00:03Wow.
00:04Good evening. Welcome in.
00:06Thank you. We have a reservation.
00:09Should be under Reeves.
00:10Yes, right here.
00:12Reeves Part 02. Perfect timing.
00:14Wonderful. It smells incredible in here already.
00:17Alright.
00:18The kitchen's been doing something with the short rib tonight.
00:21Follow me and I'll get you settled.
00:25I'll take it from here.
00:26No, I've got it.
00:27Go check on table seven.
00:29They've been waiting.
00:32Evening.
00:34How many tonight?
00:35Just the two of us.
00:37Yeah, and will she be needing any special arrangements?
00:40Because we have some options in terms of seating and support, but it's limited.
00:43My table is fine. The same as anyone else.
00:46Alright, we'll get you set up. Come on.
00:48Follow me.
00:51Okay, take a seat. Take a seat.
00:56Make your time.
01:00Okay.
01:02Boss man. Tonight we have pan-seared halibut with a lemon caper reduction.
01:07A dry-aged rib eye served with truffle butter and finger-linked potatoes.
01:12And the chef's pasta.
01:13Handmade butternut squash and brown butter.
01:15The halibut's been very popular.
01:17Any questions I can help you with?
01:19Sorry, can you direct that to both of us for both presents?
01:22Of course, of course.
01:24So, any questions? No? Wonderful?
01:25Alright, your server will be right with you. Go ahead.
01:31Alright, hi. I'm Maya. I'll be taking care of you this evening.
01:35Can I start you both off with something to drink?
01:38Please. What are you pouring by the glass tonight?
01:41I've got a really nice Cote de Rhone that came in this week.
01:44Light, a little peppery, good with almost everything on the menu.
01:48And then a Vionnet if you're feeling white.
01:52Oh, um, yes. The Vionnet, definitely.
01:55Long for me.
01:57And what do you recommend tonight?
01:58Short rib.
01:59Eight hour braids.
02:01I've seen people go quiet on the first bite.
02:05Oh, okay. Well then the short rib it is.
02:07Same. Short rib for the bowl.
02:09I'll put those in and be right back with your drinks.
02:14She looked at me when she talked to me.
02:16Apparently, that's the bar tonight.
02:21Uh, just checking in. Is the seating comfortable?
02:24We have a higher chair in the back if the table height is giving any issues.
02:28Um, I'm fine. Thank you.
02:31Sometimes guests don't want to ask.
02:33She answered the question.
02:35Oh, of course, bro.
02:37I just want to make sure that the guests with certain needs are properly looked after.
02:41Um, do all of your female guests get this level of attention?
02:46Or is it just the ones with a cane?
02:49I hope you both enjoy your evening.
02:53He couldn't even answer that.
02:55No. He cannot.
02:57Is there anything you two need?
02:59Oh, um, we're fine.
03:01You know what? Can I ask you something?
03:04Of course.
03:05Um, is he always like that?
03:09Mmm, he's very hands-on.
03:11Yeah, we understand what that means.
03:13Is it worse with women?
03:15I can only speak to my experience working here.
03:18How long have you been working here?
03:19Fourteen months.
03:20And before this?
03:21Floor supervisor at the Meridian downtown, but they cut the program off the floor well with it.
03:28Okay, uh, I just wanted to check in. How's everything tasting?
03:32We haven't received the food yet, James.
03:34Oh, right, right, right.
03:34Well, look, this place has been running 11 years.
03:37I've been on this floor for seven nights.
03:39Built the whole service from scratch.
03:41What made you want to go into restaurant management?
03:44I just kind of fell into it, started busting tables at 19, worked every position.
03:49You learn it from the ground up, or you don't really know it at all.
03:52Do you find staff retention is good here?
03:54Yeah, we do fine.
03:56The owner is actually in acquisition talks right now, which is exciting.
04:01New chapter for the place.
04:02I think it'll be a strong investment for whoever comes in.
04:05You've got quite the advocate here.
04:07She doesn't let anything slide, does she?
04:09I'm not anyone's advocate.
04:10I'm a woman at dinner.
04:12I speak because I'm a person at this table.
04:15If you have something to say, you can say it to my face.
04:19Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
04:21I didn't mean any offense.
04:22I admire the spirit.
04:23I just...
04:24Don't do that.
04:25Do what?
04:26Call it spirit.
04:28Like I'm a child who's being plucky.
04:31I'm telling you to speak to me like an adult because I am one.
04:34That's not spirit.
04:35That's just basic.
04:38You got it all wrong here, okay?
04:40I'm just asking everyone to keep the tone light.
04:42I mean, we're all having a nice evening here, right?
04:45Why don't you just go check on something in the back?
04:48Sure.
04:51Spirit, that word always gets used by men who want you to perform badly so they can explain
04:56why they were right.
04:57Ten more days, and none of this is his floor to manage.
05:01Ten days for what?
05:02I will tell you after the short rib.
05:09Alright, how was everything?
05:12The short rib was everything you promised.
05:15It always is.
05:17How long have you been doing this work?
05:19Not just here, just in general.
05:21Since I was 20.
05:23I started front of house, worked my way up, did a stint managing events for the hotel group,
05:29came back to the floor because I missed it.
05:32Are you happy here?
05:33I'm good at what I do here.
05:35The kitchen's strong and the regulars are lovely.
05:38Wasn't my question, though.
05:40I've worked in better environments.
05:41Hmm.
05:43You've been great.
05:44We'll take the check whenever you're ready.
05:46Okay, you got it.
05:49You're gonna do it now?
05:51Oh, no point at waiting.
05:53Hey, you.
05:55Hey, uh...
05:56What's up?
05:57Sit down.
05:59I've got a full floor that...
06:00Sit down.
06:03Alright.
06:06Okay.
06:08What's up?
06:09I'm not a regular guest.
06:11I'm the majority stakeholder of the investment group that has been in acquisition talks with
06:16the owner of this restaurant for the past six weeks.
06:18The deal closes in ten days.
06:23I come in unannounced before any close.
06:26Every time.
06:27Without exception.
06:28I want to see the floor exactly as it actually runs.
06:32Not as it runs when someone knows I'm watching.
06:35Tonight was that visit.
06:36I wasn't aware.
06:37If I had known...
06:38I know you weren't aware.
06:40That's the point.
06:41You seated us at the worst table in the room.
06:45You ran through the specials without acknowledging her one time.
06:48And when she asked you to speak to both of us, you smiled and you left.
06:52You pulled Maya off of this table to keep her from doing her job well.
06:55You kept offering seating adjustments after Claire declined.
07:00Directing them to me, then, rather than to her.
07:03And you told me I had quite the advocate implying that her speaking up for herself was excessive.
07:08That's a pattern.
07:10Not a difficult evening.
07:11Sir, I was trying to be a con.
07:14Okay?
07:14The cane...
07:15You know...
07:16I just wanted to make sure that she had everything she needed.
07:20I'll stop you there.
07:22I'm a licensed accessibility consultant.
07:25What you did tonight wasn't accommodation.
07:27It was assumption.
07:28You assumed I needed special handling without asking.
07:32You offered adjustments.
07:33I declined.
07:35And you kept directing them to my partner after I said no.
07:39Each of those is documentable.
07:41Some are actionable.
07:43I didn't need...
07:43Intention isn't the standard.
07:46Impact is.
07:47I spent the whole evening being treated like a problem to manage.
07:52Not a guest.
07:53The acquisition goes through.
07:54The owners get paid.
07:56But the management structure dissolves on day one.
07:58Your position doesn't transfer.
08:01You'll be gone before the ink is dry.
08:03This industry is smaller than it looks from inside of one restaurant.
08:07I'll be honest with every contact that I have about the things that I saw tonight.
08:11I mean...
08:12Come on, man.
08:12Over one dinner?
08:14This is my career we're talking about.
08:16You made choices all evening.
08:18And I'm making one for you right now.
08:24Actually...
08:25Maya?
08:26Come here, please.
08:30The incoming ownership needs a floor manager.
08:32I've watched you all evening.
08:33The way you handled this table.
08:35Stayed professional under pressure.
08:37And you treated my partner like a person from the moment she walked in.
08:40That's the whole job.
08:41So if you wanted it, it's yours.
08:43Real title.
08:44Real salary.
08:45No questions.
08:48I'll be available starting Monday.
08:51Thanks.
08:52I'll be in touch.
08:53I'll be in touch.
09:04This is crazy.
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