This week
is full to the brim with fieldtrips and events. Unfortunately I missed the
field trip to Tavolo for pizza and rice and potatoes in the afternoon due to
frolicking with my family after Rhinebeck. This particular morning, we spent
our time with the owner and operator of Eastern Standard, a well-known
restaurant in Boston. His encompassing knowledge of the industry, his success
and his attention to detail made for a fascinating morning.
We arrived
in the restaurant, which also serves the hotel upstairs. It is a part of three
dining establishments in the building- Hawthorn and Island Creek Oyster Bar,
all catering to the area. We were informed that the project was originally
started by BU in attempts to revamp Kendall Square away from its previous
feelings of degradation and unsavory behaviors. BU had the grand idea of
building a hotel with a fine dining establishment that could turn the tide for
the area and create a more hospitable environment for incoming students. Mr.
Harvey was the one chosen for the job and embarked on creating the continental
vibe that has lasted for 10 years.
Among his
many accomplishments, I particularly liked hearing about his choices for décor
and how they shaped the environment of the room. He was afraid that Eastern
Standard was too tall and cavernous. Not knowing how the community would take
the new restaurant, he created a corner of the space with lower ceilings so it
felt cozier and not as unused. He also placed the waiter station in the center
of the room so the bustle of the wait staff could help the energy of the room
move along.
These
principals were most evident in Island Creek Oyster Bar, which was a newly
renovated space from a previous upscale seafood restaurant that had gone under.
It was clean and modern with subtle hints of oyster life throughout. The entire
back wall was covered in a thin cage like a oyster cage and held hundreds of
thousands of oyster shells giving the space texture and validity. Over the bar
hung a large cage with rows of lights that resembled how the oysters grew. The
tables were places closed together to give the diners a sense of community and
energy while not feeling too cramped. A horizon line was created with the
booths and the tables that made it seem like the tall ceilings were as high as
the sky. The effect was calming and modern, perfect for a place to slurp down
sweet oysters.
The
afternoon was spent with Robin De Luca who taught us Indian food. We were
handed a stack of spice infused recipes that we used to create a feast. Among
my favorites were samosas, curry shrimp and a spiced lamb dish. All were
amazing and we were thoroughly stuffed afterward.
I am proud of not loosing my cool when working with people
that are a touch less easy to work with. Though I needed to take a short
breather in the stock room we accomplished our task.
I need to work on being more observant in restaurants. It is
easy to see how the space builds an environment when you are told but it isn’t
as easy for me just to notice these things naturally. Gaining this skill would
be most helpful in opening my own place and recognizing the skill on others.
Take aways
·
Notice how a room works with the environment
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