TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin The Chef Table Restaurant

The Chef Table restaurant on Airport Road in Simpson Bay just opened this month. We had dinner there last night and it was delightful! The chef has developed a wonderful menu! We chose duck confit, Caesar salad, and a lobster pasta dish. All were excellent. There is a tapas menu along with the main menu. The restaurant has a Facebook page with photos of some of the creations. The only negative is that we are leaving tomorrow and won’t be here for the grand opening iSaturday night.

Sounds interesting. Where on Airport Road? What is it next to?

We'll have to stop in!!! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093699924907&sk=photos

Pictures look nice, but more BS tip inflation--"10% gratuity will be added for all staff, waiter gratuity not included". Seriously??

Something about that isn't right!!! I just wish they left it up to us about tipping!!! But as you know, some people that are not in the service industry don't understand what it's like to make a living on their feet!

Not to highjack this but......Mostly agree on letting the guests decide on how much to tip. But on SXM from what some restaurant friends say certain nationalities just don't tip or know how much to tip so the rest of us get stuck with the tip added to the bill policy which is more common on SXM. Not a big deal to me , if the service isn't good I would just say something to the manger ,etc. It's normally Island time no urgency service anyhow.

That whole thing isn't right! We regularly tip 20%, but BS policies like this would make me personally just skip the restaurant all together. There are too many great restaurants on SXM to put up with this type of stuff. Hopefully they will get push-back on this and change it.

Since my post has been high jacked, I will just say that the minimum wage on the Dutch side is $5.35. What kind of living wage is that?

Sorry, that is not my problem.

As I said, I personally would just skip the restaurant. Other folks can make up their own minds.

Back to your original post is the restaurant next to some business I would know? Also do they have a nice bar for those of us that travel solo?

As much as I agree that this is BS, if it's a restaurant that I want to try, I wouldn't let this stop me. I'd add an additional 5 or 10% tip, depending on how I felt about the service, and let it go at that. How the restaurant shares the tip isn't my problem, and anyone who works there and isn't happy with how it's done can find another job. There are plenty of restaurants on the island that are pretty much always looking for servers.

I’d do the same Georgia. Just add 10%. I’m still trying to figure out where this place is located.

If they increased their price by 10 percent, gave the extra to the staff and didn’t tell you, you would be O.K. with that?

If the restaurant does well, the staff makes more money. Seems like a way of having the staff do their best. Seems like a good strategy, but maybe being open and honest about what you are doing isn’t a good policy?

Next to Scotia Bank. There is a bar. It is not very big, but we sat there for a drink.

I may take a lot of heat for saying this. But oh well - that’s life! Personally speaking, I am getting so tired of the island tipping issues.

People, this is not my problem. Tipping is - or at least, should be - a very personal choice or decision. I support the island every day I’m there and in every way just by being there. I tip our maids and resort service people generously and no one tells me how much or what percentage to give. Tipping should be a private matter and should NOT be dictated. For those who want to leave thirty or forty percent, good on you but I don’t feel the need and I’m still always treated well by places I return to.

We always tip generously when merited and not so much for poor service. Food quality is an entire separate issue and if there’s a problem, it should NOT reflect upon the servers gratuity. If the restaurant adds a percentage and says it’s not a tip, I say that’s bull but if everything went well I would add to bring the charge up to twenty percent at least.

To each his own but that’s my personal opinion. 🙃🙃

Thanks Dear Pat bawl , bawl , tired too.

I am confused by banks. Is Scotia in the area of the cinema or sort of across from Sale and Pepe?

Across from Sals and Pepe.

OK - I went by that place many times in June/July. It seemed to be closed a lot of the time - I could never figure out when it was open. It also had a different name on the building. Sounds like they have now made changes for the better. I'll put it on the list for November. Thanks for the info!

The restaurant is on the corner across from Banco di Caribe and on the same side of the road and across airport road from Eagle Boat Tours. If you know the roads, it's on the corner of Airport road and Sr. Modesta Road. Immediately behind this restaurant on Sr. Modesta road is the White Swan.

Correct - excellent description. Went by it many times during my five-week stay.

Georgia, I totally agree with everything you said. If I want to try that restaurant, I totally don’t care how they split their tips, it’s between the owner and his hired help, not my problem. Which ever way it’s incorporated into the bill, as long as it’s adds up to 15% out of my pocket.
Tipping in US 20%+ is insane in my opinion, even though I do it because it’s customary. My son is in a restaurant industry and he said the waitresses at one of the top Philadelphia restaurants he used to work at can pull around $1000 ( yes, $1000) a night in tips during Christmas Holidays. Wish I was making that !

Very well stated.

Perfectly stated Pat. I believe that defines tipping to a “T”

This is a really nice restaurant. Tipping should not be the issue. Tip as you personally think best. For me, it is the food, the service, the ambiance.

I completely agree.

At least they are upfront with the 10% minimum add on and leave it up to you to do what you want.

pburke--tipping should not be the issue, correct. They are automatically setting themselves up for failure, by making an unpopular policy. They are MAKING it an issue.

We can agree or disagree about this policy. However, we are on island now and are seeing more and more restaurants on the Dutch side adding some sort of gratuity to the bill. Looks like the way things are moving here.

This policy is different than adding an automatic 15% for staff and servers, which I hate that one too, by the way, but I just leave it at that, they get 15%, period. Many people will be deceived into adding an extra 15% for servers on top of the already 10%. Other staff have NEVER been tipped separately, as far as I know. Raise your prices 10% and pay it to the other staff, or whatever you have to do to stay in business.

Agree...automatically added a charge to the bill is not a tip but a charge. We usually tip 20%+ for good service but when they choose the "tip" then that's what it will be

Edit:I should add that we try to avoid any establishments with the auto added charge if we can

"Edit:I should add that we try to avoid any establishments with the auto added charge if we can"
Not easy done on the Dutch side.