Can Self-Service Be Gourmet?

Be honest: what do you picture when you hear “cafeteria”?

Grey trays. Long lines. Food that feels… functional.
Something you eat because you have to, not because you want to.

Now imagine the opposite: colourful plates, real cooking smells, chefs in action, and a meal that feels closer to a restaurant than a refuelling stop.

That’s the question we love to ask: can self-service be gourmet?

The funny thing is, the tray is not the problem.

For years, self-service has had a bad reputation. Tray plus queue plus big portions automatically meant: “It can’t be good.” But the tray is innocent. What really matters is what you put on it, and how you get there.

It’s the ingredients that are chosen with care.
It’s the way they’re cooked – not just heated.
It’s the way people are welcomed, guided, helped to choose.

You can serve very average food at a beautiful table.
And you can serve something truly memorable… on a tray.

Because “gourmet” is not about chandeliers and white tablecloths. It’s about attention. Balancing textures and flavours so that every bite has something to say.
Adding that small touch of surprise that makes you pause for half a second and think, “Oh, that’s good.”

So the real question isn’t “self-service or restaurant?”
It’s: is there care in what you’re serving?

A hello, a smile, a quick word about the dish of the day, someone who helps you decide between two options – that’s also part of a gourmet experience. Because at the end of the meal, you remember the taste, of course… but you also remember how you felt while you were eating.