On a Chilly New Orleans Winter Night, “August” Sizzles!
Recently I was very fortunate to have experienced the very best of brand strategy in action, internal brand activation and external brand delivery, one beautiful February evening in New Orleans. I was invited to a dinner at Restaurant August, the cornerstone of celebrity chef John Besh’s restaurant empire in the Crescent City. My friend (and COHN client) Michael Szyliowicz of Mont Blanc Gourmet asked me and two close friends to join him for dinner at the acclaimed restaurant, now considered to be one of the top food establishments in the nation’s greatest culinary town.
Michael had experienced two prior dinners at August, both of which were, shall we say, not up to expectations. He contacted the chef’s assistant and she told him to bring a group of friends to dinner on a future visit to the city so they could “correct” the situation. Nicely handled by the Chef’s team and good timing on my part I guess because I had to be in New Orleans at the same time.
So off we went to dinner in this elegant establishment during the craziness of 2012 Mardi Gras on the streets of the city, thinking it would be a nice evening among friends, but the chef and team at August had something else in mind for us.
As we were warmly greeted by the host, Michael was presented with Chef Besh’s newest cookbook, personally signed by the chef. A warm welcome indeed! We were escorted to a lovely round table nestled in the corner by the window (with direct views of the parades outside!). Then the real business of the evening began…dining, drinking and wonderful conversation.
Along the way, we were treated to extra appetizers that we did not order, extra entrees that we did not order, extra desserts we did not order, extra kindnesses at every turn and some of the finest service I’ve ever experienced by the captain and his team. By the end of the meal, three hours later, we were all ecstatic, delighted, and yes, full. And then the check came.
Michael grabbed the check portfolio and opened it up. The look on his face was some combination of shock and awe. He shared the check with me and I was simply amazed. In fact, I took a picture of it. There was a simple slip of paper with a handwritten note that said, “Thank you so much. Your dinner is on us.” This was for everything! The wine, the champagne, the drinks, the extra menu selections. Everything!
After we thanked the entire service team profusely including the general manager, we were invited to the kitchen. As we entered, the chef (not Mr. Besh but the restaurant’s executive chef) welcomed us with a big smile. His entire kitchen team started shouting, hitting pans, and cheering. It was a combination of sights and sounds that I will never forget.
As we left the restaurant, the captain, the G.M. and the chef all invited us back and asked us to call for any future desires to return. Warmth and elegance guided an incredibly fun evening.
There were so many great brand lessons here. This does not just happen without a commitment to brand excellence, internal brand adoption, and a tightly managed team that knows what they are working for. The Besh team created brand ambassadors in all of us with all of us, and we will certainly tell as many people as we can about our exceptional evening (for example, this blog post).
Great brands and great customer relationships don’t just happen. They are strategized, planned and adapted throughout organizations. It’s clear to me the Besh team at August (and I must now assume in all of his restaurants), is on brand with every customer touchpoint.
And this is one customer who was incredibly touched by every interaction at August that winter’s night. I am honored to now be their brand ambassador and tell everyone I can to go there. And that is a great brand. Thank you Chef Besh. Bon appetit!