CONFESSIONS OF A SERVER

Samantha Moretti

One of the most important reasons to work in a restaurant is because you have a genuine interest in the industry, as I do. I currently work as a server, a bartender, and a sommelier because I love this industry and food and wine. Working at Scarpetta is particularly easy--since the food is wonderful and the wine is great, it's very easy to stand behind the product. Every single time I approach a table and speak on behalf of the menu or while presenting a dish, it comes from my heart, because I know that the diner is going to love their meal. I think it is important that the guests have an experience from start to finish, that we take them on a ride. Explaining the menu, reviewing the dishes when they reach the table, detailing the wine as they are drinking it, checking back 20 minutes later when it has opened up to make sure they are enjoying it--all the steps that help make the experience a great one from the first sip to the last bite.

What have you learned along the way? I have always loved working in restaurants. At Abboccato, I gained a passion for the art of food and learned everything I know about service and all that encompasses hospitality. Hospitality really is the most important element in a restaurant, so it's crucial to grasp the concept and execute it well. At Esca, I really bridged the gap between learning about service and food and being educated about food. I came to Scarpetta because I wanted to work with Italian food and be able to show my personality in the process. Being able to put your personality into everything you do is a trait that Scott Conant treasures in his staff. In my case, the biggest thing that I want to convey to the diner is passion! As your server, I am not only delivering your plate, but I am giving you my soul, I am giving you everything that is important to me. From the moment I wake up in the morning until the time that I come into the restaurant at night, I am constantly thinking about food, about how the night is going to go, about how I can present a new dish, or talk about a new cheese plate or another cool wine that I want guests to taste that night. I am not trying to be actor or a dancer--I just want to be the best server I can be.

What makes it all click at Scarpetta? It starts with the food and the wine, but then you add staff with smiles and passion for what they do, and suddenly the guests feel warm, they feel welcome, they feel satisfied with what is in front of them. When you take that combination to the next level, you have a full dining room that starts to have its own heartbeat and personality. You walk in and you can feel all of the cylinders of the restaurant working in sync: you hear the music, the sounds of silverware, of people clinking their glasses and uttering "salute"; you hear waiters explaining the dishes. You also take it all in visually: at the table next to you, the cloche comes off, the steam rises, and you see these amazing pastas, then you spy a great pork chop over in the corner. You get excited, the guests get excited, they ask where certain items are on the menu and want to be told the specifics about the dish.

What can you recommend, what should we order, how should we do it, how should we course it out? It becomes rhythmic, and by the time they leave, they are planning their return. And then they tell their friends. There is a phrase in the restaurant industry: if guests love the food, they'll tell one of their friends; if they hate it, they'll tell 10 of their friends. We've had a lot of happy customers.

What is your favorite dish? The spaghetti gets all the press, but there are many other things that merit attention. My favorite dish on the menu is the Black Maccheroni. It is spectacular! My aunt, who was really into food, used to say when she liked something, "If God likes it, he eats it on Sunday." I think the Black Maccheroni is just that. The mussels, clams, rock shrimp, a little bit of sea urchin, which liquefies itself when it hits heat and really becomes part of the dish, and just a touch of minted bread crumbs, which adds earthiness to the finish--that is perfection.

Last Bite: My dad said that when you love your job you never have to work a day in your life. I get to host a party every night, so I would have to say it's a pretty good job!