Working the floor at The Restaurant

Now I have my double life. In the day I oversee my two Counter Cultures businesses in San Miguel and Los Cabos as well as the export biz to the USA. By Night I have become this other person. I transform into a cross between Martha Stewart and Donald Trump. Here in the Restaurant I feel like I've made a visit back home. At first I was nervous, will I remember how to serve a guest? Will I remember anything about wines? I'd ask myself quick what are the 5 mother sauces? What are the Nobel grapes??? What's the rules about reservations that all fine dining restaurants should follow? Relax, relax, relax, it's like riding a bike. I remembered everything and was sent back in time to all the guest I've waited on from the cheap drunk who stiffed me to guest like Gene Hackman who always tiped 25% even on the $325.00 bottle of wine. I recall all the wine I sold, all the Nazi New York style chefs I've had the displeasure of meeting. There I was in my element being Jose Manuel's right hand man. Proving myself thru Technique, style and grace. When you're on the floor in a restaurant it's like Counter Cultures only 1 month reduced into one night! Fine tuning the skills of selling, service and mastering the art of table turning is much like Counter Cultures. Asking the right questions at the table is the same as asking the right questions in my showrooms. You have to read your clients. This is true in both businesses. You want to sell the Goat and beet salad and the hand held shower. Make sure for every table you get a wine pairing with the food and a Satin Nickle trip lever with every toilet! Watch how long it's taking for your entrees to get to the table and when the truck should arrive with the faucets. A month condensed into 5 hours of service. 4 to 6 weeks now becomes 12 to 15 minutes. Watching your covers and check averages and make sure you have the client base with the correct sales average." We need to sell more trout" the chef says and I say get rid of those old sinks that are in the showroom. Push the trout and push the faucets you have in stock. Make sure your clients sign the check and merchandise received form. At the end of the shift review the how many bottles of wine and bathtubs were sold. That's so and so,sit them by the fountain and give them a special discount on hardware.
The employees in a restaurant are like the people at Counter Cultures. Brenda is the back waiter getting clients quotes ready and making sure the checks are picked up and paid. Alfonso, Mario and Luis are the expediter/food runners controling the flow of incoming orders for guest while making sure the client gets the salmon cooked medium and the door handle has a 2 3/4" backset. Gabriela and Chris are the waiters greeting the guest explaining the special lamb tonight and the benefits of a Thermostaic Valve. The Chefs create the Roasted Chicked to order and the factory makes the custom copper sink.
So this week I'll spend 3 days at the restaurant equal to 3 months at Counter Cultures. I guess this is why people in the restaurant business tend to drink as much in one night as a retail sales person drinks in 1 month.
Here's a link to a blog about The Restaurant http://www.blakesmexico.blogspot.com/