SEVEN YEARS AND TWO STARS. KIWI STARS
Foreword: This is the English translation of one of my articles, “SAPTE ANI SI DOUĂ STELE. KIWI”. This is mostly about my experience in hospitality in New Zealand and it is so far the only article that can have a meaning to non-Romanian readers. The rest of my articles include plenty of references to specific events on the Romanian political and media scene that might only make sense to Romanian readers. I plan to write more in English in the future.
If your vehicle has Michelin tyres, it does not mean that you will drive more only to reach a good restaurant. As strange as this reasoning might sound, this is how Michelin brothers, Andre and Edouard, thought in 1900. Their young business needed volume but the number of cars during the beginning of the century was very small. Therefore, they came up with a way to encourage drivers to cover more distances so that their Michelin tyres would be changed more often. A very simple idea!
When the genius does the work, one does not have to understand how, as the magic would vanish. This is how the guide of good restaurants was born. The rest is history! Meanwhile, the Michelin Guide set the standards in gastronomy and the Michelin stars now shine only above those whose talent and madness are unique. Suicides, knighting, failures or eternal gratitude, they are all part of the miraculous recipe of this kitchen’s Oscar prize around the world. Famous chefs killed themselves for a star Michelin, others were ruined and some wrote history.
The three of us as a family, we are still amazed to discover now, seven years after we bought a restaurant in New Zealand and became hospitality entrepreneurs, that our Michelin fantasy has became the reality of many unexpected encounters with ourselves. Like many others before us, at the beginning we only dreamt of stars and it was the huge ambitions that made us think that we could replace the Southern Cross with a French star on the New Zealand sky. There are no Michelin star restaurants in New Zealand; the market is unfit for this, the kiwi lifestyle is anything but sophisticated. After a few meetings with hospitality experts and with an experienced chef, we realised that we would not stand any chance. Our inability struck us in different ways; it hit my future plans, my budget and my ego. The girls, being more down to earth, offered me all their help and support.
This is how The Option Bistro & Wines (www.theoption.co.nz) was born: a place where we decided to make people happy, to make them shine at least for a few hours, to become their own stars. A place where we sell happiness on a plate, through gastronomy, wine and exceptional old school service, all in an unforgettable experience.
The editorial news project of the television has became the business manual, the programming turned into food and drinks menu, while the kitchen resembled to the news room! The similarities were amazing! The “audience” was already prepared to reject everything; news that a family of Romanian immigrants, without any experience in hospitality, bought the restaurant in the fanciest neighbourhood in town spread with the speed of local gossip naively hidden in the English etiquette myth. We couldn’t even convinced our own staff with our plans. During our first meeting, everyone guffawed at our plans; we presented them with written documents nicely arranged in clip boards; you cannot even imagine a more ridiculous situation: people that work very hard under constant stress, who are struggling in hospitality, had to listen to a couple of novices, also immigrants, lecturing them about mission, vision, values. We almost wrote history telling them that our business is about happiness, not about food. The staring eyes and hand gestures were clear answers but we were positive that, after selling air (in broadcasting news), selling perceptions would be a lot easier. The plate is the ideal product because the eyes are those taking the decision.
So our journey has started with language and culture issues, with lack of industry knowledge and employment legislation. Everything we planned ended up bad while things that were left to chance ended up worse. Shortly afterwards, we became the employees of our employees and the receivers for customers’ complaints. The three of us, Sabina, Vera and myself, we were all forced to do all possible chores, from cleaning the toilets and mopping the floor to making coffees and cooking. Like in a fairy tale, anything we did was wrong: “it’s good, but not good enough, do you understand?” This "do you understand?” is always requesting more explanations, it makes the difference between what you’re thinking and what you cannot say (I will explain in a future article the English language traps for immigrants and their solutions, the big abyss between the statement and understatement).
While we were “bleeding” with the almost suicidal operation of rebranding and the 40% drop in revenues, the industry consultants, these “vultures” who only fly with the businesses’ wings and wallet, made an entrance. "May I help you, Sir?" And I almost said yes because in my grandparents’ village with the name of vegetable, “Capsicum”, helping meant offering support without expecting any reward. They received help while harvesting or working the field; only people with real skills were selected. The HR manager back then didn’t have any miracle software, he only had common sense or, to say it more direct, some brains. “Those ones are not good for work, they are getting tired too often, there’s nothing we can do with them.” Finally, those who were selected to help received congratulations, a hand shake and maybe some polenta left over from dinner. This is what we knew about help. In this world, “may I help you” is simply translated to “I want your money”, while “help” is synonym with “sale” and “money”. We didn’t refuse the consultants, on the contrary, we politely listened to them and learnt that our plans were completely crazy while we were plain stupid, of course everything nicely wrapped in business language, “actually you did great, but I think there’s room for improvement". The solution came from Nassim Taleb, the genius of “ornithology” logic and human fears. I was reading Skin in the Game back then and I remembered that, while your skin is not actually in the game, you can tell and do whatever you like because it does not cost you anything. I asked the “vultures” if they trust their consultancy and expertise and the answer was of course yes a hundred percent. “Ok, so you’ll be very happy if you’ll get your money from what you’ll apply; I’ll leave you the business for three months and the revenues are yours!” At this answer, we were left without any “help” and without any “vultures”. Another staring eyes, more hand gestures, another "bloody Romanians are crazy" legend.
When everyone is telling you that you’re stupid and the direction is wrong, it’s wise to trust them, but we went on with our “happiness” story. After a few actions, we managed to “kill” everything: staff, clients, the community, the restaurant and whatever money were left. All on vintage wines, European inspired menu and the service taught at L’Ecole Hotelier de Lausanne. Finally, on the battlefield, it was only us, sitting quietly at a table, with the food and wine Larousse and the WSET School certificate in wine and spirits in front of us, the escargot unsold and the polenta not exploded yet. From the cabinet, the cheese scones, date scones, cheese rolls and all the slices full of butter and sugar were devilishly smiling at us. The cooking classes were surprised, even the old August Escoffier seemed overwhelmed, while we were stewing in our own juice! We lost, on our money and mind, but we were still standing.
The glory came from the same stubbornness! New Zealand employment legislation is the best multitasking babysitter for employees, but, per the Employment Law, only employers change diapers. Because they are the only ones with responsibilities. After a heated discussion with our head chef, two hours before a dinner with 20 guests, he decided not to show up to work anymore. He also decided not to inform us so, while time was passing and no one was showing up to work, we understood that we have to rely on ourselves. Exactly as a good friend of mine, a wise man from Ariceștii Zeletin/Prahova now residing in Christchurch, kept telling me years after years.
It was the first time Sabina and myself entered the kitchen. We cooked commercially the whole menu that we designed. At the end of the night, I had a shaking wife probably still wondering whether she married an idiot, a group of happy customers, a fired head chef and a few kilos less. We went on like this for six months, while our staff has started to taste not only the “happiness” from the initial document, but also the escargot cooked in a butter & garlic & parsley sauce.
It took us a lot of money to build the happiness niche. Plus a divorce from those customers who wanted us after their taste. Although it’s almost unthinkable to replace the Central Otago Pinot Noir or the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with wines from Lebanon, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Georgia, Chile, Argentina or South Africa, we opened the world and offered something that the “vultures” would have never advised us to do. The initial document, with the meet & greet protocol, with the schedule designed around specific timings during service and for each typology of guest, plus the European menu perfectly cooked, have finally brought us discerning customers who understood that our option is viable. For the first time, mission, vision, values have had meaning.
After years and years of hard work and ongoing stress, lots of money and time, after a huge effort made by my family whom I want to thank, we finally earned the respect and admiration of our staff, customers and the whole community. “You are a very hard working family", a lady told Vera the other day, while Vera, now a trained barista, was making her a coffee. I would have liked her to say we are a "smart working family", but it’s probably not the case.
The Option Bistro & Wines is now the soul of this neighbourhood, “we are very proud to have you here!”, the place where New Zealand officials (the mayor, various politicians), scientists, artists and musicians, dancers and various professionals come to talk or to perform in their respective fields. Romania is part of these people lives here, at the end of the world, exactly as we are part of the community. Details from our history and culture could be found either in the Romanian books on the restaurant shelves or narrated by the Kiwis who visited our country and kept it in their heart.
There are lots of stories to be told and many memories with people from all places, but some of them deserved more attention. One day, while I was taking the bins to the garbage area, a gentleman around 70 years old approached me and asked me what was my oppinion about sin. I almost dropped the garbage and I tried to gain some thinking time asking "I beg your pardon, Sir?”. The first answer that came to my mind was “to buy a restaurant”, but I held it to myself and started mumbling something about wandering and being lost, adding that I am more of an agnostic and not really a church goer. A few days later, I found out the reason behind the question; when he was very young, he was in love with a beautiful girl whom he wanted to marry but this was not possible. Years later after they were both widows, they intended to celebrate their undying love with a small ceremony along with some friends and those family who approved their relationship. But their religious community did not agree with their gesture and suggest them to find another venue for their event. While visiting our restaurant, he heard me talking about happiness and he wanted to check whether his and his future wife’s happiness are welcome at The Option. We were all more than impressed by their story and did our best to offer them an unforgettable ceremony. We are still in contact with this couple who showed us that love, no matter at what age, is never a sin. Their ceremony somehow certified that our business is indeed about happiness.
Of course, the metaphors were the bridges we built to help us cross the whirlpool we plunged into. Although of tiny build and despite her age, this lady’s presence fills the place. She has poise, one can tell she spends time in front of the mirror and she waits for me to hold the chair for her, therefore she is used with the etiquette. It’s a crowded night and I am the only one of the floor, with only one chef. The lady has been here before, we talked, she knows the place. She is usually quite reserved and only does small talk. She lives in one of the luxury rest homes nearby and she sometimes comes to our place for dinner, although she has the meals included over there. Tonight, she feels like talking although, since it is busy, the talk needs to be short. “Are your parents alive?” “Yes”, I answered automatically. “So who is taking care of them if you’re here?” All of a sudden, I felt like she wanted to punish me. Or perhaps just to remind me that, being too busy with the business of “happiness”, we don’t realise that while the profit might bring us money or a star, the loss means abandoning our parents. "Order up, chef!" I said to the kitchen, trying to cover the silence that I still remember.
I did not loose the fascinations about Sanda Marin books and I regret that I lost the chance to know better Radu Anton Roman. I was head of the news television back then and Radu was working on a reputable gastronomic literature project. My ignorance and stupidity kept me away from his anthropological bowls, but this was a lesson. I recently discovered the personalities who made cooking an art and gastronomy a science. I was impressed by the genius of Joël Robuchon, the creativity of Alain Ducasse and the nonconformism of Tony Burdain. I am glad I “met” these inventors of gastronomy through their books or their restaurants. From Radu Anton Roman’s experience I learnt to follow Romanian chefs and this is how I found out about Bogdan Dănilă, Florin Scripcă, Adi Hădean, Cătălin Petrescu, Mihai Neacșu and many others who managed to place Romania on the world culinary map. In a future post, I will explain how the Romania’s reputation can be restored by its most efficient ambassadors.
During all these years, I was often stewing in my own juice, exactly like the pots, but I enjoyed our experience in hospitality. Time has come to leave others to dream and gain their own victories. Our starts are either offered by the community, "This card is equal to a Michelin star!", or they sparkle in the kitchen: “Orion” and “Alfa Centauri”, our two Kiwi chefs who have been with us since almost the beginning. Exactly like us, when they started they did not know almost anything. Now they understand Romanian, eat Romanian sausages with ketchup and they almost throw up at the smell of sauerkraut :) They enjoy Romanian meatballs and eggplant salad and they know more about Romania than about their own country. Meeting “the bloody Romanians” has offered them many more journeys, through gastronomy and other aspects of life. Since 7 years ago, we have convertedȚ the Michelin starts into a tribute to the place we were coming from and to the community we now belong. This is how we discovered that a star’s shine does not come form the Michelin guide, but from our ability to make the others happy.
Sergiu Toader | Christchurch, New Zealand
6 August 2022