I like eating in restaurants. To me, it is never just about the food, it is also about the ambience, and the company.

When I am dining out, I always can’t stop myself from noticing everything that’s happening in the restaurant: the staff, the menu, the layout, and the interior. I think it’s becoming a job hazard, but I guess it’s a good thing as I’ve come to learn quite a few things from observing.

Besides those that I’ve mentioned, there are other important things to be learned when we are dining out. Here are 5 Life Lessons Learned from Eating in Restaurants.

#1 Food always looks better on the opposite table. As the saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side. Don’t envy others for what they have, focus on what you have.

#2 Be nice to yourself, because if you don’t, nobody will. Not everyone can afford to eat at nice posh restaurants on a regular basis. But everyone should occasionally indulge in a good meal, especially during a special occasion. Eating good food is one of the few things that can make us truly happy and satisfied.

#3 No matter what you do, always be well-prepared. Which romantic restaurant to go for your anniversary? Read ladyironchef of course. The point is, you should always be well-prepared. Just like how you will read food blogs to find out more about a particular restaurant, you should also put in effort for everything else.

Going for a job interview? Find out more about the company. Meeting your prospective mother-in-law? Find out what she likes. Always be well-prepared.

#4 There are no stupid questions. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when you are eating at a fine dining restaurant. You shouldn’t feel embarrassed to ask for something, and don’t worry about the snobbish staff judging you because chances are, most of them can’t afford to dine there all the time too.

Likewise, don’t let your fear of embarrassment keep you from doing or asking anything in life.

#5 Always keep your options open. Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mexican (just to name a few) – there are so many cuisines, so many different restaurants to try. The same logic applies in life. There are many options out there, don’t limit yourself. Keep your options open, you never know what will happen next.

Read my earlier post on 5 Life Lessons Learned From Eating Buffet.

Many people love a good buffet as it offers a wide selection of food, and allows them to eat all they can. That aside, you will be surprised by the things you can learn by going for a buffet.

Here are 5 life lessons learned from eating buffet.

#1 Don’t be greedy; it is important to know what you want. In a buffet, there are so many things to choose from, and it is very tempting to go for everything. We need to know what we want, and focus on getting there.

The same logic applies in life. There are plenty of temptations out there. There will always be someone/something better out there; be it a prettier girl, or a better job. Instead of chasing after something that does not exist, we must cherish the important things in life.

#2 Good buffets come at a price, the same goes for everything in life. There is no such thing as a cheap and good buffet. Period. In life, not everything cheap is bad and not everything expensive is good. However, as a general rule, good things come at a price. And by price, I mean working hard for what you want.

#3 Know what you need to do, you are here for a reason. When you are having the buffet, don’t feel guilty about indulging in good food. Eat first, worry later. You can always exercise to burn off the calories after the dinner. In life, things always happen for a reason. You are meant to do something at each stage of your life. Stop looking elsewhere, do what you have to do, and move on to the next level.

#4 Buffets show you the ugly side of humans. If you ever want to learn more about someone, bring them to a buffet.

#5 Taking a break is absolutely necessary for the well-being of our stomachs & minds. Round 1: eat and take a break. Round 2: eat and go to the washroom. Round 3: eat, eat and eat. There are techniques on how to eat at a buffet (more on that in another post), but the point is, it is important to know when to take a break. In life, everyone should take a break once in a while. Go for a short weekend getaway, spend some time with your loved ones. Taking a break helps to keep us alive.

Read my post on 5 Life Lessons Learned from Food.

Everyday, I learn so much from food. When the world seems crazy, food makes us believe that there is something worth fighting for. When we are hungry, food shows us how simple life can be so long we have something nice to eat. When people let us down, good food will always be there for us. Food, has a lot of things to teach us about life.

Here are 5 life lessons learned from food.

#1. Life is about taking a risk. People always like to stick with things they are familiar with – be it frequenting the same restaurant over and over again; or eating the same thing all the time. Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food, so I can understand why they are doing this.

Life is short. Be brave. Step out of your comfort zone. Make mistakes. Do crazy things. Live.

#2. Bad things happen so that we learn to appreciate good things. Bad things happen all the time. We experience bad service, and occasionally we eat in a lousy restaurant that serves bad food. I believe everything happens for a reason, and not everything will be bad.

Maybe it is okay to have “bad food” once in a while so that we will learn to appreciate good food. The same goes for life. If not for the bad times, you wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate just how wonderful the good times are.

#3. No matter what you do, it is very important to manage expectations. You went to try a restaurant after reading about it on my blog, and it wasn’t as good as I’ve described. Was the food really bad? Or was the chef having a bad day? No, I think the definition of good differs from people to people. Taste is subjective, so you really need to learn how to manage your expectations and try out new things with an open mind.

Like what I always say, expectations are the root of all problems.

#4. If there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, DO IT (before it’s too late). There are some restaurants that you’ve always wanted to visit, but put off because you think that they will always be there. The now-defunct Twelve + One Patisserie and Brown Sugar Bistros were some of the places that closed down before I got the chance to visit them.

In life, timing is everything. We wait too much and believe there is always a tomorrow. But we forget there is only a limited number of tomorrows this life. If you’ve always wanted to do something, do it now.

#5. There are always two sides to every story, don’t be too quick to judge. The food blogger saga is the best example to show how quickly people jump to conclusions. In life, there are always two sides to every story. No matter what it is, make sure you understand the full picture before coming to a conclusion.

Life is good when you have good food and wine.