The one year anniversary of Bowery Restaurant on the 17th of December marked a year filled with special moments. All these moments have one thing in common: they are all build on hospitality. Hospitality plays a big role in my daily life, not just professionally but also personally. It is in everything I do, every action I take. Whether it’s making eye contact with the cashier at the local grocery store, friendly greetings while passing people in the street and or calmly waiting while passengers get off the train it’s all expressions of being hospitable. To see the needs of a fellow human being and to act to this is the core essence of hospitality.
On a daily basis I am reminded how important it is to notice the needs of my guests and to bring my message across to the person in front of me the way I mean it. There is no guarantee a guest, or team member receives your message the way you mean it and this is a responsibility we all have towards each other. We are responsible for the way our message is received.
Since hospitality is of such importance to me personally, it’s also something we consider in our restaurant where we welcome guests from many different nationalities and cultures each and every day. Every guest experiences our hostess welcoming them to Bowery in a different way. How we, full of pride, explain our finest dishes and ingredients is experienced in a different way by every guest. Every guest has a different opinion with regards to the dishes served in the restaurant. All these different opinions and expectations are the reason my job is so interesting, challenging and fun. This shows in the visible joy my fantastic team showcases every day while giving our guests an extraordinary service!
During the past year we have welcomed over 120.000 guests in Bowery and have seen just as many differences. In each and every occasion we have been able to adjust ourselves to the needs and wishes of our guests in order to create a unique experience. A team which sometimes clashes but always finds the hospitality within each other to set aside differences and keep the focus on the guests. A team bursting with creativity, understanding of service and passion for being hospitable, not only for our guests, also for our fellow human beings. This can’t be taught, it is a feeling, a mindset, a way of life.
After a busy and successful first year we have done everything at least once, experienced every season and seen it all. Now we can get to work with the bright future of Bowery, promising loads of hospitality, new culinary surprises and many efforts from a passionate team with one goal: providing unique experiences for our guests!
I wish everyone a great Holiday season, to end this year with your loved ones and I look forward to welcoming you in Bowery in 2017 for a healthy dose of hospitality!
Restaurant manager
Rick Bakker