We Need to Talk About How Dark Restaurants Are
Briefly

The article addresses the common struggle diners face in low-lit restaurants, where reading menus can be a challenge. While operators aim for a cozy atmosphere that enhances the dining experience, patrons often find the lack of adequate lighting frustrating. Chefs, like Whitney Walsh Cardozo, emphasize the importance of finding a balance that allows for both mood-setting and functionality. The piece highlights the debate around restaurant lighting choices, illustrating how it can enhance or hinder the dining experience depending on its application.
With their lighting, restaurants aim to strike a balance between functionality and the immersive theater they're inviting diners into for a few hours.
'Low-lit spaces offer a cozy, private atmosphere separate from our everyday world,' says Whitney Walsh Cardozo, the chef and owner of Chez Foushee.
Finding the equilibrium between sultry world-building and enough visibility to read the menu is a delicate business.
Lighting has to serve multiple purposes. There's general lighting to set the tone, brighter task lighting to help chefs and servers.
Read at Bon Appetit
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