Panic at Midnight

 

Lauren Bacall had just finished her run as the lead in “Woman of the Year” on Broadway and Debbie Reynolds was about to replace her.  At the time, I owned a catering company called “The Next Supper” and we received an order from the staff at Studio 54 that they wanted us to cater a “scrim party” for about 150 people the night that Debbie premieres in her new role.  My company prided itself on serving fresh high-quality foods for the entertainment industry. A “scrim party” was a party held on the stage of the theater that Studio 54 had become. The scrim was a somewhat sheer curtain that separated the private party goers from the dancing hordes. 

So we set the banquet up and at 10:30 pm the crew from the play came in and just devoured the food. After an hour, everything was gone including the garnishes!  At that moment, the stage manager comes up to me and says, “Ms. Reynolds and her mother will be ready to eat in a half hour.” Totally shocked, I told her that the guests had eaten everything in sight. She turned to me and said, “You better come up with something or you’re done here!!”

In a panic, I scrambled out onto a very dark 54th Street and tried to figure out what I could possibly do. It was approaching midnight and everything in this neighborhood had closed. As I searched frantically from block to block, I was getting increasingly desperate. There was nothing anywhere!!! The only place I found was a Kentucky Fried Chicken and I shuddered at the thought of going in there but finally, having run out of time, I went in and bought a bucket of chicken. 

I returned to 54 and grabbed a silver platter and tried my best to decorate the chicken and we sent it up to Ms. Reynolds dressing room. As I did this, I felt like I was kissing my career goodbye and losing this incredible account. 

After half an hour passed, the stage manager came up to me and said “Ms. Reynolds wants to see you in her dressing room immediately!!”

I was sure this was not good. As I entered the dressing room, I see Debbie and her mom sitting there. She turns to me and says “Chef Robert!! That was the best fried chicken I’ve ever had!! You have to give me the recipe!!!”

Robert

Apr 2023