My husband and I like to eat out, as many people do. We are both chefs with busy schedules, so it's a treat to be waited on and let someone else do the cooking. Friends often ask what our dining experiences are like, assuming that, since we are in the hospitality industry, we must be harsh critics, even food snobs (which we are not). Our expectations when dining out are high, true, and because of our insider's perspectives we can be both forgiving in some circumstances and brutally harsh in others. But we don't base our judgment of our experience on the food alone. Many elements can contribute to a dining experience's memorability, both negative and positive.
The obvious factors are the quality of the dishes offered and the service with which they are delivered, but there are more subtle aspects that can add or detract from a dining experience. Fine dining has taken on new meanings, no longer just implying high-priced pretentiousness or gastronomically exotic. To me a fine dining experience is an all encompassing, five senses-involving event.
