Theres a little bit of Sherlock Holmes in Stéphane Mouttet.
Not only does he love the challenge of unlocking Vancouvers mysteries but hes also a keen observer of character, gleaning from the slightest hints of a persons behaviour where they might like to go out for dinner, or what type of play theyd enjoy, or whether theyd prefer a walk along the seawall or a night on Granville Street.
As the chef concierge at the Shangri-La, its Mouttets job to be able to answer just about any question a guest or resident may have. Its not good enough to say let me Google that. Nor would it suffice for him to hand out a bunch of brochures when hes asked What restaurant would you suggest?
I want the emotional connection, he says. You have to be ahead of the guest and read their mind.
Then he laughs. We do everything as long as its legal.
Being a concierge is a 24/7 job. To be able to answer any question, your day must start by reading multiple newspapers and it continues after hours with attending events or restaurant openings. Weekends are spent exploring the city so you know where everything is and what every place has to offer. If a guest wants to go shopping at Harry Rosen after the store is closed, you need to know who to call to get the lights turned back on, and that means you are always networking, always making connections. A concierge not only needs to know what musicians are playing in town but how to get tickets to the sold-out event.
Thats why Mouttet wants people to realize that being a concierge requires resourcefulness, knowledge and maintaining a high level of standards.
Being a concierge is in the blood, he says.
Concierge likely comes from the French compte-cierges, or keeper of the candles in feudal times. He was the person in charge of making sure all the visiting nobles were well taken care of in the castle. Later the role became the keeper of the keys in government buildings and castles. In 1929 Paris hosted the first international meeting of concierges, who by now became associated with the grand hotels.
The worlds top concierges today are members of Les Clefs dOr. It requires vigorous training and tests peoples knowledge of not only their own city, but of helpful information from around the world. With only 640 women keyholders (primarily in North America), the 3,300-member organization is still male dominated. Mouttet is the director of the B.C. region. Its members the keepers of all knowledge will be sharing information about goings on in Vancouver every week with WE readers.
