Memorial Day kicks off summer and to Newport's hospitality workers Dan Lederer says thanks

Are you ready? Here we go.

With the arrival of Memorial Day weekend, we are unofficially launched into the summer season in Newport. For the next 15 weeks or so, our little Island will explode into the chosen destination for travelers, vacationers, fun-seekers, day-trippers, local celebrators and Island dwellers. This is it. This is why we wait out the winter months. This is why we spend the spring cleaning up. This is Newport's time and we are ready for the fun to begin.

So before it all begins, let's take a moment to offer our appreciation for those who are about to rock: the hospitality workers of Aquidneck Island. You wouldn’t be able to enjoy the amazing culinary offerings our Island has to offer without the hard work and dedication of the bartenders, servers, cooks, baristas, sandwich makers and more. They are the people making the magic happen. They’re the faces behind all the food and drink you’re about to enjoy this summer, and they deserve our gratitude. There’s no lobster roll without someone to prepare it. There are no rooftop drinks without someone to make them. There are no ice cream cones without someone to scoop it. If you enjoy anything to eat or drink this summer, there’s a hospitality worker or two to thank. So, with that in mind, be generous in your gratitude. And be kind too.

For the hospitality workers, we see you. We know your life is about to get a bit crazy, but we know you will make it through. The weeks ahead are going to have their ups and downs, so just know that before it even begins, you are appreciated. We offer thanks in advance for what you will work through this summer.

To the kitchen staff, thanks for working through all those long, hot days, standing in front of the open flames of the grill. Thanks for the little burns and cuts that will be on your skin at the end of the summer. The splash of fryer oil that landed perfectly on your hand, the hot-off-the-heat pan that grazed your arm, the cut from the knife that slipped off the oyster you were shucking. (That’s going to leave a mark.) Thanks for covering the shift from that line cook that walked off in the middle of his shift. Thanks for getting that order out on the fly that we forgot to ring in. Thanks for saving us a few fries to snack on during the shift. Thanks for making great food. Thanks for making the food look great. We appreciate you all!

To the bartenders and baristas, thanks for always having our drinks. You keep us just the way we want to be: cool, caffeinated and in good spirits. Thanks for seeing we need a new drink before we even realize it. Thanks for being patient with us. Thanks for the conversation and making us smile. Thanks for making drinks that are more complicated than some chemistry tests. Thanks for making us shots. Thanks for being a multi-tasker. We’re not sure how you can get our drinks, put in a food order for another guest and make drinks for the servers all at the same time, but you do it, and we are grateful. Thanks for always bringing the cheer. We appreciate you.

To the servers and counter workers, thanks in advance for the doubles you’ll end up working, even after you closed the night before. Thanks for rolling all that silverware (an under-appreciated job if ever there was). Thanks for listening when we tell you about our food allergies. Thanks for refilling our water glasses. Thanks for letting us know your opinion on the menu when we ask. You pointed us in the right direction and made the meal more memorable. Thanks for being cheerful, even when we can’t make up our minds. Thanks for working weekends and nights – we’re sure you could be someplace else, but you put on the apron and help make our restaurants better. We appreciate all you do.

Thanks to the dishwashers for keeping things moving in the back of the house. You’re an incredibly important cog in how the whole night’s service will go. Thanks for all you do. Thanks to the hosts, hostesses, greeters and maître d’s for keeping it all organized and functioning. We know how hard you work and how it affects the flow. We promise not to say, “But that table is open,” when you tell us you have nothing available at the moment. Thanks to the raw bar attendants for keeping the fresh seafood coming. Thanks to the bussers for making sure the tables are flipping. Thanks to the bakers and the prep cooks. Thanks to the bar-backs and drink runners, Thanks to the valets. Thanks to everyone in the business.

We are excited for the season to have finally arrived and we are full of gratitude and appreciation for those who will devote the next 15 weeks to making the dining experience in Newport the best in the country. Now let’s get cooking!

Dan Lederer is a Middletown resident with 30 years experience in the food service industry throughout New England. He continues to work locally behind the scenes within the industry and remains a devoted fan of all things restaurant and hospitality-related. His column appears on newportri.com and in The Daily News. Cheers!

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Newport hospitality workers backbone to a successful summer