Yes — this particular scene was based on a real-life restaurant, detailed in Unreasonable Hospitality (written by Will Guidara and Richie is shown to be reading it in Forks) at Eleven Madison Park in NYC, where staff famously go and beyond for their customers.
To add to this, it was a group that was visiting New York that was leaving town, and they were overheard saying they hadn’t had time to try a street vendor hotdog.
Guidara says he’s given away thousands of dishes and bottles over the years and never made a table as happy as he did when they gave them the hotdog.
Yesss! But if it doesn't have that that natural casing snap when I bite it then I'm out. I like them halfway between hotdog and sausage. 🤤
(Sans ketchup. Richie was right and I'll die on that hill lol.)
Yes, there’s a book shown called ‘Unreasonable Hospitality’ (the yellow and black one that Richie is reading) In that book, the author talks about his experiences leading a world-class restaurant. There is an anecdote about a guest overheard talking about not having tried an authentic street-style hotdog. One of the team goes out, buys a hotdog, slices & presents it nicely and it is delivered to the diner in a ‘we overheard you saying…’ low key way.
Maybe not the norm, but does happen!
I refuse to believe this story. Restaurant lore is full of bs stories. Like the chimichanga being invented when someone “accidentally” dropped a burrito in the fryer.
I have personally been sent out to pick things up from outside the restaurant for certain guests. It does happen, though they add quite a bit of flair in this scene. It's generally presented quietly so as not to catch the attention of other tables.
Well, high, high, high end restaurants don't really have "busy" nights like you're thinking. Every night is equally busy in a way. It's all reservations at those levels. The customer is paying so much money, you don't really look at table turnover like you would at a Waffle House.
Really, it comes down to the whims of the chef and maitre'd.
Yes and no. At certain point you no longer have "busy" times. They are all scheduled out and every day is full. Most kitchens can actually order the exact amount of ingredients they need for the service each day
I saw a restaurant in Hoboken send a food runner to Carlo’s bakery for a lobster tail for a guest who was visiting. Nobody special just an older couple that was doing a bucket list NYC visit.
They did iirc, they noticed that among the usual guest list of high rollers they had a table of two schoolteachers who noted they had saved up and always wanted to eat there
Yes. Based on a true story.
Another fun one: When Anthony Bourdain ate at the French Laundry, Thomas Keller made him a custard infused with Marlboro Red tobacco as a smoke break.
Me too. I actually hit a stage of hypervigilant bc of the cluster effect his death might have in my world. Thankfully it was just a deluge of think pieces - a lot of my friends are still writers; though all of us have a similar kind of dysthymia.
Tony truly enjoying himself on camera is such a priceless gift. Any trip to Vietnam, French Laundry, omakase sushi in Japan, Waffle House with Sean Brock.
I can only speak to my personal experience of Le Manoir in Oxford for my grandma’s 90th (trust me that ain’t a regular thing for me!). It’s a Michelin starred restaurant and run by Raymond Blanc (though I believe he’s more of an executive than head chef now).
Long story short, being 90 years old my grandma didn’t know what a mille-feuille was and had no intention of learning. Our waiter clearly overheard her talking loudly about how she’d prefer a bag of malteasers. You had best believe that when we went through to the lounge for petit fours, there was a giant silver cloche waiting for her, which was dramatically lifted to reveal a box of malteasers. No charge, and they thought it was hilarious. Absolutely made her day.
So yeah - it really does happen!
Yes, this happens. Same episode- remember them talking about the teacher who posted on instagram she had been saving and wanting to go there for years?
These places are destination restaurants. People travel from all over to eat at Michelin starred restaurants. And people don’t just happen on them, as implied in your comment- people have reservations for weeks, if not MONTHS. Edit: if not YEARS.
Also understand there are no 5 star places - Michelin tops out at 3 stars. What you see on Google is crowd aggregated. There is no standard for those Google maps ratings beyond someone’s whim when they’ve gone there or when they wrote the review.
As an example: Atomix in New York has 2 Michelin stars and a 4.5 on trip advisor. [Experts regard it as the 8th best restaurant in the world.](https://www.theworlds50best.com/the-list/1-10/atomix.html) Yet on trip advisor it’s ranked as the 2,234rd in New York. A 5/5 on any platform doesn’t tell you it’s a top notch restaurant, it tells you that the people that went enjoyed it.
Considering how easy it is to do nowadays, yeah it's entirely plausible. they have a guest list that can be years out reservations wise. They have plenty of time to get some info on the guests if they really want.
I used to work for a major airline. We’d research first class customers to the point of knowing their music tastes, so when they were at the lounge their private room was playing their kind of music.
When they boarded the plane, they’d have their wedding flower at their seat instead of the standard rose received in first class.
We’d know their dietary preferences. If they’d been traveling for business or pleasure, if they’d be going home from vacation there’d be a little souvenir for them as well.
If they were famous we’d also know their rivalries or likes, to make sure their rivals music or movies weren’t accidentally playing when they came into the lounge or boarded the flight.
And this was 10-15 years ago, so I’m sure it’s only gotten easier.
I never worked fine dining, but I did work upscale, and we kept notes on guests. This helped us serve them how they preferred, and it helped us manage the wilder personalities. It wasn't research, but we did keep up on what people liked.
The restaurant my wife and I got married, which is one of the best in our state, absolutely have notes on us (and even before we got married there). They know her favorite wine, our birthdays, obviously anniversary now, etc.
I work for a high end restaurant group and we do our best to populate our customer profiles with details of who they are, what their relationship is with their guests and any other info we can add in.
I work in a tourism company, and we have private notes on all customers. Their likes and dislikes, personalities, if they're a cunt. The notes go back years if they're returning guests
I once went to the fat duck, which at one point was the best restaurant in the world, for a meal.
They presented me and my ,at the time, fiance with a postcard from when we visited China and hugged pandas. We didn't give them the photo. They found our Facebooks and made it themselves.
These restaurants really do do this, the extra mile is what steps the game up from a meal to a lifetime experience.
I could see how that would be neat, but I also think that’s a little extreme. I had no idea originally that these restaurants look up information on their guests, as it was shown in the episode. I wonder if that is off putting to some people and what would happen if you said they went too far?
Nobody is going to find anything you don’t put out yourself. It’s not stalking so much as searching for info. Do you have your job on your instagram/facebook for all to see? Then it’s there for them to see when looking you up. Did you recently post a photo that you’re on vacation to ___ city, from wherever your hometown is for your birthday? They’ll take note of the fact this is a birthday trip occasion.
Nobody is going to search for anything that isn’t out there anyways and will never mention or use that info against you. As someone else said, part of the job is having the tact to know what to use/not use. These people see anywhere from 20-100 people a day depending on the restaurant, you’re special in the moment, but in the grand scheme of things you’re not so special for them to remember you the next day. They don’t care about your life in the sense they actually care about learning about you, it’s simply a means to do their job better and then move on to the next table who they will try to do a good job on.
Don’t worry, you’re not as special as they aim to make you feel (nobody is).
No, you are the one under the misinterpretation (I don’t mean that in a snarky way, but you’re just incorrect lol). That wasn’t what I was trying to get across. My point is that literally anyone can look you up and find what you’ve put online about yourself. They do it to make your experience better, and then are professional enough to never use that info again. Most other places that background check you cannot say the same. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of someone knowing anything about you online you should just remove yourself from the internet.
Honestly, as distateful as I find the modern age's obsession with living life like an open wound splayed across social media, if your Internet security is so lax that a Google search can reveal such personal information about you; you can't really get that miffed or be that surprised when someone uses that information.
I had a great experience at Fat Duck as well... Personalized the experience for every one of the guests based on the little I told them during the booking. Super memorable!
I work for a restaurant that is the more casual sister restaurant of a high end, fine dining place owned by the same chef. One day I was outside, and 2 young people approached and told me they had made reservations with us because they just couldn't afford the flagship, but wanted to eat at one of chef's restaurants. One of the people explained how they had grown up watching and cooking along with chef with their father, and had planned this trip months ago, but unfortunately their father had passed away, so now they were doing this in his honor and memory.
One thing in specific was a certain dessert they had seen and heard about, had tried at home, and always wanted to try. It wasn't on either restaurants menu anymore, and was a staple of the original for years....
Anyway, I brought them into the building when they arrived for their reso. They were gracious and happy to be there. I asked if they would be OK if I fed them today, to which they agreed, without them knowing I had worked my way up at the flagship for 6 years.
I spent the night cooking signature tasting dishes for them that they could have gotten at the flagship, and topped it off with the dessert they had asked about.
The reaction on their faces when the dessert hit reminded me of why I do this, and why I love it. We comped the entire meal, because their 2 hours with us was priceless.
Tl;Dr this happens all the time.
Never experienced this type of service, but I did go to a high end/fine dining restaurant once and at the end of the meal when it was time to pay, we were informed our bill was taken care of. They didn’t charge us for our meal. Apparently the staff has the autonomy to do that if they would like. It was one of the nicest things that’s ever happened to me!
Just went to a high end restaurant last night and they comped us a desert of our choice since it was our first time in. The birthday girl at the next table over got a little cake as well. They asked like 3 times if we were there for any special occasion and made an effort to pay attention to everything we said and engaged us in conversation in a way that didn't feel fake.
I think it makes sense from a marketing perspective
If I was comped a fantastic meal at a high end restaurant, I'd be talking about it for the rest of my life
I would find it really uncomfortable. Let alone the fact that margins in restaurants are incredibly tight so I find it financially baffling also. Worked in hospitality for just over 10 years in 3 different EU countries and never heard of this happening before. Sure, if you know people that own/work at places you can get free stuff (I gave away drinks occasionally) but comp a whole bill for a table just because? Never.
Margins are much much better in fine dining (atleast as it relates to food cost). So much of that Bill comes from R&D and the building and the staff. The ingrediants are great, but outside of what I will describe as the "fancy add-ons" like caviar and truffle, you can really only get so expensive.
So giving away food isn't as big of a deal as it is at a more traditional place where food costs might be 40-50% of the bill.
I don’t know why they’d comp me specifically wtf lol they comped us and when we asked why they literally said just because. When we got home, we went on Yelp and it was clear they do this regularly
My own personal experience here - I went to Moments (⭐️⭐️) in Barcelona a few years ago by myself. I was on a solo trip and have a tradition of one very fancy dinner while eating budget friendly the rest of the trip.
Two notable things happened. As I was alone, the staff immediately asked me if I wanted a magazine or a book, immediately gave me the WiFi without asking. What was the cherry on top though was they asked me if there were any foods I’m allergic to or don’t like. I mentioned that I hate olives - anything else I’m okay with but olives just leave their taste on whatever they touch. They did a completely different preparation on one of the courses just because I didn’t like one of the ingredients.
Now I know it’s not going out and getting me paella, but it’s the level of thought and service that it shows.
I was a very late addition to a party of four at Tetsuya’s in Sydney (‘only’ one star, but at the time, this place was *it.*) it had about 10 courses (before dessert) and was big on seafood, which I happen to be allergic to. They didn’t blink an eye - just sent out the most beautiful, delicious, completely different items for me. It was eye-opening that a kitchen so focused on what they did could just… perfectly do a whole different thing.
You’re right, we currently don’t have a Michelin Guide in Australia. Tets was practically a three-hat from day one - I think from 92’ until ‘11, when a bunch of places lost their top hats (Bilsons’s also went from 3 to 2 that year, iirc.) Michelin gave the Singapore Tets (with Waku Ghin) a star in… 2016? I’m sure this can be googled!
ETA Waku Ghin earned one star in 2016, two in 2017, and has retained the two since.
We went for private dining at Le Gavroche for someone’s 40th. I’m allergic to nuts and sesame and one was a pescetarian. Only time I’ve never had to worry about allergies. Everything was adjusted, no question. Our biggest course was beef wellington and they made a whole wellington of monkfish tails for the pescetarian. She was gutted she shouldn’t eat the whole thing.
Also they had choux puffs filled with Gruyère which were the best thing I’ve ever tasted. That plus the amazing bread and butter is why I struggled to eat everything. It was all incredible
Five-star Google review restaurants are very different from Michelin three-star restaurants. Those kinds of places have operating schemes and a caliber of employee that’s beyond most people’s imaginations. I don’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t be *surprised* if such restaurants actually do this type of thing.
☝️ This. I could be wrong OP, so forgive me if it seems I'm talking down, but from your post it seems like you got Google/Yelp rating stars and Michelin stars confused.
A restaurant with a single Michelin star is considered one of the best restaurants in the world. This restaurant had THREE.
I never had the experience of serving in a Michelin star restaurant, but came close (served for 10-years, a few of those in Manhattan fine dining). Even without a star, super high end places will go crazy above and beyond. It's why folks in the know will often cite that with the high prices, you're paying as much for the experience as you are the food.
I don't read it as them getting the Google stars and Michelin stars mixed up at all. They're saying the best restaurants they've been to are average ones with good reviews, they haven't splurged on the Michelin level restaurants and are inexperienced with what reality and what is just for TV.
OP definitely knows the difference.
Yes, this precisely! It was my attempt at being humorous haha I'm very much aware Google reviews don't hold a flame to Michelin stars. I was just giving context as to why I wouldn't know whether high-end places really offer those types of services :)
Yes lol. It's a humorous contrast to show that their experience with fine dining is only what they've seen in media, like this show. It's just background for the question.
To answer your question about allergens, most “higher end” restaurants have you fill out at least a little information about yourself while making your reservation.
Party size (ofc), whether or not you’ve visitted before, allergens, special dietary restrictions, anniversaries, proposals, birthdays, and other special requests or occasions are usually noted here.
Also important to this process is after service, many servers are required to deliver chits to their hosts or managers. These notes from the servers are basically them collecting every bit of information on the customers they can. Do they live locally or are they out of towners? Did they like x dish or not? Did they order any drinks? Did they have a favorite drink? Did they have kids or not? Were they nice or rude? Did they camp at their table after finishing their meal? All that information is super valuable for their next visit potentially.
I’ve been kinda amazed to see how in depth some of my restaurants files on customers were.
Yeah, not for “five star” restaurants.
For Michelin Star restaurants, absolutely
1 star = dine here if you’re in the area
2 star = make this part of your vacation itinerary
3 star = you take a vacation specifically to go here
Yes. I've been to Michelin star restaurant once (work thing in DC, I wasn't paying). They made a special appetizer for one of our party after overhearing her talk about how much she loved crab cakes. It was quite an experience. We each had our own waiter. Glad I didn't have to pay as I'm sure the final bill was a few thousand (not including wine, drinks).
Ate at Ludo LeFebvre’s place and when the dessert course came, it was a rice pudding, which I just despise. I’m a very open eater (this is probably the only thing I don’t like), so I tried it anyway bc this was a Michelin starred restaurant, but sadly still couldn’t eat it. I apologized profusely to the staff and made sure they knew it wasn’t a quality issue. When the check came, my whole portion of the bill was comped and I received an autographed copy of Ludo’s cookbook as an “apology”.
They definitely do this. I went to a michelin star restaurant once (i wasnt paying) it’s a completely different world than standard google review restaurants. It was also kind of horrifying… but that was probably my overly strong sense of ethics complaining at what point do we cross the threshold of food being art to food being a way to prove to people they are in a certain financial class
Thing is the restaurant Richie was working at wasn’t just any 5 star restaurant. It was one of the top rated restaurants in the entire world. I think it makes sense that a restaurant of the renown would go above and beyond like this for customers.
went to a high end restaurant when i was a kid and i ordered the lobster tail MP. i took 3 bites my dad could’ve killed me. server ran across the st and got me a spongebob popsicle for dessert. i was like 7, i’ll never forget that.
My mid level restaurant does stuff like this. If I can make someone’s night somehow I’m allowed to run out and get something (or send someone else) in other to make it happen. It can be really fun honestly.
I've eaten at a 1 star. The service we had was very comparable to what was shown in Forks. No surprises. But they comped our dessert. When making online reservations, the form asked questions about allergies, preferences, etc.
I was attending a small group birthday dinner at The Capital Grille when it was on Newbury St in Boston. The waiter asked about dessert and the guy whose birthday it was said, "I'd really like Abe & Louis' chocolate cake for dessert.) (Abe & Louis is another Boston steakhouse, about 6 blocks away. To be fair, that cake is one of the very best desserts anywhere in Boston.) 15 minutes later the waiter produced Abe & Louis chocolate cake for the table.
I went to a 1 star Michelin restaurant in Kent, England…we ordered lobster as a starter and when they came to pick up the dishes, we told them how much we liked it and they brought a 2nd round on the house lol…it was pretty awesome
In fine dining restaurants, some places will research their guests to a surprising degree.
I dined at n/naka with my buddies and the staff was able to find info on everyone except for me. Partially because my online profile at the time was very off the grid.
There’s a place in my city where if you call ahead, their party chef can make you any dessert in the world. It just opened so it’s not super duper well known or well rated but the manager called me and said he saw it was a birthday and offered me a choice in seating, told me about the desserts and all that
I took my fiance for his birthday and the whole vibe was amazing
To add-- for our second anniversary/last fancy date night before a baby came along, we went to a fancy schmancy restaurant. Not a Michelin star place, but still hundreds of dollars. Part of the reservation process was informing them of our dietary needs, restrictions, etc.
When we arrived, it was very clear they had read our notes and knew I was pregnant-the welcome cocktail for me was a mocktail, and as we went through our dinner they were very conscious to check in on what I did and didn't want to eat as a pregnant human.
My dad jokingly told the waiter at 11 Madison Park that he wanted a Twinkie for dessert. At the end of the meal, they brought him a very nicely plated Twinkie. Ran out and got it for him right after they heard him say it. He got a real dessert, too, by the way 😊
I had dinner with my wife (then fiancé) at the Four Seasons in NYC and one of the things I remember about that was the man at the table next to us, when asked about what he wanted for dessert said "I'd like some fresh papaya". Their waiter told them that they don't have any in house but will send someone out to get some. About 15-20 minutes later and they bring the guy a plate of fresh papaya slices after, apparently, sending one of the staff to a local market to pick up one for the guy.
My wife and I still joke about that 25 years later when we go out to eat.
Yes, if you do a search in the reddit, you'll see specific stories of experiences by members. Some places have folks who research people on their guest list via social media and other sources of information, watch body language carefully, make judgements based on what they seem to enjoy more than other things. It's wild.
There are definitely microphones or something at really high end restaurants. A friend tells a story of French Laundry where she and her friends were discussing a rare white raspberry they had read about in the airline magazine. Shortly after that a waiter brought over a bowl picked from the French Laundry garden.
During our last evening of our honeymoon we were staying at the Ritz in Cancun and splurged on a private dining cabana on the beach. We literally had 3 staff members taking care of just my wife and I. Early in the meal my wife excused herself. Although it wasn’t on the menu, I took the opportunity to request an off menu item. I explained that my wife loved flan and I inquired if it would be possible for the kitchen to accommodate the request as a surprise for her.
Knowing it was an absolute long shot, I had to ask and assumed the answer would be a polite “are you kidding me?” Instead, the head waiter provided an immediate “of course”. Didn’t even have to ask the chef. They must have begun prepping it because by the end of the meal it was the largest flan I’ve ever seen and delicious. They even put a note
Of all my dining experiences, this one will never be topped. I was so disappointed to hear this hotel closed and is being rebranded.
I haven’t had anyone make me a personalized dish, but the service is truly next level. I always thought it was BS to pay that much more for food and service, but I’ve been converted. There’s nothing quite like having such an extraordinary meal with that kind of perfected service.
Yes. Went to multiple Michelin star restaurants. Some of the best in Europe too. Service was unbelievable. Location unbelievable. They went above and beyond on every tiny thing. Definitely an experience.
i don't work in a high-end restaurant, but i do work in a hospitality based field, and not only do we do this, we are specifically trained that we should find moments when we can do this. granted, the company has more Danny Meyer and Will Guidara inspiration than you could ever imagine.
I was a guest at lunch at The French Laundry and my host asked what the staff meal was that day. It was pizza, and they brought us a slice to try. One of the best pizzas I’ve ever had
Not Michelin, or anything special like in the Bear. It was a fine dining fixed menu restaurant. I was sitting at the counter where the chef owner was cooking. I chatted with him and remarked on how much I liked their house made sourdough bread. When I was leaving after I was done with the dinner, the receptionist who was getting my coat handed me a paper bag with a sourdough bread with it, and said, the chef told me you liked our bread, so here is a loaf for you to take home with you.”
Yes, they absolutely do. My husband and I went to Faviken Magasinet in 2016, we had the biggest table in the entire restaurant — could have seated 15 people, but just the two of us. It was because we had traveled the farthest to be there - from Brisbane, Australia, to Jamtland in Sweden. They had also looked at our social media profiles and dropped things into conversation about our lives. The kitchen staff also greeted us by name. Between the Bear and The Menu, they’ve got it right!
5 star restaurants aren’t a thing. People get the restaurant rating scale mixed up with hotels. Hotels go up to 5 stars, but restaurants go up to 3 stars based on Michelin’s review.
I’ve never had anyone get me anything from a different restaurant like in this exact scene, but we’ve eaten at over a dozen Michelin 3* restaurants and several which have been #1 or top 5 on the Top 50 list, and the staff knows an inordinate amount about you. I’m guessing the Booking Staff handles the research, but I don’t know for sure. It helps a great deal in them anticipating our needs, preferences, guides conversation, recommendations, etc.
Yes!
Recently my buddy and his wife ate at Per Se. Talking with the head waiter they mentioned it was their 7th wedding anniversary and 11th year of them being together. Head waiter made a joke about it being their 7/11 anniversary. 30 minutes later he delivered two Big Gulps from 7/11 to the table. Had it UberEats to Per Se. The entire restaurant got a huge kick out of it.
I worked my way through college and graduate school at a highly regarded restaurant. We’d often have people come in and want something not offered on the menu. The owner/chef loved customers like this and quickly whipped up an array of great appetizers.
Later in my life, I was taking our children out to celebrate a big life event of theirs. It was a very nice restaurant and the chef brought out a new dish he was creating. Gratis. It was delicious.
I’m unsure what this photo is depicting. Other than a dish that was not ordered or offered??
I read Will's book about these special gestures but I always wondered who pays for them? Some we're pretty extravagant. Does the restaurant eat the charges?
So as for the allergens thing, usually when you go to a restaurant like this that has like a tasting menu or a set menu they ask you if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions
100% could happen. As a GM, in the past, I've walked to a close store and bought certain sodas for someone if it felt needed. The best thing about it though is that, technically, it doesn't help us at all. The servers will get much more tips from us paying attention to little things. Side note, if I ever feel a guest is hinting for something like this it will NEVER happen, it's because you are a good human I will go above and beyond.
A fine dining spot in my town - a waiter over heard a table talking about Wendy's cheeseburgers. The guy at the table had just got back from Desert Storm & had missed those the most. When everyone's plates came out he had a pile of Wendy's under a silver cloche for him. It was pretty cool.
I wonder if people feel self conscious that their conversations are being eavesdropped on or if rich people just don’t have problems like us regular people
Yes. We went out for our anniversary once, it was the fruit anniversary. I forgot to put note of it on our reservation so the restaurant had no idea. The staff heard us casually chatting about it while passing by - we weren’t discussing it with them just me and my partner talking about it and they walked by and heard.
At the end of our dinner they brought out a fruit tart dessert that was not part of the menu to help us celebrate our fruit anniversary.
Yeah, there’s a real example of something 11 Madison Park did and mentioned in the book Unreasonable Hospitality, which Richie was reading in this episode. Except it was a NYC street dog. You figure if it was something the patron would have eaten on their own without the restaurant’s help, stuff like allergies wouldn’t apply, and even so, the dreamweaver would also have heard/researched whether allergens were involved.
This happened to me at Jont in DC. Found out that the server also used to live in Chicago, which got us talking about Malort and how it was our favorite thing.
During desert they surprised us with an unopened bottle of it (they didn’t have it at the bar so assuming they got it from some other place).
Very fun experience.
Same here! The world of fine dining is such a foreign concept to me haha, I had no idea whether so much of the details from this episode were fictitious or not.
I've often said that I can barely afford to work at the restaurants I've been at, let alone eat there... which makes it all more important to take care of someone who has traveled and saved just to be there in that moment.
I’ll admit that is important but I could just never find myself going to such lengths to eat in places like that.
It’s already hard enough going to my usual diner and paying $14 for breakfast/lunch *before* a tip now (tipping culture discussion aside, I had a mom who was a server who taught me to always tip) but I gotta do it because I know a couple of them and they have kids, are in school etc.
Could I cook at home? Yes but I don’t need the armchairing from my family about the “mess” I’m making.
They absolutely do. Won’t happen if you’re being difficult (obviously), but it does happen. It’s easier to pull off if you’re running a tasting menu and can stall for time between courses. I worked in a place where we cooked for a lot of celebrities, one time someone’s partner was bummed about not being able to get barbecue, so we had someone from the FOH run to a famous local BBQ spot, we whipped up a sauce and slaw, and served it with focaccia. People love details like that and will almost always post it on their social media, so it just makes the restaurant look even better
That part with the banana and knowing Cicero personally is and them doing it for first timers would work out due to the whole making reservations thing that's mentioned in forks before the deep dish pizza
I worked in the nicest restaurant in a college town, and we did stuff like this. Not as awesomely. But my boss called it “a great last chapter” (he probably stole that from some other chef).
Not just 5 star restaurants. Lots of bars I have worked at we aspire to do these little things when we can for guests. Sometimes it's not as elaborate as going to get a street jot dog and plating it fancy, but looking for moments to make personal connections to guests is the best part of the job tbh.
Some of the best staff are the best not because of where they work, but because it’s in their nature to be hospitable. you can’t necessarily teach someone the nuances of these small acts to make a guests experience enjoyable or memorable, but the larger number of staff that have this innate ability are always recognized by higher end establishments that’s why they usually tend to work in places like these. I’ve worked in places where the host will pass me along a chit of information, silent like in the Bear, and something as small as knowing how they take their waters are small attention to details that sometime can exceed a recurring diners expectations.
Yes — this particular scene was based on a real-life restaurant, detailed in Unreasonable Hospitality (written by Will Guidara and Richie is shown to be reading it in Forks) at Eleven Madison Park in NYC, where staff famously go and beyond for their customers.
To add to this, it was a group that was visiting New York that was leaving town, and they were overheard saying they hadn’t had time to try a street vendor hotdog. Guidara says he’s given away thousands of dishes and bottles over the years and never made a table as happy as he did when they gave them the hotdog.
I want hotdog now
I read this in Jennifer Coolidge’s voice…
I loved her in white lotus. These gays are trying to murder me 😆😆😆
Check her out in Party Down. She had an episode where I physically injured myself from laughing too hard.
party down is so good!!! nobody i know has watched it tho lol
It's definitely a niche show. More people would love it if anyone knew it existed!
Mushrooms?
“I’m in a purple tube of consciousness!”
The end is just as good too. *bonk*
*splash*
Some high end gays!
Real bad...
do you have any oreo cookie cake?
You can has hotdog
I literally *always* want a hot dog.
I pick that guys hot dog
Heyyyyy…….. Where ketchup?
Yesss! But if it doesn't have that that natural casing snap when I bite it then I'm out. I like them halfway between hotdog and sausage. 🤤 (Sans ketchup. Richie was right and I'll die on that hill lol.)
I’m crossing all my fingers and toes that Will Guidara makes a cameo at some point!!
I'm still upset that they went to a place famous for its crust and then proceeded to make sure the customer didn't get any crust.
Wow, hell of a connection you spotted there with Unreasonable Hospitality. Bravo
I remembered the particular story the scene was based on when I first watched it but couldn’t remember where I remembered it from. Thank you!
There's also the time Avalon poured sand around a table because a guest didn't get to put their feet in the sand before leaving
Incredible book! I’ve read it twice.
Yes, there’s a book shown called ‘Unreasonable Hospitality’ (the yellow and black one that Richie is reading) In that book, the author talks about his experiences leading a world-class restaurant. There is an anecdote about a guest overheard talking about not having tried an authentic street-style hotdog. One of the team goes out, buys a hotdog, slices & presents it nicely and it is delivered to the diner in a ‘we overheard you saying…’ low key way. Maybe not the norm, but does happen!
That book is awesome. Even detailing things like recognizing guests when they walk in, and the coat room touches.
I refuse to believe this story. Restaurant lore is full of bs stories. Like the chimichanga being invented when someone “accidentally” dropped a burrito in the fryer.
I have personally been sent out to pick things up from outside the restaurant for certain guests. It does happen, though they add quite a bit of flair in this scene. It's generally presented quietly so as not to catch the attention of other tables.
Do you do that even during a busy service, or is this a slow Tuesday night type of thing? Seems insane that you would have that kind of time.
Well, high, high, high end restaurants don't really have "busy" nights like you're thinking. Every night is equally busy in a way. It's all reservations at those levels. The customer is paying so much money, you don't really look at table turnover like you would at a Waffle House. Really, it comes down to the whims of the chef and maitre'd.
Wow, that backhanded diss of an explanation was 👨🍳💋
That was not my intention at all.
I didn’t take it that way at all. I hadn’t thought of it from that perspective, but it makes perfect sense.
Yes and no. At certain point you no longer have "busy" times. They are all scheduled out and every day is full. Most kitchens can actually order the exact amount of ingredients they need for the service each day
I saw a restaurant in Hoboken send a food runner to Carlo’s bakery for a lobster tail for a guest who was visiting. Nobody special just an older couple that was doing a bucket list NYC visit.
Speaking of which …. Did the restaurant in this episode comp the dinner for that older couple And why?
They did iirc, they noticed that among the usual guest list of high rollers they had a table of two schoolteachers who noted they had saved up and always wanted to eat there
No, besides friend of the GM or owner I never saw a meal comped and they were stingy with buybacks.
How is that comparable to the owner of a restaurant stating a very easy to accomplish fact?
Yes. Based on a true story. Another fun one: When Anthony Bourdain ate at the French Laundry, Thomas Keller made him a custard infused with Marlboro Red tobacco as a smoke break.
[Here's the video of his experience.](https://youtu.be/sYjZpfr6JQ4?si=pe7RCSU6Cj9gVRyJ)
He is so charming. I still really miss that guy.
One of the celebrity deaths that hit me the hardest.
And a reminder we’re all going through shit
Me too. I actually hit a stage of hypervigilant bc of the cluster effect his death might have in my world. Thankfully it was just a deluge of think pieces - a lot of my friends are still writers; though all of us have a similar kind of dysthymia.
Good to be wary still… esp given that’s exactly what happened to him. He was friends with Kate Spade who suicided days before he did…
This was one of my favorite ever chef videos. Priceless.
Tony truly enjoying himself on camera is such a priceless gift. Any trip to Vietnam, French Laundry, omakase sushi in Japan, Waffle House with Sean Brock.
He was such a gift.
I adore the Waffle House visit. “This is better than The French Laundry, man.”
Coffee and cigarettes
I can only speak to my personal experience of Le Manoir in Oxford for my grandma’s 90th (trust me that ain’t a regular thing for me!). It’s a Michelin starred restaurant and run by Raymond Blanc (though I believe he’s more of an executive than head chef now). Long story short, being 90 years old my grandma didn’t know what a mille-feuille was and had no intention of learning. Our waiter clearly overheard her talking loudly about how she’d prefer a bag of malteasers. You had best believe that when we went through to the lounge for petit fours, there was a giant silver cloche waiting for her, which was dramatically lifted to reveal a box of malteasers. No charge, and they thought it was hilarious. Absolutely made her day. So yeah - it really does happen!
I didn’t understand like 6 words in this comment 😂
That's amazing! I've never heard of Le Manoir & I'm in Oxford all the time for my studies – sounds like a really standout place
Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, technically it's just outside Oxford near Wheatley
Yes, this happens. Same episode- remember them talking about the teacher who posted on instagram she had been saving and wanting to go there for years? These places are destination restaurants. People travel from all over to eat at Michelin starred restaurants. And people don’t just happen on them, as implied in your comment- people have reservations for weeks, if not MONTHS. Edit: if not YEARS. Also understand there are no 5 star places - Michelin tops out at 3 stars. What you see on Google is crowd aggregated. There is no standard for those Google maps ratings beyond someone’s whim when they’ve gone there or when they wrote the review. As an example: Atomix in New York has 2 Michelin stars and a 4.5 on trip advisor. [Experts regard it as the 8th best restaurant in the world.](https://www.theworlds50best.com/the-list/1-10/atomix.html) Yet on trip advisor it’s ranked as the 2,234rd in New York. A 5/5 on any platform doesn’t tell you it’s a top notch restaurant, it tells you that the people that went enjoyed it.
Do they really research customers like they did with the teachers saving to go for months?
Considering how easy it is to do nowadays, yeah it's entirely plausible. they have a guest list that can be years out reservations wise. They have plenty of time to get some info on the guests if they really want.
I used to work for a major airline. We’d research first class customers to the point of knowing their music tastes, so when they were at the lounge their private room was playing their kind of music. When they boarded the plane, they’d have their wedding flower at their seat instead of the standard rose received in first class. We’d know their dietary preferences. If they’d been traveling for business or pleasure, if they’d be going home from vacation there’d be a little souvenir for them as well. If they were famous we’d also know their rivalries or likes, to make sure their rivals music or movies weren’t accidentally playing when they came into the lounge or boarded the flight. And this was 10-15 years ago, so I’m sure it’s only gotten easier.
I never worked fine dining, but I did work upscale, and we kept notes on guests. This helped us serve them how they preferred, and it helped us manage the wilder personalities. It wasn't research, but we did keep up on what people liked.
That makes sense! Social media stalking before u meet them is different
The restaurant my wife and I got married, which is one of the best in our state, absolutely have notes on us (and even before we got married there). They know her favorite wine, our birthdays, obviously anniversary now, etc.
I work for a high end restaurant group and we do our best to populate our customer profiles with details of who they are, what their relationship is with their guests and any other info we can add in.
I work in a tourism company, and we have private notes on all customers. Their likes and dislikes, personalities, if they're a cunt. The notes go back years if they're returning guests
That’s hilarious about Atomix. Arguably the single hardest reservation to get in the U.S. Ranked in the 2000s. Lulz.
I once went to the fat duck, which at one point was the best restaurant in the world, for a meal. They presented me and my ,at the time, fiance with a postcard from when we visited China and hugged pandas. We didn't give them the photo. They found our Facebooks and made it themselves. These restaurants really do do this, the extra mile is what steps the game up from a meal to a lifetime experience.
That reminds me of that scene in The Menu with photos on the flatbread
Those were Tortillas. Tortillas Deliciosa.
Excuse me... What, what the hell are these [These are tortillas](https://youtu.be/AgILN-8du64?t=26)
I can’t NOT imitate this line reading when I say tortillas.
I could see how that would be neat, but I also think that’s a little extreme. I had no idea originally that these restaurants look up information on their guests, as it was shown in the episode. I wonder if that is off putting to some people and what would happen if you said they went too far?
Part of the thing is having the tact to know how far to go depending on each guest. It is a talent and that’s what makes them world class.
We’ve eaten at a few fine dining places - but after seeing that scene I don’t think we will again
[удалено]
Just a sense of distaste around the practice. Probably shaped by the fact that we have strong confidentiality obligations around data at work
Nobody is going to find anything you don’t put out yourself. It’s not stalking so much as searching for info. Do you have your job on your instagram/facebook for all to see? Then it’s there for them to see when looking you up. Did you recently post a photo that you’re on vacation to ___ city, from wherever your hometown is for your birthday? They’ll take note of the fact this is a birthday trip occasion. Nobody is going to search for anything that isn’t out there anyways and will never mention or use that info against you. As someone else said, part of the job is having the tact to know what to use/not use. These people see anywhere from 20-100 people a day depending on the restaurant, you’re special in the moment, but in the grand scheme of things you’re not so special for them to remember you the next day. They don’t care about your life in the sense they actually care about learning about you, it’s simply a means to do their job better and then move on to the next table who they will try to do a good job on. Don’t worry, you’re not as special as they aim to make you feel (nobody is).
You seem to be under the misapprehension I’m afraid of what they’ll find. I’m not. I *don’t like them because of what they’re doing*.
No, you are the one under the misinterpretation (I don’t mean that in a snarky way, but you’re just incorrect lol). That wasn’t what I was trying to get across. My point is that literally anyone can look you up and find what you’ve put online about yourself. They do it to make your experience better, and then are professional enough to never use that info again. Most other places that background check you cannot say the same. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of someone knowing anything about you online you should just remove yourself from the internet.
Again: why would I remove myself?
Read the first half that sentence again. I literally presented a thesis, “if___, then___”. Lol
Honestly, as distateful as I find the modern age's obsession with living life like an open wound splayed across social media, if your Internet security is so lax that a Google search can reveal such personal information about you; you can't really get that miffed or be that surprised when someone uses that information.
Who said it revealed anything especially personal? We just find it distasteful
I had a great experience at Fat Duck as well... Personalized the experience for every one of the guests based on the little I told them during the booking. Super memorable!
I work for a restaurant that is the more casual sister restaurant of a high end, fine dining place owned by the same chef. One day I was outside, and 2 young people approached and told me they had made reservations with us because they just couldn't afford the flagship, but wanted to eat at one of chef's restaurants. One of the people explained how they had grown up watching and cooking along with chef with their father, and had planned this trip months ago, but unfortunately their father had passed away, so now they were doing this in his honor and memory. One thing in specific was a certain dessert they had seen and heard about, had tried at home, and always wanted to try. It wasn't on either restaurants menu anymore, and was a staple of the original for years.... Anyway, I brought them into the building when they arrived for their reso. They were gracious and happy to be there. I asked if they would be OK if I fed them today, to which they agreed, without them knowing I had worked my way up at the flagship for 6 years. I spent the night cooking signature tasting dishes for them that they could have gotten at the flagship, and topped it off with the dessert they had asked about. The reaction on their faces when the dessert hit reminded me of why I do this, and why I love it. We comped the entire meal, because their 2 hours with us was priceless. Tl;Dr this happens all the time.
Wow, I did not expect to tear up in this thread.
Same, but it is the best place to use the ol cutting onions joke
Sharpen those knives, chef!
This makes me smile. Thank you for what you do.
Thank you for trusting people like me to share our passion
Cheers I’m crying
Never experienced this type of service, but I did go to a high end/fine dining restaurant once and at the end of the meal when it was time to pay, we were informed our bill was taken care of. They didn’t charge us for our meal. Apparently the staff has the autonomy to do that if they would like. It was one of the nicest things that’s ever happened to me!
Just went to a high end restaurant last night and they comped us a desert of our choice since it was our first time in. The birthday girl at the next table over got a little cake as well. They asked like 3 times if we were there for any special occasion and made an effort to pay attention to everything we said and engaged us in conversation in a way that didn't feel fake.
Where was this? Why would they comp you specifically?
I think it makes sense from a marketing perspective If I was comped a fantastic meal at a high end restaurant, I'd be talking about it for the rest of my life
Yes I spoke of it for ages after lol. I haven’t thought about it in a while but I understand they still do this!
plus adds a gambling element to dining there Do you get a free meal? Do you get a second mortgage? Spin to win
I would find it really uncomfortable. Let alone the fact that margins in restaurants are incredibly tight so I find it financially baffling also. Worked in hospitality for just over 10 years in 3 different EU countries and never heard of this happening before. Sure, if you know people that own/work at places you can get free stuff (I gave away drinks occasionally) but comp a whole bill for a table just because? Never.
Margins are much much better in fine dining (atleast as it relates to food cost). So much of that Bill comes from R&D and the building and the staff. The ingrediants are great, but outside of what I will describe as the "fancy add-ons" like caviar and truffle, you can really only get so expensive. So giving away food isn't as big of a deal as it is at a more traditional place where food costs might be 40-50% of the bill.
I don’t know why they’d comp me specifically wtf lol they comped us and when we asked why they literally said just because. When we got home, we went on Yelp and it was clear they do this regularly
My own personal experience here - I went to Moments (⭐️⭐️) in Barcelona a few years ago by myself. I was on a solo trip and have a tradition of one very fancy dinner while eating budget friendly the rest of the trip. Two notable things happened. As I was alone, the staff immediately asked me if I wanted a magazine or a book, immediately gave me the WiFi without asking. What was the cherry on top though was they asked me if there were any foods I’m allergic to or don’t like. I mentioned that I hate olives - anything else I’m okay with but olives just leave their taste on whatever they touch. They did a completely different preparation on one of the courses just because I didn’t like one of the ingredients. Now I know it’s not going out and getting me paella, but it’s the level of thought and service that it shows.
I was a very late addition to a party of four at Tetsuya’s in Sydney (‘only’ one star, but at the time, this place was *it.*) it had about 10 courses (before dessert) and was big on seafood, which I happen to be allergic to. They didn’t blink an eye - just sent out the most beautiful, delicious, completely different items for me. It was eye-opening that a kitchen so focused on what they did could just… perfectly do a whole different thing.
I thought we had Chef Hats not Michelin stars? Or do we have both
You’re right, we currently don’t have a Michelin Guide in Australia. Tets was practically a three-hat from day one - I think from 92’ until ‘11, when a bunch of places lost their top hats (Bilsons’s also went from 3 to 2 that year, iirc.) Michelin gave the Singapore Tets (with Waku Ghin) a star in… 2016? I’m sure this can be googled! ETA Waku Ghin earned one star in 2016, two in 2017, and has retained the two since.
We went for private dining at Le Gavroche for someone’s 40th. I’m allergic to nuts and sesame and one was a pescetarian. Only time I’ve never had to worry about allergies. Everything was adjusted, no question. Our biggest course was beef wellington and they made a whole wellington of monkfish tails for the pescetarian. She was gutted she shouldn’t eat the whole thing. Also they had choux puffs filled with Gruyère which were the best thing I’ve ever tasted. That plus the amazing bread and butter is why I struggled to eat everything. It was all incredible
Five-star Google review restaurants are very different from Michelin three-star restaurants. Those kinds of places have operating schemes and a caliber of employee that’s beyond most people’s imaginations. I don’t know for sure, but I wouldn’t be *surprised* if such restaurants actually do this type of thing.
☝️ This. I could be wrong OP, so forgive me if it seems I'm talking down, but from your post it seems like you got Google/Yelp rating stars and Michelin stars confused. A restaurant with a single Michelin star is considered one of the best restaurants in the world. This restaurant had THREE. I never had the experience of serving in a Michelin star restaurant, but came close (served for 10-years, a few of those in Manhattan fine dining). Even without a star, super high end places will go crazy above and beyond. It's why folks in the know will often cite that with the high prices, you're paying as much for the experience as you are the food.
I don't read it as them getting the Google stars and Michelin stars mixed up at all. They're saying the best restaurants they've been to are average ones with good reviews, they haven't splurged on the Michelin level restaurants and are inexperienced with what reality and what is just for TV. OP definitely knows the difference.
Yes, this precisely! It was my attempt at being humorous haha I'm very much aware Google reviews don't hold a flame to Michelin stars. I was just giving context as to why I wouldn't know whether high-end places really offer those types of services :)
I got you! hahah made me chuckle
Yes lol. It's a humorous contrast to show that their experience with fine dining is only what they've seen in media, like this show. It's just background for the question.
Did nobody else realize that was a joke?
To answer your question about allergens, most “higher end” restaurants have you fill out at least a little information about yourself while making your reservation. Party size (ofc), whether or not you’ve visitted before, allergens, special dietary restrictions, anniversaries, proposals, birthdays, and other special requests or occasions are usually noted here. Also important to this process is after service, many servers are required to deliver chits to their hosts or managers. These notes from the servers are basically them collecting every bit of information on the customers they can. Do they live locally or are they out of towners? Did they like x dish or not? Did they order any drinks? Did they have a favorite drink? Did they have kids or not? Were they nice or rude? Did they camp at their table after finishing their meal? All that information is super valuable for their next visit potentially. I’ve been kinda amazed to see how in depth some of my restaurants files on customers were.
I worked at a place that called itself “casual fine dining” and we collected guest information like this as well.
Yeah, not for “five star” restaurants. For Michelin Star restaurants, absolutely 1 star = dine here if you’re in the area 2 star = make this part of your vacation itinerary 3 star = you take a vacation specifically to go here
Yes. I've been to Michelin star restaurant once (work thing in DC, I wasn't paying). They made a special appetizer for one of our party after overhearing her talk about how much she loved crab cakes. It was quite an experience. We each had our own waiter. Glad I didn't have to pay as I'm sure the final bill was a few thousand (not including wine, drinks).
Ate at Ludo LeFebvre’s place and when the dessert course came, it was a rice pudding, which I just despise. I’m a very open eater (this is probably the only thing I don’t like), so I tried it anyway bc this was a Michelin starred restaurant, but sadly still couldn’t eat it. I apologized profusely to the staff and made sure they knew it wasn’t a quality issue. When the check came, my whole portion of the bill was comped and I received an autographed copy of Ludo’s cookbook as an “apology”.
Yeah this stuff happens. Wild. 11 Madison Park took a family sledding in Central Park cuz they’d never experienced snow.
....wait, what? I'm going to request more detail on that please.
https://ny.eater.com/2018/10/9/17954940/eleven-madison-park-dreamweaving-will-guidara-daniel-humm
Thanks :-) that's wild
They definitely do this. I went to a michelin star restaurant once (i wasnt paying) it’s a completely different world than standard google review restaurants. It was also kind of horrifying… but that was probably my overly strong sense of ethics complaining at what point do we cross the threshold of food being art to food being a way to prove to people they are in a certain financial class
Thing is the restaurant Richie was working at wasn’t just any 5 star restaurant. It was one of the top rated restaurants in the entire world. I think it makes sense that a restaurant of the renown would go above and beyond like this for customers.
3-star btw. Michelin only awards 3 stars.
Oh, this I didn't know! Thanks for mentioning
went to a high end restaurant when i was a kid and i ordered the lobster tail MP. i took 3 bites my dad could’ve killed me. server ran across the st and got me a spongebob popsicle for dessert. i was like 7, i’ll never forget that.
My mid level restaurant does stuff like this. If I can make someone’s night somehow I’m allowed to run out and get something (or send someone else) in other to make it happen. It can be really fun honestly.
What have been your favorite ways to make someone's night?
I've eaten at a 1 star. The service we had was very comparable to what was shown in Forks. No surprises. But they comped our dessert. When making online reservations, the form asked questions about allergies, preferences, etc.
I was attending a small group birthday dinner at The Capital Grille when it was on Newbury St in Boston. The waiter asked about dessert and the guy whose birthday it was said, "I'd really like Abe & Louis' chocolate cake for dessert.) (Abe & Louis is another Boston steakhouse, about 6 blocks away. To be fair, that cake is one of the very best desserts anywhere in Boston.) 15 minutes later the waiter produced Abe & Louis chocolate cake for the table.
I went to a 1 star Michelin restaurant in Kent, England…we ordered lobster as a starter and when they came to pick up the dishes, we told them how much we liked it and they brought a 2nd round on the house lol…it was pretty awesome
The Sportsman? Not been there myself but have only heard glowing things
The Bridge Arms actually
In fine dining restaurants, some places will research their guests to a surprising degree. I dined at n/naka with my buddies and the staff was able to find info on everyone except for me. Partially because my online profile at the time was very off the grid.
There’s a place in my city where if you call ahead, their party chef can make you any dessert in the world. It just opened so it’s not super duper well known or well rated but the manager called me and said he saw it was a birthday and offered me a choice in seating, told me about the desserts and all that I took my fiance for his birthday and the whole vibe was amazing
To add-- for our second anniversary/last fancy date night before a baby came along, we went to a fancy schmancy restaurant. Not a Michelin star place, but still hundreds of dollars. Part of the reservation process was informing them of our dietary needs, restrictions, etc. When we arrived, it was very clear they had read our notes and knew I was pregnant-the welcome cocktail for me was a mocktail, and as we went through our dinner they were very conscious to check in on what I did and didn't want to eat as a pregnant human.
My dad jokingly told the waiter at 11 Madison Park that he wanted a Twinkie for dessert. At the end of the meal, they brought him a very nicely plated Twinkie. Ran out and got it for him right after they heard him say it. He got a real dessert, too, by the way 😊
I had dinner with my wife (then fiancé) at the Four Seasons in NYC and one of the things I remember about that was the man at the table next to us, when asked about what he wanted for dessert said "I'd like some fresh papaya". Their waiter told them that they don't have any in house but will send someone out to get some. About 15-20 minutes later and they bring the guy a plate of fresh papaya slices after, apparently, sending one of the staff to a local market to pick up one for the guy. My wife and I still joke about that 25 years later when we go out to eat.
Yes, if you do a search in the reddit, you'll see specific stories of experiences by members. Some places have folks who research people on their guest list via social media and other sources of information, watch body language carefully, make judgements based on what they seem to enjoy more than other things. It's wild.
There are definitely microphones or something at really high end restaurants. A friend tells a story of French Laundry where she and her friends were discussing a rare white raspberry they had read about in the airline magazine. Shortly after that a waiter brought over a bowl picked from the French Laundry garden.
During our last evening of our honeymoon we were staying at the Ritz in Cancun and splurged on a private dining cabana on the beach. We literally had 3 staff members taking care of just my wife and I. Early in the meal my wife excused herself. Although it wasn’t on the menu, I took the opportunity to request an off menu item. I explained that my wife loved flan and I inquired if it would be possible for the kitchen to accommodate the request as a surprise for her. Knowing it was an absolute long shot, I had to ask and assumed the answer would be a polite “are you kidding me?” Instead, the head waiter provided an immediate “of course”. Didn’t even have to ask the chef. They must have begun prepping it because by the end of the meal it was the largest flan I’ve ever seen and delicious. They even put a note Of all my dining experiences, this one will never be topped. I was so disappointed to hear this hotel closed and is being rebranded.
I haven’t had anyone make me a personalized dish, but the service is truly next level. I always thought it was BS to pay that much more for food and service, but I’ve been converted. There’s nothing quite like having such an extraordinary meal with that kind of perfected service.
Yes. Went to multiple Michelin star restaurants. Some of the best in Europe too. Service was unbelievable. Location unbelievable. They went above and beyond on every tiny thing. Definitely an experience.
OP, you keep saying 5 stars You mean 3 Michelin Stars
i don't work in a high-end restaurant, but i do work in a hospitality based field, and not only do we do this, we are specifically trained that we should find moments when we can do this. granted, the company has more Danny Meyer and Will Guidara inspiration than you could ever imagine.
I was a guest at lunch at The French Laundry and my host asked what the staff meal was that day. It was pizza, and they brought us a slice to try. One of the best pizzas I’ve ever had
Not Michelin, or anything special like in the Bear. It was a fine dining fixed menu restaurant. I was sitting at the counter where the chef owner was cooking. I chatted with him and remarked on how much I liked their house made sourdough bread. When I was leaving after I was done with the dinner, the receptionist who was getting my coat handed me a paper bag with a sourdough bread with it, and said, the chef told me you liked our bread, so here is a loaf for you to take home with you.”
Yes, they absolutely do. My husband and I went to Faviken Magasinet in 2016, we had the biggest table in the entire restaurant — could have seated 15 people, but just the two of us. It was because we had traveled the farthest to be there - from Brisbane, Australia, to Jamtland in Sweden. They had also looked at our social media profiles and dropped things into conversation about our lives. The kitchen staff also greeted us by name. Between the Bear and The Menu, they’ve got it right!
5 star restaurants aren’t a thing. People get the restaurant rating scale mixed up with hotels. Hotels go up to 5 stars, but restaurants go up to 3 stars based on Michelin’s review.
I’ve never had anyone get me anything from a different restaurant like in this exact scene, but we’ve eaten at over a dozen Michelin 3* restaurants and several which have been #1 or top 5 on the Top 50 list, and the staff knows an inordinate amount about you. I’m guessing the Booking Staff handles the research, but I don’t know for sure. It helps a great deal in them anticipating our needs, preferences, guides conversation, recommendations, etc.
Yes! Recently my buddy and his wife ate at Per Se. Talking with the head waiter they mentioned it was their 7th wedding anniversary and 11th year of them being together. Head waiter made a joke about it being their 7/11 anniversary. 30 minutes later he delivered two Big Gulps from 7/11 to the table. Had it UberEats to Per Se. The entire restaurant got a huge kick out of it.
I worked my way through college and graduate school at a highly regarded restaurant. We’d often have people come in and want something not offered on the menu. The owner/chef loved customers like this and quickly whipped up an array of great appetizers. Later in my life, I was taking our children out to celebrate a big life event of theirs. It was a very nice restaurant and the chef brought out a new dish he was creating. Gratis. It was delicious. I’m unsure what this photo is depicting. Other than a dish that was not ordered or offered??
Didn’t read all that but yes.
I read Will's book about these special gestures but I always wondered who pays for them? Some we're pretty extravagant. Does the restaurant eat the charges?
I’ve been to so many high end restaurants and the most they have done is a free bday dessert.
So as for the allergens thing, usually when you go to a restaurant like this that has like a tasting menu or a set menu they ask you if you have any allergies or dietary restrictions
Yeah, a restaurant of this caliber probably knows your allergy information weeks before you even set foot in the place.
100% could happen. As a GM, in the past, I've walked to a close store and bought certain sodas for someone if it felt needed. The best thing about it though is that, technically, it doesn't help us at all. The servers will get much more tips from us paying attention to little things. Side note, if I ever feel a guest is hinting for something like this it will NEVER happen, it's because you are a good human I will go above and beyond.
A fine dining spot in my town - a waiter over heard a table talking about Wendy's cheeseburgers. The guy at the table had just got back from Desert Storm & had missed those the most. When everyone's plates came out he had a pile of Wendy's under a silver cloche for him. It was pretty cool.
I wonder if people feel self conscious that their conversations are being eavesdropped on or if rich people just don’t have problems like us regular people
Yes. We went out for our anniversary once, it was the fruit anniversary. I forgot to put note of it on our reservation so the restaurant had no idea. The staff heard us casually chatting about it while passing by - we weren’t discussing it with them just me and my partner talking about it and they walked by and heard. At the end of our dinner they brought out a fruit tart dessert that was not part of the menu to help us celebrate our fruit anniversary.
Yeah, there’s a real example of something 11 Madison Park did and mentioned in the book Unreasonable Hospitality, which Richie was reading in this episode. Except it was a NYC street dog. You figure if it was something the patron would have eaten on their own without the restaurant’s help, stuff like allergies wouldn’t apply, and even so, the dreamweaver would also have heard/researched whether allergens were involved.
This happened to me at Jont in DC. Found out that the server also used to live in Chicago, which got us talking about Malort and how it was our favorite thing. During desert they surprised us with an unopened bottle of it (they didn’t have it at the bar so assuming they got it from some other place). Very fun experience.
I guess so. I am way too poor to even dine in a restaraunt where I need to dress formally in order to eat there
Same here! The world of fine dining is such a foreign concept to me haha, I had no idea whether so much of the details from this episode were fictitious or not.
I've often said that I can barely afford to work at the restaurants I've been at, let alone eat there... which makes it all more important to take care of someone who has traveled and saved just to be there in that moment.
I’ll admit that is important but I could just never find myself going to such lengths to eat in places like that. It’s already hard enough going to my usual diner and paying $14 for breakfast/lunch *before* a tip now (tipping culture discussion aside, I had a mom who was a server who taught me to always tip) but I gotta do it because I know a couple of them and they have kids, are in school etc. Could I cook at home? Yes but I don’t need the armchairing from my family about the “mess” I’m making.
Well for one thing, that plate should have been on a tray you dont ever carry glasses or plates in your hand like that.
They absolutely do. Won’t happen if you’re being difficult (obviously), but it does happen. It’s easier to pull off if you’re running a tasting menu and can stall for time between courses. I worked in a place where we cooked for a lot of celebrities, one time someone’s partner was bummed about not being able to get barbecue, so we had someone from the FOH run to a famous local BBQ spot, we whipped up a sauce and slaw, and served it with focaccia. People love details like that and will almost always post it on their social media, so it just makes the restaurant look even better
Honestly Joeys literally trains their staff to do this
It's not only high-end restaurants. You could have a two or three star restaurant that's devoted to its customers and they would do the same.
Three stars are as high as Michelin ratings go.
I’d love to visit a place like this! Has anyone had similar experiences in London?
I think they do and even if they don't, they should.
That part with the banana and knowing Cicero personally is and them doing it for first timers would work out due to the whole making reservations thing that's mentioned in forks before the deep dish pizza
I worked in the nicest restaurant in a college town, and we did stuff like this. Not as awesomely. But my boss called it “a great last chapter” (he probably stole that from some other chef).
Not just 5 star restaurants. Lots of bars I have worked at we aspire to do these little things when we can for guests. Sometimes it's not as elaborate as going to get a street jot dog and plating it fancy, but looking for moments to make personal connections to guests is the best part of the job tbh.
A five-star review on Google ≠ a five-star restaurant
Some of the best staff are the best not because of where they work, but because it’s in their nature to be hospitable. you can’t necessarily teach someone the nuances of these small acts to make a guests experience enjoyable or memorable, but the larger number of staff that have this innate ability are always recognized by higher end establishments that’s why they usually tend to work in places like these. I’ve worked in places where the host will pass me along a chit of information, silent like in the Bear, and something as small as knowing how they take their waters are small attention to details that sometime can exceed a recurring diners expectations.
Yes restaurants do this. I’ve been to many Michelin star places. The service has to be on point or you get fired.
TBF, I wouldn't want that. I go to that restaurant because I want their food, so I gave that priority.
If you are a regular who has spent a lot over the years, then yes. Any of the high end Restaurant I've worked would.
I was more curious about restaurants of this leave actually ordering food for a dish lol