Miracle workers

Today Obama is made President of the United States of America. So many hopes seem to be pinned on this man. I have difficulty in imagining he is going to be able to solve all the world's problems. In the last week I've heard how he's going to fix the world's economic problems, solve the Israel/Palestine troubles, end the wars in Afghanistan & Iraq, make life so much easier & fairer for black people & women. In fact just about everything. Surely this is expecting too much of any one person.

I will admit even I can't help feeling a bit of hope. At last we seem to have a man of great intelligence & vitality, a man who doesn't holds grudges, a magnificent orator, a man with vision who looks outside of the United States. And that's quite a relief after Bush. But I don't believe in people who can just wave a magic wand & abracadabra, the world's ills are solved.

Last night we watched the first part of the Channel 4 programme, "Big Chef Takes On Little Chef", in which Heston Blumenthal is given the task of solving the problems of the Little Chef restaurant chain. Much as I am dubious about some of his culinary experiments, & some of the portion sizes at his own restaurant seem ludicrously small, I did end up feeling that he was being asked to do the impossible with his hands tied behind his back. How anyone can hope to turn a restaurant's fortunes around without knowing their gross profit margins I don't know. I can understand Little Chef not wanting to publicise these details on the TV, but surely they could at least tell him off camera. He's told to "think outside the box", "do some blue skies thinking", bring back the excitement that was Little Chef. Yet the moment he tries anything really different, it's too radical, but if he goes traditional, it's regarded as no better than what they already offer. He just can't win. We'll see if things get easier for him as the week goes on.

Personally I think they would have been better off employing a more traditional chef like Brian Turner for the job. To my mind Little Chef is about good solid British fare at reasonable prices but with some flavour. The only food we've recently appreciated at a Little Chef has been simply griddled fish with new potatoes. I also appreciated being offered a choice of salad dressings with a salad once. Food needs to be quick & flavoursome. Most Little Chefs are the sort of place you stop for a quick bite at as you break a long journey rather than a restaurant you go out of your way for as a special culinary treat.

I can but say I wish both miracle workers the best. If either achieve a fraction of the expectations put upon them, they will have done well.