What is fine-dine in a restaurant?

The concept of ‘eating out’ has undergone a metamorphosis. Taking the essence of sharing a meal to enjoy good food and each other’s company a notch higher is the concept of a ‘fine dine-in restaurant’. Characterized by chic interiors, an elegant menu, a multi-course meal, designer cutlery, state-of-the-art service, and a sophisticated ambience, the experience of fine dining is a popular form of engagement among the affluent.

Marking special occasions such as a birthday, an anniversary, or even marriage proposals, fine dining has also carved a niche for itself in becoming a status symbol. This is what has increased the weight of responsibility on the shoulders of the eateries providing such services. There is not much scope for mistakes at a fine-dine restaurant. Their flawless service of an eating experience makes them so different from a casual eatery. It’s been a privilege to have been a part of both personal and professional events at such a restaurant; that is how I figured out the unique aspect of this dining style.

THE UNIQUENESS OF FINE-DINE IN

1. The setup: The ambience plays a key role in setting up the mood of a fine diner. The guest walks into a table that is, in most cases reserved with clean and neatly laid out table linen. No service ware or cutlery is found on the table until the order for the food is placed. Cutlery and service ware are a crucial part of this; thus, one could expect to find silverware and flat dishes to make their way to a table in such a restaurant. Maintaining a unique touch to the design makes a fine dine-in restaurant stand out. Some restaurants, thus, also go to the extent of having custom-made service ware by the theme of their eatery. Special attention is paid to the restaurant’s colour scheme as it helps set the mood of guests and the level of the opulence of the place.
   
2. The sitting arrangement: Luxury and elegance find their perfect blend at a restaurant that offers a fine dining experience. The flooring, the upholstery, and the furnishings are all in sync and convey the classiness of the place. Leather, marble, and glass are some of the materials that are seen to adorn such eateries. Privacy tops the priority list of such experience; therefore, efforts are made to include the same by incorporating plenty of space between tables. Comfort, too, does not remain far behind; a table’s height and the material used for the linens, cushions, and seats are carefully selected.
3. The style of greeting: It is among the first things you can expect to find at a fine-dine restaurant. The staff at such a restaurant is very carefully selected as they become the face of the diner and there is no way the restaurant owner can compromise on that. A formal environment is deliberately painted in every aspect of this dining experience which makes it stand out from any other of its kind. Trained and skilled staff are hired to ensure that the first impression of the customers is always positive.
4. The service etiquettes– the style of serving the food must be par excellence, which is why the staff should know and practice the correct way of placing plates and cutlery effectively, starting with the first course these are placed from the outside before serving the meal. To ensure that there are no fingerprints on the service ware, the base of the silverware is used to hold them. The dishes are taken from the closest point instead of across the table. The servers must be prompt enough to remove the used plates as soon as the course is complete and everyone at the table has finished eating the course. The plates are cleared off by stacking so they do not clink and make noise. The serving staff would also ensure that the drinks and desserts are brought out before the check is offered.
5. A fine dine-in restaurant, among all other things, has a lot of responsibilities to fulfil; it does not just have to look its best but also function its best. And the two pillars of functionality for any restaurant are its staff and equipment. Since eating in a luxurious and extraordinary setting is the core element of this experience, there can be no compromises in its construction. Hence, a lot of care has to be taken in identifying, handling, and maintaining the tools and equipment that help create such spectacular meals.

The equipment used in such a restaurant is mainly divided into two categories:

1. Fixed and large equipment – this comprises all the immovable big equipment such as the workstations, sinks, ovens, grills, fryers, stove top, pasta machines, salamanders, steamers, refrigerators, freezers, storage racks, etc. This equipment is fixed in a place and is not moved from time to time.
2. Small equipment – though small in size, even the smallest of the equipment within a fine dine-in restaurant plays a key role in the production and service of food. This restaurant kitchen houses several mechanical tools to get the job done as well. The equipment within this category include peelers, mincing machines, pasta machines, dough mixing machines, hot plate, blenders, liquidizers, slicer, chopper, knives, boilers, food processors, baking sheets and trays, cutting boards, and knife sharpening tools. The pans and pots of all sizes, the scales and cups for measurement, sieves and strainers, tongs, spatula, spoons, and ladles are all part of this equipment. These are easily moved from one place to another. However, it is always vital to keep every piece of equipment in its designated place. This helps avoid accidents and confusion.

The success of any restaurant depends on several factors, and the ones mentioned above constitute a part of it. The other major element in making a restaurant business thrive is its location. The ever-growing competition makes it even more important for every restaurant owner to conduct thorough research of the geographical area they intend to serve.

As a budding fine dine-in restaurant owner, I took a few of the following things into account very seriously, when it came to finalizing the geographical area of service.

1. Sizing the population – knowing the locals and their requirements is among the primary crucial considerations. This is required on more levels than one. First up, it gives one an idea of the approximate number of footfall one could expect in the dine-in. It helps in gauging the amount of stock that would be required and, more importantly, in setting the budget. Secondly, understanding the standard of living of the locals makes it clear whether or not they would indulge in fine dine-ins. As a third criterion, even the probability of potential passers-by can be gauged by studying the area properly.
2. Mapping the expanse of the place – after the expected number of customers can be comprehended, the expanse on which the restaurant will be built must be determined. No one likes to sit in a cramped up place; hence keeping the place spacious should be a thing of importance. Also, a fine dine-in restaurant cannot have a kitchen close to the dining space. There must be dedicated spaces for every activity – cooking, storing, dining, waiting, bar, etc.
3. Space for parking – surely, one should not expect that the customers who come into the diner would walk up to their door. It is, thus, an utmost requirement for the owner of such a restaurant to ensure that there is proper and sufficient parking space. Providing a high-profile experience should be the ulterior motive of restaurant management.
4. Socialization with neighbours – when planning to begin a business in a place it is essential, I figured, to know the other business owners in and around that place. it helps one evaluate the kind of customers that are likely to visit and, more importantly, the kind of business that can be got from there.

In the end, however, I realized that just having big dreams of a fine dine-in is not enough; there is a lot of hard work, perseverance, and dedication required to achieve it. After all, the onus to carry on the tradition of providing a space for an exquisite dining experience within a comfortable yet eloquent space is still placed on the shoulders of aspiring fine dine-in restaurant owners.