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How to Get A Comped Meal At A High End Restaurant

Written By: Alexandra Perez-Urbina on Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Chef Alex shows us her inside method of getting great chow...for free!

In my miniscule twenty-seven years of experience, I have savored two surreal experiences: walking through the streets of Prague, and eating at a new, esteemed establishment without having to worry about the tab.

For a college student -- actually, for most people -- dining at a fine establishment with little worries about the price is something that is far out of reach. This is why I felt a little like a confident Alex in Wonderland on Tuesday, June 17th. There was no caterpillar with a hookah, or a white rabbit -- only a tasting of delicious food and wine in a rose colored room and no bill for me to worry about. This is one of the rewards given to the hard-working restaurant management students at The Restaurant School. What was a culinary student doing in the mix? Why, research, of course!

The Restaurant Management students get to experience a different fine dining establishment every semester. This is the management students' reward for their hard work at the school's restaurants. The Restaurant School uses their tips to treat them to a fine dining experience. The experience is what makes many people visit fine establishments, and in order to know what feels nice, you have to know what it's like to be a hungry (and demanding) customer.

The Restaurant School focuses on teaching the Restaurant Management students all aspects of the restaurant industry. These students work in the front of the house as waiters and managers. They also run the back of the house for a few of the school's restaurants on different nights. The school's objective is for them to know how both worlds work.

For this semester's experience, the students and a chaperone, Ms. Toni Morelli, went to 10Arts at the Ritz-Carlton. They sat us in a separate room from the main dining area, which disappointed my classmates -- the idea is to get a feel of the dining experience, not just for us, but for everyone else. The entire staff was friendly and well informed. Upon settling down at our table, we ask for the General Manager, David Weiss, as we had some wine-related questions. We asked about Rieslings and Chardonnays, and finally decided upon a Thelema 2005 and a Chateau Ste. Michelle Eroica Riesling 2006 -- both were delicious! I found that I really liked the Riesling, though it might have had more to do with it overpowering the Chardonnay. Later on, we ordered a Pouilly-Fume (Jean-Claude Chatelain 2004), which I thought was absolutely delicious, but then I am a huge fan of the Sauvignon Blanc. We also tried a Terrazas Reserva Malbec 2005 and a Scharffenberger Brut.

Our food choices included about ten appetizers, the most noteworthy being the Tuna Carpaccio, the Crab cake, and the Fried Calamari. We also ordered the Striped Bass "Grand Mere," the Fillet Mignon, and the Fish Burger -- everything was absolutely delicious, but I could have especially stuffed my face with the sides! Being a 5'4" mouse, I was ecstatic over the Macaroni Ham and Cheese and the Ratatouille.

The most memorable part of the night was getting a chance to speak with General Manager David Weiss and with Chef Jennifer Carroll. Both of them were gracious enough to spend some time with us and answer some of the questions we had pertaining to the menu and wine. Their personal experience in the field was of great interest to all of us, as most of us are new-comers to the field and have so much to learn.

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