For those of us who sometimes wonder whether anyone apart from chefs actually works in a restaurant, here’s a book that goes a long way towards setting the record straight. Such has been the ‘cult’ of the chef in recent years, that this book delivers a healthy, informative, fascinating yet often very practical ‘sanity check’ in order to reveal the art of the restaurateur.
The Art of the Restaurateur is a compelling look behind the scenes at some of the world’s best restaurants, and celebrates the complex but unsung art of the restaurateur.
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The author
Nicholas Lander was the restaurateur of L’Escargot in Soho in the 1980’s (though he might not have thought of himself as a restaurateur back then), and has written the restaurant column in the Financial Times for the past 21 years. He has met and become friends with restaurateurs worldwide, celebrating the good times and sympathising in bad.
His credentials, therefore, are impeccable – and so is his writing: no expertise or inside knowledge is needed to enjoy this book, though it will certainly lure the reader into new restaurants and into trying new styles of cooking.
Characters and insights
An acclaimed restaurant critic, Nicholas Lander reveals a great deal about the highs and lows of the restaurant business, presenting the untold stories of the world’s best restaurateurs, from luxurious Michelin-starred restaurants, to bustling neighbourhood bistros, to stylish fast-food cafes.
Every story is fascinating, entertaining, and has something to tell about the creation of a successful restaurant, from finding the right location to deciding what kind of food to serve. Engaging and knowledgeable, anyone interested in food will enjoy the characters, and it’s packed with insights for anyone who dreams of opening a restaurant.
Successes and failures
The list of those he’s interviewed, and their establishments, represents many of the most admired restaurateurs in the world, and ranges internationally from Ireland, to New York, London, Sydney, San Francisco, Paris, Spain…
It discusses how success has been achieved – often with fascinating detail that shows how successful restaurateurs have not only studied all the elements of their business, but often practised (or endured) them.
And after each chapter on a restaurateur, there is a section dedicated to a specific aspect of the profession: from the art on the walls, to a sense of history, a style of one’s own, catching your chef, or in praise of kitchen porters. These build into a compelling picture of both the vision and the practical grasp that is required.
And then there are the problems – or even failures and disappointments. How Alan Yau lost control of Wagamama in a family feud. How Danny Meyer, with two hugely successful restaurants behind him (Union Square Café and Gramercy Tavern) opened Blue Smoke, a barbecue restaurant, without appreciating that all New Yorkers consider themselves barbecue experts, so they all thought he was doing everything wrong.
It seems that, behind every successful restaurateur, there is also a story to be told of failure – but failure from which they learned and moved on to success elsewhere. And this book is a catalogue of highly successful restaurateurs and their landmark establishments.
In summary
The aspiring and ambitious restaurateur can learn a great deal from this book, though translating it into the practicalities of a small, neighbourhood restaurant will require a more basic ‘how to’ manual.
However, for the rest of us, it provides a thoroughly enjoyable and insightful introduction to the world and skills of some of the top restaurateurs of the world, recognising that the excellence of the food has to be matched or exceeded by the ambience and service.
To order your copy click here, Price is £24.95 currently on offer at £17.46.