Been Talkin' 'Bout You

[Jinmyo]

Hi, Danny.

In Steve Shaw's introduction to your Q&A he indicates that you had some familiarity with the discussions of Blue Smoke here on eGullet.

As a restaurateur, what do you think of eGullet? Do you follow the site at all? Do you think other restaurateurs are aware of and react to the discussions here? How does a long discussion on the Web compare for you to a newspaper review?

Do you think eGullet is a good thing? Or do you consider it a nuisance and wish it would go away?

[Danny Meyer]

I was first introduced to eGullet by one of my colleagues -- Christopher Russell -- who's an wonderful manager at Union Square Cafe, and before that was an equally outstanding dining room captain at Gramercy Tavern. I've also been a fan of Steven Shaw's food writing for as long as he's been doing it.

I wouldn't have chosen to participate in this Q&A if I didn't respect eGullet, nor if I wanted it to "go away." I don't read it as a habit, but every now and again a friend or colleague will send me something they think I'd find useful, or could learn from.

For years, we've received letters from people (good and bad) commenting on their dining experiences at our restaurants. I love to learn from those letters and build a relationship with those folks. The only problem I have with chat rooms (food related or other) is that they can potentially become non-constructive. Criticism is good if it's meant to achieve a constructive result or to help something improve. It's less useful if it's just a public outlet to complain. One thing I like about eGullet is that there is accountability to the posts. People identify themselves, which I think adds depth and care to the dialogues.

I benefit when more people care about good food and restaurants. I think eGullet promotes both.