It’s now been three months since Alla Prossima opened in Abstract Hotel in Upper Queen Street.
Alla Prossima is a destination restaurant that specialises in Emiliano Romagnola cuisine. It’s also a restaurant inside a hotel.
How is that different and what are the challenges?
As always, it’s about my relationship with the customers who eat the food I prepare.
The relationship I have with hotel guests is a little different from the one I have in a stand-alone restaurant. It’s a more gregarious, more familial environment. Hotel guests exhibit a sense of belonging – it’s their restaurant. I may see them more than once in a day and can greet and acknowledge them. They chat a little more easily, so I get to listen to their stories. They quickly find a favourite place.
At the same time, it’s more rewarding. Abstract Hotel is surrounded by some very good K’ Road restaurants, so if someone staying chooses to dine in-house several times during their stay, I feel a sense of pride. They have a world of choice on their doorstep, yet they choose to come back to the same place, maybe even to order the same dish.
Alla Prossima means 'until next time’. Our promise is that you will enjoy your meal so much, you’ll want to return soon, and with hotel guests we get to see that promise materialise. It’s very rewarding.
But don’t you have to cater to a broader audience in an in-house restaurant?
You’re right. We specialise in regional cuisine. People who choose Alla Prossima as a destination often understand that, but hotel guests may think, “Italian. Where’s the pizza?” That’s part of the challenge – catering to all expectations.
I want people to have a particular experience of Italian cuisine. Bringing that to the breakfast menu requires great care. One step at a time. I’m introducing scrambled eggs carbonara: we’ll see how that goes.
How do you make a connection with your customers?
A lot of that has to do with seeing and being seen. Dining is not just about fuelling the body. Every time I cook for someone, I feel a connection. If I’m shut in a kitchen, any feedback comes via the wait staff. No matter how observant and diligent they are, my connection with customers is once removed. With an open kitchen I can see how each customer responds to my dishes – what surprises them, what delights them. I learn from them. It’s a more intimate relationship.
And because they can see me preparing their food, they have a greater sense of involvement in the meal. They can see my passion, the care and attention that goes into each dish. It’s not just something that materialises in front of them.
I don’t think I could go back to a closed kitchen.
Alla Prossima, Abstract Hotel, 8 Upper Queen Street, : T: 09 320 1671, www.allaprossima.co.nz
www.abstracthotel.co.nz
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