Staff meals

In the restaurant
where I cut my teeth
we did what was called
a staff or family meal
before dinner service
someone would make a large salad
and we would take turns making the meal
usually pasta or something else inexpensive
it was that way
when I got there
and when
I became the chef
I carried on the tradition
at that point
when I was working
16 hours a day
it would often be
my only meal
the rest of the time
I sustained myself
of mugs of espresso
cigarettes
and adrenaline