CYPRUS GOURMET: “It’s no use sitting on our hands”

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We all know them. The Grumblers. Everything’s wrong – the government, the parents, the children, the schools, the hospitals, the hotel owners, the chefs, the winemakers…. Sad to say, quite a few come from the land of my birth. Among his or her tirade a Grumbler tells a friend he had a bad/expensive/small/cold/poorly served meal at such-and-such a restaurant. Did he tell the waiter/manager/owner? Almost always the answer is NO. So how can the place know a customer wasn’t happy?
Successful catering is a partnership – between the server and the served. We must do our part by constructively reporting back to a server if what is provided is not up to standard or is too expensive. And the server must never be too conceited not to listen. Success can enlarge heads more than somewhat! The other day I telephoned an award winning restaurant to ask for some editorial information (i.e. to be published free of charge). Before I could finish, I was interrupted with this comment: “We are the best restaurant in Cyprus, we don’t spend money on advertising”. Insofar as I know there is not one single award for “Best Restaurant in Cyprus”. I do not think this is a correct attitude at any time, and certainly not at the present.
So, this editorial is a heartfelt plea to every reader – help Cyprus Gourmet do a better job fighting for better standards.

Patrick Skinner