“Tested, not approved!
It’s a verbal exchange between friends that we hear several times a day: “Hi, how are you?”, “Yes, how are you?”, “Great… what are you doing next Saturday?”, “I’m going to test the new restaurant on XX Street”, “Good luck, it’s a disaster”. Beyond spreading false information about a restaurant shortly after it has opened, the mere use of the word “test” provokes, in a recurrent and even unbearable way, the oral expression of often malicious thoughts about the recently visited restaurant. Are we going to test our bankers, insurers, lawyers, doctors and garage mechanics? These trades – however interesting and sympathetic they may be – would refuse to be treated in this way, and would certainly not let themselves be. In the same way that not charging for a dinner cancelled at the last minute creates controversy, why should the catering sector be the only one to be “tested”?
© Cottobnro
TV programs
Of course, everyone has the right to express themselves as they wish, and the aim of this article is not to pillory those who use this vocabulary, but rather to make them aware that a semblance of knowledge about the profession should not be enough to make them over-confident. Over the years, reality TV shows have (un)consciously contributed to making the restaurant business seem glamorous – which, after all, it isn’t, and never claimed to be. Of course, some chefs (particularly those from France) play along with their newfound popularity, and are often quite happy with the sudden media attention.
These audiovisual vehicles are far from reflecting the reality of a difficult and grueling daily life. Worse still… a certain category of viewers puts themselves on the same level as experienced candidates and imagines they can do better than them. And therein lies the rub… because no
Yan Krukov
Irrelevant
Contrary to popular belief, catering is a real profession, and not open to everyone. Even if the majority of graduates change career direction at the end of their studies, let’s not forget that the best hotel schools in the world are located in Switzerland, and that they train for the restaurant and hotel trade. Which just goes to show the importance of this economic sector and its training, which has to contend with the vagaries of the health crisis on a daily basis.
Let’s go back to the use of the word, which is not used in the same context in the English language. “Have you tested the latest restaurant that opened last week? Impossible! It’s simply a linguistic irrelevance! A “have you tried?” would be preferable, and would bring a certain humility to the approach. Like rugby, or life in general, a try can be a success or a total failure. You don’t have to agree, you don’t have to like an establishment, everyone has the right to express themselves in their own way. Restaurant owners are not obedient, disciplined students faced with customers who see themselves as teachers proclaiming rules and laws and exercising some form of authority. Isn’t it time to turn the tables? Finally, why shouldn’t the restaurateur rate his customers at the end of the meal? In fact, it would be great fun to differentiate between good and bad customers, and display them in the public square.
As the world once again enters a period of general uncertainty, support for the restaurant business is essential. This doesn’t mean we should be complacent, but it does mean we should be benevolent and respectful. The restaurant is a place to meet, live and exchange ideas, not a school bench. More than ever, avoid “testing” and advocate “tasting”!
