Premier Crew

By Lucas Lee

Humility is a common trait among this year’s Premier Crew. While it was individual effort that earned each server a selection as one of the five best in B.C., the credit, all insist, goes far beyond themselves.

“Good service starts with good customers,” says Lisa Rose, who’s been a server at Café Brio in Victoria for five years. “I’m at my best when the customer lets me be good at what I do.” How good is she? One family from Las Vegas tipped her 50 percent on a large check and then asked if they could take her home with them—to marry their son.

After two-and-a-half years working at Parkside, Tony Peneff has also received plenty of gratitude from satisfied patrons—like the lucrative job offer he received from a Texas family to work as their butler, and a $1,500 tip. All this goodwill, he insists, is significant only if shared with his colleagues. “If individuals are only looking out for themselves, then a restaurant won’t grow.” As a 24-year veteran of the food industry—he’s managed a fishing lodge and opened restaurants in Israel and Turkey—Tony knows what makes a successful establishment: “The people you work with.”

Pamela Key, who has served at Waterfront Wine Bar in Kelowna for a year and a half, agrees. “Service is a team sport,” she says. “I love the competition and the changing trends in our industry.” And then, as if giving a pep talk to a weary player, she adds, “This shouldn’t be work: it should be an adventure that drives you.”

For Chris Van Nus, who was chosen by the International Sommelier Guild as Vancouver’s Sommelier of the Year for his work at Blue Water Cafe, service is more a performance than a sport, and the best performers are the ones who understand their audience. “To be a good sommelier,” he explains, “you have to study hard, taste often, and then remember not to preach to the customer. Find out what they want; don’t sell them what you think they should have. I like the feeling of making customers happy and letting them experience wines from areas they’ve never ventured into.”

Freedom of expression is what Dave Wolowidnyk, who manages the bar at West, loves most about his job, and he attributes this freedom to the restaurant’s owner, Jack Everensel. “His sense of mutual respect and honesty with his staff is unparalleled,” Wolowidnyk explains. That’s high praise considering he’s been in the industry for 21 years, but it isn’t surprising—seasoned servers, like athletes, elevate their game on the strength of the team. Advice from the all-star to the rookies? “Strive to make great experiences for people, smile a lot and love what you do.”

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