My clients complained to me about restaurants in the region

Blog
21

Hi James, sorry to have worried you. I do definitely agree that I won't make any comments that are libelous and defamatory and can give absoloute assurance that I havn't in my comment below..but if you prefer the restaurant and it's owner are censored, I will delete their names.

I'm happy to take full responsibility for speaking out against his exploitation & am used to distinguishing between unprovable vague aspertions and specific, proovable claims. I'd be more than willing to say so in court because I would love to see him publicly rebuked for his exploitation of young people.

I'm wondering now, if this is more worrying because it's a local comment on a French person rather than a critiism of someone in the UK, who might not read this site?, I mean would this censorship be also applicable to anything critical we say about anyone, such as politicians, owners of larger companies, & anyone in the news aswell? If so, I think many more of us may well need to censor most of our other comments.

22

I think, once Jo lays out specifics like the pay, and hours, it is justified. The reader gets to decide who the villain is.she doesn't just say "the guy is a creep" without saying why. The reasons are clear, and honestly, I would not want to dine in a place treating it's trainees like that.

23

True Zoe. We do. I didn't see the thread about the phone company so don't know about it.

My opinion was more about there being a difference on generalisation about a supermarket (not saying go there or don't go there) and someone saying specifically "I would like to add xxxxx resto, onto a list of restaurants to avoid..."

That's where I see a difference.

24

Zoe

That is a clear difference in law between complaining about a corporation and defaming a character.

James

25

nick, we tell each other avoid certain companies all the time. i chose my phone company from a thread here where people were telling others to steer clear of certain companies.

If I find a slug in my salad, in a resto, and it is the truth, not my opinion, that there was a slug in it, then why not be allowed to say 'in this resto, on this day, I ate a slug.

26

ooh, consider me bullied back into my place. Censor away, all you like.

27

I think there is a difference between generalisations on events that happen in a supermarket and relating that experience, and being specific about a restaurant, going as far as telling people to avoid it.

They are not the same thing in my opinion.

28

Zoe, I am the editor, I decide.

29

In that case, any post regarding any phone company, the electrical companies (running topic on EDF), my terrible take on Lidl, and anything else naming a service we are unhappy with should be taken down also.

Why protect companies with bad business practice.

30

Hi Zoe

Yes, within the terms of service under the heading site usage it says;

You agree that you will not post, email or make available any content or use this Network:;

in a manner that is libelous or defamatory, or in a way that is otherwise threatening, abusive, violent, harassing, malicious or harmful to any person or entity, or invasive of another's privacy;

Thanks

James

31

Don't you have a disclaimer, James, like on most forums, saying the opinions and nattering-ons of us posters does neither reflect you, or the site?? I think this sort of thing is important. I think, with the whole censorship thing, it gives power to those abusing it, to continue, unabated.

32

Jo, please can you edit your comment, I don't wish to be sued!

Thanks

James

33

jo, We often have young chefs, and waiter trainees on "stages", and, quite honestly, I am outraged by the stories they have to tell. Many of them arrive with bad attitude, blasé, or nervous, and overly shy (breaking glasses/dropping everything). when asked why they're so freaked out, they often tell similar tales to your son's, no pay for overtime, constant badgering, doing all the dog work (scrubbing the kitchen while the head chef and second chef smoke, and drink coffee), racial abuse, and so one. One boy told me he was locked in a fridge for about one hour because his risotto was soggy. They are supposed to be there to learn, so, surely the remedy is to show him how to make a better risotto, not lock him in the fridge.

when I did hotel management, it was a long time ago, my blocks in hotels are all a blur, except for one French chef, in a hotel in Cork, who literally threw a meat cleaver at my head, because I asked him, on my second day, where I could find lemons for the bar.

Admittedly, i did the 80 hours a week, on a trainee wage too, but I just considered it "a rung on the ladder"... thankfully I've stepped up a few rungs since.

In France, however, they seem to think that you must go through hazing, and humiliation, instead of education, to learn to do anything. They seem to think that if you feel shitty enough, you'll have divine inspiration, and just be able to get it right next time.

34

In the area I am in there are very few supposedly top class restaurants. We have been to two, lots of pfaffing about and theatricality followed by disappointing food. Portions too small, menus unimaginative, lack of fresh vegetables, green salad with drying edges but no caterpillars. On the other hand, there are some cheap places that do not look so lucrative where the food is at least honest. What I mean by honest is that there is no theatrical presentation of the menu with recommendations for which disapproving looks come with customer dissatisfaction at what is on offer where there is a row of stars displayed above the door. Indeed, some of the set menu at €12 type places are ace and even give lots of smiles with the service. At one of the many starred places, my OH took one sip of the wine and demanded it be taken away because it was disgusting. There was no water on the table for her to clean her pallate before tasting something else but the look she got for saying so could have penetrated granite.

Yes, in this region a lot is said about how good the food, but there is also a lot of disappointment, however service is too often sullen and unwelcoming where it should be an important part of the occasion.

35

What is the problem? A caterpillar is full of nutrients, a tooth isn't. Perhaps I should start at the beginning.

I worked as a civil & structural engineer in Nigeria between 1972 – 1985, and sometime around 1980 I was in Maiduguri, in the north of the country, chasing a large international hotel project. Together with our branch engineer, who lived in Maiduguri, we called in at the Government hotel for lunch. I selected a corn beef omelette, mainly because there was nothing else on the menu that caught my eye. Mistake. A big mistake.

Having taken a couple of mouthfuls without any problem, I took another mouthful and bit on some thing hard. Very hard. I discreetly removed the food from my mouth and investigated, and to my surprise, not to say horror, there mixed in with my omelette was a big tooth.

I shouted for the waiter and showed him the tooth and asked him to get the manager. The manager apparently was in Lagos on business, so I had to settle for his assistant. He tried to convince me that the tooth had not been in the omelette when it was served to me, and I assured him that it had. After much arguing, I was asked to select something else to eat which I duly did. I expected that I would not be asked to pay for the second meal considering what had happened but I was wrong. I did, however, refuse to pay for the omelette. I left my name and address and returned to our branch office where I wrote a strongly worded letter of complaint which I then took back to the hotel restaurant.

Some two or three weeks later, I received a letter from the manager of the restaurant, in which he apologized for the fact that I did not enjoy my meal, but then went onto say that he had personally inspected the mouth of everyone on duty that day, both kitchen staff and waiters, and none were missing a tooth, so he concluded that the tooth could not have come from the restaurant, and suggested that maybe I had lost a tooth! He did include a cheque refunding the cost of my meal.

My colleagues, both indigenous and expatriate were highly amused by the letter, and it was pinned on our office notice board where it remained for several years.

36

@Nick, whatever you prefer, it is always good. Just let me do something too; after all it is your Day.

37

@ Claire - Fine line that Claire between recommending a restaurant and actively advertising one. As for recommendations, it's such a subjective and (for me) personal affair.

I go to some right dumps, but the staff are friendly and the food is fresh. I think those two are my main criteria.

I tend to rely a lot on websites such as La fourchette whereby you get a shedload of recommendations so at least inbetween the owners who comment to say it's the best thing since sliced bread and the restaurant next door who says it's carp, you do tend to get a balanced view.

Also noticed that restaurants get their worst comments at certain periods - and you can bet your bottom dollar that the main chef was on their holidays at that period.

All that to say - have we decided yet - Do I do curry or BBQ on the 15th????????

38

Morning Christine...I think that we are all picky

But these people apparently shouted at the chef/owner in front of

everyone else in the restaurant.

But accidents do happen...they really do.

In summer there are lots of insects...this year so many wasps.

It iis possible that something can land on a bowl of cornflakes or in

a cup of tea....WHAT do we do if we are blamed for that in our guests house?

39

Oh Dear... I must admit I'd hate having something crawling around on my plate... I would not be happy that the lettuce had obviously not been washed.. and it would totally put me off my meal. Maybe I'm just picky..

40

morning Nick.

I have a list of restaurants but no actual recomendations.

If a client asks me about a restaurant I will tell them what I know of it...

Blemishes included.

My fav on the list...POSS fav has a poor wine list and the portions are really tiny.

Knowing this in detail my clients can decide that it is better to eat extreemly well than

eating lots...they will take care when choseing wine.

If clients are really interested in reastaurants they will consult with me.

They know all about our history in the eating industry before they arrive.