Hans-Sachs-Straße - Emirates.com

are set out in Setting the Table, written
by New York restaurateur, Danny
Meyer, a copy of which is to be found
in every thoughtful restaurateur’s head
office. At the outset, Meyer turns the
conventional view of the restaurateur’s
role upside down by explaining that
his primary function is not to look after
his customers but rather to look after,
and train, his staff so well that they in
turn can look after his customers to the
standards he demands.
And it is this sense of being welcomed,
looked after, nurtured and
then, refreshed, sent back into the
world that is an essential human need
and one that only restaurateurs can
fulfil. However talented the chefs may
be, they are invariably behind the kitchen
door, dealing with their customers’
orders.
By the time I had finished my book,
I had reached the conclusion that
however diverse restaurateurs are,
and however varied their restaurants
may be – and those in the book range
from those with three Michelin stars
to those simply serving noodles –
there seem to be ten essential qualities
to the art of the restaurateur.
And of these, two seemed more important
than all the others. The first is
a sense of humour, a trait that is vital
when dealing with the general public,
but important here too as the media
continues to focus on this business.
Quite a few chefs began to believe the
publicity that they generated and that,
ultimately, proved their downfall.
The second is a love of good food
and wine and one’s fellow man and woman.
Restaurateurs fulfil a function in
society that is humane and life enriching
and that is why I believe that the
overdue recognition of all those who
practice this often gruelling profession
is to be welcomed. And fully enjoyed.
Nick Lander’s book The Art of the
Restaurateur is published by Phaidon
98
OpeN skIes / maRch 2013
• CoMBiNe viSioN ANd
determination. One
without the other simply
is not good enough.
• CoMBiNe StUBBorNNeSS
with ability to bend to
popular demand. Hold
on to what has led you
to open but be prepared
to bend particularly to the
increasing importance
of women!
• CoMBiNe iNNer
sensibility with a thick
skin. Understand what is
going on; keep abreast of
what is in the air; but don’t
get too upset by criticism
or a swinging review. A
restaurateur’s biggest
enemy, says Joe Bastianich,
in my book is not the
restaurant reviewer but
his or her ego.
• FiNAllY, ANd i Believe
that this is the most
recent and most
difficult challenge for
restaurateurs, is, to
be aware and responsive
to: the environment;
climate change; the
importance of your
local community; and
the power every
restaurateur has to
do good.