In the tourist city of Lugria, in the kingdom of Formeral, there are countless entertainment venues, whether they are shopping malls, restaurants, or simple arcades. Generally, 90% of these places are practically full at all times, no matter what time onebody decides to go.
From the center of the city, which is where the most important administrative buildings congregate, are born what are known as five great avenues. They are the main streets, and each is characterized by something.
Rosgoe Avenue is one of the five avenues. With more than five kilometers in length, it has no buildings dedicated to entertainment. It is, for the most part, where the offices are located, and where the largest companies in the country have their headquarters.
For the sake of prosperity, not only for the city, but also for the kingdom itself, it was the real estate agencies themselves who made an unwritten agreement. They established adequate prices, which were not abusive, in order to attract companies to the city.
However, there are two buildings located on Rosgoe Avenue that clash with the common sense of the nature of the place. Especially when the owner of one of them announced the purchase, everyone was surprised.
With a light green facade, thus emitting a sense of peace and tranquility, and with a sign hanging on the door that says 'Le Dernier Festin', a huge queue of people is waiting excitedly to enter the premises. Although they have reservations made, they still have to wait.
It is not just any place, it is one of the most famous restaurants in all of Lugria. No, it would be more appropriate to say that it is the most prestigious in the entire kingdom.
Her revolutionary food is capable of bringing a smile to those who are plunged into the deepest of depressions; can evoke feelings of nostalgia in those who have lost a loved one; or even give strength to those who have to return to exhausting work.
All that is thanks to the culinary skills of the owner. But, its fame also comes from the numerous gastronomic awards that the young owner accumulated in less than a single year. Classic cuisine, revolutionary cuisine, blind tastings of drinks, spices... No matter what he participated in, he won easily. His talent is described as unmatched.
Even having managed to book a table, customers wait patiently at the doors, hoping to be able to eat at the restaurant. It does not matter if it is a weekday or a holiday, people can be seen in the premises.
"Table five wants the check!"
"Table eighteen is ready to order!"
"Table thirteen wants more bread and gravy!"
And, like every day, all restaurant staff members work hard to please their guests. It doesn't matter if it's the waiters or the cooks, they all do their best.
At the entrance of the premises there is a girl in a waiter's outfit, receiving customers. She is the maître d' at Le Dernier Festin restaurant, Sandora Panda.
"Welcome, do you have a reservation?"
"Yes, in the name of Rogers."
Look for the name in the agenda, until you find it. There are a lot of reservations booked, so you have to make sure to indicate that you have arrived.
"Rogers... Here it is. Your table will be ready in five minutes. If you wish, you can wait for a drink in our bar. You will have a discount."
Receiving guests is part of your duties as maître. The restaurant, apart from offering meals, also has an attached bar for those who just want to have a drink. The bar has another entrance available on the street, but they communicate with the restaurant.
So that customers could liven up the wait at the bar, Sandora suggested to the owner that, for those who still did not have their table ready, they could have something at the bar with a small discount, also encouraging consumption in it. In order to keep a good control, and prevent someone from entering the restaurant without permission from the bar, a ticket is needed, which is given by the maître d to those who wish to go to the annex.
The owner approved the idea the moment it was presented to her. She really has a great eye for business.
The line of diners doesn't seem to thin at all.
*Ring ring ring*
The phone at the entrance, and main line of the restaurant rings, and Sandora answers it.
"Restaurant Le Dernier Festin, how can we help you? A reservation for two people in two hours? I'm afraid... Understood, I'll tell them to prepare it immediately!"
As soon as the conversation ends, he hangs up the phone and calls one of his colleagues.
"Mike, fill in for me. I have to go talk to Claire urgently."
"Don't worry, leave it to me."
Mike, along with Sandora herself, are some of the oldest on the staff, and when Sandora has the day off, he's the one who performs the maitre'd duties. Sandora obviously trusts Mike completely, or she wouldn't ask him to replace her.
Already with Mike in the reception, Sandora goes to the internal part of the premises. There, apart from being the warehouses, there are also two offices. One of them is used by the maître, and it is where Sandora works when she has to carry out management tasks.
The other office is where important documents are kept. It is also where the founder and main chef of the place has her work table. Although she is the head chef, she is also the one who is in charge of most of the administrative tasks, so, except on some occasions when she has free time, she is not the one who cooks.
However, her name is still a good claim. It was she herself who instructed the current sous-chef, who is also a renowned chef.
Knock on the door. "Go ahead," they reply from the other side at once. Sandora, open and go in, you have to talk to the owner.
Working at her desk is a beautiful girl with crimson reddish hair, pulled back into a single ponytail. She wears a black suit fit for an executive, and the small silver-rimmed glasses give her a touch of intellectual. There are documents on the table, she was reviewing the data from last week.
For her, numbers are a horrible thing. She does it because certain tasks like that are the owner's duty, and it's something she can't delegate. She would love to be cooking right now, or having coffee, but she would be unable to stop working just because she hates it. Her enormous pride prevents her.
Look up to see who came in. Seeing the young brown-haired girl, the red-haired girl, Claire, sighs.
"Ahh, it's you, Sandora. Didn't I tell you that you don't have to come in without knocking?"
"Don't be like that, Claire. You know I'm doing it for politeness."
Countless times, Claire told Sandora that when she went to the office by herself, she didn't have to knock on the door. They have known each other for six years, when the restaurant opened. But it is Sandora herself who refuses to come in without knocking. She couldn't bear to commit such rudeness. She is the maître d' of the restaurant, and she has to watch her manners.
"Well, is something wrong?"
The owner asks. It is true that the two usually meet. More to the point, Claire meets with her and Paul, the sous-chef, at the end of each day. But, if Sandora left her post and came to your side at that time, it is because something has come up that requires your attention.
"They've made a reservation for two people for less than two hours..."
"So? You left the entrance just to tell me that?"
The restaurant has an internal line. In total, there are five telephones: the reception and main number of the premises; the kitchen, the bar; and those of the two offices.
Claire doesn't understand why Sandora didn't call her directly, or why she's telling her. Based on previous experiences, there shouldn't be any tables available for such a rushed reservation.
"No... You see, the caller said 'I hope it's ready by the time I get there, I'm looking forward to having lunch with Clai. Please make sure you pass this message on to the owner from Stella.'"
"Stella?!"
Hearing that name, Claire quickly gets up from the table. 'Stella' is not someone's real name. It is simply a way of referring to a specific client.
In the Le Dernier Festin restaurant, to get a table onebody has to reserve it in advance, at least two weeks. The most select clients, those who have a special relationship with the owner, receive a nickname, a VIP pass, with which they can make these types of reservations.
Of course, Sandora knows the different nicknames for these clients, but she thought it best to discuss it with her in person.
"Prepare VIP room number three, for two people!"
Only Claire has the authority to allow the VIP rooms to be used, and they are designed to deal with precisely the most select clients.
Having received instructions from Claire, Sandora prepares to leave, but is stopped by the owner, who gives her a serious look.
"Sandora, one moment. You will fully attend to the client, keep that in mind."
Hearing this, Sandora's heart pounded. Attending completely consists in that she will be the one who prepares the food, will serve it to the diners and will act as a waitress to serve them. Performing all three tasks is a lot of work, but it's also a great honor that Claire allows it. At the end of the day, it means that she fully trusts the capabilities, both culinary and catering, of the person.
"Yes! I'm not going to let you down!"
Determined, she answers. She's a little nervous, but it's a unique opportunity. In all this time that he has been working with Claire, he has been in charge of the restaurant while she is away, so it is obvious that the owner appreciates his skills. But he never commissioned something of this caliber... Until now. And not only that, but it is also for a VIP customer. It is a unique opportunity, and one that will not be missed.
