Special From the Chef: Grilled Mackerel

I don’t eat out that often, but I had a phenomenal meal last night at a sushi restaurant. The best part was that my dinner wasn’t even on the menu.

Spanish mackerel was one of the featured fish, but I didn’t feel like eating sushi or sashimi. I asked the waitress if there were any whole ones, and if yes, would the chef be interested in grilling one for me.

The waitress returned and said the chef was very excited to grill a mackerel (that was caught the previous day) for me. She also told me that the chef had asked if I was Asian!

The fish was perfectly cooked and delicious; I couldn’t have been happier with my luck.

I think I made the chef’s night as well, since he came out while I was eating to make sure his cooking was to my liking.

The moral of the story is that chefs will sometimes be very happy to make a special dish, as long as they have the ingredients and the kitchen isn’t that busy. Sure, you may get a “no,” but there’s also a chance you’ll be treated to a truly great meal.