Dining with Notebook #9 -- Principle: Ask about the Chef and Owner
One of the best topics of conversation with the restaurant staff is asking about the chef and owner. This is especially true if there is a hyphen between the two words, i.e., chef-owner.
While many restaurants are simply a business, many chefs and owners are really passionate about the food and what they are trying to accomplish with the restaurant. Many have developed a philosophy based on years of experience and serious thought about what they want their cuisine to stand for when placed in front of a patron. For instance, Leslie Carr Avalos, chef-owner of Universal Café in San Francisco, has a family history of organic farming so she incorporates organic ingredients from environmental sustainable farms for the dishes on her menu. Another example is chef-owner Masami Iwamoto of Naomi incorporating his sushi training in Japan and work experience in France to create fusion sushi.
The passion by the chef about the food can rub off on the staff, especially those who are passionate about their jobs. Asking the staff about the chef and how the menu came about is a great way to break the ice and get the staff personally interacting with you. The more the staff is engaged with you the better your dining experience will be._ _ _ _
The Dining with Notebook Manifesto and Principles are a way for every restaurant diner to get the best restaurant experience.
Food Notebook post by Carter Lusher.
