Fred Sirieix, general manager at Michelin-starred Galvin at Windows (maître d’ on the hit Channel 4 show First Dates and the originator of National Waiters Day) had a bit of a Twitter spat recently with Piers Morgan.
“Could be worse,” Piers had tweeted – in the firestorm surrounding Ivanka Trump’s surprisingly elevated performance at the G20 summit – “Ivanka could have been a bar-tender 18 months ago.”
The courteous, but clearly riled, reply from Fred put him straight: “Bartending and waitressing are highly skilled jobs Piers. All too often they are undervalued, appreciated or respected. Time for a change.”
So true. I’ve had meals – expensive restaurant meals – where the service has made an excellent evening superb. And not just because of attentiveness. Once, at an outstanding Cotswold hotel (I remember nothing about the food), it was the desert-dry humour of the waiter that delighted us. (“Would you like a drink in the bar before dinner?” “We’ll go straight in, thanks.” “Excellent decision, sir.”)
Works the other way, too. A delicious meal at another well-known establishment was punctuated by waiting staff conducting endless exchanges about their social lives, two feet from our table. We gave up on our own conversation.
Esta historia es de la edición September 2019 de Cotswold Life.
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Esta historia es de la edición September 2019 de Cotswold Life.
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Gloucestershire After The War
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THE WILD SIDE OF Moreton-in-Marsh
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Mr Ashbee would approve
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The Cotswolds at war
These might be peaceful hills and vales, but our contribution to the war effort was considerable
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‘I’ve been following The Country Food Trust’s activities with admiration since it was founded’
Why Cath is an open book
Cath Kidston has opened up almost every nook and cranny of her Cotswold idyll in a new book, A Place Called Home. Katie Jarvis spoke to Cath ahead of her appearance at this year’s Stroud Book Festival STROUD BOOK FESTIVAL – THIS YEAR FREE AND ONLINE: NOVEMBER 4-8
From the Cotswolds to the world
Most people know that the Cotswolds have featured in a fair few Hollywood movies and TV series.
The Wild Hunt
In search of the legendary King Herla in the Malvern Hills
Fighting spirit amid the flowers
Tracy Spiers visits Warwick, a beautiful town that is open for business and ready to welcome visitors
Final journey
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