VIPs

[chef koo]

do they mean anything to you? i know alot of restaurants grovel to VIP's like the success of the restaurant depends on it. personally i take the side that once you step into the doors you're no differnt from anyone else. i think waiters would look at the situation a bit different. they're income rests alot upon gratuity. if they knew someone has a big dining budget i'm sure they would do their best to give extra care and attention to that table and make sure everything is perfect; the food, water galsses are always full ect ect. but then again i've met alot of waiters that look at the customers the same as i do. i've also met chefs who treat VIP's with greater attention and care. i thought of this becasue i was watchin "jamies school dinners" and i saw taht part where bill clinton wanted a new menu then the one he requested upon coming to the restaurant. jamie was pissed so he wouldn't go out to see him when he was asked to. i think that takes guts and i respect that

[nwyles]

chef koo - Interesting topic and interesting point.

I realize that there are many restaurants that cater to VIP's and Hotel people in the center of our town. Is everyone who comes in the door special ? In a perfect world - yes - but we do not live in a perfect world. Some guests are treated better than others because of who they are or what they can do for the business in some form or another. I want to be clear that in my small shack , these opportunities don't arise that often - more likely a flock of egulleters in than anything else.

What would you call a VIP ? Someone famous ? Celebrity ? Local Food media ? Business bigshot ? Hotel concierge ? Fellow restauranteur ? Old High School friend ? Your mother ?

There are many reasons for treating any of the above in a special way and perhaps that "special" way is just simply " Don't screw it up !! " or switching waiters for a certain guest becuase the waiter whose section they are in is hungover and is sweating vodka.

Regualr guests sometimes need a little special treatment to remind them why they keep coming back, week after week, year after year. I am assuming at this point that these are not the type of people who you are referring to.

I think the point you are trying to bring out is the "other" kind of VIP - big shooters, hot shots, the "beautiful people" - I know a fellow restauranteur whose lips are in permanant pucker, ready to kiss ass at any point in the day. What he does not realize is that sometimes he comp's more for these people than they actually spend. On top of that, he moves reservations around and interupts other people's dinners trying to accomodate these people. It is a downward spiral because he is pissing off the regulars to fawn over the "beautiful people". He will catch on one day.

As to the local food media - as an owner - it would be a simple bit of math as to why these things happen.

The right kind of media attention puts bums in seats. Period.

Let's make up a local restauranteur who has had the good fortune to get a FoodTV show and has won a nationally televised cooking competition show call "Chef of Steel" Let's call him "Bob".

"Bob" is cruising around the restaurant dining room one night and sees a local food writer. The writer is in with his friends, made a reservation, just a dinner out, nothing in a professional capacity. "Bob" sends over an extra special amuse bouche and a little ice wine after dinner and made sure that the waiter was at his very best. Cost of this extra love $20.00

What is the worst thing that can happen ? Nothing. Has anyone sold their soul to the devil ? I think not. Has anyone compromised their professional ethics ? I do not think so.

The upside of this is that this has served to remind and reinforce the food writer why he came here in the first place, prompts them to write an article about it, prompting other food writers to ponder why they have not been in for a little while. This flurry of activity gets fingers on keyboards, which in turn brings other diners in. Let's say it helps bring in 20 tables a week - to some that might seem lots and to others it might be a drop in the bucket, depending on the size of your market. That is over 2000 bums in seats in a year. That facilitates the employ of 5 to 10 people with all of the other things that go with it - more supplies, more wine and the triclke down effect that that might have.

Cost $20.00

Now I know that seems an extreme example. Lets say that that happens 100 times in a year to get that sort of response. Cost $2000 vs 2000 guests @ $100

The return on investment is huge ! And what is the harm ? I think I spend $2000 a year on Lattes from Starbucks and I get no return on that. This certainly is a good way to spend some marketing dollars. It is less expensive and more direct than some of the marketing plans that I have done over the past few years. If I could get every misspent dollar back, I would be rich. It is a controlled way to spend the dollars with usually a great rate of return on it.

[Fat Guy]

I'm envisioning some sort of horrible communist restaurant where all customers must be treated exactly the same. What? Julia Child came back from the dead and wants crepes but they're not on the menu? Screw her. All our customers get exactly the same treatment. She can have the chicken fingers.

[*Deborah*]

I'm envisioning some sort of horrible communist restaurant where all customers must be treated exactly the same. What? Julia Child came back from the dead and wants crepes but they're not on the menu? Screw her. All our customers get exactly the same treatment. She can have the chicken fingers.

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Or the watery Gulaschsuppe with three-day-old bread rolls (my only experience in a communist restaurant).

[Grub]

I'm envisioning some sort of horrible communist restaurant where all customers must be treated exactly the same. What? Julia Child came back from the dead and wants crepes but they're not on the menu? Screw her. All our customers get exactly the same treatment. She can have the chicken fingers.

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Hey, if I wuz approached by some crepes-demanding, hunched-backed zombie, I'd be a little unsettled too.

[cubilularis]

You and ee cummings need to get to bed earlier! I think you should re-read your post...then lets discuss.

p.s. (why are you a chef? the long hours?, hard work?, bullshit pay?...or to please customers?)

p.s.s. are you a chef (certified)?

[BCinBC]

Neil - I have to agree, this is the price of business. Any business. Sometimes one can afford to hit cruise control with some customers / clients; sometimes it pays not to, even if the "special treatment" is going up to them and saying, "You're special." (Or whatever.) The act is more important than the dollar amount involved.

And yes there is also a distinction between being the Chef and being the Owner.

PS: I like your scenario, tho I think the guests may have already been won over by "Bob"'s lobster ravioli. Would you like a happy dance with that?

Grub - be thankful the zombie ain't after your brain and make her the damned crepes!

[Carolyn Tillie]

Hey, if I wuz approached by some crepes-demanding, hunched-backed zombie, I'd be a little unsettled too.

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Best laugh all day! Thanks...

Edited April 5, 2005 by Carolyn Tillie (log)

[chef koo]

niel. i think that a food writers opinion should be backed up by peoples personal expiriences with the restaurant. one good review can't over whelm thousands of unhappy customers. but i was talking more about the "big shots". and i don't mean food writer big shots. i mean celebrity big shots. of course the world isn't perfect and restaunrants for the most part will always feel the inclination to treat those who don't need to be treated. i have to wonder though if it's our continued acceptance of this attitude that fuels it. call me utopian. i just like things be fair

cubilularis, who the hell is ee cummings. and what does it matter iwhy i became a chef and if i am a certified chef?

Edited April 6, 2005 by chef koo (log)

[Pan]

Yahoo! search results for "ee cummings"

[cubilularis]

cubilularis, who the hell is ee cummings. and what does it matter iwhy i became a chef and if i am a certified chef?

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I take offence when cooks call themselves Chef. Literal translation of Chef is leader, as in Chef de/(or is it du…my French teacher told me to make everything féminine and I would be right half the time…Ketchup is masculine and Mustard is féminine?) Cuisine...or Leader of the food. Executive Chef...Executive Leader: you are neither and none. A big problem in Canada and worth exploring in another thread...

The fact you have a writing style (lol! unintentionally) similar to ee Cummings is kind of cool, and worth some mockery with Literature being my major 18 years ago.

[chef koo]

i'm just lazy when it comes to punctuation.

as for my profession... well how about i start anoter thread

[touaregsand]

niel. i think that a food writers opinion should be backed up by peoples personal expiriences with the restaurant. one good review can't over whelm thousands of unhappy customers. but i was talking more about the "big shots". and i don't mean food writer big shots. i mean celebrity big shots. of course the world isn't perfect and restaunrants for the most part will always feel the inclination to treat those who don't need to be treated. i have to wonder though if it's our continued acceptance of this attitude that fuels it. call me utopian. i just like things be fair

cubilularis, who the hell is ee cummings. and what does it matter iwhy i became a chef and if i am a certified chef?

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I'm in LA, the celebrity capital of the world. Grew up here. A lot of celebrities don't act like big shots. Actually some like Edward Norton for instance loves to be treated like the "common" folk.

[elswinger]

As a non-restaurateur and non-celebrity I guess the question is; why did you open up a restaurant? Are you in it for the money? Did you do it to meet famous people? Or did you do it for your love of food?

Except when I was in Los Angeles I've never eaten at a velvet rope establishment (I can't remember the name of the place, it was the near or on Sunset and was the spot-de-jour the winter of 2000. My only bad experience there was the guy manning the rope, who was a dick). My party had made reservations weeks before and confirmed them 48 hours prior to arriving, but according to “the man” our name wasn't on the list. While in line I called the restaurant and the maître d’ said we were on the list and I had him come out and tell the rope guy. Once inside I felt like I was treated like everyone else. The only celebrity inside was Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue) who seemed very nice and was way hotter than she looked on TV. In Seattle I've often seen celebrities at The Metropolitan Grill and other high end joints, but again, as far as I know, I’ve gotten the same service as them, though I am sure the small talk is different.

But I accept that a celebrity most likely will spend more money than I will (though I probably tip better than many of them, if bitterwaitress.com is to be believed).

[wesza]

In all the Restaurants that I owned , operated, consulted, or had anything to do with the one thing that made a customer in our eyes into a "VIP" was the simple fact that they cared enough about our place to simply "RETURN".

There are no patrons to any Restaurant more important then those who become regular customers. They appreciate the fact that you acknowledge then by staff remembering little things like where they like to sit, cocktails, wines, especially there names, etc. This must always be done discreetly as sometimes being to attentive depending on circumstances must be judged by experience. observation and timing.

In the long run it's these customers who become loyal, keep you full regularly and most important send you many customers.

It never hurts to treat someone who is some type of celebrity or seems to require some attention well, after all our job is to get them to return.

One of the most difficult things to teach employees was that when a friend or acquaintance happened to be eating in "OUR" Restaurant that it was not appropriate to "COMPT" them Anything or even BUY a drink or a desert. Our rationale, proved again and again was that if you did this it often discouraged them from becoming regulars or returning again.

I choose to suggest to employees that if these "Friends" were important to them that it would be all right to invite them for a special occasion as "OUR" guests for a meal. This was rarely taken advantage of, but the thought was there.

It seems that at many of our operations it seemed like we became "Night Off" favorites to many Hotel, Restaurant employees who regularly recommended customers who asked for suggestions while patronizing their places.

Our. "VIP" treatment was regularly expressed by providing some things such as a house "Green Salad", Wine, or after Dinner Drinks or Deserts for special treats or celebrations.

Another little thing we tried to do circumspectly was unless our regular customers advised that they were the "HOST" and were picking up the tab, would be to make sure that the visitors received the Check. We were surprised how much this was welcomed.

Many of these places are still going strong over 40 years later.

Irwin

[chefzadi]

As a non-restaurateur and non-celebrity I guess the question is; why did you open up a restaurant? Are you in it for the money? Did you do it to meet famous people? Or did you do it for your love of food?

I only love food. I don't care if I don't make any money at all. My kids can starve, live in a tent, attend a bad public school as long as I am slaving away cooking for total strangers.

None of those things exclude the others, by the way.

But I accept that a celebrity most likely will spend more money than I will (though I probably tip better than many of them, if bitterwaitress.com is to be believed).

Not really. You'd be surprised how many celebrities are like normal people. But then again in LA lots of "normal" people have a lot of money. I've cooked for a long list of celebrities in LA. You know what? The average person thinks that makes me a greater chef than all my training and work experience. Do I think it does, of course not. I won't argue that a little publicity will bring in customers, a mention of a celebrity or two doesn't hurt in getting a little publicity. But if a restaurant wants to stay open for more than 3-5 years (boy does the restaurant landscape change often around here) better to culitvate relationships with regulars, a solid customer base.

[Pan]

[...]

One of the most difficult things to teach employees was that when a friend or acquaintance happened to be eating in "OUR" Restaurant that it was not appropriate to "COMPT" them Anything or even BUY a drink or a desert. Our rationale, proved again and again was that if you did this it often discouraged them from becoming regulars or returning again.[...]

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Why do you think that is? Sounds like some odd psychological effect.

[zilla369]

[...]

One of the most difficult things to teach employees was that when a friend or acquaintance happened to be eating in "OUR" Restaurant that it was not appropriate to "COMPT" them Anything or even BUY a drink or a desert. Our rationale, proved again and again was that if you did this it often discouraged them from becoming regulars or returning again.[...]

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Why do you think that is? Sounds like some odd psychological effect.

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I think i can guess. If i dine at a restaurant where i know the chef or some employee(s), an amuse bouche is fine because it's usually complimentary to every diner. But if Chef or Sous comp a dish or send free drinks or free dessert (unless they know it's a special occasion) on my first visit, i might be hesitant to return any time soon - simply because i'm afraid they might think that i expect the same treatment on subsequent visits. Whereas, if the whole meal was comped, i might feel more comfortable returning sooner because i'd hope they'd know i surely would not assume my whole meal would be comped every time i hit the door.

That really is an odd psychological effect, isn't it? But that's what i came up with after i thought about it for a minute.

[wesza]

"Amuse Bouche" is a distraction that we choose not to serve to our customers. It is something that has become more common or even anticipated but this is a relatively recent addition. For many years it was offered more as a "palette cleanser" such as a unusual sorbet served between courses but has become a contrived special treat offered by so called celebrity chef's or wannabes.

I'm one of the types of Restaurant operators who never offer "Discounts" or accept any "Coupons" or 2 for 1 deals as I prefer to adjust my prices based upon market conditions and provide all my customers with a honest value, not giving more to those who purchased a coupon book or a discount. I also am contrary to the point when there are so called big promotions dreamed up by Newspaper Advertising Promotion's or Whatever that during those periods we will offer a comparable priced "Set Menu" with excellent values as a "Thank You" for your patronage that we don't advertise, but it sure keeps us full by word of mouth.

As far as "Celebrity Diners" we have enjoyed patronage thru the years of many very well known persons who have become friends and enjoy our Restaurants because they feel welcomed discreetly and appreciate their privacy and remember their preferences just like other repeat customers.

It certainly has caused many interesting situations such as "Secret Service Agent's" stopping a well known Cabinet Officer from saying hello to a Foreign Royalty whom he had just entertained at "Blair House" in Washington DC 2 day's previously. Or a Famous Actress stopping a peoples tables telling them that they have to try a certain dish her favorite or introducing a Actor famous for playing a Quarterback in Movies to the Quarterback whose team just won the Super Bowl, both being excited about the meeting in our Restaurant followed up by introducing them both to a another customer who also was a famous Quarterback with 3 Super Bowl Rings retired. Yes all were regular customers when visiting Honolulu.

Irwin

[iheartoffal]

I don't like hearing stories of people who have tried hard to get a reservation someplace only to have their table given away to a walk-in VIP. I was pleased to hear that Per Se actually turned away a couple of well-known actors who came in demanding a table recently.

[touaregsand]

"Amuse Bouche" is a distraction that we choose not to serve to our customers. It is something that has become more common or even anticipated but this is a relatively recent addition. For many years it was offered more as a "palette cleanser" such as a unusual sorbet served between courses but has become a contrived special treat offered by so called celebrity chef's or wannabes.

You might want to read this thread, before calling it a contrived special. Some chefs come from tradtions that serve it.

[touaregsand]

I don't like hearing stories of people who have tried hard to get a reservation someplace only to have their table given away to a walk-in VIP.  I was pleased to hear that Per Se actually turned away a couple of well-known actors who came in demanding a table recently.

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That's the great thing about celebrities. They are good for publicity whether you are nice to them or not.