Flirting with Free

A recent pop-up eatery in Amsterdam seems to push the idea of a restaurant into a whole new realm. With no staff — no chefs, no waiters, not even a cashier — customers cooked, served and paid using the food, equipment and instructions supplied.

The temporary concept, created by chef Edwin Sander, provided diners with a menu of recipe cards they could use to choose what to cook. Once they ate, guests paid for their meal using an app.

While Foodsy garnered attention for its one-of-a-kind approach, Sander is hoping the experiment will create a bit of shock value beyond the do-it-yourself aspect. He says he opened Foodsy to create awareness of the conditions for the staff in normal restaurants; he wants to make clear how bad they are, and how important it is for the Netherlands to create rules about the conditions of the personnel.

No word on whether the governing bodies are paying attention, but it’s safe to say that after dining at Foodsy, customers will have a greater appreciation for the talent and toil of restaurant staff.

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nrf.com