As a food service consultant, I cannot count the number of times someone has asked me “What is your favorite restaurant?” My colleagues know that is a question I struggle with and generally do not answer. In our foodie culture I feel like it is a loaded question; the person asking the question will undoubtedly read something into my response. Will the wrong answer diminish my street cred? Do I name one of last year’s hot new restaurants (oh she is hopelessly out of date), do I name the great neighborhood bistro (oh I had an awful burger there) or do I name the great new Izakaya (oh what an architectural nightmare). The truth is there are so many restaurants opening daily that I rarely go somewhere multiple times.
I think “What is your favorite restaurant” might be a fair question for a food critic, but even then the answer is going to undoubtedly reflect some bias or personal taste. The fact is there are thousands of restaurants in New York City alone. JGL has worked in more than 31 states; keeping up with all openings nationwide would require a small army.
The other reason I struggle with the question is you can ask ten people about the exact same dining experience and you will get ten different perspectives. While there are certainly a number of universally highly acclaimed restaurants, there are many more that have a mixture of fans and non-fans alike. That is one of the reasons I caution my clients not to place tremendous emphasis on the tasting element of a restaurateur selection process. Food taste and presentation is certainly very important but there are so many other considerations.
As a food service consultant, I am concerned with helping my clients optimize their food service operations in whatever shape that may take. Frequently, that may take the form of an RFP or operator selection process (which may lead to the aforementioned question). Whether or not my team members or I like a particular restaurant is really one of the least important elements of a selection. The most important elements are the fit, alignment with client needs and goals, and financial terms. So, next time we meet be prepared for me to artfully dodge the question “What is your favorite restaurant”!