6:00 AM
Wake up and take a quick skinny-dip in the hot tub.
6:45 AM
Spark the fireplace. Read The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, New York Post and Corriere della Sera. Then shower and preen alfresco. If they’re going to call me a peacock, I must look my best.
10:00 AM
Arrive at the restaurant and stop in the kitchen to chat with Joel Patraker, the purchasing manager, about the fish that has arrived. See if it is possible to seat anyone on the waiting list.
11:30 AM
Change my tie. Talk to our restaurant manager, Trideep Bose, and maître d’ Lorenz Pretterhofer to be sure everyone is prepared for the day’s guests. Inspect all the tables, straighten linens and pin a IT’S ALL ABOUT THE STINGER button to jacket lapel. Showtime!
12:30 PM
Greet Grill Room regulars with my business partner, Alex von Bidder, at the front desk. Make it a special point to tease as many people as possible. One of the great joys in life is ruffling another peacock’s feathers.
1:00 PM
Do a lap around the Pool Room to say hi to our guests. Return to the Grill Room to see what kind of mischief I can cause. Deliver a blazing cake to Mr. Peterson’s table. Who cares if it’s not his birthday? He’s fun.
2:15 PM
Sprint out the door to see Charles Masson, owner of La Grenouille. Remind him that Italy won the World Cup. Remind him that, more importantly, France lost. Say hi to Grace Mirabella, who is dining there. She looks fantastic.
3:15 PM
Return to The Four Seasons to find a wine salesman waiting on me. Take a few tastes of wines. Sniff a few others. Order 10 cases of the Brunello and 10 cases of the Barolo. Tell him, “The Burgundy is disgusting. How much is it?” Buy 20 cases of it.
5:15 PM
After tending to some office matters, go the bar to see who stopped in after the closing bell. Change my tie.
6:00 PM
Stop in at the Cartier party. Say hello to my customers there. Introduce myself to everyone I do not know. Then return to the restaurant to greet guests at a book party.
7:30 PM
Change into black tie. Dash off to the Mandarin Oriental for a friend’s reception. Stay for 15 minutes, then duck out to return to the restaurant. Change back into my suit.
8:30 PM
Say hi to everyone in the Pool Room. Send a bottle of Moët rosé to the couple celebrating their 10th anniversary. Take their seven-year-old son to the kitchen to learn how to make cotton candy.
9:30 PM
Sit down on the Grill Room balcony with a chicken paillard and an arugula salad. Call my wife and let her know what train I’ll be on.
10:00 PM
Tell Trideep I’ll be right back but head directly Downtown.
