I’m learning now that maître d’-driven restaurants are a rarity in just about any town. This is my first restaurant job and I know how critical Dimitri was because I was a guest here for 13, 14 years. I had my table in the Tower bar and it was critical to me—so I understood that language from being a guest. It’s important that we make these people feel welcome and to let them know they will be taken care of. On a purely selfish level it makes it a lot more fun for me because it makes my job not just putting bums in seats.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 08, 2018 16:02 UTC