Brunch has become a traditional time to go out and enjoy a full meal in the late morning or early afternoon with friends and booze. But how did brunch become part of our weekly treat?

One of the most interesting parts of brunch is its origin. Although first published in England, the concept of brunch has become part of our cuisine’s history. This meal will forever be embedded in history as the meal that helped the weekends with bacon, eggs, movement in the women’s workforce, and recovering debauchery.

Everyone knows that the word “brunch” is a mixture of the words “breakfast” and “lunch, which most likely originated in the 16th century in Vienna. During this, people enjoyed a midmorning meal called “Gabelfruhstuck”, meaning ”fork breakfast. But the concept was first published in an 1895 Hunter’s Weekly article. In “Brunch: A Plea,” British author Guy Beringer encouraged a midday meal in contrast to the traditional heavy, after church Sunday meals.

The idea began as a way to sleep in and share a relaxing time with friends. According to Beringer, people who drink heavily on Saturday nights should never right away eat when they wake up. Instead, they should skip breakfast and feast on a big midday meal. Beringer also promoted tea and pastries for after brunch as well as the ideal of sharing the meal and hangover tales with your friends.

The main purpose of a brunch meal was to heal hangovers by filling your stomach with something solid. Since then, carbs and vitamin-packed cocktails have been a part of brunch.

The Meal That Took Over America

Brunch became a hit big in America in the 1930s when actors started making their way across the country by train and stopped in a city for a midday meal. The temptation of waking late was the main selling point.

As church attendance floundered after World War II, people searched for a new social outlet. The trend caught on to hotels and restaurants which were closed on Sundays. Restaurants soon began offering a large selection of food, introducing such signature morning cocktails as Bloody Marys, Bellinis and Mimosas.

A big push for brunch came from the historic progress for women in America. Women in the workforce needed a break from cooking and wanted to take out their families to dine out rather than eat at home on Sunday. Brunch gained steady popularity because it was economicly freindly by combining two meals into one while still being a treat to look forward to on weekends.

The success of brunch, pushed restaurants to began offering it on Saturdays, in addition to Sundays. Going out for brunch became far more popular than staying in. Since then, the notion of brunch has expanded to Chinese dim sum, fancy pastries, and loaded bagels. It has become part of weekend activity to enjoy their favorite brunch hotspots, keeping its core value of over 100 years as a social activity.

Khéma is offering a new brunch experience every Saturday and Sunday. Discover the new brunch menu every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Celebrate like the days of old with a family meal or dine with friends hungover from the night before with Khéma and their wide selection of breakfast and lunch dishes.

Feast on the eggs Florentine with baby spinach and signature hollandaise sauce, indulge in the tasty traditional pork and prawn kuy teav noodle soup. This special also offers French classics like quiche lorraine with bacon or cheese and eggs baked in a pie crust. A highlight of the brunch menu is the selection of delicious desserts. The crème brulée, a rich vanilla custard with a caramelized crunchy shell of burnt sugar and the classic crème caramel, du chef, is a popular treat on the menu.

Written by: Sotheavy Nou