The tasting itself is a vitally important time for many critical decisions. "Our chef is incredible. He is probably one of the top 10 in New York City. To this day I have never lost a wedding where they have come in and had a tasting without a formal prior commitment. The dishes are really well prepared."
But equally important for creating the wedding you envision, the tasting becomes a time to sit with the catering team and develop a richer relationship.
It’s their chance to understand how you view the various elements of your day, and your opportunity to understand how everyone works together to create your wedding. "It is a key step in building the relationship."
For your tasting, Robert often presents the full five-course meal with all the hors d’ouevres. "I try to dissuade you from having too many people at the tasting because the more opinions involved, the more problems people have making decisions.
"But even though you may want to limit the number of people at your tasting, if it is important to have your mother there, for example, do it."
Staffing & Service
Robert has been at the hotel for over 18 years. "I know exactly what the facility has to offer and how the kitchen works. I’ve hand-picked most of the waiters from a lot of different places in New York City over the last 18 years.
"So we have an excellent, courteous service staff. I have hundreds of letters from brides and grooms saying they never saw such a courteous and thoughtful staff, whether it is taking care of the little girl who attends the wedding or providing a special dish for somebody who has a special diet.
"In today’s society, and given the competitive nature of the business, you have to take the extra step and give more than what’s expected. And our staff is excellent."
More Wedding Banquet Experts
Personalized Menus
When he first started doing weddings years ago, it was common practice to present wedding packages that offered the same basic choices for everybody.
"But I haven’t done that in years," says Robert. "Today's brides and grooms want to be more involved. When it comes to selecting the individual dishes and beverages, they ask, ‘What kind of wine can we have? What’s trendy? What unique dishes can we serve? Can we do sushi?’
"Their greater involvement makes it more creative and challenging for me."
Robert no longer even gives out the "pre-planned" wedding packages that were popular years ago. "I say to you and your groom, ‘Let’s sit down and talk about your wedding. Let’s see what you like, and let’s complement that with what you expect your guests will like.
"We do the same thing with music, floral arrangements, and everything else. We take it from square one and customize the entire package."
The Inter-Continental also serves a variety of ethnic menus. "We’ve done everything from Mediterranean Mezza to Italian Tuscany theme tables. I’ve done some really elegant French classical food to Cajun Jumbalaya."
He is especially proud of his European-style kitchen. "We have so many multi-cultural chefs that we can do authentic ethnic dishes.
"So we don’t stick to the old prime rib and fillet of sole for the main course. It’s whatever you want, whatever you, the chef, and I can come up with. I think that’s the most interesting part of the job: matching the food and the wine to meet your expectations.
"I wish I could count all the country club weddings I’ve gone to in Long Island and New Jersey, where you're served fillet of sole, chicken breast, or prime rib. Never will that be served here. Even if you have to change things around or just make the presentation nicer. It’s just a plus."
So if you come in and say, "We don’t know what we’d like for our menu, but we don’t want to have the typical prime rib," what might Robert suggest?
"Be open-minded. Think about your ethnic background. What kind of food do you like?
"I don’t want to give you something too rich or too classical, if it’s not appropriate for your background.
"We really have to understand you, and we can begin to get a sense of your tastes as soon as we see how formal, casual, or flamboyant you might want your wedding to be.
"It’s become almost an art. Luckily a lot of brides and grooms know exactly what they want, from that certain main course to their particular dessert.
"If you know what you want, it is easier for us to hit a home run."
So to help your caterer with your menu and the flow and ambiance of your wedding, understand your preferences and those of your guests, and provide enough options for everyone.
Your Private Wedding Space
"We recently renovated and re-opened this hotel, spending millions to completely restore the property.
"We also only do one wedding at a time, which I think is the strength of this hotel." There are four lobby-level rooms that can accommodate your wedding. "We only do about 30 or 40 a year, which I think is great too. We are not a wedding factory.
"If it’s a Saturday night wedding, you can have a separate room for your guests as they arrive, so they’re not scattered through the lobby.
"Then you have your ceremony room, which is in the lobby too. All the rooms have high ceilings, they’re newly renovated and connected to the lobby, which is spectacular.
"Then you have a separate room for cocktails and a separate room for your actual dinner."
Because all the rooms are in the lobby, there are no staircases or elevators, which makes everything easily accessible. "You’re part of the lobby, which I think is one of the nicest in New York City, and there’s a very easy flow between rooms. So nobody gets lost. You go from room A to room B to room C and that’s it.
"And the fact that you’re in a Grande Dame New York City hotel that was built in the 1920’s and has just been restored really is a nice thing."
Robert has done weddings in his smaller second and third floor rooms for about 30 or 40 people. "I’ve done a lot of second weddings, people who want to do something small and intimate. I’ve done them here and at our other hotel on Central Park South."
For the large events, he can accommodate up to 160 people. "That’s with the ceremony and separate cocktail and dinner rooms.
Special Joys
What’s the most fun about throwing a wedding?
"There is so much anticipation. You become a family member. I ran out one time right before a wedding because the bride couldn’t find her shoes! I had to find her shoes on Madison Avenue.
"I had one groom show up 45 minutes late for the ceremony, with 15 beautiful bridesmaids with tears coming down their cheeks wondering what was going to happen to the bride.
"I think the greatest thing is when the bride and groom call or send a thank-you note saying, ‘Robert, it was the event of our lives.’
"I don’t know another business where I would still get thank-you cards, birth announcements, and people calling to say, ‘We would like to come in for our anniversary.’ It’s so rewarding because you see these couples move onward and watch their families grow.
"There’s definitely a special reward in helping you have the wedding you’ve always dreamed of."
A Patient Teacher
Robert has a degree in education. "I was teaching high school, and as I was getting my Masters degree I worked as a waiter, a sommelier, and a bartender. So I learned the business, and my teaching skills really help in this kind of business. Whether it’s the communication skills or the organizational skills, it’s really a nice mix.
"My dad told me he wanted to get into the hotel industry, and in June of 1984 I walked into the Waldorf-Astoria. They offered me a job in Peacock Alley as the restaurant manager."
Robert was so excited that he ran to the closest pay phone, which was in this building. "As I was on the phone with my girlfriend telling her I had gotten the job, the restaurant manager overheard my conversation and as soon as I hung up he said, ‘I want you to come here and be the restaurant manager, for an extra $1,000,’ which to me was all the money in the world.
"So I was predestined to work here, and I haven’t left since. I’ve had a lot of successful events and wonderful weddings and met a lot of great people."
