2001-2002: The Sandcreek Grill

Once again I found myself on the move.  The wanderlust had caused me to move on but now I needed that ever popular item, money.  I had noticed a new restaurant opening up in Sandpoint.  It was located on 1st on the creek.  I went there for lunch and really enjoyed the menu and the feel of the place.  I applied for a job, they needed a cook.  I was hired and began to work for a 20 year old chef. Louis had left high school early and went to vo-tech school to get his culinary education.  He had a dream to cook at a young age and had followed it.  He was excited about food.  To young to be jaded by the trauma and drama of the industry.  His energy was contagious.  We worked together making the bread doing the prep and serving great food with an artist's touch.  The  owner was a Phd, who had an eye for design as well as a daughter who had a gift in the industry as well.  They were both good with poeple.  However Gloria had joined up with a partner, Jan.  Jan on the other hand was powerhouse, she had a ralty office and pushed million dollar homes and properties. For some reason she thought she was above the law and  did not need to live by the rules.  This had gotten her this far but it was all about to catch up wioth her.

    Gloria had a knack for marketing and was always bringing in events that promoted all of the business in her building she had purchased.  The first one I was a part of was the African Art exhibit.  We prepared traditional African appetizers to accompany the artwork and brought in African wines.  It was a great success.  We ran sushi nights, goddess nights (for the ladies), I would spoon feed them ganache and do a little flirting.  Louis And I coordinated the menu changes and worked with the main Executive Chef, Ian Wingate, who ran a restaurant in the Spokane area, "Moxie".  He had gone into partnership with the two business women. 
    The chaotic nature of Jan was at war with the gentle nature of Gloria and we as employees were stuck in the middle.  I started as a line cook within a month I was the Executive Chef, then the manager, then after a boatload of b.s. I was the cook again.  Jan was a master of manipulations and worked us against each other.

    They decided we needed to open for breakfast to make more money.  So we hired a breakfast cook. Jack Stone, a local quasi-celebrity had cooking experience so we hired him on.  He loved to schmooze with JAn and came up with his own breakfast sandwich.the "Breakfast Troll"e".  After this Jack disappeared into the world I have not heard from him since.
9/11 occured while I was working here.  Jan ran into the restaurant that afternoon screaming that we were at war.  She brought a T.V. into the bar and made us watch in horror and dismay the tragic events of that day.  No one came in for about the next week.  Months late I heard here talking in the office about the fact that she was not going to pay her taxes because the government had other things to worry about and she was going to reinvest the money into improving the property.  Which she did over and over again.  Each time she started a project she forgot to get a building permit and when the project was about halfway through the city came and her tear it down.  For me "red flags" were popping up all ove the place but I needed money badly.  One day during an event promoting local artists and poetry, JAn showed up at the door with her new posse.  SHe had lost her interest in the restaurant and wanted to gain entry into the building. I was told to keep her out. So I did.  Her posse threatened me.  She motioned as if to show me the gun in the belt under her jacket like on sees in the movies. Then she pulled out a small notepad and a pencil with no lead and began to pretend to right everything down to take to the cops and her lawyer.  I was sad and laughable at the same time.  She had cracked totally and lost it.  From this point on business was eratic and Gloria had to lay me off.  She assisted me in trying to start a cooking class at the Inn, but times were tough in Sandpoint and that did not pan out as I had hoped.

     While I was Executive Chef we were reviewed a few times.  For the most part all the reviews were fantastic with  bits being picked at, but I was happy overall.