Wine service is not just a job, it is a ritual. It is meant to be respected by the server so that the person being served derives maximum joy from it
I am the kind who can walk into a restaurant alone and have dinner by myself, in the company of my own personality, which rarely ever fits into any room. I make it sound more glamorous than it really is because I know all the jokes I will crack that evening. However, splitting the bill is dead easy.
Often I find myself in some of the best restaurants, and one thing that intrigues me beyond or as much as the food itself is the service. Or the service standards and the adherence thereof. Nothing intrigues me more than to occupy myself with this leisurely yet enriching study in motion.
Service in India, sadly, is the most under-rated and unrewarded of virtues. People are hired for how cheap they come than for how suitable they are for the task at hand. We tip more out of obligation than to qualify the service rendered. In fact, the service charge levied in outlets in India is not even marked as ?discretionary?, but simply imposed upon a person like a penalty.
Little surprise then to see that the service standards of the country are comparable to state penitentiaries, the only subtle difference being that in a restaurant, you can dress the way you like. No, wait-a-minute, I take that back.
Wine service is not just a job, it is a ritual. It is meant to be seriously respected by the server so that the person being served derives maximum joy from it. Often we get this aspect rather wrong. The clients are the one who are all tense while the server just about manages to not pour down their sleeves.
The main reason behind this is that it is not the steward who is paying for the bottle, or gaining from its sale. Sad but true. Unless there is a direct linked benefit, it is hard to make someone see reason. Finally, some tips for both sides of the service spectrum, server and the served.
Never move too fast. Like on the roads, speed kills, or at least, ruins. Always remember to be efficient first. Gentle manoeuvres are nicer. The service person should remember that the client is paying well over the justifiable price for the bottle. The least we can do then is take our time serving him elegantly, yet effortlessly to try and provide a far-from-reasonable-yet-genuine attempted explanation. Try and hold the popping sound to a minimum; there are no points for higher decibels. The more subtle and gentle the handling, the more elegant it appears.
Avoid embalming the bottle in white service cloth. Let the bottle be seen and use the service cloth to wipe the last drop off the bottle lip so that it doesn?t spill onto someone?s clothes. There is nothing sexier than an exposed bottle, especially when you are dining alone. If in company, I hope you have other distractions.
When serving, always ensure the cleanliness of every article you will use: from the funnel to the decanter to the glasses you will pour into. Often it is a good idea to take a few drops of the wine and rinse all with it. Inform the guest of this, else he will think that you have taken recycling to a whole new level.
Serve a tasting portion to the host. This is the bloke who ordered the wine, not necessarily the one who will be paying for it. The person will decide if the wine is fit for consumption. In India, we are not quite at the point where the steward can taste and decide such for us which is why it is better that you decide for yourself.
There is no shame in sending a bottle back. You?d send a coffee back if it was too sweet, or cold, or not the right Robusta? So why shy away with wine?
While serving, do not fill glasses up like petrol tanks a day before a strike. Pour no more than one-third of the glass and that too if it is no more than 100ml. Stick to whichever is lesser. The idea is to enjoy wine sip by sip, not gulp it. That?s tequila. But on that note, those who like to drink sake in small cups and knock them back in one single sip, will need the maximum tending to. You have to reserve each time and be at hand for the next round.
Service temperature too is a very crucial thing. The only acceptable mistake is to serve a beverage colder than required, except hot beverages of course. The idea is simple. Given ambient temperatures being what they are, the drink will always come up to the ideal drinking temperature. But those who are serving must learn to be below the drinking temperature. Sake and Shochu, especially for those who like them a tad warm, should be heated as ideally close to the required temperature as possible because excess heat will not only burn flavours but also evaporate the alcohol. So much then for getting your money?s worth. Always serve ladies before the men; it?s just a matter of respect. Also, serve the youngest in the end. Never serve too much and end up with an empty bottle when you are barely halfway around the table. Clarify the need for two or more bottles before the wine ordered is placed.
There then was a short monologue on service. Nothing too binding but something that is meant to enhance the drinking experience. Respect the rules and the more fun you will have. If knowledge is power then you, my friend, are now conveniently somewhere between Mr Bean and He-Man. Cheers!
The writer is a sommelier
