05/14/2024
I have long had an affinity for East Nashville’s well-known Margot Cafe and Bar. I frequented Margot often, sometimes multiple times a week, and relished in Margot’s culinary talent and unforgettable hospitality. I would dream aloud about the prospect of having Margot whip up a feast in my very own kitchen one day. Little did I know that from these conversations, an idea would grow, evolving into something extraordinary: the present day.
Hadley Long, the skilled Executive Chef hailing from Margot's kitchen, set the scene for the first Placemat in-home Restaurant Reservation experience. Hadley, guided guests through an evening of culinary delight, scratch made in onsite. The aroma of freshly baked Focaccia filled the air as guests arrived. Soon, a smashed Pea and Feta Dip was served as the starter. Amidst engaging conversations and laughter, guests indulged in a family-style dinner featuring Bear Creek Farms Bolognese as the main entree, paired with a Seasonal Salad and Parmesan Polenta with Sautéed Spring Vegetables. To close it out, dessert was a fluffy wedge of Angel Food Cake with Local Strawberries from The Farm and Fiddle and a dollop of Mascarpone Whip.
Following the meal, we sought feedback from our guests. The response was overwhelmingly positive. The consensus was clear: dining "out" was again elevated to new heights when enjoyed "in." Guests enjoyed the experience of being involved in this one-of-a-kind night, witnessing their meal prepared in the kitchen, and interacting with the each other before savoring each bite, all the while relishing the same exceptional quality they'd expect at the Restaurant, but it was here within the comforts of their own home.
One thing is abundantly clear: Placemat's vision of revolutionizing the dining experience is at the forefront of a movement, challenging conventional notions of what it means to dine out.
In short, exploring this model, the objective was how can we create a win-win-win for all that are involved; the Guests, the Restaurant and Placemat.
7 years of building and 7 years of lessons learned has now paved the way to provide Restaurants an adaptable solution to increase revenue utilizing our back-end planning, our automated Guest communications and day-of setup. The Restaurant is solely responsible for providing their weekly availability, a prefixed menu and a Team member to represent the Restaurant to do the cooking and storytelling.
The benefits for a Restaurant is guaranteed revenue on days they might not be open or perhaps slow, a tool to retain and grow talent, to provide new experiences and a solution to drive patrons back into the Restaurant with incentivized power play marketing through story telling while cooking in a guests home.
What do you say?
