Nowadays no one mentions the waiters any more. Critics write mainly about chefs in BIG LETTERS, but when it comes to the analisis of the front of house, they just describe it as "the service". "The service was all right, but the food was amazing" is the most often heart opinion. Well, if we stay possitive, because mainly people do not even mention "the service".
I ask myself if it is due to the fact that the puplic has no clue what good and bad service is or means. There was a time, when working as a waiter was a big deal, with the all those spectacular preparation in front of the customer: Pealing an orange with fork and knife, flames in the air when the waiter added some kind of delicious liqueur to the pan, where the caramelized cream sat waiting for the crêpe suzette, pieces of poultry were carved elegantly and placed with its buttery sauce,... I imagine those as the golden years.
I'm not trying to take the credit from the great work of a lot of chefs and kitchen crews, but I believe a large percentage of those customers, who like to give their strict point of view about taste, aromas, design of a dish, ect, do not even have the gastonomic values to do so. Maybe it is indeed better "the service" is not mentioned too often.
But I still do not agree. The waiters in Madrid are known for being daily on time ( saying this I mean time even for a coffee and a fag before start), perfectly dressed in their pullished black shoes, black socks, ironed black trousers and white shirt, bottleopener, lighter, several pencils and fresh orderpad.
Do they say sallute and say goodbye at your arrival and at your leaving? Yes.
Are they helpful and cooperative 24/7? They usually are.
Are they overfriendly obeying to every single wish each customer may have? Not always.
Do they always have a smile on their face? No.
Do they know what they are doing? Oh yeah!
Are they professionals, having knoledge about food, spirits, aperitifs, coffees, wines, ect.? The hell yes.
I really think the clientelle expects these workers to be always smily and polite, but do not have in consideration all the rest. If you want to have a good example of this, visit BAR PEYMA ( calle embajadores, 38 MADRID ).
Long life to real waiters!!
I ask myself if it is due to the fact that the puplic has no clue what good and bad service is or means. There was a time, when working as a waiter was a big deal, with the all those spectacular preparation in front of the customer: Pealing an orange with fork and knife, flames in the air when the waiter added some kind of delicious liqueur to the pan, where the caramelized cream sat waiting for the crêpe suzette, pieces of poultry were carved elegantly and placed with its buttery sauce,... I imagine those as the golden years.
I'm not trying to take the credit from the great work of a lot of chefs and kitchen crews, but I believe a large percentage of those customers, who like to give their strict point of view about taste, aromas, design of a dish, ect, do not even have the gastonomic values to do so. Maybe it is indeed better "the service" is not mentioned too often.
But I still do not agree. The waiters in Madrid are known for being daily on time ( saying this I mean time even for a coffee and a fag before start), perfectly dressed in their pullished black shoes, black socks, ironed black trousers and white shirt, bottleopener, lighter, several pencils and fresh orderpad.
Do they say sallute and say goodbye at your arrival and at your leaving? Yes.
Are they helpful and cooperative 24/7? They usually are.
Are they overfriendly obeying to every single wish each customer may have? Not always.
Do they always have a smile on their face? No.
Do they know what they are doing? Oh yeah!
Are they professionals, having knoledge about food, spirits, aperitifs, coffees, wines, ect.? The hell yes.
I really think the clientelle expects these workers to be always smily and polite, but do not have in consideration all the rest. If you want to have a good example of this, visit BAR PEYMA ( calle embajadores, 38 MADRID ).
Long life to real waiters!!
