Secret Service: Lindsay Tusk of Quince Reveals Her Unusual Training

By Meesha Halm

In a town where casual service is the norm, Michael and Lindsay Tusk’s Downtown restaurant Quince stands apart. Michael may well be the genius behind the stoves, but Lindsay’s the one responsible for the synchronized white-glove service for which the restaurant is known. Tusk engages in many things to train her staff to be Ninja-like servers, from leading tableside carving training courses to teaching hand signals in the dining room to ensure better traffic flow.

And to achieve a level of service that’s like a well-choreographed dance, well, Tusk actually offers two-day dance instruction for her staff. We’re not talking Zumba, mind you, to blow off a little steam, but ballet and Alexander technique classes. Tusk explains, “Servers need to be technically precise but personally relaxed when interacting with guests. How the wait staff carries themselves is a very important aspect of this.

So as part of the staff’s continuing education and training, we have movement workshops in a range of disciplines, most recently an Alexander Technique workshop conducted by renowned dancer and instructor Shelley Senter that focuses on the center of gravity, spatial awareness and ease of movement. Such classes equip the staff with skills and awareness that help them achieve the overall choreography and synchronicity of the Quince service experience.”