On the Line by Eric Ripert and Christine Muhlke
Eric Ripert is a man who has, indeed, walked the line. His insights and anecdotes show us the inner workings of one of the country's best restaurants, Le Bernardin, making us feel special — just like regulars.
Le Bernardin opened its doors at its present location in January, 1986 after a six million dollar renovation. Three months later, they had four stars from the New York Times, eventually three Michelin stars, and were receiving 1,200 calls per day for the 100 available seats. Twenty four years later, little has changed. Seafood is still the star of the menu and reservations are still worth the wait.
For the uninitiated, Ripert’s tales in, On The Line, give a peek at the back of the house and what makes things go 'round in a more than busy fine dining operation. The title refers to the “line” in the kitchen where the food is finished and plated and the waiters pick up their orders. But it also is a reminder that at a fine restaurant everything is on the line every day.
For those of us fortunate enough to earn our living in the restaurant world, there is affirmation of what we know to be "the biz". Then, for those of us who instruct the young and impressionable restaurateurs of tomorrow, there is the ability to point and say "see, we’re telling you the truth".
Chef Ripert traveled the well-worn path to Le Bernardin. After growing up in a food centric household in France and attending cooking school, he offered his services to eighteen Michelin three-star restaurants. None took the bait until months later when he apprenticed at the famed Tour d’Argent. He eventually landed in Washington with Jean-Louis Palladin who told him that “cooking is fun. You can create and if you f***k up, you start again”. With this advice and a reference from Palladin, Ripert made his way to New York and found a home in Le Bernardin.
Ripert's well written and lavishly illustrated coffee table book grabs the reader and does not let go. Do not make the mistake of starting to read it late at night as you may see the sun rise, run for your coffee and dive back into the dessert chapter starving for “egg” for breakfast (read the dessert chapter and you will get the pun). Since I mentioned food, let me say that many of the recipes are composed of multiple steps — time consuming and seemingly daunting, but not rocket science — doable for the patient, well-informed, ambitious home cook. Warm lobster timbale in a champagne-chive nage, braised halibut with asparagus and wild mushrooms, and black bass in ginger-cardamom broth are a few favorites that make a snack required for a long culinary trip. Don’t skip the section on how a menu item is developed; it is a journey worth taking.
There is an illuminating chapter on food costing, something that none of my students think is important, most try to forget and later call from the real world for a refresher tutorial. Whether you want to learn how to make it pay, or as a customer are curious about what you’re paying so much for, this chapter tells you what you need to know.
A peek into procurement of ingredients, exotic and not, is something everyone can enjoy. Where to find the best of everything is a lesson in power shopping often without regard to price. Shopping for wonderful products is at worst, fun; at best it is an incredibly rewarding exercise. Not all restaurateurs/chefs have the luxury of paying any price but Ripert's guests are there for the experience; price sensitivity is not in their vocabulary — at least not on that day for that meal. This lack of sensitivity means that fun may be had by all and money may still be made – food cost again rears its ugly head.
Dining room behavior, attention to details and the correct way to do things is a consistent thread running through the entire book. Water is siphoned from floral displays and replaced on a daily basis. No cloudy water, just clear, crisp vases to reflect light from strategically placed candles. Staff is professional, attentive and nearly invisible. Guests are hard put to identify their servers, usually seven, but know that every need has been met by impeccably trained phantoms.
Le Bernardin’s management believes in providing a perfect experience for guests. At any given time there are upwards of 100 people working toward that goal. The kitchen staff is in a whirlwind to keep the meal at a friendly but not frenetic pace. The house serves 300 meals per day; at peak times an order is placed every 15 seconds; trays leave the kitchen every 60 to 90 seconds, yet calm prevails in the dining room and in the presence of guests. This effort is unseen and unheard by the guest. Tracked by a hands-on, whiteboard instead of a computer; this is quite a personalized, retro touch in this high tech era.
The effort of the dining room staff is quite another story. Service in an operation such as Ripert’s may be described as dining room choreography — ballet and balance. When the stars line up and everyone is on their mark, the production is seamless. This is no accident but the result of careful preparation.
Preparation begins with careful hiring and even more careful training. In past times, upscale restaurants could simply hire staff from a competitor – no longer. The number of high-end eateries in competition for service staff is stiff – yes, even in these difficult economic times. So, managers learn to “go with their gut” and hire for attitude. Even when the gut is talking with a McDonalds graduate, attitude, willingness and trainability are characteristics that are either present or not. It is important that the guest leave with a smile having been charmed by friendly, accommodating professionals – be it the captain offering diet soda alternatives or the busboy responding to a questioning glance.
Time, energy and no small amount of money are devoted to training in any successful business. Whether you hire from without or promote from within, whether you are discussing a back waiter, busboy or a captain, you will get the product you desire or an abysmal failure based on the effort you put into training. A typical success story is the porter. Now responsible for every item in the operation from each grain of salt to every ounce of $125 an ounce Iranian caviar, he started out as a dishwasher. Someone was impressed with his attitude and took the time to train and then promote him.
All of these thousands of details come together in a performance designed to delight the guest. The impeccable hostess who takes your coat and welcomes you with a sparkling smile; the captain who makes you think your cocktail order is brilliant; the waiter who places your dinner plate just so; the thousand pounds of fish filleted down every day into the one perfect portion on your beautifully sauced plate; the ninety three people behind the scenes whom you never even think of — they are there to make your experience memorable. Make no mistake, they are doing it for you but they also know how much fun and how rewarding it is – that is usually why they do it.
Eric Ripert shares these secrets and many others with us regulars to make this diary well worth reading, more than once. Ripert and Muhlke have created a feast not only for the mind and appetite but also for the eyes. The recipe illustrations, final food photos, candid pictures and posed portraits all combine to create a visually appealing insider’s glimpse at what goes on — on the line.
Donna Maguire, an Assistant Teaching Professor on Drexel’s Hospitality Management Faculty, has spent many years in the industry and has worked “on the line”.
