Let’s imagine you are on the island and you want to eat. Englishmen, as a rule, are not concentrated on food too much. They can choose to buy food in the shop and to eat at home or to go to some pub. All pubs are nearly the same. But only some restaurants in London can impress their visitors.
I want to start my story about one special place that I want to visit more again and that has impressed me a lot. I would like even to work there one day if it is possible, but it will be very hard as I will need many skills to do my job. This place is very famous in London. Once I was in London, my pen-friend, who lives there, brought me to this place when I visited him. This place is very old. It is one of the oldest restaurants in London. It is possible to feel the real atmosphere of old London there. The interior is very nice. You can see deer horns and pictures of 19 century on its walls. Its design reminds an old English mansion with candelabrums. It is impossible to get there without table reservations. The main visitors of this place are old, rich English gentlemen and managers of a higher level. As we know, British cuisine is very classical and not difficult, but its meat of deer is wonderful.
When there is Christmas, it is one of the most beautifully decorated places in London.
It looks like a fairy tale. Waiters work professionally and serve very quickly; you do not need to wait. You will feel like a prince or princess of those times, visiting this place. And this is not any exaggeration, it is true. I felt the same when I got there. Of course, I did not have a lot of time to be acquainted with this place very well, but I was impressed and I want to come back there again and again. The personnel are very nice. I have talked to some of them, to the administrator and a few waiters. They told me interesting facts about this place.
One peculiarity of that place is that you can sit at the table only 2.5 hour as when you time finishes you need to go as other people like you come and want to spend time in this place. There is no matter if you are celebrating birthday or wedding or birth of a child, you need to leave the table. It is because all people in London have the same rights. There are no cheap and very expensive restaurants. There are places where you can eat tasty or not with not a big difference in prices.
Reservation of the table at this place is impossible without your details as a card number with money on it. If you reserve a table, you need to prove that you have money and you will come. If you do not cancel the reservation during 24 hours, it means they will take a fine from your card in amount of 100 pounds. You need to leave your number and the restaurant calls you to check your reservation. If it cannot call you, your reservation will be cancelled.
We are met by a door man, then a manager of it shows us table. The service is great.
The manager asks what we want to drink – only non-alcohol drinks. Then a sommelier and offers us wines or other alcohol. After him a waiter comes to the tables and takes your order. Then the wine, which we ordered is brought to us but inly to smell it not to drink. If you like its smell, then just nod. If you do not like it, you need to say about it.
I talked to one waiter and he told me about some rules in the restaurant. There is vodka in the restaurant but it is not put into the menu. One portion of vodka is 25 gr. They can take you double portion. So, if you want to order a decanter with vodka you need to say- Bring me 8 portions of vodka without ice. If you say about a decanter, they will not bring you it. It is no need even to explain them. If you want to bring your bottle of wine, it is possible but you need to ask how much you need to pay for it. It can be nearly 40 pounds. (Interview 1)
If you want to ask for the bill, it is necessary to do it in such a way: «Can I have the bill please». Tips are included to the bill in the amount of 12,5%. If you do not like the service, you can refuse from the tips, telling about it the waiter. . (Interview 1) This restaurant was opened in 1798.
Thomas Rule began his business with an oyster bar in Convent Garden. He did not believe in a great success, but his bar only successful but lasting. (“Rules Restaurant“)
Rules is still popular, the oldest restaurant in London and one of the most celebrated in the world.
But in 1984 his daughter sold Rules to John Mayhew. He is still its owner. Today Rules can accept nearly 90 people and has 90 workers.
Food is very special and nice. They have specialist from such food as oysters, pies and puddings. The staff is chosen very carefully and then taught through their own quality controls and determining how the game is treated.
During old times Rules was visited by writers, artists, lawyers, journalists and actors. It is possible to recall such names as Charles Dickens, William Makepeace Thackeray, John Galsworthy and H G Wells. This restaurant was depicted by Rosamond Lehmann in his novels as well as in novels of Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, John Le Carré, Dick Francis, Penelope Lively and Claire Rayner. (“Rules Restaurant“)
Such famous actors of those times liked this place too. Among them were Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel, Charles Laughton, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin and John Barrymore.
There are so many old pictures, reflecting those times. There are also many old things that show the memories of past and we can feel like we are a hero of old play.
Among their staff there are 35 Chefs, 3 Directors, 3 Housekeepers & Maintenance, 4 Managers, 5 Reservations & Back Office, 38 Waiting & Wine and 1 Proprietor from different countries. They accept people of different nationalities and this is correct and it proves again that all people of any nationality are equal for them. (“Rules Restaurant“)
I have read and heard about English pudding a lot. I always wanted to try it. When I go to the restaurant, I decided to t it and I ordered classic English pudding as this place is famous for such dishes. I was brought a great dish and I was impressed with its taste. It tastes very delicious. I like it very much. They served it with berries and some other stuff and I will never forget this taste as no one restaurant in my town where I live can do such a pudding. I agree that this restaurant keeps all English traditions which are old and ancient and special.
I advise all people to try their food. I like the policy of this place. Even if you are Elton John, your order will not be more than 100 pounds. All people are equal and have the same right. In other countries the class definition is shown greatly. If you are rich you will go and eat at the most expensive restaurant- the most expensive food and it will be the same food but the price will correspond the place. In this restaurant, all prices re normal and every person-rich or average can afford dinner there. It is very important. The personal is very simple; they are friendly and try to serve the best. They try to serve best of all for every client. If you come from the average family, you will be served as a princess and if you are a prince you will be served as a common person and it is right attitude to people.
Another point of view is their deer meat. This meat is very special and only rare restaurant cook it and properly. I do not like this meat and was against it but at that restaurant I tried it and realized that it is too tasty. It is cooked with special spices and it is not hard and easy to eat. I can say that in my future I would like to work t such a place lie an administrator as this place is worth of it. Everything is on a high level and all try to make the great atmosphere for their guests. People are happy to get into this place and that is very important. After talking g with some people, who work there, I realized that they really love their work in this place brings them joy. I think if you are happy with your work – you are a happy person. I hope that on day my dream will come true.
In conclusion, I want to say that if you want to get to some special place and to feel some special atmosphere, you need to go to London and to visit this place you need to try their food, to see their interior and to talk to their staff. You will see that these people love their job and do it with all their heart. In our modern world we can see the same situation very rarely but this place keeps old traditions and it is always full with clients because of its reputation. Reputation means a lot. My advice is: love your work and if your work does not bring you satisfaction, leave it and search for something else. Everything we do has to be done with love and pleasure. It is very important when I saw how the people at Rules did their work, and their attitude to their clients and their service, their smiles on the faces, I realized that it is possible to love your work so much. I do not think it is possible to pretend like that and to put a pretending smile on your face. I am sure, this place is full of love, positive emotions and respect to people.
Works Cited
Rules Restaurant. England. Covent Garden. Web. 02.02.2017
<http://rules.co.uk>
