- Matthew Mawtus is the CEO of Hyde, a London restaurant that holds one Michelin star.
- Even something as fancy as disguise, Mawtus said he sees diners making protocol errors.
- Don’t change tables without asking the staff, be clear about your dietary restrictions, and please don’t argue with the rest of the table over the bill.
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Michelin starred luxury restaurants are a high pressure environment. The staff works long hours to ensure the best menu, top-notch pairings, and personalized attention.
Even the linen tablecloths are measured with a ruler to ensure that each guest’s dining experience is flawless.
However, although the staff would never say so, not all customers are as delightful souffle “Light as a feather” that they serve for dessert. So how can you be sure you are not one of them?
Matthew Mawtus, general manager of Michelin-starred restaurant Hyde Inn London, shares the essential keys when dining at the luxury restaurant:
1. Do not change the table without communicating it. Ask the pit boss if you can move.
A Michelin-starred restaurant works like clockwork, thanks to all the planning involved. When someone turns the dinner table, even if it seems like a spontaneous movement, it can throw employees’ workloads out of sync.
“We divided the restaurant into sections, with a head waiter for each section,” Mawtus explained.
“Restaurants seat people at specific tables because they don’t want to fill one section and leave another section empty. The team would like to distribute the workload for the servers so that they are not overloaded and our guests receive the best possible service.”
2. Don’t fight with your colleagues to pay the bills
The struggle to pay the bill may be rooted in generosity, but when everyone throws their credit cards at the waiter, it can lead to a lot of hassle. He should not decide who pays.
“I’ve been through this situation in the past and it’s uncomfortable when it becomes my decision,” Mawtus said.
“It’s like, ‘I don’t really know you guys, I’d like you to work this out amongst yourselves.’ Two women insisted they wanted to pay the full bill: One had a credit card and the other was paying with Apple Pay. The one who paid with Apple Pay won because she connected her iPhone to the terminal. Brought closer
To calm the waiter’s nerves, decide who will pay this time or next time before the waiter comes to the table.
3. Stop ordering the second cheapest bottle of wine on the menu.
The wine list at a Michelin-starred restaurant can be overwhelming in variety and price. One strategy for many people is to order the second cheapest bottle of wine on the menu. However, Mawtus said that the best way to navigate the menu is to talk. waiter,
“ask him waiter, I always do, because they know what’s in their basement”, assures Mawtus. Also, don’t be shy to share with her waiter your budget
“When I went to dinner at Eleven Madison Park in New York, the waiter said to our table of four, ‘Things get rough around here, so can you give me a budget to work with?’” Mawtus said. “You make it easy for everyone.”
They also qualified that you can order the cheapest bottle of wine on the Michelin Star menu and still not be disappointed.
“I would be embarrassed if I ever put a bad wine on the list,” he said. business Insider, “Serving people a substandard product is bad business sense. If you do, they won’t come back.”
4. Don’t save the complaint on TripAdvisor or Google
If the food or service isn’t terrible, you don’t need to save it until you get home and then share your thoughts online. Mawtus invited to share opinions and experiences with the responsible people. Give them a chance to rectify the situation.
“Ask your area manager to replace your plate or fix the problem,” Mawtus said. “If you raise the issue right away, it can be resolved, but if you walk away and don’t say a word or go to TripAdvisor, they can’t go back in time and fix it.” Can.”
5. Don’t save your boundaries until the last minute.
From allergies, to gluten intolerance, to personal tastes, some can be difficult to decipher when a chef receives a specific request from a diner. The more time you dedicate to customizing the restaurant to your needs, the better.
“We have a lady who likes to support us and is on a low-salt diet,” says Mavatus. “He sends us an email a few days in advance about what he wants to order. We appreciate it as we have time to prepare.”
6. Don’t forget that this is a unique moment for human connection
The Michelin star restaurant is one of the few places where you are guaranteed an evening of relaxation and good conversation.
Don’t let the experience ruin it, turn off your phone and take this opportunity to have a good time with the people around you.
“I walked over to a table where four guys in their 20s were playing Candy Crush Saga while we served them dinner,” Mawtus said. “They’re missing out on an experience they’re ultimately paying for. That’s too bad for me.”
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