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ASTER
BIDS
FAREWELL
In
1997,
while
being
courted
to be
the
chef
at
a recently-opened
restaurant
at 101
South
Madison,
I came
to
dinner
as
part of
the interview
process.
With
my
partner
Joanne,
I was
first
exposed
to this
beautiful
house
in
the historic
village
of Middleburg.
Although
there
was
no fit
between
that
restaurant
and me,
Joanne
and
I walked
away
saying, “What
a shame,
what we
could do
with a property
like this!” You
can just
imagine
the feeling
of kismet,
when
our broker
showed
us the same
property,
seven
years
later. We
had searched
16 months
for the
home
of Aster,
but no
other space
we saw
fit our
vision.
Our goal
was to
provide
a Total
Dining
Experience,
excelling
in all
components,
of which
the environment
was a
major
factor.
Could the
corner of
Madison
and Federal,
in this
beautiful
town,
be it?
What a risk!
American
poet,
George
E.
Woodberry
(1855-1930)
wrote, “Defeat
is not the
worst of
failures.
Not to have
tried is
the true
failure.” These
words
have
always resounded
to Joanne
and me,
with
great
clarity;
so we
embarked
on our
journey
to fulfill
our dream.
Below
is an excerpt
from
a letter
we wrote
last
week to
Tom Sietsema,
Food
Critic for
the Washington
Post,
after our
decision
to close
Aster:
“…My
partner,
Joanne,
and I chose
to pursue
our dream
and put
our restaurant
in Middleburg
for a couple
of motivating
reasons.
First, the
future growth
of Loudoun
County,
with its
promise,
and plans,
and secondly,
the opening
of a world
class spa
and resort – Salamander
Inn, targeting
the high
end corporate
market.
Our plan
was – if
we accomplished
our goal
to create
the “Total
Dining Experience” for
our guests,
and to receive
positive
press which
recognized
Aster with
high marks,
as you,
Nancy Lewis,
and the
Washingtonian
Magazine
have all
done, then
all would
be okay
and the
guests would
come. ..
We accomplished
everything
we set out
to do, in
a challenging
location,
became ensconced
in the community,
and developed
strong relationships
with our
loyal guests,
but the “lesson
learned” here
is Annual
Dining Guide
positioning
and Top
Very Best
Restaurant
status did
not equate
to making
the drive
during the
week. Amazing
how many
reservations
we have
turned down
on Saturdays
for the
past 6 months,
in order
for us to
remain true
to our mission – providing
each
guest
with
service
excellence
resulting
in
a Total
Dining
Experience.”
It
is with
bittersweet
feelings
we say
farewell
to our
loyal
guests.
Warren
Buffet
wrote, “In
the business
world, the
rear view
mirror is
always clearer
than the
windshield.” Joanne
and I are
filled with
pride with
what our
team accomplished.
We set out
to consistently “Create
Memories
in Dining” for
each
of our
guests,
and through
your
support,
we know
we accomplished
our goal.
However,
you cannot
know
the extent
of what
your
support
really
meant to
us. No matter
how challenging
any given
day was
for us
in the
past
15 months,
having
you dine
at Aster,
with your
enthusiasm
and warmth,
and your
thirst
and openness
for what
Aster
offered,
made
it all
worthwhile
- again
and again.
For this,
we sincerely
thank
you.
We have
met a
wonderful
group
of people,
whom
we genuinely
regard
as friends.
Hopefully,
our paths
will
cross
again!
Hump
Astorga
Chef/Owner
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