It is known under the title of banquet to those celebrations in which food (in abundance) is the center of attention. A banquet is a gathering around large amounts of food of all kinds and colors, including everything from entrees to desserts. Traditional of bygone times, today banquets are present in our culture with certain changes.
The banquet is a celebration centered on food. It can be carried out publicly or privately and the guests always have the possibility of accessing huge quantities of food that are prepared in advance (in some cases, the preparations start weeks or months before depending on the type of food). The food is served in a specific place, in general, large tables in which the different dishes are arranged so that each one can choose according to their preference. There are also banquets in which the guests are served and receive food until they give no more.
The banquets were very characteristic of other times, especially of Antiquity and the Middle Ages. In these historical periods, the banquet was a display of power and wealth for which they were assiduously organized by kings, nobles and emperors to show the guests who they were dealing with. The banquets in these cases could include all kinds of salty and sweet foods (usually very greasy) and they used to last for long hours, until the food ran out or until the guests ended up leaving. In the banquets of other times, the eating habits were also grandiloquent, avoiding the use of utensils, eating with the hand and even showing a certain lack of decorum, which proved the spectacular and uniqueness of the feast.
Today, banquets as they were reproduced in ancient times or in the Middle Ages are not common. However, we do find events in which food occupies an important place such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and parties of all kinds. In them, the guests can also stay in the place for many hours and be in contact with the food at all times.
