FOOD TRENDS

The Bento consultancy in France analysed the 2008 catering trends and came up with some noteworthy conclusions as follows: 1. Bistro Chic & Gastro Light: the barriers come down Gastronomy has become more laid-back, coming down to street level to appeal to new customers. Already back in 2002, Ferran Adria who's always one step ahead of the game stated: 'The luxury restaurant is an outmoded concept that poses an almost insoluble profitability problem. I think that catering is moving towards a high-quality fast food concept'. New formats taking their inspiration from fast food have emerged such as Eric Kayser and Alain Ducasse's Be Boulangépicier and Paul Bocuse's Ouest Express. 2. Ingredients: Luxury raw materials Reinventing a trusted old recipe using unusual ingredients is a great shortcut to success. In the USA, gourment restaurants are serving deluxe burgers made from Kobe beef, with foie gras and truffles. 3. Fashion Wine: Wine Bars make a comeback Wine starts its life in the cellar, which has become a new sanctuary and tourist destination. A cultural product with a strong social element, wine offers endless possibilities..bring in design and marketing and wine is suddenly becoming very trendy. 4. Healthy Eating isn't a piece of cake! Supermarket chains are developing balanced foods that are low in calories and rich in proteins. For example, London concept outlets lilke Léon and Itsu combine healthy eating and well-being with a designer environment: contemporary for Léon, an oriental ambience for Itsu. 5. Ethics: the new chic Consumption is no longer purely commercial. Altruism, responsible citizenship, concern for others and for the environement have to an end to the notion of purely individual well-being. This alternative culture that encourages each person to think about what they are buying obviously has a knock-on effect on the catering sector. London is home to emblematic examples of this trend with Fifteen by Jamie Oliver, The Hoxton Apprentice and Zen Satori. 6. Food in Process: Cuisine as performance Cuisine as performance - and why not interactive? Driven by diners' insatiable curiosity about the secret, behind-the-scenes rituals, there is still a growing tendency for the kitchens to be in full view of the dining room. The new Cookbook Café opened by InterContinental London is billed as the interactive restaurant where customers can share their recipes, be involved in devising the menus and, of course, take cookery lessons.