Madness
‘This is MENTAL!!! Nooooo NOT possible!!’
I screamed, staring at my laptop screen which showed the tables in N/Naka on the night of January 4, 2019 is completely sold out. The website of N/Naka pre-announced that the reservation of 4/5th January 2019 would be released at 10am California time, 30th September and yet here I was, sitting in front of my laptop at 7pm Brussels time (10am CA time) sharp and all seats gone for both dates!!! Undeterred, I wrote a super-motivated email addressed to the N/Naka chef, using all techniques possible:
- flattering: ‘…one of the best restaurants in CA…’
- begging: ‘…We will come all the way from Belgium just to eat…’
- threatening: ‘…our trip covers French Laundry, Benu, Chez Panisse, it would be such a shame to miss yours!’
Guess what, I was offered a table for two within one hour when I sent my email! Hurrah!!! Or may be too early??
Soon enough I encountered another obstacle. The tables for two in French Laundry, an iconic restaurant in Yountville were also completely sold out in December (and yet bizarrely there are plenty dates available for table for 4 people) and there’s no visibility of when the January reservation would be opened. In despair, I signed up all waiting lists of the week of our planned arrival in San Francesco…I’ve also pulled my ‘motivation letter’ trick again but in vain I tried. On November 1st , the reservation of January was finally released, yet the dates were blocked until 24th January 2019. Huge disappointment…
I’m still half way through my restaurant wish-list in California. Half of the restaurants that we plan to visit will only open their reservation 30 days ahead of our planned visit.
Earlier I was also arranging another surprise trip for my husband somewhere in the Europe. Despite of reserving 3 months ahead, the restaurant was full and I was managed to get on a waiting-list where there are 14 people queuing before me! A long shot! After harassing the manager of the restaurant in several occasions (both phone and email), declaring my passion for food, love for my husband and admiration for the restaurant. Eventually moved by my perseverance or simply thought I was too mad, she highlighted my name, indicating if there’s any cancelation, she would make sure we are the first in the line (so I’ve been told). Due to the surprise nature of the trip, I’m not disclosing the name of the restaurant for the time being:-)
And I totally got it!! To eat in some of the best restaurants in the world, you’ve got to get organised. You save your money, arrange your flights and hotel and make sure you reserve your table well in advance or if not in advance then at the right time (this is why I’ve got my reservation agenda) and by the new norm make the payment already online, bien sûr!
But what I experienced above is just pure madness! Since when going to a restaurant becomes a job interview?! You need to send your gastronomic CV (mentioning how many restaurants in the ‘world’s 50 best’ you’ve already been) and motivation letter, not mentioning the investments (financially but also emotionally) you are ready to make. What I also don’t get is how come the restaurant reservation is no longer operated at a ‘first come first served’ model. Seats are increasingly reserved for selective few, who may be wealthier, more known or just madder as in my case.
