No doubt some of our readers will already be familiar with the exceptional experience of luxury dining, but for those who aren't, this interview will be a fascinating introduction to high-end restaurant service, through the eyes of an expert in the field. 

Marine Ploquin got her start working with renowned hotels like the Beverly Hilton, Hôtel Barrière L’Hermitage, and Radisson Blu Palace Hotel and Spa, and she was asked to join Petrossian Boutique back in 2018. 

Ever since, Ploquin has been proving her dedication to Petrossian and to the exceedingly high standards of luxury dining service. 

High-end restaurants are so much more than their cuisine, though cuisine is of course central to the experience. 

These establishments provide unique experiences for their guests, taking every concern into account and doing everything possible to exceed their guests' expectations. 

And that's not even touching on the painstaking preparations that take place before guests have even walked through the door. But Ploquin can explain the details far better than we can, so we invite you to read on and learn about how luxury dining continues to offer a unique and beautiful experience.  

Thank you for joining us today. Have you found that institutions like Petrossian are open to finding new and better ways of doing certain things?

Yes, I have found that Petrossian is open to finding better ways of doing certain things if those new techniques are proven to be more effective. 

For example, part of luxury is having glassware that is spotless. We used to have staff dry glassware by hand with paper towels, one by one. It took a long time and cost a lot of money, labor, and materials. 

I found a machine that dried glassware in seconds. It was quite an investment but I was able to prove that it was worth it and that we would get our return on investment very quickly. For certain things, institutions are still old-fashioned and do not approve of change. It's hard, but if you believe your idea is good and will help the business, you shouldn't give up and prove your point. 

That's part of why these companies hire younger staff, they want to evolve and learn about new techniques.

Would you say that you're a perfectionist? 

I chose luxury as a career, and being a perfectionist is part of the job. When a customer decides to dine in a luxury restaurant, he is looking for perfection. And that is why my role as a manager is so important. There are so many details that need to be checked and taken care of. 

For example, I'll set up the full dining room for special dinners and have fifteen guests on each side of the table, with up to five glasses each. During the setup process, I'll take a piece of paper, align it with the edge of the table, and put the feet of the glass at the top, doing this for every glass. That way, I was sure that everything was aligned, down to the millimeter. That's what perfectionism looks like in action. 

How would you describe the high-end dining experience to someone who hasn't tried it firsthand?

I would ask this persona bout the nicest restaurant they've been to and then compare and explain why high-end dining is even better, down to every detail. 

At a high-end dining establishment, the experience starts from the moment the staff opens the door and asks for your name. They make sure you have absolutely everything you need. Every decoration, color, and scent in the room has a purpose. Everything has been thought through. 

These are also peaceful places. You won't hear babies crying or people talking on their phones. The staff will take care of you, and you'll want to do it again! 

What's the single most challenging aspect of your work? 

One of the most challenging aspects of the job is always respecting and acknowledging the customers. You can never go against the customer. 

That makes sense of course, but there may be times when the customer tries to take advantage, sending back food or trying to get their meal for free. There's always a way to manage the situation, but it takes commitment and experience. 

With that in mind, do you find it easy to stay motivated? What are some of your sources of motivation?

Although it's not always easy, this is a fun job. You never know who you're going to meet. There's always going to be something that makes your day interesting, and knowing that we make customers happy is a great motivator. 

If someone is having a bad day and they walk into the restaurant, I'm going to do all that I can to help them enjoy their time and forget their problems for a while. 

I also feel motivated to be better than everyone else and improve myself. There are even times when I visit other restaurants to have a great meal and learn what they offer that I'd like to offer, too.