At the Front of The House | Atelier By David Gerlach September 7, 2005

Dinner at Atelier, the modern French restaurant at the Ritz Carlton on Central Park South, cannot begin without a proper visit to the bar. "It's the appetizer to the main course," bartender Norman Bukofzer says. A mix of tourists, politicos, stars of various realms and, often, a 105-year old zipper magnate, know to first stop at this reliable oasis. Mr. Bukofzer is a veteran of the trade, and as such, he's got the charm of a man who does not forget a face, a story, or one's drink. Even a first-timer to the bar thinking about a smooth Kentucky fix, sees a Manhattan arrive after a mere mention of bourbon. "We don't have a customer and a server relationship," he says. There are some "deep relationships that build up over time." Indeed, it seems he shakes hands with and gives hugs to half the patrons.

In the early 1970s, Mr. Bukofzer ran a joint called Night Moves—"It was a good name but there were no people "—on York Avenue and 73rd Street. It had a short, not-so-sweet run. Later in the decade, he bartended at "the discos on Fire Island" before heading to the Ritz in 1980. Mr. Bukofzer has been here ever since, save for the few years after the previous location, also on CPS, closed in 1998 and the current one opened in 2002.

While Mr. Bukofzer brings banter and ease, it is Atelier's manager, Jean Jacques Termolle, who sets the refined tone when guests step into the dining room. He worked at Le Bernardin for fourteen years, where he was a captain and banquet manager, before joining Atelier last year as a captain. "It was the top, there was no way to move up," he says. He was named manager here in the last month, and though he is reserved, a ltitle nervous excitement still presents itself.

Mr. Termolle's evening shift begins around 1 p.m., when he orders supplies and communicates with the kitchen about the night's menu, reservations and special guests. Mr. Termolle proudly sets his crew apart from other restaurants, where there is long-running battle between the kitchen andd the servers. "Here, I think we get along well, which is important," he says.

He walks through Atelier with the calm, calculated moves of the seasoned tennis player that he is. He learned the game while growing up in Zaire and, later, in Belgium in the 1960s and 1970s. "Some players smash the racket if they are losing some points," he notes while seated in Atelier's carpeted dining room. "But you just need to stay calm and be ready for the next point."

Which is a handy skill when running a major dining room. Already, Mr. Termolle has brought his personality to Atelier. And a few new touches. The windows that line the west and north side of the dining room used to be draped. Mr. Termolle says that passersby frequently thought Atelier to be a lounge or a private affair. "Now we open and it attracts business," he adds. Diners can watch the 6th Avenue action pass by. Though the hopeful, prying eyes can now get a look inside, the customers are still in good hands.

© 2009 david gerlach | contact: davidgerlach at yahoo dot com