A Few Words With: Dave Bob Gaspar, Manager at Home Plate Bar-B-Que Sanlitun

This year our 2015 Reader Restaurant Awards have four personality-based categories: Best Chef, Best Manager, Restaurant Personality of the Year, and Food Entrepreneur of the Year. During the voting period that runs through March 8, we’re profiling a few of this year’s crop of nominees.

This time around we present Dave Bob Gaspar, manager at Home Plate Bar-B-Que's Sanlitun branch, who has been nominated for both Best Manager and Restaurant Personality of the Year.

TBJ: Give us a little background about yourself.
Born in Florida, raised in Vermont and found my calling in Beijing. Just so we are clear, that calling was to be the best damn bingo wrangler in China.

TBJ: What's your "secret sauce" that informs your management style?
Well, you'd know if you came in the restaurant and saw me with my custom craftpersons' apron and a bow tie. You would probably think my management style was that of a soda pop shop owner ... or a hipster. My style is interactive. I'm constantly moving. In one night you could see me behind the bar mixing some craft shots, showing customers to their tables, on stage MCing an event, taking someone's order, running food, or socializing with new and regular patrons.

TBJ: Tell us about a customer crisis and how you resolved it.
I deal with most service-related problems by letting customers know that I am concerned and serious, by being honest and resolving the issue quickly and positively, so that they enjoy their time with us. It's difficult when any problem occurs, but when you are able to fix it and the customer leaves with a positive experience, and you see them return, it really is a great feeling.

TBJ: How are Beijing restaurant patrons different from diners in other cities?
Beijing customers are a bit different because they want food that is familiar to them. Sure, we're in China, there's a lot of expats here, and people want to find new restaurants with new concepts. But they also want a taste of home. Whether they're Canadian and want poutine at 4corners, or American and want BBQ from Home Plate, foreigners want authentic food and service similar to where they're from. Many Western restaurants in Beijing try to comfort people and provide them with a short break from their life living abroad.

TBJ: Have you always been this charming?
Ever since I was a kid. I grew up in a house full of women, and I have a Dad that's hilarious and had a talent for embarrassing me.

TBJ: What does Beijing need to become a more personable city?
A tipping culture like America might help. But I think Beijing is pretty personable already, what with its crazy rickshaw drivers, comical street vendors, friendly hutong dwellers, locals that sing hello as you're passing by and taxi drivers that share a cigarette and a story on the ride home. All the amazing restaurant owners and managers are a bonus.

TBJ: If you could host anyone at your restaurant, alive or dead, who would it be and why?
It would have to be with all the characters in the Tri-Lams fraternity from (the movie) Revenge of the Nerds, because I wanna party with Bugger and the whole crew!

TBJ: Tell us about one of your favorite places to eat in Beijing, aside from your own.
There are so many good ones. For fine dining I like Okra and Bistro B a lot. I also like Great Leap Brewery No.12, Slow Boat Taproom, Taco Bar, The Local, Corner Melt, Plan B, Jing A Taproom, Ocean Grounds, 4corners and Big Smoke. I could spend hours in all these places.

Click here to read previous editions of A Few Words With wherein we profile some of the top players in Beijing's food scene in the run-up to our 2015 Reader Restaurant Awards.

Image: Home Plate Bar-B-Que