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Drive Time for Dining Moguls
March 27, 2009
D.C. Restaurateurs Get Around To Stay on Top of the Competition
By Melissa McCart
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, March 4, 2009; F01
Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj might shake more than 100 hands as he makes the rounds of his six dining rooms every night, but his visits are not just for the meet-and-greet. He's also inspecting.
Take one evening at Ardeo in Cleveland Park, where he has stopped to check in with executive chef Alex McWilliams. He examines an appetizer, a salt- and citrus-cured scallop with roasted red plum relish and a dehydrated ginger garnish, and declares: "Let's make the presentation less busy. Let's make it more compact." They talk. McWilliams makes adjustments and hands the plate to the server.
It might seem like a small thing, but when you're trying to keep restaurants profitable, especially during an economic downturn, details add up, as Bajaj knows all too well. As owner of Bombay Club, 701, Oval Room, Ardeo/Bardeo and Rasika, he spends just about every evening walking or driving his Mercedes from restaurant to restaurant, making sweeps through the kitchens and dining rooms. "I work the room," he says, front of the house and back. Read the full story.
By Melissa McCart
Special to The Washington Post
Wednesday, March 4, 2009; F01
Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj might shake more than 100 hands as he makes the rounds of his six dining rooms every night, but his visits are not just for the meet-and-greet. He's also inspecting.
Take one evening at Ardeo in Cleveland Park, where he has stopped to check in with executive chef Alex McWilliams. He examines an appetizer, a salt- and citrus-cured scallop with roasted red plum relish and a dehydrated ginger garnish, and declares: "Let's make the presentation less busy. Let's make it more compact." They talk. McWilliams makes adjustments and hands the plate to the server.
It might seem like a small thing, but when you're trying to keep restaurants profitable, especially during an economic downturn, details add up, as Bajaj knows all too well. As owner of Bombay Club, 701, Oval Room, Ardeo/Bardeo and Rasika, he spends just about every evening walking or driving his Mercedes from restaurant to restaurant, making sweeps through the kitchens and dining rooms. "I work the room," he says, front of the house and back. Read the full story.
