An Introduction to the hotel and food service industry
Hotel and other food service industries are part of the Hospitality Industry.
Hospitality Industry
Ancient Definition:
The word “Hotel” is derived from the Latin word “hospitum” i.e. the halls in olden days where guests were given hospitality, or in short the notion of hospitality can be described as the sprit, practice, quality and an act of receiving and treating strangers and guest in warm, friendly and generous way without any consideration for the reward and / or return.
Modern Definition:
Hospitality in the modern sense comprises of four characteristic features.
It is conferred by a host on a guest “a home away from home”.
It is interactive i.e. involving the coming together of a provider and receiver.
It comprises of a blend of tangible and in-tangible factors.
The host provides the guest’s a sense of security and psychological and physiological comfort.
The four attributes, if put to practice; deliver the desired feeling of being “at home”.
Evolution of hotel and catering Industry
The industry came into being in other words started in the 6th century B.C. The earliest forms of hotels were just large halls where travelers slept on the floor along with the animals on which they traveled and in India they were know as “Sarai khana” or “Dharmashala” and in the west they were know as “Inns”.
Then changes in the mode of transport and travel i.e. with the invention of wheels, speed of travel increased with the development of vehicles. The industrial revolution in England and other countries travel for business gradually started increasing and with the growth of economy an increase in travel for recreation and meaningful utilization of leisure and this created a yearning among people to travel beyond the traditional boundaries.
The early travelers all belonged to particular segment of the society i.e. either they were the kings and nobles, the religious messengers, missionaries, traders and soldiers. The first class of people i.e. the kings and nobles traveled on horseback or carriages and were usually entertained by people of their own class in palaces or castles or mansions and were well fed. Monasteries provided shelters to the religious order while the soldiers were lodged in or tents. But the traders had to put themselves up in places like “Serai khana” or “Inns” and it is they who helped develop this particular sector because they had no other alternatives.
Than with the improvement of roads and transport more and more people started moving around and then to provide accommodation and food for this increasing number of travelers, many more “Sarai khana” and “Inns” were set up along the frequently traveled roads and pathways. Thus the “Sarai khana” and “Inn keeping” began its steady growth and became more popular. In earlier days husband and wife team normally ran these “Sarai khanas” or “Musafir khanas” or “Inns” and they just provided basic necessities of shelter and food.
What is a HOTEL?
A hotel is defined as a place where a bonafide traveler can receive food and shelter provided he is in a position to pay for it and is in fit condition to be received.
The lead in hotel keeping was taken by the emerging nations of Europe specially Switzerland. It was in Europe that the birth of a n organized hotel industry took place in the shape of chalets and small hotels, which provided a variety of services then the basic necessities and were mainly patronized by the aristocracy as the so called upper class society.
The City hotel in New York was the first building meant solely for use as a hotel, and it was built in the year 1794. And then later hotel began to be built all over the world. In the year 1827 the Delmonico brothers who were immigrants from Switzerland opened a pastry shop and café in New York City, and is proved be a change for the better from the eateries of that era, and led to the opening of their first restaurant a few years later. Thus the art of food service became recognized as the part of dining experience
(N.B. It is believed that in 1650 Mr. Pascal started the first catering establishment as Café in Paris. Simultaneously coffee shop in London, Oxford, Cambridge). The big boom in the hotel industry came in the 1920’s when the concept of chain hotels was born, under the stewardship of E.M Sattler.
After the Second World War the hotel industry regained its prominence and registered a steady growth. Of late, there has been a phenomenal growth in the hotel industry particularly in those countries, which attract business travelers, and tourists in large numbers from all over the world. In 1950’s motel and international hotel chain a big boost to the industry. These chains either bought up smaller individually owned properties, or their own hotels. Many individual hotel operators merged with these international hotel chains as it increased their ability to cope with the growing competition.
The expansion of cities all over the world and their rapid growth led to further development of the travel and hospitality industry. Restaurants of all kinds and hotel of various sizes and types mushroomed and the guest became used to a standardized type of service. Based on this standardization the hotel industry felt the need for trained hoteliers and skilled professional to manage the various establishments and provide services set to a predetermined standard. As the demand for skilled professional in all departments of hotels increased the need was felt for specialized training institutions. Today the level of training in the catering industry is highly advanced and specialized
N.B.
Cesar Ritz and Auguste Escoffier popularized dinning in Europe
John Naisbitt predicted the advent of ethnic and specialty restaurant with professionally trained personnel to satisfy the consumer.