” YOUR MEAL IS OVER”
For restaurants and restaurants, getting consumers into the seating is one point, attracting people who actually appreciate what you do is another. That point was made by a narrative about the great New York chef , David Bouley , that circulated after he died in February.
According to the story, Bouley had only received a new source of beautiful Copper River salmon of the highest caliber from Bouley, whose eponymous restaurants were a defining part of Manhattan’s epicurean enlightenment in the 1980s and 1990s. He prepared it for dinner that night, and he served it as a first course, complete with thick spinach rice and pea puree.
However, to his surprise ( and his team, who had been oohing and aahing over the fish ), the pair they served the dish returned, claiming it was strange and could have the shrimp instead.
The restaurant was angry. He ordered the child’s table from the wrong side and instructed the frantic monsieur d to let them know” their meal is over.” The restaurant erupted in applause. And the mysterious ( though ostensibly” surly” ) couple sped out, never letting the doors of a Bouley restaurant ever go dark again. Or but I assume.
I can recall arriving at my favorite restaurant to soon to receive the final serving of a fantastic pork chop. The bar’s patron sitting next to me received it. He merely consumed the lean beef after carefully removing all the large. I was exasperated: The entire point of the food was its unctuousness, the animal was raised for its large.
I was n’t the only person outraged. The client who took apart the never- quite- empty plate came up with a text from the house:  ,” Sir, the restaurant noticed that you did n’t end your food. Was all okay”? The meal was unimpressed and mumbled things.  , It was the restaurant ‘s , polite way of putting him on see: Never do that again.