Just imagine, an individual who is blind relies on his or her senses other than sight. The blind people also use those senses while dining. Now, this is exactly what the concept is all about. The term for it is ‘dark dining’. Over the past few years, it has become such a phenomenon that it also featured on The Ellen Show.

The experience

Most of the people who are blind or with partial sight can see at least something. They’ll be able to identify light and moving shadows. In case of dark dining, there’s a dark blindfold covering your eyes. As the lights in the dining area are dim, you’ll not be able to identify anything. This allows for a unique sensory experience.

You’ll be able to understand perfectly how is it like for blind people while dining. The restaurant staff will make this experience as authentic as possible for you. Members of the staff will also ask you to switch off all sources of light, including your smartphone. A dark dining experience will challenge you to have your meal without seeing it.

The concept

Today, there are many charities for the blind that work hard to spread awareness. They want people with sight to understand how hard life is for the blind. You’ll get a first-hand experience of how it feels to be a blind individual. The European continent was where the concept of dark dining first began in the late 1990s.

It gradually became popular in the United States as well as some of the Asian countries. The first experience of dark dining was at the ‘Blind Kuh’ in Switzerland. It was Edouard de Broglie who created the first international chain of dark dining restaurants.

Criticisms

While there are many who praise this unique concept of dining, it certainly has some critics. According to them, the concept promotes the limitation or disability of an individual. They fear that it will result in ignorance of the efforts for creating a more inclusive environment.

In other words, these people feel that dark dining showcases disability. Some among them say that this will lead to the diners believing that being blind is good. Of course, such criticisms are absolutely baseless.

Why dark dining is worth a try

Once in a while, it’s good to move out of your comfort zone. Dark dining allows you to do so, but it has a lot more to offer. It makes you appreciate the sense of sight, which so many in this world take for granted. Dark dining can also be one of the unique ideas to enjoy a night out. Corporate organizations can use it as a team-building exercise.

Dining at such restaurants as a team will allow all members to work together and guess what they’re eating. This will certainly be a one-of-a-kind experience for everyone in the team. Today, more and more restaurants are offering this service. Soon, there’ll be a time when you won’t have to travel long distances to find a dark dining restaurant.

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This concept isn’t just about dining in the dark as most of the people imagine it to be. In fact, it goes beyond eating in the dark. There’s a lot more to it than just feeling around the table for your plate and fork.

The origins of dark dining

Of course, dark dining is not something new as a concept. It dates back to the late 20th century. The year was 1999 when the concept began in Paris. At the time, the city also had a restaurant that offered only dark dining for its customers. They had to wear blindfolds while enjoying their meal. Their reaction to this concept was quite encouraging for the restaurant owners.

Most of the customers said that they experienced greater enjoyment of their food while dining blindfolded. They felt the taste of the food, its texture, and its aroma a lot better. After the customers had experienced dark dining, they narrated their experiences to those conducting a survey on the concept.

More about the concept

The concept of dark dining is based on a fact that most of us tend to ignore. When we lose one of our five senses, the other four senses become more active. This fact comes into play during a dark dining experience. The restaurant staff will take away your ability to see the food on your table with blindfolds. As a result, it heightens your senses of smell and taste. It helps you discover some unique aspects of the food.

The case of Blackout

There’s a restaurant called ‘Blackout’ in Las Vegas. It seems, they might be saving a lot on their monthly electricity bill. As soon as you enter the restaurant, a staff member will lead you to your table in total darkness. You have to put all the light-emitting objects you’re carrying in a locker before you take your seat.

These objects include your smartphone and watch. Once you take your seat, you can enjoy the treat of a multi-course meal. What adds to the excitement is that you’ll not be able to see it. The restaurant staff ensures that they compensate for their customers’ inability to see their meal.

Usually the chefs prepare food in bite-sized portions in these restaurants. This avoids any untoward incidents. After all, you certainly won’t appreciate the idea of cutting a steak with a knife in utter darkness.

A fabulous experience

There are several dark dining restaurants that have a unique menu. This is due to the extra preparation that goes into the food served in darkness. Owners of dark dining restaurants have observed that the concept of dark dining is a hit among the young customers. As they’re often looking for some new experiences, dining in the dark certainly seems promising.

There are places that organize ‘dark dining nights’ to entice such young customers. In the days to come, you’ll get to hear more about such types of dining concepts. Such ideas can be useful for the purpose of fundraising for local charities as well.

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It’s quite hard for many to imagine what it is like to lose one of their main senses. Being blind is the worst condition that one can be in. Over the years, individuals like Michel Reilhac tried to highlight this fact. He organized several events throughout Europe to create awareness about this.

Origins of Dans le Noir

Michel Reilhac came up with a concept for diners, which was termed ‘Le Gout du Noir’. The literary meaning of this term is ‘Taste of Darkness’. This led to the establishment of a temporary restaurant towards the end of the 20th century. It was a great success and was beneficial to several companies for training their employees.

The purpose of their training program was to understand the nature of disabilities. Such training programs also helped participants understand how blind can be a part of business. An innovator called Edouard de Groglie funded the project for dark dining restaurant a few years later. He did this with Paul Guinot Foundation’s support.

Thus, Paris got its first Dans le Noir restaurant in the year 2004. The success of this restaurant led to the opening of another one in London. In the years that followed other Dans le Noir restaurants opened in Barcelona and New York. Ethik Investment Group, which operated these restaurants, became an international private company.

Dans le Noir today

Here, we’re talking about Dans le Noir in Paris. When you visit this Paris dark dining restaurant today, you’ll come across a lighted bar and lounge. This is a good stop at the restaurant to enjoy your favorite drinks. Among them are wines, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages. The bar and lounge offers you a friendly environment, where you can unwind after a busy day.

The Dans le Noir in Paris opens daily. When you enter, you’ll need to order your food prior to that unusual dining experience you’re seeking. The dark dining room has a space for 58 individuals in one sitting. In order to avoid any untoward incidents, the dining room has all safety features incorporated in its design. To take care of emergencies, it also has infrared cameras monitoring the entire room.

You must either take off your bag, phone, coat, and even watch or must cover them. This is to eliminate any possible source of light. You’ll need to be there at least half an hour before starting your meal. This rule also applies to the bar and lounge, which is all lit. Prior to your meal, you can enjoy your favorite drink. The friendly staff of the restaurant will explain everything about the experience to you in detail.

Along with this, they’ll also note your dietary requirements, likes, and dislikes with regards to food. This is mostly because they offer a surprise menu. There’s no way of knowing what you’ll be having at the restaurant for your meal. You’ll have to use the washrooms before the meal and keep all your belongings in a locker. You must do this before they take you into the dining room.

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You can enjoy all of this and more in a relaxed environment of total darkness. With such an experience, you can have a memorable night full of fun and excitement. Whether you arrive with your better half or group of friends, this restaurant gives you some unforgettable moments.

Before the dining experience

When you arrive at Blackout Dining in the Dark, the restaurant’s staff will explain the whole concept to you. This will help you in learning everything about the dining process in detail. Members of the staff also make it a point to ask you whether you’ve got any food allergies. Before the restaurant staff take you to your table in complete darkness, there are certain things you must do.

Put all the light emitting objects into the secure lockers given to you. They include smartphones, lighters, and watches. You can use one of these lockers free of charge while dining at Blackout. This policy of the restaurant ensures that their guests enjoy a wonderful sensory experience without any lights. Make sure you use the restroom before entering the dining room.

While having your meal

The whole experience of dining in the dark takes place in a dining room where there’s total darkness. The friendly servers of the restaurant will guide you to your table and provide all the required assistance. You must trust the member of the staff leading you through the dark environs. The staff members of this restaurant go through intensive training to serve their customers better.

Once you’re familiar with the utter darkness in the room, you’ll feel more relaxed. Any shyness and fear that you might be having will go away instantly. While dining, you can feel the seven course meal. The servers serve the meal one course at a time. Each of the seven courses please you with some fabulous flavors. They’ll surely entice your taste buds and awaken your senses other than sight.

An extensive menu of drinks is also available. You can order them right to your table. In case you need help from the restaurant guide at any point, call them by their first name. You must not get up from your seat in the dark dining area unless your guide arrives for assistance. This ensures the safety of the staff members and guests present in the room.

After you’ve had your meal

When you finish your meal at the dark dining room, it’s time to exit the place. Your guide will escort you and everyone who’s with you to the lobby. After being in the dark for a long time, your eyes take a while to adjust to the light. It is necessary for you to understand that this is normal.

Until your eyes fully adjust to the light, you can shield your eyes or look down. Then it’s time to say your goodbyes and express your gratitude to the staff. Before leaving, make sure you collect all your belongings that you’ve kept in the locker.

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