Nick Peyton’s job is to make people happy. As maître d’ of Michelin-starred Cyrus restaurant in Geyserville, which he co-owns with chef Doug Keane, his job is to make every guest feel like a celebrity — from the moment they walk in the door until their final goodbye.
For 50 years Peyton has managed the front-of-house for some of the Bay Area’s toniest restaurants, anticipating the needs of every diner and remaining cool as a cucumber while smoothing any service wrinkles. If the cook has quit, the kitchen is on fire, and the reservation system has gone kaput, he makes sure guests never know it.
In June, he received the 2025 California Michelin Guide Service Award for creating “the antidote to the traditional, snooty fine dining experience,” according to the international restaurant guide.
He’s flattered, but he’s got Champagne glasses to fill and guests to seat as another evening service at Cyrus begins. It’s showtime.
The job description
It’s about making the experience personal. You don’t know what people have gone through to get here, so you figure it out. Maybe they’re not in the best mood and need a little extra attention to elevate the situation. Maybe they want us to stand back or leave them alone. You know when people leave if they’ve had that cathartic experience we would like them to have, because they float out of here. I want their thought on the way to the parking lot to be, “It was worth everything to do that.” But it takes the team to really make sure they have the Cyrus experience.
Industry changes
In the ’60s and ’70s restaurants weren’t all about chefs or cuisine — it was about the maître d’. There was an imperious guy at the front door looking down his nose at you and he was the gatekeeper. Just a reservation didn’t get you the VIP treatment, you had to establish yourself. I’m more of an egalitarian. That couple who comes to Cyrus for their second anniversary made a tremendous commitment, and we make sure they have a fabulous time just like guests who come two times a month.
On the critics
Back in the day, Michael Bauer at the Chronicle was all-powerful and all your investors and all your staff have a lot riding on this one guy. We would track the names and phone numbers he used for reservations. If we knew he was coming, we would kind of stage a table in the back. He liked to see the whole room. But a Herb Caen story had the biggest impact that I ever witnessed. He mentioned Masa’s and our phones just lit up. We were getting 400 to 500 calls for reservations a day.
A partnership
Doug and I trust each other. We’ve worked together for decades. I’ve worked with a lot of chefs who want to be all-powerful at the expense of the betterment of their restaurant. I know he’s going to produce great food, and he knows I’m here to make things smooth up front. We both have to work without ego.