Remembrance of Omelettes Past

I had a piece of salmon left over from my dinner. It was only 2 ounces but I thought I would use it for an omelette in the next couple of days. But it got me to thinking about when I first started in food service back in the early nineties. I worked at the Mayfair-Regent Hotel on East Lake Shore Drive. A little side note here is that East Lake Shore Drive is the continuation of Oak Street on the East side of Michigan Avenue here in Chicago. (181 E. Lake Shore Drive) It only goes a couple of blocks but it's some of the most prime real estate in the world.  The Mayfair was a hotel that was built in 1927. It is19 stories high. At the top floor was a restaurant called Ciel Bleu. It was considered one of the best restaurants in Chicago at the time. How did I get there?

The Mayfair-Regent location on

East Lake Shore Drive

I was in class at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago (C.H.I.C.) and one of my chefs leaned over me and whispered in my early, "Beckman, youse want a job?"

I said, "Yes chef!"

"Be over at the Mayfair-Regents Hotel at 3 o'clock on Friday."

"Yes chef", I replied. I had no idea what to expect. But I really needed a job and wanted to get started on my culinary career. During culinary school, I had worked at The Gap and Starbucks. Both of these were not good experiences. They weren't exactly career moves. The Mayfair was going to be my first real culinary job.

I presented myself to the human resources department at the Mayfair-Regent Hotel (There is no “S” at the end of Regent) at slightly before 3:00pm on Friday as instructed. We were taught early is on time and that on time is late. That mantra has served me well over the years. The HR person proceeded to show me upstairs to the 19th floor where I met Margarito. He was the executive pastry chef. I didn’t really know much about pastry but I was game. He was a very short man. I’m not very tall, only 5’9”. But he was much smaller than me. He talked very fast and in a heavy Mexican accent. I think he was saying, “Can you make this?” Every time we walked past a cooler, “Can you make this?”

And I said, “yes”, lying of course. I had some vague idea of how to make some of the items. But I was pretty cocky when I was starting out. He said, “OK, be here at 8:00am on Monday.”

I was hired! I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It turned out to be a great job. More on Margarito in the next essay. This essay is about eggs and co-workers. Let’s fast forward to a few weeks into the job. I ended up working early mornings with the cooks from room service and the breakfast line. These guys are amazing at how they can whip out hundreds of eggs in just a few minutes.

I was in the pastry shop just off of the main line of the Ceil Bleu kitchen. It was a very small room with a large table and several refrigerators, mixers and sundry machines. It had a window looking onto Walton Street. You could see the Knickerbocker Hotel from the window. Yes, the Knickerbocker Hotel is still there and operating. I didn’t realize how spoiled I was with a window. Hotels kitchens are notorious for not having any windows. It was a luxury. I would prepare the days cakes, custards and anything else we needed for lunch and dinner service which could be prepared in advance.

There was one cook who took a shine to me. His name is John T. It turns out John T. was going to C.H.I.C as well. He was almost done with his studies. He seemed very confident in the kitchen. He was so fast and professional. I was still struggling to keep up with the pace of a professional kitchen. When there’s a lull in the service, the breakfast cooks take a break and make food for themselves. John T. offered to make me breakfast now and then. He asked if I would like a “New Yorker”. I had no idea what that was but I said yes; John T. was an excellent cook. Whatever he made would be wonderful.

A “New Yorker” is quite simple. It’s just an omelette with cream cheese and smoked salmon. I think it’s supposed to be what you might find in a bagel so, New Yorker? Either way, it was delicious. Of course he made it with plenty of butter and it was perfectly seasoned. Those omelettes were the best eggs I have ever had. They must be if I’m still talking about 30 years later. His service was so nice too. He put it on a giant dinner plate with appropriate garnish and full cloth napkin. I felt like a king. The eggs were silky. He used cream in the mixture along with copious amounts of butter in the pan. The salty fish was perfectly complemented by the soft cream cheese. Not too much of any one ingredient, some restraint, made the dish a highlight of my day. It was perfect simplicity.

He was very friendly to me as well. I would come to find out this behavior is not typical amongst cooks. There’s often a lot of competitiveness and rivalry in kitchens. I tend not to be that way myself and neither was John T.  I am pretty mellow and am willing to learn to this day. I don’t know everything about food and I never will. You never stop learning.

I asked John T. about how he made the “New Yorker”. He carefully explained the procedure and I started making them at home. But his were always the best. To this day, I still think of John T. When I pass by the building where the Mayfair-Regent was. It’s a condo building today. I got some great training and insight in that building though. I wish John T. well, wherever he is. Thanks for the omelettes and the memories friend.

Chefinstructortom