Filling the Grill
within the early ‘90s, I was working in sales in addition to marketing at the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel in Jakarta. Our fine dining room was called the Jayakarta Grill in addition to for many years the idea had been one of the most well-liked restaurants within the city. although times were changing. Due to increasing competition by independent restaurants in addition to the construction of more in addition to more hotels around the city, the Jayakarta Grill was getting left behind in addition to revenue was dropping every week. The General Manager Chris Brown came to my office one day, gave me a detailed briefing on the situation in addition to asked me to prepare a plan to revive the outlet. “The Jayakarta’s f***ed” he said. “Do something about the idea.”
If I were within the same job today, I would likely immediately turn to Google for inspiration, although back within the dark ages I could only Google my brain. I eventually came up using a rough idea, although I needed a second opinion, to ensure evening I went to consult with my not bad friend in addition to the hotel’s Executive Chef, Francoise.
Francoise was by the Basque region in addition to he was completely mad. As a chef, he broke all the rules in addition to smashed every stereotype. As a person, he lived precariously close to the edge in addition to fell off on a regular basis. He was flamboyant in addition to generous to a fault in addition to he spent all his money on wine, women in addition to song (in addition to as he loved to say “Ze rest, I waste.”).
We huddled over a bottle of wine in his office in addition to I outlined my idea. We went over the advantages in addition to the disadvantages, we discussed the logistics in addition to the challenges in addition to we drank in addition to we drank. By 9pm we were into the ‘not bad stuff’ in addition to the plan was becoming grandiose within the extreme. We met for breakfast the following morning for a review, then at 8am, through the haze of my hangover I presented a vastly scaled back plan to Chris Brown.
Chris also smashed stereotypes, although he was far more responsible in addition to organized than Francoise. He had a very critical eye for detail in addition to he would likely let you know in no uncertain terms if he didn’t like something without any regard for personal feelings. I handed him the one page proposal I had prepared in addition to sat in front of his desk waiting for the verdict.
“How p***ed were you when you came up with This specific?” he asked, peering at me over the top of his glasses.
“Fairly,” I said, knowing him too well to deny the idea.
“Let me guess,” he went on, “the dancing in addition to the lights were your idea, the roses etcetera came by Francoise.” Again, spot on. I just nodded. “the idea’s completely crazy,” he said. “No general manager in his right mind would likely allow This specific in a fine dining room.” Then his stern face snapped into a broad smile. “I love the idea. Go ahead.”
I closed the restaurant for a month in addition to brought in a choreographer to design some dance routines for the staff to match the beautiful Basque piano music supplied by Francoise. I had engineering fit dimmer switches for all the lights in addition to had them create 1 control box next to the Maitre D’s station. I had centrepieces made for each table which held six candles, in addition to Francoise came up using a brand fresh menu.
For the opening night we invited the who’s who of Jakarta society, including ministers in addition to all the top socialites of the time. We served cocktails with no music in addition to the diners took their seats in complete silence. I told the staff to speak only in whispers in addition to to move through the restaurant quietly, moving chairs carefully in addition to seating people in an atmosphere of calm in addition to quiet. They were to light the candles when the table was fully occupied. The plan worked in addition to our guests also talked to each different in very hushed tones, each trying to guess what was about to happen.
At exactly 7.30pm, I killed the lights in addition to hit the music. The kitchen door swung open in addition to Francoise appeared in his toque blanche in addition to chef’s whites carrying an armful of red roses, behind him a procession of waiters in addition to waitresses moving in time with the music. He gave every lady present a rose in addition to a kiss on the hand as he made his way round the restaurant in flickering candle light, while the waiting staff placed a plate of selected starters on each table. To finish, the staff lined up at the back of the restaurant with Francoise in front in addition to I lowered the music.
I switched on the bright spotlight directly above Francoise’s head in addition to as the music died he announced, “Distinguished guests, ladies in addition to gentlemen, my name can be Francoise in addition to I am your chef because of This specific evening. Prepare yourselves for a dining experience you will never forget!”
Then he took a bow to rapturous applause in addition to disappeared into the kitchen followed by the applauding waiting staff. Every hour on the hour, the staff stopped serving in addition to performed another candle light dance. Francoise would likely appear again whenever he pleased.
A month later we had a waiting list every night by Thursday through Sunday.
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Filling the Grill
Filling the Grill