Trends... revisited

[lentil]

Oh yea!! Pad down the pants is a turn-off! I'll take the smiley faces any day over that. Right up there in the disgusting catagory is a server messing with their hair, scratching any body part, and sticking fingers in their mouths, ears, or near the eyes.

Where has common sense about cleanliness gone? It used to be that as a server, I was never allowed to be seen putting food in my mouth. Now I could pick my teeth in the dining room and it would be acceptable!

[mike]

An interesting & well debated topic. Shroomgirl I like the cut of your jib. Ive only known about a handfull of people who didnt have TVs but they were all incredibly well read & thoughtful people not distracted or brainwashed by marketing.

Theres a lesson there but im reluctant to throw my Sony flatscreen & 6.1 surroundsound away...id miss the Kerrang channel too much.

Seriously it is true that big bui$$ness controls the populpous eating habits.What start as a concept from some no doubt well intentioned development chef gets convoluted & made bland & appealing at the end.

Trends among professional chefs though are facsinating & always good for ideas & discussion. I really like tapas & hope that this becomes as popular as mexican & indian food have here.

Im sure that indian food will become huge in the states although in reality its westerised versions made by 90% Bangledeshi cooks. But chicken tikka masala is the British national dish ..OFFICIAL.

[mike]

Lentil,
I once ran a wine bar restaurant where we would tend to hire surf dude types, laid back ,funny , freethinking etc..

We served simple good food & blasted chilli peppers & punk through the pa.

It was a gas

Then one of my waitresses had trouble uncorking a bottle at a table. She used her teeth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG.....

The horror !

[Leo R.]

Mike,i hope that waitress knew a good dentist!
Back at the ranch,there is talk of "trends".
Where i live in East London there is a glut of "Indian" restaurants.
As you rightly point out Mike,they are managed and staffed by people from Bangladesh.This was known as East Pakistan to those old enough to remember.
In the regenerated Docklands area,there is a wider choice.
You have: Chinese,Indian,French,Italian,Malaysian,Sri Lankan,Thai and Vietnamese.
I would like to see more African restaurants in London,besides the usual Moroccan style establishments.

[Leo R.]

I should have said that Bangladesh was called East Pakistan for those NOT old enough to remember
By the way:
1)There is an dearth of Jewish restaurants,which is a shame because this reduces people`s choice.
2)This part of London once had a very large Jewish community which has diminished over the past 30 years.I know this,because i was grew up here.

[mike]

Ah Leo, memories of Sat mornings in Edgeware,visiting the bagel shops for my beloved onion bagels.
There used to be a good Jewish resataurant on Edgeware high st,where I devoured huge plates of ox tongue hot ,yum,
I guess as communities move & prosper that they move into other things,
Some of the eastern block restaurants are quite interesting Georgian food in particular is like a bit Turkish ,Russian all rolled into one with copious use of pommegranets.
Hows life in the smoke

[Mezzaluna]

Mike! A man after my tongue.... er, heart! (I eat that, too.) Tongue is one of my favorite delicatessen meats.

[Frizbee]

Well it is interesting that this subject has come about i think. I have been seeing a lot of talk about "nutritionally friendly" concepts hitting the food chain industry.
With Weight Watchers partnering with Applebees, and I read a blurb about the Atkins diet being developed in another market ( I am sorry the resturant escapes me right now)....
I am wonding for you out there in the biz working, do you see this as simply a novelity in the franchise market? Or will it roll over into more classical cuisines, and fine dining resturants?
In my last class we had to write a paper about current food trends, and I actually wrote about this. As well I am currently contemplating going after my culinary nutrition degree as opposed to a straight BS in culinary arts.
so what are your thoughts on this trend in particular?
Frizbee

[Frizbee]

Well it is interesting that this subject has come about i think. I have been seeing a lot of talk about "nutritionally friendly" concepts hitting the food chain industry.
With Weight Watchers partnering with Applebees, and I read a blurb about the Atkins diet being developed in another market ( I am sorry the resturant escapes me right now)....
I am wonding for you out there in the biz working, do you see this as simply a novelity in the franchise market? Or will it roll over into more classical cuisines, and fine dining resturants?
In my last class we had to write a paper about current food trends, and I actually wrote about this. As well I am currently contemplating going after my culinary nutrition degree as opposed to a straight BS in culinary arts.
so what are your thoughts on this trend in particular?
Frizbee

[Someday]

Originally posted by lentil
I know this isn't exactly a food trend, but more of a service trend. I absolutely hate it when a server squats down in front of my table in order to be more friendly. I have enough friends without making one more with my waiter. I think this is an attempt by big business to encourage bigger tips and a friendlier atmosphere. It's unprofessional. I want a relationship with my server that includes good service, a professional demeanor, and knowlege of the food being served. I don't see this in upscale places- more of a chain trend.

Thanks for listening...

I used to do this all the time when I was a server. There were a few reasons why. In a chain restaurant, you WANT the diner to feel as if they are welcomed and, in essence, friendly with you. It's a move that immediatly establishes an informal conenction with the guests. When I moved to a higher end restaurant, I never did it. Because it's a different crowd and different expectations.

Also, on a noisy, crowded floor, it makes hearing the guests when they order a **** of a lot easier. Seriously.

One thing I can't stand is when the server SITS DOWN at a table with the customers. THAT I feel is out of line and going too far.

~Someday

[lentil]

Someday, I agree that noise would be a problem and squatting down at the table might be one way to better hear your customers. So would bending at the waist, but I get your point. So maybe my problem might not be so much with the posture of the server, but the friendship he/she is implying by getting in so close. I only want good, professional service and an enjoyable meal, not a lasting relationship.

I don't mean to sound so philosophical about this whole thing, but it's another symptom of our superficial society. You and I both know that it's some marketing person's gimmick devised to make the restaurant more $$. And Americans, like sheep, flock to these places and lay out good sums of money for mediocre food just so they can be part of the "neighborhood".

I'd much rather eat out less often, but better. We've found a great place in an inn nearby, and have had the same waiter a few times by chance. He recognizes us and we probably tip him more because of that, but we primarily tip on the service. Could it be that in the chains, the service isn't always the best and the servers have to rely on their bubbly personalities to make any money? And just one more point; not all of us are "bubbly" . I am embarassed to see someone who is obviously uncomfortable in the role of my new best buddy having to perform for us. It's degrading for us both .

Thanks for your reply. I enjoy getting other's perspectives on the subject.

[Someday]

Who said the two have to be mutually exclusive? Squatting doesn't equal bad service, and good service doens't equal not squatting. Would you rather have a non-squatting bad service server, or a squatting good service one?

I would like for you to explain how squatting implies friendship. It implies familiarity, I admit, but friendship? Do your good friends, when they are at your home for a dinner party for instance, often squat down in showing of solidarity?

Mediocre food? Come on dude...I don't know about you, but I sure as **** can't afford to eat out at 3 star restaurants often. Most of us here are good cooks, sure, so we can fend for ourselves at home. But what about all the other people who just want a simple hot meal one night a week that they don't have to cook?

Most good servers anyways will use their discretion. If I saw, for instance, a four top of business men I wouldn't squat. But I might if I got a family of four out for a meal on friday night, maybe I would have.

I'm dubious about the "marketing gimmick" you seem to be hung up on. I was never told by anyone--management, other servers, etc--to squat. It came naturally. I NEVER once perceived any table as finding it offensive or whatever.

I'm going to be honest with you. You seem like kind of a snob. Talking about mediocre chain food and how you wouldn't want the lowly server to be on the same level as you (which is really what you mean--not friendship, but equality).

Chill out man...if you get bad service somewhere it's not because the server squatted next to your table, it's because he waited 20 minutes to put in the wrong order for you table and took a smoke break instead of refilling your glasses.

~Someday

[lentil]

Someday, You're absolutely right; familiarity is the word I was searching for. I haven't changed my feelings toward familiarity by those in the service industry be they waiters, cashiers, counter people, or bank tellers, or for that matter, head chefs or loan officers. If that makes me a snob, so be it.

I don't mean to say that they are beneath me socially, economically, or otherwise, only that they are serving me at that particular time and I have a right to expect professionalism from them. If one more person in the service industry calls me "dear" or "hon", I will scream!

I require those who work for me to call those we serve "Ma'am" and "Sir". We're not doing that to be subservient to them, but to keep things professional, and conversely, I will NOT allow customers to treat them with disrespect. In fact, I have confronted those who have.

We don't always eat in 3 star establishments. We're just like everyone else; we eat out too often and often in local restaurants. We don't frequent chains, though. No, not because of the mediocre food or overtly familiar service, but because we choose to spend our dining out dollars in places not corporately owned. We'd prefer to keep our dollars local, so we eat in the diner that's been family owned for 40 years or the Italian place run by the same folks since 1946. We (mostly) refuse to go to Walmart, too. When corporately owned businesses move in, family owned ones go out of business.

And as far as the food goes, I'd prefer a soup prepared that day over one shipped in in a plastic bag from the Midwest. It's not a simple, inexpensive, hot meal that you get in the chains. It's simple and hot, but it will cost close to $30 dollars for 2 people. Locally, I can get a simple, homecooked, hot meal for half that for 2 of us, and in the diner, we can bring our own wine...

Why would you treat a 4 top of businessmen with more professionalism than a family? You said you'd use your own discretion, and I believe from your post that you would. Not all service professionals have that sensitivity. Some are downright intrusive. Haven't you been out with your wife, date, good friend and been put off by "familiar" servers? Sometimes it's fine, but other times, you'd prefer to focus on the people in your own party, wouldn't you? A good server should know when show up at the table and when to buzz off.

I know that it's a marketing gimmick. And yes, I am probably hung up on it. I have a friend who works in a chain. She's forced to introduce herself to every table and God forbid she lets her guard down and lets the wide smile fade. Eating there is a lot like being part of a performance; I can't imagine ever working there! She does because the chains offer benefits that small businesses can no longer afford, but because of corporate mandated overstaffing, there are many days where she only has 4 or 5 parties from 10:30 to 4.

I don't perceive servers to be "lowly". I've been a server and still work for the public. My daughter waitresses during the summers and works in retail during the school year. I love working in the food industry, and even though I've done other jobs, I always end up back here. But, I'd prefer to keep things on a professional level BECAUSE it commands more respect and because it's more real. Face it, being familiar with perfect strangers is a little fake, isn't it?

I'm going to try the solidarity squatting thing at my next dinner party. I think it will go over well.

It's been nice talking with you,
Lentil