Chef Jerome at Megan Avenue II, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng. Crappy pictures to convey crappy mood taken using my camera phone. The absolute rudest and most insulting place I have been in ever. Second only to being chased out because of my skin colour in Le Harve, France more than a decade ago. But that's another story.Drop by to visit my ex-colleagues who promptly decided to take me for a drink. It was 11Am, the mamak was noisy and La Rambla is not yet open. We went to Chef Jerome as it looks like it has a quiet spot to drink and talk. Went in, ordered drinks, iced coffee, sorry no, OK, iced lemon tea. Hot chocolate with a few ice cubes please, sorry can't do that. Fine. Instead of welcoming you and showing the menu, the girl then just shouted from the counter. "Inside is only for customer eating in, you must order something", OK, tuna sandwich please. Sorry, not yet available. Can you order something else if you want to sit inside ? For crying out loud, there's only two tables inside and we were the only customer.
We start steaming up. Come on its 11 Am, we are the only customer and this is how we are treated ? At this point, a Caucasian, presumably Chef Jerome himself appears from the kitchen and spoke loudly to the girl - its already on the table, can't they read the notice. My colleague, bloody bastard, go back to your home country. It it was medieval times, I would have burned down the place. The three of us, including a lady, treated like trash when all we wanted is some drinks and a place to sit. Its not for free. Drinks are upwards of RM7. I am pissed off.
Any of you in the tourism, licensing or consumer ministry or whatever, please pay this place a visit and tell them to respect their customers. Then again, we also notice that there are few customers whenever we pass by. Maybe its only a front for some illegal activity. Anyone care to investigate before these idiots tarnish Malaysia's image especially in the coming Merdeka month ?
9 comments:
Just curious... what did the notice on the table say?
Something like "seats inside for customer eating in only"... on the two tables, only two !
I've been there a few times. Jerome's pastries are nice, as are his cookies. The peak hour crowd is decent, and some big shots drop by there now and then, including gun-toting bodyguards... no joke.
Food aside, the man himself is unfortunately quite a different story. He's quite The Angry Chef and generally gives his staff (who're always under pressure to 'enforce' some of his store policies) a bit of a hard time.
The girl you saw there was I think the only staff member left (there apparently was a number of them working there... I suspect no prizes for guessing why they left!) . I hear she has to take quite a bit of verbal abuse from the chef on a daily basis, but stays on in the hopes of learning some baking from him, so I cut her some slack. Regulars tend to get used to the quirks, but they certainly can be unnerving and annoying to new ones :P
Goodness! Why do people put up with his quirks? Isn't that just encouraging him more? I am wondering if that is a place "to see and be seen". For that purpose, people will put up with anything to be hip. Is his food "to die for"? That is another reason why some will put up with his rudeness for a taste of his food. *sigh*
Maybe his pastries and cookies are nice because he throws his passion into it. :)
zitadelle, thanks for the info. Still, no excuse to treat another person as trash and unforgivable when that person is a paying customer.
jt, his cakes is not bad but the sweetness turn to bitter because of his attitude.
I would have shown him my middle finger and get out.
Dear Apandi,
Thats the usual welcome at chef jerome :)
dont take it so hard. its not personal.
by the way, the rational behind the compulsory rule "no food, no table" is cos its a pastry shop not a beverage outlet and malaysians do tend to sit for a long time. it's not viable since there's so very few tables
jerome should not have put tables & chairs in the first place. it would have solved his pr issues. can't have the cake and eat it too i guess.
he is rude but the pastries are value for money.
put it down to a unique experience in the heart of kl.
Dear Apandi,
Strongly agree with Anonymous :) Cakes at Chef Jerome are delicious, I give two thumbs up. You will never wanted others once you have tried one there. Yummy...
I have been there so many times, basically every week. But I always received good treatment, perhaps I respect the rule "table inside is strictly for eating customer only". I hv my beverage and cake inside. It is understandable the cafe is not beverage outlet like others, it is a CAFE. Eventhough we always say customer is always right, but PLEASE, not all customers are well educated. Have a nice day!
i went there last weekend and couldnt find the shop.
has it moved ? anyone knows where it is ?
i havent been there for some time and I really miss their tarts & cakes....
Post a Comment