Service and boot-shaped objects!

Well, I'm so much behind the times that I've only just got onto this post - blame it on hospitals. I think there is something wonderful about Michelle Roux Jnr; he appears so fragile, so beaten by time and yet, so unbreakable. He is rightly revered as a god in the kitchen and he and his relatives deserve every plaudit, knighthood and honour that come their way. Elegant, passionate, inspirational, convincing, caring and so in love with giving someone a decent meal; what's not to applaud? And like all the family, amazingly, a sense of humour. But like a lot of the people in my office building, I switched on to watch this and was immediately filled with feelings of horror. I have dived in and out of a few minutes each episode and still my nerves are immediately shredded... Masterchef meets Day of the Teenage Zombies. I cannot but help feel that some of these young kids need more continuous care (and the occasional boot-shaped object up the arse) to help them survive. But you cannot help but feel the purpose is noble and hope they all (as one did) realise that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Meemalee commented on service very effectively as has MRJ himself. His comment was that excellent service can redeem a bad or mediocre meal, but that bad or mediocre service cannot be redeemed by an excellent meal. In the final analysis, if somebody really makes you annoyed then the enjoyment of food will become irrelevant. It's so important for restaurateurs to understand this. Speaking of that boot-shaped object, I was inevitably reminded of that when I dropped into a resto a few years back and asked for a table in a largely empty room "We will see whether there is a table available..." Now only the Queen and idiots use the plural subjective pronoun. And as a way of selling a table it doesn't work. I said to the guy "if that was meant to impress me then you have very signally failed in doing so; if I had the time I'd sort this out with the manager. Good day to you." And walked...

I've learned that if a meal or evening starts like that, don't waste your time - get out. Now. Some people (and this is not restricted to the English) feel that a spurious assumption of a kind of hoity-toity (and yes, I did love The Thin Blue Line), namby-pamby superiority makes the food more desirable. Whereas with me (and I supect most people) somebody getting between me and my food will make me angry. And eating like that is not an experience anyone enjoys. (Not even Hannibal Lector...)