inthekitchen
inthekitchen
in pursuit of appyness
Small bites are a big boon for business at one of the city ’ s longstanding dining institutions .
by Joelle Kidd
As the holiday season approaches , Rae & Jerry ’ s becomes , even more than usual , a flurry of activity . The massive 330-seat space is a hive of excitement , with an adrenaline buzz leaking from the back of the building , where behind swinging double doors the kitchen is alive with the sounds of chopping , chatter , and searing meat .
Head chef Bill Georgakopoulos is at the centre of this seeming chaos , a quietly efficient chief of organization presiding over the restaurant ’ s staff . Managing both the kitchen and catering team , it is his stalwart task to keep an eye on the ball at all times .
While the steakhouse sees an uptick in orders around the holidays , it is the flood of catering jobs that sets this kitchen abuzz . Bill estimates that over the holiday season , between 1500 and 2400 mini yorkshire puddings alone are baked , filled , arranged , and sent out to events across the city .
The extensive operation works out of a small area tucked into the back of the kitchen , surrounded by loaves of crustless sliced bread . Here , a small army of ladies tightly rolls and chills fancy pinwheel sandwiches , while chef Bill whisks to and fro , trusty mini muffin tin in hand to form lacy cups of melted asiago cheese or tart shells moulded from flattened bread .
While Rae & Jerry ’ s has been the city ’ s perennial pick for stately steakhouse dinners since 1957 , the restaurant ’ s move into catering is relatively recent . Steve Hrousalas , longtime owner ( since 1975 ) began testing the waters of the catering business in 1996 . Worried
44 ciao ! / dec / jan / two thousand fifteen