Restaurants - this is what? History and types of restaurants

At the word "restaurant" the imagination of many people draws an exquisitely decorated room with a stylish book-menu, neat serving, comfortable furniture and delicious but expensive dishes. Others respond simply - this is the 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 mostly in the evening and at night. In this 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 branded culinary creations.

It comes from the French restaurant, which translates as "restorative," "reinforcing." First used in the XVIII century, when they called it one of the taverns in Paris. And the visitors were given a name as if in gratitude to the owner of Boulanger, who introduced a nutritious meat broth into the menu. The entrepreneur not only supplemented the range with a delicious soup, he also hung a sign on the door, on which something like "come to me and I will restore you".

History of occurrence: where did the first restaurant appear and how did this business develop?

Since ancient times, taverns and taverns have been very popular, but only among tourists: local residents considered this an impermissible and unnecessary waste of money.

The oldest European restaurant is located in Madrid - "Sobrino de Botin". It was opened in 1725, but slightly different from modern. Restaurants are now such establishments in which they prepare and serve custom dishes and who work according to a certain schedule. For the first time a similar institution appeared only at the end of the 18th century. Such a breakthrough in the restaurant business was made by Mr. Bovilier. The institution was opened in 1782 under the name "Gran Tavern de Londres".

But it can not be said that the Sobrino de Botin, opened in 1725, is the oldest restaurant. The old, to be exact, the first, representative of this industry was opened in the distant 1153 year 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's over 860 years old!

In Russia, the restaurant business came relatively recently, at the beginning of the XIX century. Initially, this type of establishment was opened only at hotels. Then, in Moscow, the first "Slavianski Bazaar" restaurant was opened, differing from all other public catering facilities: for the first time the waiters worked, they were decently and cleanly dressed, a menu was created from various and satisfying dishes, an entertainment program was organized. So, gradually "new" restaurants pushed "old" taverns out of Petersburg and the capital. But here is an interesting note: belonged to top class catering 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 after the 1950s, their revival occurred in Russia. Even the restructuring and disintegration 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. This is today an institution that can significantly differ from each other both in the menu offered and in the way the premises are designed.

Does the restaurateur have anything to do with this topic?

The word comes from the French restaurateur and translates as "the owner, the owner of the restaurant." And so they call a person who does not necessarily have a network of institutions, at least one. Simply put, it's an entrepreneur who develops the concept of a restaurant and implements the project for his own money.

Often the restaurateur is a chef or even assumes all the responsibilities: accounting, customer service and everything else. And it can be the other way around when he hires a manager who oversees the activities of one or several restaurants, the 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 the reception of the star of the Red Michelin Guide. This is considered a very prestigious title. In Europe, unlike Russia, they teach this profession.

Types of restaurants: what they are?

Now a lot of public catering: beer restaurants, pubs, ordinary and art cafes, restaurants, bars, grill bars and so on. But there is a generally accepted international classification that divides institutions depending on how well thought out the menu, interior design, staff clothing and additional services.

Classification according to GOST:

1. The "Luxury" class. This is the most expensive and fashionable restaurants, necessarily having a cocktail lounge with a bar counter and a banquet hall. The style of the interior must fully correspond to the name of the institution. Typically, the creation of such a room engaged architects and designers. Only high-class specialists work at the restaurant, they are uniform in shape. Also in the state there are employees responsible for entertainment. There are equipped outlets where you can buy flowers or souvenirs. In the menu at least half of the entire assortment - specialties.
2. Top class. The original interior, the choice of services, a wide range of dishes and an evening show program.
3. The first class is a harmonious interior with no frills, at least a few services for customers and the opportunity to choose different types of dishes.

The "star" of the restaurant:

• 1 star (4 class) - there must be bathrooms, tablecloths on the tables, air conditioning and heating, kitchen with refrigerator and water separately from the hall, for 24 clients 1 employee.
• 2 stars (3rd class) - all requirements as to class 4, only for 1 employee 20 visitors. Particular attention is paid to cutlery and crockery.
• 3 stars (2 class) - all the above requirements + for 1 client not less than 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 the second class, the waiter and the administrator - for every 5 visitors.
• 5 stars (the highest class) - all previously described requirements, as well as high-quality, comfortable furniture from precious wood. At 5 guests restaurant waiter and his assistant.

By price:

• Economy - 500-600 rubles.
• Business - 1500-2000 rubles, there must be live music, the menu includes several cuisines from different countries.
• The first class, or club - from 1000 euros, service at the highest level, dishes from high-quality products, wine list.

By technology:

• Gastronomic - complex dishes and good wines.
• Casual (casual) - a menu without frills, wine list, dishes from semi-prepared earlier.
• Bar (pub, tavern) - a small selection of dishes simple to prepare, self-service.
• Fast service - serve previously frozen dishes, there are no waiters.
• Fast food - fast service, small assortment.
• Street food - minimum of dishes, speed of cooking, cheapness. They work on the street.
• Dining room - the menu changes depending on what foods are in the refrigerator today.
• Catering - field service. Payment ahead, and the dishes are prepared in kilograms.

Restaurant-kitchen - the opportunity to watch the chefs

Recently, such design of a place of public catering becomes more and more popular. Restaurant-cuisine is good because cooks prepare meals right before the eyes of visitors, due to which customers can appreciate the quality of not only the already prepared food, but also observe how conscientiously employees of the establishment treat their work.

Restaurant-bar - an ideal place for lovers of delicious drinks

Typically, this institution with several additional (VIP, banquet) and one main hall, equipped with a bar, which includes a variety of different drinks, including an extensive wine list. The bar-restaurant can also be small in size. In such institutions, usually served at the counter, but there are waiters.

Restaurants specializing in cooking certain dishes of the world

It is rare to find such establishments that would prepare dishes only according to the recipe of a certain country. Usually, even if the place of catering is presented as a Russian restaurant or, for example, Italian, you can still find in the menu delicacies belonging to another country. However, there are also such, they are also called national.

There are many different cuisines, each people for centuries of existence managed to get recipes that can not be found anywhere else. For example, pasta for Italy is like a borscht 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 cooking "native" dishes, but also offering to enjoy the taste of different delights of other nations of the world.

Theme Restaurants

There are both normal in the design, and horrific. For example, a restaurant in the style of the jungle or a French cafe. In such institutions, when developing the menu, the emphasis is on stylistics, so that there is some correspondence between the themes and dishes. Attention is also paid to the way food is served. And the more the matches, the more interesting the visitors are to eat 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 eerie Japanese restaurant Alcatraz is decorated in the style of a prison hospital, where similar accessories predominate, and people eat at tables behind bars. Sausage there is served in the head of a dummy. And in Taiwan there is a restaurant in which chairs and utensils are made in the form of toilets. Here is such a creative.

Restaurants - this is also a cafe?

There are some differences between these types of institutions. And, in principle, many people understand that the restaurant is more respectable and quality than a cafe. The first option offers visitors a wide range of dishes, including branded ones, and beverages, in particular, an extensive wine list. In the cafe, the menu is much smaller, and the quality of the products is lower, as are the prices. Hence they are accustomed to understand that one institution is intended for a "higher" society, and another for people with an average income.