You have decided to cook for a living.
Maybe you were brought up in a restaurant or you discovered cooking was
a hidden talent that you could nurture and perhaps even make money doing
something that you enjoy. But in order to share your art with the world
at large, it has to pass through my hands. Little of what you produce
will ever touch a person’s tongue if I’m not there to serve.
I’m a waiter. I have been working at a “fine dining” level
of service for 10 years and before that I worked at the “deli and diner”
level for more years than I care to remember. I became a waiter because
I was born into a restaurant family. Service is as natural to me as breathing.
That doesn’t mean I like it all the time. Let’s face it, even the air
stinks occasionally. But I’ve tried other professions and I have always
come back to service.
The relationship between the front of the house and the
back of the house breaks down to this, its most basic element: we need
each other. In order to be a waiter, I need food to serve. I would prefer
to serve food that I am proud of and can recommend without reservation.
In order to be a chef, you need to have your menu represented and served
the way you like. And if the communication between the chef and the waiter
is as it should be, then the customer will be satisfied and will come
back again and again. The waiter makes decent tips and the chef gets a
glowing reputation and the business grows. What could be sweeter?
If only it were that simple. It isn’t always easy to get
information from a chef. There’s lots going on in a kitchen as the line
crew starts gearing up for service. So there should be a moment before
the doors open when the chef is accessible and can go over menu items
that any waiter might be unsure of. This includes tastings. Nothing is
as valuable to a waiter as seeing the presentation and understanding all
the important elements of a dish before the customer arrives. And nothing
is more frustrating than a chef who doesn’t do this on a regular basis.
But this means that the waiter has a responsibility to
listen and remember the information when it’s offered. I have known waiters
who will get up from a pre-shift meeting and go blank. They have no idea
what the specials are and can’t remember the difference between sautéing
and braising. How should you deal with them?
I’m sorry to say that the only way a chef can be sure
whether the waitstaff gets the menu or not is by administering tests.
This can be done in the few extra minutes before service with the entire
staff or you can sit down with each server individually and quiz them
verbally. It shows the waiters that you are serious about your food and
want the same commitment from them. With the confidence that having the
correct information gives, a waiter can then be an effective salesperson
and offer complete service to any guest.
Amy Sunshine's first job in a restaurant
was washing the glasses in her father's Kosher deli. Currently she is
a waiter at The Dining Room of the Ritz-Carlton. Please direct any questions
or comments to
[email protected]