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En el restaurante
Christoph Ribbat reúne en este libro historias de los chefs más conocidos y los restaurantes de más prestigio, de intrigantes camareras clandestinas y de recetas peculiares, de grandes hoteles de lujo y de comedores secretos, de famosos críticos gastronómicos y de curiosos gourmets.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
March 1, 2018
There is an enormous amount of restaurant trivia collected in this book which is structured as a running series of stories and anecdotes collected from hundreds of sources. For the literary fan there are the stories of George Orwell's early days as a dishwasher drawn from Down and Out in Paris and London, Ernest Hemingway's ideal café as described in A Clean Well Lighted Place and James Baldwin's integration battles at Woolworth's lunch counters drawn from Notes of a Native Son.
For fans of chef & restaurant books there is everything from the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly to the exclusive fly-in experience of dining at Magnus Nilsson's Fäviken in northern Sweden.
There are stories from very unique books such as Christophe Blain's non-fiction graphic novel In the Kitchen With Alain Passard.
Most fascinating of all there are the stories of sociologists who studied both the chef/kitchen (the back of house) and the waiter/waitress (the front of house) experience, usually by going undercover and working full time for extended periods in those worlds. These range from a pioneering work by Frances Donovan in The Woman Who Waits from 1920 to Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America in 2001.
You are drawn in to keep reading as Ribbat structures his collage into short fragments from each larger tale with each segment often ending in a cliff-hanger for which you won't get the end of the story until several sections later. And you read on thinking there is going to be some sort of brilliant summing up of the experience at the end. It is the latter that is missing, so while all the trivia and anecdotes were fascinating the implied promised punch-line never seemed to arrive. But the journey was worth the voyage and there are references to a few dozen books that I'd likely want to read if I come across them. Which is why I wanted to link to several of them above.
This was another in Parisian bookstore Shakespeare and Company's inaugural Year of Reading 2018 which is a 12 book subscription series selected and curated by its staff. I have been immensely pleased by the variety of it so far.
For fans of chef & restaurant books there is everything from the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly to the exclusive fly-in experience of dining at Magnus Nilsson's Fäviken in northern Sweden.
There are stories from very unique books such as Christophe Blain's non-fiction graphic novel In the Kitchen With Alain Passard.
Most fascinating of all there are the stories of sociologists who studied both the chef/kitchen (the back of house) and the waiter/waitress (the front of house) experience, usually by going undercover and working full time for extended periods in those worlds. These range from a pioneering work by Frances Donovan in The Woman Who Waits from 1920 to Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America in 2001.
You are drawn in to keep reading as Ribbat structures his collage into short fragments from each larger tale with each segment often ending in a cliff-hanger for which you won't get the end of the story until several sections later. And you read on thinking there is going to be some sort of brilliant summing up of the experience at the end. It is the latter that is missing, so while all the trivia and anecdotes were fascinating the implied promised punch-line never seemed to arrive. But the journey was worth the voyage and there are references to a few dozen books that I'd likely want to read if I come across them. Which is why I wanted to link to several of them above.
This was another in Parisian bookstore Shakespeare and Company's inaugural Year of Reading 2018 which is a 12 book subscription series selected and curated by its staff. I have been immensely pleased by the variety of it so far.
March 14, 2017
Bij het zien van de cover en het lezen van de titel verwachtte ik een boek te lezen over het restaurantwezen, over de achtergrond, over de mensen die daar komen, over de mensen die daar werken. Wilde weten of ik het een en ander zou herkennen van mijn tijd dat ik in de horeca werkte. Dat is zeker het geval, maar gelukkig herken ik niet alles omdat ik schijnbaar bij de 'betere' bedrijven heb gewerkt waar, voor zover ik weet, bepaalde zaken als discriminatie, niet aan de orde waren omdat iedereen daar gelijk behandeld werd, of je nu blank was of een 'andere kleur had, man of vrouw was. Helaas is dat dus niet overal vanzelfsprekend, wat je ook kan lezen in het boek.
Het boek vertelt op een vlotte manier hoe de restaurants zijn ontstaan, hoe het er vroeger aan toe ging en hoe het er heden ten dage aan toe gaat. Welke rol het speelde en speelt in de maatschappij, wat men vroeger serveerde en wat men heden ten dage serveert. Hoe het personeel onderling met elkaar omging, de rangen en standen van het personeel hoe bazen met hun personeel omging en hoe men met 'lastige' klanten omging. Hoe de restaurants en hun keukens er vroeger uitzagen.
Er komen veel bekende namen voorbij over wie je leest dat ze of even van het werken in een restaurant hebben geproefd of er hebben gegeten om er later hun mening over te schrijven of dat ze onderaan zijn begonnen en vervolgens chefkok zijn geworden of een eigen restaurant zijn begonnen.
Dit is dan ook een echt boek voor een ieder die in de horeca werkt, heeft gewerkt of in de horeca wil werken, maar ook als je geïnteresseerd bent hoe het er achter de schermen in restaurants aan toe gaat. Je krijgt na het lezen van dit boek (nog meer) bewondering voor het personeel dat in de horeca werkt.
Je moet wel je aandacht bij het boek houden, want zo lees je een klein stukje over het een en dan weer een stukje over het ander, om vervolgens weer over het een te lezen en dan weer over het ander of weer over iets anders te lezen. Het is niet storend, maar het is zeker geen boek dat je even bij wijze van spreken, in de wachtkamer van de dokter, leest. Je moet er echt wel je hoofd bij houden.
Ik raad je overigens aan om het boek niet te gaan lezen als je trek hebt, want je krijgt trek van de gerechten die genoemd worden.
Minpuntje is dat de noten niet direct onderaan de pagina staan, maar dat je naar het eind van het hoofdstuk moet bladeren om de bewuste noten te lezen.
Het boek vertelt op een vlotte manier hoe de restaurants zijn ontstaan, hoe het er vroeger aan toe ging en hoe het er heden ten dage aan toe gaat. Welke rol het speelde en speelt in de maatschappij, wat men vroeger serveerde en wat men heden ten dage serveert. Hoe het personeel onderling met elkaar omging, de rangen en standen van het personeel hoe bazen met hun personeel omging en hoe men met 'lastige' klanten omging. Hoe de restaurants en hun keukens er vroeger uitzagen.
Er komen veel bekende namen voorbij over wie je leest dat ze of even van het werken in een restaurant hebben geproefd of er hebben gegeten om er later hun mening over te schrijven of dat ze onderaan zijn begonnen en vervolgens chefkok zijn geworden of een eigen restaurant zijn begonnen.
Dit is dan ook een echt boek voor een ieder die in de horeca werkt, heeft gewerkt of in de horeca wil werken, maar ook als je geïnteresseerd bent hoe het er achter de schermen in restaurants aan toe gaat. Je krijgt na het lezen van dit boek (nog meer) bewondering voor het personeel dat in de horeca werkt.
Je moet wel je aandacht bij het boek houden, want zo lees je een klein stukje over het een en dan weer een stukje over het ander, om vervolgens weer over het een te lezen en dan weer over het ander of weer over iets anders te lezen. Het is niet storend, maar het is zeker geen boek dat je even bij wijze van spreken, in de wachtkamer van de dokter, leest. Je moet er echt wel je hoofd bij houden.
Ik raad je overigens aan om het boek niet te gaan lezen als je trek hebt, want je krijgt trek van de gerechten die genoemd worden.
Minpuntje is dat de noten niet direct onderaan de pagina staan, maar dat je naar het eind van het hoofdstuk moet bladeren om de bewuste noten te lezen.
December 16, 2018
“To eat together, to drink, to entrust oneself to others’ care: this turns the restaurant into a place where the open society is both celebrated and lived out every day.”
In the Restaurant, by Christoph Ribbat (translated by Jamie Searle Romanelli), provides a potted history of the restaurant alongside the sociology and psychology of those who work in and frequent such establishments. Written in short bites of piquant text each entry is easily digested. This is a fun and fascinating account of the eatery’s growth and development.
What a modern European would think of as a restaurant came into being in Paris around 1760. The upper classes were enticed to eat at a new style of the ubiquitous inn, one which served ‘restorative’ bouillons for those who considered their palates sensitive. Customers were given a table to themselves rather than having to share benches with strangers. They could choose when they wanted to eat and select their choice of dish from a menu. Ambience and service were of the utmost importance.
Unlike other upper class venues at the time, anyone who could pay for their food and drink was admitted. Restaurants were furnished with niches and alcoves enabling a degree of privacy despite the public setting. Unusually, men and women appeared together. Before long these early restaurants were serving more than just bouillon. Specialities developed with views on quality and innovation disseminated by newly emerging writers – the restaurant critic. Interest in these Parisian ventures encouraged others to open restaurants around the world.
From the beginning staff were stratified with rigid, snobbish hierarchies emerging. The chef ruled in the kitchen which was kept hidden from customers. Waiters were go-betweens, tasked with making the customer feel welcome and valued. Despite the hard work and long hours, salaries were low – mortality amongst employees subjected to the health hazards in busy kitchens was high.
Chefs published cookbooks to raise their profile and that of their place of work. The dishes they developed evolved as increased tourism brought with it new culinary skills, ideas and tastes. Increased efficiency in the kitchen was achieved by introducing specialisms.
George Orwell was one of the first authors to draw attention to the more unsavoury aspects of a restaurant’s kitchen practices, based of his experience working there. Meanwhile critics were feted and the famous fed for free to raise an establishment’s profile. Over time food fashions changed as chefs sought to capture the zeitgeist. Customers continued to seek
“sophistication rather than satiation”
From a simple idea the restaurant developed in many directions. Industrialisation and automation brought with it fast food chains. The quest for Michelin stars encouraged the creation of labour intensive art to be consumed. Staff are still badly paid.
“It is possible to make a living from only one in five jobs in the American food industry.”
Although presented in anecdotal style with reference to individuals and particular establishments, the source notes for the numerous entries in this book are extensive. Detailed references are provided in a section at the end. What comes across is how much has changed and yet also remained the same. The restaurant remains
“a theatre for all the senses”
The players rely on both the artisanal and industrial workers. While customers may be hedonistic, enjoying the performance and eating experience, there remains widespread exploitation of staff and those who provide the base ingredients.
There are now many types of restaurant with wide varieties of operating philosophies. These cater for: the time strapped; those seeking comfort food; demands for fresh produce; the semblance of ethical practices; health fads and fashions. Although now everyday destinations for many, at the high end of the market success brings its own problems. One example cited was of the newly listed three Michelin star establishment that was asked by a potential customer where they could land their helicopter. The cost of such meals may appear obscene while people go hungry. Demand remains.
And such tales add to the interest of what is an entertaining and intelligent glimpse into the kitchens and public spaces of restaurants operating within a multitude of environments: capitalist and communist states; bustling cities and small town America; remote Spanish beach sides and Nordic forest. The author treads lightly yet gets to the heart of the issues faced by staff and proprietors. This is an entertaining smorgasbord of reading pleasure for anyone who has worked in or frequented a restaurant.
In the Restaurant, by Christoph Ribbat (translated by Jamie Searle Romanelli), provides a potted history of the restaurant alongside the sociology and psychology of those who work in and frequent such establishments. Written in short bites of piquant text each entry is easily digested. This is a fun and fascinating account of the eatery’s growth and development.
What a modern European would think of as a restaurant came into being in Paris around 1760. The upper classes were enticed to eat at a new style of the ubiquitous inn, one which served ‘restorative’ bouillons for those who considered their palates sensitive. Customers were given a table to themselves rather than having to share benches with strangers. They could choose when they wanted to eat and select their choice of dish from a menu. Ambience and service were of the utmost importance.
Unlike other upper class venues at the time, anyone who could pay for their food and drink was admitted. Restaurants were furnished with niches and alcoves enabling a degree of privacy despite the public setting. Unusually, men and women appeared together. Before long these early restaurants were serving more than just bouillon. Specialities developed with views on quality and innovation disseminated by newly emerging writers – the restaurant critic. Interest in these Parisian ventures encouraged others to open restaurants around the world.
From the beginning staff were stratified with rigid, snobbish hierarchies emerging. The chef ruled in the kitchen which was kept hidden from customers. Waiters were go-betweens, tasked with making the customer feel welcome and valued. Despite the hard work and long hours, salaries were low – mortality amongst employees subjected to the health hazards in busy kitchens was high.
Chefs published cookbooks to raise their profile and that of their place of work. The dishes they developed evolved as increased tourism brought with it new culinary skills, ideas and tastes. Increased efficiency in the kitchen was achieved by introducing specialisms.
George Orwell was one of the first authors to draw attention to the more unsavoury aspects of a restaurant’s kitchen practices, based of his experience working there. Meanwhile critics were feted and the famous fed for free to raise an establishment’s profile. Over time food fashions changed as chefs sought to capture the zeitgeist. Customers continued to seek
“sophistication rather than satiation”
From a simple idea the restaurant developed in many directions. Industrialisation and automation brought with it fast food chains. The quest for Michelin stars encouraged the creation of labour intensive art to be consumed. Staff are still badly paid.
“It is possible to make a living from only one in five jobs in the American food industry.”
Although presented in anecdotal style with reference to individuals and particular establishments, the source notes for the numerous entries in this book are extensive. Detailed references are provided in a section at the end. What comes across is how much has changed and yet also remained the same. The restaurant remains
“a theatre for all the senses”
The players rely on both the artisanal and industrial workers. While customers may be hedonistic, enjoying the performance and eating experience, there remains widespread exploitation of staff and those who provide the base ingredients.
There are now many types of restaurant with wide varieties of operating philosophies. These cater for: the time strapped; those seeking comfort food; demands for fresh produce; the semblance of ethical practices; health fads and fashions. Although now everyday destinations for many, at the high end of the market success brings its own problems. One example cited was of the newly listed three Michelin star establishment that was asked by a potential customer where they could land their helicopter. The cost of such meals may appear obscene while people go hungry. Demand remains.
And such tales add to the interest of what is an entertaining and intelligent glimpse into the kitchens and public spaces of restaurants operating within a multitude of environments: capitalist and communist states; bustling cities and small town America; remote Spanish beach sides and Nordic forest. The author treads lightly yet gets to the heart of the issues faced by staff and proprietors. This is an entertaining smorgasbord of reading pleasure for anyone who has worked in or frequented a restaurant.
February 26, 2018
Moderately interesting. I've picked up a few things myself about the restaurant biz, any tried not very successfully to find where they fit into this trajectory. For me, fewer threads and more rounded-out themes would have been more gripping.
But thanks Shakespeare & Co./Alan Teder! This wouldn't have crossed my path otherwise : )
But thanks Shakespeare & Co./Alan Teder! This wouldn't have crossed my path otherwise : )
April 3, 2021
Μια εξαιρετική ματιά στην κοινωνική εξέλιξη μέσω του φαγητού και του πολύπαθου κλάδου της εστίασης.
Ο συγγραφέας μέσα από αφηγήσεις, ιστορίες, ανέκδοτα και την ιστορία των εστιατορίων αναλύει πώς διαμορφώθηκε η πορεία της κοινωνίας μας, οι διατροφικές μας συνήθειες και άλλαξε ο τρόπος διασκέδασης, δημιουργώντας ένα καινούριο κοινωνικό και εργασιακό κλάδο που στις μέρες του κορωνοϊού πλήττεται όσο κανένας άλλος.
Ο συγγραφέας μέσα από αφηγήσεις, ιστορίες, ανέκδοτα και την ιστορία των εστιατορίων αναλύει πώς διαμορφώθηκε η πορεία της κοινωνίας μας, οι διατροφικές μας συνήθειες και άλλαξε ο τρόπος διασκέδασης, δημιουργώντας ένα καινούριο κοινωνικό και εργασιακό κλάδο που στις μέρες του κορωνοϊού πλήττεται όσο κανένας άλλος.
July 12, 2022
Der Schreibstil schafft es, dass die Geschichte des Restaurants gleichzeitig sehr temporeich und doch in großem Detail erzählt werden kann. Verschiedene Anekdoten, geschichtliche Quellen und soziologische Studien werden aneinandergereiht, immer wieder unterbrochen und neu aufgenommen und man arbeitet sich so von der Erfindung des modernen Restaurantbetriebs bis hin zu Foodblogs durch, ohne das große Längen entstehen.
December 21, 2020
Ιστορίες που κινούνται στον ευρύτερο χώρο του εστιατορίου σαν έννοια. Γαστρονόμοι, μάγειρες, μετανάστες σερβιτόροι, γυναίκες ερευνήτριες του 20ού αιώνα, ο Τζόρτζ Όργουελ, ο Άντονυ Μπουρνταίν είναι ορισμένα από τα κομμάτια του κολλάζ.
Στο τελευταίο κομμάτι ο Ρίμπατ παραθέτει μία ερμηνεία του εστιατορίου σε κοινωνιολογικό πλαίσιο.
Ευχαριστώ τον φίλο μου Βαγγέλη για την πρόταση.
Στο τελευταίο κομμάτι ο Ρίμπατ παραθέτει μία ερμηνεία του εστιατορίου σε κοινωνιολογικό πλαίσιο.
Ευχαριστώ τον φίλο μου Βαγγέλη για την πρόταση.
December 29, 2022
Libro que habla de la historia de la hostería y la restauración a través de casos reales a partir de los inicios de las profesiones de camareros como de cocineros, haciendo referencias a personas que han escrito tanto libros como artículos, críticos prestigiosos, cocineros de renombre y dueños de los templos gastronómicos mundiales. Un buen libro para conocer más de esta profesión que tanto naltratamos y de la que sabemos muy poco.
July 26, 2017
An interesting history of restaurants. The way Ribbat tells the story of restaurants is fascinating: he moves the story along in wignets, highlighting interesting people here and there, moving along in the timeline. Makes for a swift, easy, pleasant read.
September 29, 2019
Ενδιαφέρουσες ιστορίες εστίασης σερβιρισμένες αποσπασματικά σαν ένα πλούσιο μενού γνωριμίας, οι οποίες συνοδεύονται με ένα ξηρό χιούμορ του 2016. Κλείσαμε με ένα κάπως βαρύ σαν σφολιάτα, επιδόρπιο και ένα πυκνό, πλούσιο τμήμα με βιβλιογραφίες αντί για λικέρ.
November 4, 2018
Kiintoisia anekdootteja ravintolalegendoista ja legendaravintoloista
November 24, 2019
A fascinating journey through the history of the restaurant since its creation in the late 19th century. A mesmerizing text that keeps the reader's attention. The stories are given through short bursts (longer stories are split and mixed) and involve the entire culinary world, from dish washing personnel to grand chefs and entrepreneurial owners. Food and the culinary world are used by the author as the medium for deep sociopolitical l analysis of mainly the western world, touching societal behavior, labor rights and conditions, struggle of classes, etc. I've always connected food with society development and characters and this book confirms this is in the most tasty manner.
Bottom-line: A magnificent book to be read by all foodies (assuming that they connect food with societal traits as they should)
Bottom-line: A magnificent book to be read by all foodies (assuming that they connect food with societal traits as they should)
April 19, 2018
Well, this is a fascinating collection of restaurant history and trivia and anecdotes and social commentary on the role eating out has played in the world over history. Really, fascinating. And conveyed in short, easily palatable bursts. To me, it just felt like it wanted a really good wrap up at the end to pull it all together and that wasn't really present. Enjoyable, but also more atmospheric -- think short stories of history, not a through narrative.
Advanced reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.
Advanced reader's copy provided by Edelweiss.
August 29, 2018
As a frequent restaurant customer, this book reached out to me. It is scholarly, gossipy and incisive. Wonderful vignettes about European and American cuisine; notable chefs; writers, critics and popular culture about food and restaurants; and the working conditions, attitudes and tensions that various restaurant workers have been subjected to over the past 150-plus years. A very good survey of the aforementioned issues. Worth reading, if you can appreciate its choppy, attention shifting, choppy narrative.
March 11, 2019
This was a gift and not a book I would have picked up on my own. I took a long time reading this mainly because it is so full of information and details. I needed to savor this.
Reading this was like falling down the rabbit hole, each chapter led me to more books. I have added at least nine books to my TBR as they were referenced.
I defiantly recommend. This is well written - and just fascinating.
Reading this was like falling down the rabbit hole, each chapter led me to more books. I have added at least nine books to my TBR as they were referenced.
I defiantly recommend. This is well written - and just fascinating.
March 3, 2020
The book reads like a restaurant visit...bits and pieces of stories wound together to make a whole that don’t always click. It feels like sitting at a big table and not getting all of one story but most of a few. I would have liked a deeper dive into some of the subjects but I think i understand what the author was trying to do. Like most restaurants it was great and I’m glad I “visited” but excellence is hard to achieve. 4/5.
December 30, 2022
Μετά από μια μακρά περιπλάνηση στο χώρο της εστίασης των τριών τελευταίων αιώνων μέσα από μια (τρομερή) πληθώρα ιστορικών, μαρτυριών, επιστημονικών τεκμηριώσεων, εμπειριών, ο συγγραφέας κλείνει το παζλ που δημιούργησε με μια ανθρωπολογική-κοινωνιολογική ερμηνεία του φαινομένου του εστιατορίου και της εστίασης. Δεν το περίμενα τοσο συναρπαστικό, ενώ πιστεύω ότι θα έπρεπε να ειναι προτεινόμενο ανάγνωσμα -αν δεν είναι ήδη- για τους ανθρώπους που σπουδάζουν =ή και εξασκούν- το αντικείμενο.
March 4, 2018
While I initially enjoyed the book, it started to jump from story to story too quickly for me. I found it difficult to keep up and spent most of my time trying to make sense of the sudden changes in pace. I never seemed to close any of the loops either. I'd like to read it again, but with a notebook or an outline that might help me make more sense of it.
August 26, 2019
I thought this was going to be a history of restaurants, and I suppose in a way it was. The difference between this book and a more 'traditional' history would be that this one is told in vignettes that last about a page or page and a half, bouncing around between stories. It made the whole thing feel rather disjointed, and I wish it had been told more linear.
At least it was short.
At least it was short.
April 7, 2018
A very sociological look at restaurants, translated from the original German. Interesting footnotes on the four sections of the book serve as a bibliography, citing sociological restaurant studies.
And don't get Ribbat going about El Bulli.
And don't get Ribbat going about El Bulli.
June 4, 2018
An interesting and fascinating history of restaurant. It's well researched and written and can be easily read without any moment of bore.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Pushkin Press and Edelweiss for this ARC
Recommended!
Many thanks to Pushkin Press and Edelweiss for this ARC
August 8, 2018
This was a bit hard to read, for all that the writing was compelling. Ribbat has an engaging voice but he skips from topic to topic and you don't ever get to dig into things before he moves on. I don't feel so much like I read a book, but a series of factoids.
April 25, 2025
I loved this book. So much to learn, and the insights into individual experiences within the food industry. The way famous stories are told, without names until the last moment. Loved it! And love that it has all of the references at the end for future reading.
October 11, 2018
This was brilliant!
October 3, 2020
I found the book kind of boring. All these stories had no connection and never felt emotionally connected to anything. It was more of an anthology of historical facts.
June 9, 2022
Another manner of seeing the restaurant world
November 13, 2023
Demasiadas historias mezcladas con un buen batiburrillo gastronómico que te hace pensar en cómo son las cocinas de los restaurantes.
July 31, 2023
كتاب سيء وكذلك ترجمته. الفوائد في هذا الكتاب تستخرج بالمناقيش. الكتاب عن قصص مملة مكررة دارت في المطاعم.لا تضيعوا أوقاتكم بقراءته.
February 18, 2021
(Note: I received an advanced electronic copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley)
The author's decision compose the book into so many small sections (many of which were connected but divided by other sections) that covered everything from the "British Restaurants" of WWII to McDonalds frankly made this a confusing read for me. I knew that I was receiving a lot of bits and pieces of interesting information about the recent history of restaurants, but I didn't understand the overall point of the format, or what the underlying focus was supposed to be here. Was this about restaurants' changing roles in society? Was this about restaurants as a place of both egalitarianism and class conflict? Was this a history that wanted to concentrate on being told through the lens of a chosen array of struggling writers and undercover scholars who worked in the restaurant at various points in their lives?
When I reached the final part of the book, the message I (think) that I received was that yes, this was about all of those, and more. But as I finished "In the Restaurant", I did not do so with a sense of conclusion, or honestly even satisfaction. The reading experience was so jumpy and so broad (not to mention oddly over-concentrated on restaurants in a European and American context), that even with a final wrap-up section, it felt like by trying to cover so much, the book didn't really cover anything.
Based on its publisher's summary, I eagerly approached this book under nothing more than a general impression that I was going to get a micro-history about the restaurant world. But now that I've finished I feel like I wound up with more than a differently structured history read. Quite frankly, I am still trying to process what I just read.
The author's decision compose the book into so many small sections (many of which were connected but divided by other sections) that covered everything from the "British Restaurants" of WWII to McDonalds frankly made this a confusing read for me. I knew that I was receiving a lot of bits and pieces of interesting information about the recent history of restaurants, but I didn't understand the overall point of the format, or what the underlying focus was supposed to be here. Was this about restaurants' changing roles in society? Was this about restaurants as a place of both egalitarianism and class conflict? Was this a history that wanted to concentrate on being told through the lens of a chosen array of struggling writers and undercover scholars who worked in the restaurant at various points in their lives?
When I reached the final part of the book, the message I (think) that I received was that yes, this was about all of those, and more. But as I finished "In the Restaurant", I did not do so with a sense of conclusion, or honestly even satisfaction. The reading experience was so jumpy and so broad (not to mention oddly over-concentrated on restaurants in a European and American context), that even with a final wrap-up section, it felt like by trying to cover so much, the book didn't really cover anything.
Based on its publisher's summary, I eagerly approached this book under nothing more than a general impression that I was going to get a micro-history about the restaurant world. But now that I've finished I feel like I wound up with more than a differently structured history read. Quite frankly, I am still trying to process what I just read.
May 24, 2021
"Es ist nicht unproblematisch, solche Episoden nicht zu deuten, sondern sie schlicht zu erzählen und aneinanderzuschneiden", gibt Christoph Ribbat im vierten Kapitel seines Buches selbst zu. 170 Seiten lang montiert er kleine Erzählungen aus 250 Jahren Restaurant-Geschichte aneinander. Sie sind gut geschrieben, interessant und erhellend. Allerdings setzen einige gastronomisches Wissen voraus, um die Bedeutung erkennen zu können. Im vierten, dem resümmierenden Kapitel zieht der Autor dann ein soziologisches Fazit. Denn es handelt sich hier um ein durchaus wissenschaftlich gedachtes Werk, davon zeugen schon die vielen literarischen Quellenhinweise.
Mir persönlich fehlt es gerade bei den fast anekdotenhaften Episoden an Einordnung. Sie setzen ein nicht unerhebliches Vorwissen voraus, um ein Gesamtbild erkennen zu können. Auch die soziologische Deutung im Schlusskapitel bleibt mir zu generell. Insgesamt ein durchaus unterhaltsames und Interesse weckendes Buch, aber nicht mehr als ein amuse geule für die Leser, die tiefer in die Kulturgeschichte des Restaurants eintauchen möchten.
Mir persönlich fehlt es gerade bei den fast anekdotenhaften Episoden an Einordnung. Sie setzen ein nicht unerhebliches Vorwissen voraus, um ein Gesamtbild erkennen zu können. Auch die soziologische Deutung im Schlusskapitel bleibt mir zu generell. Insgesamt ein durchaus unterhaltsames und Interesse weckendes Buch, aber nicht mehr als ein amuse geule für die Leser, die tiefer in die Kulturgeschichte des Restaurants eintauchen möchten.
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