These are the individuals who organize and plan every function from conventions to luncheons and although the uninitiated may think this profession is glamour incarnate, the reality is very different. Military precision, troubleshooting par excellence and enough detail to drive an actuary crazy all define the professional Event Planner’s day.

During the training program, I gave a menu-planning workshop. Here’s a behind the scenes look at what we covered.

The theme was a very special dinner with a notable guest speaker. Just planning the menu requires far more than an educated palate. Coquille Saint-Jacques followed by pheasant may appear to pay homage to the occasion but things don’t always go as predicted. What if the speaker goes into “overtime?” The coquille’s scallops turn to rubber and the delicate pheasant becomes, to put it politely, drab.  A cold appetizer followed by the pheasant’s humble but resilient cousin, chicken, is a far smarter choice.

And another thing. What if the chef had never before prepared Coquille Saint-Jacques or pheasant? Talk about a recipe for disaster. I encouraged the group to work with existing menus, not to request something special or “off the card” as the saying goes. Stick with what the chef knows.

Next up, we discussed the menu for the same occasion but with a guest speaker from another country. Rule number one, resist the urge to pay tribute to the guest’s national origins through the menu. Doesn’t matter whether, for example, it’s Italy or Japan —stay away from the temptations of serving pasta or sushi. Instead, select something more local for the event and time permitting, plan a restaurant meal during the visit.

We talked about the pitfalls of the buffet for this same occasion. One of the inherent problems is seating. Notable guests could end up by the kitchen, plus, it’s next to impossible to arrange groups of people together. And buffets are disorganized by nature. Half the table could be at the buffet while the rest are eating.  A partial solution is assigned seats with something to start, say a salad, at each place setting, and then guests proceed to the buffet.

Today, most dinners are four-course, sometimes five and luncheons are three-course, four for a really special occasion. Regardless of how many times the plates are cleared, duplication is probably the greatest “misdemeanor” of menu planning. When there’s quiche to start, apricot tart is off limits. Never serve two pies. Same story for sauce: filet mignon with béarnaise sauce or asparagus with hollandaise. Shrimp cocktail means something other than salmon — unless of course, there’s a seafood motif.

If there is a printed menu: it should be placed on the plate over the napkin or over the napkin on the left of the plate.  At the top of the menu, it should say something about the event.

Dinner hosted by:
Mr. William Cooper
President
International Association of Publishers
In honour of
The Honourable Jim Bouchard
Minister of Intercultural Affairs
For the Grand Opening of
The 5^th International Conference
of International Authors and Publishers

And finally, although even seasoned Event Planners get the sidetracked it’s important to taste everything served. Some call it quality control; I call it common sense. Bon appétit!

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Life in downtown Toronto is fast-paced. Perhaps not by New York City standards, but more oil and gas companies are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange than any other exchange in the world. Just stand in the underground walkway beneath the financial district at lunchtime to get a taste of the energy that defines this city. My work is very much a part of this intense and exciting atmosphere. Every day I meet new people. New connections are made, new alliances formed. And although corporate associations last for years — my private consultations are usually one-offs. I work with these clients on a very intense basis for a short period of time and then poof — mission accomplished and time to move on.

Such is the case with Pamelia. I will never forget the day she walked into my office. Tall. Blonde. Great presence, tons of positive energy and a radiant smile. She was about to turn fifty and wanted to update her look. It was obvious from the first few minutes that we were going to work well together. We made a date to meet at her place for a thorough closet run-through.

The big day arrived and before we tackled the tough editing process — there are always more discards than “keepers” — Pamelia showed me her beautifully appointed home. She had high praise for her neighbour, Mel, a deft hand at constructing numerous enhancements throughout the house and explained that since retiring, his accomplished skill-set had worked many small miracles.

Then, it was time to get to work. We started with the bedroom closet and were making great progress when Pamelia opened her armoire. I stopped in my tracks. There, in front of me, on the inside door panels, all Pamelia’s jewellery was beautifully arranged and hanging from a series of hooks mounted on large boards. This was simply the most brilliant jewellery storage system I had ever seen. Courtesy, once again, of gifted Mel. Forget the usual tangle of necklaces and jumble sale of earrings. I nicknamed it “accessories central” and immediately filed away the concept for my own armoire.

But Pamelia was a step ahead of me. While I organized and sorted her clothes into groups, she quietly slipped away. Of course, at the time, I wasn’t really paying attention but about a week later the whole picture became clear. The day of our final official meeting arrived and as Pamelia welcomed me at the front door, her radiant smile was replaced with a mild-wide grin. “For you,” she said, “from Mel,” as she presented two beautiful Tiffany-blue jewellery boards. My very own accessories central!

I knew offering payment was off-limits — Pamelia had told me Mel’s projects were his pleasure — so a few days later I delivered a bottle of bubbly. Their generous gesture still has me smiling. Working with positive people is, indeed,
a blessing; they bring joy and brighten the day. It’s like a gift of sunshine. I’ve thought long and hard about how to share this sentiment with Pamelia and Mel and finally decided. I’ll send them this blog to simply say it was wonderful to meet you … Mes chers amis, merci bien pour tout.

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Although some experts credit Marshall Field as the brains behind the saying, the likelihood is that it was Mr. Selfridge who put a spin on the maxim originally coined by hotelier César Ritz; “The customer is never wrong.” Bottom line, it probably doesn’t matter because the expression took root a very long time ago and I’m not so sure it has —or should have — the same power, today. Strong words.

The problem is unrealistic expectations when it comes to customer service. And it’s pervasive. One industry particularly prone to excess, or some would say abuse, is the hospitality industry where a typical cliché involves a disgruntled wine snob demanding replacement of a half-empty bottle. This is not to suggest that the motivation of every complaining “connoisseur” is deception but to point out that the responsibility for absolute and total perfection falls on restaurant owners.

A constant refrain, some would say mantra, during my courses on dining is: show respect to people in hospitality. The importance of this respect was reinforced just last month, during a stay at my son’s Ottawa home. The kitchen was under renovation and every morning the contractors arrived with hot coffee for all. We would stand around and chat until the work got underway. Towards the end of my visit and after several days of watching the kitchen take shape, I was intrigued to learn that before his renovation business, one of the senior partners had owned a banquet hall in Quebec. He was a professional chef and graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Paris. Wow!

Here was a man with extraordinary attention to detail, a fine sense of craftsmanship, conscientious to a fault, and obviously the skills to manage and organize his construction team — I had to ask — why did he throw in the towel?
“No actually,” he said, “it was my apron. I threw it out the window!” He simply got tired of all the rude customers, their imperiousness and the endless demands on his staff. (Privately, I couldn’t help but think that impassioned homeowners are probably more inclined to make unreasonable demands than people dining out!)

Unquestionably, the customer has a right to certain expectations. Take for example, the experiences of a forty-something woman we’ll call Cindy. New to the slightest touch of grey, she was encouraged to stretch her hair-care budget and book an appointment for colour and a cut at the salon favoured by younger colleagues. Things did not go well. Cindy paid her bill and silently cursed herself for overspending — poor coverage of her grey. And then things got worse. As she tried to blow her hair dry the next morning, it was pretty obvious she’d had a bad cut. Cindy was furious.

Apparently, the referring colleagues convinced her to call the salon. The owner immediately offered to provide a refund — or correct both the colour and cut.
So back Cindy went, to give them another chance. No charge, of course. As luck would have it, disaster struck again. This time, the colour coverage was fine but the result was abysmally dark. Oh no! Cindy left in tears and by the time she got home, could barely contain herself.  I guess she had worked herself up into such a rage that she called the salon back demanding they see her immediately. And again she went back.

This time, miraculously, all went well. Perfect. Gorgeous, in fact. But the tale doesn’t end here because about six weeks later, it was time for a touch-up. Cindy called the salon and was declined an appointment. “Too much stress,” said the owner. “Thank you and good-bye.” Not my business but personally, if I had an unhappy client, right or wrong, I’d do everything in my power to regain the highest level of customer confidence. Imagine the benefits of a satisfied Cindy happily broadcasting her enthusiasm. Chacun à son gout.

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With all this activity, I welcomed the idea of an interlude before embarking on my 2010 journey. What could be more perfect than Christmas in Paris?

Although I’d been to Paris before, this was my first Christmas celebration in the magical City of Lights and I can truly say everything sparkled —from the shimmering streetlights to the magnificent chandeliers illuminating the city’s finest dining rooms. And what better time to visit this world capital of gastronomy!

On Christmas Eve, we attended Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral and then went to dinner at the Hotel de Crillon’s historic restaurant, overlooking Place de la Concorde. A talented pianist played throughout the evening and despite the romantic setting and glamorous atmosphere, I was disappointed by the absence of Christmas music. When we made our request, the pianist explained that he rarely played this genre but would do his best and he did in fact oblige us with a beautiful rendition of White Christmas. But — I’m still puzzled by his limited repertoire for a Christmas Eve performance. Maybe everyone’s had enough by the time December 24 arrives and perhaps I’m alone when it comes to hearing Christmas music, especially on Christmas Eve?

As an inveterate shopper, I headed out on December 26 expecting to find the famous Paris sales or “soldes” I’d encountered at summer’s end on previous visits. Not so. Strict government regulations dictate when merchandise can go on sale in France and as luck would have it, January 6 was the scheduled start day for this season.
Information about the Paris timetable for sales

Happily, I didn’t leave Paris empty-handed. While we were exploring Montmartre, I discovered an absolute gem — a fabulous fabric shop — PARIS TISSUS, 15 Rue de Steinkerque, 75018 Paris, France. (Tel: 01 42 54 33 51. E-mail paristissus@noos.fr) I met the owner, Rolland Brami and was thrilled to find an unusual cashmere and mink fabric with a subtle sheen, thanks to the mink, and a silk print by designer Robert Cavalli.

Rolland chatted with us about his business; he’s also a fabric designer of considerable renown. His red Chantilly lace and matching silk satin, with crystal beading, were selected by Dallas clothing designer Michael Faircloth for Laura Bush’s 2001 Inaugural gown. Rolland said that although he was truly proud of his accomplishment, he didn’t feel it was the best choice of colour for Mrs. Bush. I agreed!

Every day began with freshly squeezed orange juice and warm croissants. Lunch destinations varied from bistros and brasseries to the sumptuous assortment of delicacies at Bon Marché Épicerie. Very loosely translated, this is the delicatessen counter at the Bon Marché department store but in reality it’s a gourmet’s paradise. At every restaurant meal, a cheese course with numerous selections preceded dessert, often a deliciously rich pastry. Dinner was frequently fish — always eaten with the special fish fork and knife, long out of favour with North Americans, that the French reserve for fish. The other side of the coin, however, is that France dispensed with bread and butter plates years ago — even in the finest restaurants. And speaking of fine restaurants, here’s a look at Hotel De Crillon’s New Year’s Eve menu. Regrets I can’t comment — we’d left for home.

Alors, following a wonderful week, I’m happy to be back and have already embraced 2010. I have my business plan in hand and my goals are well laid out — I’m excited about the New Year.

And I hope you are, too. I invite you to share with us how we can serve you through our blog and newsletters.

Happy New Year!

(Note that you can now have our blog posts delivered to your Inbox by clicking on the Subscribe link on the right side of this page.)

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Everyone’s going back to school.  Here at Corporate Class we’re in the midst of preparing for a new “semester,” and while reviewing the course outline for our Executive Dining Program, something stood out.  Something touchy — and I’m not referring to tipping.

The touchy topic is sending back food at a restaurant.  Where and why returning a meal — call it an unsatisfactory product — became such a burning issue is unclear.  What is clear is that everyone has a very high discomfort level with when and how to do it.

If unsatisfactory food is served —
You have a choice of ignoring the problem or requesting a replacement.  Call it an etiquette-intersection — consider the situation before making your decision:

• When you’re alone at a restaurant, go right ahead. You have a green light to let the server know what needs to be remedied.
• When you’re with your spouse, life partner or close friend — yellow light — proceed with caution.  Sending something back usually means you won’t eat together.  While the steak is re-fired or a fresh piece of fish is put on the grill, your companion will be tucking in.  (Sometimes I prefer not to disrupt the flow and simply enjoy the meal together.)
• When you’re with close colleagues from work, this also calls for caution.  Will the entire table get back to work on time if your re-order causes a delay?
• When it’s a business meal with your boss or clients — full stop — red light.  Unless the food is truly inedible, like seafood that’s gone off, say nothing.  You’re conducting business, not a gourmet food-tasting.

Yes, returning food is a tricky situation that calls for discretion, not loud complaints.  Let’s examine the guidelines for addressing the problem during business meals:

When you’re the host

• The probability is that no one will say a word, but it’s up to you to ensure your guests are comfortable.  A potential cause of complaint is undercooked fish or meat — a situation that definitely calls for correction.
• Most guests are reluctant to raise a flag but when someone does, ask the server to remove your plate, as well, and return both meals at the same time.  This is relatively straightforward if only two of you are dining.  For larger gatherings, say that the two of you will catch up and encourage everyone else to continue.
• Drop the subject, if your guest decides against returning the food.  Do your complaining later — away from the table and out of earshot.

When you’re a guest

• Let your host know immediately if there’s a potential health risk.  Otherwise, remember the old adage — “Silence is golden.”  Returning food causes commotion and creates delays.  Pace yourself.  Nibble around the problem.
• When the situation warrants letting the restaurant know about the issue, look for an appropriate moment, away from the table, to quietly tell your host.
• The whole point of the meal is to maintain or develop a business relationship — not to ensure you don’t go hungry!

More food for thought on returning a meal

We’d love to hear from you – let us know your thoughts or share a story.

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