Service

For more information on the Elements of Fine Dining including topics like:

  - Wine Service

  - Bar Service, Tabletop

  - Kitchen

  - Language

  - Making Reservations

  - Dress 

  - Cost

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The best fine dining restaurants should have service like theater, a performance with the cast including the chef/owner/manager/maitre'd as director, captain/servers as the players, and diners as the audience. At the same time, it should feel unobtrusive, like it was never there at the end of the meal. At this quality level, there should be almost no concern that service will be anything less than exemplary, but having a better understanding of how it works would be helpful.

European Captain Service
This style of service utilizes a back server to bring the food from the kitchen to the dining room. Front servers clear dishes, set silver for each course, and sometimes describe each ingredient of each dish, and finally the captain is the main communicator with the table except for the sommelier, the Maitre'd, and the manager or owner. The captain is the 'conductor', with the most experience and the best people skills to ensure the most perfect and memorable dining experience possible. They will be able to explain the entire menu without notes and have extensive knowledge of the bar menu. They are there when you need help and pleasantly absent when you don't. When ordering, their job is to ascertain what foods the diner is looking for and match menu dishes for them for an optimal experience-the perfect dish for each person. A captain should be smiling and charming and determined and follow the customer's mood, be it chatty to they don’t want to talk.

Overall Service 
Aside from the communication with the captain, it should be forgettable. Service is only to support the food. You never knew it was there nor have to ask for anything. Every detail is anticipated. Every staff member knows the customer's name using table and seat numbers, like being in a private club. In Europe, they would also note the customer's language(s) and make a note on this. Often service staff pour sauces on plates tableside, including drizzled oils for better freshness.

Dish Descriptions
Any service staff could be tableside to describe each plate depending on which language the diner speaks. The descriptions include the dish's origin, the flavors to expect, often the chef’s inspiration for the dish, and possibly a colorful anecdote. Each plate should have its own story. The service staff should almost show their passion about each plate as much as the chef..

How Long Does a Top Restaurant Lunch or Dinner Take?
It largely depends on the speed of the service. Ordering an appetizer and an entree only from an à la carte menu would be almost the shortest meal. However, adding an amuse-bouche(s) starter, possible intermezzos and gourmandises, or mignardises with a slower service pace could prolong a meal to the length of time it takes for a 5-course prix fixe menu. Plan on a minimum of two hours unless the restaurant offers a faster service suggestion on its menu. You could spend four to six hours for 18+ course affairs.

If a Dish is Not Completely Finished
Particularly for à la carte service, if there is more than a little food left on a plate, the captain should pull the plate off the table and ask what they can bring you instead of this. They do not expect you to explain- it is painless. The captain will go out of their way to see why that happened and replace it, acting like that is the norm (it is not a problem, we exist to make you completely happy). The diner should sense there will be no charge(it rarely happens; it is a trivial expense for us).

Tipping in Europe
The service charge is included, but a tip is not. European servers are paid higher wages than Americans, so an additional 5-10% extra tip (usually cash) is the norm if you want to tip.

Finer Details 
Only the flatware needed for the current or next course should be in front of you. There should be no guesswork. Tables are crummed with a crummer. Linen napkins are replaced with a fresh one if a diner leaves their seat. Trays are typically silver with handles. If used at all, side tables usually have four legs covered with a custom-cut tablecloth or a period-style, all-wood side table. No tray stands found in lesser restaurants should be used.

Visible Management
The general manager, owner, or Maitre'd is expected to be working the dining room. They are the conductor ensuring the symphony is being played correctly down to the smallest note.