Your Table Is Ready: Tales of a New York City Maître D'

by Michael Cecchi-Azzolina

60 percent chance of failing the first year and of which 80 percent are closed after five years.

But for the moment, these strangers love you like family.

It’s perfect, partially because it lacks any of the painful connections or remembrances from your past.

When it works, it’s the best of family life. For a few hours these surrogate families become what...

We seek that which we need or think we need.

There was no HR, no one to go to or complain to, no social media to let the world know your chef was a maniac and

your existence was threatened almost daily.

We all want to connect, to be recognized, treated well; some of us need to be adored, “recognized” either as the movie star we are, or the billionaire titan of Wall Street, or that politician, cop, restaurant-industry professional, tailor, construction worker, teacher—all of us want to be made to feel special, to be known and acknowledged.

(protein generally facing the guests),

The two fundamental reasons why restaurants fail—bad management and undercapitalization.

Those at the door need to be dripping with hospitality, warmth, graciousness, and, yes, a smile.

Foodies are nuts. They follow every move of a chef or restaurant they love, and they followed us.

In short, if the person you see at the door each time you eat at a particular restaurant is always generous, courteous, welcoming, and indeed happy to see you, or remembers your drinks, or sends you a dessert, show your appreciation.

I am usually disappointed in the food and the generally exorbitant prices for a mediocre meal.

“fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.”