72 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM steak out aryasteakhouse.com {food coloring} pomegranate pinot noir sauce— and end with the cheesecake. Arya’s fusion twist on this classic dessert includes a drizzle of honey to complement the tangy filling, a flaky baklava-like crust and a sprinkling of pistachio for texture. It’s “Paris meets Tehran,” Fera describes. When asked for insights into the food industry, Mike dishes out this sage advice: “Always use the best quality—or you end up spending more to replace it,” he shares. “Use the best quality for anything in your life. Food or anything else! That is why I have the best quality wife.” Beside him, Fera cracks up. Quality over quantity applies to their decision to dial back from several restaurants to one. The couple wanted more time to support their three children—which meant attending their soccer games, concert performances and figure skating competitions. “We want to make sure we’re there for them when they need it,” Fera says. “If we’re so busy in the business world and we don’t have time for that, then what’s the whole purpose of it?” Mike adds that their guests also appreciate the extra face time. “They don’t say, ‘We’re going to Arya.’ They say, ‘We’re going to see Fera.’ ‘Let’s go see Mike.’” There’s one more ingredient in Arya’s recipe for success: their tableside finesse. Fera interacts with guests before engaging in some mealtime matchmaking in order to pair them with the right server. “Just from a ‘Hello, how are you?’ I can kind of assess their personality or their day. Are they bubbly? Are they all business? Is it, ‘I don’t want to talk to you.’ Is it a date night?” She’s trained her managers to take a similar approach. “After a while, it’s a gut feeling. I don’t know how to explain it,” she muses. “Intuition.” And how does she know if they got it right? At the end of the meal, Fera says, “When I see a guest hugging that server at the door, I’m just like, ‘Spot on! Yes!’”
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