Few of us may realise that the 3 course meal as we know it is credited as having been brought to the Western world by a 9th century Islamic polymath called Ali ibn Nafi (who was more commonly known by his nickname of Ziryab). It was his belief that meals should be served as soup, main course and then dessert. From these humble origins the multicourse meal is now a common daily event for millions of families all over the world, however it has certainly evolved over the years.

Many of us will be familiar with images from the middle-ages depicting epic feasts and lavish banquets. These huge meals would consist of several different courses which would all be served at the same time and food was commonly eaten with fingers rather than cutlery!

Mealtimes progressed dramatically with the development of ‘haute cuisine’ by the French in the mid 17th century. This heralded a much lighter approach to dining with many courses of small and elegant dishes being served. Many credit this movement with the modernisation of the multi-course meal to its current form – especially in fine dining establishments.

In the latter half of the 20th century, it became a staple for families to sit down and enjoy a 3 course meal every evening. Regardless of class, most households would come together at the end of the day to eat. This was as much to do with social interaction as food and is a tradition that is carried on to this day in many households.

Of course, in these more modern times it is fair to say that many of us will opt out of preparing a 3 course meal on a daily basis. With different working hours and financial constraints both having an impact, many of us do not have the time or the money to serve more than one course at mealtimes. However, there are still occasions such as Christmas Day or traditional Sunday lunch where it is almost considered de rigueur to produce an epic feast to be enjoyed and savoured by the whole family.

And with the advent of cookery programs and celebrity chefs, it is fair to say that more and more of us have developed an interest in food. This has led to an increase in people treating themselves to high quality meals rather than more standard ‘pub grub’. Up and down the country you will see menus that reflect this with everywhere from Glasgow restaurants to bistros in Manchester offering exquisite 3 or 4 course meals. It is fair to say our eating habits have come a long way over the years. However the one thing that is almost universally acknowledged is that mealtimes, whether they are one or twenty one courses, are a time for friends and families to come together and enjoy not only the food, but each other’s company.

Jesse Wallace writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.