At the word “restaurant”, many people’s imagination is drawn by an elegantly decorated room with a stylish menu book, neat serving, comfortable furniture and tasty, but expensive dishes. Others answer simply - this is a place where you can eat. What does this term mean?
The meaning and origin of the word
The dictionary says that restaurants are catering establishments, in which, as a rule, there is a stage (live music) and other entertainments. They work mainly in the evening and at night. In such an institution, you can try exclusive dishes and drinks - expensive, but high quality. It is also indicated that the restaurant necessarily offers consumers a wide range of custom and signature culinary creations.
It comes from the French restaurant, which translates as “restoring”, “strengthening”. First used in the XVIII century, when they called it one of the taverns in Paris. Moreover, the name was given by visitors to the establishment as if in gratitude to the owner Boulanger, who introduced a nutritious meat broth on the menu. The entrepreneur didn’t just supplement the assortment with delicious soup, he also hung a plate on the door that said something like “come to me and I will restore you”.
History of origin: where did the first restaurant appear and how did this business develop?
Since ancient times, taverns and taverns have been particularly popular, but only among tourists: local residents considered this an unacceptable and unnecessary waste of money.
The oldest European restaurant located in Madrid is Sobrino de Botin. It was opened in 1725, but was slightly different from modern ones. Restaurants are now such establishments that prepare and serve custom-made dishes and which work on a specific schedule. For the first time, a similar institution appeared only at the end of the XVIII century. Such a breakthrough in the restaurant business was made by Mr. Beauville. The institution was opened in 1782 under the name "Grand Tavern de Londre".
But it cannot be said that the Sobrino de Botin, opened in 1725, is the most ancient restaurant. The old, or rather, the first, representative of this industry was opened in the distant 1153 under the name "Bakit Chicken House". It is located in the Chinese city of Kaifeng. Need another interesting fact? The restaurant is open today, it is already over 860 years old!
Restaurant business came to Russia relatively recently, at the beginning of the 19th century. Initially, this type of institution was opened only at hotels. Then in Moscow the first restaurant “Slavic Bazaar” was opened, which differs from other public catering to everyone: for the first time, waiters who were decent and cleanly dressed began to work, a menu of varied and satisfying dishes was formed, and an entertainment program was organized. So, gradually the "new" restaurants replaced the "old" taverns from St. Petersburg and the capital. But here is such an interesting note: top-class catering facilities belonged to anyone, but not Russian. Most often, the owners were Germans and French.
Then the revolution began, and when it was over, many restaurants were closed with the label "does not meet the requirements." But already after the 1950s, they revived in Russia. Even the restructuring and collapse of the Union did not have a depressing effect on the restaurant business, on the contrary, more and more private establishments began to appear.
So gradually developed restaurants. Today these are institutions that can significantly differ from each other both in the proposed menu and in the way the premises are decorated.
Is the restaurateur related to this topic?
The word comes from the French restaurateur and translates as "landlord, owner of the restaurant." And so they call a person who does not necessarily have a network of institutions, at least one. Simply put, this is an entrepreneur developing a restaurant concept and implementing a project at his own expense.
Often, a restaurateur is also a chef or generally assumes all responsibilities: accounting, customer service and everything else. And it happens the other way around when he hires a manager who monitors the activities of one or more restaurants, a chef and his team, waiters, accountants, dishwashers and cleaners.
It is worth noting that the most important achievement of the chef and the restaurant as a whole is to receive the star of the Red Michelin guide. This is considered a very prestigious title. In Europe, unlike Russia, they teach such a profession.
Types of restaurants: what are they?
Now there are a lot of catering: beer restaurants, pubs, ordinary and art cafes, restaurant bars, grill bars and so on. But there is a generally accepted international classification that divides establishments depending on how well-thought out the menu, interior design, staff clothing and additional services are.
Classification according to GOST:
- Class "Suite". These are the most expensive and fashionable restaurants, always having a cocktail lounge with a bar and a banquet hall. The style of the interior should fully correspond to the name of the institution. As a rule, architects and designers are engaged in the creation of such a room. Only high-class specialists work in the restaurant, they have the uniform uniform form. The staff also has staff responsible for conducting recreational activities. There are outlets where you can buy flowers or souvenirs. The menu includes at least half of the entire assortment - specialties.
- Top class. The original interior, the ability to choose services, a wide range of dishes and an evening show program.
- The first class - a harmonious interior with no frills, at least a few services for customers and the ability to choose different types of dishes.
"Stars" of the restaurant:
- 1 star (4 class) - there should be bathrooms, tablecloths on the tables, air conditioning and heating, a kitchen with a refrigerator and water separate from the hall, for 24 clients 1 employee.
- 2 stars (Grade 3) - all requirements are as for Grade 4, only 1 visitor for 20 visitors. Particular attention is paid to cutlery and crockery.
- 3 stars (2 class) - all the above requirements + for 1 client at least 1.5 m². One employee serves 15 people.
- 4 stars (1 class) - the menu is translated into 2 or more languages, the area is freer than that of the 2 class, the waiter and administrator - for every 5 visitors.
- 5 stars (the highest class) - all the previously described requirements, as well as high-quality, comfortable furniture made of precious wood. For 5 guests of the restaurant, the waiter and his assistant.
By price:
- Economy - 500-600 rubles.
- Business - 1500-2000 rubles, there should be live music, the menu includes several cuisines of different countries.
- First class, or club - from 1000 euros, top-level service, dishes from high-quality products, wine list.
By technology:
- Gastronomic - sophisticated dishes and good wines.
- Everyday (casual) - a menu without frills, a wine list, dishes from semi-finished products prepared earlier.
- Bar (pub, tavern) - a small selection of dishes easy to prepare, self-service.
- Fast service - serve previously frozen dishes, no waiters.
- Fast food - fast service, small assortment.
- Street food - a minimum of dishes, speed of cooking, cheapness. They work on the street.
- Dining - the menu changes depending on what foods are in the refrigerator today.
- Catering - catering service. Payment in advance, and dishes are prepared in kilograms.
Restaurant-kitchen - an opportunity to watch the cooks
Recently, such a design of a catering place is becoming increasingly popular. The restaurant-kitchen is good in that the chefs prepare dishes right before the eyes of visitors, due to which customers can evaluate the quality of not only the already prepared dishes, but also observe how honestly the employees of the institution treat their work.
Restaurant-bar - an ideal place for lovers of fine drinks
As a rule, this is an institution with several additional (VIP, banquet) and one main hall equipped with a bar, which includes a large number of different drinks, including an extensive wine list. The restaurant may also be small in size. In such establishments they usually serve at the counter, but there are waiters.
Restaurants specializing in certain dishes of the world
It is rare to find such establishments that would prepare dishes only according to the recipe of a particular country. Usually, even if the place of catering is presented as a Russian restaurant or, for example, Italian, in the menu you can still find delicacies belonging to another country. However, there are some, they are also called national.
There are a lot of different cuisines, every nation over a centuries-old existence managed to acquire recipes that can not be found anywhere else. For example, pasta for Italy is like borsch for Russia, and rolls for Japan are like fried sausages for Germans. And in every country you can find institutions that specialize not only in the preparation of "native" dishes, but also offer to enjoy the taste of various delights of other nations of the world.
Theme restaurants
There are both ordinary in design and terrifying. For example, a jungle-style restaurant or a French cafe. In such establishments, when developing the menu, the emphasis is precisely on the style, so that there is some correspondence between the theme and dishes. Also, attention is paid to the method of serving food. And the more matches there are, the more interesting it is for visitors to stay and eat in such an institution. For example, a hospital restaurant, a photo of which can be seen below. Everything is so clearly thought out that it seems as if you are actually in a hospital.
But these are all “flowers”. The creepy Japanese restaurant Alcatraz is decorated in the style of a prison hospital, where similar accessories predominate, and people eat at the tables behind the bars. Sausage is served there in the mannequin's head. And in Taiwan there is a restaurant in which chairs and dishes are made in the form of toilets. Here is such a creative.
Are restaurants a cafe?
There are some differences between these types of establishments. And, in principle, many people understand that a restaurant is more respectable and better than a cafe. The first option offers visitors a wide range of dishes, including specialties, and drinks, in particular, an extensive wine list. The cafe menu is much smaller, and the quality of the products is lower, as are the prices. Hence, they are used to understanding that one institution is intended for a "higher" society, and the other is for people with an average income.