Danny Meyer, Grant Achatz, Brandon Sharp, Lawrence Klang of Natalie's and others talk restaurant etiquette

February 2010
StarChefs.com Features
"Updating Restaurant Etiquette for a Modern Age, Part I"

By Emily Bell

In order to flesh out terms of etiquette for a modern age—when knowing how to place one’s napkin and whether to tip on wine service is no longer enough—we’re developing a series on etiquette with industry professionals who’ve helped set (and challenge) the standards of etiquette for the next generation. And we’re starting where every restaurant concept starts, with ten tips on restaurant etiquette in the back of the house.

It may seem like a concept better suited to the genteel South than to the complex dynamics of the working restaurant, but etiquette is the secret fuel of the restaurant industry. From Danny Meyer’s hospitality-happy restaurant empire to the structured kitchen practices of chefs like Thomas Keller, shining examples of the success of etiquette abound, beacons of best practices for other restaurants to follow, incorporate, or amend as they see fit.

But where does etiquette belong in a restaurant? Most restaurant etiquette guides speak exclusively to the diner, advising on topics like dress codes, corking fees, and tipping policies. Guidelines like these are surely useful, as any beleaguered, under-tipped waiter can testify, but they relegate the concept of etiquette to a kind of consumer-oriented manners guide. Real etiquette extends beyond the diner, and even beyond the conduct of the front of the house, to the essential culture of the restaurant itself. (More)