Bring Back the Fine Art of Service
WHEN
MY WIFE AND I WERE LOOKING FOR A CONDO LAST
YEAR, we came upon
a new development. If you looked up this designer in the
dictionary under “stereotypical Frenchman”, his picture
would be there. In a video introduction about the condos, we
saw him talking about this project and the only thing that
was missing was a black beret and a Gauloises cigarette. Who
knows, maybe he put one on and smoked one off camera. In his
pitch, one line delivered in a classic French guttural
accent particularly amused me. He kept talking about how he
wanted the condos to be more than a place where people would
live. He’d say, “I want you to be the Art!”
Pompous and over
the top? Absolutely. However, I was recently thinking about
this and wondered if he had a point. Wouldn’t it be nice to
experience more art in our everyday lives? One lost art in
restaurants is tableside service; filleting a fish, making
Caesar salad from scratch, flaming Bananas Foster, to name
but a few. It’s a little old fashioned, but it was an art
that lent an element of flair to the dining room. The
clients felt special to have this performance right before
their eyes. Nowadays, even the most upscale restaurants are
downplaying formality, striving to create an approachable,
more casual atmosphere. I’m fully in favor of making the
dining experience less intimidating, but it seems we’ve also
lost some of the art along the way – the proverbial throwing
out the baby with the bathwater. I’d like to see some of the
tableside service aspects of formal dining make a comeback,
not only in formal establishments but also in more casual
restaurants in ways that make sense for that setting. I’ve
seen three ways that tableside wine service can be
successfully integrated into the dining experience without
stuffy formality – recreating the Art.
First Tableside
assistance with selections can be introduced with a simple
drop-by at the table to let the guest know they can get
assistance if interested. This gives a strong impression of
a serious wine program, and provides opportunity for
value-added interaction with the guest. It can be tailored
to the style of the restaurant based on the communication
and service style of the wine advisor, but requires strong
education of the waitstaff and/or having a wine professional
or wine-savvy manager on the floor.
Second Tableside
pouring of wines by the glass is a very easy way for all
members of the restaurant to create a little flair
regardless of experience. Having the bottles on hand to
present and pour at the table is another opportunity to
enter the microcosm of the table and interact with the
guest. This provides the guest with better service, letting
them see the product that they’re about to enjoy, and
increases the level of quality control because servers pay
more attention to what they pour when they’re performing in
front of the guest. Furthermore, by providing a little taste
to assure guest satisfaction, you save the loss of a glass
if the guest sends it back while again increasing the guest
satisfaction quotient.
Third Tableside
decanting can improve the wine while giving clientele an
impression of expertise in how to serve wines, thus adding
value above what they’d likely experience in their own home.
It also provides an opportunity to add an artistic touch in
line with the restaurant theme by using uniquely styled
decanters appropriate to the setting. It is important to
note however that decanters really need to have a non
reactive material. For example, metal isn’t good because it
can add a metallic taste to the wine. Glass is the usual
medium and as long as it gives good surface area exposure
and it isn’t difficult to get the last glass of wine out,
there are many creative shapes that can be integrated into
your establishment.
What separates
the good from the great is the attention to detail. This is
more than just making sure the linen is ironed or the silver
is polished. It is an attitude of being the Art.
