We're not jetsetters who flit around the world dropping in on one pricey, critically acclaimed restaurant after another. Not that we wouldn't like to, mind you. This is probably why we enjoy seeing photo sets from and reading the experiences of other bloggers who are lucky enough to stop in to these establishments from time to time. One of our very favorite wine bloggers, Dr Vino, recently had the opportunity to eat at Homaru Cantu's Moto, in Chicago.
The opportunity arose from the fact that, after a discussion of Cantu's "caramelaserized" wine between the chef and the blogger, Dr Vino wrote to Cantu to tell him that he would have the opportunity to stop by the restaurant in November and would like to try the "lazerized" wine. Cantu, very generously, sent him a note back saying "you will be my guest" for dinner. So Dr Vino went and enjoyed a meal chosen by the chef, a wine tasting and a visit to the kitchen to experience the caramelaserization technique - wine flavored with smoke produced by firing a laser at some other element, like vanilla or orange - first hand. The meal is recounted great detail and it sounds as though the food really was excellent.
But a bill was presented at the end of the night and, at over $100 per person, it was a bit of a shock to a diner who had the impression (based on the "you will be my guest" comment and the fact that the menu was chosen for them) that the diner, excluding tip, would be covered for them. Was this too much to expect, given the circumstances? Knowing that he would have had to pay for everything, Dr Vino probably would have gone only for a taste of the special wine that he wanted to sample.
[Thanks, Matt]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-05-2006 @ 1:44PM
MJ said...
What it has always meant! I am inviting you to say, dinner and enjoy yourself. Im paying for it.People are so rude these days.....If you want a guest to pay say up front! but dont call tehm a guest.........
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12-05-2006 @ 3:45PM
Jonathan Harford said...
One more step along the bastardization of the word "guest". (C.f. Starbuck's "next guest, please!" and every motel you've ever been to.)
Personally, I find such misuse kind of gross.
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12-05-2006 @ 3:45PM
Kate said...
Appalling. "You will be my guest" means the meal was to be comped and was right to expect a complimentary meal as a guest. If a bill was to be presented, he should have been given an invite which said "come be our customer" and he should have ordered from a menu.
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12-05-2006 @ 3:45PM
NCProsecutor said...
I can't believe he made the guy pay for the meal to which he'd invited him! That seems pretty raw to me.
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12-05-2006 @ 4:04PM
Laura K said...
Whoa yeah that's bad manners--especially if the meal is chosen for you! Yikes...
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12-05-2006 @ 5:46PM
Sarah said...
I think Dr. Vino was perfectly correct in thinking he wouldn't have to pay. Perhaps Cantu wasn't aware that he received a bill?
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12-05-2006 @ 9:04PM
Quine said...
I want to believe that Cantu was honest in his offer have Dr. Vino as his guest, in the true sense of the word. And hope, it was as Sarah suggests, that He was unaware of the fact that a bill was presented. While that does smack of one hand of the place not knowing what the other was doing, it is a far better thing than to think Dr. Vino was scammed.
I know that I chose where I want to spend my dollars for dining. And I do not chose to spend at places that are thinking they are so above all polite rules of society. Too many real, honest, great folks out there producing wonderful food in a hospitable, open, warm atmosphere to waste time, money or palate on riffraff.
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12-05-2006 @ 9:11PM
Quine said...
I want to believe that Cantu was honest in his offer have Dr. Vino as his guest, in the true sense of the word. And hope, it was as Sarah suggests, that He was unaware of the fact that a bill was presented. While that does smack of one hand of the place not knowing what the other was doing, it is a far better thing than to think Dr. Vino was scammed.
I know that I chose where I want to spend my dollars for dining. And I do not chose to spend at places that are thinking they are so above all polite rules of society. Too many real, honest, great folks out there producing wonderful food in a hospitable, open, warm atmosphere to waste time, money or palate on riffraff.
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12-06-2006 @ 1:01AM
Kirsten said...
Having done PR for several restaurants, worked at restaurants/bars while in college and having dated guys in the business, the whole issue of "taking care of someone" or being someone's "guest" and the art of comping is a delicate process that is best handled with tactful clarity, up front.
The verbiage is extremely important and I have always been a fan of, and advised clients to be VERY direct. Meaning, "the chef would like to invite you to a 5-course tasting menu at $XXX and would like to buy you wine to pair with it" or "let me check with the chef to see what he had in mind" and return with a CLEAR answer, or "please let me know what your entree choice will be tonight, the chef is buying your first drink and your dessert" or "please let me know your entree order, the chef/owner would like to buy you a bottle of wine to pair with it" or whatever...
Personally, when I have a personal interest/investment with the chef or restaurant, I am even more nervous if I don't know the financial situation upfront. My mom always said never order anything you can't pay for (this was dating advice of course) and the point is valid. Hence, I tend to like to clear it up before dining otherwise I can barely enjoy the meal.
However, in this case, Cantu was not clear at all with Dr. Vino and the server further muddled up the situation.
Tacky, tense and sadly easily avoidable. Who is Cantu's front-of-house manager and/or PR person? They need to be advising him better in my opinion.
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12-06-2006 @ 3:17PM
V Smoothe said...
Had I been in the situation, I would certainly not have expected to have my meal comped. The words "you will be my guest" imply a personally selected menu and particularly good treatment, not a free meal. As a cook, I'm constantly amazed at the way people expect us to be giving away food left and right. Its unbelievable. Moto is an expensive restaurant, and if the diner couldn't afford to pay for the meal, he should have clarified that with the chef beforehand. It appears to me that no promise of comping was offered, so yes, I do find the blogger's assumption unreasonable and presumptuous in the extreme.
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12-06-2006 @ 3:23PM
V Smoothe said...
Okay, after reading Dr. Vino's full post I am even less inclined to sympathy. He wrote to the chef saying he would be in Chicago and would be willing to come to try the wine. The chef responded with this:"We are closed on Sundays and on Thanksgiving. Please go to motorestaurant.com for hours of operation. Just let me know when you would like to join us and you will be my guest."
So what happened here? A blogger writes to a chef, says that he'll be in the area and would like to come into the restaurant. The chef responds with "Okay, be my guest. Here are our hours" and the blogger interprets that as a personal invitation. This is clearly a case of presumption on the part of the blogger.
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12-07-2006 @ 12:27AM
MeanLisa said...
I normally agree that when you are a guest it is complimentary. In this case Dr Vino contacted him and said he was already coming. I can understand both sides of this situation. It could be lost in translation in that guest refered to having a host for his meal or a special welcome.
For myself anytime I am going someplace I make sure I have enough money to cover my expenses. If I don't then I don't go. I would hate to be humiated expecting to not pay for something I consumed and not have the funds to cover it.
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12-07-2006 @ 3:55PM
Matt Lapetina said...
I agree with V Smoothe; Dr Vino contacted Mr. Cantu - not the other way around. He was treated to a special meal selected by Mr. Cantu and should feel honored to be treated differently than regular guests of the restaurant. In the hospitality industry, the term "guest" is used to refer to ANY person visiting the establishment, not as a term suggesting a comp'd meal. As a respected member of the blogging community, Dr Vino should know better than to assume the dinner would be at no charge.
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12-08-2006 @ 10:45AM
Matt said...
How many times do we have to rehash this? Dr. Vino asked the server, apparently not sure whether the meal was comped or not. He asked. Repeat: He asked. The server came back and said that it was "taken care of." No follow-up questions like "Would you like the 5 course or the grand tasting menu?" And don't try to say that all hospitality business refer to their customers as "guests." "You will be my guest" in a personal e-mail is not the same as an announcement over a P.A. system in a big-box store. And those of you who are defending the chef, deep down you know it.
And Dr. Vino paid the bill, it seems. It's not like he came without his credit card, or did a dine-and-dash.
At least it was a good meal.
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