Krista Lepore: Behind the Scenes of Fine-Dining, Chefs, and Celebrity Encounters

Ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes in a bustling fine-dining restaurant? Join us on Walk-In Talk Podcast as we bring you a fascinating conversation with Krista Lepore, a seasoned front-of-house professional from New York's elite dining scene. From the fiery interactions between chefs and servers to the critical importance of respect and communication, Krista shares her candid insights and personal stories that shine a light on the unique challenges and rewards of the restaurant world.

We'll tackle some hard-hitting issues, like the abusive behavior of certain high-profile chefs and the impact of social media on restaurant dynamics. Our discussion navigates the fine line between positive exposure and potential exploitation in the influencer age, while also emphasizing the necessity of maintaining authenticity. Learn how proactive behavior and exceptional service can turn a dining experience from average to extraordinary, fostering customer loyalty even when the food might fall short.

And for some lighter moments, tune in to hear about unexpected celebrity encounters, including a heartwarming story involving Anne Hathaway that challenges preconceived notions. We'll also dive into the quirky anecdotes from our early days in food media, highlighting the unexpected perks and ethical dilemmas of food reviewing. This episode is a trea

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Transcript

Speaker 2: 1:04

Hello, food Fam. This is the Walkie Talk podcast where you will find the perfect blend of food fun and cooking knowledge. I'm your host, carl Fiatini. Welcome to the number one food podcast in the country. We are recording on-site at Ibis Images Studios, where food photography comes alive and I get to eat it. First things first. Last week on the show we had President and Provost of Auguste Scafier School of Culinary Chef, kirk Bachman. What a great guy. He's going to be back. I enjoyed this episode personally and if you missed it you should go back and take a listen.

Speaker 2: 1:38

All right, today we dive into the tale of two cities. Well, sort of. We aren't referring to Charles Dickens' depiction of London or Paris, but instead it's the back of the house versus the front of the house within the confines of a restaurant environment. Our guest this week is Krista Lepore. She's worked front of house in New York fine dining establishments such as Avoche under Chef Missy Robbins and Chef Anita Lowe's Anissa Michelin chefs. Both Krista also hosted a travel channel show called American Roadhouse. Stay tuned, krista is on deck Chefs out there. We've been using Metro Hotboxes, shelving and even their mobile prep card around the studio and couldn't be happier. If you're planning on reorganizing your kitchen life, be sure to contact our friends at Metro, your partner in organization and efficiency, alright Jefferson. I know I know you've probably filleted a few servers in your time. Why do you chefs want to make servers cry you bastards? Why? Why do you do it? Stupidity, I think so. I mean, I don't think it's, I think you guys are. You give it a raw deal.

Speaker 1: 3:03

No, I think that's a blanket statement. I think there's a time and a place. And then we talked about it offline. I never want to make a server cry. It's just when they lie to you and you have to call them out on it, and then you just do stupid things.

Speaker 2: 3:20

Wait, did you just say a blanket statement and then throw out this whole when they lie to you bit?

Speaker 1: 3:25

Yeah, oh, come on man, when a server comes back and says oh, this didn't go in, what do you mean? It didn't go in, it's a computer. How did it not go in?

Speaker 2: 3:35

What about when one of your line cooks read it wrong? How about that? When one of your line cooks read it wrong, how about that? I?

Speaker 1: 3:40

eat that I'm the one that sits there and goes. That's our fault. If we overcook a steak, I go out to the table. If the server does a mistake, I go out to the table. But I'm a different breed. I came from the front of the house, I didn't come from the back, so I have I'd rather go to the front and find out what's going on. There's no wall. There's never a wall in my restaurant. I never wanted it to be a wall. So when you say the TL2 cities, that's most restaurants.

Speaker 1: 4:09

But there are chefs out there that have a different mindset, that realize the first person, the first impression of your restaurant, and I saw our guest coming on the show. I saw one of the things that she was talking about the most important person is the person greeting your guests and they're also the most important person as they guest leave. And if they're not having that bubbly personality, if they're not, you know, engaging the guests, then you're missing out. Because you know, just like when you have a plate hit the table and I was watching Brian Duffy do this too and he's doing like lamb wesson with French fries and he called it out what's the first thing you do when somebody has a sandwich at the table, you could have an entree. John could have something, I could have something.

Speaker 1: 4:50

As soon as French fries hit the table, everyone's going in. Your French fries are doing the same way, so the first impression is your French fry. The first impression of your door is going to be that server. So it all has to work together. But the the statement of like why we make servers cry. I don't want to like make our server cry. They cry because of different reasons. There are chefs out there that are a-holes, that do things that that they get off on for kicks, poops and giggles. Yeah, but that's not me.

Speaker 2: 5:21

What people don't see right now is that I am staring directly into Jefferson's eyeballs and I'm judging him.

Speaker 2: 5:31

I am with the wrath of All the servers that you know At the time's periods when chefs used to yell at you when you were a server, yeah, but I was different too, though, because here's the thing I and I would go out and hang out with the, with the, with the crew, from the back, always, so you know, I mean I was like part of the crew, even though I wasn't right, and and the and the cats that I've run into who were just total, you know not nice people I would.

Speaker 2: 6:02

I would physically challenge them Like it, it. You know, I grew up in a different, we grew up in a different time. Like it wasn't like it is today. It was a little bit more wild, more wild West, you know sort of a scenario, yeah, so I wasn't going to be pushed like that. I just I don't, I don't dig it, you know. But then you know there were other people, and you know servers, you know even hosts, bus, like the rest of the people where if you're not, if you're not putting yourself in a position where you can withstand what comes from the kitchen, you're going to get swallowed.

Speaker 1: 6:37

Well, yeah, but I don't think we need to do that anymore. I mean, you look at, we talked again offline to certain chefs that recently passed away and you knew that made their mark. And you look at James Kent, who just passed away at 45 years old of a heart attack. What was he doing? How was he working? You know, I think the work ethic that we have today is different because of what happened with the COVID and coming out or realizing that we can't treat people like dirt and and this is one of the things that I'm trying to change, or we're trying to change the mental health attitude and finding the the work life balance. We don't need to have people that are going to be abusive, whether it be sexual, verbally abusive it's that needs to stop.

Speaker 2: 7:15

Oh, of course. Well, I mean listen there. I mean listen, there's levels to this, right. You know when I was coming up in the business and I don't know how it is now with what I'm going to say but, like you know, if you're at your POS, if you're ringing your orders in or whatever, sure enough somebody's going to come up behind you and give you a neck rub. You know what I mean. Like all that kind of stuff, not anymore, probably not, and that's a neck rub. You know what I mean. Like all that kind of stuff, not anymore, probably not. And that's ridiculous, man, I think the camaraderie of that, that vibe, the way everybody kind of communicated, I like it better how it was.

Speaker 1: 7:55

Personally, Well, you do, because you weren't part of the abuse right.

Speaker 2: 7:59

No, Listen. Well, you do, because you weren't part of the abuse, right? Well, no, listen. Like I said, everybody who, if you're, if you're working with people who are abusive, they're going to try to abuse If you let them. If you don't, then they won't. I mean, that's how. That's how I look at it, yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:17

And I know our guest is going to have something to say to this. But I know, like I mentioned something yesterday about depression and something, and somebody came back and said you hit the nail on the head on that and we have to do a better job of like figuring things out and talking. This was a chef friend of mine, like our guest and myself and you who talk about mental health, who put it out there about the restaurant industry and how this has to change, and people are like, yeah, we're changing. We're changing, yeah, but here's the thing, we're not and it's those people that are being vocal who are changing it. It's the other people that are allowing the abuse to continue that aren't speaking up. That has to be one voice at one time to make this industry change to be better, and that's where we need to go with this.

Speaker 1: 9:04

The abuse of making people cry yeah, back in the day it was, I hated it. You know I hated the abuse. You know it's when I was a server. You know the first thing I would be is like, hey, I effed up, Well, I need this now. And the kitchen would be like, yeah, go eff yourself. And he was like, hey, I effed up. Well, I can, I need this now, and the kitchen would be like go F yourself and you're like you're done. There's nothing you can do except go to the table and be just grovel, Because then the kitchen just was like they own you and that's not conducive because it's the guest, that's being.

Speaker 2: 9:36

So when? When they tell you that you never picked up a a souff souffle and then winged it in the back, no, no, no, because again I worked in the industry from both sides of the ball.

Speaker 1: 9:45

I know how it is to be, and I don't know which one's. The worst position in a restaurant I can guarantee you is the dishwasher. It's the most thankless job. And if you're a chef and you're not thanking your dishwasher, then what the hell?

Speaker 2: 9:57

are you doing Well and?

Speaker 1: 10:02

what the hell are you doing? Well, that's the truth. Listen before we get too deep into this. What's on the menu today? This one is. I told you guys last night this one is probably my best meal I've made in a long long time. This is a grouper.

Speaker 3: 10:13

That was me.

Speaker 1: 10:14

Sorry, I did a grouper, but I wanted to go back to my Florida roots and we talked about this last time. I took plantains and ground them up with some coconut um Latin spices, hit that with the grouper, seared that, had some rice, and then I did a um lobster or Blanc with coconut rum, reduce that down, and then I had some peas and then some spinach to add on some color, the crunch, the everything you wanted, the umami, the flavorami, the flavor, the textures, everything, even by itself. When you tasted it by itself, it all jived together. So good. It just. It's a very craveable meal. I just can't wait me either.

Speaker 2: 11:33

You know the only the only problem I I heard was that description is, like you said it too fast. You know what I mean.

Speaker 1: 11:39

We gotta slow it down.

Speaker 2: 11:41

Slow it down, I know what are we talking about here? All right, well, let's get into the topic. Let's get Chris on.

Speaker 1: 11:49

She's probably like Joey she's chomping at the bit. I know she is.

Speaker 2: 11:52

All right, Krista. Welcome to the show.

Speaker 3: 11:56

Hi. Yes, I am chomping at the bit.

Speaker 2: 12:00

Did we get you primed? Are you ready?

Speaker 3: 12:02

Ooh, lots of things to say.

Speaker 2: 12:07

Well, before you do, before you jump in, take 30 seconds and just give an airplane view of who you are, what you do.

Speaker 3: 12:18

So I am. My name is Krista Hi. I'm a front of the house expert, specializes in service etiquette and hospitality. I started out back of the house, moved my way to front of the house. I've worked every single solitary front of the house position there is all the way up through management. I've opened several high-profile restaurants here in Manhattan primarily work in Michelin, star fine dining and private members clubs star fine dining and private members clubs and I hosted a series for the Travel Channel called American Roadhouse, where I traveled the country turning failing dive bars into successful businesses.

Speaker 2: 12:54

Who do you think you are?

Speaker 3: 12:55

No, that's, that's that sounds awesome. All right, I mean, it's just a couple of things. It's a few things.

Speaker 2: 13:00

It's a few things and you know, I love when people have the perspective, uh, the dual perspective, of you know how it works in the kitchen and then how it works, you know, in the dining room and you know the the dance that happens. Um, as we were kind of talking about in the opening monologue, so uh, again back to the proverbial chomping at the bit. What say you, what are your thoughts on this?

Speaker 3: 13:26

Where shall I start? So first of all, I took notes during that whole thing, the whole making people cry thing. So I think back in the day that was sort of the feel in restaurants. It doesn't happen for the most part anymore. And, Chef, I know that you talked about, you know, post-COVID it is very different and people realize that you can't treat your staff poorly. But I think it happened before then.

Speaker 1: 13:57

Yeah, the Me Too movement I definitely think really helped that.

Speaker 3: 14:00

Yes, that's where I think it started. You know, there are still chefs who are actually known and famous for being abusive. David Chang is one of them, and I make no qualms about the fact how I despise this person because of how abusive he is to his staff. And just if anybody is curious, I want to shout out a writer. Her name is Hannah Selinger and she wrote a James Beard-nominated essay about her time working for him, and so I highly recommend everybody read that so that chronicles sort of what it used to be and actually what it still is.

Speaker 3: 14:35

In very small places there are some chefs I think Chef here was correct where some actually do enjoy doing it, but I think that for the most part it has subsided. Now. Chef does bring up a very valid point where is if the server, the bartender, if the front of the house makes a mistake and doesn't own up to it? That just causes problems and tensions with back of the house, and that shouldn't happen. But I would argue that sometimes not all the time, sometimes that the reason that the front of the house feels they have to lie is because they're trying to shield themselves from the abuse that will come at them if they tell the truth.

Speaker 2: 15:18

That is so accurate.

Speaker 3: 15:20

So it's not okay, because we have to remember and I believe this to my core it's not about me, it's not about front of the house, it's not about back of the house, it is about the guest. We are there for them and their experience. But sometimes, because being in the front of the house and dealing with all of those different energies and personalities and quirks and how people treat you, and it's all en masse, right, it's all at the same time, sometimes you just need a mental break and sometimes you just you roll the dice and think I'm just going to lie so I can save myself a tiny bit of abuse here. And it doesn't ever work out well because, chef's right, there's a POS. Did you put the water in the computer? Did you hit send? Did you put a hold on it and not release the hold? I mean, you know that's human error, that's on us and so. But I I think that sometimes the lie is because we're shielding.

Speaker 1: 16:20

Well, that's a hundred percent. You know it too.

Speaker 1: 16:22

Yeah, when it comes back in yeah, you figure it out, but again, I think it's the way that at the end of the shift I think the chef has to be the lighthouse for not only the back of the house but also has to be the lighthouse in the front of the house, especially during the storm. Um, I think you have to be. Whoever the chef is has to be that calm to go out to the table One. When the chef goes out to the table, you know the poop has hit the fan.

Speaker 2: 16:49

You know they're there. Go ahead and say we've got it.

Speaker 1: 16:52

This is what we're going to do. I think one of the experiences that we lost from COVID is the experience of dining, but I think what we have also done is that we forget that, without having the ability for 30 seconds, not being greeted, you know and I've worked for corporate companies where you have to talk for 30 seconds because they want to make you realize what 30 seconds is. If you don't do a greet, that's that hampers the ability of the, the guest overall experience. Again, that's the first impression. So I think, if, if you're, if you're think, if you know that you've got that Friday night, you've got flat seated and you just are.

Speaker 1: 17:29

Just the wheel is just going off. The paper has to be refilled because it's going off so much. The manager has to go to the table and be proactive and say, hey, the kitchen is this, it's going to be an extra amount of time. You know, get a round of drinks. If we're proactive, there should be no problem at the end of the day when something happens like that and you can justify the means to the end for the guests so they have a better experience and that's all communication 100%.

Speaker 3: 17:57

I was just going to say that it's all about communication. It is, you know, I have worked. You know I was always labeled the black sheep at certain restaurants because whenever I worked a shift, that's when the health department decided to come in for a surprise inspection, and it never happened when I wasn't there.

Speaker 1: 18:15

She is the black sheep because she caused you to mess up twice.

Speaker 2: 18:19

Nobody knows what you're talking about Nothing happened.

Speaker 3: 18:21

Why, what, how dare you, how dare you, how dare you so?

Speaker 2: 18:27

Wait, a second Wait, krista, krista, krista, krista, hold on Audience. Listen. We do everything live on this show. We're recording in real time. It's not like a bunch of crazy editing and everything. So when I read the opening monologue, I'm reading it and you know, sometimes you got to do it once or twice, right, and that's what happened today.

Speaker 1: 18:49

And I don't feel bad about it. I don't feel bad, no, but she jinxed you. She was the jinx. That's all I'm saying. All right?

Speaker 3: 18:54

How dare you blame the woman?

Speaker 2: 18:57

Thanks, lady, Thanks lady. Typical front of the house. It's always our fault. Look it's happening now. You fell right into it, it's happening now.

Speaker 3: 19:11

I know, oh, please, 20 years of this Come on.

Speaker 2: 19:13

The difference here is we don't get to eat the steak. Wow.

Speaker 1: 19:19

Thank you for bringing up that is one of my biggest issues.

Speaker 2: 19:23

What.

Speaker 1: 19:24

The eating, the mistake. You know how many times servers like oh. I'm hungry. Bling, bling, bling. Oh, that's a mistake.

Speaker 2: 19:32

Yeah, sure that never happens. That has never happened, it is Never done that.

Speaker 3: 19:37

A lot of restaurants I've worked in. We've had a rule about that and I know when I managed I had a rule about it because it's just not sanitary. Rule about that, and I know when I managed I had a rule about it because it's just not sanitary. It's disgusting. We call it garbage mouthing uh it's. They touch the plate like their germs are like, especially now post-covid um, and I'm here in new york city in new york city where apparently there's like a covid spike again, like it is just not sanitary, it's not worth it, it goes in the garbage yeah, that's no.

Speaker 2: 20:02

You gotta catch it before you do it.

Speaker 1: 20:06

I'm not talking about the mistake hit the table. I'm talking they ring it in and go it was a mistake, so they could eat it. No, I'm not talking. I'm one of those that if it hit the table it goes in the garbage.

Speaker 2: 20:18

Yeah, of course. No, we're talking about you ring it and then they make it and you're observing the making of it and then you're like oh Wait, there's nobody at table 86.

Speaker 1: 20:28

Why is there food for table 86?

Speaker 2: 20:31

Oh, that's a mistake Sorry.

Speaker 3: 20:34

Yeah, see, yeah, no, not good. How do we fix all this?

Speaker 2: 20:42

How do we fix it?

Speaker 3: 20:47

Well, it's going back to uh. Before you blame me for your opening mistakes, we were talking about communication, gentlemen. Uh, and I was talking about when the health department comes in for surprise inspections. As you all know, kitchens come to a halt. They come to a complete halt. Nothing is coming out of that kitchen. And what I learned is that and this is what I used to do I would go up to all of the tables and be like hey, just want to let you know, health department just came in for a surprise inspection. The kitchen's on a halt. It's going to be a while for your food to come out here. Let me top off your wine here, let me bring you another, whatever I can bring you. And then, as soon as that happened, everybody's shoulders just relaxed. They're like yeah, okay, whatever, because we communicated with them. We did not wait until they started looking around the restaurant like where's my food? At that point you're past the point of no return. You never want a guest to get to the point where they're starting to look around.

Speaker 2: 21:43

Well, you had me at top off the drink. You know what I mean.

Speaker 3: 21:47

Like that works for me. Listen, I always walk over to the table with a bottle of wine. I'm like, let me just top this off.

Speaker 2: 21:51

So here's what happened to me the other day, you know. So, jeff, veronica and I were out cold calling. You know, we were working Right, and I'm not going to say the name of the place. We stopped in for a bite and it's a. It's a big brand name, but it's not ultra corporate, but it's a, but it's a big name. And, uh, we're sitting on the patio, which is inside, but it's not in the main dining room, and the everything's great server is great, food's great, everything's really super.

Speaker 2: 22:22

And then I'm sitting there and I'm looking and and sure enough we're in florida, right, and sure enough there's a little, uh, little critter, you know, you know, scurrying across the floor. You're in the patio, yeah, but it was still covered inside. It's not outside patio, it's inside patio. And I'm like, oh man, dang it. You know it's a killer and and it's busy, it's full, but nobody sees it. Because I'm looking around, I'm trying to, I observe these things, right, and sure enough, this little stinker, he scurries away and he's by me. So I just drop a napkin on the floor and I get him, and then I left the napkin there. But now I feel like a slob right and like people think I'm a pig and I'm not right, very so, anyway, we pay, we leave.

Speaker 2: 23:04

I see the server and I was like, hey, listen, by the way, on the floor, you see that I'm not a gross person under it is this thing and and the server was so cool, just, you know it's like oh, my God, thank you very much. I appreciate that. Thanks for telling me. I didn't want her to pick it up and there'd be, you know, remnants. Yeah, so, but but you know, these are the things that happen in the business and you got to figure out your ways around it. You know, even like being from it, and then we still go out and eat. We have to help, like you can't just be go in, see something like that and then just leave it. Or if there's something, if there's a mess in the in, see something like that and then just leave it. Or if there's something, if there's a mess in the, in the bathroom, we're, we're, we're from the industry. We should be making sure that if we see something, we got to say something help them, help these people.

Speaker 1: 23:55

Well, not only that, I think and Crystal will be agree with me too is how many times when you have a bad meal you say something, but how many times when it's a good meal you say something when it's a good meal you say something we have to be balanced in both, because, if you've got to call out Prime example, I was at Outback and Todd who went and did a review. When he listened to it, I met Jeff.

Speaker 2: 24:11

Oh yeah, I saw that so.

Speaker 1: 24:12

Todd was my server. They were busy. They got flat set. We sat down, he came over, he rocked it and I was like, hey, where's your MOD?

Speaker 1: 24:24

And and I was like hey where's your MOD and, by the way, that's manager on duty for everyone. And he goes is there a problem? I'm like I just want to let them know how great of a server you are. He's like oh my God, can you do this? And it was like a review, and they get something like that from the corporate, which I did. But that's the thing. Like we're society so hell-bent on the negative side of things, oh that this, that. Well, then, point out something that was great, because the restaurant can't be all bad.

Speaker 2: 24:48

No, and the reality. And, by the way, what so? Todd Right the server, right From which location, the one off of 60.

Speaker 1: 24:58

Was that Plant City? No, no, no, brandon Brandon, yeah, right by the mall.

Speaker 2: 25:04

Brandon, florida. Okay, awesome, good job, todd. So you know, when it comes down to, what makes somebody, a guest, come back to the restaurant. Obviously, if the food's great, hey, they're going to come back, but if your service isn't, they're not. I don't care how good your food is Like, it's not worth the aggravation. Chris, am I wrong?

Speaker 3: 25:23

No, you're correct, and actually I think I said this to you when we first met. For me, fabulous service will always save a bad meal, but a fabulous meal will be ruined by bad service 100% Every time.

Speaker 1: 25:37

Yep 100% agree with that.

Speaker 2: 25:39

Yeah, I'm not sure. I'm not sure, I'm not sure today. You know what I mean. Maybe I should go and do a, uh, a server stage somewhere. You know what I mean. Like just go in and like you know, you hate people. I do, I hate people.

Speaker 1: 25:54

That would not work.

Speaker 3: 25:56

You should not do a server stage.

Speaker 1: 25:58

You're like Statford or Walder from the Muppets, the old guys in the balcony.

Speaker 3: 26:03

Don't say that.

Speaker 1: 26:04

You and I are both.

Speaker 2: 26:05

We criticize, we sit here and criticize people, I know, but I'm out of touch with this and I don't feel like.

Speaker 1: 26:12

I should be, no, but you're really not, because if you're someone who goes out to eat, then you're involved in it. Everything in the industry is community-based At the end of the day, and everyone's going to shake their head. We're not doing brain surgery. No one's dying, hopefully. At the end of the meal we're serving food for crying out loud, so why do we put so much pressure on things? Wait a minute though.

Speaker 2: 26:34

No, man, I disagree a little bit. Listen, hold on.

Speaker 3: 26:37

You have to put pressure. The pressure is there because you how many restaurants are there?

Speaker 1: 26:42

Oh yeah, and how many of them fail.

Speaker 3: 26:43

Right, so let's assume, all things being equal, everyone's food is fabulous, so what's gonna make you come back to my restaurant over your restaurant? It's got to be service and experience, feel yeah, it's how you feel yeah it's everything

Speaker 1: 27:00

it's it's, it's the service, is the atmosphere, it's the experience in its whole. Like you can name like, yeah, uh, fernan is brie, uh, albert, uh fernan, uh adrian albert's brother or fernan's brother adrian, who the experience in its whole. You can name Fernand Adrian, albert's brother or Fernand's brother Adrian who has tickets in a whole bunch of different restaurants in Spain.

Speaker 1: 27:15

It's the experience that you're going to the Michelin star restaurants here in Tampa that just got, or Colantus' restaurant. You're going there and you have an experience. You have also an expectation. When you walk into those. It's the ones that you go to, that you have no expectations that blow you away.

Speaker 3: 27:34

Right.

Speaker 1: 27:35

And that's what we should be shouting about.

Speaker 3: 27:37

Right. Exactly that's when, like Carl said, you should be. You know Yelp has done, I think, the industry a great disservice and I think now all of these alleged influencers on social media have done the same thing. Like on my tiktok and instagram feed, I'm constantly seeing, like fashion influencers, makeup influencers that are doing restaurant reviews because they have millions of followers and the restaurants are bringing them in and they I was like you've got to be kidding me.

Speaker 3: 28:12

First of all, I don't want advice from a fashion influencer about food and service. I don't. If I want to really know how food and service is, I want somebody who's in the industry that can pinpoint. This is why this is great, this is why it's not so great and this is where they can improve. I'm not going there just to blow hundreds and hundreds of dollars just because an influencer told me to, but that's sort of, I think, where the restaurant industry is sort of going right now, which is a little disheartening, um, but I think it is really important to point out the positive, because a lot of people don't do that. Back to what you were just saying Todd Todd deserves all the shout outs because that's fabulous that he was just slammed and yet your experience was still amazing and he was able to do that for you. He deserves all the accolades, and there should be more of that well, and that's the thing like when we have an issue.

Speaker 1: 29:03

you know, I, when I do have an issue with whether it be customer service, without it, without being in the industry or within the industry, you point out the facts of hey, this is what was going good and this was what I need to be corrected. I think we have to balance it out because too many times in this industry that we only focus on the negative and that's because they're trying to get and I'm not saying this for everyone.

Speaker 1: 29:24

Well, not only likes and views, but they're also trying to get their free meal Right. Yes, there was one major player in the world that changed the course of everything. It was the grovel effect of the manager kneels down to get low and then talks to you about it and then comps your meal and they're like, oh, I can get comped here. Well then, I'm going to try that over there and that's what needs to.

Speaker 2: 29:48

Well, I'll try that over there and that's what needs to. Well, I'll tell you what. When we first started doing this you know, food media thing, and uh, this is like in the. In the very beginning it was like a, I think, had a gopro with a um with a, with one with a road um mic attached to it, right, and it had the the dead cat on it, right. That's the, the fluff that just makes the. You don't get the wind break.

Speaker 3: 30:09

Oh, okay, we call it a dead cat.

Speaker 1: 30:12

So you know I'm looking by the way, I'm just looking at John. John shaking his head. Yes, that's correct, he's the photographer. Yeah, he's giving credit.

Speaker 2: 30:20

Right. So I had a look. There was a little, a little you know, camera, stand, whatever. Walk into a restaurant and uh, it was like three of us, we sit down and all we were going to do is have the, have the camera on the table and we were going to talk about the food. This is in the very beginnings of of this. We're just experimenting and trying to find a path right.

Speaker 2: 30:43

And, uh, I see the gm walking by, who I thought was the gm anyway, and he turned out to be, and he was kind of side-eyeing me. And then I see him like behind the wall with his hat and he was like he's trying to figure out who we are and what the hell we're doing, right. So he comes over and he says and he came down, kneeled down. He says, what are you guys doing? And I said, well, we're going to do some video here and talk about the talk about the experience. Oh, oh, oh.

Speaker 2: 31:11

And he got excited, his eyes lit up. He goes oh, wait here, wait here, I want you to try some stuff. And he brought out a bunch. We didn't ask for it and I wasn't expecting it, but he brought out a whole table full of food and we did this whole giant review on it was really cool, but it wasn't expected, you know, and I don't expect that anywhere that we go, that they, that they treat us that way. You know, unless it's, unless it's part of an arrangement, that we're doing some sort of a you know, long-term sort of a deal or whatever, that's different. But to just walk in and do a review, man, I don't want nothing free, I want to, I want to, I want it on my own accord, right.

Speaker 3: 31:47

Yeah, I've waited on a few influencers at various restaurants. The restaurant was rolling out a new dish and they wanted to get some views on it, and it's never a good experience. It just is not, because you know, everything that they're doing is comped and I'm not going to say this for all influencers, the ones that I have had personal experience with. They take advantage of that because they're there for a specific dish to try it, photograph that, talk about that. But the next thing you know, the bar bill is like you know, there are five cocktails in each and they're this and they're not. It's like okay, guys, so it's just uh, it has never sat well with me because it just feels like being taken advantage of.

Speaker 3: 32:36

So I, because we still have to do this service soup to nuts, Like we do with everybody else. They deserve the same experience, but it, it, it, uh colors the experience as an employee, as a server.

Speaker 2: 32:51

So I agree with that and and in the end, I'm hoping that these people you know, leave adequate gratuity, but here's, here's the scenario. Sometimes, sometimes probably not, probably not yeah.

Speaker 2: 33:03

Uh, here's, here's the thing though, in today's world food world. Here's the thing, though In today's world food world, we need the camera, we need the picture, we need to post and publish the stuff that we eat. It's just like the new thing, it's the dance, and I'm not just going to say restaurants, but food businesses, whether it's a distributor or this or whatever, the ones that are not out there on social media. They're missing out, you're missing. You're just missing out because everybody else is out there, and you're going to be the one. What? Under a rock, just hidden somewhere, a hobbit? What is that? I don't know. We've already talked about it with marketing. You're going to be the one. What? Under a rock, uh, you know, just hidden somewhere, a hobbit like.

Speaker 1: 33:48

What is that? I don't know. We've already talked about it with marketing. What's the first thing to go with marketing when a restaurant industry, when a restaurant, loses sales?

Speaker 2: 33:55

right, so it's. I'm saying this this, this is a, this is a a tight rope walk because, while I agree that you know a lot of we know a lot of influencers here in our area, right, and I I think the people that we know a lot of influencers here in our area and I think the people that we know are pretty legit, yeah, with that said, there are frauds everywhere and everywhere, everywhere especially in New York especially in Florida too.

Speaker 3: 34:21

Sorry, but listen, I love my town but like it's. It's like I said, the influencers that you're seeing now with certain restaurants. They have nothing to do with the food industry. They have no experience in the food industry, and it's not that you have to be immersed in the food industry to know what good food is. But if I want fashion advice, I'm going to go to somebody who works in the fashion industry, if I you know. Because what's happening for me right now? I'm like on my socials people slide in my DMs all the time not asking for dates, by the way they slide in my DMs asking me restaurant advice. They're like hey, my husband and I went out to dinner the other night and this is what happened. What do you think should have happened or what should we have done? Like daily, this happens, and so there is a thirst out there for people wanting to have knowledge from people who are actually in the industry.

Speaker 1: 35:17

Well, we talk differently, right? I mean you, you have been, you have the etiquette of having the ability to speak chef to another chef, where most people don't. You went from the back of the house to the front of the house, so you know how to communicate. You don't go up there and you don't approach. Hey, I need this right now. It's like chef, may I call, and then you have that conversation, because that's respect A lot of people and that's the problem A lot of people don't realize in the restaurant industry in itself we do things differently, we act differently.

Speaker 1: 35:48

We have different means of communicating and forms of communicating.

Speaker 1: 35:52

One is the plate obviously but it's a different language a hundred percent and a lot of people don't realize that. How do you feel about like? For my thing is when I've been in the industry for 40 years. Most chefs are introverts. How do you get through to somebody who sees the wall as their protective barrier so they don't talk to people? How do you get them to come out of their shell to then explain dishes to the staff? That's something that's so difficult to achieve. What could you give advice to somebody about?

Speaker 3: 36:29

achieve? What could you give advice to somebody about? So I've worked with a couple of chefs like that and what happens is, as with any relationship in life, you have to build trust, and especially with chef-driven restaurants, what they're creating is art. It really is.

Speaker 3: 36:51

I remember working for we talked about this a little bit offline a chef in Mutalo. She would test us a written test quarterly and those tests were harder than any test I had in college and they would take a minimum minimum of one hour and if we didn't pass, we weren't allowed to work there until we passed. Wow, and these tests were. You had to know what was the inspiration for this dish, where it was sourced, what farm, the micro greens, I mean everything we had to know. And that is oddly how you build trust with these chef-driven restaurants, with these chefs who are creating things, If you know their artwork, what their creation is inside and out, if you walk into that kitchen and you treat everyone, especially the dishwasher, you treat everyone with respect, eventually you build that trust. And so then it would get to a point.

Speaker 3: 37:58

There was one chef I worked with, chef Morimoto. Actually, his stuff was absolute artwork. It was some of the most extraordinary plating I have ever seen. But it would get to a point. Once he trusted me when we had celebrity clientele there, he would come out with the plate and he would put it down and then he would look at me and he would tap me on my wrist very gently and that meant for me to do the talk and he would allow me, while he stood there, to go through his entire dish and what it was about and how he meant for the guests to enjoy it. That's all trust building and so that's how you do it and it's by respect. You have to respect the kitchen, you have to respect everyone in the kitchen. I would go into work on a lot of days and I would go, I would say hello to everyone back of the house and be like hey, do you guys want water? I would go get quart containers filled up with ice water, coffee, whatever. Bring it back to everybody.

Speaker 1: 38:52

That's the deli containers, by the way.

Speaker 3: 38:53

Showing them respect.

Speaker 1: 38:54

That's the kitchen cup.

Speaker 2: 38:55

Oh yeah sure, that's the.

Speaker 1: 38:56

Chinese quart container with the hole that popped into it. Yeah, cambro came out with it already done, by the way Did they. My buddy Andrew up in New Hampshire had one and it showed the lines. It was funny, like chef sayings on it. It was great.

Speaker 3: 39:12

That's hilarious. Have you ever watched the Bear? Yeah, in the Bear they're drinking coffee out of quart containers. That is the norm. So you have to build trust, and so it was the same with Chef Anita Lowe. Chef is very shy, chef Anita, but people would travel from all over the world to come and eat at her restaurant and the first thing they would say to me when I approached the table would be like oh my God, is Chef Anita here? Can we meet her? Can we meet her? And she's very shy. But because she trusted us, we built that trust and respect with her. But because she also, by the way, is the chef and the leader, she created an environment and a culture where we were not divided between front of the house and back of the house.

Speaker 2: 39:59

We were one.

Speaker 2: 40:01

And I think that's very important and that's what's important. You see, the problem is, somehow or another, servers over the years just like salespeople, jeff, you know, and it's, the similarities are there. If you're, if you get branded a slacker, then then that just carries with you, right, and? But it's not just individually, it's it's like a group consensus. So back of the house, people look at servers, front of the house folks as slackers, you know, and it's, and it there's a I think there's a disconnect on how difficult it is to deal with with guests, because the reality is hungry people are hard to deal with.

Speaker 2: 40:46

People who are hungry, hangry, hangry are hard to deal with and you know it's one thing to have, you know, 30 tickets on the wheel and you know, expose a mess and you know you've got that whole orchestra back there happening. It's one thing, because it's labor, it's sweat, it's sweat, it's pointy stuff. Pointy, you know not, it's not easy, but you know what. You know what isn't easy having to explain why it's taking x amount of time, long, or whatever. Having to explain to somebody who's expecting something and they're hungry about it, that's difficult.

Speaker 1: 41:24

That's why there should be a federal law that everyone should have to work in a restaurant business for at least a year. 100% I agree with that Because they would figure out what it's like to work in that.

Speaker 1: 41:33

It's one of those kiss of death when you have and I did when I was a server at one time oh, I'm a lawyer and I put myself through law school being a server I was like I'm not getting tipped. I got the verbal compliment, not the monetary compliment, right, and it's one of those things that you know. Being in the industry so long, you've seen so many different things. Here's the. Here's the justification for that hangry comment. You meant I can go home and cook. Right, I can cook pretty much anything. Right, I'm different because I'm a chef. I've been doing it for 40 years. When I go out, I'm going out for the experience. That's why I don't go out to a place where I'm going to have to cook my own damn food, like the melting pot or like these hot pots.

Speaker 3: 42:15

Korean barbecue no.

Speaker 2: 42:19

It's a fond don't.

Speaker 1: 42:20

Okay, exactly, for me it's a no, because.

Speaker 3: 42:23

I want to have tables Right. I feel like I'm at work.

Speaker 1: 42:27

Right, I don't. I want to be when I'm going out. I'm going out because I'm being weighted on. I'm going in for the experience. I'm going in for flavor profiles I have never experienced before and that's what I'm going for. I'm going for dining and I also have expectations that are like attached, because a lot of people are like oh, you're just too bougie, you don't want to go there. No, I go in with expectations. Right, if I look at the menu and I don't know the menu, I don't know the chef or whatever, but I see it's like $50 for a plate. Well, my expectations just went up to a $50 plate. But if I'm blown, away by that plate.

Speaker 2: 43:01

You're just looking for kimchi on the menu, just looking for kimchi on the menu. That's all you're looking for.

Speaker 1: 43:06

Well, besides other things, yes, but it's about flavor, it's about experiences, about it's about the camaraderie of building that memory by the way, speaking of kimchi, I had a uh it was a.

Speaker 2: 43:17

It was a. It was a cheese steak ribeye cheese steak with uh it was kimchi.

Speaker 1: 43:27

What's it called? Which one Gochujang, gochujang is the paste and then gogurang is the actual powder Paste, okay, gochujang. Yeah, it was this whole my goodness.

Speaker 2: 43:36

Was it delicious. I thought of you man. I almost called you.

Speaker 1: 43:40

I almost called you. Where were you? Why don't we go there after the show it?

Speaker 2: 43:44

was Yardhouse.

Speaker 1: 43:45

Oh, that's not fair I was going to say let's go to New York. Are you going to go to Fancy Food? By the way, Are you going over to Fancy Food, the show?

Speaker 3: 43:54

Can I say that one more time? Are you going over to the?

Speaker 1: 43:56

Fancy Food show.

Speaker 3: 43:58

I don't know, oh, perhaps, Because it's in New York. I just don't know what part I know I talked to pooch this morning and, uh, he's gonna be there, yeah yeah, yeah, pooch, pooch is gonna be there.

Speaker 2: 44:10

Yes, pooch is everywhere because he needs. He needs somebody to hold the camera or somebody I don't have a steady hand.

Speaker 1: 44:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah no, no, servers don't have steady hands. Um, yeah, that's not true, right, they have probably carrying a martini.

Speaker 3: 44:27

Yeah, yeah especially topped off martini you know, oh my god, the worst just just just for giggles, the worst I don't want to drink anything where I have to be careful, like touching, just looking at the glass like I don't want to want it.

Speaker 1: 44:45

Well, no, she just said. I love what she just said. I don't know if you heard that. Yes, yeah, yeah, ptsd, yeah, that is like trying to carry that to the table with that.

Speaker 3: 44:52

No thank you, it's terrible it's all those things that people don't think of, that uh, you know you're talking about mental health earlier. It's, it's not just the guest and it's not just the relationship with the back of the house, and it's not, it's, it is everything. And when you are in the weeds and you've just been like quadruple sat and you go to the bar and you have everybody's once, like 20 espresso martinis now. So you have to go and make the espresso and then run it to the bar and then they have to make the martinis, carrying those on a tray, and then it's just as I'm talking to you about this, the anxiety is rising in my body. It is, it's stressful because to this day, spilling everywhere to this day, I won't go.

Speaker 2: 45:37

I don't like to eat at places that have sizzling fajitas. You know what I mean?

Speaker 1: 45:43

like it just is that from your days at bennegan's? Yeah?

Speaker 2: 45:46

I hate it.

Speaker 1: 45:47

I hate it like poison or is that from cal where's it was? California cafe. What was that cafe?

Speaker 2: 45:52

beverly hills had them too everybody had those stupid things back then. Yeah, I hate that. I don't ever want to like. I smell them like once in a while you go somewhere and and somebody will come up with like a you know it'll be a freaking fajita. It's like wow, are they still making?

Speaker 3: 46:05

it. Get out of here with it. You know what's worse than that? It's all the table side stuff yeah, that too, let me flambe this table side, let me, um, let me. Uh, you know, do your dover soul table side, let me.

Speaker 2: 46:18

Oh, but if that's all you're doing, because usually now they have like somebody specific doing like table side guac or something like that, like it's one person that goes around the restaurant doing it.

Speaker 1: 46:25

That's's not bad, yeah, but you're talking about having the Rondo right, the cart, the French cart? Yeah, that's where it comes from. Yeah, crepe Suzette. So you were talking back in the day. I don't think we need to go back to that. I think the experience has to be justified, like, if right, they do their table side, it's, it's awesome, I love it. I love it. You look at tavern europa back in hollywood, right off of hollywood boulevard. Back in the day, when you got done with shenanigans or whatever, you went over there. Yeah, they're dancing on the table throwing plates. Used to be that way and then the plates got too expensive so they changed, right?

Speaker 3: 47:00

but it was.

Speaker 1: 47:00

It was all about the experience and you do here's restaurants you can name. I can name a couple different restaurants. You went there because of the experience, not because of the food with that, but that's different right, that's for locals, you know.

Speaker 2: 47:12

I mean like that's your dive, local water, we're still talking about the industry as a whole.

Speaker 1: 47:16

I mean, the industry as a whole needs to change its whole manifestation of this is what this is about. About, you know?

Speaker 2: 47:22

oh, you only work 12 hours yeah, but when you know, when you know that like well, for front of the house, like if you're the place, that goes front of the house.

Speaker 1: 47:31

He has to. It's really gonna build the wall right now. There's a wall, there's a wall, okay, all right, let's go.

Speaker 2: 47:37

No, when, no, no, it's not even a bad thing. So when, when you're front of the house and you're the spot that other people from the business end up, you know, know you're going to make money and you know, and even, and even, though the expectation for services it's actually lower, like you, you, you go, cause you're like, ah man, I'm going to give these people a break. You know, like, as the guest, like if I I'm from the business, right, I go to a place and it's a place that everybody goes to from the business I'm not, I'm not going to be so hard on these people and they're going to get a fat tip. Like, it's just the way it works, that's how it always was.

Speaker 3: 48:09

Yeah, but there's a flip side to that. The flip side to that is, yes, they're going to be more generous, not just with their wallet, but also they realize how busy you are. They can look around. The flip side is they're also going to be the last table in the house.

Speaker 1: 48:24

A hundred percent the flip side is they're also going to be the last table in the house. 100%, yeah, 100%.

Speaker 3: 48:28

And you know, eventually we all like to go home to our lives.

Speaker 2: 48:32

At 5 o'clock in the morning. Yes, exactly.

Speaker 3: 48:36

And that's the problem with that scenario, right.

Speaker 2: 48:39

Well, so family members of people who work in the business have to know that they're going to get the worst service than anybody in that restaurant, like if you, when you have family or friends that come to the restaurant and they're in your station, they you get, they're there and all of a sudden you just get triple sat. Your friends guess what.

Speaker 1: 49:02

They're the last ones to get served, unless your mother, unless your grandmother snaps her fingers, I'm going to push back on that, not your grandmother, no that doesn't count, grandmas don't count. Yeah, when grandma snaps her fingers, then I go off.

Speaker 3: 49:14

I'm pushing back on that. That's a no, at least in my experience. I worked for Stephen Starr and we opened one of his restaurants and I had his family there, his kids, his ex-wife is you know. I'm talking about the same thing.

Speaker 2: 49:30

I'm talking about your. I'm talking about you. I'm talking about like.

Speaker 3: 49:33

Oh, my family Like yeah.

Speaker 2: 49:35

If, if, if, Carl, if like, so, if and again. This is a million years ago. But if, if I'm, if I'm serving, and John comes in and he sits down on my section but he doesn't talk, it doesn't matter, john's getting the worst service in the house, it just is what it is he does now. Yeah, I mean, that's just terrible. Oh my God, oh God, wow, love you. Dude Talk about walls, man Talk about walls.

Speaker 2: 50:03

Yeah, let's build those walls, carl, because hold, let's build those walls, carl, because I hold on a second. I want to just be really clear about this. If the owner or the chef or somebody's like family, yeah no, they get treated like royalty I'm talking about?

Speaker 3: 50:12

oh no, I'm talking about your friends, your family, your friends would come in at the end of the night and sit at the bar.

Speaker 1: 50:19

They wouldn't even come to a table my friends walked in the door and we were if we were going to close in a half an hour. They left, they were told to leave yeah right, yeah straight up. You did not come into my restaurant. Nope, why are you here? Yeah, we, we close at 10. It's 9 45, you're not getting food, bro. Yeah so we're already breaking down yeah, there was pre-close started happening at nine o'clock absolutely every night. Yeah, true story, we do too.

Speaker 3: 50:44

Yeah, all right, uh, krista, um any other walls you? It started happening at nine o'clock Absolutely Every night. Yeah, true story.

Speaker 2: 50:48

We do too. Yeah, all right, krista.

Speaker 3: 50:50

Any other walls you want to build today, Cole?

Speaker 2: 50:54

I'm building them, breaking them down. I like her, I told you I told you All right, so let's start ending on. Have you ever weighed on any celebrities you take?

Speaker 3: 51:12

care of celebrities. Oh God, a ton.

Speaker 2: 51:14

A ton. Why don't you pick a story?

Speaker 3: 51:16

Welcome to New York City, yeah.

Speaker 2: 51:19

New York City. Why don't you? Do you have any dish you can give us Like what's up?

Speaker 3: 51:26

I'm pretty sure she can. I have a lot. Oh, yeah, I have a lot, but let's, since you know I'm going to do a positive one as to not well, you know, all this wall building, let's do a positive one. If I come back, there's plenty to go around trust. Okay, if I come back, there's plenty to go around trust. But this one is important because this speaks to sort of a front of the house mentality. It also speaks to our culture in regards to media. So I think it's important to talk about, and so this has to do with preconceived notions.

Speaker 3: 52:02

I waited on Anne Hathaway and her husband Adam. They were coming for a movie premiere and I was not really a fan of never no, I've never met her prior to this, wasn't really a fan in interviews and the way the media sort of portrays her and you know she comes across as very precious and that's just not my thing. And so when I was walking towards my section, I saw she was seated there. In my head I'm like, oh great, I gotta deal with this one. And so I walk over to the table. You know, I did my normal. Hey, welcome. You know, blah, blah, blah. They are two of the nicest human beings I have ever met, and her husband is a doll. I mean truly. They were so sweet, uh, and genuinely sweet, not that fake hollywood bs. Um, annie is into sort of astrology. She heard me talking to the table next to them, that guest. Their birthday is in october. My birthday is also in october, so we're both libras. We were talking about that. Annie overheard the conversation. She's like wait a minute, you're Libras, I'm Scorpio, I'm November 12th and blah, blah, blah, and so we just started talking about this whole thing.

Speaker 3: 53:13

So, anyway, it was a great night. They were beyond lovely. They tipped very generously as they were leaving. They were saying goodbye to me and they were saying goodbye to me and they were talking to the maitre d' and I said listen, we want to do. They wanted to rent out the PDR for Annie's birthday to do a birthday party. They're like we really want Kristen to take care of us, and so they requested me to take care of them, which I thought was lovely. And then Annie came up to me and she's like I'm not going to see you for your birthday, happy birthday. And she gave me a big hug. Really lovely interaction I had with them and it was a really big lesson to learn, because I had already decided in my head I was going to dislike her and so I was very happy to be proven wrong. And I think that happens a lot with us in front of the house. In general, celebrity or civilian doesn't matter it.

Speaker 2: 54:04

It's true though, yeah, but that you well the re. The reason why you, you know, judge, is because you've kind of yeah, if you've been in it long enough, you can kind of pick them.

Speaker 1: 54:14

You know what I mean. You've been long enough. But you should also realize that you don't judge, because something can happen where you get turned around like that.

Speaker 2: 54:21

Listen, I disagree with that wholeheartedly, but I am always pleased when I'm proven wrong. Oh, 100, yeah, yeah, yeah, but you still I mean, how many times have you huddled? You know, you're like, oh man, look at this. Oh man, I'm not kidding, this is gonna be terrible. Have a great experience, uh, nice gratuity. And then you go back to your uh, you know compadre in the back and you're like you know what I'm wrong. Wow, that was awesome, you know.

Speaker 3: 54:46

I mean, yeah, I was totally back and you're like you know what I'm wrong. Wow, that was awesome, you know. I mean, yeah, I was totally wrong about her and and it was a great, it was a. It was a good reminder for me to just take every human being at you know face value, who they are, and give everybody an equal shot. Um, so it was. It was a very valuable lesson to learn and and you know, I enjoyed it actually also and I think this is what some people again doesn't matter celebrity civilian. I think people forget that you're you as the guest. You can actually make our front of the house, our shift at work, easier. You can make our job a more enjoyable place to work just by how you treat us 100%.

Speaker 3: 55:34

And I think sometimes people forget that, because I think sometimes they think servers are servants and those are two very different things.

Speaker 2: 55:41

I was just going to say who wants to make your shift better? Nobody, nobody does. You know, anne H, your shift better? Nobody, Nobody does. Maybe Anne Hathaway. Anne Hathaway does, and you know what.

Speaker 3: 55:51

No, Anne and Adam, Anne and her husband Adam. He gets equal billing because they were both delightful.

Speaker 2: 55:55

Well, if the Hathaways are listening, thank you on behalf of the entire industry for being good people.

Speaker 1: 56:02

Well, not only that, Well not only that if you watch her Instagram, she talks about another celebrity, about how much of a person of not good intention was to the staff, and she calls that person out. So she has balance, zachary, I didn't even know who the dude was. I actually had to look him up. He was from Star Trek.

Speaker 3: 56:20

Oh, Zachary Quinto. Yeah, no, I called him out. I can't have that. This was in the news recently. It was in Toronto, I believe.

Speaker 1: 56:28

Yes.

Speaker 3: 56:28

There was a restaurant that actually took to Instagram to discuss how horribly Zachary Quinto or Quinto, I don't know if I'm saying it right how badly he treated their staff, to the point where I think he actually made their hostess cry. And for a restaurant. Now again, I was not there, but I have never. I've been doing this. I know you've been doing it 40 years. I've been doing a 20. I have never, ever seen a restaurant take to social media to talk badly about a celebrity, and unless it was really bad and boredom, yeah, and said you're no longer welcome back to our restaurant.

Speaker 1: 57:07

Oh, barred him, yeah, barred from coming back to the restaurant. Well, hell, yeah. So kudos to that, because there's listen, one of the things I was going to ask you about. Like, how do you feel about when Yelp you mentioned that specifically and how horrible that is because everyone is now a food critic how do you feel about when chefs do a professional job of challenging somebody? Um because this is a whole new world for us it is.

Speaker 3: 57:38

you know it's interesting. I come from the world where you don't respond, but it is your business and there are a lot of people that work in that restaurant, that rely on that restaurant to live and pay their bills, and so I think, if it's professional and respectful and if it's a legitimate critique, like you can read Yelp reviews and you can see who's just being a jerk because they want to be a jerk, or you can see who actually listed legitimate things that you know, like they were. When they walked into the restaurant, there was no one there to greet them and they stood there for five minutes. That's legitimate. When they were seated, you know, food came, there was three people, it was a three top.

Speaker 3: 58:25

Two entrees came out, One didn't and one which is one of my biggest pet peeves and then one entree dragged by a few minutes. That's a legitimate service issue. The chef or the owner are trying to make it right. That is their intention and not get involved in a like a little tea at a day back and forth. But yeah, I think it's totally fine. However, I would say to any restaurant guests out there if anybody is going out to eat, please know the restaurant wants to know while you're still there.

Speaker 1: 59:04

Yeah, let us, let us correct the opportunity.

Speaker 3: 59:06

Yes, give us the opportunity to change that experience for you. Please don't wait until you leave and then jump on socials. Tell us, tell us in the moment, and we will auto. We will, you know course, correct that moment.

Speaker 2: 59:19

Well, so just to add to that, if somebody says something on social media, the chef or the owner or whatever, the response should really it shouldn't be a volley, it should just be like apologize, come back in and let us make it right, but there should always be a response.

Speaker 1: 59:38

I had to do one of those. We had a three-star response and the person that wrote it that was completely just didn't know what the hell was going on. We got, we were just caught with our pants down. We had it was like a bus pulled up and we just the entire restaurant got flat, sat. We only had two servers and I actually went out running the food myself and I know the table. I hit the table telling them this is what's going on. I was running back and forth putting out fires. I actually went to social media and had to put the response because that person gave us three star and it was just totally ridiculous. It had no compassion for what we were going through. So someone like that is you. You have to go after them. Do they really have?

Speaker 2: 1:00:19

to have compassion.

Speaker 1: 1:00:20

I think so, I think I think so because you hear you're again, we're only doing food. At the end of the day you're eating food. You go in with a certain mindset when you go to McDonald's. I'm not trying to say McDonald's is bad, but you go in a certain mindset going to McDonald's. You have expectations, but when you go to a place like Eleven Madison, you have different expectations. So you have to match the expectation. If you sit there and see people running around like their head is cut off because they're that busy, then let's not be an idiot. Obviously there's something wrong. Agreed, agreed, yeah.

Speaker 3: 1:00:58

Yeah, 11 Madison's a whole other animal. What is it like 500 per person for a tasting menu of vegetables? Tell us how you really feel. I mean, I do, I think you, I think you can tell by the disdain in my voice how I feel about that. I love, I love your unfiltered filter.

Speaker 1: 1:01:19

I love your unfiltered filter. Let's just keep it that way.

Speaker 3: 1:01:21

I mean. But the thing is like it's not. That to me is gout. Like I understand you want an experience, but like do I really need to pay 500 for vegetables? No, what are you doing? That's so extraordinary, it's a beat I don't know what to say to that she's right though yeah, like that's not gout, like I'm all about a tasting menu, I'm all about an omakase. I love it. Let's do the choreography, let's have the guest experience, but let's also not gouge the guest yeah, I mean, think about it.

Speaker 1: 1:01:53

There's a chicken, right? So let's say 17 a pound, right, right, I'm just a whole chicken. You're gonna charge, uh, eighty dollars to a. Are you going to get that for chicken? No, so the price has to be balanced to what the profitability is on it. Yeah, produce is not $500.

Speaker 3: 1:02:18

Yeah, this is what I'm saying. I don't think it's a $500 tasting, I think it's like $395. 11 Madison is completely vegetarian.

Speaker 1: 1:02:25

There's no proteins. Yeah, so I just told John 11 Madison was completely vegetarian. There's no proteins. So I just told John 11 Madison was completely vegetarian.

Speaker 3: 1:02:32

He just rolled his eyes. It is Well, because it didn't used to be that way. But then you know they split Yep, yeah, and so this is the new um, the new post COVID by vegetarian.

Speaker 2: 1:02:47

Oh no, I, oh no no. He needs his meat.

Speaker 1: 1:02:50

Speaking of which, you also need your fish, which is. Yeah that too.

Speaker 3: 1:02:54

Well, you were talking about grouper earlier, so there you go.

Speaker 1: 1:02:57

No, no, no, I gotta cook that.

Speaker 2: 1:02:59

Yeah, no, it's gonna happen.

Speaker 1: 1:03:01

That meal's happening for him. All right, Krista.

Speaker 3: 1:03:04

Yes.

Speaker 2: 1:03:05

Yeah, yeah, for sure, how do? First of all, thanks for coming on today.

Speaker 3: 1:03:09

It's my pleasure.

Speaker 2: 1:03:10

Pleasure's ours, and how do people find you?

Speaker 3: 1:03:14

You can find me across all socials at Krista Latorre. Excellent, super easy.

Speaker 2: 1:03:20

I'm going to have a powwow with the gang here. I feel like you're going to be back.

Speaker 3: 1:03:24

We'll see she can be back. We'll see we can build more walls. He wants to build more walls.

Speaker 2: 1:03:32

I love it. I love putting these walls up. All right, krista, again, I appreciate you coming on. The program, john Jeffrey hate you guys. No, you guys. All right, we'll be back next week and I'm going to drop on some socials. It was coming up next week, by the way, krista, you're going to. We're going to be putting this out like every day until next Thursday. Okay, we're going to be dropping this episode posting, publishing every day until next Thursday, okay.

Speaker 3: 1:04:03

Excellent.

Speaker 2: 1:04:03

I've been warned. Indeed, we are out.