and saw George with his signature hat out in the dining room talking to guests. “We are never ever going there,” Jake said.
Dare I make a cultural observation here? Feel free to offer your thoughts too. Is it that Americans really like the gimmick of the stranger who is your best friend? Do we know no boundaries between strangers and ourselves? Are the British just uptight? Why can they not enjoy the company of a dancing and singing chef?
In America, there is always the pretense of extreme friendliness even if that friendliness is so obviously false. Ever been asked by a salesperson how your day was and then you told them something other than it’s going well? Usually, their faces change as if to say “oh how interesting” in a I’m-not-really-interested sort of way. I was once in that same predicament. I was at my service job and I asked a customer how she was. Not so good, she said, I had two toes removed yesterday. I didn’t really know what to do with that information.
In Britain, everyone is extremely polite. I like how when making a request either as provider or consumer, you always end your phrase with please. I’ll have a pint of Guinness please. There you are, two quid please. Yet, and perhaps I’m wrong but I seem to recall, that you are never asked how you are if the person doesn’t really want to know the answer. Is it rude? Well, it’s honest, isn’t it? But I digress.
Here are some more scary tidbits from Gorgeous George’s. And Jake, feel free to weigh in here and tell me if I’m misinterpreting your discomfort.
You’re the only chef I know who sits at customer’s tables. Do you have a fetish for watching people eat your food?
No, it’s just nice. I try to sit at the tables so everyone will feel at home here. But I don’t come out to sit when I’m in a bad mood. I can’t fake my face, I can’t be two-faced. If I’m nervous or mad, I’ll just stay in the back and cook.
What do you learn about people from watching them eat?
Sometimes people just need to put the food in their mouths. Like the baklava can go straight into your mouth, no forks needed. It’s not cake. Sometimes people don’t know what they just ordered. It’s Mediterranean food, with spices from the Holy Land. I say Holy Land, not Israel or Palestine, because I want both Jews and Palestinians to feel comfortable eating here.
About that woman with the two toes surgery, I’m the same and a past therapist once told me that this is dysfunctional. I always tell the person asking how I’m feeling–stressed because A, really sad because B, okay except X Y Z. Dysfunctional because it shows you don’t understand that in certain (social) situations, you are not supposed to be forthcoming but rather go through the ritual of banal and relatively affectless (no enthusiasm) exchanges. I’ve tried to train myself since then to answer, “I’m well” or “can’t complain” but such rewiring takes too much energy.
I’m like that too. I never realized it was a dysfunction. We share it in any case.
Jake has pretty benign nightmares, I’d say!
Huh, bloody cheerfulness. Next thing you know they’ll be smiling and saying hello. Lord only knows where it’ll end.
Yeah this guy would freak me out but I’m kind of odd that way. I can barely stand it when sales people check in with me… “no, no I’m just looking!”
I don’t have any problem with ritualistic politeness. Exchanging a simple “How are you?”, “I’m fine” without delving into how a person is truly feeling is no more rude than saying “please” reflexively without intending its original meaning, “if you please” i.e. “if it’s not too much trouble.”
As far as having the chef sit down with you, I suppose it would be fun if he’s a pleasant fellow, although it would be awkward if you were trying to have a personal conversation.
It makes me think of the time Rick and I went to Georgia’s, also in Greenwood, expecting to eat and watch musicians perform from afar, and instead found ourselves seated in the middle of the floor with the staff and customers literally dancing around us in a circle. More than we bargained for, but it was a hoot.
I believe Jake was present at the dancing dinner at Georgia’s. He seemed less than comfortable about being closely circled by everyone in the place. Didn’t Jake also become part of the act the night we saw Dina Martina? She tickled him under the chin. I’m going to have to back Jake up on this. Do not go in that restaurant- something will happen. Something you will never forget.
I think I may take that advice…..
I am 100% with Jake.