Had to pick between fresh pasta or dry for a dinner rush last Friday

I was prepping for a 60 cover Friday night and ran out of my homemade fettuccine by 4pm. Had to decide quick between rolling out another batch from scratch or just using the boxed stuff from the back. I went with the dry pasta because time was killing me, figured I'd dress it up with a better sauce to hide it. Ended up getting three complaints that the noodles were too firm, and one guy actually asked if we switched suppliers. Should I have just sucked it up and made fresh again, or is there a dry brand that actually works for fine dining?

2 comments

2 Comments

evan_wilson188d ago

Yeah man, you really dodged a bullet there. Nothing says "fine dining" like a guy chewing his way through a box of Barilla while you're sweating over a $40 entree. Next time just tell 'em it's "artisanal al dente" and charge an extra five bucks.

lopez.simon8d ago

Oh man, I've actually had this happen twice now. The worst part is when they start critiquing your food while scarfing down something they brought in their pocket. My advice is to keep a couple of those cheap single-serve instant ramen cups in your car for emergencies. When someone pulls that move, just hand 'em one and say "here, this will hold you over until you find something you actually like." It sends the message without making a scene in the restaurant. Your mileage may vary but it's worked for me.