Info about Restaurants
Modern Restaurants – A Closer Look
Restaurants are establishments where one can go to eat, relax and converse with family and friends. There are many kinds of these establishments. Personal preferences and financial considerations dictate the place which kind people go to.
• A brief history
The forerunners of modern restaurants include food serving establishments in 11th century China. In Europe, it is believed that Madrid, Spain has the worlds oldest restaurant still in existence. The restaurant is called Sobrino de Botin. It claims that it can trace back its history to 1725. In 1765, the term restaurant, which originated from the French word restaurer – literally “to restore”, was finally used to refer to a restaurant.
• Classification based on cuisine and cost
Restaurants may choose to focus only on one type of cuisine. For instance, there are French, Italian, China and Japanese establishments that serve only dishes from their respective countries. Others may cater to a certain food preference. This is what happens in vegetarian, seafood and ethnic restaurants.
There are restaurants which focus on casual dining. These usually serve simple food at affordable prices. Their customers are the general public. There is no dress code for this type of restaurant. On the other hand, there are also restaurants which serve expensive food complimented by wines and high-end services. These establishments cater to fine dining and may require people to wear semi-formal, semi-casual or formal wear.
• Restaurant personnel
The owner of a restaurant is referred to as a restaurateur. The people who prepare the food might be simple cooks or professional chefs. Usually, cooks are employed at restaurants which serve food at lower prices while chefs are hired in fine dining restaurants. Because chefs undergo more rigorous training, they can prepare a greater variety of complex dishes than simple cooks. Their expertise significantly contributes to the cost of dining. Waiters are the people who take the orders of customers, bring out the food when it is ready and collect the bill before the customer leaves. A maître d'hôtel or a host may be present to welcome and usher the customers. Other staff include busboys and sommeliers. Behind the scenes, maintenance and cleaning personnel contribute to the efficiency and the good atmosphere of the restaurant.
• Restaurant Regulation
A restaurant has to pass certain requirements in order to be able to operate. Fire precautions and sanitation criteria have to be fulfilled to ensure that the customer remains safe and eats clean food. Additional regulation pertains to serving alcohol to minors or prohibition of smoking.
• Restaurant ratings
Due to the concept of customer satisfaction, many restaurant guides offer restaurant reviews and ratings. These reviews are based on factors that affect the experience of the customer inside the restaurant such as the quality of food, ambience, accessibility and special provisions. Examples of restaurant guides are Michelin in Europe, Forbes Travel Guide and Gayot Guide in the U.S., and Good Food Guide in Australia.
In this modern era of web technology, restaurant reviews are now also available online. Most of these reviews are done by bloggers in food blogs called foodies. These are not official reviews but they are very accessible and can help people decide.