What is a buffet

The word "buffet" appeared in French thanks to the Latin language ("bufetum" - a brilliant table) and over time found other definitions that remained similar in meaning to the original meaning, namely: the company "catering"; view of the dining room furniture.

What is a buffet

Buffet is an enterprise that originated in the 19th century. In the buffet rooms of the restaurants, they began to put up a blocking counter hiding the cupboard from the visitors. For the person watching the buffet, a new position was allocated - the buffetier. Later, in addition to his main duties, he had to pour soft drinks and make light snacks. The counter was expanded, and it became a narrow table. In the 1980s, high chairs were put up on the opposite side of the counter in the United States of America so that people who came alone could sit there.

In the modern world, such furniture is located in public or populated buildings, they sell ready-made products (breakfast and lunch, snacks, pastry and flour products), which after purchase can be eaten there.

Requirements for institutions of this type are strictly regulated by GOST, moreover, they are very similar to the requirements of the Soviet era.

Reference! Abroad of the former USSR there is no exact analogue to this type of catering enterprises. In most languages, a similar word means equipment feeding organization, which is the choice of visitors from the presented range of what they want. Russian counterparts of this concept are the buffet table and buffet.

By location, buffets are:

  • in residential buildings (at dining rooms, hotels);
  • in public places (universities, institutes, schools, stadiums, theaters and cinema, train stations, airports, etc.);
  • in production.

The structure and purpose of the places are:

  • moving (sideboard compartment, car sideboard, sideboards on water vessels);
  • stationary.

Depending on the time of work, there are:

  • Seasonal
  • working all the time.

The main requests that all eateries must comply with are:

  • the existence of a sign;
  • the presence of the menu;
  • availability of a price list of products;
  • working ventilation system;
  • presence of a counter;
  • toilet with sink;
  • tables for eating (with or without chairs);
  • permissible use of earthenware or disposable tableware;
  • providing guests with paper towels.

The buffet, as a piece of dining furniture, appeared in the XVII century. He retained his appearance from that time until now:

  • shelves upstairs with glass or wooden doors - for glasses, salad bowls, glasses of glass and crystal;
  • in the middle drawers - for forks, spoons and knives;
  • below are heavy shelves for bulky china and metal dishes.

The shelves above and below, in addition to the drawers, were separated by a recess with a countertop. It was used for serving dishes before serving. After a while, they began to cook snacks on it.

This design is so practical that, despite the huge period of time since its appearance, it has not changed its appearance.

This is not just a capacious cabinet, suitable for preserving kitchen utensils. For many, a buffet is a symbol of the hearth. And even more so, now, most furniture manufacturers have improved such a cabinet, and now it fits almost any interior.

In addition to dishes, you can store drinks and non-perishable products in it.

Sometimes people confuse a sideboard with a pencil case or a cupboard, but the sideboard has several significant distinguishing features:

  • in comparison with a curbstone, it has 3 sections (lower, middle and upper);
  • it has a niche with a countertop;
  • it has a large height, like a pencil case, but it is much wider.

It has the ability to place dishes, cutlery, products: spices, coffee, tea. Deepening with a countertop, as in ancient times, is used for making snacks, tea brewing, serving.

Topware is often stored on top, which is rarely used. For example, dinner sets, wine glasses, everything that comes only if guests come to the house.

In the middle parts, in addition to the countertops, there are drawers. They can accommodate forks, spoons and other useful little things. Sometimes, the tabletop is retractable, which gives the hostess even more space to create masterpieces of cooking.

The lower part is always used to preserve large-sized, heavy items of kitchen utensils - pans, pots, small household appliances.

Watch the video: What You Should Really Know Before Eating At A Buffet (March 2024).

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