How do you recognize an excellent restaurant? According to German critic Christian Rach, food slip-ups are much less severe than a cold or inattentive reception. His guide for objective evaluations.
The opinion
'In Search of the Perfect Restaurant' could be the title of a potential bestseller authored by Christian Rach. The latest media venture of the renowned German chef, entrepreneur, and critic, who is already accustomed to appearing on numerous television programs, is, in fact, a podcast where he, having managed several fine dining establishments in Hamburg in the past, where he discusses with SR 1 presenter Thomas Treinies how to recognize a good restaurant at first glance.
According to Rach, the entrance to the establishment is already telling. "Pay attention to certain details that often go unnoticed by an inexperienced eye, such as plant care, cleanliness of the doors, and any present dust; these few elements are already important indicators of the overall level of care," he begins. "Next, look at the dining area: how many diners are there? If the place manages to fill all the tables, it's quite unlikely that everyone made a mistake about the quality at the same time,"
Rach continues. After these initial checks, the menu becomes a real guide to assess the validity of the offering."If you find fifty, sixty, or even seventy different dishes on the menu, the quality can't be high. When the offered dishes exceed a certain number, there's no doubt that pre-prepared food is being served, not something 'express' or, in any case, hardly fresh for the day. Food that you could easily enjoy at home without needing to book elsewhere," points out the German critic. However, according to Rach, the real differentiating factor isn't in the food or the dishes offered, but in the welcoming.
"What matters most in judging a restaurant is always and only the service. An attentive guest can immediately tell if the smiles of the waitstaff are genuine. When you're properly welcomed to the establishment, you can be certain that the meal will be satisfying. Whether we're talking about a hotel, a restaurant, or a pub, this is an unyielding rule, and often excellent service allows for overlooking some slip-ups in the food. On the other hand, a place that offers poor service but great food should definitely be considered worse." With the argument concluded, the reasoning "holds up": excellent hospitality brings a bit of leniency along with it.
Cover photo: @Stephan Gregorowius
