Minneapolis, Feb. 27, 2012. A 24-year-old midwestern steakhouse might seem like an unlikely nominee for the 2012 James Beard Foundation Outstanding Service award. Then again, quality of service helps explain how MANNYS STEAKHOUSE has not only survived for two-and-a-half decades, but enjoys a more devoted following than ever before.

Service That Makes the Cut

Its a great honor to receive a James Beard Award nomination for Outstanding Service, says General Manager Dave Wilson, but its not a surprise, because I really do believe MANNYS is special. Heres what makes it so, according to Wilson:

Valuing experience. Our servers are career professionals whove reached the pinnacle of our industry, says Wilson. We literally dont have turnover. People joke that the only time anyone leaves Mannys is if they die or get arrested. A couple of retirements notwithstanding, thats true.

- Continues Wilson: Ive worked my entire life in restaurants. My father was General Manager at the legendary Brennans in New Orleans. I started there at age 14. My dad respected his staff as professionals, and everyone profited from it.

Empowering the servers. We trust our staff to take care of their guests, says Wilson. They know from experience what their returning guests like, and they know almost by instinct what new guests want. Then they tailor the experience to their individual needs. Whether youre an executive doing a deal, a couple celebrating an anniversary or a celebrity who wants to eat in peace, MANNYS servers are free to exercise their best judgment, not some management protocol. And guests respond to that. Its why so many of them request servers by name when they make reservations.

- When I read what Timberwolves star Kevin Love said recently about Mannys I have a good rapport with the staff. I know everyone who works there from top to bottom, even the people in the kitchen. They always have a table ready for me, no matter what time it is. Its a special place for me in downtown, where I can get away from everything. [StarTribune, Feb. 24, 2011] I think he was picking up on our ability to read our guests and provide what they want. And its not just celebrities. Its everyone and anyone who does us the honor of coming to MANNYS.

Prizing the individual. I look at some of the James Beard nominees legendary restaurants like La Grenouille and Joel Robuchon and I can guarantee they have exacting service standards, says Wilson. Every fork will be precisely X inches from the plate. Thats not MANNYS.

- We want our servers to be who they are, and to serve guests the best way they know how. Doing that accomplishes at least three things: We empower the server to perform at the highest level and really cultivate lasting relationships with the guest. We take the vanilla out of the dining experience, making a dinner at MANNYS memorable for more than just the best steak youll ever eat. And we create a fantastic work environment.

Investing in staff. Career servers amass an amazing amount of knowledge over time simply by working, but we complement on-the-job experience with extensive training, explains Wilson. Professional education isnt just a white collar thing; it pays off for everyone.

Cultivating teamwork. Ask any server who the backbone of the dining room is, and theyll tell you the same thing: I would be effed without a good wait assistant, says veteran server Patrick Jocko Tierney. Theyre like the umpires at a ballgame. When they do their job right, no one notices and the game goes off without a hitch. The downside is, they seldom get credit, but nothing would happen without them, and ours are the best in town.

- Adds Wilson: Thats a benefit of low-turnover. When the servers and the wait assistants and kitchen staff have all been around as long as ours have, they function as one. They create a chain without any weak links.

Managing wisely. Most restaurants at our price point really prize micromanagement; we hate it, says Wilson. Our staff is so seasoned, it doesnt need that, and cant perform under it. MANNYS managers succeed by jettisoning a lot of what they learned elsewhere. They learn to be vigilant from a distance, and know when to step in. We have more on the floor than most any other restaurant but theyre here to support the staff, not to rule over them.

And the winner is.

Winners of the Chef & Restaurant awards will be announced at the 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards, held on Monday, May 7 in New York City. During the weekend preceding the awards, nominees and winners are feted in a series of events that have become the citys social and gastronomic highlight of the year.

About Mannys Steakhouse

Rated one of the Top 10 steakhouses in America by the Zagat Survey, MANNYS STEAKHOUSE serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily at the W Minneapolis The Foshay in downtown Minneapolis. Reservations can be made at 612-339-9900 or by visiting www.mannyssteakhouse.com. Parties interested in private or group dining events at Mannys or the Living Room and Prohibition lounges at the W are encouraged to learn more at parasole.com/events.

For more information about MANNYS, visit MannysSteakhouse.com or Facebook.com/MannysSteakhouse.

About Parasole

Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Parasole Restaurant Holdings operates Mannys Steakhouse, The Living Room and Prohibition in the W Minneapolis The Foshay; Salut Bar Américain in St. Paul and Edina; Pittsburgh Blue Steakhouse in Maple Grove and Edina; Uptown Cafeteria and Chino Latino in Uptown; Muffuletta Café in St. Paul; the Good Earth restaurants in Edina and Roseville; Burger Jones on the north shore of Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis and in Burnsville; and Mozza Mia Pizza Pie & Mozzarella Bar in Downtown Edina.

By joining the Parasole Dining Club, guests have the opportunity to earn points for the dollars they spend and redeem them for food and drink at any participating Parasole restaurant. Details at Parasole.com.

Company Contact:

Kip Clayton

Parasole Restaurant Holdings

Vice President of Marketing

Office 612.822.0016

Fax 612.822.0705

Cell 651.341.8009

kclayton@parasole.com

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