THE LUCKY PILLAR HOUSE FAMILY

"You are so lucky." This is a phrase that we at the Pillar House hear frequently from our guests, friends, and from peers at other restaurants about our being open only Monday through Friday for dinner. We do not have to work weekends, breakfast, lunch or split shifts. Our full-time staff of 45 are a group of committed professionals whom we decided to poll to see if indeed they do see themselves as "lucky."

The Congenial Bartenders

Our Pastry Chef, Roger Babson, who was born and raised in Needham, went to work in the family restaurant right out of school. He is French trained and has been in the field for 25 years. He enjoys the work and also enjoys teaching others the fine art of pastry. He has written several children's cookbooks. All of the books are fairy tale stories entwining pastry and adventure, ending with recipes and procedures. He enjoys working at the Pillar House because "it affords and encourages me to have a life outside work, keeping me positive and appreciative of the finer things in life."

In 1972, Tom Larsen closed the Pillar house on weekends. He believed then and now that by closing on Saturdays and Sundays, a better quality of life could be had by all, including the owner. It is unusual and no doubt some people do not appreciate the inaccessibility of the Pillar House on the weekends. The Zagat Survey of 2000 scoffs, "Who ever heard of a restaurant not open on Saturday or Sunday?" In April of 1973, Anthony Spinazzola, the food critic for the Boston Globe wrote, "There are some things that recommend the restaurant to you immediately. It is closed on Saturday and Sunday. While the fact that a restaurant would close on what is normally the busiest night - Saturday - is not a positive assurance of its aims, that fact does say a great deal about what the management seeks to do."

One of our servers, Rolando Amorim, a performer in and around Boston on the weekends, sees his two years at the Pillar House as good ones. They have allowed him to "perfect my performance by viewing the dining rooms as a great stage. It is always a pleasure when you know you have made the guests feel special and content in their dining".

Being closed on the weekends provides the staff with opportunities to indulge in other professional activities. Of the sixteen full-time servers, many work during the day and weekends in various capacities.

Julio Silva, a two-and-a-half-year employee, helps his parents in their family Brazilian restaurant in Southborough.

For three years, Adilson Oliveira has been a server at the Pillar House. He arrived in the states ten years ago from Brazil. For eight years he has been a Pastry Chef by day and has his own business making cakes for showers, birthdays and weddings.

continued >>