The Role Of Appearance In Garlic And Sapphires By Ruth Reichl
As a renowned restaurant critic, Ruth Reichl paid little or no attention to her appearance while dining out. The food was the same for everyone, regardless, she had thought. However, while in New York, she learned that her belief was flawed. Hundreds of restaurants were studying her appearance. Waiters planned on serving her like royalty in order to get a good review from her. Reichl knew that dining as herself would not help her acquire a authentic evaluation of each restaurant. “If every restaurant in New York knew what I looked like, I had to look like someone else,”(24). In Garlic and Sapphires, Reichl argues the role of appearance and a status in society by utilizing personal anecdotes regarding each of her disguises. With the help
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of an acting coach and a professional makeup artist, Ruth Reichl became Molly Hollis. Covering her dark, curly locks with an ash brown wig, and a beige Armani suit replacing her black clothing, Reichl created Molly. Understanding that a backstory was imperative in execution of the role, Rechi insisted that Molly was “a high school English teacher” from “Birmingham, Michigan.”(26). At restaurant, Reichl was curious to see how Molly would be treated in the luxurious atmosphere. Despite having a reservation, the maitre'd forced Molly and her friend to wait in the bar while having an ulterior motive, “Do you suppose that they are laboring under the misapprehension that we are going to tire of the wait and go away?” (30). The restaurant intentionally ignore and disregard people who did not fit their standards like Molly. While in disguise, Reichl was placed in the smoking section, against her wishes, subjected to waiters throwing menus and plopping food, and rude neglect. “Were we invisible because we were women? Or did we look too much like tourist to be worthy of recognition?” Reichl thought considering their horrible treatment, (31). However, when Reichl went back to the same restaurant, Le Cirque, with the famous Warren Hoge, her service was suddenly better. In the eyes of the restaurant, if you did not look respectable, you were not worthy respect. If they did not know you, you were a nobody. Status and appearance largely impacted the service. Reichl based her next disguise on a stranger she had met on the bus.
A weary old woman walked onto the bus, struggling to carry her shopping bags. As she walked down the aisle, no passenger was willing to give up their seat. Reichl stood up and gave the poor old lady her seat. “For me? Thank you, dearie. No one ever stands up for me. Sometimes, I feel invisible,” said the woman in a soft voice. Following the woman off the bus and home, Reichl watched how horribly the old lady was treated. “My invisible woman was Betty Jones,” she said looking at the lists of names next tot buzzers on the door. This invisible woman was the perfect cover for Reichl. Acquiring a clothes from the Salvation Army and a cheap gray wig, Reichl became Betty. At Tavern on the Green, Betty was treated, as one would expect, poorly. She and her party of old ladies were seated by a window in the dead of winter without their coats. The hostess insisted that they leave them in the front. While taking Betty’s order, the waiter craned to hear her soft voice. She was forced to write down her order because he did not care to listen anymore. Betty’s timid nature and raggedy appearance influence her service. Like Molly, she was not acknowledged, let alone
respected.
Fortunately, not meeting a restaurant standards, appearance wise, did not always mean dreadful service. Reichl next disguise was her mother Miriam, an authoritatively loud and gaudy old woman. Miriam had silver hair and wore a silk blue dress, pearls and flashy makeup with tiny stars on her eyelids. At a restaurant like 21, Miriam clearly did not belong. But she made sure no one would treat her as such. “She advanced upon the world as if she were invading army intent upon conquest,” Reichl describe her mother, (83). At 21, Miriam refused to be treated like second class. She sent everyting item she received back until it was up to her standards. “Soup was never hot enough, meat was always too well done, salads were overdressed or underdressed or served at the wrong temperature,” Reichl recounts from her childhood about her mom as she performs like Miriam, (85). Although the waiter grew irritated, his service never showed it. When Miriam demanded respect, she received it. When the waiter did not make a mistake, “relief was etched in every muscle of his back,” (87). To Miriam, it was not a matter of who you were, instead who you that you were.
With these three disguises, Reichl establishes her argument. She argues that resturants hold a bias against you if look a certain way.
of an acting coach and a professional makeup artist, Ruth Reichl became Molly Hollis. Covering her dark, curly locks with an ash brown wig, and a beige Armani suit replacing her black clothing, Reichl created Molly. Understanding that a backstory was imperative in execution of the role, Rechi insisted that Molly was “a high school English teacher” from “Birmingham, Michigan.”(26). At restaurant, Reichl was curious to see how Molly would be treated in the luxurious atmosphere. Despite having a reservation, the maitre'd forced Molly and her friend to wait in the bar while having an ulterior motive, “Do you suppose that they are laboring under the misapprehension that we are going to tire of the wait and go away?” (30). The restaurant intentionally ignore and disregard people who did not fit their standards like Molly. While in disguise, Reichl was placed in the smoking section, against her wishes, subjected to waiters throwing menus and plopping food, and rude neglect. “Were we invisible because we were women? Or did we look too much like tourist to be worthy of recognition?” Reichl thought considering their horrible treatment, (31). However, when Reichl went back to the same restaurant, Le Cirque, with the famous Warren Hoge, her service was suddenly better. In the eyes of the restaurant, if you did not look respectable, you were not worthy respect. If they did not know you, you were a nobody. Status and appearance largely impacted the service. Reichl based her next disguise on a stranger she had met on the bus.
A weary old woman walked onto the bus, struggling to carry her shopping bags. As she walked down the aisle, no passenger was willing to give up their seat. Reichl stood up and gave the poor old lady her seat. “For me? Thank you, dearie. No one ever stands up for me. Sometimes, I feel invisible,” said the woman in a soft voice. Following the woman off the bus and home, Reichl watched how horribly the old lady was treated. “My invisible woman was Betty Jones,” she said looking at the lists of names next tot buzzers on the door. This invisible woman was the perfect cover for Reichl. Acquiring a clothes from the Salvation Army and a cheap gray wig, Reichl became Betty. At Tavern on the Green, Betty was treated, as one would expect, poorly. She and her party of old ladies were seated by a window in the dead of winter without their coats. The hostess insisted that they leave them in the front. While taking Betty’s order, the waiter craned to hear her soft voice. She was forced to write down her order because he did not care to listen anymore. Betty’s timid nature and raggedy appearance influence her service. Like Molly, she was not acknowledged, let alone
respected.
Fortunately, not meeting a restaurant standards, appearance wise, did not always mean dreadful service. Reichl next disguise was her mother Miriam, an authoritatively loud and gaudy old woman. Miriam had silver hair and wore a silk blue dress, pearls and flashy makeup with tiny stars on her eyelids. At a restaurant like 21, Miriam clearly did not belong. But she made sure no one would treat her as such. “She advanced upon the world as if she were invading army intent upon conquest,” Reichl describe her mother, (83). At 21, Miriam refused to be treated like second class. She sent everyting item she received back until it was up to her standards. “Soup was never hot enough, meat was always too well done, salads were overdressed or underdressed or served at the wrong temperature,” Reichl recounts from her childhood about her mom as she performs like Miriam, (85). Although the waiter grew irritated, his service never showed it. When Miriam demanded respect, she received it. When the waiter did not make a mistake, “relief was etched in every muscle of his back,” (87). To Miriam, it was not a matter of who you were, instead who you that you were.
With these three disguises, Reichl establishes her argument. She argues that resturants hold a bias against you if look a certain way.