History of catering

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Banquet of seven sages

The history of catering involves the development and evolution of the service industry that provides food, beverage, and other event services. The word catering comes from the Latin word cater, which means to provide. The business of providing food for parties, meetings, and other gatherings has been around for millennia, with traces back to ancient civilizations. Over time, this profession has grown and evolved into the diverse industry it is today.

Ancient catering[edit]

Ancient Greece Marble Votive Relief of a Funerary Banquet

The concept of catering can be traced back to ancient times such as in civilizations like Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome where large banquets were commonly held by the ruling classes, requiring the services of cooks and servers to prepare and distribute the food.[1][2]

In Ancient China, the royals and aristocrats would host grand banquets during festivals and on special occasions, employing professional cooks who would later influence the culinary arts and catering practices.

These events were often held to honor the gods, celebrate military victories, or simply demonstrate wealth and power.[3][4]

The catering industry of this time was largely a part of royal and noble households. Food was a vital part of their culture and religious practices, and many of the foods prepared for these events, such as bread, fish, and various types of meat, were commonly found in the diet of these civilizations.[5][6]

The role of a caterer in ancient times was typically filled by slaves or servants who were responsible for food preparation and serving.[7]

Medieval catering[edit]

Banquet du paon

In the Middle Ages, the catering industry began to develop more structure.[8] The cooks and servers were often part of the household staff in a noble or royal house.

In England, the position of "Master of the Revels" was established, who was responsible for managing royal entertainment, including food preparation and presentation.[9] Banquets and feasts remained a popular way of celebrating occasions and showing hospitality.[10][11]

The Middle Ages saw a shift in catering services with the establishment of taverns and inns, which played a key role in providing food for travelers.[12] However, large-scale feasts and banquets were still primarily in the domain of the nobility.[13] Medieval cuisine was heavily influenced by religious dietary rules and the seasonal availability of food. The advent of trade routes and the crusades led to an exchange of culinary ideas and ingredients.[14] During this period, the use of spices became prevalent, and new techniques for preparing and presenting food were developed.[15]

Renaissance catering[edit]

Bassen, Bartholomeus van, Renaissance Interior with Banqueters, 1618-20

The Renaissance period transformed catering practices and gave rise to professional guilds for cooks and servers.[16][17] Food presentation became an art form, and banquets were often showcases for new culinary creations.[18] Spices were widely used, and there was a focus on using fresh, local ingredients.[19] Catering services were frequently offered by inns and taverns, which had become social hubs. The development of cookbooks during this era reflects the growing sophistication of catering and culinary arts.[20][21]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Dunbabin, Katherine M. D. (2003). The Roman banquet: images of conviviality (1. publ ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-82252-7.
  2. ^ Eastlake, Laura (2018-11-29). "Ancient Rome and Victorian Masculinity". doi:10.1093/oso/9780198833031.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-883303-1. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ Draycott, Catherine Mary; Stamatopoúlou, María (2016). Dining and death: interdisciplinary perspectives on the 'Funerary Banquet' in ancient art, burial and belief. Colloquia Antiqua. Leuven: Peeters. ISBN 978-90-429-3251-7.
  4. ^ Royster, Michael D. (2019). "Banquet Etiquette in Ancient Corinth". The Expository Times. 131 (2): 91–92. doi:10.1177/0014524619871768. ISSN 0014-5246.
  5. ^ Antonissen, Hugo (2019-09-05), "The Banquet Culture in New Jerusalem, an Aramaic Text from Qumran", Vision, Narrative, and Wisdom in the Aramaic Texts from Qumran, Brill, pp. 52–77, doi:10.1163/9789004413733_005, ISBN 978-90-04-41373-3, retrieved 2023-07-19
  6. ^ Monaco, Farrell (2018-01-22). "The Old School Kitchen: From the Etruscan Table to the Roman Banquet". Tavola Mediterranea. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  7. ^ "coaccess". apps.crossref.org. doi:10.1515/9781646021512-032. Retrieved 2023-07-19.
  8. ^ Normore, Christina (2015). A feast for the eyes: art, performance, and the late medieval banquet. Chicago (Ill.): University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-24220-0.
  9. ^ Mostert, Marco (2012). A bibliography of works on Medieval communication. Utrecht studies in medieval literacy. Turnhout: Brepols. ISBN 978-2-503-54477-9.
  10. ^ Santich, Barbara (2019). The Original Mediterranean Cuisine (2nd ed.). University of Adelaide. ISBN 9781781796405.
  11. ^ Solterer, Helen (2010). Medieval roles for modern times: theater and the battle for the French Republic. University Park (Pa.): Pennsylvania state university press. ISBN 978-0-271-03614-4.
  12. ^ Ruralia association, ed. (2011). Processing, storage, distribution of food: food in the medieval rural environment. Turnhout: Brepols. ISBN 978-2-503-53661-3.
  13. ^ A. Kallen, Stuart (2015). Medieval Food and Customs (1st ed.). The Library of Medieval Times. ISBN 978-1-60152-718-9.
  14. ^ Biran, Michal (2016). "Food and Environment in Early and Medieval China. By Eugene N. Anderson . Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. xi, 338 pp. ISBN: 9780812246384 (cloth; also available as e-book)". The Journal of Asian Studies. 75 (3): 800–801. doi:10.1017/S0021911816000668. ISSN 0021-9118.
  15. ^ Dembińska, Maria (1999). Food and drink in medieval Poland: rediscovering a cuisine of the past. Translated by Thomas, Magdalena. William Woys Weaver. Philadelphia, Pa: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-3224-0.
  16. ^ Strong, Roy C. (1995). Art and power: Renaissance festivals 1450 - 1650 (Repr ed.). Woodbridge: Boydell Press. ISBN 978-0-85115-247-9.
  17. ^ Mulryne, J. R., ed. (1992). Italian renaissance festivals and their European influence. Lewiston: Edwin Mellen Pr. ISBN 978-0-7734-9608-8.
  18. ^ Grieco, Allen J. (2019). Food, social politics and the order of nature in Renaissance Italy. Villa I Tatti series. Milan: Officina libraria. ISBN 978-0-674-24408-5.
  19. ^ Fitzpatrick, Joan (2010). Renaissance food from Rabelais to Shakespeare: culinary readings and culinary histories. Farnham: Ashgate. ISBN 978-0-7546-6427-7.
  20. ^ McGowan, Margaret M.; Shewring, Margaret (2020). Charles V, Prince Philip and the politics of succession: imperial festivities in Mons and Hainault, 1549. European festival studies, 1450-1700. Turhout: Brepols. ISBN 978-2-503-58615-1.
  21. ^ Bussels, Stijn (2011-04-20), "Making the Most of Theatre and Painting: The Power of Tableaux Vivants in Joyous Entries from the Southern Netherlands (1458-1635)", Theatricality in Early Modern Art and Architecture, Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 36–47, doi:10.1002/9781444396744.ch3, ISBN 978-1-4443-3902-4, retrieved 2023-07-19
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