Understanding the past is important because it sheds light on the present and the future. Understanding our industry’s history helps us understand the rationale for our practices, the evolution of our culinary methods, and the opportunities for future innovation in the food service industry.
A crucial realization from our past is that the way we cook today is the fruit of the labor of innumerable cooks over a century. Both science and art go into the process of cooking. This doesn’t imply we can’t try new things or that we can’t question the status quo. However, this does indicate a great deal of information has been amassed over time, and it would be prudent to make use of this. In addition, we can’t even begin to question conventional wisdom until we identify the beliefs we’re up against. The invention is best fueled by knowledge.
The culinary tradition from which both classical and contemporary dishes evolved
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| Photo by Oleksandr Kurchev on Unsplash |
For as long as there have been big groups of people to feed, such as armies, the practice of “quantity cookery” has been around. However, the origins of modern food service are often dated to the second half of the eighteenth century. The guilds of France at the time regulated the agricultural sector, including the food industry. Those who prepared food for others, such as caterers, bakers, roasters, and butchers of pork, needed a permit. Innkeepers who wanted to feed their guests had to purchase food and drink from businesses with the appropriate permits. The guests had very little say in the matter and were forced to eat whatever was served.
Boulanger, a Parisian, started advertising on his storefront sign that he served soup in 1765. These soups were later dubbed “restaurants” or “restoratives,” both of which meant to provide strength. Unknowingly, Boulanger alters the path of culinary history when he defies the guilds’ regulations. At its outset in 1789, the French Revolution was a major impetus for the emerging field of food service. Before this era, the French aristocracy regularly employed world-class cooks in their mansions. After the fall of the monarchy and the subsequent loss of their jobs, many Parisian cooks set up shop in the city’s restaurant industry. Around fifty eateries existed in Paris at the conclusion of the French Revolution; by the end of the next decade, that number had grown to five hundred.
The development of the stove, or “potager,” which provided the cooks with a more manageable heat source than an open fire, was another key invention that altered the structure of the kitchen. Here the division of labor in a commercial kitchen takes place: the “rotisseur,” under the direction of the meat chef; the “patissier,” in charge of the baking department; and the “cuisinier,” in charge of the cooking section. The “Chef de cuisine,” or head chef, is responsible for overseeing all of the other positions listed.
I hope you’ve picked up some new information or, at the very least, gained some insight into the evolution of cuisine via this blog. and on that note, thanks for reading, and if you enjoyed this post, please subscribe and spread the word! much obliged; until my next piece, cheers!
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