As Rogano celebrates its 80th birthday, the 5pm Dining blog had a chat with the bar and restaurant manager Chris Burns about the enduring appeal of this Glasgow institution.

And it certainly is an institution. While Rogano has been serving customers since 1935, the city centre site has a long history as a hostelry. As far back as 1874, 11 Exchange Place was the Bodega Spanish Wine Cellar and it sold drink straight from the barrel.

Things have changed since then. Drink is no longer sold from the barrel but they do get through more than 7000 bottles of the house Joseph Perrier Champagne each year.

Art Deco style

Like all institutions, Rogano has its own legends. Perhaps most famously of all, the restaurant is fitted out in the same Art Deco style as the Cunard liner the Queen Mary.

The liner was being built in Clydebank at the time that Rogano’s interior was put in place. Persistent legend has it that workers from the shipyard paid their bar bills at Rogano with burr walnut and bird’s eye maple panelling originally destined for the liner.

Living legends

Rogano is just as famous for the living legends who frequent it. Visitors to Rogano have included Mick Jagger, Winston Churchill, Helena Christensen, Elizabeth Taylor, Harvey Keitel, Bob Dylan, Kylie Minogue, Frank Sinatra and Madonna.

Naturally, Rogano looks after its famous guests. One of the most sought after tables is Number Sixteen where diners can watch everyone else come and go without being seen themselves. Handy for those in the public eye as well as people having a bite with someone they shouldn’t be.

5pm: How long have you been at Rogano?

CB: Seven years.

5pm: Seen any changes in that time?

CB: In some senses, there have been no changes in seventy years, never mind seven. It would be silly to change it. People have been coming here for years and they have such fond memories of it. The interior, the look of the place is part of that. People sometimes say that when they come in here, it is like stepping back in time and we want to preserve that. We want people to feel that they are back in the 1930s when this place opened.

Rogano has a unique atmosphere. The bar is buzzing all day and the good thing about that is that the atmosphere filters over to the restaurant. At the same time, we have soft jazz playing in the restaurant. You can’t create ore design atmosphere like that. It’s in the walls.

5pm: How does Rogano keep its vintage look without it looking worn?

CB: It’s quite an arduous process at times. We source very skilled artists and craftsmen to keep the place looking as it should. We have people from Glasgow School of Art do the patterns for the banquette seating. We have craftsmen who do the cornicing; once every ten years a lady comes down from Glasgow School of Art to touch up all the wall murals. We want it to look clean and pristine while maintaining the appeal it had back in 1935.

5pm: You must have long term regulars?

CB: We have regulars who have been coming for forty or even sixty years, sometimes on a weekly basis. People come here at important points in their lives. They have their 21st birthdays here; they meet their partners; get engaged, have stag does and weddings. As staff, you feel a strong sense of loyalty to these people and you want to maintain and uphold the standards that they have come to expect.

5pm: Does the restaurant’s reputation influence the staff?

CB: It’s an occasion restaurant. Not a day goes by without someone celebrating a birthday or anniversary in here and they expect the highest standards. There are no off days or quiet days here. We have to deliver every time because it’s the customer’s big occasion.

The interior plays a part but the staff have to bring their A game and the food and the drink have to reflect the surroundings. If all the things weren’t at the same standard then it would be all show. You have to back up the surroundings.

5pm: Is landing a job here seen as a feather in your cap?

CB: Absolutely, if you have Rogano on your CV then you can go anywhere in the UK and probably in the world. It is like The Ivy in London; it’s an old, classic place that people know about. If you have been through the doors here with your apron and waistcoat on then you will be in good stead in the hospitality industry in the future.

5pm: There has to be a certain amount of change. Fashions and tastes in food change.

CB: Our menu is classic but we update it while staying tuned to our roots. The same thing goes for the drinks. We’re just putting in place the latest cocktail list and while much of it is new, it is still founded on classic roots.

Rogano is a fine dining restaurant but we have a bar menu with choices such as haggis or fish and chips. Downstairs, we have the cafe bistro which has a wide ranging menu with chicken dishes, pasta and so on. More people are eating out than ever before and they want more variety. Instead of changing our restaurant, we simply added more departments like the cafe bistro.

5pm: What are your best sellers?

CB: I think I’m right in saying that we are the only oyster bar in Glasgow so if you are looking for oysters, you come in here. On a week day, we sell around 300 of them and more at weekends. We sell well over 100,000 a year. Obviously, we have a big focus on seafood, particularly lemon sole, lobster, scallops – they are all big sellers.

5pm: New places open all the time and more restaurants have private dining rooms. Why do celebs keep coming here?

CB: The main reason is that it’s a lovely restaurant. They are also very well looked after; as are all our customers. Discretion is key in here. They know that if they come in here then they will get a private booth and will be able to have their meal in peace and that’s why people like Rod Stewart and Tom Jones use this restaurant so often. We aim to meet the needs of all our customers and our high profile guests want to have a quiet meal. We provide that.