The Restaurant: A 2,000-Year History of Dining Out -- The American Edition

Award-winning food critic and writer William Sitwell chronicles the fascinating global history of dining out, from the Roman wine taverns of ancient Pompeii to today's high-tech molecular gastronomy.

Have you ever wondered where the first coffee shop sprung up, or when the sushi conveyor belt was invented? Unbelievably, the global history of the dining establishment has never been told--until now. Journeying 2,000 years into the past, acclaimed food critic and writer William Sitwell artfully traces the earliest origins of the widespread cultural practice of eating out, from its most basic to most sophisticated forms. Whether he's traversing the inns and taverns of Pompeii before its destruction in A.D. 79, witnessing the tumultuous emergence of fine dining during the French Revolution, or recounting the mid-twentieth-century invention of the taco machine in New York City, Sitwell's engaging prose gives readers a front-row seat to the restaurant experience across cultures and millennia. He follows the fashions that shape the way we dine, meeting the restaurateurs of today and yesterday whose establishments shaped society for good or ill. And after offering a wry history of the world through the prism of the eatery, he ponders its exciting future. Chefs, critics, restaurateurs, and foodies alike will delight in all the sweet and savory details offered up in this lively and highly absorbing romp through social and culinary history, packed with color photographs and illustrations.

Author: William Sitwell
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 04/21/2020
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.90lbs
Size: 9.60h x 6.70w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781635766998


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 03/01/2020

About the Author
Sitwell, William: - William Sitwell is an award-winning editor, broadcaster, writer, and food critic for The Telegraph. He has appeared at literary and food festivals across the globe, and as the long-standing editor of Waitrose Food magazine, he was named Editor of the Year on numerous occasions. A frequent guest and presenter on TV and radio--he's best known as a critic on the BBC show MasterChef--Sitwell also contributes regularly on the subject of food for the Daily Mail, The Times, and The Guardian. He entertains diners with William Sitwell's Supper Club, and his weekly radio show, Biting Talk, featured the biggest names and new talent from the world of food and drink. Sitwell lives in Northamptonshire, England.