Fine Dining – The History and Staff Structure of the Industry

Lorri Mealey (2014) a restauranting expert defines fine dining as that which offers the finest food and differs for every individual due to the varying expetations and perception of it.

Fine Dining came to light post French revolution and over time it has developed into a completely separate industry which is distributed throughout the world. The main improvements of this industry involve aspects such as the distribution of goods, significantly more efficient cooking appliances and safer storage facilities. These improvements have revolutionized this industry and adapted it dramatically since the medieval era.

‘Restaurer’ originates from the word restaurant, which actually comes from the word ‘restore’. Besides the fact that this industry started to come about in ancient times, it was after the French revolution where it became recognized; this was due to the development of individual menus and pricing as well as other modernizations which were brought about by certain individuals who are believed to have founded this section of food service. Firstly, a man known as Boulanger, wrote on a sign outside of his establishment “Boulanger sells restoratives fit for the God’s” which is said to be the first actual proof of fine dining in modern terms. Also a more forgotten restauranter, Martin Roze de Chantoiseau opened a business in Parid in the year 1766 and he claimed to “only serve foods that either maintain or re-establish health.”

The staff structure in the fine dining industry is extremely complex and can be split into a hierarchy of several layers. In the bigger establishments, which provide fine dining such as hotels, the general manager would be situated at the top of the hierarchy.  It is their job to ensure that the business is running smoothly and that everyone is undertaking their job to the best of their ability. They may also have assistant managers in order to help organize the other staff more closely to ensure a successful service is delivered. In the back of house, a head chef is appointed who is in charge of not only the other kitchen staff but also the menu organization and costings based on location, pricing of delivered goods, quality of food and type of restaurant. 

Other supporting staff members who ensure that the overall standards of the business is delivered include servers, runners, bartenders and hosts on the front of house service along with a pastry chef, chef de cuisine, line and prep cooks and a chef garde manager. These positions all ensure the success of the service through the quality and speed at which the food gets delivered to the guest. (On the Fly, 2013)

Mealey L, (2014).  How to open a fine dining restaurant, AboutMoney. [Online] Available at: http://restaurants.about.com/od/restaurantconcepts/ht/How-To-Open-A-Fine-Dining-Restaurant.htm (Accessed 15 November 2014)

On the Fly, (2013). “Restaurant Roles and Job Descriptions” Information and Inspiration for the Pro. [Online] Available at: http://blog.foodservicewarehouse.com/restaurant-roles-job-descriptions/ (Accessed 17 November 2014)