Ruth Reichl, now editor of Gourmet magazine, was eating lunch with a reporter when she noticed that the server left a pepper mill on the table. "People steal these things all the time," she said.
I was working for the Life section at USA Today at the time and was shocked when I read the statement. Do customers really steal from restaurants? After a few phone calls, the answer was quite clear -they sure do. Jim Barnes of the Dilworthtown Inn told me about people rolling up rugs and stuffing pewter platters down their pants. Georges Perrier at Le Bec-Fin said someone stole a bust of Marie Antoinette. And it wasn't just East Coast restaurant thefts - it was nationwide. Paintings, antiques, photos, silver, toilet paper, soap - you name it, people stole it.
Wow. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when Mike Majewski told me that people were walking away with mouthwash dispensers at his new restaurant Brandywine Prime. But I am. Then, this past weekend, I found an glass from Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans. Uh-oh. Did I steal this? I couldn't remember. My New Orleans traveling partner set me straight: "You bought it after drinking a Hurricane - your second Hurricane." So I'm thinking, maybe most thefts are alcohol-fueled? Maybe so, but that still doesn't make it right.
Jim Barnes had a great quote about thefts that is still relevant: "You can take the mints - just don't take the bowl."
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I miss Caffe Bellissimo's creme brulee. I almost had a full set of designer ramekens to wine and dine my political friends. Oh well. The ones I do have make awesome paper weights.
Great blog, Patricia! I'll mention it on my own.
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