A doyen of restaurant service, maître d’ Silvano Giraldin, long with 3 Michelin star La Gavroche in London, gave an amusing yet honest talk at the recent MAD4  Symposium in Copenhagen about restaurant service.

He described the transition of service, waiters initially being the chef’s representative in the restaurant, doing the carving of big meat joints, filleting the fish, and flambéeing Crepe Suzette.  In those days one never saw chefs inside the restaurant. The Maître d’ was the front of house hero, and also plated the food after doing the carving.   This led to the concept of ‘silver service‘, disjointing chicken and deboning fish in front of the customer, also referred to as ‘Les Arts de la Table‘.

As chefs became visible in the ‘Seventies, Nouvelle Cuisine was introduced, the Chef Patron taking over the cutting and plating of food in his/her kitchen, which reduced waiters to ‘plate carriers‘.  The highpoint of service today is that of the world’s number one Continue reading →