Reading Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality last week reminded me of the time you two ate my tater tots at a Danny Meyer restaurant a couple of years ago.

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I was there with an old friend who was in senior management at Union Square Hospitality Group. The two of you, unbeknownst to me, were sitting a few tables to my right. In addition to a decadent sampling of small plates, my friend insisted we order the tots, which were a limited, coveted, off-menu item. (A secret, but a poorly kept one.)

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Shortly after the tots arrived, a waiter came to the table and explained to my friend (his boss’s boss’s boss) that a couple—you—had just ordered some tots, and that the kitchen was out of them. The last batch was the one in front of me.

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It should be noted that I’m a fast eater. 

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By the time the waiter finished speaking, there were two tots left on the serving plate in the middle of our table. My friend grabbed that plate as he and the waiter, almost without words, hatched a plan to give you a small but special moment.

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From the kitchen a second waiter appeared with a clean plate and some finely chopped herbs. My friend took a spoonful of ketchup and made an artful “smear” on the plate, placing the tots upon it as the waiter sprinkled the herbs over top. The first waiter then delivered them, with the restaurant’s compliments, and your night went on a little brighter. 

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Now, repurposing gently used potato products to make a moment special isn’t what stuck out to me. It was the enthusiasm and joy the team took in the act. They spoke the same shorthand and had the same understanding of the restaurant’s guest-centric philosophy. So they acted intuitively, collaboratively, and quickly, creating a moment that was as rewarding for them as for their guests.

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One of the things I’ve loved about starting The Indelible with three partners I’ve worked with for years has been our ability to speak a shorthand and know intuitively how we’ll solve a problem. It’s born of shared experiences. Of a clear philosophy. And of trust forged by time and pressure.

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It makes the process fun, and it engenders accountability to one another and to the ideals of our business. It helps us deliver quickly. It provides a consistent thread to unify our diverse thinking. And it elevates the caliber of our work.

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So, with no sarcasm whatsoever (which I realize sounds super sarcastic if you read it that way), thanks for taking the last of my tots. It gave me the chance to witness another team working how we’ve always worked, and an appreciation of the value therein. 

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I hope they were delicious.

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Indelibly yours,

Mike