Moments before, in one of those bizarre but not-so-rare moments in the work life of the professional chef, Montesano was told that an elderly woman had taken a bite from one of the desserts.
For a brief time, Montesano, 29, felt compelled to stand guard over the desserts. But of course, he couldn't do that for long, considering his position overseeing a kitchen staff of eight that helps turn out a large variety of foods, from hot sandwiches to huge platters of surf and turf.
Still, the incident points to Montesano's willingness to go with the flow, even if it means time away from the kitchen.
"You have to love what you do," said Montesano, an amiable man who has a cyclist's slender build and an easygoing manner. During his off hours, he might be found on the golf course, often with Ludwig's pastry chef, Derrick Altman.
"I love to cook. Of course, I do everything else, too. I run the kitchen. I do the scheduling. I do the ordering," he said. "I'm here 12 hours a day, but you know what? Cooking brings it all back into perspective."
Montesano said he grew up with the restaurant, arriving as a line cook 11 years ago and watching as then-new co-owners Bob Landis and Steve Graham transformed Ludwig's Inn, the old barnlike landmark, into Ludwig's Inn & Oyster Bar, a 200-seat restaurant complete with a formal dining area and a sports bar that includes booths and a raw oyster bar.
After years of coming to Ludwig's - a place I used to associate with numerous side dishes in plastic dishes - I took note of its new formality.
The table settings and dish presentations were nicely done, and they made our meal that much more enjoyable even as we sat in a booth with a TV perched overhead. (The main dining room, of course, offers a more quiet setting with widely spaced tables and serene lighting.)
