HISTORY OF MODERN

FOOD SERVICE
01-GROUP ACTIVITY-1

Mariel Noda
Genesis Catalan
Timothy James Ternal
HRS-201

February 16, 2024

Sir John Del Mendoza
 TH2204

Group Activity

Discuss within your group the important events and key figures in the history of modern food
service. Then, taking turns, fill the boxes below with at least three (3) important events and/or key figures.
Ensure that the information is written within the appropriate period. You will be graded based on the
following rubric:

• The 18th Century

➢ From the 16th century onwards, the term "restorative" has been used to refer to hearty and
intensely-flavored soups or stews that have the ability to replenish drained energy. Restoratives,
similar to other cooked dishes available and bought outside the home at that time, were produced
by guilds. Guilds were successful business associations that thrived in Europe from the 11th to
the 17th centuries. Guilds were formed with the purpose of safeguarding trade expertise and
ensuring its transmission and advancement through apprenticeship programs. Every guild
possessed an exclusive monopoly over the preparation of specific food items.
➢ In 1765, a Parisian tavern owner named Boulanger (boo-laan-zhay) started selling a dish of sheep
feet in white sauce that was thought to help people feel better. Before this, food made by groups
outside of inns and taverns was usually served there. Guests at the inn or bar ate their meals
together as a family at tables that were shared by everyone. The owners of inns and taverns didn't
decide what food was served. Boulanger made a contribution to the food service business by
serving customers who were mostly interested in eating a variety of foods that were made on-site.
➢ As the years went by, more places opened, such as Antoine Beauvillier's (an-twan bo-vee-yey;
1754–1817) Grande Taverne de Londres. He helped the modern restaurant grow by giving his
wealthy customers a menu with a list of dishes that were only offered at certain times. The wait
staff at Beauvilliers was very well trained and seated customers at small, private tables in a classy
setting.
➢ The French Revolution (1789–1799) had a big effect on the food business, which was just
starting out. Guilds and their monopolies were mostly done away with at the same time as the
nobles. At this point in time, people in guilds that worked for the nobility started to share their
skills and ideas with the public. People who used to work in the kitchens of the wealthy and
powerful started their own restaurants to serve the growing middle class.

• The Early 19th Century

➢ During the mid-19th century, numerous prestigious restaurants in Paris began offering
extravagant dinners that strongly resembled the haute cuisine of the aristocracy. Grande cuisine
refers to the luxurious, sophisticated, and decorated culinary style that was prevalent among the
French aristocracy and upper classes during the 18th and 19th centuries. It relies on the logical
recognition, cultivation, and acceptance of rigorous culinary principles. Grande cuisine set itself
apart from regional cuisines by placing emphasis on the methods and reasons behind cooking,
rather than solely focusing on the traditional aspects of cooking.
➢ Grande cuisine, which some may argue reached its pinnacle under the mastery of Marie-Antoine
Carême (ma-ree an-twan ka-rem; 1783–1833), was distinguished by feasts comprising numerous
courses of meticulously and beautifully crafted, displayed, adorned, and flavored food items.
Carême, renowned as the "culinary expert of royalty and the supreme authority of French haute
cuisine," was widely recognized as a master of the finest French culinary traditions.
➢ Marie-Antoine Carême's primary objective was to attain "lightness," "grace," "order," and
"perspicuity" in the process and display of food. He produced significant literary works on culinary
arts, such as The French Butler (1822), which detailed the numerous dishes he created and
prepared in major European cities. Another notable work is The Royal Parisian Pastry Chefs
(1825), which featured intricate designs for elaborate centerpieces known as "les pieces
 montées," which were the highlight of extravagant dinners. Additionally, he authored a
comprehensive five-volume masterpiece titled The Art of French Cuisine in the 19th Century
(1833), with the final two volumes being completed by his associate Plumerey after his death.
Carême's writings effectively and comprehensively distilled five centuries of gastronomic
development.

• The Late 19th Century

➢ Restaurants emerged in the United States and Europe during the 19th century, influenced by the
French in terms of culinary style and the restaurant industry. Charles Ranhofer (1836–1899) was
the inaugural globally acclaimed chef of Delmonico's, a restaurant located in New York City. In
1893, Ranhofer released his comprehensive culinary compendium titled "The Epicurean," which
featured over 3500 recipes and was referred to as the "Franco-American" encyclopedia of
cookery.
➢ The dining room at London's Savoy Hotel, which opened in 1898, was considered one of the best
restaurants outside of France. It was managed by César Ritz (1850-1918) and George-Auguste
Escoffier (1846-1935). Escoffier is widely acknowledged for enhancing the haute cuisine of
Carême to establish cuisine classique or classic food. Through his actions, he modernized French
cuisine, bringing it into the 20th century. Referred to as the "emperor of the world's kitchens," he
is mostly recognized for establishing the standards of French cuisine.
➢ Grande cuisine refers to the refining and simplification of French grande cuisine that took place
throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Grande cuisine, also known as classic cuisine,
is centered around a comprehensive exploration of culinary principles and techniques. It places
great emphasis on the meticulous preparation and elegant presentation of exceptional
ingredients.
➢ Escoffier authored several works, such as The Menu Book (1912), in which he expounds on the
ideas of a meticulously designed dinner, and My Kitchen (1934), which provides an overview of
bourgeois cuisine. However, his most significant work is a comprehensive and scholarly treatise
aimed at professional chefs, titled The Culinary Guide (1903). Continuing to be used in the present
day, it is an impressive compilation of more than 5000 traditional culinary recipes and
embellishments. Escoffier highlights the importance of mastering techniques, comprehending
cooking principles, and valuing ingredients. He believes that these qualities are essential for
competent chefs to construct exceptional dishes.

• The Mid – 20th Century

➢ In the mid-20th century, there was a shift towards food items that were lighter, had natural flavors,
and were prepared in a simple manner. Fernand Point (1897-1955) was a highly skilled exponent
of this artistic trend. Point elevated and updated Escoffier's traditional cuisine. He hated
overpowering sauces and distracting side dishes and garnishes. He had the belief that every
cuisine should possess a solitary prevailing component, flavor, or theme. He exerted the same
amount of work towards frying an egg as he did towards crafting the Marjolaine, a delicate sponge
cake made with almonds and hazelnuts, filled with chocolate and praline buttercreams. His
objective was to utilize the highest quality unprocessed components to create flawless cuisine
that appeared sophisticated and uncomplicated.
➢ Point's aim for simplicity and elegance was further elevated by a group of chefs he mentored,
including Paul Bocuse, Jean and Pierre Troisgros, Alain Chapel, François Bise, and Louis Outhier.
They, together with Michel Guérard and Roger Vergé, were the trailblazers of nouvelle cuisine in
the early 1970s. Gaston Lenôtre revolutionized traditional pastries of haute cuisine by
incorporating the vibrant and fresh tastes of nouvelle cuisine.
➢ Nouvelle cuisine, which means "new cooking" in French, stresses natural flavors, shorter cooking
times, and imaginative ingredient pairings. This culinary philosophy rejected excessively rich and
ornate dishes. The chefs emphasized healthy eating. Fresh, high-quality ingredients and simple,
direct cooking procedures are essential. The finished dishes should be attractively decorated and
accompanied by delicate garnishes to create harmony. These criteria have allowed normal
culinary methods to be employed with unusual ingredients and ingredients to be blended in novel
ways.
 • The Late 20th and Early 21st Centuries
➢ In the past three to four decades, significant developments initiated in the United States have
impacted the worldwide culinary scene. Two trends include "bold, ethnic flavors" and "fresh food,
simply prepared."
➢ The initial trend was mostly caused by the influx of immigrants to the United States in the 1960s.
Asian and Latin American immigrants introduced recipes from their native nations. This
popularized ethnic and regional cuisines across America.
➢ Ethnic cuisine refers to the culinary traditions of a certain cultural group, rather than being defined
by geographical or political considerations.
➢ Regional cuisine consists of recipes that utilize local products, customs, and practices. These
cuisines are typically variants of each other within a larger geographical, political, cultural, or social
unit, eventually merging to form a national cuisine. It initiated a time of daring exploration.
➢ American chefs started blending ingredients and cooking techniques from many culinary
traditions. They created fusion cuisine through their work. Fusion cuisine involves combining
ingredients and preparation methods from several ethnic, regional, or national cuisines in a single
meal.
➢ Restaurateurs and chefs started adapting the ideas of French nouvelle cuisine to American tastes
during this time. Alice Waters aimed to serve fresh food made in a simple manner when she
established Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, in 1971. Waters opposed the increasing trend
of processed and packaged meals and aimed to utilize fresh, seasonal, and locally sourced
ingredients in uncomplicated recipes that highlighted the natural flavors of the foods.
➢ Chez Panisse and its chefs popularized a new culinary genre known as New American cuisine.
New American cuisine focuses on utilizing fresh, locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and high-
quality goods prepared in a manner that preserves and showcases their natural qualities.
Waters' culinary philosophy gained popularity in the United States, fostering collaboration
between farmers and chefs to utilize fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Producers and suppliers
began seeking local sources for premium products that were previously only obtainable from
foreign countries.
➢ Chefs are incorporating fresh seasonal ingredients, like wild greens and seafood from local day-
boat fishers, into their menus to support small local farmers and emphasize seasonal produce, in
line with the farm-to-table or locavore movement.
➢ The locavore movement, although it acquired popularity and media attention in the United States
in the early 21st century, is not a new or novel concept. For thousands of years, cooks around the
world depended on local sources for their food.

REFERENCES:
• Gisslen, W. (2015). Essentials of professional cooking (2nd Ed.). Wiley
• Jhonny’s Kitchen. (2024, February 05). “A History Of Modern Food Service”. Retrieved from Johny’s Kitchen:
https://www.johnnyskitchen.us/professional-cooking/a-history-of-modern-food-service.html
• Labensky, S.R., Martel, P.A., & Hause, A.M. (2018). On Cooking: A textbook of culinary fundamentals (6th Ed.). Pearson
• Rajak, H. (2023, July 01). “Origin of Modern Cookery”. Retrieved from HM Hub: https://hmhub.in/origin-of-modern-cookery/