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Mark Wilson

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Posts by Mark Wilson

A Restaurant’s value of integrity

Jun 25

Posted by Mark Wilson in Industry Info

We could discuss the secrets of success in the restaurant industry until we are blue in the face and still not find a fool proof policy on how to make them work. There are just so many factors that can influence a venue and it’s sustainability but, there is one thing I know for sure, if you can feel proud about your product then you stand a better chance than someone who doesn’t. 

As the industry changes and our secrets become better understood through the proliferation of cooking shows, reality kitchen TV series and the rising rock-star status of the celebrity [read more...]

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Greeting guests as they arrive at your restaurant

Jun 22

Posted by Mark Wilson in Blog - Life as a Waiter

Our industry is a very personal one. We are working face to face with our customers in an upfront manner. This emphasizes the influence of First Impressions.

 

A waiter that walks straight past a guest at the door or someone trying to get your attention is stating “we do not prioritize you or your needs, so you should go some where else” which is exactly what they’ll do! Rude & arrogant waiters that don’t acknowledge people immediately will automatically get people off-side. No amount of [read more...]

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Ten Basic Rules Of A Good Waiter

Jun 18

Posted by Mark Wilson in Blog - Life as a Waiter

Here are 10 basic rules to help you be a good waiter. These rules are a combination of industry standards, tradition and cultural expectations. We acknowledge that in many cases these rules do not or cannot apply. However it is important to know how something is done correctly before you start making decisions to do it differently.

I advise that where ever possible that you do things the right way & do them with pride. Professionalism is created by the choices we make and the actions we take.

A more comprehensive explanation on each of these topics will appear in Waiter/Manager Support.

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Selling dishes that must be moved

Jun 4

Posted by Mark Wilson in Blog - Life as a Waiter

In most venues waiters are asked to sell certain dishes. There are a number of reasons for this. Perhaps the chef has found a great bulk buy on a product or a cheap cut of meat to maximize profits. Perhaps the particular dish was ordered for a cancelled function or there was excess from that function. Maybe the oysters need to be sold fresh and will spoil if not sold. All of this is necessary to ensure the venue is profitable and your job is viable.

A guest may ask what is good on your menu so rather than answer with [read more...]

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A little gem on the Coast

May 29

Posted by Mark Wilson in Social Bites, Wine

 

We recently hosted international Winemaker Bert Salomon at Links Hope Island for a wine dinner to show off some of his Austrian whites & Australian reds. The event was wonderful and the wines were just great.

Bert was only in town for a few days and wanted to take advantage of his time here and get out and see a couple of his clients so he made arrangements to do a couple of tastings. One of the customers was Bubbles on Cove bottle shop at Sanctuary Cove. It was a humble little affair over the afternoon. Obviously the wines were great [read more...]

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Reading Your Guest

Apr 15

Posted by Mark Wilson in Blog - Life as a Waiter

To be half capable at this job you will need to be able to read your tables. 

Customers eat out for a huge variety of reasons.  Some need to get out of the house, others are celebrating a special occasion.  Some may eat out all the time and others have guests over and want to show off their local joint.  If your table is celebrating their first anniversary then I doubt they will want a 5 minute wine explanation. On the other hand, when dining out to impress someone, the customer will expect everything to be perfect.  With each table comes a [read more...]

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Presenting the Menu

Feb 22

Posted by Mark Wilson in Blog - Life as a Waiter

There are no right or wrong ways to present a menu but it is important that you know the house rules and the kind of service that your establishment is looking for in order to have consistency.

There are a couple of ways to present a menu.  If you have a nice menu cover you may wish to present the menu closed so the customer may admire the cover.  If this is not necessary then you may wish to present an opened menu for the customer.  It is a little bit of extra service.

This can be very helpful when a dessert page [read more...]

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2009 Penfolds Bin 23 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir

Feb 22

Posted by Mark Wilson in Wine

The first release of Penfolds Bin 23 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir. 

‘Bold’ is the company line and ‘unexpected’ was my first reaction to Penfolds doing Pinot Noir.  I first tried a Penfolds Pinot Noir last year at the Cellar Reserve launch.  I must say I was surprised that it was such good quality.  It seemed unusual that a company synonymous with BIG REDS would venture into this area.  As we all know, the Pinot Noir grape is one of the most difficult to grow and one of the most temperamental styles in the red wine world.  Alas, Penfolds have decided to [read more...]

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Ten Tips for Better Tips

Feb 19

Posted by Mark Wilson in Blog - Life as a Waiter

1.  If a guest is celebrating a special occasion, print out a copy of the menu and sign it on behalf of the staff & offer it as a memento.  Anniversaries are perfect.

2.  When a cocktail is ordered that no one knows how to make, or a guest says, ‘I had this amazing cocktail at………’ - call the venue they just talked about and ask them how to make it or look it up on the web.  We once called a hotel in the U.S from Australia to get a recipe.

3.  Whenever you sense that a male is taking his [read more...]

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Pimms No.1

Feb 18

Posted by Mark Wilson in Spirits and Liqueurs

Every day when I come home from work I gravitate toward my selection of various brands of gin to cleanse out all of my work related thoughts.  I firmly believe that there is no better staple drink than a good G&T.  Not too much ice and not too little.  Lemon or lime depends on the brand?  A generous dose of whichever bottle has caught my eye, and a good measure of tonic to complete the magical elixir.  BUT, every now and then I look for something different (I ran out of tonic)  and it is because of this need for something different [read more...]

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