Wine Uncorked: My guide to the world of wine

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At Barrafina, everybody has to observe the rules of the queue, even if they’re the boss. ‘She could make you feel the world was a safe place with just a smile’ Fred Sirieix, the French maître d’ joins Jaega Wise to share his ‘Life Through Food’ and passion for hospitality. It’s been a decade since Fred started to appear on television, and he’s best known for being the Front of House on the long-running Channel 4 series First Dates. But before that, Fred had reached the top of his profession working in some of London’s most prestigious restaurants, and has been flying the flag for Front of House roles since he left catering college. During August and September 2023, Sirieix presented the reality series Ultimate Wedding Planner; which aired on BBC Two. [22] Other ventures [ edit ] Delgado, Kasia. "First Dates maître d' Fred has gone from matchmaker to musicmaker". RadioTimes. Archived from the original on 29 July 2015 . Retrieved 11 April 2017.

Glennon’s distinctive dress sense started to take shape when she moved to 34. “It’s helpful especially with so many different restaurants to be, ‘Oh right, you’re the woman with the big glasses, yes,’” she says. It is, though, very much a uniform. “I dress completely different away from work. What did I wear today? Jeans and trainers. And I love hats, so I’ll constantly be wearing hats around.” Elena Salvoni at the Little Italy restaurant in Soho, London, 2011. Photograph: Katherine Anne Rose for Observer Food MonthlyIn the future, possibly phones will come with health warnings. It’s become an addiction. People are taking pictures of food but they are not talking to each other. Look, I don’t mind what they do. If they are using flash and it is irritating others then yes, I would intervene. When you work front of house you have to use good sense when deciding to get involved. For Etura, a big part of the job is calculation: working out how long diners will take and when the number of people in the queue matches the amount of time left in which to get them fed. The biggest mistake he could make, he says, is for someone to queue only to be told there is no space. “I’d rather leave seats empty than that happen.” Not that it’s likely. He knows how to work the numbers. And his tip for reducing queue times? “You can queue before we open. At Frith Street the queue for the 5pm opening starts at 4pm. Or use the 90-minute rule. So come at 5pm for 6.30pm, or 6.30pm for 8pm.” And so to the killer question. Would he be willing to queue for as long as his customers? “Of course, and I have. Friends come from Spain and they want to eat here. So we wait.” Thompson breaks into another broad smile: “Anyway, looking after my daughter sometimes is a much harder job than this place!” ‘A lot of people who eat out don’t love food. I feel the same myself…’ Fred explains everything one needs to know in simple terms that it’s easy to understand and digest to give you a basic outlook on wines of the world. Elena Salvoni never retired. She was just unable to make her last service. In early March, aged 95, she was due to preside over another of her regular lunch events at Quo Vadis on Dean Street, after which I would interview her about her eight decades working front of house. A magazine edition dedicated to the art of service would simply not have been complete without Elena Salvoni. The day before, she suffered a major stroke from which she did not recover. Her son Louie was almost apologetic, but mostly because he knew his mother would hate missing the lunch. “She was so looking forward to it,” he said.

About the Author: Fred Sirieix is a maître d' with a passion for all things food and wine. He trained and worked at some of the most celebrated restaurants in both France and London and was the general manager at Galvin at Windows for 14 years. He fronts Channel 4's First Dates and has presented a number of programmes including Remarkable Places to Eat and Step Up to the Plate, as well as appearing alongside Gordon Ramsay and Gino D'Acampo in Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip. Fred studied wine at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and is the official wine ambassador for Marks & Spencer. Sirieix was brought up in Limoges, France. His parents both worked in healthcare and he says they inspired him to work in the service industry: "The conversation around the dinner table was all about patient care. It was about making sure people had a good experience.” [3] Career [ edit ] a b c d "Fred Sirieix - General Manager: Galvin at Windows". www.galvinatwindows.com . Retrieved 16 February 2017. Nankervis, Troy (23 March 2017). "First Dates maître d' Fred Sirieix promises fans surprise 2017 location change". Metro . Retrieved 18 April 2017.

No, but I feel the same way about teachers and those who work for the NHS. But both pay and working conditions for waiters are improving.

Starkey, Adam (21 December 2017). "Gordon, Gino and Fred prove a winning combo on Great Christmas Roast". Metro . Retrieved 9 January 2018. Knowing the difference between all those bottles on the supermarket shelves will double the pleasure you get from a glass of wine and, with Fred Sirieix as your guide, you'll discover how to get the flavour you want. Now, this is not something you expect to hear from someone who has worked in restaurants for 18 years. “I’m not hugely into food,” admits Gina Glennon, maître d’ of 34 in Mayfair. “I love going out, I love the way that food looks, I love the way it smells, the rhythm of service. All of that, I love it, but no, not the food and wine.” If you have ever said, 'I wish I knew more about wine,' this is the book for you. Read more Look Inside Details Thompson’s first experience of hospitality was working as second chef in a fish restaurant in the village where she grew up. While at UCL, she helped out friends at Medcalf in Clerkenwell. She has been at Scott’s since 2006, when it was relaunched by Richard Caring as his first venture for Caprice Holdings, first as lunchtime maître d’ and then, after three years, as general manager. Being a young and female GM was “unusual”, she concedes, especially at a high-profile restaurant. Thompson says simply: “In my position now, I carry the can.”

Sometimes people are plain rude, inconsiderate or ignorant. But this is not because they are in a restaurant. This is because they are people. They would be like this in a supermarket or at a doctor’s surgery. These people are not well. But it’s so rare that it’s not worth mentioning. In 10 years here, I have had only two people I would have had to remove from the restaurant if they’d carried on. One was using foul language. The other was a table of ex-public school boys who kept putting their plates on the floor when they’d finished their food. I spoke to them and they topped.

He doesn’t tell you to follow strict rules or which wines are the best. He gives you basic knowledge and tools to go out and explore and make your own mind up. A great restaurant is as much about the service as the food. It’s about the smile when you arrive, the way you’re seated at your table, the glass of your favourite wine appearing as if by magic. Nothing is too much trouble. The art of perfect service may seem effortless but what’s really going on behind the scenes…?From 1st July 2021, VAT will be applicable to those EU countries where VAT is applied to books - this additional charge will be collected by Fed Ex (or the Royal Mail) at the time of delivery. Shipments to the USA & Canada: Rayner, Jay (6 June 2017). "What happens when you strip food of the branding and just rely on taste?". Radio Times . Retrieved 19 June 2017. Three years ago, Thompson’s daughter, Daphne, was born; Thompson took 11 months maternity leave and then returned to Scott’s part-time. Again, this is “unconventional” in hospitality, which demands long, antisocial hours. Thompson gives credit to Caring for being open to the idea and she hopes that her experience will be helpful to other women in a similar position. “Yeah, I’m definitely flying the working-mum flag,” she says. “I didn’t want to pretend it was going to be OK and then totally crash and burn. Hopefully I’ve proved the fact that it is possible.”