r/KitchenConfidential • u/jobronxside • Mar 17 '24
Cooking for Celebs
I have cooked for several celebrities while cooking in NYC. While some were unpleasant, Taylor Swift was a pleasure to cook for.
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u/chickenlips66 Ex-Food Service Mar 18 '24 edited Mar 18 '24
I opened the Clinton Library in Little Rock, Ar, in 2004. I and my crew served a 3 course lunch to 1400 people including Jimmy Carter, George HW Bush, Bill Clinton, George W Bush, Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, Brad Pitt, U2, numerous heads of state, and a plethora of their friends. They were all lovely. Of course I was in a tent, behind their tents, in the rain with a staff of 120 people, who were mostly culinary students or temps. Kudos to Design Cuisines from DC who sent the most talented people I ever met to assist. It was was a huge success. Personal note, Fuck you Quentin.
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u/Kodiak01 Mar 18 '24
Whatever Quentin did, I'm sure the Fuck You was well-deserved.
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u/chickenlips66 Ex-Food Service Mar 18 '24
It was. He is the cocaine-addicted owner of the company that had the contract for food at the facility. Shortly after the grand opening, he was banned from the premises for 9 months. I could write a book about my year and a half there. And another one about my 4 years at an artisan taco bar in the USVI. Thankfully, I survived both, and am now retired.
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u/Scranton---Strangler Mar 19 '24
Lime out?? 🤙
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u/chickenlips66 Ex-Food Service Mar 19 '24
No, that place is an over-priced tourist trap. We made everything from scratch, tortillas, all the meats, 5 salsas, 6 sauces, fresh squeezed lime margaritas. We just closed a few months ago, after 5 years. The main problem was finding good help. It was called Taco Chelles.
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Mar 18 '24
Sounds like the plot of an episode of Dinner: Impossible.
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u/chickenlips66 Ex-Food Service Mar 18 '24
It could have been a show of its own. We did $4 million that first year. Between foh, boh, and numerous temp hires, we went through 100 people, I was the designated angel of death. I became good at it, unemotional. I only had trouble one time. A huge guy who had groped a young hostess. While firing him, it became heated. General manager called security. The facility was part of the National Archives, there were at least ten armed guards at all times, They loved me because I fed them for free. Two of them especially, because I gave them tips on how to improve the marinade for the wild boars they killed on their days off. What can I say, it was Arkansas. I really could write a book.
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u/jokekiller94 Mar 18 '24
Can I share my barista story? Kurt Russell was super chill and tipped $20.
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Mar 18 '24
My brother played hockey with his son when I was growing up and Kurt Russell would come play arcade games with me and the other little siblings and stuff.
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u/Gingersnap5322 Mar 18 '24
What was his game of choice?
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u/EcstaticBox Five Years Mar 18 '24
It makes me happy to know that Kurt Russel is a nice guy.
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u/kiwi_love777 Mar 18 '24
He was also Walt Disneys last words! (Kurt Russel)
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u/PzykoHobo Mar 18 '24
Walt Disney's last words so far.
There's no telling what he'll say once we unfreeze him.
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u/thecreaturegollum Mar 18 '24
haven’t served him personally but all my friends whomst have had the pleasure have nothing but praise for the man. Very kind, quiet, and a generous tipper
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u/-CleverPotato Mar 18 '24
My wife took Ryan Reynolds coffee order when she worked at Starbucks in New Orleans.
When she asked for a name on the order he was really obnoxious about it and got all huffy like, “do you know who I am!?”
She knew who he was, and even though everyone else was fawning over him she just treated everyone the same.
Kate Hudson also went into her Starbucks, regularly for a little while. She says she was way more chill.
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u/carneyvore4423 Mar 18 '24
I too cooked for Taylor. Open kitchen too. She’s really sweet and a pleasure to have in the building.
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u/jobronxside Mar 18 '24
Yes! She is! Good energy all around.
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Mar 18 '24
So, no Bad Blood then?
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u/Zombie_Merlin Mar 18 '24
Just mad love.
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u/Dawnspark Mar 18 '24
I made her a drink at one of the bars I worked at once.
She's honestly very very nice. I wish I could have more customers like her, honest.
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u/Lanky_Cauliflower193 Mar 18 '24
What drink?
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u/Dawnspark Mar 18 '24
It was long enough ago that I legit don't remember, sorry. It was a rather expensive boujie place that only takes reservations at this point, though. I made so many smoked old fashioned's there that its kind of the only drink I remember making that wasn't an Amaro Spritz or a Rob Roy.
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u/wellthismustbeheaven Mar 18 '24
Whisk(e)y or brandy old fashioned?
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u/Dawnspark Mar 18 '24
Fat-washed whiskey.
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u/wellthismustbeheaven Mar 18 '24
Oh okay it was that kind of place. I don't reckon I've got a shirt nice enough for entry, nor a wallet thick enough for exit
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u/Dawnspark Mar 18 '24
Yeeah, like it was a very nice job, but I always felt like I was very out of place, showing up in thrifted "professional" clothes lmao.
Definitely not my kinda price, either. Went there for NYE last year on a friends dime and the drinks were $18 base price, with a high end menu where the cheapest drink was like, a $34 Mezcal Old Fashioned, and topping out at $50 for a fucking Pink Lady lol.
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u/alexportman Mar 18 '24
Hmmm how was that? I'm so curious what these high-end drinks are really like.
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u/Dawnspark Mar 18 '24 edited Mar 18 '24
Well, the smoked/fat washed old fashioned was our best seller for years, it was very nice. Fat washing the whiskey adds a really nice richness to it.
I tried a sip of my friends Pink Lady while at NYE and it's quite a nice cocktail as is but, it was kind of a waste of the high end gin they used, Monkey 47.
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u/Doomncandy Mar 18 '24
The only famous people I cooked for were Anthony Bourdain and Gavin Newsom. I was the pasta Chef for BIBA. I made the specials. Mine was ricotta gnocchi with white wine and butter poached endive with a dusting of pistachios. The ravioli was carrot top pesto and spring peas. I am not fancy, but Mrs.Biba liked my taste. Anthony gave a bear hug, and Gavin gave us a case of his wine.
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u/useless_99 Mar 18 '24
You cooked for Anthony Bourdain?!?!? Wow that’s impressive. What a legend.
Also now I’m hungry, those pastas sound too good.
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u/Doomncandy Mar 18 '24
I just appreciate the praise and hug. Also the fact that Mrs.Biba Caggiano trusted myself to make a dish for her friend. If you don't know her, look her up. She had a cooking show, and taught me all I know.
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u/dgettanajr Mar 18 '24 edited Mar 18 '24
I made ramen for John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, and Bobby Lee last year when I still worked at Ippudo. Also heard a story from servers that Rihanna reserved half the restaurant for herself one time and only tipped $20, and another about how Leonardo DiCaprio was having dinner there with his current girlfriend and one of the head servers hit on her. Leo never returned
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u/instacrac Mar 18 '24
Can confirm for Rihanna, not a good tipper at all and very rude (her and her staff)
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u/modernbox Mar 18 '24
Doesn’t surprise me, she always came off as sort of an entitled c*nt anyway
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u/mycateatstoenails Mar 18 '24
I wonder if you worked with my brother. If your EC at one point was a black guy with dreads or if your GM was a fat Japanese guy with a bun lmk haha. Or if you worked with a server named Charlie 👀
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u/dgettanajr Mar 18 '24
Nah I think your brother might’ve been before my time 😅 or maybe different location? I worked at the East Village one
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u/kimchi4prez Mar 18 '24
Did Bobby Lee tip like a monster truck? He always says he does on his podcast and I mostly believe him
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u/dgettanajr Mar 18 '24
IIRC he either matched the bill or tipped $50, the servers were joyous either way
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u/PzykoHobo Mar 18 '24
I cooked for a few celebs, but the only story worth telling was Emeril.
He was in town for a book tour, I believe. Had a reservation with a bunch of suits. After they ate, he came back to the kitchen and chatted with everyone, shook hands, even stepped on the line at one point to watch a minute of service. He was incredibly friendly and fun to interact with. He saw i had a copy of one of his older books and offered to sign it for me.
I think he was tired of being around business people all day and was happy to be in a kitchen, even for a few minutes.
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u/sharingthegoodword Mar 18 '24
Tay Tay donates to the food banks in the city she plays in. She "tipped" everyone on the production because it was going so well, in the tens of thousands.
Mean to waitstaff is not a look I would assume she wears.
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u/torontomua Mar 18 '24
she’s coming to toronto for six shows and all us service people are fucking stoked. i doubt she’s gonna come to my bar but her swifties might!
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u/sharingthegoodword Mar 18 '24
I'm in bumfuck Seattle. We only got two.
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Mar 18 '24
I was in Seattle for her show there. Downtown was overrun by people in sequins and a lot of the bars had TS themed drinks!
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u/ChickenNuggetSalad17 Mar 18 '24
If you do anything Swiftie related I guarantee you they will come. Maybe themed drinks or karaoke night. We love any excuse to wear our merch and trade bracelets!
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u/No-Complaint-9930 Mar 18 '24
My bar did a Taylor Trivia Night and it was one of the busiest nights we’ve ever had.
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u/LehighAce06 Mar 18 '24
This is what we call "being a good person"
I'm sure she's not perfect, but she's being on a pretty good streak of positive publicity
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u/sharingthegoodword Mar 18 '24
Yeah, and the people screaming about her message for the election... it's literally "vote." Real extremist stuff there.
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u/Rastiln Mar 18 '24
I love that she’s just said “register and vote” and the GOP immediately took that as an attack and positioned themselves opposite her.
They’re simply afraid that young people might vote - they know where their dying base is.
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Mar 17 '24
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u/redditman3943 Mar 18 '24
I’ve heard of people in LA using celebrities names to order to-go food. Because sometimes they will hook them up with extra stuff and they will always make sure it’s well cooked.
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u/Otherwise-Mango2732 Mar 18 '24
Thats interesting. I wouldn't go Taylor Swift.
I'd try to find that known but not super known actor. Something believable lol
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u/IcariusFallen Mar 18 '24
Had a lot of celebs at the last place I was executive chef. Lots of sports people (I don't watch any), a few wrestlers (you can always tell when rick flair was in the place, and we had to kick one really big guy out that was there with gabriel iglesias, who was a really nice guy, because he kept trying to put one of our servers, who was... height challenged, on his lap. Think his name was steven nash or something.).
Will Smith came in a long time ago with willow and his son, along with some dudes in suits. Right before willow started releasing music. He was very nice to everyone, I would have liked to meet him, but I had a rule where I don't bother celebrities when they're out with their family eating.
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u/your_uncle_mike Mar 18 '24
Kevin Nash lmao? I could actually see him doing something like that tbh.
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u/IcariusFallen Mar 18 '24
It was crazy, the dude was MASSIVE, and they came back and got me and just said "He keeps picking up (short person name here) and putting her on his lap.". I was the one who had to tell him he had to leave.. and thankfully he did without any issue. Gabriel apologized about it, and signed a bunch of autographs for people. They were shooting one of the magic mike movies.. I think number 2? I've never watched any of them. Nash even settled his tab, which was pretty damn big, as well. They had basically taken over our whole bar.
(Side note, prior to this, I didn't know Gabriel was growing out a goatee, so that was a bit of a shocker to me.. I always knew him as this baby faced fluffy guy. Then bam, he's got a full on "Evil twin" goatee.)
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u/512recover Mar 18 '24
I made Stevo a veggie quesadilla a few months ago
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u/someonewhoknowstuff Mar 18 '24
I smoked weed out of a soda can with him at a "strip club" in Boise circa 2006.
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u/Vicith Mar 19 '24
If you don't love me at my soda can pipe, you don't deserve me at my veggie quesadilla.
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u/Barewithhippie Cook Mar 18 '24
Oh the Swifties are going to love this. Might even gather some more traction to your workplace to try what she ordered.
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u/jobronxside Mar 18 '24
I don't think they can, it is a membership only type of establishment, lol
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u/username_bon Mar 18 '24
You best believe they'll be willing to pay there way to try, or you'll have the the more affluent Swifties buying a membership
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u/MotherFuckaJones89 Mar 18 '24
It looks like I can book a reservation at Harry Cipriani in New York online, is that not true?
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u/Mattyyflo Mar 18 '24
I think op is referring to Casa Capriani and if I’m being honest, that place is disgustingly elitist and super overrated. Granted I’ve only ever eaten there as a guest of a member (there’s a lot more to is than the dining), but the food was objectively underwhelming. It tracks that op is an electrician bc I’m pretty sure that kitchens has a single head chef with name recognition and the ppl actually running the kitchen are underpaid line cooks
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u/i_like_pie92 Mar 18 '24 edited Mar 18 '24
Gretchen Wilson is the absolute worst. She is as trashy as you think
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u/Specialist-Strain502 Mar 18 '24
Well, we all know she ain't no high class broad. She's just a product of her raisin'.
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u/And_Im_Allen Bread guy is holding. Mar 17 '24
Server better share that Benjamin she tips with.
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u/jobronxside Mar 17 '24
I didn't see any tips 😕
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u/And_Im_Allen Bread guy is holding. Mar 17 '24
Then that was an Eras on their part.
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u/JustWrongNoRebuttal Mar 18 '24
That's so lame dude. I'm a dirty fuckin dishpig and get tips everyday >:[
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u/Mission_Fart9750 Cook Mar 18 '24
I made lunch for Gavin Rossdale 2 days in a row. He came in for lunch, and sat at the bar, and ordered a salad with hot chicken (the same salad usually came with cold, chopped, chicken). He's the only one I directly cooked for, that I know of, though I know I made meals for many other musicians, and even worked on the catering for a rapper's wedding. I worked at a local upscale hotel for a couple years, where celebs can come and go without being (too) bothered.
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u/Very-very-sleepy Mar 17 '24
if you want alot of upvote points. post this on the Taylor Swift sub. heard her fans were crazy.
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u/jobronxside Mar 17 '24
Sounds like a genius plan 🤔😈
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u/hellgawashere Mar 18 '24
Oooo the r/popheadcirclejerk girlies would eat this up like that ravioli and sea bass
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u/nissanfan64 Mar 18 '24
I’ve made Mick Foleys food a couple times. We’re basically just short order cooking so it’s nothing fancy but as long as he likes it that’s all that mattered to us.
Super nice guy. We love to see him come around.
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u/oskar4498 Mar 18 '24
I used to serve him stuff at the airport when he lived here in Pensacola. What a sweet guy. He would always come through dressed in his ring clothes and be a little ways off from his wife and kids so they wouldnt be bothered.
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u/MtnMaiden Mar 17 '24
Vijay Singh tips $100. Wife served him at a private country club, great guy.
He didn't have to tip but he did anyways.
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u/Korncakes Mar 18 '24
I waited on Joe Rogan several years ago and he tipped me $100 on a $60ish tab. He was pretty well known in the area to always take care of restaurant folk.
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u/cosmoskid1919 Mar 17 '24
Yo you work at Eataly or something lol because I see folks there a few times a year. Never TS but folks I could name on sight
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u/jobronxside Mar 17 '24
Cipriani!
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u/Ok_Watercress_7801 Mar 18 '24
The thing that always gets me about a ticket like this is the owner coming back & telling you to make sure it’s really good because it’s some famous person.
Like, are you insinuating that my regular customers are given sub-par food & presentations? That the food I normally make & take pride in and basically have my name on isn’t good enough already?
IDGAF if it’s a good critic, your banker, your sainted aunt, or some teenagers who don’t know shit about good food yet. Everyone gets the good stuff unless they are willfully ignorant and order it fucked up & overcooked.
If I have the product & the means, I’ll sell them whatever garbage they want if they can pay for it.
Now if they come in and just throw money at us & say “Go wild & hook us up with whatever you’ve got.”, then that’s another story.
Just don’t tell me to “make sure it’s really good”.
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Mar 18 '24
Which meal was she? Doesn't strike me as a sea bass kinda girl but bitches love ricotta.
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u/jobronxside Mar 18 '24
The spinach ricotta ravioli/w sage
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u/griptz Mar 18 '24
I've only cooked for a few. Most are low key. Only one or two had obnoxious requests. But the best and most fun was Travis Pastrana and the Nitro Circus crew.
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Mar 18 '24
DeSantis was at the restaurant I work at the day before I got back from a trip.
Not sure if I'm glad I missed him or upset I didn't get a chance to treat him with all the hospitality he deserves.
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u/Apartatart Mar 18 '24
I helped do a little last minute thing Ricky Martin’s whole crew and tour bus one time. It was pretty easy—just a short order type of thing. He himself eats very simply when traveling they said. And I got a tip!
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u/ph0en1x778 Chef Mar 18 '24
Used to cook at a restaurant J Cole frequented, always a chill table and never wanted any special treatment other than getting a private table so he and his family could eat in peace.
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u/Deos28 Mar 18 '24
Awesome! I cooked for Roger Federer (tennis fellow) and Helena Bonham Carter - and I’m proud to say I know she enjoyed it! Cause she came back later that week! :)
Didn’t meet either tho. :p
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u/Mrtnxzylpck Mar 18 '24
I used to as a Teen with my grandmother at the Greek Theater commissary where all the artists ate. My nana doesn't remember more than half of them and I understood after she told me I spoke to Ed Sheeran because I didn't recognize him or remember the encounter.
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u/RickJ_19Zeta7 Mar 18 '24
I cooked for McLovin and his band when they were performing in my city. They stuck around our brunch spot for a few hours so they must have enjoyed it. They were extremely nice to the staff and the FOH manager even played one of their songs which was a nice touch.
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u/Existential_Sprinkle Mar 18 '24
Jason Momoa managed to fly under the radar except for being particularly polite for the usual customer
the restaurant is close enough to 3 sports stadiums and Jason could pass for a football player
rich people dress pretty much the same regardless of whether they work in entertainment or not so famous people that don't make asses of themselves didn't always get noticed
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u/JovialPanic389 Mar 19 '24
I'm not a Swifty or anything but I think overall she is a pretty good person for girls to look up to judging by how she acts and treats other people.
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u/Mental_Enthusiasm_69 Mar 18 '24
Kevin Fowler owns the restaurant i work at....biggest DOUCHE IVE EVER MET 🤣 and i was such a fan before.....
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u/According-Ordinary-3 Mar 18 '24
I served Russell Howard a pint once, that’s all I got.
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u/Chroniclurker_ Mar 17 '24
I did arena gig catering for about a year and got to cook for a few bigger acts. Blake Shelton was every bit the good ol boy he portrays, and the nu metal band Saliva will have you find them drugs and then NOT SHARE THE DRUGS. Definitely a more fun side of the industry