Name: Raymond Dowler
Position: Server/Waiter/Host
Started at Silver Fox: September of 1991
Most Memorable Experience: Some guy came in one weekend back in ’92 or ’93 and he hypnotized everybody. It was a little show he put on, but he came in for two nights, Friday and Saturday, and it was great. I let him hypnotize me because I didn’t think it would work, but it did!
On Working with Chef Bernard: We get along for the most part. Working together for so long, I’m sure I get to him sometimes and he gets to me, but he’s a great boss. He’s great to work for and he’s just an all-around great guy.
On His Coworkers: Everybody helps each other out and everybody communicates with each other. If I walk by your table and see that you have 30 dishes on your table and you were at another table, I would clear the table for you. And people would do that for me. We all pitch in. We’re all here to help each other.
Advice to New Coworkers: It’s a great place to work, but if you’re not into waiting tables and helping the rest of the staff out, then I don’t think it’s the place for you. We’re all here to help each other. If you’re just focused on what you want to do and you’re just focused only on your section, I don’t think it would work out.
On Hobbies/Interests: I like to play Bingo. I don’t like going to bars. You know, I’ll have a couple of drinks here at work sometimes when I get off, but I don’t like going to bars, I don’t like crowds, I don’t like driving home if I’ve had anything to drink. It’s not worth the hassle. I just go to Bingo and, whether I win or lose, I have a good time there. We all know each other and root for each other. Sometimes I get mad if I don’t win but I’d still be happy if I went with you and didn’t win, but you won six times. I’d be just as happy.
On His Favorite Part of the Job:My favorite part of the job is our customers and the people I work with. I’ve been here for so long that I know probably 90% of the people who come in and it’s nice when they come in and say they want to be seated in my section. I feel appreciated. And with my coworkers, at the end of the night if the roads are bad or whatever, we’ll say drive careful. We tell each other ‘I love you’ every night when we all leave. We’re extremely close, probably more so than any other restaurant in town. We’re like a family.