A lot of entertaining goes on at Le Poisson Bleu and sometimes it’s impossible to put it all together. At work, we have interns who help the team research, follow hearings and support other functions of the firm. Since they are all in college, it helps them sample different areas as they formulate their careers.
With so many events at the house, we created the role of a Housetern, which is basically an intern for the house during parties and events. Houseterns help cut and chop in the kitchen, along with serving and cleaning. It’s a flexible gig for college students. The first Housetern, Jared, was introduced to us by an office staffer, Dom, who went on to the Officer Training program of the Marine Corps. We are now on the fifth round, or so, of Houseterns, including several younger siblings of the original crew. It’s a good lesson in management as they pick and choose who replaces exiting Housterns, organizing the schedule and police each other while working. It also offers life lessons in the kitchen, often to the surprise of their parents. The best story: When Housetern Jack went home one Christmas, he cooked a family dinner. At graduation, when his parents were visiting Washington, his mother and father marveled at how he had learned to cook in college.
Several joined the military after graduation, including some who were deployed to the front lines of Afghanistan and Iraq. It has been joked that working at Le Poisson Bleu prepares them for their military endeavors.
The Housesterns get to know a wide range of people from CEOs, celebrity chefs, political leaders, journalists and many other friends.
