Tim Zagat
Tim Zagat
Full Name and Common Aliases
Timothy M. Zagat is widely known as Tim Zagat.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on June 21, 1946, in New York City, USA.
Nationality and Profession(s)
American restaurateur, entrepreneur, and critic.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in a family of modest means, Timothy "Tim" Zagat developed an appreciation for fine dining at an early age. His father, Maurice Zagit, was a Russian-born émigré who operated a small food business in New York City. This exposure not only sparked Tim's interest in good food but also instilled in him the value of hard work and entrepreneurial spirit.
Zagat attended the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy before enrolling at Harvard University, where he graduated with honors in 1967. After college, he worked as a management consultant for several years before embarking on his true passion: creating a comprehensive guide to restaurant dining.
Major Accomplishments
In 1979, Tim Zagat and his wife Nina launched the first edition of _Zagat Survey_, a pioneering guide that provided users with detailed information about restaurants across various price ranges. The innovative approach involved soliciting feedback from over 30,000 diners, which helped to create an unbiased and user-friendly resource.
Over the years, the Zagat brand expanded to include surveys on hotels, nightlife, and travel. Tim's company also introduced the concept of online restaurant reviews, further democratizing access to high-quality dining information.
Notable Works or Actions
Some notable milestones in Tim's career include:
Launching the Zagat website (1996), which became one of the most popular online destinations for food enthusiasts.
Publishing his book _A Year at the Table_ (2005), a memoir that delves into the history and evolution of the Zagat brand.
Impact and Legacy
Tim Zagat's impact on the culinary world cannot be overstated. His groundbreaking guide revolutionized the way people discover new restaurants, with an estimated 2.5 million copies sold worldwide since its inception. By empowering diners to make informed decisions about their meals, Tim helped democratize access to fine dining.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Tim Zagat is widely quoted for his insightful commentary on the food industry and his commitment to quality. His opinions have been featured in top publications such as _The New York Times_, _Wall Street Journal_, and _Forbes_.
Quotes by Tim Zagat
It has been the consistent experience of most Americans that a tip means 'to improve performance,' and most people believe it does have an impact on the service they get.
The restaurant business in Texas is booming. Texans are dining out more frequently than Americans anywhere else, and both customers and restaurateurs seem to be on a winning streak, thanks to improving quality and modest prices.
There's a myth people have about New Orleans that make them fear to come, just like what happened in New York after 9/11. Everyone thinks the city is under water - when it's not - just like the media kept portraying the scene of NYC as that piece of skeleton steel rising out of the pit of the World Trade Center, when the simple message is that New Orleans, just like New York City, is ready, willing, and anxious for tourists to come back.
There weren't an awful lot of German restaurants anywhere in the U.S., but Chicago had the best of what there were.
A lot of fine-dining establishments ask people not to use their cell phones. In a fancy restaurant, I turn off my cell phone.
The bottom line is New York retail has it all, no matter what your tastes. And our new shopping guide will help you find it all - from the best deals to the finest luxury items.
Wolfgang Puck and his wife, Barbara Lazaroff, have it all. There are endless people, who are either imitating him or trying to, but it's very hard to imitate somebody who is that good and that creative.
