Biztronomy is the name given to "Business Gastronomy". It is a service Philippe Cartau has been offering for over 20 years now for corporate, startup and medium sized company players looking to make the best of gastronomy to further their business objectives. 

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The services provided by Philippe Cartau, the Biztronomer, go hand in hand with the global negotiation strategy and plan.

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Understanding People

Not everyone appreciates fine dining. Some people are ascetic, others have poor taste, and still others crave ostentation. Understanding gastronomic profiles is the first step in “Business Gastronomy.”

 

Defining Objectives

How should the dining experience serve our purposes? To expedite a position-based negotiation, or to lay the groundwork for a constructive one? Do we want to impress through opulence or subtlety? How do we encourage those who are austere at the table to spend more time there than they ever have before?

 

Understanding and Adapting to Cultures 

Cultures, whether regional or international, encompass a variety of differences that, if ignored, can lead to friction, misunderstandings—in short, undermine the chances of success. Understanding the cultures around the table and their usual faux-pas is a necessity.

 

Identifying Venues

Finding a suitable restaurant is no easy task, and restaurant reviews do not typically highlight those that are conducive to negotiations. The search for venues must be tailored to your needs and sometimes even tested in advance; be wary of well-known names or main street addresses.

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Providing Historical Context

Foreigners coming to do business in France are mostly curious to discover the great mystery known as “gastronomy.” This is an excellent opportunity to kill two birds with one stone: both to tell stories and to use these anecdotes to address issues related to negotiations

 

Guidance on etiquette

Etiquette codes change and vary by country and region. While rigidity isn’t conducive to exploratory meetings, certain missteps should be avoided. Advice given beforehand is discussed, and other opportunities to offer guidance may arise.

 

Wine selection

Balance is key, regardless of the topic—between food and wine, between restraint and letting go, between confidence and intoxication, between the beginning and the conclusion. Finding the right pairings—in mood and taste—is essential for negotiations to progress and agreements to be signed. A moderator is needed to guide and facilitate, and especially, ensure the right wines are chosen.

 

Managing service, placing orders

Understanding the subtleties, unspoken rules, and customs of both high-end restaurants and more discreet establishments can be both a challenge and a distraction. The Biztronomer manages all these tedious details to ensure the focus is on building the relationship.

 

Nurturing the Conversation

The art of conversation is not a hollow concept. It is a centuries-old tradition that is an integral part of gastronomy, for it alone allows the pleasure of fine dining to last so long. This discipline proves all the more delicate when cultures are far apart, not to mention the risks associated with the politicization of certain topics. The facilitator keeps the conversation flowing, opens up new avenues for discussion, and avoids conversational dead ends, 

 

Budget Management

Depending on the budget and means, each situation requires a restaurant that’s a good fit in terms of reputation, price, and quality.

For those on a tighter budget, the trick is to find hidden gems—places that stand out from the crowd but fly under the radar—so the customer feels special. For others, it’s about pulling out all the stops to make their eyes light up.

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All these and more are part of the Biztronomy service we provide our customers, either with their international business development project or as a stand-alone service provided directly by Biztronomy !

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