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Dedication before guest service?!

Still lingering over "Jiro dreams of sushi".

One absolutely great dialog is between a rather young guest who comes into the restaurant to ask for some information and a card and asks for a reservation.

Guest: "...can I make a reservation?"
Yoshikazu [older son of Jiro]: "Reservations are mandatory here!"
Guest: "How early do I need to reserve?"
Yoshikazu: "One month in advance."
Guest: "One month in advance?"
Yoshikazu: "Yes. Since it is February now, we're taking reservations for March."
Guest: "I see. Reservations can be made for lunch and dinner?"
Yoshikazu: "Yes, for both. The price starts at 30,000 yen."
Guest: "30,000 yen?"
Yoshikazu: "It starts with 30,000 yen."
Guest: "Okay."
Yoshikazu: "Sushi and prices vary, depending what is available at the market."..."So it starts at 30,000 yen."
Guest: "Can we order drinks and appetizers to start?"
Yoshikazu: "We only have sushi, we don't have appetizers!"
Guest: "Really?"
Yoshikazu: "Yes."
Guest: "You don't have any other dishes?"
Yoshikazu: "No, only Sushi."
...

Maybe it is important to say, that Yoshikazu will be the successor to Jiro, when ever he retires - and that he is already well beyond 50 years old...

Also: 30,000 yen are more than 380 U$ - for sushi only - a meal which can be easily finished within 15 minutes [but definitely doesn't take longer than 30 minutes].

It is not a restaurant, you are feeling comfortable to socialize and chat with your dining companions and relax. 380 Dollars - a fraction of an hour. No appetizer. No table small talk tolerated.
This is bold.



Why I am mentioning this? Because there is definitely a way of not ass kissing all guests and doing whatever they say - independently if it is good or not. We should learn; we should master our craft. And we should not sell ourself under value.

A bar should be comfortable and should invite to socialize, for conversations and to linger. However bartender can expect some respect from the guest. And that includes, that [at least in special bars and knowledgeable bartender] they should know better than the guest, what to serve...

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