Wayne's Broad World

Excerpts from a telephone chat with famed former Mansion maitre d' Wayne Broadwell on his new position.

What's up?

I'm blessed with opportunity...I'm a very fortunate person. I'm the director of operations for Riccardi's Restaurant in the Quadrangle. What does that mean?

I oversee the daily operations, and I'm in charge of sales and marketing, public relations and training the staff...I brought in fresh flowers, and we're getting fresh trees for the interior. What happened to the Catalina Room?

It just didn't work out for me. Some things are better left unsaid. What about Aurora?

I love Aurora. It's a dream; it's a dream. But you know how Avner is. You know Avner's reputation. You know, Mark, I don't burn bridges. Does this mean you're going back to the Mansion?

Ah, heh heh heh heh. Boy, wouldn't that be somethin'.

Later that same evening...Hey, Wayne.

You asked me about the Catalina Room, and I was very diplomatic about my response. I am pissed! Let me tell you something. They owe me a week's pay, and I've been chasing it for three weeks...The only reason I was patient was because they have my one and only manuscript. You mean the restaurant service training manual?

Yeah. My service book. [Catalina Room and Top Cat fried catfish chain owner R.L. Deere] owes me a week's pay...Let me tell you something. I built that place in three months. I had that thing hummin'. I got him fabulous publicity. He was overwhelmed with the quality of people I was bringing in there. Well, they're all gone. Nobody's going back over there anymore. Because Wayne's not there. There's no reason for them to go if Wayne's not there. I wasn't going to say anything bad about him, but because he's so cheap that he won't give me my last check, I'm goin' to burst his friggin' bubble!

Calls to R.L. Deere weren't returned.

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Lanny Lancarte II of Lanny's Alta Cocina Mexicana in Fort Worth says he's eyeing Dallas. "On the weekends, 40 percent of our return phone numbers are either 214 or 972," he says. "I definitely have plans to open other restaurants with different concepts in the future."...Also (not) in Fort Worth: Blade's Prime Chophouse. It was buttoned up, apparently at the beginning of the year.