THAT GUY

Remember when you first started trying to understand wine, the sommelier told you what you were tasting and you believed every word he said. It wasn’t until you built your own palette and started understanding  more you realized everyone was tasting different things in the same bottle of wine. Also unseasoned wine lovers are scared to disagree with their own taste so they just choose to agree.

Restaurants are like bottles of wine where the sommeliers all say different things. Sometimes guests who understand very little just agree with what everyone has been saying or they hear so many positive comments they loose their own opinion. It’s only the brave and staunch foodies who say what they really think, dare to go against what magazines and social media are presenting. Food is food, it’s either good or it’s not. It doesn’t matter where the ingredients came from, the story behind them or what the chef managed to do with them.

 

WE ARE ALL SHEEP

There are restaurants with guests lined up around the corner, but these people are not sure exactly why they are there. They have been told that it’s amazing and want to be a part of it so bad they will turn off their taste buds just to agree. The line around the corner is like that sommelier who manipulated your first glass of wine while promising you greatness.

Myself and how I choose to eat is usually based on two things. Am I just looking for good food or the experience as well? If I’m looking for food it needs to be delicious, satisfying and nourishing. If I’m looking for the experience then it needs to be surprising, detailed and challenging.

Exceptions to taste (if any) can only be compromised when going for the experience as it’s the whole journey you are offered not only the food. But if I’m looking for food then the taste and feeling are paramount. To get this right you must first understand a bit about the restaurant scene. I’m sure many people visit experience driven restaurants in search of comforting food and have been very disappointed. But if they only knew what to expect they may have been delighted and pleasantly surprised instead.

 

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?

At the end of the day for most people it’s usually about how a restaurant makes them feel. Do they want to feel cool, sophisticated, romantic, casual, or cared for? I have been to many places with amazing food but know I will never return simply based on the feeling.

If a guest believes they belong in your restaurant then you have already won half the battle, as this is all most people want. The more guests youmake this personal connection with the more your restaurant will be turning over. For many guests the feeling of belonging is nearly more important than taste, style design or service. It’s a feeling that we humans crave, it’s similar to receiving compliments. Once you know where compliments can be found you will be back for more!

Hospitality plays a huge part in how we choose to eat, hospitality has nothing to do with service and good hospitality is addictive.

Once you experience authentic hospitality your choice becomes much easier, authentic hospitality goes beyond service into the realm of care and respect. Service is the action, it’s the job, it’s what we do. Hospitality is that warm, fuzzy feeling that only comes with genuine care.

So forget your first glass of wine from the silver tongued sommelier, read magazines and listen to recommendations but don’t loose your opinion. At the end of the day the food itself is either good or it’s not and your choice will usually come down to how the “experience” made you feel.