In Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare says, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” So why did iconic American author and teacher Dale Carnegie say, “A person’s name is to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language?”
In hospitality, the ultimate hack is not only remembering someone’s name, but repeating it back to them when you’re saying goodbye and, most importantly, when you greet them the next time.
You will never see a person’s face light up quite so much as when you call them by their name after having only met them once before. It’s as if they become momentarily enamored with you, a neat trick if the most important part of your job is making your guests feel special.
They say Eskimos have dozens of words for snow, and there are more than 100 Scottish words for rain. The Greeks have at least six different words for love because they recognized and wanted to differentiate between the nuances of romantic, platonic and unconditional love. We use words like turquoise, lapis and cerulean to describe transitioning shades of blue because learning to understand and incorporate extended vocabulary makes us more sensitive to the nuances of everything that new vocabulary entails, and thus expands our life experience.
I cringe when I hear a seasoned server describe the “aftertaste” of an Islay Scotch or an Italian Amaro as “medicinal.” After all, who enjoys drinking cough syrup? When there are so many more seductive words like “peaty,” “campfire,” or “herbaceous,” it seems sad to settle for just “interesting” as a descriptor.
The key to writing and to selling is often the same; if you are able to, with your words, paint a picture so vivid and tantalizing as to lure your audience into an experience of your own creation, you’ve succeeded.
One of the things I loved most about bartending was describing the succession of delectable drinks and dishes I would curate for each guest, mapping the menu into a bespoke, epicurean journey — so enticing it was impossible for them to turn down.
Imagine Hokkaido scallops, firm and sweet, yet delicately briny, brushed with yuzu and lemon, and dusted with smoked sea salt with just a dot of rocoto Peruvian chile for a touch of heat, paired with an off-dry German Riesling, star-bright and shimmering with lime zest and minerally slate. How could anyone resist?
By using an expanded vocabulary, I was able to change how guests appreciated the different delicacies on their plate and in their glass. The power of a well-chosen word focused their attention; they became more sensitive and attentive to the subtle differences those words implied.
Similarly, those same guests paid closer attention to us when we remembered their names. By creating and utilizing different names for snow and love, we, as humans, are saying that those things matter to us, and that the delicate nuances between slight variations in those things matter so much that we would give each distinction its own name.
Paying attention to the way we describe not just our food and drink, but the way we describe and speak to each other allows us also to be more sensitive to our own beautiful and fascinating differences. Just like remembering someone’s name, the ability to elevate and enrich each other’s worlds is what makes life truly worth savoring.
Immersing oneself in another language or partaking in cuisine from another culture can have a magically transportive effect. Deep dive into a glass of this Mexican twist on an Old Fashioned for a unique south-of-the-border experience!
Ingredients:
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1 ounce Real Del Valle Tequila Reposado
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1 ounce Abasolo corn whiskey
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0.5 ounce Nixta Elote Liqueur
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2 dashes Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters
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1 dash Saline (1 part salt to 5 parts water)
Directions:
Stir all ingredients over ice and strain over large format ice cube. Garnish with trimmed corn husk.
