The kitchen as command central, our home’s center for nourishment to entertainment, is here to stay, according to The Next Big Bite; the annual forecast presented by Les Dames d’Escoffier New York, the nonprofit educational, scholarship, and advocacy organization serving women in the culinary and hospitality industry.
Earlier this month, speakers chef and author Marcus Samuelsson and author and activist Grace Young opened a conversation led by Culinary Personality and LDNY member Tara Bench, that ranged from the quarantine’s effect on food sources and the rebirth of victory gardens, to the landscape that changed drastically in homes and restaurant communities, how our kitchens and dining experiences will evolve with an assist from new technology, and how restaurants will continue to be essential for our emotional recovery.
Samuelsson pointed out the silver lining gleaned during the pandemic as he noted, “More chefs cooked at home, everyone cooked at home, [we] became more informed cooks, more passionate home cooks.”
10 KEY TRENDS FROM THE EXPERTS:
Ingredients
-Minimizing food waste
-Alternative proteins on the rise
-Plant-based food consumption skyrocketing (also a trend from past The Next Big Bite)
Technology
-Robotics at home: front door temperature checks and sensors, air purifiers, cordless/touchless appliances
-Indoor growing systems that enhance sustainability, health, and control of your food system
Design
-Cultural diversity and reviving traditions; the lunchtime family meal returns in what is now also a laboratory and party space
-Kitchen design; materials innovation drives safety and usage, open concept reverts to purpose-built or multi-use rooms with privacy
Other trends include:
-Walk-in pantries/butler pantries return – storage and preparation remain top of mind in light lockdowns and supply issues
-Creating indoor-outdoor kitchen spaces for healthier living that include satellite prep, cook and dining areas that flow from kitchen to entertaining space.
Society
-Addressing food insecurity, food deserts, and the rise of community gardens and community fridges
Young, who remains passionate about people cooking from cookbooks at home also acknowledged that while the home cook pro soared in putting three meals a day on the table, restaurant culture remains a part of our lives. And that was threatened, as she noted “It was devastating to discover legacy businesses and restaurants that were part of Chinatown for decades, never reopened. We lost mom and pop restaurants and markets that were the heart and soul of the community.”
She urged everyone to join her #SaveChineseRestaurants, the nationwide Instagram campaign that she launched in partnership with the James Beard Foundation and Poster House.
The Next Big Bite was sponsored by Kerrygold.
Related: Les Dames d'Escoffier International Names Fisher Prize Winners; Capitalizing on Social Media Trends.