Quiet Corner Table

Category: Table Talk

  • The Price of Three Stars: What Rise of the Rockstar Chef Left Me Thinking About

    I have followed Gordon Ramsay since the early days, right through to now. Marco Pierre White and Heston Blumenthal too. So when the BBC announced Rise of the Rockstar Chef, a three part series on the chefs who changed British fine dining, it was always going to be must see television.

    What I wanted most was to see them at the same table. The history between Marco and Gordon has been picked over for years, and watching them sit down together was intriguing in itself. It was also a reminder of how much these three gave to the food world.

    Gordon won me over, bravado and all. Underneath it he is a perfectionist, and that is what drove him. Heston is the other one who stays with me. He showed what curiosity and a real love of food can do, and he has been inspiring for years. He has had his own personal challenges, which was hard to watch, so it was good to see him back and part of the show.

    The part I keep coming back to is the chase for the stars. Winning them took everything, and keeping them took more. You could argue that pressure is what pushed Marco away from being a restaurateur. Reaching the top costs something, and staying there can cost more.

    And I couldn’t help but wonder: was it worth it?

    You could say chefs today aren’t quite doing what these three did. Maybe so, but that isn’t the point. This is about the work. We are talking about the 0.001% who reached the very top, and the dedication it took to get there. All three seem to be asking the same question, and all three gave up a lot.

    It is something I think about when I sit down at my corner table and a plate arrives. Behind a great meal is someone who has given more than we will ever see.

  • Why I Ask for the Quiet Corner Table

    I’m not sure when it started. There was no first time, no moment I can point to. It crept up on me.

    I travel for work, and that means a lot of dining alone. Walking into a restaurant by yourself can feel exposed, busy room or empty one. Some places have a trick, too. They put the solo diner in the window, so passersby think the place is full and wander in. Those tables are rarely the comfortable ones.

    So I ask for the corner. I’m a big introvert, and at the end of a long day I want to recharge. A table out of everyone’s way is where I can do that. I’m no fuss to anyone, and no one is a fuss to me. It just works.

    Once I’m settled, I take in the room. Within minutes I’ve picked up the menu, usually after a look online beforehand, though I always check it anyway. Specials are a bonus. Then I settle into the vibe.

    The thing I’ve come to love most about eating alone is how intimate it is. When you’re sharing a table, the conversation often becomes the focus, and the food drifts to the background. On your own, it’s just you and the plate. You taste more and pick up the nuances in each mouthful. There are no pauses to talk. You eat, you enjoy, you take notes.

    The meals that stay with me aren’t always the ones with the best food. Service can make or break a night, and the ones I remember most are the ones where both were right. What I treasure is a server who is personally attentive. It’s rare, and it makes a meal feel special.

    Here’s what I’d say to anyone reading this. Dining out can feel intimidating alone. When you’re on the road, you have to eat anyway. At home, it’s hard to peel yourself off the couch, especially with food in the fridge and something good on TV. But make the time. It doesn’t have to be solo. Just go and appreciate what’s on your doorstep. Support your local restaurants and businesses, even once a month.

    I know cost matters, and today’s climate is tough. This isn’t for everyone. But if your reason for not going out is that you’d be dining alone, don’t let that be the reason.

    Introverts will get this straight away. Extroverts might find it a nice change to take in an environment instead of trying to create one. Either way, get out there. Enjoy the food and the service, and soak up the ambience. You might learn something, or try something you wouldn’t normally order.

    That’s why I ask for the quiet corner table.

    A quiet corner table with a single place setting, with the quote ‘Just you and the food.