Jessica Roher remains an active part of the Caplansky’s team.  Not only do we skype from time to time (she has a great head for retail) and she worked a shift for me during her recent visit back home in TO.  At that time she told me about Chris Chipman and it turns out Chris is very close with Jessie’s beau Louis Century.  Lou just returned from Africa and asked if we’d host a fundraiser for their week of programming.  I was thrilled and look forward to a busy day tomorrow.

This is Louis’ event and I’m not sure what to expect.  It could get pretty busy and its a delicious way to express our outrage that landmines and cluster bombs are still used anywhere in the world.

This morning Roz Davidson from the Toronto Jewish Film Festival called to see if we could host their media kickoff.  Could we?  I insist!  

Our catering business is starting to take-off and this will be a great opportunity to show our stuff.  At the end of last year we did Christmas for Stephen Applebaum and his staff at Nine West, Chanukah with the Sax’s and 120 of their nearest and dearest and New Year’s at Bobby Waxman’s in Hamilton.  It really pushed me to my limits after the incredibly busy time we had in the dining room just keeping up with the crowds that Ms. Kates sent our way.  lol I don’t mean to sound ungrateful.

Catering is a different business and I need some help with a number of events coming up.  Enter Shai Bomze.  Shai is a business school grad and son of Amos who until recently was involved with Oliffe Meat on Yonge Street.  The catering business should be a natural for him.  I have half a dozen large-ish bookings coming up and we’ll see how we do together.  He’s smart, friendly and really seems to “get” this.

We catered a shiva this morning and had a reasonably busy day.  The shiva was in an amazing house in the High Park area off Ellis Avenue.  John Peck’s cousin Nancy’s place.  Won’t even bother going into the cheesecake drama except to say that the product itself will heretofore be called “Catherine’s Naked Cheesecake”.

Personally, I’ve been hobbling on a bum knee for a week now.  Tried taking a couple days off last week to no effect.  Its very painful.  Expressions of sympathy from others seem to bring temporary relief.  Sitting down is even better.

Wordpress is having difficulty with spam so I’m disabling comments until thats fixed.

We ran out of meat at 9pm on Saturday evening.  It was busy but not that busy.  The new meat is smaller and we can only produce enough to, well, not even keep up with demand.  This brings me to the unmistakeable conclusion that I need a bigger smoker.  That means I need somewhere to put said smoker.  Ideas?  Anyone?

I am sorry for anyone who traveled and was disappointed.  We suck sometimes but that’s life.

Besides that it was a fantastic weekend.  Not the busiest ever but the smoothest by far at a reasonable volume.  That kitchen can only serve so many people and now we’re doing all kinds of catering.  Ahhhhh, that Corey Mintz, lover of cheesecake and fine smoked meat. His mention in the Star was enough to clean us out of cheesecake – but we have lots now. 

Thanks to him a sweet ‘little old lady’ on Bathurst way north of the 401 sweet-talked me into delivering a few pounds to her yesterday. I hope she calls again but I may need to enroll with some delivery service.  Unless you know a driver?

It never hurts to ask.

Shameless? Maybe.  Thrilled? Definitely.  My friend Ron Grebler brought a group of friends tonight and among them was the one and only JK.  Although we’d met briefly once before, I felt a nervous excitement I rarely feel.  Jamie Kennedy is special.  He’s an icon of Toronto chefs.  Poster-boy for sustainable food culture, responsible farming and reputed maker of “the best french fries” ever, Jamie Kennedy is as pleasant and warm an icon you’d care to meet.

I’m fortunate to have fed many of the great chef’s in the city.  Jesse Vallins, from Trevor Resto/Bar was an early influence and supporter.  In fact, Jesse was at the dinner party where I first served my meat. His encouragement and tutelage regarding my mustard and gravy have had huge and delicious impacts on my life and the lives of my customers.  Jesse brought Dave Cristian chef at the wonderful Chez Victor. Bob Berman of the late BoBa called me from his car after getting take-out telling me how delicious his sandwich was and greasy his wheel.  He came back the next day for sandwiches for his crew and brought his own wonderful ribs for us to sample. Frank from Barberian brought his family and comes in often. The Drake’s own inimitable Ivy Knight came on her birthday with her husband.

The celebrity aspect of this is overwhelming at times.  Yesterday Michael Cohl and Bill Ballard dined at Table No. One as they do when Mr. Cohl is in town.  On their way out I enjoyed introducing them to friend and upstart impressario Craig Hill of YYZ Records was a pleasure. Last week Senator Hugh Segal ate with Bill Fox and unfortunately I had gone home by the time Moses Znaimer came in late on Sunday.  We corresponded by email and we may cater something for him.

Speaking of catering… if you need anything… call me.  I carved sandwiches for Adam Farber and friends at his Superbowl party on Sunday.  Eric Katz called to book his stag this week. We did Chanukah and Christmas parties. You’ll see a catering menu soon on the new website.  In the meantime, call me.  Seriously, 416.500.3852. Weddings, bar mitzvahs, anything. I meant that literally: if you spend enough money we can do anything.

Anyway, I’m tired after a long day.  And all this name dropping takes a toll on one. We were written up in Peter Kuitenbrouwer’s column in the National Post (”Deli Brings World Together”) on Monday and saw a whole new bunch of faces this week. Tomorrow a Klezmer bank will preform one song at 1 pm.  I don’t really get it either but it sounds like fun.

Thats me.  Shameless and thrilled.