My table at the Carillon

Jennifer got me a reservation for a chef's tasting menu at The Carillon.  I showed up about 40 minutes early, and the host said they had my table prepared.  I was surprised, because I thought I would need to wait until my reservation time.  The waiter didn't lead me to a spot in the dining room (honestly, I thought I was just going to sit at the bar) - he took me away from the main dining area and into a waiter's station.

They had prepared me a special table where I could see directly into the kitchen.  Jen had told them about culinary school, so they set up a cool table just for me.  Chef Watkins introduced himself, his chef de cuisine, and the other two chefs.  We talked for a moment, and then he offered me a tour of his kitchen.  We checked out the hot side, the sautee and flat top, the hot side's mise en place and protein drawers.  Then the cold side, Watkins' expediting station, and the chef de cuisine's station. 

I was totally stunned and flattered.  Tickets came in so I let myself out and went back to my table for the start of my menu.

The Carillon:
http://www.meetattexas.com/restaurants.html

Chef Watkins:
http://www.meetattexas.com/executive-chef.html