Viva talks to one of London's most famous maitre d's and director of The Ivy, Fernando Peire, about creating a successful eatery.
In the heart of London's theatre district lies The Ivy restaurant - a bustling brasserie famous for serving food and drink to the "in crowd" for decades. Since its inception during World War I, it has provided a platform to be noticed and a private space for authors, writers, politicians and more latterly film-makers, TV personalities and journalists. How has a restaurant thrived in London's highly competitive restaurant scene for so long?
The answer is simple according to its director, Fernando Peire. "Dining out is a chance to commune with 'others' in a public space. It is a whole experience. Customers come to be cared for. I think there is a danger in over-stressing the importance of the food in a restaurant."
He knows what he's talking about.
During his first stint as chief maitre d' of The Ivy, between 1990 and 1998, his attention to detail knew no bounds. He would avidly scour local papers and gossip columns to gather vital information about his customers and he translated this knowledge into taking care of them when they visited. He would know if it was an actor's opening night or closing, whether the reviewer in the house had given a favourable review or not and hence whether to sit them close to each other or as far apart as the dining room would allow.
His attention to detail paid off and by 1998 the place was one of the hottest in London. Then the owners sold and Peire left to pursue his own interests, including consulting to other famed restaurants throughout Europe. Over the next decade, standards at The Ivy began to slip and Peire admits that when he visited during this time he was often disappointed.
In 2007 new owners took over and invited Peire back to resurrect the once vibrant restaurant. In three short years he has done just that, even expanding the operation to open The Ivy Club, a series of dining rooms, drawing rooms and bars.
"The thing about coming to The Ivy or The [Ivy] Club is that people know each other, I know them and they know they will be well looked-after." But before you start thinking that this is a closed club, Peire is quick to explain a common mistake many restaurateurs make is to assume being fully booked in advance is a measure of success.
"This curbs the spontaneity. It becomes undynamic and only about disappointment for people who can't get in." He explains that he never fully books The Ivy restaurant and that a percentage of the tables are always kept for walk-ins so that it doesn't gain the reputation of a place where you need to book two years in advance. "It keeps it fresh." Talking to Peire, you get the impression what he doesn't know about managing a restaurant isn't worth knowing.
He says the key is knowing and caring about people - your customers and staff - because they are the lifeblood of the restaurant. Anticipating problems before they arise is key.
"At The Ivy we will get everyone from famous actors to inexperienced diners and each must be handled differently to ensure that they get the evening they are expecting."
It is the job of the staff to ensure this. He provides an example: "Tables are close at The Ivy, so seating is paramount. Let's imagine a couple of men, regulars, mid-40s, stop in at the bar for a few drinks, then maybe a few more and by the time they are ready for the restaurant they are "well on their way". I wouldn't sit this pair next to two young women in their late 20s, wide-eyed, first-time diners at The Ivy and very excited by the prospect. This could create issues and may disrupt the harmony of the dining room."
So what does a place like The Ivy, that prides itself on a loyal and discerning clientele, do or have that others don't? He rattles off the other factors that set one establishment above the rest: comfort, lighting that makes the customers look good, staff who are natural crowd-pleasers, careful analysis of spending patterns of diners, food that isn't overly challenging.
He explains that while there will always be a place for occasion dining, mostly customers seek familiarity.
"We're not ashamed to serve simple food that we make sing. Liver and bacon served with mash. Nothing better. But that doesn't mean ignoring what is going on outside either. For example, if we notice a trend towards Spanish cuisine, we make sure that we have two Spanish dishes on our menu. We keep a close eye on the talked about places and we adapt our menu while still staying true to our own brand."
Most common mistake made in the business according to Peire? Not giving enough importance to the customer and their needs. "The arms of a place should go around you when you walk in and make you feel special. If your needs are met, then you will want to return, and it is return business that enables a restaurant to remain successful."
A wealth of experience
Fernando Peire is in New Zealand to share his strategies and experience of what it takes to create a successful restaurant business. He headlines the upcoming Restaurant Association Telecom MasterClasses. In Auckland he will hold three workshops:
* Feeding Your Customer More Than Just Food - Identifying and addressing their needs
* Great Management, Intelligent Systems and How to Profit From Them
* Great Staff Makes for Great Custom - Develop your staff and they will develop your business
At $80 per workshop this would seem a worthwhile investment to make to glean more information from the man they call "a restaurant genius".
For more information see restaurantnz.co.nz.
