The Origins of Fine Dining

Eating out is always nice – a little treat to enjoy that doesn’t involve cooking or cleaning. Best of all, everything gets done for you, and if you’re going to the right places, you’ll be able to enjoy delicious food too.

There are many different types of restaurants these days, ranging in style of food, cuisine, cost bracket and the degree of “fanciness”, so to speak. Each one has its place in day-to-day life.

A middle-of-the range type restaurant that makes good food and has a reasonably sophisticated atmosphere may be perfect for a birthday, or any other kind of special celebration. On the other hand, you may just be in the mood for something quick and easy from a fast-food restaurant or something of the sort.

But on the odd occasion, whether there’s a specific reason or you’re simply in the mood to enjoy an exquisite meal, you may want to visit a fine-dining restaurant. Of course, these types of establishments are significantly more expensive than anything else, however, you’ll be receiving top-notch, creative food, awesome service and just a great experience overall.

But where does this tradition of fine dining restaurants come from? Here’s a bit of background on the origins of fine dining.

Where Does Fine Dining Come From?

You may be surprised to hear that fine dining hasn’t actually been around for that long. It actually only became commonplace for people to start paying for somebody else to prepare and serve their meals a couple of hundred years ago in this manner. But one thing that may not surprise you is that it all started in France.

The story goes that it all started in the wake of the French Revolution. Going all the way back to the end of the 18th century, the revolution brought with it significant political, economic and social changes. Most importantly though, however, the French Revolution saw the fall of the aristocracy as the French knew it at the time.

One of the very many consequence of this was that people who were previously hired as aristocratic staff before the revolution now found themselves without jobs – many of their employers had been killed or has fled during the violence. This included the chefs that used to cook for and serve the upper-class citizens in their homes.

Thus, these chefs chose to put their skills to work and started opening up their own upper-class restaurants, open to the public who could afford to dine there, whether by lifestyle or because they struck it big after claiming an NZ mega casino bonus. This was one of the many real-life consequences of the revolution, resulting in the democratisation of cultural traditions that were previously reserved for the most wealthy.

The Growth of Fine Dining

As the idea of the a la carte menu started to gain traction, restaurants began popping up all over the city. Things like fancy cutlery and crockery were introduced, as well as the idea of private, rather than communal, tables.

By 1814, there were more than 3,000 restaurants in the city, and by the 20th century, fine dining had grown into what it is today.