Cloaked in mystique and shrouded in a grandiose quality, chefs are
traditionally the talent behind a restaurant or club, the silent, if you
will, operator/director backstage. With elaborate food creations being the
only attempt at conveying their personality to the guest/customer, the chef
remains a faceless enigma.
But the role of the fine-dining chef is evolving. We are becoming public
relations experts and taking visible and personal responsibility for our
guests' satisfaction. Twenty years ago, I walked the dining rooms at Monroe
Golf Club, poured wine, engaged in conversation with the guests, educating
them to what went into their menu and about the food they would be ordering
for dinner. Success of that dining room was assured because, in a small
way, I shook hands and welcomed guests. I was a visible component of the
total operation & dining experience.
When the chef trades the anonymity of the kitchen for the public realm of
the dining room, the response is immediate & positive. Believe it or not,
the switch helps maintain repeat business in a returning customer.
There are, in my opinion, three components that make for a memorable dining
experience: 1. Exceptional food, 2. Exceptional service & 3. Exceptional
surroundings. The chef's role in the dining room adds
significantly to this formula and in an integral part of success and luring
customers back to your tables.
A chef in the dining room also demonstrates a transparent customer-service
philosophy. People love talking with the person cooking their food! With
your strong, but not over bearing presence in the dining room you create a
warm, inviting, cozy and naturally easy feeling. Noting can surpass a
chef's warm reception.
The final thought I want to share this month is that you must have good
communication with the front of the house managers. They are the people who
will keep us informed of special guests, special needs, celebrations, what
ever, in the dining room. They are the "barometers," so to speak...not the
enemy. A dining experience can be positive or negative depending how the
atmosphere in the restaurant comes across to the guest....and they know when
there's tension. The tension is usually created by us and our unwillingness
to communicate and respect the front of the house personnel. Admit it or
not! Don't wait for them to respect us, earn it! "Do unto others, etc.,"
remember that little ditty? The Golden Rule, perhaps?