Walking to the front of the house in my chef de cuisine whites and toque, it was a far cry from working the grill at Bellefleur's. Hot damn - I finally did it.
Ignoring the butterflies in my stomach, greeting my main investor and full partner, Mitch Andrews, with a handshake and clap on the back, together we walked to the door and turned on the neon signs outside. Mitch had handled the publicity and had gone all out. Newspaper and TV ads, billboards - the man was an unstoppable force of nature.
We met in culinary school - it was a strained pupil-instructor relationship at first. I wasn't the easiest pupil in the world to teach. We gradually became friends. When he learned that I wanted to open a fine dining establishment, he offered to put up the working capital to get it off the ground. He had faith in me. It had been a long time since anyone believed in me that way.
"Holy fuck! Look at all them folks lined up out there! Mitch, you are a fucking genius. I love you man!"
Turning towards me, he softly replied, "I love you too, my dearest Lala." Holding his hand, I smiled as we unlocked the door to welcome our guests.
My dream - our dream - The Rainbow Room, New Orleans' newest fine dining establishment in the heart of the French Quarter. Catering to patrons of all types - straight, gay, human, vamp, were, shifter, fae - was open for business.
Ignoring the butterflies in my stomach, greeting my main investor and full partner, Mitch Andrews, with a handshake and clap on the back, together we walked to the door and turned on the neon signs outside. Mitch had handled the publicity and had gone all out. Newspaper and TV ads, billboards - the man was an unstoppable force of nature.
We met in culinary school - it was a strained pupil-instructor relationship at first. I wasn't the easiest pupil in the world to teach. We gradually became friends. When he learned that I wanted to open a fine dining establishment, he offered to put up the working capital to get it off the ground. He had faith in me. It had been a long time since anyone believed in me that way.
"Holy fuck! Look at all them folks lined up out there! Mitch, you are a fucking genius. I love you man!"
Turning towards me, he softly replied, "I love you too, my dearest Lala." Holding his hand, I smiled as we unlocked the door to welcome our guests.
My dream - our dream - The Rainbow Room, New Orleans' newest fine dining establishment in the heart of the French Quarter. Catering to patrons of all types - straight, gay, human, vamp, were, shifter, fae - was open for business.
