Keep your eyes out for a MADE belt buckle on your server at Spur, Cafe Genevieve and Snake River Grill.
One recent snowy January evening, my husband and I ducked into the Snake River Grill, ditched our puffy coats and cozied up at the bar. The seared Maine scallops and crispy pork shank seduced us for a bit. But I was on a mission beyond fine dining, to seek out a visual feast of art in restaurants. My quarry this evening was the glam, glossy belt buckles by Jackson’s own John Frechette, proprietor at MADE.
With surreptitious glances, I tried to catch sight of a part of each server’s attire: their belt buckles. Feeling slightly lecherous, I decided to just ask our bartender: “Is anyone wearing a MADE buckle tonight?”
That was the right move. Soon enough, Katharine joined us sporting her excellent pink glass belt buckle with an image of the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram on it. Katharine is one of several servers at the Grill who wear Frechette’s buckles. He offered the servers a half-off deal if they would wear a buckle while working, and sure enough, customers ask about the candy-colored buckles. It’s perfect product placement!
Happy diners already enjoying their gourmet visual experience in a place like SRG – or Café Genevieve and Spur, where Frechette’s buckles are also worn. The server appears, the diner turns and where do her eyes fall first? Right there at the server’s midline. Belt buckle central!
(One could argue Frechette has actually done a public service. Gone is that awkward feeling of, “Oh my god I’m staring at this person’s belly.” Or lower.)
Frechette made custom buckles for Spur, a navy oval with the restaurant’s logo. He also designed pig buckles for Genevieve, based on their hallmark diagram of a pig to be quartered. Frechette sells the buckles for $42 at MADE and its online shop, madejacksonhole.com. Colors include neon yellow, hot pink, deep teal and other totally swine-enhancing hues.
Meg Daly is the director of Culture Front, a monthly discussion series on art and creativity in Jackson Hole. JHCultureFront.org
