You’ve won countless awards in your career. What do they inspire in you?

Denis Courtiade: I often compare my professional life to climbing a staircase. These distinctions are essential levels of recognition, confirming that I’m on the right track and rewarding my efforts. But they also encourage me to go even further, because the best is yet to come.

Is that what you told yourself when the partnership between Alain Ducasse and the Plaza Athénée was not renewed and you had to take up the challenge when Jean Imbert arrived?

D.C: We had to. The arrival of the young chef Jean Imbert was a bit of a tsunami. Not being a veteran, he was exposed to a lot of criticism, and I had to start from scratch with a totally decimated team. It was rock ‘n’ roll at first! But in 40 years in the business, I’ve seen it all! We rose to the challenge, and after just 9 months, we were awarded a Michelin star. Our customers followed suit, reassured that our way of welcoming them had not changed.

In 2022, you were awarded the Trophée de l’accueil (*). What do you think are the ingredients of a perfect welcome?

D.C: I’ve always said that the customer’s delight comes from that of the employee and the welcome. It’s the first 15 seconds that count! A look, a sign, will condition the rest of the service. It’s a balancing act, you have to keep the right distance. If you put a customer off or lack empathy, doors will gradually close. You have to make them feel that they’re expected (humanly, not commercially), that we’re grateful to see them enter our space.

What do you pay most attention to as soon as a customer crosses the restaurant threshold?

D.C: The fact that the table they’re offered is absolutely right for them. Once he’s made that pact with me, I know it’s his and he won’t want to change it. Only then does the commercial agreement come into play. I listen carefully to what he wants from us, and adjust my suggestions according to how much he’s willing to spend. Why not half an entry, if his budget is tight.

What qualities are essential for a good host?

D.C: Sensitivity, listening, empathy, love of others, but also education, because education is the basis of everything! Then there’s presence and aura.The person who welcomes must do so in an embodied way.The customer is not a number.If you ask them two or three generic questions, you’ll be able to guess which country they’re from, whether they’re ostentatious or discreet.So you have to be physiognomic, focused, have the listing in your head, the names of the reservations, the volume per table, and so on.

“To delight a customer, you need to delight your staff and your welcome: the first 15 seconds are crucial”.

Is there a typical French welcome?

D.C: There are two opposing styles between us and the Anglo-Saxon countries. In France, know-how is indisputable, because our hotel schools inculcate in young people a certain deportment, a certain standing. In the United States, where service is not included, tips make up the majority of the host’s income. So, the friendlier the maitre d’, the more money he knows he’ll make. This can lead to a false sense of complicity, a false “friendly” relationship with the guest.

Do you welcome customers of different nationalities differently?

D.C: You have to adapt.It’s best to have a solid international culture, so as to be familiar with the habits and customs of each country.An American customer can easily pat you on the back, use humor and give you a big, knowing smile.It’s up to us to play along if they open the door.The Japanese, on the other hand, are very discreet, very knowledgeable and will never touch you.

Do you think hospitality and digital technology go hand in hand?

D.C: The two are compatible and complementary. Digital technology is a medium that allows us to be reassured and organized… even though hospitality will always be fundamentally human. As a member of the pencil-notebook-eraser generation, every time I have to deal with a different reservation software (we’re on our fourth!), it’s torture, as the tree structure changes. But I’m getting the hang of it. And as the data becomes more and more sophisticated, it allows us to know a host of useful things about the customer, so that we can welcome them even better. When you remember the table they sat at five years ago, or their food intolerance, and when you see them coming from afar and let them know in a delicate, lively and friendly way that you’ve already recognized them, you’re bound to touch them.

What are your little secrets for ensuring that guests have an unforgettable time?

D.C: An extra touch of soul, a touch of humor – excellent leverage to play down delicate situations and tensions!You have to be able to enter their sphere and create a lasting relationship.Some customers have been with me for a very long time because they like my personality.This special relationship of trust has enabled me to experience some extraordinary moments.

For example?

D.C: I’ll never forget the day we served a bottle of Château Yquem 1893 to one of our customers. This American was so happy to be looked after that he poured us a small glass.Laurent, the head sommelier, and I experienced an extraordinary moment of communion!That’s the quintessence of what makes me love this job: sharing and exchange.While we bring a lot to our customers, we also learn a lot from them.And frankly, it’s great to receive and exchange ideas around exceptional dishes, isn’t it?

Interview by Patricia Khenouni

(*) 14th edition of the Trophées de la gastronomie et des vins organized by Le Progrès and the Toques blanches lyonnaises association, October 2022.

Denis Courtiade is also President and Founder of “Ô service – des talents de demain”, an association run by and for professionals in the hospitality industry. It is open to trainers, teachers and students in the industry who are committed to promoting the French art of living.

Three books published:

• “L’hospitalité et le mentorat” (Ed. BPI, 2022);
• “Pour vous servir” (Ed. Alision, 2019);
• “Management: hôtellerie-restauration (Ed. Foucher, 2019).

photo credit: ©BOBYALLIN