Chris Parker - The Diego Masciaga Way: Lessons from the Master of Customer Service

THE

D IEGO
M ASCIAGA

WAY

THE

D IEGO
M ASCIAGA

WAY

LESSONS FROM THE MASTER OF
CUSTOMER SERVICE

CHRIS PARKER

urbanepublications.com

First published in Great Britain in 2014

by Urbane Publications Ltd

Suite 3, Brown Europe House, 33/34 Gleamingwood Drive,

Chatham, Kent ME5 8RZ

Copyright Chris Parker, 2014

The moral right of Chris Parker to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978-1-909273-48-1
ePub ISBN 978-1-909273-49-8
Mobi ISBN 978-1-909273-50-4

Design and Typeset by Julie Martin

Printed in Great Britain by

CPI Antony Rowe,

Chippenham, Wiltshire

urbanepublications.com

The publisher supports the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the leading international forest-certification organisation. This book is made from acid-free paper from an FSC-certified provider. FSC is the only forest-certification scheme supported by the leading environmental organisations, including Greenpeace.

It isnt a job, its a life.

Diego Masciaga

Dedication

Diego

Firstly, I dedicate this book about my lifes work to my wonderful wife, Kerry, and my beautiful daughters Francesca and Isabella. They are unique. They have supported me in all ways possible, even though I work very long, unsociable hours and am not with them as much as we would all like. They always make sure that I go to work in a good mood and that I return to a happy home. They even try to disguise how much they miss me. Without their unwavering support I could not have achieved all that I have. They are my trade secret. They are my family. I love them.

Secondly, I would like to dedicate this to my parents, my mum, Anna, and dad, Pierino, for teaching me the importance of humility and modesty and, most importantly, for teaching me how to take pleasure in giving. They instilled in me the right attitudes, high standards of performance, and a great work ethic. Through their example they taught me about the gift and the power of Service. I can never repay them.

Chris

For me this book, like every other book, like everything else, is for M. My life condensed into one letter.

FOREWORDS

Diego is a unique person. He inspires admiration and accolades the world over, yet whenever I look at the great man, think about him or greet him, he is always my Diego. I cannot imagine my life without him and he is as crucial to the success of The Waterside Inn as the food served therein. Quite simply, Diego was born to please, a rare vocation. He should be called un marchand de bonheur, since he finds life-fulfilling pleasure in his sense of duty to make people happy. In fact, service is not a career for Diego, it is him.

There is a particular satisfaction to be had from doing something right and Diego always does his inimitable best. He can be seen every day, excitedly awaiting lunch and dinner service, like a great actor before he takes the stage, the maestro ready to give another great performance, as inspired and fresh as if it was his first day. Yet his sense of humility, dignity and service is recognised and therefore he is trusted. Royalty, celebrities, newcomers and regulars alike, from all walks of life, are treated to the same equanimity, the same beaming, radiant smile and gracious welcome.

I first witnessed him in action in 1985 at Le Mazarin restaurant in Pimlico, one of the restaurants my brother Albert and I owned, and where Diego was in charge of the Dining Room. As I watched him work, I knew he would be perfect to lead the Front of House at The Waterside Inn, a role he took on at last in 1988. My favourite experience at The Waterside Inn is to see Diego carving duck or a baron dagneau, or preparing un homard la nage and being able to plate it in less than 2 minutes, a breath-taking feat.

In my travels to every corner of the globe, there is always the same question, How is Diego? He is held in extraordinary affection the world over. His leadership has inspired hundreds of young people to progress careers in the hospitality and catering industry.

There is so much more I want to say about my Diego, it could fill another book. I consider him as my son and I am so proud of him but you will have to read on to discover in these pages more about his true love. Its an extraordinary privilege for you to meet not just a person, but the exemplar of quality that is Diego.

Michel Roux, O.B.E., Global Ambassador,
The Waterside Inn

Because Im in the cooking business it can happen that, when I go out to eat with friends and family, the staff give me the lions share of the attention and everyone else misses out.

With Diego, things are different.

When we went to the Waterside for my birthday a couple of years ago, he paid generous attention to every person at the table all the while spooning caviar into our bowl of pasta with exactly the right amount of showmanship and panache. Just when you thought hed finished, hed spoon in yet another dollop. And another. He knew exactly what he was doing and had us all in the palm of his hand.

This is what makes Diego such an exceptional matre d. Hes friendly and considerate and will make you feel like the most important people in the restaurant. He exudes warmth and energy and has complete control of the dining room, but does so in such a way that staff and diners alike feel completely relaxed. And he has that deft sense of theatre that can turn a meal into an experience.

All of which makes him the perfect person to write a book about working front-of-house. The Diego Masciaga Way gives invaluable insights into what it takes and how its done. And its an engaging, inspiring portrait of a true professional and showman.

Heston Blumenthal

TESTIMONIALS

Why do I love Diego Masciaga? I believe in Italian hospitalityUnder the teaching received from Albano Mainardi (leader of the Italian art of hospitality and founder of the great Scuola Professionale Alberghiera E. Maggia di Stresa), students have learnt to respect its rules and precision, and bring the real Italian hospitality into the worldDiego Masciaga is the Master of this. I still remember the smiling expression of a young joyful student ready to learn a difficult and hard profession. Diego was only 15 years old. It was 1978, and he was starting his splendid career at the E.Maggia school. For me, he is the perfect example of a young professional positively pursuing his own journey toward an ultimate goal, constantly learning in prestigious environments with inspirational teachers, from the Hotel Royal of La Baule (chne Lucien Barrire) to The Waterside Inn. Diego Masciaga has been able to interpret real customer service. He can communicate feelings, evoke memories, surprise the guest; and prepare his staff to be the best, teaching the vital importance of a smile, style and elegance. The skill of Diego Masciaga is a demonstration of the pinnacle of the profession a capacity to express, with a very personal and unique touch, the poetry of Service. Thats why I love Diego Masciaga.