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How were restaurants invented?

Episode 383 14:02

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Have you ever wondered where restaurants came from? Imagine a world with no pizza places, no burger joints, and no sushi bars! For most of human history, if you wanted a hot meal, you had to cook it yourself. But over 2,000 years ago in the bustling ancient Roman city of Pompeii, the ultimate fast-food joints called "thermopolia" were born! Romans would line up at stone counters to buy hot stews, baked cheese, and even land snails from giant clay jars. But what about sitting down at a private table with a menu? For that, we have to travel to Paris, France, in the 1760s! A man named Boulanger started selling a special, health-restoring soup called a "restaurant"—and soon, luxury dining rooms with crystal chandeliers and sparkling white tablecloths changed the world forever! Later, the French Revolution caused private royal chefs to lose their jobs and open their own places, bringing fine dining to everyone! Join Mira and Finn as they uncover ancient Roman fast-food combos, a 2,000-year-old mouse skeleton, and the delicious, surprising history of eating out!

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