Marion Jambor has been a landlady in Woracziczky in Vienna's 5th district for a decade. She says of herself that she has “always been a restaurateur”, i.e. one with heart and soul — and a humorous one at that. She pursues her love of art in her offspace “Außenstelle Kunst”; she is also very interested in society and history. In the following essay, she asked herself how the role of women in the tavern has changed over time. And what is the situation with women in taverns today — in front of and behind the budel.

Let's go back a few millennia — man hunts mammoths, woman cooks and looks after the children. A role model that has been valid for many, too many years. Did women not also go hunting? Who knows...

Let's look at the “women's business” in the kitchen. Until the end of the 19th century, cooking was exclusively reserved for women. This was the case in families, inns and noble households. Men in the kitchen were considered “feminine.” Why has this situation changed?

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Back then: The woman as a “cold mamsell” with an underdeveloped sense of smell.

I am making assumptions: It may be because the first large hotels were built during this period, people's travel habits changed and there was a need for luxury that was not previously possible in this form. As a result, the need for personnel increased and it suddenly became interesting even for ambitious men to work in this area.

Women were not trusted with values such as hierarchy, discipline, authority and assertiveness, and so the “stronger sex” had to take on these things. At this time, under the guidance of men, of course, women were allowed to prepare hors d'oeuvres or, at best, desserts; these women were called “cold mamsells” back then. The places at the hot stove were defended with sayings such as “Women are too weak to lift pots” or “They can't stand this heat at the stove.”

Eugenie Brazier refutes, by the way, that the female sense of smell is underdeveloped and that women therefore have no chance in haute cuisine. She was awarded three Michelin stars in each of her two restaurants in 1932 and 1933 and is considered the founder of modern French cuisine. By the way — the apprenticeship with chefs lasted three years, with female chefs only two, they were described as female chefs.

Cooking in private households will continue to be in the hands of women for a very long time. Male views and rituals also had a great influence on the position of women in the rooms outside the kitchens, in the guest rooms.

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The woman does not tolerate alcohol?

Aristotle and Galen of Pergamon (a Greek doctor during the Roman Empire) describe sex categories determined by body temperatures. These say that women have a wetter, colder nature and that they are therefore more sensitive to alcohol, but in men the alcohol only reinforces the warmer, Sanguine nature. This is of course not to say that women did not drink alcohol, no, they almost always did it secretly, behind closed doors. It seemed inconceivable for women to consume alcohol in public, as they could become discredited for drowning household money. It must be said that in early modern society, only men had control over finances.

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Women in the kitchen and service, men at the bar.

Yes, there were women in the tavern. They were relatives, maids and also guests, often doing business and selling goods produced by their husbands, and they also bought everyday items such as Vienna and beer in the inns. Unlike men, however, they did not seal every deal with mining, which is why there are also very few records of women involved in brawls.

In the inns, the host wives stayed in the kitchen, the men at the bar and were usually served by young, pretty girls who were supposed to attract guests and boost business. Sooner or later, this led to a large discrepancy, as it was assumed that ladies' work was only a cover for prostitution, which in 1772 led Maria Theresa to forbid all female service in inns. However, this was still allowed in coffee houses...

Seventeen hour working days, monthly wages of 18 kroner (the equivalent of around 150 euros), insults such as “slut” or “kanaille” were not uncommon. As an alternative, there was the profession of maid. And that was probably an even worse option for women to live their lives and somehow make their way through.

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The woman is with the children, the man “flees” to the tavern.

In the proletarian environment, there was a man's “escape” from home, tight living conditions, a poor economic situation, club and political life took place in the inn. Women, on the other hand, stayed at home with an increasing number of children and barely any money for food and were insulted as furies when they tried to get money or food from their husbands, who spent their time drunk in the tavern. It was inconceivable for mothers, wives or daughters-in-law to go to a restaurant for any other reason.

The hierarchization of man/woman in the waitressing profession is probably due to the lack of training for women at the time. The female serving staff were “waiters” and “serving daughters,” although these terms are etymologically based on the Latin word “servus” (slave) and were intended to serve the woman in a classic way.

In fact, this situation changed during the period of National Socialism, as it was found that this activity did not suit the Aryan man, and in 1941, a teaching profession for female restaurant assistants was introduced. The women should be the guardians of German hospitality. Prior to that, vocational training in this form was not possible for women. ‍

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Post-war period: Without a man, women should not be a guest. ‍

After the Second World War, during the economic miracle, women's place was at the home stove and in family catering businesses in the kitchens, men brought money home or entertained guests at the counter. It was certainly possible for spouses or female family members to visit a restaurant, but women without male accompaniment were still viewed wrongly, and until a rethink took place, a few years moved into the country.

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‍1980s: men in the kitchen, women at the bar. ‍

Women have taken their seats in the inn again, in front of and behind the bar.

At some point over time, in my opinion from the 1980s on, men went into the kitchens and women took on the representative role. I'm not entirely sure why the relationship has changed, perhaps it was because men sometimes looked too deep into their glasses while working behind the bar or may have mistaken turnover for profit. These are actually just assumptions on my part, the truth will be somewhere in between.

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Today: The strict landlady and the free guest.

The strict landlady was born.

We are treated with respect (but we always are, as far as possible). In fact, a lady abroad asked me if that was common practice with us some time ago, and I was able to say yes without thinking twice.

A woman can order a cocktail or two in a bar.

I sometimes see our pioneers at the turn of the century secretly drinking a small port wine and think of them, who did not have the opportunity to decide as we do now. A woman can say with her head held high, “I am a waitress,” enjoy serving people, but on their terms.

A woman may also sometimes be a bit more diplomatic when faced with unpleasant situations in the tavern, I am now putting that in the room without being asked, as a woman.

However, I still find the situation a bit sad for female chefs, there is still a lot of catching up to do. But that is another issue.

I'm looking forward to an unbelievable number of women in front of and behind the budel in the tavern, who will hopefully still come into my life.

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Photo gallery © Ian Ehm | friendship.is