$2,500 tips from Johnny Depp, chefs who wipe floors with steaks and why solo travellers get the best service: Shocking confessions of a five-star waiter

  • Paul Hartford describes what it's like working in a five star establishment
  • Experienced waiter has been given a $2,500 tip from Johnny Depp twice
  • Describes chef wiping floor with steak after guest thought it undercooked
  • Russell Crowe owes him a favour and he likes solo travellers best 

By India Sturgis for MailOnline

Published: 07:06 EST, 21 May 2015 | Updated: 11:11 EST, 21 May 2015

Paul Hartford has worked in more dining rooms across Boston, Hollywood and Beverly Hills than most of us have had hot dinners.

The five-star waiter has spent years tending to Hollywood's elite with seared scallops, sirloin steak and lobster bisque.

He's waited on celebrities, dealt with tricky customers and served more Veuve Clicquot than could fill the North Pacific.

Paul Hartford has worked in five star dining rooms across Boston, Hollywood and Beverly Hills 

Paul Hartford has worked in five star dining rooms across Boston, Hollywood and Beverly Hills 

And now that he has left the industry, the top-tier server and barkeep is keen to shed light on what really goes on in luxury restaurants and hotel kitchens and bars.

Surprisingly, his favourite clientèle are lone travellers.

'I used to host many solo travellers and they were a lot of fun to talk to,' says Paul.

'In my last server job, however, a solo traveller always sent up a red flag warning. I always had to suspect that 'singles' were mystery shoppers judging my service and reporting back to upper management. 

'So, whether or not that was true, they would get phenomenal service.'

Paul has been given two $2,500 tips from the actor Johnny Depp and had says celebrities tend to tip the best
Paul has been given two $2,500 tips from the actor Johnny Depp and had says celebrities tend to tip the best

Paul has been given two $2,500 tips from the actor Johnny Depp and says celebrities tend to tip the best

Big-name celebrities who arrive in large groups and drink the finest wines leave the best tip and Johnny Depp has tipped him $2,500 on two occasions. Russell Crowe even owes him a favour. 

In his new book, a memoir called 'Waiter to the Rich and Shameless: Confessions of a Five Star Beverly Hills Server', Paul describes a run-in with the actor who had come to the bar of a restaurant named 'The Cricket Room' in Beverly Hills.

 One of the worst things you can do as a holidaymaker or diner is order off-menu or be picky about water

 One of the worst things you can do as a holidaymaker or diner is order off-menu or be picky about water

A chef took offence to a returned steak so rubbed the new one all over the floor, stamped on it and served it

A chef took offence to a returned steak so rubbed the new one all over the floor, stamped on it and served it

'They were all drinking a specific vodka ordered by the celebrity himself,' says Paul. 

'When he got up to use the restroom one of his minions asked me to switch his vodka out for a different brand to see if the master would notice the difference. I did.'

Paul switched Belvedere vodka for Grey Goose and the star's friends challenged Russell to guess what vodka he was drinking. Paul gave Russell a subtle nod and clue and the actor was victorious.

Later that evening Paul remembers Russell saying 'Nice work earlier, mate...you’ll be mentioned in the will…'

Paul describes a run-in with the actor Russell Crowe when his friends switch the vodka he was drinking 

Paul describes a run-in with the actor Russell Crowe when his friends switch the vodka he was drinking 

Along with the glitz and glamour Paul has seen diners make such lofty requests that you have to question their sanity.

'One wealthy UK family called ahead to have us prepare organic vegetables cooked very soft for their baby which they had no problem paying $100 for. And then they left most of it behind.'

One UK family called ahead to ensure the restaurant prepared organic soft cooked vegetables for their baby

One UK family called ahead to ensure the restaurant prepared organic soft cooked vegetables for their baby

Then there are those who get a little too keen. 'There were a few weird stalker-type ladies, but the one that stands out in my memory is a really creepy man named Peter.'

Peter asked Paul up to his hotel room and after being banned from the bar would sit in the restaurant gazing longingly at him at a table across from the bar.

What about that old adage that behind closed door waiters spit on tricky holidaymakers food?

Paul has written about his experiences in a memoir 

Paul has written about his experiences in a memoir 

'Usually it’s not waiters but cooks or chefs who get pissed off at the guest.'

'My brother worked in a restaurant on the North Shore of the Boston area where the Executive Chef got so pissed off at a guest who said his prime steak was overcooked (when it wasn’t) that he took out a beautiful, fresh, raw steak, rubbed it all over the kitchen floor and stepped on it with his dirty boots before cooking it.'

'Twenty minutes later the waiter brought the verdict: Perfect, he loves it!'

The most irritating thing you can do to a waiter, according to Paul, is ask for tap water and when it comes, ask for no ice, then when that arrives ask for lemon, then a straw and so on.

On a par are those who decide to take the menu into their own hands.  

'The not-ideal guest would include those who change the menu around to compile some sort of mish-mosh version of what the chef is offering. Chefs don’t like changing the dishes they have so proudly composed.'

'And you are, of course, not an ideal guest if you have numerous allergies to common ingredients in the majority of the dishes at the restaurant where you are dining.'

'If you are one of these unfortunate people please go online to view the menu ahead of time.'

Last of all, how to get fabulous service every time?  'Engage your server respectfully and recognise them as an equal human being. That always makes us happy!'

 

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