Business lunches are an institution in France, a country where food is cherished not only for the gastronomic experience it provides but also for the opportunity it presents for bringing people together. This is perhaps why the French still spend more time per day eating and drinking than the people of any of the other OECD nation, including Korea, India, China or Japan (Frenchmen for two minutes more than women, which we assume means les dames are already up loading the dishwasher), according to a report issued by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development last month.
According to the report, the French still dedicate two hours and 13 minutes every day to fuelling body and soul by taking the time to eat. Only Italy, Greece, Spain and Denmark also munch beyond the two hour mark, putting them all well ahead of the OECD average of an hour and a half, and streets ahead of Americans who spend just 61 minutes on their three square meals a day.
However, the time that the French dedicate to breaking bread makes absolute sense in a culture where mealtimes are not just opportunities for hosing down calories but are an essential element in the formation and maintenance of relationships, and it is a characteristic that France shares with many Asian and Latin American countries. In these “high-context” cultures, communication is an extension of the social structure in which it is conducted, where common understandings are pre-programmed and don’t need spelling out. In such an environment, relationships and context carry more weight than actual words.
By contrast, in “low-context” cultures, such as the USA, UK, Germany and the Scandinavian countries, timeliness, rules and getting to the point are key and tend to be more important than the maintenance of deep or long-term relationships. On the other hand, while relationships are shallow in low-context cultures, the social, commercial and political environment tends to be more dynamic, flexible and open to change.
In a mixed cultural environment, there is a world of fascinating differences to be discovered between individuals, and no better place to discover them than sitting at a table sharing a meal with a common purpose in mind. That said, bringing two worlds together like this can open up the possibility of misunderstandings thanks to different expectations as to how such a meal will play out. For example, in general among high-context cultures, business is unlikely to be discussed until much later in the meal, while wide-ranging conversation is used to assess and affirm relationships. On the other hand, British, German and American working lunches may get down to business much more quickly, after a very limited amount of ‘distracting’ small talk.
That said, commenting on how lovely the food is is never going to be out of place.
Topaz’s business lunch is a delicious opportunity to settle down over a great meal and either take your time or be done in the time necessary to move on to the next task. We’re here to serve according to your needs. You can enjoy three courses for just $25 net, or take a starter and main for $21 net or main and dessert for $19 net — all including a soft drink or glass of wine and tea or coffee.
Take a look at our current menu below to find out more, and don’t forget to book on: topaz.thalias.com.kh/reservation
Business Lunch Set
Salad bar or starter, main course, dessert, soft drink/glass of wine, coffee/tea | $25++
Salad bar or starter, main course, soft drink/glass of wine, coffee/tea | $21++
Main course, dessert, soft drink/glass of wine, coffee/tea | $19++
S T A R T E R
Charcuterie et salade
Charcuterie and salad bar
Salade de haricots verts et tomates avec vinaigrette au fromage bleu et coulis de tomates, pesto
Green bean and tomatoes salad with blue cheese dressing and tomatoes coulis, pesto
Oeufs bouillis trois minutes à la poire verte vichyssoise
Boiled eggs three minutes with green peas vichyssoise
Salade celeri rémoulade
Celery remoulade salad
M A I N C O U R S E
Plat du jour À la DÉcoupe
Roast Carvery of the Day
Magret de canard poêlé avec fleur d’hibiscus et sauce vinaigre de cidre de pomme, déglacés de légumes
Pan fried duck breast with hibiscus flower and sauce apple cider vinegar, vegetables glazed
Bifteck d’agneau mariné grillé au romarin et thym servi avec ratatouille aux légumes du printemps et ail
Grilled marinate lamb steak with rosemary and thyme served with spring vegetables ratatouille and roasted young garlic
Filet de barramundi poêlé, sauce tapenade et déglacés de fenouil, émulsion gingembre et carotte
Pan-fried barramundi fillet with tapenade sauce and fennel glazed, ginger and carrot emulsion
D E S S E R T
Emerande
Pistachio biscuit |vanilla Bavarian | Raspberry Jelly
Mousse de chataigne avec pain d’epice biscuit
Chestnut mousse with pain d’epice biscuit
Parfait de Ananas
Pineapple Parfait
All prices are in US Dollars and subject to 7% service charge and 10% government tax
