经济学人09:餐饮业 The restaurant business

 　　Books and Arts; Book Review;The restaurant business;Eat up;

　　文艺；书评；餐饮业;请尽情享用;

　　A successful restaurant involves more than just good food;

　　一家成功的餐厅，提供的不仅仅是佳肴;

　　The Art of the Restaurateur. By Nicholas Lander.

　　《餐厅经营者应具备的技巧》，尼古拉斯·兰德尔著。

　　The past 30 years have been a golden age for restaurants, argues Nicholas Lander. They have emerged in the “most unlikely of locations, serving the most extraordinary food, and attracting the most exceptional following.” Celebrity¹ chefs have received most of the credit for that. But their position is “overly lofty” in Mr Lander's view. Great cooks do not necessarily make great restaurants. Atmosphere, design, location and organisation² matter, too. Food that is interesting to cook or impressive to look at may not be what people actually want to eat. Making the customer truly happy is the job, often unsung, of the restaurateur, who risks his money (and sometimes health, marriage and sanity) in one of the most stressful jobs in the world.

　　尼古拉斯·兰德尔指出，过去30年是餐饮业发展的黄金时期。各大小餐厅涌现在“各处出人意料的地方，提供各种不同凡响的美食，吸引了一批品味独特的饕客”。（对于此），各大名厨居功最高。但在兰德尔看来，他们被过度高捧了。有了好的厨师并不一定能经营起一家好餐厅。餐厅的氛围、装潢设计、地理位置以及管理方式等同样也是决定因素。做法独特或卖相极好的食物也不一定是最合人们胃口的。使顾客真正感到满意才是餐厅经营者的职责所在，但这常常被忽视。这些经营者把资金（有些甚至是健康，婚姻和理智）投入了餐饮业，而餐饮业是全球压力最大的行业之一。

　　The restaurant industry is huge: it turns over an annual $630 billion in America alone. Yet setting up a restaurant is one of the riskiest³ ventures. Around 60% of American eateries close or change ownership within the first three years. Mr Lander starts the book—and earns the reader's respect—with his own story, told in taut⁴ and self-deprecating style, of how as a 29-year-old, with “absolutely no professional experience” and battling epilepsy, he took over an 18th-century London townhouse and set up L'Escargot. This innovative⁵ restaurant drew a devoted⁶ clientele. Since selling the restaurant (for health reasons) in 1988, he has been the restaurant critic of theFinancial Times (owned by Pearson, a part-owner of this newspaper).

　　餐饮业的规模巨大：光是美国的年度营业额就高达6300亿美元。然而，开餐厅却是一项高风险事业。在美国，约60%的餐厅在开业后三年之内就会关门大吉或是转手卖出。兰德尔写这本书的时候，把他自己的经历也半是吹嘘半是自嘲地写了进去；他写道他29岁那时，在完全没有工作经验，还得同时与癫痫症对抗的情况下，买下了伦敦市内一幢18世纪的联排寓所，然后开了蜗牛餐厅——这肯定能赢得读者们的钦佩之情。（此后），这家富有新意的餐厅吸引了一批忠实的顾客。1998年，出于健康原因，兰德尔转卖了餐厅，并自此任职《金融时报》，专门撰写餐厅评论。（《金融时报》归培生集团所有，该集团是《金融时报》的合伙人。）

　　The bulk of the book is pen portraits of the people who run the world's 20 best restaurants, according to Mr Lander (with elegant illustrations by Nigel Peake). Though few readers will have the time and money, visiting all of these establishments would be a hugely enjoyable gastronomic⁷ education. Mr Lander's compass stretches from Hazel Allen's Ballymaloe House in rural Ireland to Danny Meyer's Union Square Café in New York. Others include Gilbert Pilgram's Zuni in California and St John—a British “nose-to-tail” restaurant that specialises in serving the animal parts that most chefs disdain⁸.

　　据兰德尔所说，该书的绝大部分篇章都用来描写全球20家最顶级的餐厅的经营者。（该书还附有奈杰尔·皮克所画的精美插图。）如能拜访一下这些餐厅，那将会是一次愉快至极的美食体验，但很少读者能有足够的时间和金钱去实践。兰德尔这本书对许多餐厅进行了描写，从爱尔兰乡间那所哈泽尔·艾伦开的 Ballymaloe House到纽约丹尼·迈耶的Union Square Café全都在其中。其他的一些还有加州吉尔伯特·皮尔格拉姆的Zuni，还有一家叫“圣约翰”的英国餐厅。圣约翰专门供应一些许多厨师都不愿烹饪的动物部位。

　　In Il Vino in Paris (no menu, no wine list) customers are given the food and wine that Enrico Bernado thinks they will enjoy, such as Riesling with beef tartare, or a Savennières and Brittany lobster⁹ with sorrel. Some wines are even served “blind” in opaque¹⁰ glasses. Mr Lander witnesses a patron angrily protest against these principles, only to be charmed into grateful acceptance by the proprietor¹¹.

　　在巴黎的Il Vino餐厅里，没有菜单，也没有酒单。顾客们的食物和酒都是老板恩里科·伯纳多认为是合他们的胃口并因此安排的；有时是一瓶雷司令酒和牛肉泥，或是一瓶沙文尼亚酒和布列塔尼酸模龙虾。有些酒甚至要用不透明的玻璃杯送上。兰德尔曾目睹一位顾客对这些规矩大为火光，但最后为老板的风度所倾倒，都带着感激一一接受了。

　　Opportunities to salivate aside, the book also offers food for thought on the restaurateur's art. The “quintessential” challenge is managing the tension between the customer-centric wait staff and the kitchen lot, who care only about the food. A restaurant's name must be short and unforgettable. Details matter, from lighting¹² to menu font. Outsiders (eg, an Italian in Paris) tend to be more successful than locals because they often make bolder choices. A bad kitchen porter (dishwasher) can be a catastrophe¹³. Getting on with neighbours is essential: their objections to noise, smell and crowds can doom¹⁴ a place, even if the customers adore it. Don't open a restaurant until an alcohol licence is a certainty—but remember that the authorities dole¹⁵ them out only to places that can prove they are properly run.

　　除了说到令人垂涎的美食，这本书还对餐厅经营者所需哪些管理艺术这个问题进行了深入探讨。最典型的问题就是服务生和厨师之间的矛盾，前者认为顾客至上，而后者则只关心食物烹饪。餐厅的名字一定要简短精悍，一见难忘。此外，从采光设计到菜单字体等细节也很重要。外地人（比如在巴黎开餐厅的意大利人）通常会比本地人更成功，因为他们行事更为大胆。一个不称职的厨房杂工（比如说洗碗工）就可造成灾难性失败。和周边居民的沟通也很重要，因为噪音、异味和人流可能会引起他们的反感，这样的话，即使餐厅深受顾客欢迎，也难以为继。在酒类销售执照到手之前千万别急着开业；谨记一点，有关部门只会向那些能正当销售酒类的地方发放执照。

　　A particular treat is a 32-point list of instructions for staff at Polpo, one of five London restaurants run by Russell Norman, which serves cicchetti (Venetian side dishes). Be prompt not intrusive¹⁶. No more than two minutes between ordering and receiving drinks—but leave people alone if they need time to decide. Make eye contact. Guide, but don't embarrass, those who try to order too much or too little.

　　Polpo是拉塞尔·诺曼在伦敦市内所开的五家餐厅中的一家，店内供有cicchetti（即一种威尼斯小吃）。Polpo采取了一种特有的处理方式，即把32条说明全列在员工守则表上。如，对顾客需求反应迅速但又要过于急进。点饮料到上饮料之间所用时间不得多于两分钟，但若客人需要时间考虑，就不要打扰他们。要进行眼神交流。对于那些点餐过多或过少的客人要进行引导，但不要使他们感到尴尬。

　　Success always seems as inevitable¹⁷ in retrospect¹⁸ as it is elusive¹⁹ when sought. Who would have foreseen that noodle bars with communal²⁰ tables (Wagamama) would be a worldwide hit? Amid such mysteries Mr Lander highlights qualities that almost all successful restaurateurs share. Energy and a thick skin are vital. So are humour and a sense of proportion. Mistakes are inevitable but almost all can be put right with a smile, an apology and a generous gesture. Treated right, the unhappy customer becomes a lifelong fan.

　　人们回想过去的时候，总觉得成功本来是十拿九稳的，而在追求成功时，它却虚无缥缈。当初谁能想到一碗面条再加一张公共餐桌的就餐方式会受全球追捧？成功的奥秘多不胜数，而兰德尔则强调了那些顶级餐厅经营者所具备的一些共同特质。干劲和胆量至关紧要。处理事情有幽默感，而且还要有分寸。过失总是难免的，但笑容，道歉和一种大方的姿态通常能将问题化解。若招呼得当，不满意的顾客也能变成终身的忠实拥趸。

　　Mr Lander does not resort to the waspish prose that makes some other restaurant critics fun to read. But in these splendid establishments perhaps there was simply nothing to sneer²¹ at.

　　其他餐厅评论家所写的文章一般辛辣尖刻，读起来让人乐在其中，但兰德尔并没有使用这种套路。这也许是因为那些豪华上流的地方并没有什么东西让他可以取笑吧。

1 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

2 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

3 riskiest   

冒险的，危险的( risky的最高级 )

参考例句：

• With markets lately rising, the riskiest investments are finding takers. 他说，在周期高峰时，投资者会追逐风险最高的资产。
• The riskiest subprime securitieshave almost no takers. 风险最高的次级证券几乎没有人持有。

4 taut   

adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的

参考例句：

• The bowstring is stretched taut.弓弦绷得很紧。
• Scarlett's taut nerves almost cracked as a sudden noise sounded in the underbrush near them. 思嘉紧张的神经几乎一下绷裂了，因为她听见附近灌木丛中突然冒出的一个声音。

5 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

6 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

7 gastronomic   

adj.美食（烹饪）法的，烹任学的

参考例句：

• The gastronomic restaurant is a feature of the hotel. 美食餐厅是这家饭店的一个特色。 来自互联网
• The restaurant offers a special gastronomic menu. 这家餐馆备有一份特别的美食菜单。 来自互联网

8 disdain   

n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑

参考例句：

• Some people disdain labour.有些人轻视劳动。
• A great man should disdain flatterers.伟大的人物应鄙视献媚者。

9 lobster   

n.龙虾，龙虾肉

参考例句：

• The lobster is a shellfish.龙虾是水生贝壳动物。
• I like lobster but it does not like me.我喜欢吃龙虾，但它不适宜于我的健康。

10 opaque   

adj.不透光的；不反光的，不传导的；晦涩的

参考例句：

• The windows are of opaque glass.这些窗户装着不透明玻璃。
• Their intentions remained opaque.他们的意图仍然令人费解。

11 proprietor   

n.所有人；业主；经营者

参考例句：

• The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。
• The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。

12 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

13 catastrophe   

n.大灾难，大祸

参考例句：

• I owe it to you that I survived the catastrophe.亏得你我才大难不死。
• This is a catastrophe beyond human control.这是一场人类无法控制的灾难。

14 doom   

n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定

参考例句：

• The report on our economic situation is full of doom and gloom.这份关于我们经济状况的报告充满了令人绝望和沮丧的调子。
• The dictator met his doom after ten years of rule.独裁者统治了十年终于完蛋了。

15 dole   

n.救济，（失业）救济金；vt.（out）发放，发给

参考例句：

• It's not easy living on the dole.靠领取失业救济金生活并不容易。
• Many families are living on the dole since the strike.罢工以来，许多家庭靠失业救济金度日。

16 intrusive   

adj.打搅的；侵扰的

参考例句：

• The cameras were not an intrusive presence.那些摄像机的存在并不令人反感。
• Staffs are courteous but never intrusive.员工谦恭有礼却从不让人感到唐突。

17 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

18 retrospect   

n.回顾，追溯；v.回顾，回想，追溯

参考例句：

• One's school life seems happier in retrospect than in reality.学校生活回忆起来显得比实际上要快乐。
• In retrospect,it's easy to see why we were wrong.回顾过去就很容易明白我们的错处了。

19 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

20 communal   

adj.公有的，公共的，公社的，公社制的

参考例句：

• There was a communal toilet on the landing for the four flats.在楼梯平台上有一处公共卫生间供4套公寓使用。
• The toilets and other communal facilities were in a shocking state.厕所及其他公共设施的状况极其糟糕。

21 sneer   

v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语

参考例句：

• He said with a sneer.他的话中带有嘲笑之意。
• You may sneer,but a lot of people like this kind of music.你可以嗤之以鼻，但很多人喜欢这种音乐。