For many years, Richard Gorelick explored the workings of Baltimore restaurants, writing food reviews for The Baltimore Sun and other publications. After taking a break, he’s back in the business—this time on the other side of the restaurant world as a host at Foraged in Station North.

“My job is to manage the people coming in and to make sure that they’re seated in a way that doesn’t tax the kitchen too much,” Gorelick says. “It’s fun. It’s like playing Jenga, switching tables and trying to make sure individual servers aren’t overwhelmed.”

Gorelick, who has been at the restaurant since 2021, when it relocated from Hampden to its new location, likes being part of the front of house.

“It’s a great fit for me,” he says. “I really like it there. It’s what I imagined. The front of house works as support for the kitchen.”

In restaurant lingo, the front of house includes the parts of a restaurant that a customer sees, including servers, bartenders, food runners, and bar backs, and operations like table and bar service. The back of house refers to areas most diners don’t experience, like the kitchen, prep areas, and offices.

While several fields were interrupted by the pandemic, none was affected more so than the hospitality industry. At the height of COVID, many front-of-house staff were laid off as restaurants struggled to remain afloat—others left by their own choice in droves. The volatility of the hospitality industry, the health risks associated with COVID, and worker burnout all contributed to the massive loss of hospitality jobs in the U.S. since February 2020.

But luckily for us, some workers, like the six people we spoke with below, stuck it out. (One even joined the industry on the tail end of the pandemic.) Most of our interviewees agree that, despite the hardships of the past years, restaurant life is getting back to pre-pandemic times.

Peter Keck

Charleston

Maître d’hôtel Peter Keck is the go-to guy at Charleston in Harbor East. The fancy French title on his business card simply means he manages the restaurant, he says.

Though he downplays his role, the restaurant was recently named a semi-finalist for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality, which is no small feat. If something is amiss with a diner—their table isn’t ready when they arrive, for instance—Keck will step in to smooth out the situation, maybe offering a free glass of wine.

“The best part of my job is I get to make people happy and call that my career,” he says. “The worst part of my job is that sometimes you feel like you are the black hole for everything that’s going wrong.”

Keck has been with the owners, chef Cindy Wolf and Tony Foreman, since they opened Savannah in Fells Point in 1995. While he’s taken a few breaks when his daughters, now 25 and 22, were younger, he has spent most of his career with the business partners. He’s held various positions during his tenure, including as beverage manager in Charleston’s early days. He recalls one evening when a regular guest sat at the bar chatting after his dinner and left a $1,000 tip on an $85 bill.

“It was over the top,” Keck recalls. “It’s not every day you get to pay your rent with a tip.”

Currently, his official 10-hour day at Charleston starts at 4 p.m., but the Fells Point resident deals with myriad issues before even walking in the door. The text messages from staff start around 11:30 a.m., he says, with missives like: “Something is on fire.” “This staffer has a sick child.” “This person fell off a scooter.”

 

“THE BEST PART OF MY JOB IS I GET TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY AND CALL THAT MY CAREER.”

 

Once at work, he checks in with the staff before service begins to address any other concerns. There are typically about 23 front-of-house workers, from servers and bartenders to hosts and food runners, on duty each night. Despite being impeccably dressed in an Ermenegildo Zegna Italian suit, Keck has been known to climb a ladder and peer into the ceiling to fix a clogged pipe during his day. But mostly, he circulates through the restaurant interacting with customers.

“I’m driven by the expression on people’s faces and the atmosphere in the dining room,” he says. “That’s all the bottom line I need, people smiling and telling us they will come back again.”

At 57, Keck has no plans to slow down, but he has thought about the future.

“Tony and I talk about being two old guys who hang around the wine shop and pop into the restaurants,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t know how likely that is to happen, but I’m sure we will fulfill that to a certain extent.”

Aaron Day

The Prime Rib

Aaron Day, who has been lugging plates of juicy beef at The Prime Rib since 1973, rattles off an impressive list of diners he’s waited on: Rosa Parks, Mohammad Ali, Joe Frazier, Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Liberace, and Maya Angelou, to name a few of the famous folks who have graced his tables. In the beginning, Day used to get starstruck by the celebrity clientele.

“I would get a little intimidated,” he admits. “But now, it’s kind of easy.”

He remembers talking to Parks about Dr. Levi Watkins Jr., a Johns Hopkins heart surgeon who implanted her pacemaker and would bring her to the restaurant on her check-up visits to Baltimore. Occasionally, Day will drive his well-known customers to their lodgings. One evening, he chauffeured Tom and Dick Smothers of the Smothers Brothers comedy-musical duo to the Lord Baltimore Hotel.

“They lit up some marijuana and told me not to tell anyone,” Day says. “I was worried the police would pull me over.” They didn’t.

Local hotshots also make their appearances at the restaurant, from Ravens kicker Justin Tucker (he’s gracious about taking selfies with diners, Day says) and Fox45’s Kai Jackson to attorneys Billy Murphy and Warren Brown.

“This is where everybody in Baltimore City comes for a dining experience,” he says.

Day, who grew up in Edmondson Village, started at The Prime Rib as a busboy when he was 15, moving up to a waiter position when he turned 21. He was the only African-American server in the dining room at the time, he says, and was thrilled to be more than doubling his salary.  He has been a stickler about finances since he was a boy, cutting grass for his neighbors and learning about the stock market.

“I would go to the bank every day and put money away,” he says. “I came away with this thing for saving money.”

In high school, he bought his first car: a white 1970 Lincoln Continental. “The police used to pull me over two or three times a day and harass me a little bit,” he recalls. “They wondered how a guy like me could afford a car like that. I told them I worked at The Prime Rib.”

Now, Day, 65, arrives at the restaurant around 3:45 p.m. four nights a week to set up his station and make sure each place setting is pristine. He changes into a black tuxedo, the required attire for servers, before the first diners arrive at 5 p.m., usually finishing up his duties at 11 p.m.

He’s going to work as long as his legs hold out, he says. When Day does retire, he plans to trade stocks, take care of his family (a son, daughter, granddaughter, and grandson), and, oh, go out to dinner.

Oscar Galvis

Restaurante Tio Pepe

Oscar Galvis had no idea when he started working at Tio Pepe in 1975 that he’d be waiting tables at one of Baltimore’s longest running restaurants 47 years later.

“I like the people, and besides, it’s a living,” he says. “That why I stay there.”

He’s witnessed wedding proposals and various celebrations in the past decades, but he particularly remembers a couple who met at Tio Pepe on a blind date years ago. The couple eventually married and still come to Tio Pepe, he says.

Galvis, a Colombia native, was drawn to Baltimore because of a romantic interest when he was 19 years old. Looking for a job, he headed to Tio Pepe, known for its Spanish-Mediterranean cuisine, after a friend urged him to apply because “they needed Spanish-speaking people,” he says.

The bilingual Galvis was hired as a busboy, happily slipping into the signature gold jacket that’s the uniform of the job. But the eager worker soon donned a blue jacket as a food runner, working his way up to server with the coveted red jacket of the position.

The colorful, formal attire has been worn since the Mt. Vernon classic opened in 1968. And while much of the old-school restaurant hasn’t changed, there have been some adjustments. Lunch is no longer offered, and the workers, who once toiled six or seven days a week, have more manageable hours.

 

“TO HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE, SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH GENERATIONS, COME HERE IS THE BEST PART.”

 

Galvis, now 69, works between three and five days a week, starting at 5:30 p.m. The years have taken a toll on him physically, though, causing knee problems. He shrugs off the discomfort, saying, “That’s part of life.”

During his work evenings, Galvis juggles up to nine tables a night, depending on how busy the restaurant is. His secret to dealing with diners: “You need patience,” Galvis says. “You have to make things more relaxing.”

Over the years, he’s watched customers bring their children, grandchildren, and even their great-grandchildren to the restaurant. That’s his reward, he says: “To have all these people, second, third, and fourth generations, come here is the best part.”

Jillian Garner

Kooper’s Tavern

At 26, Jillian Garner sees waiting tables as a means to an end. “I want to start on a psychology degree,” she says. “I’ve always dreamed of being a Towson Tiger.”

Garner, who lives in the Oliver neighborhood of East Baltimore, strives to be financially independent. “I have to do everything on my own,” she explains. “I have to put myself through [school].”

After graduating from Glen Burnie High School, Garner enrolled in a medical-assisting program at a local trade school, ending up at a plasma center. She realized that wasn’t her calling and took a job at Outback Steakhouse in Canton in 2018. She eventually ended up at the now-closed Lucky Buns in Fells Point in early 2022. After rumors flew that the restaurant was closing for “renovations,” she applied for a job at Kooper’s Tavern in Fells Point and has been a full-time server since last April.

“I decided to give it a try, and I love it,” she says. Garner starts her five-day workweek at 9:30 a.m. on weekdays and at 9 a.m. on weekends, when she works double shifts. “It’s a good money maker,” she says with a laugh. “I’m always down for a dollar.”

Before diners arrive, Garner gets the tables ready and sets up the silverware, among other duties. She appreciates the customers who engage with her.

“I love that they ask me for my name and ask me how my day is,” she says. “It makes a huge difference.”

She’s also prepared for cranky customers. “Of course, we have moments when people aren’t happy, and we do everything to make it right,” she says. “Even if we think they’re not going to tip, everyone gets treated the same way with a smile.”

Thebonus is the people she’s met. “I’ve made great friends along the way,” she says. “The clientele is a family in itself.”

Teresa Marconi

Thames Street Oyster House

Only Teresa Marconi can make wolffish—an Icelandic specimen prized by chefs for its sweet, crab-like texture—sound like a dish you’ve been waiting for your whole life.

She’s done research on the fish, a special on some evenings, before she even approaches the upstairs tables she waits on at Thames Street Oyster House, gleaning information from executive chef Eric Houseknecht and exploring questions like, “How ugly is a wolffish? How lean is the meat?” Her resulting spiel gets everyone’s attention.

“People don’t know what this stuff is,” she says. “How will they order it if I don’t tell them?”

Marconi, who has been with the Oyster House almost from the beginning, when it opened in 2011 in Fells Point, takes great pride in ensuring the restaurant’s diners leave satisfied.

“I like to make people feel like they’re in good hands with me and the food,” she says.

One of her customers drives from out of town just to order the restaurant’s signature five-pound lobster stuffed with crab, shrimp, and scallops. He’s ordered it so often—probably at least 10 times over the years, Marconi says—that the kitchen has named the dish “The Paris Brown” after him.

“He and his wife eat what they can and take the rest home,” Marconi says. “Then, they eat it for the rest of the week.”

 

“WE’RE BACK TO BEING BUSY. IT’S PRETTY MUCH A STRAIGHT RUSH. THERE’S A LOT OF PHYSICAL WORK TO IT.”

 

Marconi, 60, has been wowing customers since 1983, when she worked as a summer waitress at Brass Balls Saloon in Ocean City to earn money to pay for college. Even after she graduated from then-Towson State University with a degree in mass communications, she leaned toward the hospitality business, settling in at John Steven Ltd. in Fells Point for 14 ½ years before following her friend, chef-owner Jason Ambrose, to Salt Tavern in Butchers Hill in 2006.

Along the way, the Idlewylde resident and her partner, Bruce Dombeck, had two sons: Clay, who is now 23, and Beau, 18.

During the pandemic, Marconi helped with the Oyster House’s carryout service and outdoor customers until the restaurant was fully operational again.

“It feels the same to me now,” she says. “We’re back to being busy.” Marconi’s day starts around 3 p.m., when she checks in for her shift, setting up the dining room and making sure the wine station is organized. At 4:30, diners begin to arrive for what Marconi calls “four and a half hard hours.”

“It’s pretty much a straight rush,” she says. “There’s a lot of physical work to it.”

She usually avoids making any serious mistakes during service, though occasionally she’ll inadvertently knock over a diner’s water glass (“Thankfully, not red wine” she says.) And, sure, various local sports figures like Ravens kicker Justin Tucker and linebacker Joshua Bynes pop in, but everyone gets the Marconi treatment if they’re sitting at one of her tables.

“They’re VIPs,” she says. “But everybody is a VIP to me.”

Richard Afrookteh

The Bygone

Richard “Rich” Afrookteh at The Bygone in Harbor East came into the hospitality field in a roundabout way. First, he practiced law; then, he became a business owner, running a bus company that transported students to private and parochial schools.

But in 2018, Afrookteh realized it was time to pursue his dream of working in the restaurant field.

“I decided that I’m going to do what I really wanted to do and be in the food industry,” he says.

Today, at The Bygone, he serves a range of customers, from groups of teenagers celebrating birthdays to prominent diners with deep pockets. Recently, he waited on a couple who enjoyed a meal with pricey bottles of Champagne and red wine. At the end of the $3,000 meal, the husband tacked on a $2,500 tip.

“I was floored,” Afrookteh says. “I still have the receipt.”

Afrookteh, who grew up in Catonsville, had always been fascinated by food, influenced by his dietitian mother, TV cooking shows, and watching his grandmother cook. After high school, he worked as a server in Ocean City, where he experienced one of his most embarrassing incidents, at Mario’s Italian Restaurant.

Afrookteh was dishing out scoops of shrimp scampi from a serving dish to a table of diners when a man began gesticulating, causing the dish to tilt and drip some of the gooey contents onto the man’s toupee.

“He had venom in his eyes,” Afrookteh recalls. “It was mortifying.”

That didn’t deter the 19-year-old from wanting to pursue a hospitality career. However, his father, a general surgeon, “never supported that kind of notion,” he says, so he went to the University of Delaware and then University of Baltimore School of Law before working in the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.

When Afrookteh’s children arrived—two daughters, now 28 and 25—he went into private practice. After he left the bus enterprise, he saw an opening for a server at the now-closed Alexander Brown Restaurant in downtown Baltimore.

“I applied online, and they hired me,” he says. “I thought, ‘I guess I can get back in the front of house.’”

When the restaurant closed during the pandemic, Afrookteh, who lives in an Inner Harbor condo, headed to Antrim 1844 in Taneytown and The Valley Inn in Lutherville before landing at his current post in April 2021.

“When I arrived, I was nervous about The Bygone, wondering, ‘Is it going to be corporate and stuffy?’” he says. “But the Atlas Group was very welcoming.”

Afrookteh, who wears a blue dinner jacket, black slacks, bowtie, and white shirt for his role, arrives at the restaurant’s 29th-floor dining room by about 3:45 p.m. on workdays to prepare for pre-shift meetings and the family meal, when staff members share food before their shifts begin. Dinner service starts at 5 p.m.

“Once I’m finished, I’m home at 11 p.m. or midnight,” he says. “It’s a long day.”

The effort is worth it if his diners enjoyed their meals. “I don’t think I do anything unique,” he says. “I try to allow people to experience the feeling they want in that moment. I want them to feel that No. 1, they’re welcome, and No. 2, that this is a place where they are special.”

With the rise of delivery apps and fast-paced food halls, our modern world prioritizes convenience and efficiency. Yet the finery of tableside preparation—the swiveling carts, the knife-wielding waiters, the pyrotechnics on wheels—is making a comeback.

Though the practice dates back to the Edwardian era when dishes were served a la francaise or a la russe in elegant banquet halls, it crossed the Atlantic Ocean and redefined dining in post-WWII America with its decadent flair. Now, diners pine for this old-school showmanship once more as restaurants keep them on the edge of their seats with flaming displays and theatrical flourishes.

Here are some restaurants that will leave you “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” with their tableside fare.

Rec Pier Chop House
Salad artists put on a show as they cut, toss, and dress romaine into classic Caesars, complete with freshly cracked pepper, egg, and anchovies. 1715 Thames St., 443-552-1300

Minnow
Hot toddies take an experimental turn with a 10-minute vacuum infusion to enhance herbal and citrus flavors. 2 E. Wells St., 443-759-6537

Chopstix Gourmet
On weekends, a parade of carts rolls out of the kitchen and makes its way through roundtables with lazy Susans, transporting bite-sized dishes called dim sum (translates to “touch the heart”). 1201 67th St., Rosedale, 410-866-2903

The Black Olive
Select fresh fish from a seafood display and watch as it’s meticulously filleted and deboned right in front of you. 814 S. Bond St., 410-276-7141

The Bygone
Roasted Peking duck, stuffed with herbs and glazed with lavender honey, arrives at the table on a silver platter, then is set ablaze with brandy and overproof rum. 400 International Dr., 443-343-8200

Wit & Wisdom
Lobster pot pie gets deconstructed as servers remove the pastry lid and place its contents—Maine lobster, truffle-brandied cream, and vegetables——atop the thick crust. 200 International Dr., 410-576-5800

OPEN

Roggenart: Mt. Washington locals are raving about this new cafe on Falls Road, which prides itself on fresh-baked baguettes, rolls, pastries, and pretzels. The shop opened late last month, rolling out a menu that spotlights sandwiches (think everything from ham and cheese to smoked salmon tartines), charcuterie platters, and classic pastries including a traditional pain au chocolat. Roggenart—a German term meaning “the art of rye”—also serves cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and an array of coffees and teas. 5722 Falls Road, 443-835-4443

COMING SOON

Baltimore Whiskey Company at Union Collective: In a witty video announcement released on social media earlier this week, Remington’s Baltimore Whiskey Company (BWC) publicized its plans to move into Union Craft Brewing’s new Medfield makerspace Union Collective in 2018. The distillery—which has become known for its lauded Shot Tower gin and Charles Street apple brandy—will transition into a 10,000-square-foot space with a second still, expanded fermentation equipment, and a larger tasting area. The expansion comes at an exciting time for BWC, as it prepares to unveil a new barrel-aged rye whiskey that will be the first on the market distilled in Baltimore in more than 50 years. 1700 W. 41st St.

The Bygone: A few months back, Atlas Restaurant Group announced that it would be opening a rooftop concept at the Four Seasons Baltimore. New details have recently surfaced about the bar, which will be named The Bygone and is slated to open this winter. Aside from 360-degree views of the city skyline, the 10,000-square-foot restaurant will highlight 325 seats, three outdoor terraces, a dining room, and a full bar and lounge with a mezzanine-level whiskey library and suspended catwalk leading to a DJ booth.

As its name signifies, the spot will project a Gatsby-era vibe with plenty of plush banquettes and custom woodwork. “Our goal has always been to operate first-class restaurant concepts in Baltimore and to be the driving force behind the culinary revolution going on in our city,” said Atlas owner Alex Smith, in a statement provided to Baltimore. “The Bygone will be a showcase to the entire country that Baltimore is ready to become a top culinary destination.” 200 International Circle.  

Sunset Raw Juice Bar: Acai bowls continue to be all the rage, and this new Foundry Row spot will soon bring the trendy treat to Owings Mills. The brainchild of former Ravens wide receiver—and Owings Mills native—Gerrard Sheppard, Sunset Raw Juice Bar debuts to the public on July 1, featuring cold-pressed juices, protein shakes and snacks, wellness shots, and acai bowls topped with bananas, berries, nuts, and granola. 10160 Reisterstown Road, 410-929-2013

Plantbar: Speaking of juice bars, this Belvedere Square staple was an early pioneer of the trend locally. Come fall, Plantbar will unveil a second location inside the Exelon Building at Harbor Point—peddling its pressed-to-order juices alongside an array of wellness elixirs, smoothie bowls, and paleo, vegan, and gluten-free snacks. “We’ve had a crush on Harbor Point for a while,” said Plantbar founder Daniela Troia, in a statement. “We really feel the community speaks our language.” 1308 Point St.

Rye Street Tavern: This new restaurant on the Sagamore Spirit Distillery campus in Port Covington will join the scene in September. The tavern will mark the second local concept from New York-based all-star chef Andrew Carmellini, who debuted the Rec Pier Chop House inside the Sagamore Pendry Hotel in March. Unlike the Italian-inspired chop house, Rye Street Tavern will focus on American fare with southern and Mid-Atlantic influences. 301 E. Cromwell St.

NEWS

Boathouse Canton: In an emotional message posted to Facebook earlier this week, the management team behind this beloved Canton waterfront establishment announced that more than 30 of its employees had quit unexpectedly after they were informed that the Immigration Division of Homeland Security instituted a review of the restaurant’s immigration records. “Based on our government’s current practices of targeting the Hispanic Community, properly documented, and those potentially less than properly documented, are all fearful of being separated from their families, many with small children,” said co-owner Gene Singleton, in the statement. “Many went home to pack up and leave. This was a sad, emotional, tragic event. It has been confirmed that the Boathouse’s policies and records are in compliance.”

In the days since, Boathouse has established a fund to raise money for the displaced families during their transition. The restaurant will be offering a limited menu (think favorites like crab cakes, wings, chopped salads, and seafood mac and cheese) until further notice as it continues to rebuild its staff. 2809 Boston St., 410-773-9795

EPICUREAN EVENTS

La Tavola Fundraiser for The Baltimore Station: This Little Italy stalwart is celebrating the Fourth of July a few days early with a patriotic fundraiser to benefit local veterans on Thursday, June 29. A portion of all proceeds from lunch, dinner, and extended happy hour service from 5-9 p.m. (featuring $5 beer, wine, sangria, and small plates) will be donated to The Baltimore Station—a residential treatment program in Federal Hill that supports veterans who are struggling with poverty, addiction, and homelessness. La Tavola, 248 Albemarle St., 410-685-1859

Haenyo: Chase Street Chillin: Local industry veterans Collin Morstein and Irvin Seo debuted this new Korean street food pop-up a few weeks ago at Holy Crepe Cafe in Canton. Next month, Haenyo is back at it with another one-night-only dinner on July 10 from 4-9 p.m., this time at Mt. Vernon’s Cafe Andamiro. Inspired by the cafe’s owner Keumran Yun, the locally sourced menu for Haenyo’s second event will feature two traditional Korean chilled soups, as well as gimbap (Korean sushi rolls) and bossam—pork lettuce wraps with fermented condiments. 241 W. Chase St.

Makan Makan Malaysian: R. House’s designated pop-up stall has been taking diners’ palates on a trip around the world lately, featuring local purveyors that specialize in everything from Korean to Jamaican cuisine. This week, the communal food hall welcomed a Malaysian-inspired concept from the team behind Ejji Ramen in Belvedere Square. Running until July 2, the pop-up will serve spins on classic Malay favorites including chicken satay, flatbread with curried lentils, and traditional gado-gado—a delicacy that tops mixed vegetables with a savory peanut sauce. 301 W. 29th St.

CH-CH CHANGES

The Corner Pantry: To coincide with the start of summer, British born chef Neill Howell is switching things up at his dining destination in Mt. Washington. This week, The Corner Pantry debuted a menu of lighter fare including a flatbread topped with roasted ham, lobster fritters with saffron and garlic aioli, and a tuna ceviche with lime, jalapeño, cilantro, avocado, and pickled watermelon rind. The spot’s breakfast and lunch offerings have also been updated with dishes like a muesli with overnight oats, and a caramel-drizzled French toast made with gluten-free brioche. 6080 Falls Road, 667-308-2331

CineBistro: Matinee movie lovers can now enjoy lunch offerings at this hybrid cinema and restaurant at The Rotunda in Hampden. CineBistro’s new mid-day menu will be offered from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, featuring items such as steak sandwiches, classic Caesar salads, and Old Bay-seasoned wings. 727 W. 40th St., 667-219-2430

Fork & Wrench: Co-owners Andy Gruver and Jason Sanchez recently appointed Corey Laub as executive chef of this fan-favorite New American spot in Canton. Laub—a Columbia native who most recently managed the kitchen at Chicago gastropub Novo—has already enhanced the Fork & Wrench menu with new creations including cucumber-tequila gazpacho, seared scallops with cashew pureé, and corn risotto with scallion, roasted tomato, and queso fresco. With Laub under the helm, Fork & Wrench plans to rotate its menu on a monthly basis. 2322 Boston St., 443-759-9360

SHUT

Cilantro Owings Mills: Falafel fans took to social media earlier this week to lament the loss of this Middle Eastern mecca in Owings Mills, which closed its doors on June 26. Fortunately, Cilantro’s brand new Light Street location downtown is officially open and going strong. “With the unexpected, immense support at our downtown Baltimore branch, we have realized that city and foot-traffic locations are most suitable for our brand,” reads a message that management posted to Cilantro’s Facebook page earlier this week. Aside from focusing on the city location, the owners hope to expand with an additional D.C. shop in the coming months. 30 Light St., 410-244-7020