In 1765, an innkeeper named Dossier Boulanger opened an eatery in Paris and hung the following sign at the door: "Venite ad me vos qui stomacho laboratis et ego restaurabo vos.” There were not many Parisians who could read French back then, let alone Latin, but those who could knew that Boulanger, the proprietor, was saying: "Come to my house, men with weary stomachs, and I will restore you.” The phrase was so successful that since then, all eateries worldwide are called “restaurants.” Besides the delicious cuisine that became famous throughout France, Boulanger delighted his diners with delicious desserts he prepared himself. Due to the fame of his pastries, Boulanger is also the “culprit” for why bakeries in France are called “boulangeries.”
The word “restaurant” quickly became established, and the most reputable chefs who had only worked for private families, kings, and ministers, also opened their own businesses or were hired by a new group of small entrepreneurs: the restaurateurs.
The term “restaurant” arrived in the United States in 1794, brought by the French refugee of the revolution, Jean Baptiste Gilbert Paypalt, who founded what would be the first French restaurant in the United States called Julien’s Restorator.
There are many curiosities in this story, one of them is the “mission to restore the spirit, the smile, and health” that those who work in a restaurant have. It is a noble, commendable, special mission… Have we thought about how special a restaurant cook is? Or the cook of a small diner? Or the kind waiter who has patience with us as we change our minds repeatedly about what we want to eat?
Each of us is special in what we do if we understand the depth of our contribution to general well-being. A guard, a janitor, a receptionist, a telephone operator in a call center…
What do you restore?
Whom do you help?
What do you contribute to someone else's well-being, happiness, and health?
In honor of every cook, chef, pastry chef, barista, waitress, or waiter who fills us with joy with their delicacies made with love and excellence.
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