Hello Andrew and everyone at Scout Magazine headquarters! As you know, Dine Out Vancouver is upon us yet again and I’ve decided to keep a photo journal of Salt Tasting Room‘s adventures. For better or worse, I’ve documented Day One of DOV, from the start of the morning to the end of the night. What follows is the evidence of that difficult, stressful, fun and exhilarating day.

This is about 9am and my first in a long stream of espressos throughout the day. I gave that machine a good workout.

I’m checking e-mails here, and organizing my day. I love this time of day at Salt, when no one’s around and I can actually get some work done.

My VQA wines for Dine Out being delivered. Blood Alley was closed on the Carrall side due to construction, which caused concern throughout the day that we wouldn’t receive our deliveries on time.

Jake Skakun, assistant manager extraordinaire, arrives at Salt.

Because of our delivery problems, a lot of our product has been delivered to the Irish Heather. Problem One arises when I go to grab our dolly to bring things over (note the uncooperative wheel).

This is the first of many runs down Blood Alley during my day.

This is our good friend and neighbour Mark Brand, owner of Boneta around the corner, kindly lending me their dolly and rescuing our morning.

Eleanor Chow, the fanatastic pastry chef of Chambar does the desserts for Salt. She is dropping off the first batch of over 500 Dine Out desserts to get us through the weekend. Lemon Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis and Chocolate Terrine with Strawberry Compote.

Our liquor order arrives. This was a huge weight off our shoulders, as our cupboards were starting to get a little bare.

Problem Number Two arises. We were expecting a delivery of 200 small bowls from Puddifoot and they seem to have lost our order. A quick couple of phone calls by Jake fixes the problem and they are sending out an emergency shipment.

I write out a rough draft of our Dine Out menu.

Brooke Delves, Assistant Manager extraodinaire, hams it up as she arrives to work.

The management of Salt Tasting Room have a quick meeting and strategy session. The espresso is starting to make me a little wiggy. Our bowls haven’t arrived yet and we still need to design and print our menus. When Jake is stressed, he pulls at his beard. He pulled at his beard a lot that day.

I run up to the Irish Heather to talk to Sean Heather (the owner of Salt), and let him know that aside from the bowl issues, we’re firing on all cylinders. As his general manager, I spend approximately 15% of my time waiting for him to get off the phone. He is a very busy man.

The bartender at the Irish Heather pours me some Guinness so we can make Guinness Mustard for one of our plates. I realize that I will be able to have some delicious beer in about 8 more hours.

The bowls finally arrive, but they’re THE WRONG BOWLS!! Jake gets on the phone and arranges an exchange. We’re told they can get them to us by 5:00, which is also the time Dine Out officially starts.

Fennel salad gets shaved.

For the Dine Out menu, we have various condiments paired with artisan cheeses and charcuterie. This is me ensuring that the cornichons are a good combo with Quebec’s Tomme de Grosse-Ile.

The Dine Out menu being designed on the Salt Laptop, soon to be printed in-house.

Designing one of the three main course plates, with a flight of wine paired with it on the right hand side.

Cutting the menus on our paper cutter. We’re about an hour away.

I’ve just picked up Terra Bread baguettes that were delivered for us to the Irish Heather. Running down Blood Alley, focused like nuthin’ else!

Jake is programming all the new menu items into the Halo system.

As staff arrive, I give a little pre-shift meeting, explaining the Dine Out logistics and getting my servers to try new wines on our list.

Jake runs through how the Dine Out courses should be rung in.

Unwrapping the official billfolds.

Ensuring all the computer buttons are where they should be.

Ensuring the print-outs of the chits are working.

Slicing bread.

The first official Dine Out guests arrive.

Course one: Mixed Field Greens with Crumbled Stilton and Cava Vinaigrette + Oyama Sausage Company’s Pate de Campagne with Piccalilli Reish.

We’re off and running, glitch-free.

Two examples of Course #2. Cheesemonger’s Artisan Plate and Butcher’s Plate.

Brooke pours wine as the room fills up

Going well. We also never understand the complaints that Dine Out patrons don’t drink wine. As you can plainly see, the whole room is dining and wining!

Our two Dine Out desserts!

Toward the end of the evening.

13 hours after starting my day, I’m off to Boneta for a fine, cold ale.

Simon pours me a Brooklyn Pennant.

A cheers with Josh Pape and Charlie from Chambar. A chance to blow off some steam.

Beers, friends, and giant bowls of poutine. A great way to finish the day.

One day down, fifteen to go. There are twelve of us who work at Salt, and over 1200 people coming our way.

Not one complaint.

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