Dining Blind: The Sensory Experience
Have you heard of blind dining restaurants? They are one of the most recent trends in “fine dining” experiences. In these restaurants, patrons are blindfolded or dining takes place in a completely pitch dark room. The idea behind the experience is that when one sense is disabled, the other senses take over. This allows patrons to experience the full range of flavors and textures of their food, rather than focusing on the appearance.
The first blind dining restaurant was founded in Switzerland. A blind clergyman named Jorge Spielmann often threw dinner parties, and in solidarity for his blindness, many guests decided to also blindfold themselves while eating. Surprisingly enough, the guests found that they enjoyed the experience, and Spielmann opened the first blind restaurant, called the Blindkuh (Blind Cow) in 1999.
Soon afterwards, the concept took off. Other countries soon followed with their own versions of the Blind Cow restaurant. The first blind restaurant in Germany, the Unsicht-Bar, opened in 2001. California opened their own version of the dining establishment, called Opaque, soon afterwards. The trendy dining experience was so successful that the company now has locations in several California cities, New York City, and Dallas.
Although the concept of eating entirely in the dark seems odd, it can actually be an enjoyable and fun experience. Guests find that when they cannot see their food or each other, the food’s tastes emerge strongly and provide a different dining experience than they have ever had before. In addition to the sensory-enhancing experience, the trendiness of the restaurants make them a fun place for people to visit on special occasions. Most of the restaurants are quite expensive, which helps add to the exclusive nature of the experience.
There are two main styles to the blind dining experience. The first method takes place in a pitch dark atmosphere. Guests choose their food ahead of time, or the restaurant has a set menu for each meal, in a lighted room. After selecting their food, waiters lead the guests into a pitch dark room. Wait staff typically wears night vision goggles so they can see to navigate the dining floor, although one restaurant actually employees blind waiters.
The second dining method takes place in a lighted room. Guests are simply blindfolded before entering the dining room. This makes it easier on the staff to navigate the restaurant, but it can interfere with the experience, as some light can get behind the blindfold. This dining method has fewer safety risks for staff and patrons, however.
Blind dining is a fun experience that many people will enjoy a few times in their lives. However, the trend is unlikely to carry over into normality. People generally like to see each other and their food as they eat, as visualization can be a huge part of the dining experience as well. If you want a novel experience that allows you to explore other senses, then you will enjoy visiting a blind restaurant and exploring the darker side of food.
The first blind dining restaurant was founded in Switzerland. A blind clergyman named Jorge Spielmann often threw dinner parties, and in solidarity for his blindness, many guests decided to also blindfold themselves while eating. Surprisingly enough, the guests found that they enjoyed the experience, and Spielmann opened the first blind restaurant, called the Blindkuh (Blind Cow) in 1999.
Soon afterwards, the concept took off. Other countries soon followed with their own versions of the Blind Cow restaurant. The first blind restaurant in Germany, the Unsicht-Bar, opened in 2001. California opened their own version of the dining establishment, called Opaque, soon afterwards. The trendy dining experience was so successful that the company now has locations in several California cities, New York City, and Dallas.
Although the concept of eating entirely in the dark seems odd, it can actually be an enjoyable and fun experience. Guests find that when they cannot see their food or each other, the food’s tastes emerge strongly and provide a different dining experience than they have ever had before. In addition to the sensory-enhancing experience, the trendiness of the restaurants make them a fun place for people to visit on special occasions. Most of the restaurants are quite expensive, which helps add to the exclusive nature of the experience.
The second dining method takes place in a lighted room. Guests are simply blindfolded before entering the dining room. This makes it easier on the staff to navigate the restaurant, but it can interfere with the experience, as some light can get behind the blindfold. This dining method has fewer safety risks for staff and patrons, however.
Blind dining is a fun experience that many people will enjoy a few times in their lives. However, the trend is unlikely to carry over into normality. People generally like to see each other and their food as they eat, as visualization can be a huge part of the dining experience as well. If you want a novel experience that allows you to explore other senses, then you will enjoy visiting a blind restaurant and exploring the darker side of food.
