The Saturday night that was nearly a hit

It was the usual Saturday night - table reservations mostly comprised strangers on their weekly trip out. But on this particular evening, my diplomatic other half, the wife, was in bed with the flu. I approached the evening's business with trepidation.

After a few hours I was called to table five. I had no knowledge of the problem but had been told that the party wanted to see "the management".

All looked well with the food from the main course and I must have looked a little puzzled.

The group's host insisted on taking me away from the table to discuss the problem, although I said it was perfectly alright to talk to me right there.

But he insisted so we moved away. With that, the whole party rose and followed. I was encircled by a strange-looking group.

The complainant then proceeded to tell me that he could not possibly eat his plaice because it was upside down! (We serve our fish skin side up, scored and deliciously coated in butter.)

I have dealt with many complaints in my time and yet at this point an irrepressible smile began to play on my face.

Try as I might to ascertain which way up the customer considered to be the "right side", it was apparent that he was in no mood to discuss such intricacies.

He lunged across the table in the hope of landing a punch on my face. Lucky for me, the menacing group restrained him and hastily pulled him from my dining room.

The incredulity of the situation often leaves me to ponder on which way up the plaice should be or even whether a plaice knows which way up to swim!

If you can relive the worst moment in your catering career, share it with us. Send it to My Worst Moment, Caterer & Hotelkeeper, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS. Everyone who has an item published will receive the original cartoon accompanying the article.