Since I have been in the hospitality field specializing in travel PR for over thirty years, one of the curses I have is noticing service slips, when using the gold standard of Four Seasons Hotels, a client in my early years. It is like when an architect designs a house with the mantra “God is in the details,” but the contractor leaves out one small pane of glass – it compromises the entire experience.
In this instance, we took the occasion of a special anniversary to dine at the most posh restaurant in this tony town of Westport, knowing we’d have great food and a superb glass of wine. The beginning of the experience started off just fine. After being seated at a table which wobbled, the waiter and busboy immediately offered to move us to one that stood still. A plus mark, in my book.
When I started looking at the wine list, my eyes immediately went to the Bordeaux, which by the glass was $28, a bit out of my comfort zone. So I asked the waiter about it anyhow. “We’re out of that any way.” Okay, that happens, I figured – no problem. “What do you recommend?” He kindly brought me three to taste and I settled on one.
My husband and I began chatting, and looking at the one menu we had.
A Series of Blunders Compromises the Dining Experience
Mistake One – When I showed the waiter we had folded up the menu in an attempt to balance the first table they should have brought a replacement menu. No, worries, we like sharing and read with interest the offerings.
When the waiter came back we mentioned we needed another menu and he swiftly brought one – no apology necessary, I guess he thought. Something a person trained in hospitality would have done graciously, and in most cases, replaced the missing menu in the first place without my having to ask.
Mistake Two – As I looked over the table, readying myself to take a shot for this blog, I noticed the wine glass base and rim were dirty with a kind of film – in other words not polished clear the way they are at a fine restaurant. When you are paying $31 and up for entrees, this is a no-no. In fact, anywhere, it would be unacceptable. But I had my wine, such as it was, and merrily sipped along.
Mistake Three – The waiter came back to go over what they were out of in the kitchen, which were a lot of dishes for a 50 plus seat restaurant, and tell us the specialties. One sounded lovely: pillows of pasta stuffed with ricotta cheese in a butter sauce with fresh garden peas. I asked the waiter if it’s possible to have it without the prosciutto. He said, “Not a problem.” He eagerly took down our selections, and trotted off to the kitchen.
When the first course came. It looked and tasted delicious. However mine was lukewarm. As Robert De Niro said in Taxi Driver, “I like my food hot and my house clean.” If any of you have seen that rugged movie, let me submit to you that I am in no way as judgmental as the character he played, and retaliation was far from my mind. In fact, I intend to dine at Vespa again, because they have outdoor dining by the river in the summer – a beautiful spot.
I noticed a gentleman delivering the dishes, ostensibly straight from the kitchen in view behind us, and because he donned the white jacket and it had that elegant embroidered script identifying him as the chef I identified him as such. When the man came out again, I caught his attention, and said I wanted to share something as a friendly person from the hospitality field. I mentioned that the dish was delicious, but the food wasn’t hot. To my surprise, he was not the same person, though his hair and skin color were the same, with the same thin tall build. Not a problem, again, he would relay the news to the kitchen. (This was another waiter, just a chef look alike, I guess, to confuse unobservant guests like me.) He should have offered to bring a replacement of the pasta – this time hot from the kitchen.
Mistake Four – The pasta dish had been brought to me, despite my comment about leaving out the prosciutto, with lots of it. But, again, no worries, my husband enjoyed nibbling on it. After all, we’ve shared for over three decades, and we continue to – it keeps our marriage alive.
Mistake Five – With half my main course in front of me, still eating and chatting animatedly about my favorite subject, Knausaguaard’s new volume in his series of spellbinding works causing waves in the world of literature internationally, the busboy attempted to remove my plate. “Wait, Wait, not so fast!” I said, just as Maggie Smith so emphatically declared in Downton Abbey when seated in a swivel chair that started to reel a bit out of control for the dowager.
So as a “hotel maven,” and one who adores fine service consistently found in luxury hotels, as well as mid-priced properties like Marriott’s, I confess I was disappointed.
Did it ruin the meal – not entirely. After all the Market Price Striped Bass was superb. However next time, we will probably dine at Arezzo, directly across the street, and situated along the river as well. It was our favorite before, and alas, we will be returning.
Were these gaffes excusable? My only comment there is that mistakes are made, as Shakespeare said, “To err is human.” It’s what you do about it in hospitality that makes the difference.
Parting Words on a Humble Servant
When I first represented Four Seasons Hotels, and the company put my husband and I up in their property in Boston to experience the brand of service the group has come to define, one dish was left off our room service dinner delivery. Without much of a mention, the waiter brought us fresh berries with a touch of whipped cream for dessert, at no charge, of course, he informed us with little fanfare. That’s caring, and it’s all in the gesture of graciousness, which I value so highly in this great world of hospitality.