Why Do Magicians Stand Next to You?

Magicians stand next to you because trust follows the person looking at the same thing you are. Nick Kokonas took that from old magic books. Those books start with the effect, then the method, then the craft of how it is presented. Across a table, a line like "this is the best water in the world" sounds like a pitch. Step around to the guest's side and both of you are looking at the glass. From there you can signal for a refill, and their eyes cannot cover the water and the space behind you at the same time. You own that space.

Alinea used the same geometry in the dining room. Service stood on the diner's side of the table, and the waiter looked at the plate with the guest. A dish that looks like glass belongs on a plate. A bite bobbing on a skewer, the kind of shape that makes people uncomfortable, should taste like cherry pie. Challenge a guest in one direction, not two. The room is on the diner's team, not the restaurant's team.